milkring.com

(via Cam)

Quite awhile back, I wrote a post on my operations manager being a fraud. I have since become employed with a different company, but was always curious to know what happened to him. The history on Stone, Sylas, PJ, whoever you want to call him, can be found here. I’ve had a number of people comment or e-mail me on my prior post regarding this idiot, so I thought I’d let you know that Stone was finally snagged by the FBI a few days ago, in San Diego. Apparently he may be sent back to Seattle on charges of fraud.

Wanna know something funny? A gal e-mailed me and told me his nickname that ol’ Stone used to call himself, was (God, I’m almost embarassed to say it..) Pimp Juice. Notice the last sentence in the article:

Phillips was arrested by San Diego police Thursday at an equipment leasing company where he’d reportedly been working as vice president of sales. Our sources say Phillips was working there under the name “P.J. Stone.”

Guess you aren’t so pimp anymore, are ya, sucka!

My friend’s mother passed away about thirty minutes ago. She went peacefully. She’s survived by her husband, Al, her daughter, Katina, and her son, Alan, amongst many other family and friends. Marilyn was our local social services gal in the town I grew up in. She was always really funny, liked to laugh - had the best laugh ever, in fact. She gut busted. I love laughs like that. They’re the best.

Sometimes I forget God’s up there, especially when times seem particularly tough. But there are always moments when you least expect it, usually, that He sorta shines through and shows you he’s still around. Usually those moments rejeuvenate faith, and you keep hold of them until they dull again, and you need a little kick in the pants to keep you back on track. I know she’s with God in a place where the water is so very blue. I’m sure the moment she strolled into Heaven, Cally tipped her hat to her and welcomed her home. That part brings comfort, solice, and happiness. Regardless, we’ll still miss you, Marilyn. But we’ll see you again, and I know you’ll always be with us. God bless.

As humans, I think it’s hard to stand back and realize things will be as they will be, and there’s nothing one can do to really change that. I think there are things you can do to try and sway something your way, but if all you’ve given doesn’t get you the result you want right away, there’s really nothing to do but wait. I think it’s hard not to push sometimes, but the sooner you realize you’ve done your part, that just has to be good enough. Things will fall in place where they may, and there’s no sense in stressing out, overanalzying, or thinking about it over and over again, trying to pick apart where you went wrong, what you could have done differently, why you said that one thing that, at the time, meant zero, however, given the light of the situation, may have meant everything, etc. Guys, you may not have a clue what I’m talking about here, but I know you chicks do. We all do it. It’s not healthy. Keep in mind, this is more my food for thought, than anyone else’s. I wonder why we do this. Why can’t we just be okay with how things are and leave it at that? It’s often the worrying and pushing that ends up screwing said situation, anyway. We’re our own demise! Seems pretty twisted. How do you learn to accept? I haven’t figured that one out yet, but when I do, I’ll let you know. Regardless, pushing those things out of my mind and focusing on other things has become a smidge easier, and maybe that just lets everything else fall into place, slowly but surely.

I’ve been trying to make it a priority that I play with my camera a bit more. I was messing with reflections. I posted a couple others on Flickr, in case you’re interested.

All too often, when I run across something difficult in my life, my first instinct is to run away. It’s all I really know to do. This past year, a lot of difficult things have happened in my life; some things I still think about daily and wonder if I made the right choice. Some days are better than others, and as of late, running away sounds real good. I’ve been holding steady, though. Trying to be mature about things; be adult. Think things through. The trouble is, I’ve been thinking things through from the prospective of others. How will others react to my reaction? What will others think? Maybe it’s time I say, “Who cares?”

If you think blowing me off for your newfound life is what you want to do, so be it. But you’re missing out. You know it, too. I’m just wondering if you’ll ever come around before it’s too late.

If you’re too afraid to let go, and see what happens when the training wheels come off, you’re missing out. You won’t fall if you believe that you won’t. You just have to pick what’s important. I’m not going to worry anymore if I’m important or not, to you. You want me to see it differently, prove it.

I can only give what I can give. If that’s not enough, too bad.

I’m at this point in my life where I feel like my current situation is going to force me into being a scrapper. Fight or flight. Maybe that’s a good thing. Maybe it’s exactly what I need.