Monday Musings...

Welcome to a rather soggy beginning of a new week here in the Hoosierland.
It's nice and mild out there this morning, and it's supposed to get warmer, too.
We might see ( and hear) a thundershower today in amongst the rest of the rain
So, yes...the weather today will be wet...turning to scattered showers later and maybe a slight touch of sunshine. (BIG maybe). Temps are slated to reach into the mid-70s with a slight breeze.
The rain's not going anywhere soon, as this is expected to last unto Wednesday, but we'll ford that river when we get to it.
In the meantime, go grab that cup of morning fortitude as we set sail into this day and see what's going on elsewhere.
*** First off of the pier is our feature "What the hell happens today, Bob?"
We've got some catching up to do, so let's get to it:
October 11 - 
Saturday was It's My Party Day
(and I'll cry if I want to).

It was also Take Your Teddy Bear to Work Day, but that only applied to those WORKING over the weekend this year..
October 12 - 
Sunday was Cook Book Launch Day
(don't we have ENOUGH junk in orbit?)

And it was Old Farmer's Day, and we know that old farmers never die...they just get plowed under, right?
It was also Moment of Frustration Day, as well, and why they ONLY kept it to a MOMENT frustrates the hell out of me...!

OY...!
That brings us to TODAY:
October 13 - 
It's Chris Columbus Day - a FEDERAL holiday (no mail) in honor of the guy who discovered the CARIBBEAN...lol.

Doesn't LOOK like Pizmo Beach to me...

(they say he found America, but we KNOW it was never really LOST in the first place)
It's also (oh, God, this is SO appropriate)...International Skeptic's Day...works right in with Chris Columbus, doesn't it?

Yes, he DOES beg to differ.

Then again, with THIS current administration in place, EVERY DAY is Skeptic's Day to me...(and a lot of other Americans).
Meanwhile, back at the boat slip...
*** We finally notched HOMICIDE NUMBER THIRTEEN early yesterday morning.

Here's the "4-1-1":
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20141013/LOCAL07/310139987

Yep, an "altercation" behind the Broadway Grill, located at 1420 Broadway left one man dead, the shooter(s) in the wind, and not much else to go on at this time.
The shooting was reported at 0316 hrs Sunday morning.
Witnesses said there were multiple gunshots and people yelling BEFORE the victim (yet to be ID'ed) was shot.
(helluva way to hold a "gathering")
Those involved in the shooting fled in different directions.
One witness (on TV) said "it's getting bad everywhere"...'ya think?
It's not the first time this place has seen it's share of police "attention", either.
There was no fight INSIDE the bar, another witness told police.
The regular bar hours are from 10 AM to 3:30 AM (maybe that should change).

The nearest residence to the bar is boarded up, so that tells you the neighborhood IS in decline, and will probably get ignored as much as we have (over the last decades or two).
If you don't STOP the blight...it WILL spread, and all the crime associated with it follows in it's wake like a love-struck puppy at your heels.
That's just the way human nature works.
Moving on...
*** There was a great article in yesterday's paper regarding the 911 call center in Fort Wayne.

Here's the link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20141012/LOCAL/310129985/0/SEARCH
Sheriff Ken Fries weights in on how the new communications center is working...or NOT working.
And he makes some very VALID points.
He doesn't see that much bang for ALL the bucks shelled out to combine the call centers and make things run "better".
(and there's been some serious bucks tossed at thjis in recent years.)
The ambulance authority (TRAA) is out of the loop, but none of the problems (that are being "tweaked" are causing a LACK of service...but maybe it IS causing a DELAY of service.
*** And along those lines, I want to relate something that happened yesterday at our intersection.
There was an apparent signal 25 (accident - property damage) between a black male in a black Durango and a black female in a silver Stratus.
They were both out walking around (on cell phones constantly) for about 15 minutes.

I figured since both vehicles were parked (and causing a bottleneck near the intersection) there SHOULD be a FWPD officer on scene to sort things out...that's what USUALLY happens.
But, since we don't see all that many cruisers patrolling the area (which sees more traffic than in years past), the FWPD are often M.I.A. Still, 15 minutes SHOULD have brought an officer...unless no one had CALLED dispatch to report the accident (wonder why?).

Well, that's where I come in...Good old Bobby Giveadamn.
I called it into dispatch, and it takes SO damn long to get what you NEED to say in someone's ear.
I have to go through a menu, than after talking to ONE woman, she hands me off to ANOTHER (dispatch) and we get to play 20 questions all over again. It was a good day for that moment of frustration...LOL.
I finally got the information to her and she said an officer would be sent out.
That took ANOTHER 15 minutes...so we have 2 cars, THREE people (a third party showed up...and that can go either way), and NO police on scene.
By then, a 4th party showed up...that makes FOUR vehicles at or near the intersection.

These people can create a clusterf$ck in less than 60 seconds, if given a chance.
The FWPD finally showed up 35 minutes after the accident (and 15 minutes after I called)...there could have been other issues which would precipitate a faster response...but we got TWO cruisers to show up and after another 15 minutes of jaw-jacking, everyone went on their merry way...
Hey,. at least I did what I could (as usual).
*** This past week saw some some good TV (for me, anyway).

The new show THE FLASH was really pretty good...has some potential.
And the season opener of ARROW was excellent...love that show.
And naturally, what would a new season be WITHOUT those wonderful cast members of the AMC show THE WALKING DEAD?

That episode last night was fantastic, and sets the stage for more zombies being offed, more weapons being used, and more intrigue in a plague-stricken America...
"You're either the butchers...or the cattle" will be a new catch-phrase...wait and see.
Now, if only Rick's party can catch a damn BREAK somewhere without having to deal with either the zombies OR dumbass survivors...I'll be happy.
The show has used over 1000 weapons (so far).
*** Last back to the dock...life is one grand adventure,...but it's pretty much comprised of lots and lots of little things.

NO getting around THIS one.

Think of it as a "compilation" of sorts...an anthology...a comprehensive list of things enjoyed, despised, loved, tolerated...good and bad (and everything in-between), nice and nasty...learned and applied.
And all those little things are often overlooked in our hurry up (and wait) world.
I have seen things here that I could never see back in Philly, and there were things THERE I could never see here.
We adapt when it's practical, stand fast when it's warranted, and work WITH life, rather than rail against it.
Now, just as little things add up to make big things (in our personal lives), so it also goes with every living thing on the planet. we're NOT the only ones working this gig.
We should take the time to assess what we know, what we've learned and how we've applied it
We should take all those little things and think on hoe much richer they all make our one, big life.
It's the only life we get (here), so why NOT make the best of it...no reason not to
Take time to focus on just one little thing today...then add it to the bigger picture.

Be well, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay SAFE out there, America.