After a very long hiatus from the delivery of Pizzas, I have officially returned. This company is totally different than the last one I worked for and the times are certainly different.

One big difference is the fact that now there is a Hot Bag that the Pizzas stay in as I walk up to the door. It's a very good idea and keeps the temp pretty constant for the time The Pizza leaves the Kitchen to the time it arrives at the Customers waiting hands.

It also led to a problem at the first customer I had on my first day back at the delivery Job. Part of the problem I had was about 3 fold.

Number 1.) The customer is at the open front door waiting for me and I am only halfway to the door. Normally no problem. This time though, I still had to get answers to questions in my head from the guy riding with me to show me how to deliver pizzas.

Number 2.) The guy that is supposed to be walking up to the door with me to show me how to deliver the pizzas is still down on the street waiting by my car. Normally no problem, but he can't hear the questions I am firing at him as I am walking towards the customers door.

Number 3.) Force of Habit I guess - I hand the waiting customer what I had in my hands, which years ago would have been his food, ready for the eating. Now what I had handed him was a black somewhat flexible cloth bag that resembled nothing of a pizza or the box it was retained in.

The customer says to me as I blindly handed off the Package to Him "I don't want this."

I am looking behind me wondering where my answer man is. He is quickly making his way up the sidewalk, trying to answer me. I turned around to see what the Customer was talking about. I turned to face him, and he hands me back the "package". I am thinking why doesn't he want his pizza, then look down to see the black bag.

"Oh shit." I said to myself, hopefully not out loud.

I found the opening to the Hot bag and opened it up to get his pizza out.

By now, my questions were pretty much mute, since the delivery was pretty much done. The guy hands me a wad of money and says he wants 10 bucks back. No problem normally.

Anyway, you get the picture. Luckily the rest of my night went some what smoother.

But then there was day 2.

(Cont.)

Amazing. Kathy, if you only knew what your blog has done for me over the years. I have discovered things about Human Nature that I would never have discovered on my own. I know no one in my actual life that has encountered many of the things you have encountered. The Humor you possess is just great. (Must be why you have so many comment on your posts.) Your observation skills are pretty impressive as well.

Thank You Kathy. I am so happy you decided to stick to your blog and hope you stay with it for many years to come.

I hijack this blog for my own self serving interest, ok, ... maybe I haven't done it in a while But this is something I need to work out - Tripods.




As you may or may not know I have a photoblog. And as such, I take a lot of Images. Some good, some great, but some are an amazing disappointment. I shall show some examples and try to figure out why what happened happened.


These first four images are taken at night or late dusk. I used a tripod on them as I did the last image that went wrong. I was careful with all the shots, took my time, double and triple checked my settings, carefully pushed the shutter, and with some very little cropping - success:










This is not the result I was hoping for - Blurry, almost out of focus. Something was moving when this photo was shot - But what? I set the tripod on top of my car, parked. The tripod appeared to be still. I took my time, set up the shot very carefully slowly pushed the shutter button - But this was the end result:



What was the difference?

The tripod. I used the round black tripod on the first four shots. A small, but extremely stable tripod that allowed for some freedom as far as moving the camera into the angle I wanted. It was really the first time I had used it. It used to belong to my mother. In fact all 3 of these I inherited from her. The problem with the last shot I do believe is I used the black very adjustable 3 legged tripod. It is basically a flexible wire setup and very easy to get the camera to the angle I need for the shot, but I believe the end result screams at me - lose the tripod. I'll hang onto it for day shots, maybe, but no more night shots with that puppy. (by the way, there were 4 other shots taken with that same flexible tripod I had to literally throw away. They were much worse than what I displayed here.)

October 6th, 2008

This was on the Entrecard Blog on October 5th:
Let’s settle this “Traffic Quality” debate by Graham."I’m sick and tired of people with junk blogs slinging mud at Entrecard saying that the traffic is junk traffic. Recently, a spirited debate erupted over at Blog Catalog, and the quality of traffic got dragged into the mess.


Entrecard traffic is the BEST kind of traffic -real people, bloggers, with interests, opinions, lives, relationships, and literally a click away from publishing a link.

Instead of me spewing forth my own ideas of why Entrecard traffic is great, I’m going to let you do it!"

This was a response to Grahm's Comment:

From Eric:

I have not been happy with the traffic from Entrecard. I am not going to call it names or anything like that and the point about traffic being only as good as your site is valid. However, I can spend the same amount of money on AdWords and get better CONVERSIONS with that traffic than if I spend the same amount on Entrecard (comparing $100 spent on AdWords vs. $100 spent on Entrecard credits). That is a fact. So, using a factual argument, not an emotional argument, I would ask people to provide evidence to the contrary. If someone can show me that Entrecard is a better value proposition, then I will pour money back into Entrecard again.

My Response:

Eric - If you feel your time as money, then by all means, you probably will do better elsewhere. I say good riddance. I’m getting really tired of hearing crap about Entrecard. Get out of here and go else where and have lots of fun.

I’m staying With Entrecard, because It suits my needs to a T. I get everything and more Of this place, and I don’t spend all day dropping cards either. I’m not in Entrecard for the Money. I’m in it for the traffic for my blogs and the social aspects of Entrecard. I’m making some very good relationships here and getting to meet new people and learn a bunch about Blogging.

But I’m posting to a blind eye and it’s falling on deaf ears. You have already made up your mind. Your probably thinking I am full of crap and don’t know what I am talking about. I really Don’t care. As I said, I am tired of hearing negative things about Entrecard.

Don’t let the door hit your rear on the way out.
Beamer

Eric's response:

Wow - that is a great attitude Beamer. With champions like you - Entrecard is sure to be, um, successful?

Ben Bardens Response:

Beamer, that’s pretty harsh and completely unnecessary. Eric hasn’t already made up his mind, if you read his comment you’ll see he is asking for people to offer opinions to the contrary. That can be done without being rude.

Eric, in general Entrecard may work for some sites better than others, whether you buy credits or not. Dropping cards and leaving comments on other blogs is a good way to start. If I was going to buy some credits, I’d do that first to see if there’s an audience for my blog on Entrecard before buying credits. Once people start to see your blog, perhaps leaving comments, you can start to ramp up your activity by dropping more cards, or buying credits.
Some sites may do quite well from buying credits and placing lots of ads, but I find it’s good to test the water a bit first.

And then my response to Ben:

A letter to Ben

Ben, you were absolutely right to call me rude for defending Entrecard and using words like "Don't let the door hit your rear on the way out" and "good riddance". I was wrong to think that such a statement like "I have not been happy with the traffic from Entrecard." was antagonistic and belittling to Entrecard traffic. I should have been able to leave my emotions out of my response to a comment that is just wanting an analytical accounting of Traffic from Entrecard compared to some Ad Traffic. Bad Beamer.

Why how stupid of me.

For I forgot the special word - Money. He's willing to throw $100.00 at Entrecard. I forgot that this is the Internet, where the all mighty dollar runs the show. People are willing to do all kinds of strange and bizzare things when someone throws the word "Money" around on the Internet. How silly of me to think that what you stand for, what you produce Blogging, what you are willing to fight for, means anything. Because I have yet to toss one single cent to Entrecard. I guess all the hours I have spent on and dealing with Entrecard is of no value what so ever.

Fine, Ben. From now on, when Some one posts a statement like "I have not been happy with the traffic from Entrecard." comes around next time, I shall stand down. I shall not defend all those people that put blood and sweat into every single post they create, all the hours dropping E-cards, all the time putting comments into this forum.

I'll probably regret even bring this subject up. I should just take my comeuppance like a good Blogger and let it die. Because I don't understand the Big picture. I am Not an administrator of Entrecard

Beamer

September 22nd, 2008

Ok, lets see, on Friday I went to the local Fair with my wife, daughter, son in law and Grandson. I had an excellent time till we were leaving the fairgrounds at about 1030 PM. My wife and I were walking along an area that should be nice smooth cement sidewalk and well lit. Should be, but it isn't. It's very fine dirt which they have oiled repeatedly to try and keep the extremely fine dust from blowing around so much and hardly any lights at all. In this dirt in a very dark part of this walkway, a tree root has sprung up, and I found it with my right Foot.

In the ensuing next few moments, I went down first on my right knee, then onto my left forearm and then onto my left shoulder. Hard, onto hard dirt. A cloud of dust, then passers by worried if I was OK. I checked out what was what and told them I was OK. A young gentleman helped me back to my feet.

My forearm was bleeding some what and finally managed to get it washed off. The real fun started the next day.

I awoke to a very sore knee and a shoulder that didn't like being lifted more than a foot or so. So that was Saturday. Sunday I went outside and repaired a fence that some lovely neighbors redesigned for me. I guess I didn't sleep very good the last few nights and then slept about 12 hours today. I'm going to get back into the swing of things posting wise, I promise. Just needing some time to get my self back into shape.

September 18th, 2008

Wow, the last couple of days have been just chock full of Blogging Material. I could write posts for days out the weird stuff going on around here. I'll have to note it and let it out in dribs and drabs so as not to to bore the pants off you guys. All I need is a bunch of Pantless, bored, readers floating around.

Apparently It doesn't and I apologize. The symbol I had posted used to lead to a way to send a lady and her children to Disney world. It had been the ladies dying wish too take her children to the Disney place. I had gotten the badge quite a few months back and thought a re post might be a good thing, but instead I got bit in the butt.

So I don't know weather the lady is still alive, got to reach her dream or what. The Internet can be a great place at times, but other times, especially these days, you just have to be on your toes at all times.

In the past, you would have gotten a gentle message telling you some kind of update, some kind of class prevailed back then. Now its screw that, lets get what we can while we can get it and screw any class at all. These badges were on a number of websites, It had been a big deal, at least in the world I was traveling in on the Internet. Its a very sad commentary on the state of the Internet these days.

And again I apologize. Lesson well learned.

Update:

Miss Ann Thorpe, the lady whose site was at the end of the link in the badge in question wrote an explanatory message. You can read it in the comments. I guess someone informed her of what I had written. Perhaps there is hope for the Internet after all.

The good news is the Lady got to take her children to Disney world. That was her dream apparently before she passed away. I was glad to hear that.