Catching up with life and Penn DOT

Ok, we’re back from catching up with life.

At least for one day a week, until school starts.

Like many, in the summer people like me (ones with kids we actual acknowledge) start to get a little caught up figuring out how to entertain a child we can’t afford to have in full time daycare (to give the cluelesss and idea of cost … we pay $320 per month for two days a week of daycare – full time would be over $600 in the summer).  So with entertaining a child, trying to make some money (my new job only starts at the end of August (but at least I know I have one – many don’t)), keeping up with yard work, etc – not much time is left for blogging … so my sarcastic self is getting pent up about being caged it.  Just ask my wife.

BTW … raising and caring for a child has carries huge rewards, so those of you that vow to never have children in your life may want to think about that.

Anywayz (this is the PROPER Pittsburgh spelling of ‘anyways’), that’s why I’ve been out a bit. I didn’t over dose on ice cream, or get depressed, or anything like that. I’m not that lucky to get to the point where I can file for disability and be a slacker for the rest of my life. I’m destined to be a hard worker (or sucker – whatever you call us types these days).

K – on to the Penn DOT issues (at least I think it’s Penn DOT –  correct me if I’m wrong):

I get to travel scenic RT65 almost every day to either the city or the South Hills for work and such.  Right now, like every place, there is road construction with lowered speed limits.  I actually try to watch the speed I go and attempt to watch out for the workers.  Considering I wouldn’t want to do a job where I can get easily picked off by a typical ticked off PA motorist engulfed in road rage, it’s the least I can do.  Admittedly I’m not perfect at it, but at least I try. Soooooooo, when you run into (not literally) to a road worker that more or less ‘eggs on’ that motorists, he deserves a ‘clueless idiot’ spot in my post:

Yup, driving through the road construction on RT65 near Bellevue (I think) at about 22mph (8 mph under the construction limit), one of the workers was giving the finger to at least three of the cars ahead of my, and almost completely sticking his face in my car as it passed, yelled “SLOW DOWN!!!!”

Now, to the complete idiot that did this (realizing you are lacking in brain cells), you may want to think about the following:

• Startling ANYONE like that sets them up for veering off the road and killing one or a few of your co-workers. If you are low enough of a human being to live with that, I hope you have a big enough savings to support all of their families.
• Giving the motorists the finger IS NOT good P.R. for any road worker that actually wants to be safe.  ie. The petroleum companies overcharging for add ins to gasoline that make it safer for the environment doesn’t work well when spilling millions of gallons into the ocean killing off our food supply (ticking off motorists doesn’t make them want to keep you safe while you are working).
• Treat people the way you want them to treat you … and even though you are really screwing up their lives with your work, they will blow that off and keep you safe realizing that you have a family too.

That’s it … for now.  We may be back tomorrow morning.

-SWB

PS – Just because road workers smell like asphalt, doesn’t mean they aren’t people too … and that coating of tar keeps them warm in the winter – envy them.

Fight Tha’ Change … c’mon now, Fight Tha’ Change!!

Well, writing about typical Pittsburgh again … scream with me now “Fight Tha’ Change … c’mon now, Fight Tha’ Change!!”  – I JUST KNOW we can make this the new Pittsburgh hit tune.”

This isn’t one of those SWB postings where we rant about Burghers that are against stupid things like planting roses instead of tulips in front of government buildings … nope.  We’re going much further!!!

It’s Mother Nature!!!

Lots of changes are happening in the city …. some good, some bad, some political … but the big deal is the fact that not only do Pittsburghers now fight back against even the good changes that are happening to our city … Mother Nature is doing it too!

How?

Well, look at the debilitating snow fall … it’s depleting our Spring funding that is used for changes, it stopped construction, travel came to a halt, and more.  Now the earlier than normal 80+ temps are threatening to cause heat illnesses in our elderly, construction workers that are out in the heat, and later I’m sure the asphalt roads will buckle.

So Mother Nature even fights change in Pittsburgh … somehow I feel we’ll never get to move on.

{{groan}} It’s the never ending Pittsburgh cycle, “Fight Tha’ Change!”

-SWB

Working Off Those Perks

You’ve heard us mention going into the city and parking far away for the purpose of getting some exercise. It really is a great way to do that, but sorry to announce,we have some ulterior motives.

Here are a few of them:

• The first one, and most important is donuts … the city has one of the few nicer Dunkin’ Donut stores around.
• The second, and almost as important is the exercise walk … which helps us burn off enough calories to make room for at least three or four donuts.  This is important as we aren’t trying to slim down, but at least keep to a point where we can walk off some calories.
• The third … there is just nothing like seeing the people.  All those happy smiling faces glowing with the rewards of their jobs. Alright … they’re really frowns, but if you hang upside down from one of the store signs, they look like smiles.
• The fourth … the construction now going on in Pittsburgh.  There is no need to join the Army or Marines to obtain access to a good obstacle course now.  The city has provided that for us. Fortunately, if you fall into a hole, you can usually land  on the next subway car and ride until the next stop.  If they don’t see you on the roof, they can’t charge you.
• The fifth … the ability to get a fifth from at least five wine spirits shops in the city. This can quickly make your day brighter (especially if it’s a typical partly cloudy Pittsburgh day), and also helps dull the pain from hitting the T-car after you fell into one of the holes in the street ending up in the subway.

So, as you see, strategic parking allows you to work off some perks and gain some too.

-SWB

PS – For those a little light in cerebral material … we WERE kidding about falling into the subway.

It’s Spring!

Birds are singing.

Snow is melting.

Potholes are blooming.

Green shamrocks are growing in the potholes.

You get the idea … it’s turning Spring in Pittsburgh.

—————

So what other signs of Spring do we have in this wonderful city of ours?

Let’s see:

• The pirates are starting spring training with aspirations to actually become a baseball team again.
• The waters are threatening to crest and carry Pittsburgh’s Primanti sandwiches out to sea.
• The Cultural District smells like a well tuned engine with the performances of Grease (or could that be the oil leaks from the buses?).
• Orange pylons are emerging from winter storage as Pittsburgh’s roadway obstacle courses are set for the Spring and Summer seasons.
• In The Strip, dogs howl as the sweet voices of the Opera blend with the musical tones of the local bird song.
• The aromas from the open doors at Pittsburgh Popcorn enlighten the senses (and unfortunately distract the drivers … that kitty never had a chance).
• Vendors in the strip finally shed their winter garb, thaw out, and begin wakening from hibernation (it was sad how people just stole their stuff when they were sleeping over the winter).
• Oh, and did I mention the potholes?  Well, we’re not going to make fun of the city crew, since this is really going to be a sucky Spring for them … although they fill all probably end up fitter than a fiddle (until St. Patty’s Day … along with everyone else).

-SWB

PS – Yup, Spring is in the air … so is the job market, fuel prices, home values.  Such appropriate crisis’ for the Spring 😉

The Sun is out again!

It looks like this is going to be a preview of the weather this year – the sun coming out right after a light rain to make it nice and sticky, and it’s only March.

Oh, well ….. at least we are not getting one of those mid-March 24-inch dumps … although the shoveling out might get some of us the exercise a winter hibernation requires.

I’m sure we’ll get to the typical Pittsburgh 100% partly-cloudy days soon enough to help us discover the other Pittsburgh weather love …. potholes.

-SWB

Arrrrgggghhhh ….. stupid PennDOT

(not Rt 79 …. but who really cares, it’s a highway)

Now I’m really mad ……

I’ve changed my job a little over a year ago.  I now travel regularly to Rt 79.

You know what the problem is?????

I have a clear shot … no traffic, no lights, no nothing!!!!

…. on top of that NO CONSTRUCTION!!!!

As long as I’ve lived it’s been an unwritten rule that at least every five miles of Rt 79 have construction.  That has never changed – until now.  What gives PennDOT the right to STOP the inconveniences of construction???  Don’t they realize us everyday workers use them as excuses when we get up late (or just don’t want to go in to work on time)???   What the heck???

What gives PennDOT the right to screw up our daily lives WITHOUT construction???

Come on guys … ur out of practice …. get back into the shovel leaning ……

– A P’d off weasel