Let's Hopethe New Year is Better! Could it be worse?

Warning!!! Rant in progress!

Hope all had a pleasant Christmas and on behalf of the stafff here, I wish you all a Happy and successful New Year.

Three years ago,I was on top of my mortgage, I had two cars in the driveway and was spending large chunks of disposible income on trips to my local hobby shop. Today we have burned up all of our credit cards, we are at serious risk of foreclosure and the only car in the driveway belongs to my boss at Dominos Pizza. The next time I visit my local hobby shop will in hopes of selling, not buying.

What happened? A number of things. First we had the oil spike. This house is a real pig on oil. We started renovating with siding and had our storm windows removed on hopes of buying new windows later. Later never happened. we burned up all of our credit cards trying to keep up with the heat. Then the mortgage. Slowly we got later and later. Then we missed one payment. A change in ownership of the franchise meant I had to travel more to keep cash flowing in. A problem with one company, meant a new job and a longer commute. After four years of abuse and 203k, the engine blew in my Cavalier. Two weeks later I was down to one part time job and one car. It was a struggle just to keep food and lights. Just after we recieved our foreclosure notice, a former employer offered a job. Just things started going positive for a change, I was rushing to work, looked down and did not see the mini van until it was too late. the wife's car was totalled.

Here I was ready to panic. No car and thus no job. Everything was on the line. I called my boss from the wreck site. After getting the wreck home, I sat here and started praying. A few hour later, I got a call. Not from an angel, although I was ready to put wings on him. It was my boss, someone who I had had many bouts with in the past, and who had taken me back under strict conditions. He told me not to worry and that he would get me a car to drive. It would be something that I could use to take Janet to her doctors and do some other local stuff.

Unfortunately the worst was yet to come. Over the next several weeks, Janet would be hospitalized several times. Once, due to my own ignorance,she nearly died. But for the help of her friend and a breakdown of the car, she might not be here today.

I was a basket case to say the least. Working as many hours as I could, getting to the hospital, taking care of the house and animals, while trying to figure out which bill to pay next. It was at that point some very special people stepped in.

My boss Anthony Patalano and my co workers at Domino's Pizza, cut me a lot of slack at work. Often they would let me visit Janet during working hours, if only for a few minutes. My friends at Sound Off Ct were a great help. They put up with my somewhat off the wall behavior in the chat room and offered support. A member even offered help with the birds. Even the show host, Jim Vicevich offered support and prayers. Last bu not least, I give credit to the God of my understanding and my friends at e-AA.org. Some of you do not know this, but I am a recovering alcoholic and have been sober for some 27 yrs. I firmly believe tha God works through people and when it comes to helping this drunk stay sober, he has enlisted the help of my friends on line.

As I finish this blog, it is a Saturday night in Springfield. The PT Cruiser which is my work car, got towed away with a broken fuel pump. I will have tomorrow off without pay. The car should be back on Monday. We have food in the fridge, oil in the tank and everyone is safe and warm. In the end that is all that really matters. So this is it, the end. Thanks for reading.

It is time to Just Vote NO!!!!!!

We need a new position added to every political ballot in our nation. Caal it none of the above. Yesturday, I along with over 85% of Massachusetts voters failed to cast ballots on the primary to fill the seat of the late Senator Kennedy.

All four of the candidates on the Democratic side were names from the Boston area.
Few west of Worcester have ever seen or heard from them before, and with the exception of the winner, we will never see them again. On the Republican side, we had a party insider facing up against a person who was given little chance. Voters like me saw no real choice on either side and we stayed away in large numbers.

A "None of the Above" place on the ballot, would give many people a chance to have a real say. It would force both parties to be more accoutable to the people that they represent. Should that position win an election, the process would start over. We the people would come out a winner. Now before you start talking money, why not spend a bit more and get the government that you really want. Is that too much to ask?

A Tibute to Our Parents

The gang I hung around with in the 60s and 70s are all well into adulthood now. Several of the guys are now grandparents. This week I recieved word that one of the parents of a friend had died. This week his funeral will be held in the church tha I attended as a child. The same church which sponsored the Boy Scout troop where I made the rank of Eagle Scout in 1970. Seems like some of us stayed behind.

This gave me pause to think about how lucky we were back then. I do not know if our parents saw each other socially, but I do know that they cared about us. They cared enough to be good role models and to show an interest in what we were doing. Several of them served on the toop committee. One of them served as our scoutmaster for a time. Even my dad, who was no great woodsman, came out camping with us on occasion. The important part was that they cared and it showed.

Outside of our group, we had many other adults that we could look up to. At the high school, Gerry T., the gym teacher who was also a Scouter helped this handicapped youth get several important merit badges. At the Police station, the Juvie officer, Al Costa, had a smiling face and an easy dispostion for the good kids. Heaven help you if you ran afoul of the law. Your parents would most certainly hear about it. In the house next door to ours, lived Florian Marquis Jr.. Everyone called him Junior, but to us kids he was Mr. Marquis. He ran a service station that was just across the tracks. At one time or another, he fixed every car in the area and knew all of the adults. During the Blizzrd of 78, we made a total neighboorhood effort, just to get his tow truck free of our street. He was already playing a role in my life, but more of that another time.

I am not saying that we had it good, or that we had perfect childhoods, but in the 60s and 70s in Woonsocket R.I. Our neighborhood was a good place to grow, Our parents saw to it.

Please do not forget to tip the Pizza Guy!

I know all about the economic woes that we are facing whether it be here in Springfield, with my friends in the Numeg state or our nation as a whole.

There is one favor I would like each and every one of you to do for me, please do not forget to tip the pizza guy, the waiter or waitress and your newspaper carrier.

Your favorite waitress, the guy or gal who brings your pizza or your other takeout foods and your newspaper carrier all depend on tips for a good part of their income.
I know because I deliver pizza for a living. There are several sites and chatrooms where I am "The resident pizza guy". I say that with pride. Although some may consider it a humble job, I enjoy it and have made a decent living at it for the last several years.

What a lot of people do not think about is that we in these businesses rely on you to pay us. In many states we make a sub minimum wage and count on tips and run allowances to make up the difference. With the economy in trouble, many folks see a cheap meal out or delivered foods as an afforable luxury. Where they tend to cut corners is in the tip.

I speak from hard experience. Whether the economy is good or bad, I am my co workers still have our costs. We have to pay our bills, the same as everyone else. In addition, delivery drivers often have to buy their own vehicles, pay for fuel, insurance and maintence. Your tips go a long way to help.

We do not expect tips for bad service and or poor food quality. As a driver, I take every possible step to make my customers happy. Often I will make a call to resolve a customer complaint. In some cases, the order gets the discounted or free. A good driver will do that and more to make you happy. Please keep that in mind the next time you order out.

I am going to close this log with a website http:www.tipthepizzaguy.com It is a forum open to the general public as well as the industry. It is funny and serious.

Thanks for your continued friendship and readership. Comments to kokoracer@gmail.com

Don't forget to tip the Pizza Guy

A tribute to My Brothers and Sisters in Uniform

With the passing of Veterans Day, the killings at Ft. Hood and the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. I had a chance to reflect on both what is going on today and my own attempt to serve our country.

While I am still proud of having served, I am not proud of how I served. In truth, my service was barely worthy of mention compared to the trials facing our troops today. I was a Cold War soldier and a piss poor one to boot. I never saw combat. the only time I ever handled a live weapon was out on a firing range. When I signed up with the Rhode Island National Guard, I had no idea of what I would face. I was a pipe smoker, I was overweight, and I showed all the signs of an alcohol problem.

It started at the very beginning, getting drunk at the first opportunity, missing a formation and being disciplined. An accident in training, due to my poor conditioning resulted in a fall from a 40 ft tower, injuring me and putting an NCO in jeopardy. I completed basic, only after restarting training and being put on an extreme conditioning program. That would prove to be one of my few successful moments. I then completed my skills training and returned home without any major issues.

I spent a short time with the RIANG. Only enouggh to prove that I was having increasing problems with alcohol. I looked forward to drill weeknds for low cost alcohol. By the following summer, I was on my way to Ft. Polk La.for my first active duty assignment.

My 13 months at Polk were marked by a discipinary actions due to alcohol. A barracks accident with involved alcohol and resulted in severe burns and time in a psycho ward, all due to alcohol abuse.

Somehow I made it through my time at Polk and got assigned overseas. I would complete my tour of duty in West Germany. Shortly after arriving in country, alcohol reared its ugly head again. I was on a downward spiral which ended with a determination that I was not fit to serve. That was in May of 1982. I put down the drink at that point, leaving the country and then the military, clean and sober. While I did get a General Discharge under Honorable Conditions, my service was no where near honorable. I feel like I am not worthy of polishing the boots of today's soldiers.

The soldier of today is a far cry from the one I was. Reservists and members of the National Guard face call ups to serve under hostile fire. Members of the regular Army face long tours far from their homes and families. Even in their stateside bases, they cannot feel safe. They face an enemy who may reside within their own ranks. It is not right nor is it fair.

Today I live in an area near Westover AFRB. There is are many military personnel both active and reserve in the area. I serve many of them in my job and never forget to say thanks. Not because of what I once did, but because of what they are doing today to keep us free.

When you see a soldier, sailor, Marine or airman, have the courtesy to say thanks. It is the least we can do.

A Question for You!

This post is dedicated to some of my co workers, managers and friends who work for Dominos Pizza in Chicopee and Springfield Ma.. Amoung them are my franchisee Tony, his wife and children, John and Liz Sanborn with their children,Brigette Whalen and her son, and my friend Anna with her unborn child.

The question is this, what kind of country are we going to leave for this new generation of citizens of the United States?

I was born in 1954 to two first generation Americans. The future of the U.S. looked bright. We had just won WWII. My dad had quit high school to enter the Navy and the war ended while he was in training. He went to barber school on the G.I. bill to follow his father's trade. He owned a small business which he worked at part time, while being employed by the Draper Corporation. Both he and my mother worked hard and were moderately succesful. We owned a modest home at the edge of the inner city. My mother worked a variety of jobs in the textile and food service industries
while raising three children.

The United States was much like my family. We were strong and proud. We held our head high. We grew our own food, We baked our bread. We built our cars and made our own shoes. The shirt on my back was made of cotton which had been grown by an American farmer, woven into cloth on an American loom, and stitched by an American worker. We pumped our own oil, which American refiners turned into gasoline to fuel our American made cars. Las but not least, we saved and scrimped, while we might have borrowed for a mortgage or a car loan, for the rest we paid CASH!!! Our government was the same way. When they borrowed, it was from it's citizens.
While there were social programs, they did not intrude on our lives. We felt free to pursue the American dream.

I would like to know what the future holds for the children to whom I have dedicated this blog. The mill where my father once worked is a mangled ruin. The milltown would be a ghost town were it not a suburb of Boston. The clothes I wear are made in China, Even my computer and my model trains come from overseas. Two of the three car makers which once dominated the U.S. market have gone bust and one is now controlled by Europeans. Our government spends money that they do not have on things that we do not need. The privately owned slums that once dominated the inner city, have been replaced by public housing. The respect that I was so carefully taught as a child is no more. Teachers are beaten in the schools and the police who once walked the beat, rush from one crime to another in their hi tech cruisers.

Today I fight to maintain a decent quality of life. The home share with my wife is one payment away from foreclosure. The house next door is vacant. Right now we do not even have our own automobile. The car we are using has been provided by my employer. My wife has been in the hospital three times in the last two months for diabetic problems. Meanwhile, those in Hartford, Boston and Washington, laugh at us.
They are constantly trying to find new ways to cripple us with laws and taxes. From cigarette taxes to sales taxes and property taxes, I have to work harder each and every day, just to hold on to what I have.

I am not without hope for our future however. I believe that the spirit that made our country great is still alive. I believe in myself. I believe in my co workers and friends. i believe that we can take our country back. It will not be easy. The working men and women of this coutry will have to join hands like we have never before. If there is to be a second American revolution, let it begin here. Let the shouts of freedom ring out on the streets of Springfield. Bring hope back to Hopedale. Bring a smile to the farmer of the Midwest who grows the wheat for our bread. 2010 can be a new beginning for our nation. We need to let our elected representatives know who they work for. We need to do this at all levels, city, state and nation. The time for action is now. We need to do this for our next generation. We need to let them see the country we once knew. Proud, strong and free.

Is it time to Outlaw the Vegi Sandwich?

As regular readers of this blog know, I work for a franchisee of a national pizza chain. Recently we introduced several additions to our line of "Oven Baked Sandwiches" Now you can call me names if you must. Call me a sellout or whatever. Fact is that this national chain has kept yours truly employed for the last nine years. I am a loyal employee of the firm as well as a consumer of the product. One of the new sandwiches is a Veggie!

I was working lunch last week and a sandwich was made by mistake. Often we get to eat them rather than waste food. I picked up the sandwich and sank my teeth into it. I found the mixture of flavors interesting, but there was something missing. It was a Veggie sandwich. I do not know about you, but I am classed as an omnivore. I will eat just about anything, fruits, veggies, meats, chicken, seafood etc. I do have a sweet tooth as well. What was missing in that sandwich was the meat! "Where's the BEEF?" Even though I knew it was a veggie sandwich, my mouth, my taste buds and my stomach were not into that sandwich. If you are having something that calls itself a sandwich, it needs meat or chicken to be complete, otherwise it is just a collection of veggies and cheese on a bun. What a waste!

Now some of you will say that to be politically correct, we have to have healthy items on our menu. IMHO not many people who walk into our national chain, call us for delivery, or order online are looking for healthy items. Our specialties include a breadbowl stuffed with pasta, cheese and meat, a slab of baked dough covered in cheese and topped with high fat and high salt meat products, and breaded spiced chunks of chicken breast. What is healthy about those choices? Why do we need to waste space in our store to cater to a very tiny fraction of our business? And while I am at it, have you noticed the move to have chains post calorie counts on the menu? Let's see now a Large national sandwich, fries and a shake. If you do not want to look, I won't tell you. Anyone with any common sense what so ever knows that a diet that is high in pizza and fast foods will make you FAT! The only way I keep my trim figure is lots of exercise and modest consumption of my employers products.

While we are at it, could we please outlaw vegitarians? i am not saying that all of them are nuts. Some abstain from meat for matters of faith and some for true health reasons. The ones who drive me crazy are the PETA folks and the other nazis. Vegitarianism is a hiding place for liberals. Time to root them out of their hiding holes. Like most other liberals, they seek to control our lives. Personally, I would like to do nothing better than to sit down and consume a large meat pizza, wash it down with a coffee, (I do not drink alcohol) and finish my meal with a bowl of gently flavored aromatic tobacco, (substitute for fine cigar)! I would do it right in front of them and then jump into my SUV ( I do not own one) and drive away happy. To watch the steam rise from their ears would be priceless.

That enough for this round. Comments questions, opinions to kokoracer@gmail.com