Dark Minds

2002-03-09T11:52:00.000-06:00

Ok, This place is moving to www.seadoc.net

Its still under contruction, but if I have any readers, it from now on where you will find me.

Talk to you later!!

I'll be moving the archives over soon if anyone cares...

2002-03-06T21:48:00.000-06:00

Still no progress on the domain.

Anyway, we are sitting in a Hotel in Lafayette, LA waiting on tommorrow's staff meeting. My wife has lined up a bunch of apartments to look at tommorrow, but she is keeping it from her family.

We went to Mulate's and had a good time with good food. Unfortunately we left $70 later. Next we went and basically drove across Lafayette and ended up, of all places, a Wal-Mart! At least some things never change. I hope my freakin' Domain gets resolved tonight! The guys at logjamming are supposed to be working on it. Next step is getting my new e-mail running as it sems I can't login to the webmail service at my domain, but e-mails sent to that address are forwarded just fine. I guess its not taking my password.

ANyway, I am off to bed and off to relax a little. Need to quit puilling my hair out over this domain.

Night.....

2002-03-05T19:55:00.000-06:00

Well I got my own domain yesterday, www.seadoc.net
Its still not functioning. Why can't things go right for me the first time??

Anyway, hopefully I will be moving there in the next few days. I have this trip to Lafayette till Saturday so I doubt it will be up before then.
I was Really, really hoping to get the basics up tonight so I could post fromt he road to it, but I guess not :(

Anyway, I plan on running at least three blogs through it. A general Homepage, One on reptiles, and one on Tales from the streets.

I guess no one will here from me in a few days.

Bye.

2002-03-04T17:30:00.000-06:00

Why is it I am supposed to carry the families weight on my shoulders and no one can make a decision without me??
For instance, my mother whom is 58, just decided to get back into Nursing. First off it was an almost daily torture. She called and e-mailed, and basically bugged me about whether or not she should do it. She had job offers, and couldn't decide on whether to take any or not (and she stated she didn't have enough money for another month's rent too). So I had to tell her my advice which was common sense "Any money is better than no money at all."
So she finally gets a job at a Nursing Home. She is an RN which puts her as more of a supervisor/admin person. Well She continues to bug me on mundane things like, What uniforms to get, etc. Now today, her first day in orientation, she calls me (once by phone - once via Messenger) to ask me which Shift She should take!!! For God's sake, I don't have to work it, she has too! I told her I love nights, but I didn't have to work it and so she should make her own decision!!

SIDEBAR: I am beginning to think one of the worst thing I could have done for me and the wife was to Build my Mother a computer and teach her how to use e-mail and Messenger!!

Anyway, I am getting rather tired of the family coming to me to make their decisions for them..

Anyone else have these problems?? Anyone listening?? Hello!?.................

2002-03-04T17:15:00.000-06:00

Today I tried to get some errands done.. TRIED!!
What's up with Car dealerships? My check Engine light came on and since you can never figure out what is going on with that light I went by the shop.
The guy took my truck and came back 30 minutes later to tell me the EGR Tube was clogged and needed cleaning. He said it would take ~30 minutes.

Two and a half hours later and $78 poorer I left!! I spent 78 bucks to have some idiot run a Q-Tip down a tube! Whatever happened to Easily maintained vehicles? My 1978 Luv Truck (first car I bought - 1991) was easily maintainable and ran like a top even though it was missing a water pump and a buch of other "minor" stuff (thats a story in itself).

Anyway, needless to say I got nothing else done today.
Well I take that back.. I did manage to go to Home Depot and pick up some stuff to finish my smaller Igs cage and put it in. Took all of 30 minutes.. :)

If you have a Pocket PC check out Pocket Informant 3.0 by WebIS. Its a really awesome PIM replacement for Pocket PCs and its cheap to boot.

Well, I am off. Don't know who I typed this for, since no one has come by yet, but Enjoy and send me some site name ideas..

2002-03-03T12:04:00.000-06:00

Quick Note today.
Although it seems I have NO READERSHIP! I will probably still set up a website of my own.

But unfortunately I am not very creative with name ideas. I thought about some names, and I am not sure Dark Minds fits well.
I would love to hear some suggestions for my site name (When I move it and get a domain)
So please e-mail me some suggestions if you have any.

It snowed here this morning, just some light flurries just to show you how cold it is, even in the Southern US.

Besides that its a slow Sunday, so enjoy the day.

2002-03-02T18:03:00.000-06:00

Well I thought I would come and post before we went out tonight.
Went to do taxes today. That was fun! The old lady that was doing them for us was a little flaky, but at least we are getting $1500 back from federal.
Don't know what we are getting or paying state yet since my return there had to get booted up a level. (I have to pay two state returns cause I work in one state and live in another). Anyway, looks like I will get to pay off some credit cards this year. Yipee!!!

Also discovered the check engine light on my rodeo came on. An just before a long road trip.. uurgh!!
Also it took so long to do taxes (waited an hour and then it took another hour to do them) that grocery shopping was delayed a day. I hate grocery shopping on Sudays!
I would hate to be in line at H&R block near the end of the month, thats for sure!

Well off to enjoy a cheap Saturday night! Rented movies and fdinner out. Whoopee !!

Have a good evening....

SOMEONE PLEASE READ THIS SITE!! Its depressing not seeing any new readers on the counter. Am I that boring.. :)

2002-03-01T17:21:00.000-06:00

Ok I made it home. Only took 7 1/2 hours today. I was pretty nasty this morning - Cold and windy. Harsh. I wasn't sure the choppers would even fly.
Needless to say, they did though. And the weather started getting better throughout the day.

One comment. All you Interstate Drivers Suck!! You're rude and think the only reason the interstate exists is for you to use, screw everyone else! Whats up with doing 55 in the fast lane and refusing to move? or cutting me or others off in your race to the finish? Be a little bit more polite, OK!?

Well, Since my kitten hasn't left me alone since I walked in and the Wireless AP is hung up, I guess I better go for now. Get ready to greet the wife when she comes home from work,

Have a great eveing all.

2002-02-28T20:11:00.000-06:00

Good Evening.
Last post from offshore for the next two weeks! Yehaa. I am headed home to the arms of my wife tommorrow! Too bad it takes 8 hours to get there. Too bad I have to go to Lafayette, LA in the middle of next week for a staff meeting (The pay doesn't even cover the cost of gas). But the upside is the wife and I decided to take a Mini-Vacation. She is coming with me and after the meeting we might look at apartments (since we are considering moving there), Definitely go to Mulate's (In Breaux Bridge - If you get near Lafayette, LA you Gotta eat there!), and maybe get a little wild (nah, not us).

Anyway, the One reader I have so far will not be hearing from me again till Saturday probably, due to the All day travel tommorrow and some good quality time when I get home (two weeks is a Loooong time!)

Final Note: If you are looking sor a slightly offbeat and weird dramedy Check out Six Feet Under on HBO.

As Willie Nelson Said, "...I can't wait to get On the Road Again, Can't wait to be with my friends, Can't Wait to get on the Road Again."

2002-02-28T14:23:00.000-06:00

I though I needed to post this little rant cause it keeps coming up in offline conversations:
Just as many Paramedics died in 9/11 as did Firefighters and Policemen!!

A lot of EMS providers feel resentment like this because we seem to have been forgotten in all the "hero" Talk and Support your FF and PD talk since 9/11. Who do you think those cops and firefighters brought the wounded to? The didn't carry them to the hospitral on thier backs. It was EMTs and Paramedics

I understand that NYFD also controls the 911 EMS service in New York. But there are alot of 3rd Service systems there and many FD do not run EMS (like where I work a non-profit Public Utility runs the EMS service for the county). I am bothered, as well as colleauges, by the fact that we are deemed unimportant Cot jockeys by the public.

Example #1: We are on duty and go to eat somewhere. The manager actually stated "We give FF and PD discounts because they provide us a service." We didn't get the discount. And its was not just one place either. Its all over. What are the chances of someone choking in your restauraunt versus it getting robbed or burning down??

Example #2: COMPUSA : The Computer Superstore. Gives Firefighters and Police 33% discount on good and services. EMS workers? NONE!!! What is the likelyhood of someone slipping on thier wet tile floors and hurting thier backs, legs, necks, etc versus is getting held up or burning down (esp with that sprinkler system)!?

REMEMBER we are here putting our lives on the line for you too! We often repsond to the Domestics and shootings and suicides the police do, but without the added protection of Guns and Bullet Proof vests, etc.

Please thank the next EMT or Paramedic you see for all they do, paid or otherwise. They do thier job and never complain. They do it so you can feel safe and healthy, whether it be for the lousy $8/hr Paramedics make or not. Don't forget to thank FF or policemen either. They deserve it too.

And if you read this please Remember to Say something about The Discounts, Hospitalities, etc that places show FF and cops to the manager in support of your EMS workers. Especially go to COMPUSA and Complain! They never answered my Letters!

All the EMS workers thank you, and keep tuning in cause it won't always be so heavy.. :)

2002-02-28T10:45:00.000-06:00

Thanks PC2 for rebooting my Brain :)

2002-02-28T09:46:00.000-06:00

Welcome to Day two of this blog. I am still playing around with the site and still trying to settle in.

I am currently in the Middle of the Gulf of Mexico (Thank God I go home tommorrow!!) on the end of my two week hitch. Its freaking COLD here! I mean its in the 20's outside with 30-35mph winds and nothing to stop them. Besides that the rig runs the A/C year around and its supposed to stay around 68 degrees, but I would guess its in the 40s inside. I have a space heater going and I am still freezing my ass off!

I posted a few links to some cool sites, hopefully my graphic will be right the first time, and I hope to have some stories and other good stuff to post here before long.

One thing I think would be pretty cool to do would be to post here in almost real-time while I am at work on the streets. That way you guys would be the first to read the stories of the night/day, whenever my shift is. I wonder if I could use my Pocket PC to do this, hmmm?

Well I guess I will wrap it up for this morning. Hopefully I will have it settled in a few days. After all I don't wanna put too much work into it here if I plan to move it later if its a success.

2002-02-27T21:39:00.000-06:00

OK, This page will be going through a lot of changes the next few days. So If I have any readers. Bear with me. I am trying to get the style, etc down.

Anyway, I am bored so I am off to edit the site.

Good Night all.

2002-02-27T18:04:00.000-06:00

Cool. I finally got up the nerve to Start a Blog! Depending on how this goes I may actually get a domain and move everything there. However, I think the wife my get a little ticked if I spent the cash right now.
BTW, I hate Ads, but its what I gotta take for a free spot, so bear with me.

Why Start a blog? Especially with so many blogs and so little readership?
1) VENTING!!! My job frustrates me from time to time
2) I have storeis about it to tell (some intresting, some not so)
3) Communicating with people, both those I know and Don't
4) Just a grand experment in unleashing the workings of my mind on the world.

Why Should you give a damn about me or my blog?
No Particular reason, but let me tell you about myself.
I have been a Paramedic for 5 years. I have seen the best and worst in people and I love to tell both the humorous and serious stories related to the human condition found in my work. Currently I work Offshore in an Advanced capacity on Oil Rigs. Although not much ever happens out here, when it does its a real Whopper! When I am off I still work the streets and interact with the people of the world.

Before that I was in the Special Forces. Don't know if that will ever come into play, but who knows.

I am newly married at almost 30. Which seems old for my generation. I was the last of my friends married and I took the longest. My wife is a Kindergarten teacher and is six years younger than I (She has some pretty funny stories herself which I might convince her to pass on)

So to Finalize this post, What will you hopefully get by coming here?
Stories from my job and life (Hopefully the wife's too)
Cool Gadgets, toys, websites, whatever I feel like posting
My rants regarding my job, life, etc
An Inside and sometimes ugly view of my take on the world and society
Anything else I feel like posting about

So I hope you enjoy this blog and find it amusing, horrifying, ehatever it turns out to be.
Have Fun!