Phil – Page 3 – JournaledTimes

July 31, 2019November 8, 2019

Plugging a Tire

One of the things I wished I had learned when I was younger was more hands on mechanical things. But I was never one to just wish for it, I went out and earned it. I asked questions, watched YouTube videos and just went out and tried.

When we were back in Jersey a neighbor taught me how to plug a tire. This saved me on soooo many occasions, everyone should learn how to.

I have plugged many tires since then and I wanted to teach Seth this valuable lesson.

The tire was plugged, air was added and all was set. I drove it around a couple of time just to make sure the air was not leaking out. All seemed right with the world……………..

Update:

As of this very moment 7/31/2019 I am sitting on the side of the road waiting for road side assistance. The wife came out to the car this morning to see the tire very low on air. The only thing I can figure was I did not push the plug in far enough….’That’s what she said’

She took my car and I was going to try and play with the tire again but I forgot to take the jack out of my car. You see, new cars do not come with jacks or spare tires. This is probably one of the worst ideas ever, I would like to take this moment to say that whoever had the idea to remove the spare needs to have a foot shoved up his/her ass. And I mean that literally.

The tire was not completely flat, just low so I used a can of Fix-a-Flat and added air. And off I went, everything was roses until about 10 minutes on the highway when I looked up and saw the PSI dropping! Fuckitty fuck fuck….

I pulled off the highway just in time to for the tire to go completely flat. So, here I sit waiting for KIA road side assistance to come get me. And to think all of this could have been avoided by having a spare tire!

Ps….I just went back to look to see if I just didn’t see a spare….but no, I was correct no spare.

Dear KIA Design/Engineer/Parts Team,

FUCK YOU from the bottom of my heart. I hope every one of you breaks down in some remote area with no cell phone service and you have to walk 15 miles to find a pay phone to call for service, just to realize you left all the information you need back in the car and that you now have to walk all the way back to the car just to come back to the pay phone to call for that amazing road side assistance.

Do not get me wrong, KIA makes really good cars. We are a KIA family but this design flaw really needs to be addressed,

Thank you

July 26, 2019August 1, 2019

My Road Stories

As a Lyft driver I get all kinds of people, 99.9999% of them are cool. Some of the most difficult ones are usually the drunks, but not always.

Yesterday I found my way into San Francisco thanks to one awesome ride from Pleasanton…about an hour drive with decent traffic. And the next pick up was one that I had to document:

It was about 6:30 pm on a Thursday night and I was out looking to make that money! I get a ping to pick up two riders and I was off. No issues no problems but the second they get in could smell the happy hour was good to them. They were joking and chatting away and here was the conversations:

Guy one: I am not sure about this place, they were not even on the deep cups.

Guy two: Yeah no snookies

Guy one: show me that video, I was so under the cap and that was toasted.

Guy two: Deep cups only, I will show you later

Guy one: I am just trying to give out good vibes because you know the world needs it!

Guy two: yeah *drunk mumblings that followed were so incoherent I gave up trying to follow*

Guy one: On point! Almost there!

From that point they got really quiet and I looked back to see Guy two nose deep into his phone and Guy one with his head back and mouth open. I am talking coma style OUT!

The ride was only about a ten minutes long, so these guys were in and out. And what was even funnier was seeing Guy one snap back online the second I pulled up to their stop. It was like his drunk GPS sent him an alert to notify him to boot up!

And to sum up their conversation…I am not sure what was going on but they understood each and that is all that matters.

After I dropped of Guy one and Guy two I drove past a park, nothing all that interesting till I spotted the office chair and what looked like a group of way ward hippies.

That is actually a common sight in San Fran but the next thing I see is sadly also becoming all to common:

About four of the six people in the group where casually injecting substances into each other’s arms. They were not trying to hide this or even make it a little less obvious of what they were doing. I mean for fuck sakes they had an office chair in the middle of this grassy area next to the sidewalk shooting each other up!

So if you are planning to come to San Fran, and I would advise to do so, be prepared to see lots of homeless people straight up camping on sidewalks, junkies doing drugs right in front of you, dodging piles of human poop on the sidewalk and taking in all the sites that the brochures promised! My advice: take one of those bus tours first and ask lots of questions. There are some places you really need to avoid! They are probably one of the more interesting areas but they are seedy to the tenth power. Here are a few places to avoid:

1) The Tenderloin: trust me on this….don’t go there!

2) The Mission District: it’s ok in the day time but after 8pm….just don’t

3) 6th ave: there a couple of cool bars/clubs/restaurants on 6th ave but at night this place is FUNKY!

I am not here to bash San Francisco, it is a very cool place to go. We go down to the Fisherman’s Wharf all the time! But like with any big city it has its issues. I listed the three I know from personal experience, there are other places you might want to avoid. Just check the internets, Siri can be a big help with that….

Me: Hey Siri, what are some areas to avoid in San Francisco?

Siri: Ok here is a listing of massage spas you have visited in the past week. Should I call ‘Madam Smooth Hands’ for you?

Me: Siri; No, erase all save data, purge all saved cookie, clear browser history and self destruct!

Well maybe Siri cannot help you, just be sure to speak slowly and overly annunciate all the words. One mispronounced word can change how you view technology as a whole!

July 23, 2019

Wandering Blindly Into New Territory With No Fucks to Give

I asked my brother-in-law if he could help me out with a logo, and he delivered! With total and complete excitement I wanted to plaster it all over the place! But then I wondered if I had to trade mark it before going any farther.

I have not created this site for any other reason than to have a place that I can say ‘This is mine, now fuck off’. But as I move on with it I wonder what asshat will borrow or steal from me without giving proper credit. I did look into getting my stuff actually trademarked and my bank account said it was not going to cooperate.

I have not been one to let things like this slow me down, so I am here to say that anything on my site is of my own creation and can not be used without my expressed permission. I know people are not going to listen but if you do borrowing my stuff, please give credit to the source.

I grew up in the world of the intellectual property pirate. The first time I heard about this notion was when I rented my first VCR tape at Blockbuster and that warning we all know….’WARNING Federal Law blah blah blah 5 years in prison, blah blah $250, 000 blah blah’. It meant very little to me then, but as time went on I understood what it was all about.

No one wants their shit stolen and then resold. And I know all about the corporate greed and how this does not affect the little people…..but it does. I am not really trying to create anything here other than a fun place to blog, write, post and bullshit. But if someone where to take what is rightfully mine and try to pass if off as theirs or worse yet; make a profit off of it! I would just about shit myself! Then I would have to hunt down the fuckstick who stole my stuff, shove my foot up their ass and then ask ‘Where is the money Lebowski!?’

So please understand this is my space…..hehe my space….and respect the house well service. I am currently working on my Comicon 2019 review, I have a ton of pictures to go through and I am still trying to see which ones I am going to use. I want to use them all but that would be one HELL of a post! So, until next post; journal often, journal more and take pictures of everything

July 17, 2019July 17, 2019

My First App Post

I have been meaning to try and do a post on the go via the app. I get these awesome ideas, take notes and then by the time I get home from a long day of sitting in front of a computer I have zero desire spending more time at the modern day idiot box.

If this works out I will be posting more often, most likely out while doing my Lyft thang. There will most likely a great deal more grammatical errors. So if there are any grammar nazis out there, please lay it on! I do appreciate constructive criticism and will fix as needed. I try but my editing skills are laughable at best so please, if you see something say something.

We are currently out and about, many more pictures will be coming! Pictures and memories are currently being made!

Till next time…..this is app post number one!

July 13, 2019

San Fran Pride 2019

I know I know I am super late on this post, I am the worst when it comes to being consistent! But a little while ago me and the family were part of the PlayStation Pride march. This year I got to lead the parade….to lead you in the summer to join the black parade….My Chemical Romance…..Yes? No? OK, maybe you get the reference maybe you do not, tits OK not everyone can be as cool as me HA!

This year the weather was much cooler, this year we had protesters (Protesting the corporate monsters devouring the spirit of Pride), and this year we had the kids with us.

Not much to really report other than everyone had fun, there were tons of people, and this year I saw a good deal more…..Furries….I am sure there were some at last years parade but this year there were LOTS of them! And for those that has no idea what a Furry is please take a moment to read this: What is a Furry?

This my friends is an example of a Furry…San Fran 2019

This is the second year we have attended, and this year I am noticeably lighter in the guy area! I am about the same weight in both pictures but I have been slamming the shit out of the gym for the past 5 months day in and day out everyday!

Showing Pride and being Fab!!!!

I look like a biker from Sons of the Rainbow……..

Rambo-Rainbow…..I’m yar worst nightmare….

In all this was a great march, I was way out of my element but that is find. Sometimes you need to step out of your comfort zone.

My comfort zone has been keeping me out of my page, that and me being a lazy shit. I need to get my ass into gear and post more often, I am always kicking myself for not getting in here more often. But by the time I get home from my job of working at a computer, coming home and spending more time at a computer can be more of chore than a love. I started doing this out of my love of blogging, that is part of the reason I always end my post with:

‘So till next post; journal often, journal more and take pictures of everything’

I hear a voice in my head telling me I should blog about this or blog about that, I even take notes about some of the things I want to blog about. Just getting my ass in my chair to make a post can sometimes be a huge pain. I am working out the bugs in my motivation to write, I do have more to add but I just end this post with something I love: Pictures! I try to post only pictures that I have taken…..these are my pictures so please do not steal/use/borrow them without permission

2017 Death Valley Ca….it was 120 degrees that day!

June 26, 2019

Trader Joe’s Food Review: Dolmathakia

Since leaving New Jersey I have yet to find a dinner, or my definition of what I came to know and love as a ‘Dinner’. One of the major parts missing from the dinners out here are the Greeks….yes it cannot be a dinner unless its run by Greeks. And yes there are Greek restaurants here in Cali and even a local gyro place in Pleasanton that is owned and operated by real Greeks…..best gyros in town! Simply Greek, is the place to go, check them out if you are ever in the area!

As a kid one of my favorite things that the Greek dinners had was the Dolmathakia! If the dinner did not have it, their review took a dive in my little pre-Yelp mental review. And ps…..I just learned that Dolmathakia is the actual name and not ‘That rice wrapped in grape leave thingie’

So, it has been a while since I have had Dolmathakia. Then to my surprise I see this can at Trader Joe’s with the words ‘Dolmas’ on it with a picture of that yummy dinner treat! I was very skeptical, I mean it was not at a dinner, it was not being served by tall olive colored skin women with frizzy hair that held more pencils/pens that would seem sensible….but I am always up for trying new stuff. So I bought a can…..and you know what….it was fucking good! I will most defiantly be buying this again! I was sad I did not have my Greek waitress, but I can wait till I go back to NJ this December.

I was never a big fan of Trader Joe’s, it is has always been a bit to hippy dippy hipster for me but I am finding more and more things to my liking there. Still, half of that stuff reminds me of what consumerism has evolved into; organic, glutten free, non-gmo fair trade locally grown apples…..3 for 20$….I kid I kid! There prices are not that bad, cheaper than Whole Foods but still a little pricey. But the do have cheap wines, good cheeses and Dolmathakia ……can I say that again….they have Dolmathakia!

So till next post; journal often, journal more and take pictures of everything.

June 14, 2019June 14, 2019

First Summer Adventure….of Many to Come…

This past weekend the family took a trip out to Marina State Beach, just a short drive down from Moss Landing.

I love going to the beach, I never get to go as often as I would like. I hope to someday live on or at least really close to a beach. We are only about an hour away so it is not all that far.

Seth was not feeling the whole beach vibe so he just sat in the sand being moody. But Lucas was on board with it so one out of two is not bad.

The water was, and probably still is, FUCK COLD. I was able to get to about my bellybutton before I turned back, I always thought that the water in Ca was going to be warmer than NJ…boy was I wrong!

This is what happens when you ask the kids to apply sunscreen

After all was said and done it was a good day, and I hope to get down here again soon.

June 3, 2019

You May Now Call Me Rev. Phil

I have recently become an ordained minister all thanks to the Universal Life Church. I can bless your house, marry people, over see baby naming (not sure what that is all about) Hand Fasting and even Baptize you and/or anyone else!

I have wanted to do this for a while, for no particular reason. I just wanted to, and I am not even sure what I want to do with this but I have it.

Does anyone have any experience with this? Like I said I am not sure where I am going to go with this but lets just see where it goes! And if anyone is looking to join please check out their web page: Universal Life Church

This weekend we took an unplanned trip out to Santa Cruz to have lunch at Woodies. Woodies is always our go to place for a quick bite, good food, decent prices and friendly service.

I love the Jersey Shore feel that Santa Cruz has, busy boardwalk, rides, games, carny food and even the local flare. Santa Cruz board walk was founded in 1907 so it has some serious history. And let us not forget the Hollywood history of the Lost Boys……all of us 80/90’s children can totally relate to this! And for those of you interested check out the Santa Cruz Lost Boys memory lane: Visit California Lost Boys Tour

I love all of the old timey attractions they still have on display all around the boardwalk

Not a big fan of jump scare but the idea is fun

I wonder if he gets paid extra for holidays?

One of the great parts of living in California is the vibe, it is super chill with all kinds of places to explore. And yes all of the other states in the great union have places to uncover as well, and I hope to see as many as I can before I have to leave this planet to go to Planet Xenu! I sometimes wish I had come out here sooner, but the great winds sent me out here in the time I was meant to be here.

Jersey will always have a special place in my heart as being home but California is where I live, breath and blog. It is me now, we will be back in Jersey during the Christmas holiday so i will see y’all then, but till next post; journal often, journal more and take pictures of everything.

May 22, 2019

Jay Mewes and His Am-Mewesing Stories (In coming Inappropriate Stuff…..)

This past weekend we got the chance to see Jay Mewes….you know Jay and Silent Bob, yeah that Jay! And we had a blast, it was funny because I kept telling myself that if he ever came to the Bay area I was going to go.

Then I see on his Instagram page that he was going to the San Jose Improv in 3 days! It was short notice but fuck it I NEEDED to see this. There were two comedians that went on before him, I wish I wrote down their names because they were good. If you walk out of a show quoting a comedian and still laughing about it they are good.

Jay did not do comedy per say, it was just him telling his story in his way. I love how candid he is about his life, his matter of fact way of his delivery and his level of inappropriateness just touches me in a way no man should every. But in this case I will make an exception.

He spoke about growing up with his grand mother, how he forced himself onto Kevin Smith and made him love him, and how he said that he did not feel the fame until after the movie Dogma. Which was his 5th movie…..he did not feel the fame until his FIFTH MOVIE!

I am not going to spoil his show, it is worth the money. I will also say that he is an awesome guy. They did not post that there was going to be a meet and greet after the show but they were selling merchandise and he came out and signed pictures, took selfies and even talked with us. We mentioned we were from Elizabeth and he lit up, I swear we probably bumped into him while we lived there! And for the record, if he comes back I will go see him again!

Just another Friday night in downtown San Jose

I have been MIA for a little while, just my usual lazy self I guess. I have been on point with my gym, work is cool and the kids are good. So no real complaints, just need to come here an play a little bit more. So until next post; journal often, journal more and take pictures of everything.

May 5, 2019

Busy Busy Busy

Life is always busy, which is a good thing. Its been over a week since I last posted, and that has been bothering me. It is not like I did not have things to post about, I just need to be more diligent with my time and get my ass blogging Ha!! I have gotten more diligent with the gym though, 4 months now every morning without fail! I am finally seeing some results so that is super motivating.

To help with the motivation I have been watching two YouTube fitness guys: Swolenormous and Shredded Sport Science. These two channels give the facts without the bullshit, no product placement, no supplement endorsements and they like to put others on blast that are just wrong. I watch a couple of other channels but they are far from natty (all natural) and I know it but I love the freaks. Swolenormous and Shredded Sport Science have been key to me getting on track, probably for the first time in all of my life. I will probably do a full post on both of these channels just because I feel anyone at any level will appreciate what they are doing.

Work is still that four letter word that affords me food, home and vacations. It is a good job so I wont knock it, but if I win the lottery you can bet you sweet ass I will not be showing up to work that following day, HA!

This week is my wife’s birthday and I found this picture and sent it to her with the title: Relationship Goals

I am not sure where it came from or who the original creator is, but it is awesome and I had to share!

We were not sure where to go for her birthday dinner, so after much thought we picked: Olive Garden. We have not has the explosive poops in a while so we figured why not. To our surprise everything worked out great, no wait, food was pretty good and no tummy issues. I am not knocking Olive Garden or saying that their food causes bowel problems, its just every time we have gone there we all ended up on the potty! Maybe they changed something about how they prepare the food but it has been almost 4 fours and everything is still roses.

I have been doing my Lyft thing, nothing all exciting but I did have a fare that was a little uncomfortable. I got a rider at a the train station, and form the moment they got in they were on the phone and visibly upset. From what I could gather their mother was in the ER with unknown issues and the entire family was on their way. By the time this 10 minute ride was over she was just about balling her eyes out. I did not know how to process this or what to say. I was not part of the conversation and at no point did they try to engage with me. So I just left it as it where, dropped them off and wished them well. I hope everything worked out for everyone, but it was an uncomfortable ride…..

In all this week has been a good week; Lucas got his cast off and is back doing his kick boxing, Seth is still a moody teen, the wife is a year older and I am just as inappropriate and stupid as ever. I will end this post with a picture I took while at Jimmy Johns earlier this week, it pretty much summons up how one can make things better for themselves. I know it is easier said than done, but if you dont try then you can never say it cannot be done: