musings a go go

Since I was a little tyke, my mamaw took me to KFC when I was little for a fried chicken treat evening meal. Back then, there were two or three booths, an old fashioned bottle vending machine where you had to pull them out sideways... They didn't have fountain drinks back then. Soon during this time and after, my family would always go out to eat after church. There was this one place called "Tiebel's" and if anyone cares to know where it used to be, it is where "Green Thumb" now "Ideal Construction Company" right beside Ideal and across from the Paper Mill (in Crossett, AR). Mamaw called it "Tulip Queen" because apparently that was the name before. I remember their old fashioned counters and tables and the stacks of various pies they had on display. Apparently everyone had a slice of pie after their meal. Another place we would eat after church was Sonic,which back then they brought out your drink with colored plastic animals on the side. OK, rambling on, rambling on, the point to my story is the evolution of Kentucky Fried Chicken to KFC and their evolving advertising campaign. I remember the old 80s campaign "Cross the Road Jack" with Ray Charles singing. And also I learned a hard lesson of big business manipulating nostaligic feelings for the purpose of a profit. In a college economic class, I had to present a report on PepsiCo, which actually owned Pepsi, Frito-Lay, KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut, and many more (I'll get more to these later on another musing). At this time Kentucky Fried Chicken had been known as KFC for a couple years, and during the time of the research, had stopped offering it's famous "bucket". Kentucky Fried Chicken was now KFC and didn't have a bucket! I was noticing the other differences/declining of the Pizza Hut and Taco Bell brand, but like I said, I'll ramble about that for another time. So, now, KFC has a bucket, and has rebranded itself (under Pepsi still) to a company that has changed its name, changed it's writing and logos to be more nostalgic. Note the new logos and buckets have the original Kentucky Fried Chicken logo.

Well, here we go again....Ernesto (NOT a hurricane, but a tropical storm) is headed our way tomorrow. The south of the state is already drenched and according to the news (which is never right about a hurricane until the last second), should hit us some time tomorrow. Two years ago, here in Central Florida we got hit pretty hard by two hurricanes. Each time we were without power for two weeks and during that time, Jared and I had an apartment with a front porch and back porch, which we opened up for a cross breeze. While this temporarily gave us some moving air (not cool, but a breeze is a breeze), it also destroyed every book and paper object that I owned at that time. The pages were all wet and mildewy and the photos were wrinkled. Trees and power lines blocked all four exits out of the complex AND we were without phone service. The next day we plugged in an old fashioned cheap corded phone and that worked. Also, during the storms we had the screens closed but just watched the trees fall (some on houses, all of our shingles on the complex were blowing away, signs blowing off hinges and blowing down the road). It is like the bad thing about the hurricane is not the actual storm itself, but the time period afterward of being without power and stranded. This time important photos are in simple ziploc bags, and we live in a more centralized are of downtown, for example, two major hospitals are across the street and the police station is right down the road. I'm betting that if we lose power, we should be among the first to get it back, although I'm not a betting man, and have never had something that went as planned--LOL. So anyway, if this is a good enough storm--haha-I will post some pictures of the wind and sideways rain that is so hard, it can poke an eye out.

Today at work, I was feeling a bit irritable--deluged by innane broker questions, getting there 17 minutes late (the alarm was about 30 minutes slow)--I went in "early" just so I could have a cup of coffee and a cigarette. We don' t smoke in the house or car so I thought I'd relax by going into work early. Not so....walk in, clock in, get on the phone queue, and start chipping away at my huge inbox emails. I was extremely nice up until a point--answered calls politely, but I have brokers call me directly and fax to me directly, and email me directly requesting urgent things that need to be done. They are not satisfied with our phone system and a lot of these people I take extra time with are old ladies from banks, people who are just set up on our online system and these old southerners who are used to doing everything with a particular person. Now I haven't minded going above and beyond with customer service, but when 50% of the calls are waiting for me (and they are supposed to go thru a queue getting the next available representative), trying to put people on hold while I can chew a bite of my lunch, AND having my not having my departmental instant messenger along with trying to communicate with friends and having some criticize my response time, it just chapped my butt...I got short with some email friends and some co-workers and to them it seemed like the end of the world..."How Dare Andy Barton Be In A Bad Mood!"....I'm always the one trying to get the drama sorted out, remain calm and listen to each side, but surely I can be in a bad mood (not pretending anyway) without people freaking out and thinking it is the end of the world just because I'm a bitch for 20 minutes. I get over it fast, but people, it's going to be OK....

Let me tell you a little secret....I have been going thru terrible withdrawals from Lexapro for over a month. I had weaned myself down to half my dosage and then going cold turkey for 4 weeks. I have been on this medication for about 3 years now and even though it helped me at the time, I'm trying not to be a slave to anything--prescriptions, cigarettes, alcohol, etc.... I am no crazy Tom Cruise, and for God's sake my major is in Psychology....I have anxiety and depression but paying $50 a month for a medication and the doctor won't even give you samples when you are in need? Don't get me started....Well after the third day I started having "strokes" and "heart attacks" and continued with shakiness, concentration loss, twitches, lethargy and brain "zaps". Every day during lunch I would have to come home and lay down for 30 minutes because I was totally exhausted. When I woke up this Monday morning, I had a CLEAR head, had energy, enthusiasm and actually felt good for the first time in a LONG time. So, there it is in a nutshell....I was going off my SSRI which I have been on for 3 years, and the side effects and withdrawals have been AWFUL--doctors should tell their patients how "crazy"and horrible getting off this medicine can be. They at least give Methadone to Heroin addicts when they quit....

On hiatus until life starts dealing a fair hand of cards, which may be never. If you want to contact me, email at bartonac_74@yahoo.com and of course, I am on Myspace.

This past month so far has flown by--my mom's birthday was August 5, and so many things have happened personally. I will divulge those things at another time. In the meantime, I'll share a scary story about the "Phantom". I worked late this week and when I was getting into the car I saw a tall scary man all in black from head to toe. He had on a big black hat, and a long black trench coat. His face was painted white and his cheeks were heavily rouged and he had painted a big fake mole on his cheek. (Think of Baby Jane). He had long bleached blonde hair and he was pushing an Albertson's buggy as fast as he could, the whole time looking directly at me. It was so scary. I locked the car door and just stared at him, wishing that I had my cell phone so I could take a picture.