Volta, Arms, Riots and Me

Been and interesting couple of weeks since my last update.

I’ll start with the best thing, which was getting to see the Mars Volta live at Thebby with 2 of my best friends. It was way nice to just hang out as they live down in the Mount now and normally I only get to see them once a month for shows. We still ended up bitching about work some of the time but it’s still good to have a some people who you can unload some shit on without them taking it personally. But back to the show, The Mars Volta were fucking great. The show wouldn’t have been everyone’s cup of tea, as was evident from some of the crowd, well those there that is as. Thebby was almost as empty as I have ever seen it, which surprised me as last time I saw this band there it was packed and that was on a Tuesday night and seeing as this was a Friday I expected more. The set consisted of mainly new songs I didn’t know but will now have to explore more as I really liked most of them. I really don’t know why half of the crowd was there though as they seemed to think this was a standard rock concert which if you have ever listened to the Volta you know it isn’t. This is Prog rock in all it’s glory and even though it is original and new I could also hear influences of old like early Pink Floyd and King Crimson and even a bit of Zeppelin. The only gripe I can make of the night would be whenever they were playing some quieter passages and exploring some amazing atmospheric stuff some of the audience were talking loudly. Seriously, I just wanted to slap them across the head and ask, “Why are you not listening to this”? It was amazing and had me transfixed but the ADD kids were only there for the rock bits and the shiny things I guess. I did have to laugh at myself when listening to my mates sister talking about the last time they played there and realising I was at the concert she was talking about and didn’t remember even going before she bought it up. Hey getting old isn’t that bad, every day is a new experience especially if you can’t remember the day before lol.

Work has been hard especially having to struggle on with the stuffed shoulder but only a week and a half left to go before the operation. Not that I am really looking forward to it, have not said it to anyone but secretly shitting myself but it has to be done. Definitely not looking forward to spending a month in a sling and then, according to the doctor, anything up to a year recovering. I know I won’t take that long, pretty sure people won’t let me have that long either.

Talking of work I received a phone call from the boss of the company who I worked for earlier in the year who I had so much trouble with in regards to being paid. He apologised which was nice and asked if we can meet for a coffee when he is in town next week. I said yes as I’ll go anywhere for a free coffee but I am pretty sceptical about working for them again. He made it sound like it was all a big mistake and he was going to sort it and they have lots of work coming up in Adelaide and was wondering if I was interested. I said I might be but it will be on my terms and will cost them, well I don’t need their work as we are doing just fine on our own, but I will hear what they have to say. I thought it was hilarious though the day after I spoke to him I received a call from the manager in S.A. asking if I had heard from them. Seems the company hasn’t done any work in S.A. of note since I left and the only thing they have coming up is the same 2 week job they had before which was supposed to start 3 months or more ago. He wasn’t exactly happy about his direction himself so it sounds like the usual bullshit these type of companies spew out, all talk no substance.

Haha I just got a phone call while typing this from some construction manager in Sydney who wanted me to go out today and look at some pissy little maintenance that needed doing on a shop. Really, Are you serious? When your boss spoke to me the other day it was about running a project not about an hour’s work. Not to mention the fact that without a new contractors agreement in place I am not leaving the house for you. Why would I put my family back or myself in that situation again?

I also worked at my last RCW show before my operation and told them I won’t be making the next show. With the exception of the show in Mount Gambier where we wrote off the car it will be the first show I have missed. I was a little worried, as I have been telling them for years they needed to have a backup person who know how to set up and run the show just in case this happened. Well now it has and there is no one who can put my system together so I won’t be sending it out. I will supply a small idiot proof PA for them to use but it won’t be the same quality. Hopefully this serves as a reminder of what I do for them and some people might show a little more appreciation, but I doubt it. It hasn’t been all smooth sailing of late with too much politics and personal agendas by those that have just arrived. I understand that those running it would be stupid not to use some of the knowledge being offered by those people but they should be making sure they are still in control of the ship instead of letting them run riot. These people are only there for themselves, which is opposed to the whole ethos we have tried to install over the years. I have plenty of evidence of this but I won’t air it here yet as I haven’t had a chance to bring it up with those that do own the show but it will come to a head soon. Hopefully before those that have donated their time, effort, and money for years to build it into what was voted the best fed in Australia leave.

Funny though I couldn’t have a last, trouble free show before the op. While setting up and patching things together it seems my laptop had an issue. It wasn’t even turned on just plugged into the power but when I went to attach the lead from the headphone out to the desk it shorted out and blew the fuck out of the laptop and part PA. But after a mad dash back home to recover file from the hard drive and the loan of a laptop (Thanks to Maddy and Kristen) and a little bit of re-routing on the desk, the show went off without a hitch. From the feedback and reviews, it has been touted as the show of the year, not that some of those mentioned earlier would agree. Heard them talking on the way out about how it was ok but they still have a long way to go. Which really means that they want more of themselves on the show not that the show was lacking in any way.

This shit has made me sad and saps my enthusiasm for the shows and as anyone who knows me understands I don’t play these games. So as much as I don’t want to see people have a hard time I will pull myself out of as much of those situations as I can and give people the opportunity to fail on their own. I just hope they realise the direction they are taking before it is too late, I have seen it all before. You are becoming everything you hated and not what you set out to be.

Oh well better go as I have waisted enough time talking to myself. Will try to get one more update in before the operation but no promises.

Jack

update number FUUUUUUUUCK

Ok just a short one to update my meeting with the specialist today.

First thing I learnt is never believe your local doctor as they know fuck all. First they tell me I have just sprained my shoulder then after they get the ultrasound report they say I have just torn the covering around the tendon and it will heal itself.
Well I call bullshit!!!!
Seems I have put a full thickness tear in the tendon of my right shoulder and was informed it wont heal by itself and will require surgery. So booked in for the 25th of this month which is cool as it is nice and quick. Unfortunately the killer is I will have my arm in a sling for a fucking month and will be off work for at least 4 to 6. He said it may take up to a year before it is as good as it will get.

I am stressing out a bit at the moment about what the hell I am going to do now. My insurance will run for 13 weeks max but it is only a pittance really which will mean my wife will need to increase her shifts. But what about the operation she needs?

So tempted to cancel and just live with it but he said if it isn't fixed now it may not be able to be fixed later without a lot more invasive surgery.

Too many things to think about at the moment, will let you all know what happens next when I do.

on a side note anyone need a one armed old fart to work for them?

Jack :(

me me me

Well a big hello to the void that is internet blogging I am here to talk to myself again hehe.

This last fortnight has been interesting to say the least. Probably the biggest issue is the injury I did to my shoulder I mentioned in my last blog. Well got the results back and the good news is I didn't tear the tendon, the bad news was I put a 19mm hole in the covering around it so every time I use that arm for any sort of lifting or weight bearing, the tendon pops out of the hole and then back in again, which besides being painful is really freaky feeling. And this is on top of the bursitis I already suffered with in both shoulders. Damn who in their right mind wants to be a tradie for over 20 years? Should retire, damn but why did I party so much when I was young and piss all my money up the wall.

I took a week off to rest it a bit but as the earliest I could get in to see the specialist is tomorrow (Monday the 1st) I went back to work with it. I did use an extra guy to help out a bit but that cost comes out of my pocket so not really an option long term. I do carry income protection insurance but unlike work cover and the like, it only pays for a max of 13 weeks so I am waiting to see what the doc says tomorrow to see if I need it or not.

Along with this I find out my wife is going to need an operation to fix a pre existing condition, which would mean her being off work for at least 6 weeks too. Unfortunately we both can't be off at the same time so even though the pain in my shoulder sucks bad I am almost hoping the doc says we will just wait and see for me and I'll just keep plodding along and let her get fixed up first.

Work itself is going fine for the most. I could probably have even more than I do now but with the other worries I am content to just keep things ticking over. The new company I started working for seems ok so far. They have paid on time no worries, seem happy with what I am doing for them, and keep giving me more work. Funny though that I said I have some loyalty to the other mob I work for and will balance the work load between the two but I can already see rumblings going on when I say I am already booked. Oh well they can grumble all they like I told them both the deal at the start and if you want the quality my guys put out you will have to deal with it otherwise there are a million drug fucked cowboys out there to choose from. lol

Kind of feel life is in a bit of limbo at the moment with all of this though which I know has made me a little short of temper at times which I need to try to keep a handle on. Has meant I have put many plans that involve money on hold for the moment until this sorts itself out.
Never mind things always find a balance eventually.

On a more positive note, I did get a call from Progression Tattoo about coming in for a photo shoot the other weekend, which I was happy to do. Probably a good time to do it too as it was the first weekend I had free in ages and if I do need an operation it is going to be on that shoulder. Was funny though when I arrived as I was early as usual. I really am a little anal about being on time but I was glad I was. I was first in but when I walked out the place was packed and freaked me the fuck right out. God I hate crowds and I just high tailed it right out of there. Matt paid me out as I was heading to the stair with a "Hi Alan, nice to see you" which made me smile but I still had to get the fuck out of there. It's a stupid fear really as I have no issue getting up in front of 300+ people and cutting a promo but the difference is there I am playing a character.
Big sorry to Matt and Sam, Please understand I was not intentionally being rude and will pop in when you get back from your holidays to talk about some stuff and organise my next one.

I am going to have to suck it up and brave the crowd again this Friday night as I am off to see the Mars Volta at Thebby but at least I am going with 2 of my best friends so not alone. Then I have a show to do with Riot City Wrestling on the Saturday night. Two late nights in a row, damn but how will this old fart handle that? I see a week of 8:30 bed times to follow. lol

Oh well I better piss off and do the dishes before the wife gets home or there will be no spanking for me.

Until next time, love to those that accept it and a big fuck you to those that can’t.
Oh and to all those people that keep invading my dreams of late, can we get together in real life and have a few drinks instead as I need the sleep time to sleep but thanks for coming anyway. ;)

Jack

insert snappy title here

Ok so I have been really slack of late and it's been weeks since I posted anything. For that I apologise to my one follower. lol
Oh and also to all my lurkers, yes I can see the stats of readers here so I know you are looking :P

It's been a mixed bag over the weeks since my last post and like life does it has had its ups and downs, but if it didn't life would be pretty boring now wouldn't it?

Home life has been pretty good for the most. Sure there are times we get on each other’s nerves but that comes with living in close proximity to each other and it soon passes. Kids are now on school holidays so are demanding more attention than normal. That's ok coz they have good imaginations and can make stuff up easy enough to be amused for most of the time and for the rest they like simple doing simple stuff like cooking and watching movies. We did venture out of the house yesterday to visit the Adelaide museum which they enjoyed and was free to boot = win! Found it funny that Mr. Ryan (my son) was more involved with the virtual interface consoles on the exhibits that the exhibit themselves. Seriously I could have left him at home on the computer doing a virtual tour and he would have been just as happy. I kept trying to tell him if he looks in the big box next to the screen he can see the actual items but they didn't have buttons to push so he wasn't interested. I think at 4 he may be developing some geek tendencies but oh well those guys own the world and I am gonna need someone to take care of me when I am old and on the pension.
My relationship with my wife has been ok too. We have had some good moments and some ok ones but nothing really bad so can't complain. I did discover that my wife should never play poker. Been two occasions in the past few weeks where we have been talking about things and her reaction and lack of comment on the subjects has said more than words ever could and almost caused me to laugh aloud at how obvious she was. But I love her and let it go and moved on. Really no point dwelling in the past and it isn't going to change anything in the now for better by pushing the subject so better to let it go.
Mind you if she ever comes into a lot of money and doesn't want to share I have a pack of cards at the ready. ;)

Work has been an interesting time. The building industry is probably at the lowest I have seen it in years. It is almost like the state people feared it would be when the introduce the GST but never happened. I know quite a few people who have now had to sign on the dole because they are not getting any work. I hope this picks up again after the end of the financial year but we will see, people are just gonna have to learn to work smarter is all. There have been a couple of young guys who have been downright nasty towards me because they think I am stealing all of their work. Sorry boys but it is your actions that cost you work not mine. See you thought I was the idiot by going the extra mile and solving problems instead of leaving them for someone else to fix or taking pride in what I do but it's these things that people remember and why when things get tough I am still working.
For the most I let this shit slide as they are young but they need to realize Adelaide is a small market and work is often gained by the recommendations of others. One small guy though has done his dash for sure. Stupid boy doesn't realize the favours I have done him of late and keeps running his mouth. I passed on a few jobs of late and had a day or two off to let him have one, and then even took one of my boys to help him finish a job because he was behind. We spent close on 3 1/2 hours there to pull his arse out of the shit and only told him it would cost him 2 hours pay, which is more than fair. He agreed but I am still to see any money and when I asked him about it after 2 weeks he flew off the handle about how he has bills. Silly boy we all have bills but you need to look after those that can benefit you first, hell I have paid people out of my mortgage before when builders have been late of paying me. It's ok though I won’t stress it but it will come back to bite him in the arse, hell I could have got him work with a new company now but it's not going to happen. Hope dole life serves you well. :P
Don't misunderstand me though I have been quiet too but we have also been smart. We have done lots of having days off followed by having to pump out 14 hour days to get the jobs done as quick as possible for other trades. Companies are thankful for the effort and give you more. I even had another new company approach me and offer me work which in this current environment is amazing.
The major issue I have at the moment is last Friday on a crappy site on the side of a hill I took a tumble and have done some damage to my right shoulder. Still waiting on tests and hopefully it is nothing major but seeing as it is nearly a week and I still can't lift my right arm above my head under it's own strength I doubt it. Got some more scans tomorrow so hopefully it gives some answers but I just want to get back to work. I have had to call in some extra labour to get jobs done and I'll keep organizing stuff to keep the boys ticking over but this could mean a couple of months off if it needs surgery which if it what they think it is it will.
Pisses me off a little that these builders get away with making us work in such sub standard sites. All they need to do is spread some gravel around the houses and down the driveway but no don't want to do that. Where are these safety inspectors when you need them? I am yet to see one on a job site yet. I can tell you now if I have done any permanent damage I will be seeing how good their public liability insurance is, hell I am not allowed to work without all the right training, licences, and insurances yet they get away with unsafe practices without any checks or restrictions. Well that might come back to bite you in the arse fellas.

On other notes, I am still having issues with some people in other associations I am with but I am slowly removing myself from those situations and that should be complete early next month. Seriously I don't need the bullshit and aggravation for something I do for free and I certainly don't need to be shown the lack of respect from those that have been their 5 mins and think their shit doesn't stink. Just because you might have a good idea doesn't mean you need to shit on everyone else that has worked hard for years to build it into a success. Most people around me are in the opinion of "Fine you do it then!" We have put our time and effort, not to mention money, into making things what they are but don't think we won’t just pull out and leave you to your own devices. I have already witnessed a slide in how things are run and nothing is being done until the last minute and no one is willing to put in any extra because there is no respect shown and worse we are criticized for what we do. Meh it's just politics and I won’t play, you win and your prize is you can do it all yourself tard. It's a shame because there are people there who I have a lot of love and respect for but I am not going to let tards think they can treat me like shit when I do it for free. Bummer that there is a show this weekend and I used to be excited to be involved but I am seriously just going through the motions at the moment. I will still do the best job I can but that is all I will do for now and things will be renegotiated soon I think.

Ah I think I have rambled on enough for now and I promise I will try to be more punctual with my blogs but hey, sometimes real life gets in the way of the interwebs fantasy world.

Love and respect to the few and a big middle finger salute to everyone else
Jack

it's clobberin time!!!

Well yes, I have been slack again and not posted anything for the last couple of weeks.

Life has been a little hard is all and I really do not like saying anything negative, or I at least try not to. However, that does mean I tend to isolate myself from any form of social interaction including this virtual world shit. Come on I am not the only one who, when reading other peoples whiny shit, thinks "Fuck I wish I could just punch them in the throat and tell them to harden up."

I don't let times like this affect my work or dealing with people in general when I have too as everyone has their own issues and doesn't really give a fuck about what I feel, they just want to get through their own day. But I know it does have an effect on my home life and those I love the most. I try not to let it but its hard when they all demand my attention and all I want to do is sit quietly. Kids do not get it, they just want what they want when they want it. They do not understand the need to be alone and to think things through, to them they are just being ignored so it makes it so hard to find time for oneself. I want a week on a river in the middle of nowhere by myself but I know they would miss me and I would miss them but oh how I crave silence.

As for the affect it has on my relationship with my wife, well there are times I think that there is no mending the gulf between us. It is all the more disturbing and depressing that because of the dynamic of our relationship, and the way we deal with things with each other. That when I am down and feeling this way and when I try to isolate myself from those closest, those who I care the most for are also the ones that demand the most from me but don't understand what I need most. This causes the strain and instead of feeling some alone time I end up just feeling lonely.

Wouldn’t it be lovely to be a kid again? Days would last forever and making best friends would be as simple as anyone why talked to you in the playground. And there would be no conditions on love, it just is and you did. On the down side if I was a kid again I bet my mum would still try to make me eat brussel sprouts and food festered in a crock pot for weeks on end. Evil, evil woman!!

Well after reading that all back I want to punch myself in the throat and tell myself to harden the fuck up. Fucking emo biatch I am sometimes. Oh well it’s my blog and Ill say what I want.

For all those I love, don’t worry I always give all of my heart unconditionally. I am yours forever.

For all those that I hate, yes I am a petty man and I hold a grudge and even though I am old I can still pop your arms out of their sockets and beat you to death with the soggy ends.

Think on that.

Jack