Red and dirty hillbilly with more speed than sense.

2013-02-18T07:11:00.003-06:00

Well children... this might well be my longest hiatus from this evil blog like thing to date. I started writing in little journals back in '98 or '99 because I didn't want to loose all the "great ideas" that I had in my head all the time. So... I would get about 6 or 7 fingers into a bottle of cheap whiskey and begin to write what I felt at the time to be just hilarious and amazing shit.

Some of those ramblings weren't totally insane, most were, but I look at them like this: this writing was my unconscious attempt at maintenance of my manic depression symptoms through tools that I had been "encouraged" to use while in the hospitals and psychologist offices offices from the age of about 14 onward. Had the writing been the only thing going on it might of worked. I was drinking daily and spending money that I did not have. Unfortunately for my sake I was so far into denial of the fact that I was in the throws of a manic cycle at that time to care that I was hurting those around me and throwing away some great opportunities all because I was too stubborn to admit that I wasn't "normal."

I continued down that path, struggling and failing to not cycle out of control. I could hold about a year together being functional and those same feelings would come back and I would be off and running. I had, when somewhat stable, figured out that If I don't have a bank account I cant spend more than I have in my pocket. I also realized that writing was therapy, and that sleep is so very important to my stabilizing my symptoms. Finally, about 3 years ago I had had enough of the cycling. I reached out for help and unfortunately did not get the support and care I so desperatly needed. But I didn't give up; I swallowed my pride, asked my mother to help me get back to this area from Washington state and did what I had to do to get someone to listen.

So here I sit, 14 years later, clean and sober (3 years if I can make it till the 13th of March) and I am finally on a medication that the side effects of are not worse than the symptoms of this condition. I am a much more mature, reliable and rational member of society. I have finally found a career path that I believe I can comfortably do for the rest of my life. I work with people, many of whom have struggled with the stigma of mental illness and have attempted, albeit quite unsuccessfully to mask their symptoms through the use of drugs and alcohol. I try to give them hope and reinsurance that there is such a thing as recovery from mental illness and addiction and that they are not weak for reaching out for help.

This gives me such a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day. It is amazing to have a job that I'm good at, that I enjoy going to, and that I get so much out of everyday. I honestly want to help those I see and want them to get to where I am because just about 3 years ago I was where they are at. Starting over with what felt like nothing. That person was not there when I began my journey and had I not been diligent and attentive I would of fallen through the cracks. I didn't take no for an answer and I try to teach them the same thing.

I will attempt to write more often in those journals, sans the whiskey, and on here as much as I can. I would like to get back to covering the music that I love and enjoy so much. I wont gaurntee that that will actually happen so just check back from time to time. If I dont do what I say Ill do gently remind me would ya?

Thanks for stoppin' by

About damn time...

2010-05-19T15:27:00.000-05:00

Well folks... its been a while since I've posted anything around here so I thought I would write a few words about what I've been up to and all that. I don't have a real clear idea of what this blog is about or what I should and should not post. I guess over the times that I have posted it has changed from a music blog to a heartbreak blog and back again. Music has always played a big part in my day to day life. From early on I remember driving around the country roads with my dad listening to country music of one form or another. Apparently I was a huge fan of Merle Haggard at a very young age. I remember dad telling me when I brought home a cd that was all covers of his songs by various singer-songwriters that I used to sing along nice and loud to "My Own Kind of Hat" Songs for me seem to trigger memories, both good and bad. Sometimes it is what I was doing when the song was playing or other times its the lyrics to the song that I can relate in my mind to a situation that I went through at sometime or another.

That is something that I have always wanted to make a career of. Music in someway or another. I filled out the paper work to get back in school and see if I can't stick it out to at least finish up an Associates degree in journalism/mass communications. It isn't going to guarntee that I will be able to work with music but its a start. If I could parlay this information into a radio job great. If it doesn't work for me to be in radio, I will at least have some business classes under my cap and that will hopefully let me get a better paying job where I don't have to break my back for the money I earn. That is the hope anyway.

Otherwise I have just been working at the station here in town. Pay isn't great and the hours suck but it is a job. For that I am grateful. The economy around here has been hit hard by the recession. What few job are around don't seem to pay much and even those low pay no skill jobs have 30-40 people vying to get them. I was told the other day that while I was living in Washington, something like 1,500 jobs were cut from Kay County. Most of those jobs won't be coming back. It was a very hard decision to come back here because of the simple fact that I knew I would have to take much less pay despite the fact my bills are still the same size that they used to be. I have tightened my belt, sucked it up and I will survive on what I make and try to be happy. Its a long road but I'll make it.

Hope all is well with yall. And remember to keep the sunny side up and the dirty side down and every thing else will work its self out.

Its been a strange day, and for once thats not a bad thing.

2010-03-29T21:59:00.000-05:00

I have made it back to town, living back in the same place at least for the short term. I didn't really want to be back here because of the headaches it has and will cause for all concerned but I vow to make the best of the time I spend here. I always complained about this town and how backwards it is but the more time I spend driving around here and in Ponca, the more I realize it was me that was backwards. I have a real problem finding contentment where I am. I always wanted to be somewhere else. There are a lot of great things that I could do around here and enjoy greatly, I just have to get off this computer and get out among the masses. I will be doing this and plan on sharing the good things I do find around here in hopes that you can enjoy them as well. I took a lot of pictures in Washington and on the way back here so I will try to find a good place to stick em online so yall can enjoy them as much as I enjoyed taking them.

Till next time...

jared

1043 pm Mojave CA

2010-03-23T00:44:00.000-05:00

Wind made us get off the road. 1242 miles left to go to Blackwell America. Pics will come after I get home and break out the tower from the back of that blasted U-haul. Hope all is well with you and yours.

Jared Wayne
The desert gets cold at night...

253am

2010-03-17T05:08:00.000-05:00

By title alone this is going to be a bad post. Bad for anyone to read. Hard for me to type and even worse by hte fact that Montgomery Gentry just came on the tv. I by no means am a saint. I have hurt those I love for far too long. It is my desire to finally stop the pain. That sounds scary as hell and it should. Self inprovment is never an easy row to hoe.

I finally have made a decision that I will no longer rely on others to fix whats wrong with me. I need to be good with me and my choices again. I was at one time but Why that changed I can't say. No one deserves to be put through the shit I put myself through on a daily basis. Im tired of the fights. I'm tired of the anger that I havent been able to put behind me. Im tired of living in the past and also tired of projecting so damn far out that I lose site of what I have to do today to get to tomorrow.

I have lost alot of great friends because I have been a stubborn asshole for far too long. I give now. My way isnt the best way. There hase to be a better way of living than the living through chemistry that I have done to myself since I was tiny. Today starts anew. And because of that realization I will get better.

It will probably get dark as hell around here before all is said and done. I will try to keep it light because I down want to linger in my sadness anymore. The clean up process is going to be rough but I have the right people in place to give me a hand up and no longer a hand out.

If you don't hear from me for a few days don't worry too much. I do see a light at the end of the tunnel and this time its not a train. So with all that said... log off the computer, walk your happy ass down to where your real frineds are and go catch some live, local, and loud music. Support the artists that are out there. Its not an easy life.

Thanks for reading. May you have the best day you can and I will do the same.

Quick update.

2010-03-16T16:28:00.000-05:00

I will be driving back to Oklahoma Thursday. I have alot of issues as most of you are well aware of and to fix said issues I need to be closer to what I "know". It sucks, I want to stay here in Kitsap but sometimes the hardest decision is the right one. Thank you to everyone of you that helped me out in anyway shape or form. There are alot of amazing people around here, you just have to know where to look and take the time to look past where you met em.

And for those who are glad to see me go... well lets just not go there.

Good luck to all yall, stay safe and treat the ones you love as they should be treated.

jared
np. III Two Cow Garage
its the soundtrack to my "midlife crisis"

2010-01-29T06:41:00.002-06:00

Well folks its just about that time again... time to crawl back into the stall and relieve yourself. That's right little Johnny...It Burns When I Pee!!!! There baaaaaack:

Ramble on over to there site and see what kinda trouble you can get your self into...

It Burns When I Pee
www.ibwip.com
www.section86.com

Ramblin down that dirt path....

2008-09-06T11:16:00.008-05:00

All right children, here we go. This is gonna be a lil different than I have put up but then again I am nothing if not "different". I am medicated and not feeling how do you say, in my lane, so bear with your humble host for a bit, ok?

In 98/99 I met up with some great folks who inspired me to start writing publicly instead of just shit I scribbled down and never showed anyone. How they got it out of me I have no clue but I thank them and curse them to this day. Music writing is hard for me because I have such varied tastes. Some days I want to hear some archived recording from the depression era, ok well the first great depression anyway, and the next song I want to hear some old gangsta rap. I was always made fun of for this growing up but I have come to find some folks who are just like me, they like what they like, labels be damned. My creative zen that I bought for work has done nothing but reinforced this opinion. Jimmie Rodgers followed by some unnamed dirty south rapper/mash up, probably a dj skrew tape, and they both talk about and I quote "Triflin women" Im not crazy... its all the songs in my head that be fuckin with me.

But looking back on childhood, especially where I actually call home, this is not some new epiphany. I have always made mixtapes, now cds of course, stuff that I liked, stuff that I found that probably wouldn't, in some cases, shouldn't of been heard in mixed company. I was moving boxes around teh storage shed last weekend and found my old tape boxes. There is some scary shit in there. Some day I will have my production studio back up and working and I will be happy to podcast this shit. Till then yall be safe, watch out for the hunters, and hold that one you love, you never know when you'll lose an arm.

damn that was depressing wasn't it. Fuck me. I was trying to make a happy blog cause I'm happy... Sad songs make me happy.

Greaserama 2008

2008-08-27T10:54:00.005-05:00

I swear to god. One of these days Im going to have the money to do the shit I want. Here is another great and fun time, within driving distance of my hillbilly ass that I wont be able to attend. Damn me and my lack of fundage. Check it out:

CAR SHOW STARTS AT NOON- SAT & SUN.
NO PETS.
Movie Schedule: Saturday- Two Lane Blacktop. The Wild One. Repo Man
Sunday- The Wild One. Repo Man. Two Lane Blacktop
(in that order)

here is the band schedule:
Friday-
The Big Iron
The Tex Reys
Federation of Horsepower

Saturday-
car show starts at noon, bands will start at 1 or 2
The F-Holes ( trad. rockabilly/southern rock)
Black Tarantulas (garage rock)
Calamity Cubes (roots/blues/bluegrass)
The Tex Reys (garage rock)

Sunday-
doors open at noon, bands will start around 1 or so
Calamity Cubes
The Last Call Girls (honkytonk)
Cretin 66 (rock n MF'n roll)
The Throttlers (c*ck rock/ punk)

Here's SOME of the vendors coming this year:
Van Chase Studio
Cool Stuff
Chop Tops
Lugnut
Mid-town Bobbers
Voodoo Machine
B-Scott Studio
Midwest Scandal
Amuck
Mac's Ratz
Full Throttle Mag
Ol' Skool Rodz Mag
Hometown Hotrods Mag
Accurate Performance
Please Me Boutique
Ecoboutiquo
Two-Stroke Hardcore
Cycles n More
Van Dyne Leather
Pinstripers:
Whiskey, Blaine Scott
Food/Drink:
The Coffee break BSA Troop 60, Blvd Drive-in Concession Stand, and some BBQ guy.
Lily's Greasy Gallery open from 2 til dark Sat and Sun.

Valve cover racing- some time between 2 and 5- with test and tune on Sat and the Big Race Sunday.
Awards will be right before dusk on Sunday- either after the last band, or right before their encore. Fabulous, handmade Greaserama Awards by the Punk Rods- with bonus artistic contributions by (most likely) Kevin Broderick of Fabrications Unlimited, Boneheads C.C., Knucklebusters C.C., KC Kustoms, The Spokesmen bike club, The Eddies bike club, KC slammers (model).
All car clubs, etc. are welcome to bring & give away a pick award. Represent!

Between 1st and 2nd movies- the unofficial, impromtu muffler rapping and flame throwing contest. Someone may even make a trophy for this, too.

We will play all three movies both nights. We have reversed the order so if you always fall asleep at the drive-in, like I do, the one you missed will be playing earlier the next night. That way, if you go to an early rock n roll show somewhere Saturday Night, you can still catch the late showing of Repo Man!

Summer 08 The Return of all my favorites

2008-08-24T23:09:00.005-05:00

The return of broken up bands continues. Slobberbone snuck on stage for 3 songs last month, Split Lip has a new album out, The Meat Purveyors are on a mini reunion tour, and now comes this news straight outta Killville.... Quoted from the militia newsletter with permission....

Just when things where starting to happen again in Killville, Angry goes and gets himself sick. Last week Angry was checked into the hospital with a huge appendix.
I'm sure there's a medical term for that, but either way it sucks. Doctor says Angry's going to be there for a while before they can cut em up and get that thing out, so he's more angry then usual.

If ya want to send Angry some whiskey, bullets or just a card
send em to:

Angry Johnny
PO box 1164
Easthampton MA 01027

or just send em an email at:
angry@getangry.com

Like I was saying, things are starting to happen again in Killville.
A couple of shows have been booked in early September. however, we might have to move those shows due to the huge appendix.

The Killbillies line up this time around features Angry johnny, Sal Vega, Goatus t Ovenrude and the return of Slabs Theilman on the splinter bass.

I will update ya all about any future killbillies dates when we know what up with Angry's guts.

Update... Angry is out of the hospital but will need to go back to get the guts ripped out.

Here is a self portrait done by Angry as is posted over at Killville. Click on the pic to go there as well. Great site, great art, and still the scariest mother fucker in Americana to date.

New Symptons... Its burning bad doc.

2008-08-14T05:38:00.005-05:00

I done went and bought me one of them new fangled mp3 players for work and loaded it up with past episodes of It burns when I pee. 10 hrs of making oil drilling bits has never passed so quickly. I Highly recommend listening while you work if you have a blue collar job or a door on your office for you white collar pukes. You may get some sideways look and some talk behind your back but aint you already used to that?

The new episode should be posted 8.15.08 and I believe IBWIP.com will finally have some content as well. check it out bitches.
update: 8.14.08 IBWIP.com is now live and full of pretty pictures

Twang Aint Just A Guy Thang

Episode 18 of It Burns When I Pee

Release Date: Aug. 15th 2008

at Section86.com and IBWIP.com

After listenting to last months episode I went and got inspired to start writing and post to grit to go again. Juft for the hell of it... I thought it would be fun to interview the evil master mind Blake Clayton. Heres the standard 5 in 15 hayride militia quickie interview that I emailed Blake recently. Blake's answers in bold.

1. Why? why the Name, why alt.country(what ever you want to call this music)

When I was deciding to start doing a podcast, It Burns When I Pee just popped into my head. Even before I knew what the show was going to be about. With thousands of podcast's all over the inter-net I thought that this name would stand out. I see now that naming the show It Burns When I Pee was just a hit of how the show would end up being like (the adult humor) that was never originally intended to be part of the show content. As for why alt-country, I felt like there needed to be a show that promoted all the great music that is out there that people don't get the chance to hear. Personally, I never knew about bands like Spilt Lip Rayfield, The Meat Purveyors, and so on, until I started posting on hank3.com a few years back. I am so passionate about what we play on the show. I am hoping that even if two people hear a song by an artist and go check them out and buy a CD or something… then we did what we are hoping to do.

2. Where you come from/where do you go? (where did you grow up where do you see yourself in regards to music in say 5 yrs)

I was born and raised in Central Illinois. As for where do I see myself, the show, in 5 years… I would really like to see IBWIP be a "power house" where artists and fans come to check out great independent music. I hope that the show can find a full time sponsor and we can start to do a lot more interesting stuff. I'd like to see us do some video stuff, and have an interactive message board and such. I just want to see the show be a "house hold name" among the underground/alt music seen.

3. When is the next record, show, movie etc coming out?

We do one show a month. We have the release date schedule on our myspace page (www.myspace.com/itburnswhenipee86) . We are hoping to start doing some bonus releases soon, but have nothing definite yet. We have the IBWIP Auction coming up on September 19^th through October 3^rd. We are super excited about the auction and are getting some really great donations to auction off.

4. What do you listen to on the road?

I listen to all kinds of stuff. We get a lot of bands that send us CD's and music files and we listen to all of them. If your asking for favorite bands I would have to say, Split Lip Rayfield, The Meat Purveyors, Hank 3, and I have been listening to The Big Jugs a lot lately too. There are too many bands to list for sure. The musical genrue as a whole is just outstanding and there are so many bands/artists that I am discovering while doing the show.

5 Who would you rather... Mother Maybell or The fat dixie chick. Splain

I must say that I am a fan of The Dixie Chicks. I think the "fat" Dixie, Natalie is a hot ass gal. She has an amazing voice and I would have to slap her in the face with all 3 inches I got. Seriously though, The Dixie Chicks have stood up for themselves both against their 1^st label and have stood up for what they believe in. That is what the whole premises of the show is, pissing on the porch of Corporate Nashville. So the answer to the question is simple… I would take Natalie to Get Your Hank On Studio, click record, and put the hurtin on that hottie.

I will write more about IBWIP, The New Meat Purveyors and hopefully the New Split LIp Rayfield album soon as life stops getting in the damn way.....

Oh how it burns...

2008-08-03T23:21:00.018-05:00

As some of you may or may not know... back in the day I used to have a lil radio show on KJHK 90.7 Lawrence KS called the Jayhawk Hayride, round about 99-00. Well that was in my drinking days and lets just say the station wasn't fond of my antics and we had to part company.

I recently stumbled upon a podcast that does all the shit Skeeter and I tried to do and got in trouble for, tried to do and failed miserably, or just flat out didn't try out of laziness and Pabst soaked brains noon on Saturdays. In this episode I was introduced to the .357 String Band. I was hooked at their name but the music is even better.

So here it is... "It Burns When I Pee" tell em where you came from...

Click on the purdy poster to go right to their front porch. It is a podcast and if you don't know what that be holler and I'll help ya out. Check out the arcives for some other great acts. Meat Purveyors and Wayne from Split lip are two episodes that stuck out to me.

Check back in the coming days for more info and maybe even an interview with those responsible for this.

Till then for fucks sake stay out the damn ditch.

I ain't no fujkin' redneck.

2007-05-12T12:52:00.000-05:00

I work days in various manual labor positions gettin' all greasy...nights in a bar, gettin' all greasy. The sun is not my friend. Im pale like casper with a deep southern drawl and a camel hanging out the side of his mouth.

I have always been of the opinion that rednecks use the land and care not if they destroy it. Hillbillies on the other hand know that if you use the land properly you can reuse it later. Quite often leaving it in better shape than you found it. Thats why I call myself a hillbilly.

Oh and the whole growing up in the birddog seat but we aint going there yet.

jw

2007-05-12T10:20:00.000-05:00

Alright all you damn stalkers...here is where you can find me in real life again. I have taken a job with a local bar. Im bouncin for now tho I believe I will be slingin bottles and tunes before much longer....if your ever in the hills of northern oklahoma, come on down to the Rockin Horse and Planet Rock. Youll hate me in the morning......

Eddie Spagetti, rockstar suprema.

2007-05-11T19:16:00.001-05:00

Damn g4 for not bieng on my network...damn you for killin' the screen savers, but you went and redeemed a few points.

jared wayne

Not working has its benifits.

2007-04-19T10:23:00.000-05:00

Above and beyond the not actually having to get my happy ass into work...I get to sit and listen to music all day, and look through shit that I dont take the time to during my normal days.

Todays results.....

Found some people on myspace id never suspect to have
ripped 6 or 7 new cds to the hard drive
applied for pell grants
balanced the check book

And now Ill sleep. Thanks for playing along
jared wayne
click on the pic...pops to Wes' site...buy something support the arts.

Twang Gangers are the spawn of Satan

2007-04-18T03:46:00.000-05:00

Look at the shit they tempt me with:

Ticket/Friends information and stuff like that will follow soon, but
in the meantime, with no further ado:

KDHX 88.1 FM Presents Twangfest 11
June 7-9, 2007
This one goes to eleven!

Wed, June 6, 2007
The Schlafly Tap Room
2100 Locust Street at 21st
St. Louis, MO 63103
314.241.BEER

Centro-matic
Backyard Tire Fire
William Elliot Whitmore

June 7 – 9, 2007
The Duck Room at Blueberry Hill
6504 Delmar
St. Louis, MO 63103
314.727.0880

Thurs, June 7th
Blue Mountain (special reunion show)
Tim Easton (backed by Two Cow Garage)
Carrie Rodriguez
Two Cow Garage

Fri, June 8th
Graham Parker (with special guests the Figgs)
Dolly Varden
Elizabeth Cook
The Linemen

Sat, June 9th
The Figgs
Wussy (featuring Chuck Cleaver of the Ass Ponys)
Slaid Cleaves
The High Strung

Man Im feeling an outbreak of chronic sinusitis coming on around oh lets say June 2nd. Doc says I have to bee out for a week. Sorry boss but dems the rules. Im thinking about taking a road trip to St Louis in the coming months. Karen has a new apt that needs checked out and I want to see how the Closet Co has changed with the new Maplehood complex. God bless tax returns and higher credit limits.

jared wayne
NP Slaid Cleaves - Cold and Lonely

I'm back home...sorta.

2006-04-14T18:39:00.000-05:00

Well here I sit in one of my many adopted hometowns, the gateway to the west St Louis Mo. I miss so many things when I am not here and always manage to find something I never new existed. Im staying in Arnold with a friend who will for the time being will remain anonymous. Most of you that actually read this will know who it is but don't judge please.

I'm relaxing and enjoying catching up with old friends, seeing what has changed, and just enjoying my self as much as physically possible. I don't have any real plans to do much more than relax and hang out. If you read this and want to catch up holler.

Some thing that I will shill while I'm here is the American Classic Barber shop over on Chippewa. As those of you that are from the STL metro may know Dave and Warren split from the shop on South Hampton and opened their own shop on Chippewa. A barber shop on old route 66 with the memorabilia and street cred that such a location requires and deserves. Cripper Dave cut my hair the way I liked and I barely had to tell him what I wanted almost 4 years after he cut it last. That is hard to find and well worth the 450 miles I drove for the cut. If your on that damned site myspace.com check em out....

That is all for now. Pics and more ramblings sometime in the future.

jared wayne
jaredwayne@gmail.com

Good times man, good times.

2006-03-29T09:36:00.000-06:00

I have had one of the most fucked up 7 days I have had in a long time. First the gas gets shut off, (see the rants below), I miss all that work, an old friend came down for the weekend to help me move, my schedule finally changes to what I wanted all along but without notice and after I had already made plans to finish moving all my shit out of that other house. I am on the verge of being fired at this point with 9.5 points and I have turned in a temporary 2 week notice so If they try to fire me I can say I had already gave notice. Now I just have to find a job even if its only a temp job.

I have re-enrolled in college, applied for financial aid, and might get my old job back. I don't miss some parts of that job but I think It will be much easier to deal with the hours and stress now that I don't have someone bitching about how much I work. I truely believe that Tori played a big part in my anger and short temper while I was out there because when ever it got bad at work I couldn't go home and vent because her situation was worse. It was like a pissing contest and she never failed to win cause she would start to lose and decide to piss all over me. (Sorry for that nasty analogy)

I am almost totally moved out of the house I shared with Tori and Corny. I have a few clothes that need to come over here and I have to clean the house from top to bottom. I am off tomorrow and Friday so that should not be a problem. About one truckload of shit and about 4 hours of cleaning and I will be done with that part of my life. In a way I'm sad to see it go but more over I think I'm just glad to me getting on with the getting on.

While Tater was here, I was the happiest I have been in along time. It was a mere 48 hours of company but It was like we never were apart. We got back to talking about everything and anything, without stepping on each other to get a point across, and I don't think we fought once all weekend. I look forward to talking to her and hopefully we can figure a way out to make our friendship last without fucking up the good thing we have going now.

Now its finally back on.

2006-03-23T22:18:00.000-06:00

Well them good ole boys from centerpoint finally came by eariler this evening and lit the pilot lights. I was in the last 10% of Blackwell to get service back. They drove by 4 times in 20 min and I think my hollering at them trying to get them to stop and turn it on so I could go to work may of dropped me down the line.

When I hollered they stepped on the brakes, waved and then turned around, and drove right on by waving again as they turned just south of my house. I swear to god you give some people a little power and they pull shit like that. I would of been happy if they had stopped and said we are sorry but we have to get a few others on real quick and well come back. Just to know that they weren't just driving in circles for no reason would of been nice.

I do have problems with the hot water heater at the other house. Apparently it has a major leak so looks like I might not make it to work tommorrow either. Fuck it, I got my bills paid for next month already so I could really care less. More time to try and find a real job.

untill something else pisses me off.....
jared wayne

Please Turn The Gas Back On (part deux)

2006-03-23T12:53:00.000-06:00

ChannelOklahoma.com - News - Gas Restored To 2,000 Customers

Still no heat, no hot water, and I have now lost 12 hours of pay and will probably of lost 28 hrs before I actually get my gas turned back on. This is complete and utter bullshit. How can you make an annoucment to the local media that if you want you gas back on, you must be home, when you know that there is no way that you will be able to restore service to 4000 customers in the time frame that you said it would be. When I took off work yesterday Im am greeted by my local access station saying that all service could be restored by midnight (22 Mar). I said to myself, "one day in the cold house isn't too bad." I wake up to an angry phone call from my mother at 8 am saying that the service will not be restored to the remaining customers for about 18 hours. That means that I wasted a day off yesterday and there is a pretty good chance that I will not have service returned until after midnight tonight.

When we called, as we were told to do by the local access station, we were told that they are working as fast as they can and you calling and bitching isn't helping. Of course that is not a direct quote but it is damn close. My mother, who has taken off as much time as I have and makes $3 more an hour than me, asked are you planning on reimbursing us for the time that we had to miss work since you told us to be home if we wanted service or we would have to wait until sometime next week to set up an appointment? Centerpoint Energy's response...."We are losing large amounts of money with this outage and the overtime we are paying out, and you expect us to reimburse you for your missed work?"

Worst customer service ever. Someone went and bought a truck load of electric heaters and was selling them for 20-50 bucks a pop. Centerpoint, if it had a brain in its head should of bought that guy out and made an annoucment that you can come get them if you bring a copy of your gas bill. A shelter has been set up but if you go and they come by to turn your gas on and your not at home you get moved to the bottom of the list.

Had they simply divided the town into sections (don't we already have dividing lines?....oh yeah FUCKING VOTING PRECINCTS; and went from section to section during a certain time then I would not be nearly as pissed. Its the simple fact that I have taken off this much time from work for nothing but cold hands and wasted electricity.

Fuck you you fucking fucks.
jared

Please Turn The Gas Back On

2006-03-22T10:46:00.000-06:00

CenterPoint Energy :: Newsroom :: Operations News

CenterPoint Energy responds to natural gas outage

Houston March 21, 2006 CenterPoint Energy is responding to a natural gas outage affecting approximately 4,000 customers in Blackwell and Tonkawa, Oklahoma.

Just a few days ago was the start of spring. Here in Blackhell, OK, that means a cold front comes through; tornados to the south of me and snow to the north of me. It got down in the upper 20's last night and all this happens while the fine folks at Centerpoint Energy, the local natural gas distributor, drops service to 4,000+ customers here in Kay County. I had to take off work yesterday when the outage first took place so that I could drip the faucets so the pipes didn't burst. Now I am off again today as I wait for someone from the company to come out and restore our service and check for leaks. They expect to have everyone in Blackwell and Tonkawa restored within 2 days. In the mean time I have no heat, no hot water, and Tori took all the electric heaters when she moved back home to Iowa.

If I didn't know better, I would swear someone is sabotaging my life. I mean Tori and I just borke up after almost 3 years. We had grown apart ever since working together at Sykes and seemed like when ever we weren't at work we were fighting about work or someother just as trivial thing. I wish her nothing but the best and hope that she finds happiness, but because of the amount to debt I have acquireded in the past few years, I have no credit ('cept for bad credit), so I had to move back home for a while till I can get some debt paid off. I moved over there around March 6th and moved back over here this past weekend so I can work on the things that need to be done so I can get my deposit back when I get every thing out. Last night I had to pack up the shit and moved into the Holiday Inn for what were expecting at the time to be 2-3 days. I then hear on the news this morning that they will turn on the gas but only if an adult is present so that they can light the pilot lights. So off I move again. Thank god I was raised by truckers and spent the time that I did in the military cause if there is one thing that I do well, it is move on a moments notice and can pack all I need for a 2 week span in the cab of a truck.

So here I sit my hands are freezing as I try to type out this little rant, listening to....get this....Two Cow Garage's Please Turn The Gas Back On. I hope the centerpoint man can find the humor in that because all I can do at this point is laugh to keep from crying like a kid who lost his bike and all his tattoos were spelled wrong.

(thanks to Fred Friction & the Highway Matrons for that last line)

jared wayne
(now where the fuck did I put those gloves?)

Frederick's will be the death of me someday.

2006-03-07T10:38:00.000-06:00

Well here it is, just under a month since the doors were closed and the last "Get the Fuck Out" was muttered, I begin my contemplation on how much I miss that little out of the way hole in the wall and how many true friends I made in that place.

From Paul who become my surrogate dad, to Fred that crazy uncle that I missed so much when I moved up there. To all the girls behind the bar; some of the strongest, most intelegent women I have ever known. Then we get to the regulars, "regulars" would be a misrepresntation. No one who came to Freds more than twice a week could be called "regular". For instance Tony and Chris. What a pair of crazy mofos. Met in that bar long ago and now work together and have for almost 4 years now. Mike Milano, crazy welder man that actually made me realize that I know more than I let myself take credit for. Dan the doorman, one of my favorite people that I met in that place early on. A counsler when I need one, even if I didnt ask for help from him. I could of and should of. The monday movie crowd. I started going down there because it was nice to just sit and watch a good movie with the ability to drink and smoke. Of all the people that I didnt expect to recognize me when I went back they were the first ones to say OMG what are you doing back? They were the ones that I missed the most and had no idea I did.

I saw and met many a great band over the years at freds. If Freds was nothing else it was a family. One of the most functionaly-disfunctional families I have ever seen, but if you drank there from time to time or you played on that little wooden stage you were part of the family. Many a time in my travels to see a band play I will walk up to them and say "Hey what did you think of Fred's." That line more than any other has gotten a band to say more than they really wanted to all in a matter of a few minutes.

Nothing compares to the impact of that little bar with a house attached on a busy street in south st louis on my desire make something of my life. I can honestly say that even if Fred's never gets replaced It will always be open. Open in the hearts, minds and attitudes of all who walked through that door and stayed just long enough to realize that places like this with people like that don't exist anymore.

Center your attention on the Stag you fujken Hooisers.

2006-02-20T10:22:00.000-06:00

Im bored and dont want to go to work so I edited down some of the shots from The Last Friday @ Freds.

This is the only one that I have posted as the rest are shit or are pretty deppressing. I will clean up what I can and post it to flkr later.

And you better not call askin me to fix your fucking dsl or if you do say in the first line..."...I'm a dumbass and ...." you fill in the blanks and then Id be more thn happy to help. Thats what Im here for.

Myspace.com

2006-02-20T10:08:00.000-06:00

Well...for those of you that have known me for any time at all know that I am a drinker. I am also a very loyal, almost to a fault, person who tends to go to the same places, see the same bands, and drink the same sour swill. Now I can't go back to the one place that I never felt out of place at....Frederick's Music Lounge in beautiful South Saint Louis. I could write for days about how much that little basement bar influnced the way that I deal with life, but I might get just a touch irriateble.

Bieng a bar, I spend large amounts of borrowed money in that place. Borrowed from that car I was always saving for, that big date I always planned on taking Tater on, and in more cases than one borrowed from which ever significant other happened to be around at that moment. I regret only one thing now that Fred's is becoming a Korean Nail salon: I didn't do more to keep myself happy while I was there, thus pissing everyone off around me. Now I'm somewhat happy and everyone around me seems miserable because of that.

You know....I never physcoanalized shit this much untill I didnt have a place like that dingy basement and friends like Fred, Paul, Trish, Chris, Tony, Dan, and Mike to take my mind off my problems.