Sunday, June 20, 2010

I Am Alive Again!

How can I possibly start after so long an interim of silence?

Well, concerning my '97 Honda Accord: $5,000 later, I got a new engine because the reason the temp gauge could never be fixed was because my head gasket was blown. So, that problem was solved. We'll table this for a later discussion as I'm trying to be somewhat chronological here.

I visited my father in Kentucky on four occasions since the last blog and it wasn't until the last one this past June 2nd to 8th, that I felt really comfortable there. I got to see Churchill Downs, the Patton museum, Fort Knox, Louisville, the Heaven Hill distillery, a weapons museum, all kinds of stuff. Don't care much for their weather, though. As my dad said, "If you don't like the weather here, just wait a few minutes..." I later found out that Mark Twain had said the same about the weather in New England. I love my Dad and my new family there. I miss them more and more as time inexorably moves on. So, that's the good news.... (and, yes, I did wish him a happy Father's Day today).

On August 8th of 2009, my aunt Faye (my Dad's sister in KY) passed on due to pancreatic cancer and the next day my father here in CA, the only one I had known for forty years, Ed Perez, died due to a heart attack in Yuba City. I don't think I have fully recovered from that loss (how can one really do so?) but I feel I have moved on at this point. I had to leave for KY a week after his death and that trip was quite surreal for me. I met a very nice girl there, April, and though it didn't turn into anything, we still talk on occasion. I was very messed up and did things I later regretted. She was kind enough to understand, and that's really all I can ask of her. I started writing a lot of poetry during this period... none of it for public consumption.

In September of that same year, I was rear-ended in my Honda Accordion by some brash idiotic youth barreling out of his high school with his girlfriend. I was at a stop light and he didn't even hit the brakes. I was slammed into at 40 mph. My seat broke. My new engine was leaking fluid all over the asphalt. It was over. Luckily no one was harmed. This was my second accident in a year. I was involved in a five-car accident on the 101 on Memorial Day of 2009. Some cargo van plowed into a car which plowed into another four cars which then tapped me as we were stopped on the highway in close proximity to each other. That wasn't so bad, not even enough for my deductible to kick in. All it did was make me late to the Kubla Con game convention that day. But this one totaled my car. Finally, kill this beast. It had over 220,000 miles on it, and I was due for a new car anyway.
Being as the car was owned free and clear, this meant I would be screwed beyond all measure. My insurance company gave me $2,500 for the car and thanks to some sorely needed help from my Dad, Wayne, in KY and my Mom here in CA, I was able to make the down payment to secure my new, er-- used '06 Honda Civic four-door sedan. I now have to make a car payment, but I have a better car now so I am happy. Just changed the brakes on it yesterday.
Meanwhile, at work, my supervisor gained the Sacramento territory and I instantly jumped at the chance to work there, so as to be closer to my friends and family in Marysville and Yuba City. After I searched for a decent apartment and made the deposit, my employer changed his mind after realizing that there would not be enough work for me there. So I pulled up stakes at the last moment (literally!) and found a place in downtown Tracy, since I now work in Pleasanton rather that Santa Clara/San Jose. This cost me around $300 in back rent which my employer was more than gracious to reimburse me for. I finally moved on May 8th of this year.
Again, I am happy.
I had to fight AT&T for a month!!!! to get internet at this place. And the day I finally got it, Comcast turned off my 'free' cable service. I guess it was residual from the former resident of my place. That's okay, who needs TV anyway....
This week, I will be filing for bankruptcy (Chapter 7), since my new rent is making it impossible for me to keep up on a couple bills. We'll see how that goes.

On the dental front: I had a root canal, a crown, three fillings, the removal of two teeth and another possible crown in August. Not bad for not seeing a dentist in 17 years, eh?
That's a joke. Please see your dentist regularly so you don't have to lose any teeth. Comprende?

I think that's the gist of it. Let's see, I hate Facebook, I don't tweet or twitter or whatever. I do text though it's a pain in the ass. Am I done?

I guess I am for now.

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