Things You Find in the Recycling

Well, not to give up too much information about myself and destroy the mystique that I've built up around my blog, but I run a recycling facility and from time to time we get interesting, bizarre, and occasionally disgusting things coming in here.  From time to time I'll lay them out here for you dear readers. (Both of you.)  I have found that seeing what a community discards reveals very interesting things about them.  Some people are oddly neat about their refuse.  Some people are generally wasteful and discard useful/valueable items. *Note: This  is one of my pet peeves since I abhor waste and wastefulness.  I try not to judge people too harshly on this one trait as it is sometimes done without thought or through ignorance or some deep programing that they can't control.  Many people obviously do not think about their waste, what happens to it, or where it goes, once it leaves their hand.  This is what I call the magic "away" where trash goes.  These people disregard the Trash/Recycle waste stream in both directions. They don't care to recycle and often throw good, reuseable, or recycleable, items in the trash, but this can also manifest itself in people throwing funny, disgusting, or trashy things in the recycling.


I will present, here, for you these items from time to time. ( mostly avoiding the disgusting.)  What do we have this week?  Well let's meet Rita and William.

A inconspicuous cardboard box starts to head up the conveyor belt.  One of the warehouse staff grab it, empty the contents, which are obviously UN-recycleable, and pitch the box into the hopper.  Then it's twin pops onto the conveyor and the other material handler grabs it.  S____ is a bit more inquisitive so she takes a moment to look a the box and notices a name.  Then she looks at the grey, ashy, contents of the plastic bag she holds in her hand and it dawns on her (as it may have dawned on you), "THESE ARE HUMAN REMAINS!!!"  That's right, someone recycled,  a cremated dear aunt Rita and Uncle William.  Wow.

Now I like to think that this may have been done under innocent cercumstances.  No-one would willingly look at the box containing the remains of another human being and think. Ah the hell with it toss it in the recycling and let those a-holes deal with it. That way I don't have to pay to take it to the dump." Right?...Right? I mean someone was probably cleaning out the house of a dearly departed reletive while in a fog of grief and just saw a cardboard box.  Being an earthy type person the did the 'green' thing and recycled it.  Simple mistake.  Right?  anyway tha's my story and I'm sticking to it.  Otherwise if I start to think about scenario A, I start to get too depressed.
Over and out.

More Brown than Black IPA collaboration debuts Monday | Beernews.org

More Brown than Black IPA collaboration debuts Monday | Beernews.org

Well this is my first "Breaking News" type post but it seems that Stone Brewing is partnering with our local brewers at the Alchemist to lend some aid to Waterbury. Not only is it nice to see the phenominal brewers at the Alchemist getting national recognition and playing with the big boys in the craft brew world but that they it will benefit the Waterbury community which is still reeling after this year devastating floods.

Music Friday- Get Down on the Good Foot

When I first heard Ray Lamontagne, I liked what I heard but instantly had a bias against him due to his association with Jack Johnson.  Since that's how I was introduced to him as part of the greater pantheon of Jack Johnson's surfer/dude/musician crowd.  I chalked him up to coat tail rider with a good voice and promptly dismissed him.  Then after a few years I heard something off of his Gossip in the Grain album without knowing it was him and was blown away.  It was a mix of Motown and the Band and it forced me to take another listen.  The Guy's got a voice like butter, and with a passion that's tangible.  A+ indeed.  Now I won't deny that I'm a fan. Damn no I'm gonna listen to it again.

ONE OF THE GREATEST POSTS ON YOUTUBE SO FAR!

Charlie Chaplin for President 2012!! ... Wait... what's that you say, Charlie Chaplin died on Christmas Day 1977?  Well I'll be thinking of his words this Christmas season as it seems the world needs to heed this sentiment from "The Great Dictator" now more than ever.

It's Friday

Fresh Eyes

It's funny how the same routes that you've been over more than a few times take on new life when you share them with someone.  Especially someone who is up for a "great adventure."  At least that's what R__ kept saying, "Dad we're on a great adventure aren't we?"  That type of attitude turns the 12 mile loop that was old hat into a new adventure for me.

For this adventure R__ didn't feel like riding himself and opted for the tag-a-long.  That suits me fine.  Let's take it one further I say.  Singlespeed? Why not.  We started out on the bike path that runs by the homeless camp and along the beltline for a scenic start. Then through Ethan Allen Homestead and over the bridge (R___'s favorite part) to the wooded park.  Two times around that to the Pinnicle overlook for some nice views and a bit of a break. Then zip down to the playground for some good old fashion swinging then to the store for some mid-ride sustenance, read doughnuts.  Then along some social trails to the other trails behind the High School for our daily dose of dirt on skinny tires.

And how 'bout this weather. This is probably the last ride with the boy until next spring or I'll have to do a better job dressing him.  Preparation is key.  Fun and warm are the two necessities for these types of adventures, and I'll keep at it as long as I can guarantee both.

P.S. This is how I concluded the ride .I'm definitely going to start caching some adult sodas around the route next spring.

Phlat  I love it.

Video Friday

This video is full of radness.  Long live skinny tires and dirt.

This video I have no comment on.

I love the comics of James Kochalka. If you asked my wife she'd say I have a man crush on him and she wouldn't be entirely wrong.  He lives in the same town as me and is in a band which I also like and I like to point him out to people when I see him on the street. But moving on, the reason his work resonates with me is his honest portrait of parenthood, balancing retaining your youthfulness/sense of self with growing up, and the sometimes inappropriate/childish things that go through your head that you have to sensor for modern adult life.  Anyway, I like it. enough said.

American Elf, a comic by James Kochalka