Helping Thy Neighbor

I have written on several occasions about how my neighbor is moving.  Rachel and I are quite saddened by this, they have been sweet and very nice to us.  We will truely miss them when they leave, which is supposed to be within a week or two.

Gary has an ice cream trailer.  He goes to festivals and fairs throughout southern Indiana.  He wants to sell it just because of the sheer distance he is moving.

So I’m lending a hand.  I’m in the process of putting it on eBay.  That’s gary right after he bought it I believe.  It’s a nice trailer, and could be a very good income.  He is including everything needed to run the business, even his contacts to festivals and fairs in this area.

So if you are interested, or know someone who is.  Leave a comment and I’ll send you his email and phone information.

BTW the asking price is $17,000

I’ll miss you Gary, I really will.  You were my first real neighbor, and Rachel and I will never forget you.

A Time of Reflection

As a special day in my life, today being my birthday, I have thought about some of the events that have occured in my life that have made me, well, me.

Here is a summation of my life thus far, all 27 years of it.

October 25th, 1980 – I was born at the Bloomington Hospital.  I have heard stories how I was trouble from the word go, as I was a breech baby.

Summer 1985 – I ran away from a daycare center and walked a couple of miles down 3rd street to The Crescent Doughnut Shop.  After having some doughnut holes and a sprite on the house, I was taken back to the center by Monroe County Sheriff’s Deputies.  My family was upset, but I got to ride in a police car.  The main thing I remember is what I was singing in my head on that hot day, “On the road again,” by Willie Nelson.  The Herald-Telephone, now called The Herald-Times had a story about the situation which mentioned new fangled tracking devices for kids at the time, it’s currently used for pets.

Summer 1986 – A hearing-impaired neighbor told my dad about me stealing a cigarette from his truck.  So I rode my bike all the way to my memma’s house, which was almost a 10 mile ride.  Not bad for a 5 year old.

Labor Day 1987 – My just divorced father marries Kathy Howe.  This starts a period of darkness for me.  I become a bully in school.  She physiclly and mentally abuses me, even wants to charge me rent to live in “her” home.  It all culminates in 1992 with an altercation with a rifle, she threatened to shoot me and I dared her.  Just as I was trying to remove the weapon from her hands my father showed up and held me down to calm down the situation.  I immediately moved in with my mother, who had been in Lubbock, Texas for several years.

October 1992 – I bring a BB gun to Templeton Elementary School with plans to at least hurt everyone in the 6th grade class, and the principal.  After making it on the grounds I chickened out and hid it in a bush.  The BB gun was found and I was expelled and put on probation.  I was passed on to 7th grade with only 2 months of 6th grade education.

1993 – 1995 – Those were very trying years for me.  I learned to appreciate many things we all take for granted.  Most of the time I didn’t know where I would sleep for the evening.  My mom’s husband was on the run from the law and I was abandoned in a trailer by Lake Monroe.  I did not have any electricty, running water or heat.  Sometimes I ate, sometimes I didn’t.  Once I got a hold of my father, things got better.

1996 – In the middle of the night I stole my mothers car (which was soon to by mine when I received my license), and her money, packed my clothes and took off.  My destination, Round Rock, Texas.  I was on-line, a new and expensive thing at that time.  I met a girl via a BBS named Metropolis.  She and I talked for hours upon hours, on the computer and on the phone.  Her username was “Swisser.”  Everyone had thought I drove to Valpo to see another girl, but that was just a ploy.  After driving 20 hours straight due to an error on my part, I ended up at my aunt Beth’s house in Westville, Oklahoma.  She immediately called my dad.  They decided that I stay with my grandfather until something could be worked out.  I spent a week with him, and I will always cherish that time I had with him.  I was the only grandchild he really knew.  He passed away in 2000.

November 1996 – I have a seizure while bagging groceries at the westside Kroger.  Later that month after a battery of tests, I’m diagnosed with epilepsy.  I don’t realize for years what responsibilities this condition carries.

October 1997 – I drop out of high school for good.  After being bounced around the 3 high schools in the county, I was lost.  The same day I dropped out, I took the General Education Diploma test.  After nervously waiting, I passed and received my GED.  I only went to high school 1 and a half years.

November 1997 – One month after purchasing a 1992 Dodge Daytona, I totalled it and shut down Highway 37 for 4 hours by running it into a propane tank at an estimated speed of 60mph.  I was unconscious almost from the time I left my home in Ellettsville to after the collision.  Fortunately I was unharmed.  This collision makes me reconsider driving with my condition.  It also shoots my insurance rates to over $1000 every 6 months.  It is now affordable, only 10 years later.

August 26, 1999 – I become a father!  Weighing in at 7 pounds, 11 ounces, Taylor Marie Nicole Lawmaster is born.  Two years later, her mother and I split up.  As an afterthought, my daughters’ own name was a sign.  We couldn’t agree on a middle name, so she has 2.  Her mother wanted Marie, and I wanted Nicole.

2001 – Life is coming more into focus.  I start a job I have been applying to for 3 years, Baxter.  I thought I would work their until I retired but was canned after 5 years.  I also meet someone very special, Rachel Christine Lee.  I didn’t know or even think at that moment, but she would soon enough be my wife.  We also met on-line.

2002 – Rachel and I move in together on Valentine’s day.  We start with nothing, not even a bed.  Eventually our apartment is overflowing with the love we have for each other and furnishings.

2004 – After years of almost no control of my seizures, I have a VNS (Vagal Nerve Stimulator) implanted.  It eventually works better than any medication I have ever taken at controlling seizures.  I also get married at the First Baptist Church in Bedford, Indiana.  The same church where my parents were married in 1981.

2006Rachel and I become homeowners.  It’s an ongoing adventure that I can’t get enough of.  Three months later I become unemployed, which scares the bejesus out of us.  This starts a period of unknown for the both of us, when will it end?  I really don’t know.

2007 – I started a new job at IU, which might open some doors for me.

Here’s my history, what’s yours?

Droppin’ Like Flies

I just learned that 2 more homes will be for sale in Sunrise Estates.

As you can see from this illustration.  It seems a disproportionate amount of homes are for sale here, and I can’t get my fingers on it.

The home across the street from me must have just been sold, as it is no longer on homefinder.org and all of the signs were removed today.

Sadly, my next door neighbor Gary will be moving to West Virginia soon.  So his house is immediately for sale.  Rachel and I will miss Gary and his wife dearly, as they have been good neighbors to us.  They have also been our first “real” neighbors since becoming homeowners.  Gary got a new job with Xerox.  It is a good location for them though, as they have sons living in Ohio and Maryland.  That will put them in the middle.  He starts within the next 2 weeks.  I offered to do whatever I can to help them in this transition.  We will miss you two!

The home 2 houses down from me really makes me wonder.  We share only one thing, and that is our neighbor Bill.  He’s a character, very particular about property lines and I’m about to the point of shooting his dog.  They recently spent a lot of time (and money I’m sure) building a brick mailbox enclosure.  There are many on our drive, it seems to be a popular accessory if you will.

So what’s next?  This instability is starting to make me wonder if buying here was a good idea.

Why don’t you put an offer on a house here Kelly?  You have 4 to choose from 🙂

Time For a Little Something “On The ROX”

I am now with no constant clients for my business, so I’m starting the daunting task of saving my favorite little show from B-town from dust.

I have a new game plan now which I think will be better for the long run, but I still need YOUR help.  Yes I mean you!

Many episode masters have heat damage, and I can do no better than getting a copy of the already damaged master.  If you have ANY episodes of ROX, formerly J&B on the ROX email me, I’m begging you.  It doesn’t matter if you only have half of an episode, please send it!

Without help from the public, I will need to start looking into alternatives to possibly restore these damaged episodes.  The only drawback is that restoration costs money.  If I have to go this route, donations to ROX would be most helpful.

Another way to help is to buy Season Zero which has been available on DVD for over a year now!

The new plan is to burn each episode to DVD once it is to a good standard.  This will save space on my hard drives and save my work.  Once I have a season completed, it will be released to DVD for the world to consume.

Forgetting the past is just like destroying the future, so help me save ROX’s history!

Won’t You Be, My Neighbor?

This is where I live.  It’s a small neighborhood named Sunrise Estates.  It’s quiet, peaceful and very unique.  We’re not a very social neighborhood, but we are neighborly!  The best part is being away from the “hustle and bustle” of town, but being close to everything.  Not to sound like a redneck, but Wal-Mart is only 2.5 miles away!

Although most of the homes are bi-levels, this is by no means a “cookie cutter” subdivision.  The lots range in size from 1/4 to 1/2 acres, I have .47 to be exact.

Something seems very strange, as we now have 3 homes for sale.  That’s almost 10% of the total homes in our neighborhood!  It was a big deal when we bought this place, it seemed like everyone was in “shock and awe” that the guy sold his home.  More information is available on homefinder.org, just click on property search and type Gillham in the street field.


The house across the street from me has been in foreclosure for almost a year.  Someone recently bought it and is trying to “flip” it.  This house is very similar to ours.  It has a nice covered entry.  We are discussing adding one to our house.  If you’re interested in this house, let me know, as I know what was paid for this home if you would like to bargain your way down.

The second house is owned by former neighbors of ours.  We all lived together at Basswood Apartments.  Sadly they have seperated and are selling the home.  Great people!  They will be missed.

The third house is being sold due to a move.  It’s currently a FSBO (For Sale By Owner).  The owner is the former Bloomington Fire Department Chief Jeff Barlow, his wife Pam and their 2 sons .  He recently stepped down and accepted a Fire Chief job in Kentucky, I read that he has family there as well.  There was always a feeling of safety knowing the fire chief was my neighbor.  We’ll all miss you!

Won’t you please?
Won’t you please?
Please won’t you be my neighbor?

I Got A REAL Job!

Today I accepted a position with IU!

It’s with the Center for Survey Research as a Production Staff member.  My job duties will be as follows.

Survey packet assembly
Opening/Sorting/Batching returned mail and surveys
Formatting addresses in databases
Scanning surveys
Correcting scanned surveys
Occasional data entry
Other office tasks

I am excited about this position for several reasons.  First and foremost, it’s in Eigenmann Hallwhere my wife works, just on a different floor.  Second, it’s an office position which I have desired for a long time.

I have to go back tomorrow to fill out paperwork, ect.  I was told that I will be starting within the next couple of weeks.

The job is very flexible, as I get to set my own hours.  There is only one downside though, as it is mainly an academic year position, meaning the position is out when the kids are.  It’s something I’m willing to live with, only if the boss is.

Jealous

This weekend is a big weekend for my wife.  We will be going to her 10 year high school reunion.  Rachel (my wife) comes from a very small town, in a very rural area of southern Indiana.  They don’t even have a flashing light!  I do love where she’s from though, as everyone knows, germans know how to have a good time!

I’ll always love her though, no matter how much she looks like our rabbit Gil! 🙂

I feel quite a bit jealous of this event.  I took the “easy” road and got my GED when I was 17.  So I will never have a reunion to go to.  As I’ve gotten older, these things have hit me quite hard.

Some people think persons with GED’s are the people who aren’t intelligent, and just didn’t want to go to school.  It isn’t always true.  My reason you ask?  I was shuffled between 3 high schools in just under 2 years.  I was between a rock and a hard place, either graduate when I was 20, or get a GED at 17.  Which would you choose?

My plan was to go back to school no matter what if I didn’t get the GED.  I went to Ivy Tech, on numerous occasions.  I seem to always find a way to leave.  I have a certificate from Indiana University for Managing in the Life Sciences Industry.  I just don’t learn well in a structured environment.

My wife has many accolades that makes me wonder why she loves me so.  She is currently 2 classes away from achieving a Masters degree from IU in Higher Education.  I guess opposites really do attract?

So I may be jealous, but at least I’m in love.

 

Bloomingpedia

Bloomington has it’s own “pedia.”  It’s basically a clone of wilkipedia, but everything is related to my hometown.

There are many interesting articles about what Bloomington is and what this town used to be.

My wife is constantly trying to find ways to promote my business, which I appreciate greatly.  She added it, and I did a little revising.

Then I looked up ROX, and came up with nothing.  Always being grateful for all the nice things the guys have done for me, I made an article on it about ROX. 

I only hope that people who watched the show in it’s hayday will append to what I’ve started.

This town has a vast, rich history and I think this is a perfect way to try to remember those things that don’t make the history books. 

Check it out:  http://www.bloomingpedia.org

There’s a Nightmare, In My Hood

I was shocked as to what I saw in the newspaper over the weekend.

Click *here* to read the story via TheIndyChannel.com (Indianpolis’s ABC affiliate)

Just a few miles away, someone has been arrested for double homicide.  The gross part is the people who were murdered were being stored in drums on the guys’ property.

According to MapQuest, it is only 2.33 miles from my house!

Just take a look at the guy, kinda makes you wonder.

Here’s a link to an updated article  click *here*

 

Still Searching, But For What?!?

Since losing my job with Sternberg, my job search efforts which were already underway have picked up significantly.  I have applied for many positions, with many different companies.

I’ve gotten several interviews, but not much more than that.

I had an interesting interview with Smithville Telephone Company (our telephone and DSL provider).  It was for a DSL support technician.  I thought the interview went well, and was told that I would be informed of a decision either way by “early” this week.  I’m still waiting…..

I had an inproptu interview at IU, in my wifes’ old stomping ground.  Interestingly enough the department I interviewed with is “somewhat” of a competitor for students with her new department.  It went great!  It’s the best interview I’ve had in a long time.  In a joking manner, the director of the department actually told me I should just stay at home since my wife’s a “big shot now.”  The job is perfect for me, as it’s mainly scanning transcripts and admission applications for the department.  I’m everything but an expert in that department, with my business experience, and the scanning I did for Baxter, I should be a shoe in.  We’ll see I guess.

Today I applied for jobs with Cook Pharmica and Whitestone.  I had to take a 6 hour test from hell just to apply to Cook Pharmica.

I still don’t know what I’m looking for exactly though.  The job market in this area is pretty bad right now.  So bad that in the end, I will probably be looking at least a 20% pay cut, if not more.  That’s just to get a job, not a job I want or desire.