Malfeasance all around

We Californians are so screwed...  


They budgeted 7.5% growth - in this economy.  Guess what: it didn't happen.


Oh, and the money that they didn't "earn" will come out of the classroom.  Texas anyone?

JULY 17, 2012
CALIFORNIA PENSION CRISIS UPDATE: Largest public pension fund earns dismal 1 percent. “The nation’s largest public pension fund collected a dismal 1 percent annual return on its investments, a figure far short of projections that will likely bring pressure on California’s state and local governments to contribute more money, officials said Monday. The return reported by the California Public Employees’ Retirement System was well below its projected return of 7.5 percent for the fiscal year that ended June 30 and is prompting administrators to consider changes to investment strategies.”
Key bit: “You just can’t rely on these optimistic assumptions that somehow the investment returns are going to be so great that you don’t have to worry about paying for this stuff.” Things that can’t go on forever, won’t. Debts that can’t be paid, won’t be.

http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Largest-public-pension-fund-earns-dismal-1-percent-3710740.php


I have a school fundraiser to plan...


jc

Still not focused on blogging...

Just been scampering around, seemingly doing nothing, but getting some things done.

The bathroom remodel is 98% done:  I can shit, shave and shower in one room!  The door needs to be replaced, and a threshold put in, but it works!

Went to the BMT reunion @ COH.  Had a nice time.  Sat with two other old guys that also had Multiple Myeloma.  We swapped stories (never trust a fart), gave advice (LOTS of water for cramps), and made each other feel OK to be surviving.

Didn't see many kids this time, which doesn't tear me up as much.  Old guys with cancer don't phaze me... Kids with cancer rip me open.

After that we went and had the Daddy - Daughter dance at Acacia School.  Had a good time, and only Caitlyn destroyed her dress with chocolate.

A busy life is a happy life.

I guess.

gotta take a nap - with the dogs.

jc

Two girls, Six awards

Busy day, as it is the final day of any kind of instruction at Acacia School. Caitlyn won 3 awards (writing, citizenship, attendance) and Jenna won 3 awards (Shining Star, citizenship, attendance). We also were treated to Goldilocks and the three Bears by the Acacia Kindergarten class.

Whoo, busy day. Gotta nap

jc

I'm not dead yet...

Just that not much interesting has been happening with me.



Well, a few things have happened.

• I finally went and had the lasik eye surgery at the TLC center here in Fullerton. Worked great, but I now need reading glasses for the morning paper (it was inevitable).
• The puppies chewed my reading glasses.
• We got new sliding glass windows in the back. Soon, a center window will be installed with a doggie door insert custom made. The windows are realy cool, when you close them you almost get a Star Trek "woosh" when the window seal catches.
• The puppies chewed the new trim on the windows.
• Yard work has taken over my life, getting ready for the 4th of July party. Whacked back the hedge with the help of the Jay monster, Mom, and Dad. Planted a bunch of annuals with the help of Mom. Given a few weeks, it should look nice.
• Yes, the puppies have discovered the joys of digging in the dirt. Once, they dug a nice sized hole right behind my back (I was picking up poo, not watching them). It was in the middle of the yard, right where I could step in it and kill myself. Grrrr...
• The back yard grass has realy taken a beating with the dogs. I will over seed this weekend and hopefully get rid of all these small holes and brown spots.

The girls are doing great. Jenna finaly lost her second upper toof this morning.

She looks better now.

She also got an award for being a good citizen at school, and that really made her day!

Caitlyn was honored at the recent "Authors Lunch" at Acacia school, where she read her story of her trip to Carson City. She stood up there and read it to the whole crowd. I was very pleased with my up and coming first grader.

She also "bridged" to the next level in Girl Scouts to become a BROWNIE. Big ceremony, lots of hoopla, and a bunch of pre-second graders got recognized.

Caitlyn is also getting some sort of award tomorrow, so I will keep everyone updated on that.

I know, it sounds like Lake Woebegone, but that is my life right now.

Gotta go get Jenna from school, bye!

jc

Quick update`

Well, the health is OK. I tested it out today by working out in the yard a bit. Just some raking and throwing out some seed, but the cramps are not too bad.

It was COLD out today. Not Punxsutawney cold, but cold for here. Then came the rain. Boy did it rain! Chapman was flooded, and I almost couldn't come home from Costco. Tornado warnings, thunder, and TONS of rain mid day. This afternoon -- blue skies.

Dogs still have their "cones of shame" on. They have adapted to them, and thankfully have figured out how to go out the doggie door with them on. One more week of shame for them.

The girls Daisey scout troops are going to start selling cookies soon, so we are gearing up for that challenge. It should be interesting -- two girls in different troops. The shy one (whichever it ends up being) will loose out. Just another life lesson I suppose.

The house held up, and with the new skin, looks marvelous. Total transformation.

Well, I gotta take some pills. Later.

jc

Long day at an end

Friday night was the end to a long day.

Friday night was the end of a long week.

Friday night was the end of a long trimester at school.

Friday night was at the culmination of a lot of different threads that, hopefully, we can put behind us.

Remember I sad I was busy?

Here is the deal. Start off (every day) with getting up, taking a pill the size of grain of rice. Can't eat anything before, or after for an hour. Wrangle the girls up and get them ready for school.

JENNA NEEDS TO WEAR RED TODAY -- No red shirts fit her.

JENNA CAN'T TIE HER SHOES -- No time to make this a teachable moment.

Oh, Papa is here for the morning performance at school -- let him in (down dogs, quit jumping).

Here Jenna, put on this pull over -- it's red and it is cold outside.

LOAD UP! (down dogs -- what did you tear up?!?!)

Boy, everyone is her for the last day of school and the performance! Traffic is bad, bad, bad. Did Kristin find a parking spot? What about Mom? Good.

OK, lets go in. Great, no good seats. Here come the kids! They keep coming, I don't think they will have enough room for all the classes... oops, a few classes have to go back to their rooms and actually do something (what will the teacher do now).

SSSSHHHH! It's starting -- Jenna is front and center! Look! Damn camera, doesn't take pictures well at a thousand yards. Lets try video. Well, less worse.

(hey, I'm getting sorta hungry)

Well, performance done, lets go to breakfast at Coco's.

Back home, Mike calls. He is coming over. Great, that just killed off an hour (we love you Mike -- you know it!)

Download pics.

Enough time to go up to the accountant to have him look at the IRS notice? Eeeeh, not quite. Time to check e-mails. E-Vite for another Daisy scout party. Sorry, conflicts with two other things. (down dogs -- what the hell did you get into?!?!)

Traffic isn't as bad picking up Jenna. Hmmm, Caitlyn gets out in 40 minutes, enough time go home? Accountant! Let's go!

Teacher walks by, grinning "Sugar them up -- Send 'em home!"

Off to Brea. Good, dump the docs, he isn't here. Great Jenna hates the elevator (it is very dark), RUN DOWN THE STAIRS!

BACK to BRAIN: "Not good -- Less bounce, more glide. Want more ouch?"

Man, more traffic! Everyone gets out at 12:30 today... MOVE IT you idiot... not you baby... thankfully I find a spot to park.

LOAD UP! Dang, you got a bunch of stuff... WE ARE OFF TO DISNEYLAND! Crap, forgot the camera. STAY IN THE CAR. (down dogs -- what is that smell?!?!) We're off!

Jenna, wake up, we are here!

Crowds not too bad today... it must still be early. Dang, my feet hurt (note to self, get new shoes).

ICE CREAM! Good job girls, keep your face clean!

Matterhorn! Wheeeee!

BACK to BRAIN: "Not good -- Less jerky. Want more ouch?"

FEET to BRAIN: "MOAN -- What happened to the new shoes?"

"Hey girls, just remembered that we have to get the dogs some food... Let's go!"

Wow, Disney legend Bob Gurr is on Main Street chatting up some young folks. Hope they know who they are dealing with.

"Dad, why did we park so far away?"

BODY TO BRAIN: "Why did we park so far away?"

Wow, traffic into the park is MUCH worse. Escaped just in time.

Pet store choice: Huge bag of food or a less huge bag of food. Girls barely get it into the cart. Now the fun part: a treat for the pups.

Home! (down dogs -- what did you do, you look guilty?!?!)

Pizza order. Why do they make it so f#*@&%! tough to just order. Pop ups, small buttons, counter intuitive flow. Can't order it to be delivered in an hour, so I have to wait 20 minutes. Grrrr.

Mom's home! (down dogs -- why do you stink?!?!)

Pizza guy is here!

Harriet is here!

Where are the decorations?

Have a beer, egg nog, and a break.

Pictures!

OMG -- Girls get ready for bed, Dad take the dogs on a walk, 'bye Harriet!

Download pics.

E-mails, editing, snail mail, wow how it builds up (where is the paper?).

OMG time to go to....

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

...it's quiet...

shhhh!

Hear that?

It's a pin dropping!

The girls are in school today.

Oh, what Joy!

Oh, what Quiet!

Oh, what to do...

Zzzzzzzz......