Maryland Prospector

HOLY CRAP! It's Been 2 Months

2005-12-08T18:07:00.000-05:00

Wow, I never thought that time could fly so fast that 2 months would dissolve in a frenzy of resumes, interviews,insurance company assholes STILL spying on me and STILL NO JOB!!
I have been busting my ass trying to find a new career and nothing is happening. I found out that all a company has to do is put your last name and social security number in the Workers Compensation database and up pops all your information, even medical records which are supposed to be covered by HIPPA laws. Apparently, if a test or procedure related to a specific injury is mentioned on a medical report it is considered "public knowledge". God Damn. Another "BIG BROTHER" induced beureaucratic loophole. This stuff makes me sick.

Well it's been MORE than 2 months now. It's Christmas eve. Boy, I've been so busy with other stuff, that I have really neglected my beloved blog. Well all I can say is...................
MERRY CHRISTMAS!

This is what I want

Wow! I've Been Totally Negligent Here

2005-10-07T09:42:00.000-04:00

I have been so busy trying to find a job that I haven't posted in a while. Well I haven't found anything yet, but I'm still in the hunt and have several prospects. I did find out that I am on the 2 year eligibility lis for the county job that I applied for. Yea! Hopefully someone will drop dead for me soon, so I can start working there. I somehow doubt that will happen though. But you never know.

I have found a new and exciting hobby that might just put the prospecting on hold for a while. Powered Paragling. I used to fly hang gliders and always hated carrying the damn thing back up the hill or breaking it down to transport it to the top and reassembling it. Now there is a new way to fly. Well, not exactly new. But the sport has made technological advances in recent years that have made it easier for the average guy (ME!) to get into it. So with my back injury behind me, ( my doctor released me MMI 2 weeks ago) I only have to wait for a few months for the settlement money to fill my coffers and I'll be on my way to training. Yes.....I can't wait to get back into the. I have attempted to get my private pilots license but after ground school and figuring the expenses, it would cost me on average $400/ month just to stay current. Too Much! The whole outfit for powered paragliding including training works out to less than $10 grand. After that it's just gas and engine tune-ups. For something that flies you around and breaks down and fits in the trunk of your car in 5 minutes, thats awesome. You can just pull over at a good looking field, unload and set up, and take off to fly around for a while, land put it away and that's it! What a way to fly! Huh! Here's a pic. Stay tuned.

Well, What Do You Know, I Just Might Have a Job...

2005-08-25T18:26:00.000-04:00

Well., I have been negligent again in maintaining my blog.....Whip....whip...whine.......
4 Interviews in just over 2 weeks. Even in a good economy, and being healthy, that would be an amazing accomplishment. I got the nix on the fantastic job with the fantastic bennies. However, I did get a job. Without the "bitchs'" help , the lawyers help, the insurance companys' help, or anyone elses help. All bye myself. Self help. I never in my wildest imagination thought that I would ever apply for a job at a "big-box" store, but I did. AND.......they want to hire me......and pay me a LOT more $$$$ AND a LOT better BENEFITS and a LOT CLOSER (5 mins.) than my last job. OH MY!!! I think that I'll take 2! I am playing phone tag as we speak and am getting tired of it. Tomorrow I will make a house call and bypass the secretaries who have "misplaced" my return calls and messages. And the man that has hired me is , OF COURSE, a FELLOW MARINE! SEMPER FI! A good Marine is ALWAYS a good Marine. Period. He KNOWS that I will do the job, NO QUESTIONS ASKED. And do it well. Period. 'Nuff said. Time to move on.

To Be Continued.........................

Well They Finally Flew The Coop!

2005-08-14T23:44:00.000-04:00

This is the last picture of the weeds. My little weeds have taken wing. They're gone with the wind. They made like a banana and split. Their mom called them to flight over the weekend. I'm sure they'll come back to have babies of their own. This was the 2nd year that we have had doves nesting. It was fun to watch them grow up. On to the business of the day. I haven't been out with either the detector or the pan for a while. The heat is just too much. However, we;re going to the ocean this weekend so I'm sure I'll be picking up a few goodies in the sand. At least I hope so. The job search is going well I think. I'm applying for everything I can think of that has to do with working in the construction field without wearing a tool belt. I hope it pans out. LOL! I made a funny. 'till tomorrow then. G'nite.

Survey Says.........

2005-08-09T20:18:00.000-04:00

Well, I haven't kept up my blog. My last post was last week and I feel guilty. Hopefully I can redeem myself. Onward! I met with a "pain management" doctor on Friday. This is the guy who is supposed to take over my care and tell me what to do to get myself back to a decent job. Well after looking at me for about ten minutes and glancing at my records, he proceeds to tell me " where you're at is where you're at". Th...th...that's all folks! He doesn't think any further physical therapy or work hardening is going to be of any help to me. I'm always going to have this amount of pain and oh, I don't want to give you any prescriptions for the pain either. So live with it. " I am sending the report to the insurance company and your doctor and recommending that you be rated sedentary." Geezzzzshhhh. Thanks alot "Will Smith lookalike". That really helps me. See ya later, goodby. And here I am. Dazed and confused and wondering "WHAT THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO DO NOW!???" At least he said it. My doctor doesn't tell me squat, except "get a job". Right, no prob. He says that "light duty is the same for me as it is for him". NOT! Good surgeon, lousy liar. And this Voc girl (remember, she has a Masters Degree) is trying to get me a job with the restrictions that are on my FCE report that give the restrictions AFTER work hardening, the stuff I am NOT getting now. Follow Hombre? Que!? Me too, still dazed and confused.

So to celebrate this misfortune I sent out nmerous resumes to all the right companies. Following the rules as a good little boy should. Just like unemployment, I have to write down all the calls, resumes sent, faxes, emails, etc. 10 of them required a week. Oh, don't forget all those interviews. Hey, don't laugh, I've already had one and it went great! The best benifits package that I've ever seen for a construction company. I will take this job even if I have to crawl to work, which by the way , is only 2 miles from my house! $550 a month gas and car allowance too! I'd be crazy not to take it. And they pay me a handsome salary as well. To be continued.

Here's the latest pic of the twins. I have been calling them the "weeds" because that's how they are growing. The big one sure looks cocky, doesn't he!?

Little Chicky Update and Maybe a New Job Too!

2005-08-03T16:58:00.000-04:00

I had my first interview with the recruiter from "The Big Homebuilder" this morning. I couldn't hardly sleep last night. Boy, was I nervous. She was very accomadating and put me at ease immediately. After explaining the job and benefits (about an hour!) I was on my merry way home. Now she will foreward my resume up another notch and I'll probably have another interview next week. She was definitely impressed by my work history (she should be!) and told me that I was a very good candidate for the positions. Yes, plural. There are 3 open slots and all 3 are within 15 minutes from my house. AWESOME. The benefits package was the most comprehensive that I have ever seen. I'll take two!

On another note, my two chickies are growing by leaps and bounds. Here is another shot of them.

Luck 'O The Irish or.......Get A Job

2005-07-29T11:36:00.000-04:00

Well, I have been visiting as many employment websites as possible in the last few days as I try to start a new career in "who knows what." I found an ad online for a town building inspector. That sounds right up my alley. Not alot of heavy, physical work. Something that I would be able to do an a day to day basis without breaking another part of my body (hopefully....LOL) So, as I was getting ready to fax off my resume and associated paperwork, I get a phone call from....one of the largest construction companies in the U S of A! They got my resume off of one of the websites. Well to make a long story short, I have an interview next Wednesday. The job is also only about 3 miles from my house. This company is considered one of the best employers in the industry. If you go on vacation (2 weeks paid the 1st year!) they have guest houses around the country that you can stay in....free! Awesome. Hope I don't screw it up. I know I'l probably be as nervous as a virgin on prom night. The benefits are better than any I have ever had, or for that matter, ever seen. Hopefully I can do the job physically. I guess I"ll see on Wednesday. I'll keep you posted, my faithful readership!

1st Chicky Hatches!

2005-07-29T11:32:00.000-04:00

I just had a feeling that she was ready to pop! A picture really is worth a thousand words. Oh what a pretty baby.

One For The Birds

2005-07-29T00:11:00.000-04:00

Well the flakes are still coming a few at a time. It's harder than I thought it would be, that's for sure. But what the hell, basically it's free gold. You don't get that very often now, do you?! Nope. "Money ain't for nothin and the chicks for free" Speaking of chicks, while watering the plants on the deck, I spotted a cute little dove. Yup, too late. She made a nest and had already laid 2 little white eggs. It's been about 3 weeks now and she's used to us being out there. She's not moving today so I think the eggs are hatching. It ought to be interesting to watch. There's too much death and destruction going on in the world today, so a few little feathered lives should be neat to observe for a while. Here's a pic of mom. She's got a pretty good camoflage job there huh! We're off to another location that I've been wanting to hit for a while on Saturday. Hill country. I'm taking an educated guess that there's some gold with my name on it up there. Now, how to do a little panning without drawing too much attention? It's a pretty popular spot with the tubing crowd. Hopefully they won't pay too much attention to me. Oh well, I'll take some pics anyhow. L8R all.

EUREKA!.....EUREKA!...is that how you spell it?

2005-07-24T15:07:00.000-04:00

Well, it's Sunday afternoon and I just spent the morning investigating my local stream where I have found some color in a pan or two. The stream with the most promise. The stream that PROMISED me it held the elusive gold colored metal that thousands of men have searched and died for. Well......................I .............................Found...........................FLAKES!!!!!!!Yes my readership and wannabees..............FLAKES......................not the little sand grain looking things that we call COLOR!..........YES my fellow droolers at the sight of anything golden in color. I found it, I found it, I found it. Flakes...1/16 of an inch to 1/8th of an inch. FLAKES!!!!!! I want to scream it from the top of my lungs! FLAKES!!!!...........FLAKES!!!..........FLAKES!!!..............Who you calling a flake. I just found GOLD!!!..........Where it has NEVER been found before. Try doing that. SURE....You can do all the research you want................but until you actually find it.........you're just looking. AND find it where its never been found......Thats SOMETHING!!!!.............I have a good feeling I'll be posting .........NUGGETS!!!!........soon I can only hope...............and dig.................and pan.........and....................and................WOW...to be continued

Check Out This Determined Metal Detectorist

2005-07-23T00:52:00.000-04:00

I heard that somewhere the streets are paved with gold but this is taking it to the extreme, don't you think!

VICTORY!.......or something .......

2005-07-21T12:24:00.000-04:00

Well, the running score so far is.....Me=3.....Bitch & Co.=0

Ok, ....Ok....Maybe I am being too harsh. Maybe not. It's my blog. I feel as though I've been treated like a piece of small brown fecal matter which has oozed between someones toes at at a summer cookout, after being excreted from the south end of a north-bound animal.

Let's start fresh......Like the smell of something farmer Green just sprayed his field with. NO! I'm never going to be able to forget what the insurance company (, not to name names or anything) has done to me. Two different surveilances, lost check(8 months) because they said "you'll never need surgery.", Court room appearance (I Won), Hassle....Hassle....My case worker, who screwed everything up, has since quit and moved on to screw up other peoples lives. On a positive note, I now have a human being as a case worker! Yea!

Anyway, back to the business of prospecting. Yesterday, I wanted to go out to the local stream to do a little hunting around. My better half asked me to take the dog. Geeze....OK .....OK...he can come with. We walked back into the woods and he was being very well behaved (for the most part). He wouldn't go more than 50 to 100 feet from me before I would say, "Too Far", and he'd come scampering back to me while I panned away. Found some Pyrite (and it actually looked convincing!) and was ready to leave.

I hooked the pooch up to the dog restraining mechanism (leash) and took off down the stream with bucket in tow. We were rounding the bend in the stream when out pops 20 screaming kids with their own buckets and nets! Invasion! AHhhhh.....Well my little " bark at anything bigger than an ant" dog took off directly in the opposite direction. Result= 3 deep lacerations on my right hand, 1 on my right calf and 1 on my right cheek (no, not my face). I couldn't stop laughing. Here he is, the meanest dog in the woods, Mr. badass, king of the hill, going full tilt in the other direction. Where's my camera?! In the water, of course. No damage. Man, I looked like I just survived an ambush. Well, I did, kinda. And for what ......FOOLS GOLD!! At least I knew what I had. To be continued......Thanks for tuning in.....

And She Has A Masters Degree

2005-07-16T11:47:00.000-04:00

Well, I went for my vocational rehab testing. I met my counselor at the local library. I got there early and was doing a little web browsing at the Treasurenet site when I thought I saw my counselor come in. No..I thought to myself. But yes! It was her. Last week she was a brunette and today she was a blone. I mean really blonde. Too bad she's not a looker, if you know what I mean. She sat down and explained the testing to me and we started. First test she handed me had the right last name but the wrong first name. I kindly pointed this out to her and she insisted that the name was mine. After a few tense moments she finally realized her mistake. There was a battery of 8 tests that lasted for 5 minutes each. OK. No problem. While I was taking one of the tests I just happened to glance over her way and noticed that she was reading THE WANT ADS! I asked her too and she hurriedly closed the paper and denied it. Yea....right....Let me see.....You work in MD. Your car has Jersey tags and you're perusing the Jersey want ads. You are definitely not looking for jobs for another client. That would be unethical since you are supposed to be helping ME to find an new CAREER. Then you LIE through your teeth while looking me straight in the eye. You are there on MY time looking for a job for yourself. I have a whole lot of confidence in your organization that I am getting the top notch treatment I was promised and deserve. So we finished testing. Good by and good riddance. See you later alligator. Friday I showed up dressed for an interview at the rehab office as I was ordered to do. The original woman, who's name I STILL don't know asked me if I was ready to do my Video taped interview. I said nicely that I didn't wish to be video taped, thank you. Then she literally jumped my ass telling me it had to be done, when the day before she said that if you were uncomfortable, you didn't have to be video taped. "does your voc. counseler know?!! Blah...Blah...Blah..." "Yes Ma'am" I say, "I told her the same thing yesterday." I'm callinher now. Fine bitch. Go ahead. (I didn't say that but wanted to) If she was a man, she would be missing a few teeth. You can't talkk to people like that. And they are supposed to be helping ME! So, I was literally ignored for the next 1 and a half hours as the 5 of us watched their taped interviews. The bitch (as I'll call her from now on) was supposed to to this big critique of the interviews, (the whole purpose of the taping) and spent exactly 1 minute doing so. BIG HELP BITCH. After the class I met with the VC and asked about the tests. She was a little evasive and just said I had a highschool math level and everything else was college level or above. No kidding. I know she was pissed, because here I am a lowly construction worker and I scored higher on my tests and make more money than her and her Masters Degree! Talk about a dumb blonde. Change you hair color back kid, it might help. Oh, what about the taping? I told her that the real reason I didn't want them to tape me was because the tape would go straight to the insurance company. "NO" she said again, lying through her teeth again. "yes" I shot back. It went on like this for a few minutes until she said "fine, I'll give you the tape when we're done" No Problem, tape away! Score....Me=2 Bitch and Co.=0 They won't win this way, I think it has something to do with Book smarts VS. Street smarts. What do you think?...............

Oh What A Tangled Web....

2005-07-14T13:25:00.000-04:00

I had an interesting meeting with my new "Vocational Counselor" this morning at the local public library. I had met with her last week at my lawyers office. Funny thing, it seems to me that at that meeting she was a brunette. This morning she was a blond. I didn't even recognize her. So, she proceeded to test me in all the skills that I would need to compete in todays job market. Math, 63+29=____. No LIE! readin', ritin', and rithmatic. Uh...Huh... Hello lady my IQ is over 140. I at least graduated highschool. I servered in the Marine Corps for 6 years and recieved an HONORABLE discharge. Good Conduct medal and 4 other ribbons. I have my own home improvement company. Yes, I have my own company. Just because I have a back injury doesn't make me illiterate. IRATE yes...illiterate no. And if I don't wear a suit and tie to my job interviews, the insurance company will certainly cut off my check. She looks like she may be about 25 or 26 years old. So she's been in the working world maybe....Hmmmmm.....3 or 4 years maybe! I've been in it over 30! Yup, since I was 15 working at the Crown gas station down the street. That's when you didn't have to get your hands dirty pumping your own gas. Oh, You're too young to remember those days....sooo sorry. I still think McDonalds might already have my resume. The way this "VC" talks it's a great CAREER. Oh, God......I'm doomed......

Lame, Lame, Lame Again

2005-07-11T22:47:00.000-04:00

I can't wait to start working at McDonalds. The first meeting of the vocational rehab thingy was at 10:00 am today. The woman hosting the little "how to get a job" seminar (which will last for 5 sessions) was very pleasent as she dropped a stack of 50 (no lie) papers in front of the 4 of us. 2 men and 2 women. 1 spinal fusion (me) 2 knee replacements and 1 I Don't Know. She then proceeded to inform us that she was here to help us return to work. And she's only been at this company for 17 years. Go figure. All the papers in front of us were copied directly from the web sites I have visited in my own job search. The detailed such things as resume building, interviewing, cold calling etc. Geezh....when was the last time she had to put out a resume or go on an interview. She wasn't even aware of any of the newer web sites devoted to job hunters. Hell, it's like she has tenure or something. So it looks like I'm destined for some exotic retail job. Maybe I'll get lucky and get a job at Bed, Bath and Beyond. At least I get to look at cute women all day. And ugly women. And lesbians. Etc. Etc. Etc. NOT! I have been playing this game for 17 months now and pretty much have all the plays mapped out now. Mouth shut. Smile. Eye contact. In 1 ear out the other. One other thing I was told. They weren't required to do this by state law. Oh yeah. Like they're doing me a favor. This isn't a job I lost like some 18 year old at the beach as a life guard for the summer seasom. This was a CAREER. 20 years of CAREER. Now at 45, I get to find an "entry level" job. Not CAREER. Oh goody. I am so thrilled. And when they find this mystery position for me, I had better like it and take it or they will "cut-off" my comp check once again. Please, don't do me any favors lady , who never gave her name , by the way. So, once again I shall play the game. And I shall play well. When talking about things to do at a job interview, I casually said to her that I would "accidently drop my Mensa card so the interviewer would take notice". She thought for a moment and said "YOU have a Mensa card!" Like I had a disease. Excuse me. I may have worked as a carpenter but I surely don't think that makes me an illiterate. Thank You. Thank You Very Much. Me=1. ;) You=0 :(

Hello From The Poconos

2005-07-10T08:58:00.000-04:00

Yup, we're in the Poconos for the weekend. Saturdays weather was a little iffy. Some rain, some sun. Went to the pool and got rained on. Left and the sun came out. Went back to the pool. Got rained on again. Said the hell with this and hit the local watering hole and polished off a few. I got a chance to do a little sampling this morning (at 5:30 am) in Upper Tunkhannock Creek. Man was it beautiful back in there. I found a perfect little spot. Inside bend of the creek. Bedrock showing. Quartz showing on the banks. I started digging with my trusty little shovel behind a huge piece of the bedrock figuring that's the place I'd settle into if I was a piece of gold. I got down to about 1 and a half feet and hit the bottom. I scooped up all that nice looking gravel and black sand and panned out 3 loads. Nada. Nothing. Zero. Not a spec of gold. Oh well, it just goes to show you that even the most promising looking places don't necessarily hold the holy metal. And gold has been found in this creek before. In the long ago time of the glaciers, gold was deposited in the creeks and valleys. The glaciers retreated and now you just got to look for it. Remember, Gold is where you find it. Well, time to try the pool again. At least today it's 85 and sunny.

Another Day Another......

2005-07-07T22:16:00.000-04:00

Well, I don't have anything interesting to report on today. Just kicking back, relaxing and taking the world as it comes at me. Nana40 told me I should put my picture that I have here on the Treasurenet website. I had thought about doing that but.....Nah. In case you're reading this and are saying "what the heck is treasurenet?", well I'll tell you! It's a very informative website that I happened to stumble on quite by accident. I can't remember exactly what I was looking for but it doesn't matter. Those folks over on "TN" are a fantastic group of individuals. They would give you the shirt right off their backs if need be. A bunch of patriotic, generous, caring, giving group of people. These are REAL people. Not those phony, self righteous, biggoted idiots that you sometimes run into on websites now and then. Treasurenet is just that. A website devoted to all things related to treasure and how to obtain it. So here you go...www.treasurenet.com

The hunt

2005-07-06T16:41:00.000-04:00

Well, so much for the pics. I'll try later. I got tied up and was unable to go up to the local high school today. I was hoping to use my MXT metal detector to clean up after the fireworks crowd on Monday. I went to another spot but didn't turn up anything worth mentioning. I'll fill in any gaps in the yap later....stay tuned.

No Picture

2005-07-06T00:19:00.000-04:00

Well, seems that my picture was censored. It was pretty gory. So here are a few pics of one of my areas of concentration. The first pic is of the nice little stream that meanders through the woods not 4 miles from my house. Just look at all that bedrock showing. Hardly any overburden to dig and haul away. Makes it that much nicer when I sit back, pop a cold one and start feeding the sluice. The second is of what I have been calling an "indicator" rock. Just look at that vein of quartz running through that bedrock. Makes me drool just looking at it. I haven't been back to this spot since I took the picture but I did find some color in my pan. It definitely has possibilities, don't you think?!

YAP Continued

2005-07-05T20:44:00.000-04:00

So I walk out the front door 1 day and spot this green van parked up the street. Well it's the same one that I've been seen drive past the house at 5 miles an hour 3 days in a row. And there aren't any houses for sale, if you know what i mean. So I get in the truck and head up the street like I'm going to PT and when I get past him and around the corner. I hang a U-turn and do my best Starsky and Hutch and slam on the brakes just as he's trying to make his get away. I looked him in the eye,( he looked like a scared turd that he is), then I gave him the 1 finger salute and told him in no uncertain terms that I caught his sneaky slimy ass spying and he was lousy at his job and a few other choice words and expletives. All the jerk did was give me a real salute acknowledging the fact that I caught him like a rat in a trap. Go tell your your superiors you failed in your mission to be a sneak. I haven't seen him since. Chalk one up for the United States Marine Corp for all that sweat and blood and positive training that they gave me in my formative years. Yeah...I was a Marine. The sneak is lucky that I had just had surgery or I wouldn't have been so nice to him. This is usually what happens to insurgents who think they they can scew with a MARINE.......

The First Yap

2005-07-05T20:04:00.000-04:00

Here we are. The first yap on a new blog. GOLD! The word just sort of rolls of the tongue. Visions of Incas and Spaniards or Ancient Egypt or........a small creek that flows under that little bridge that you drive over every day on your way to work. GOLD you say?! Yes gold. Alot of people, let me rephrase that, Everybody, thinks that prospectors went the way of cowboys and indians or the stage coach or the little old man with the pointy grey beard and mule piled high with equipment and a years supply of jerky headed into some remote mountain pass. Well I have to tell you, prospectors are alive and well in this century and doing fairly well. I just happened to come onto all of this information quite recently as a matter of fact. You see, I got hurt on the job (I'm a carpenter by trade, sort of....and a bartender and a plumber, well you get the picture) and had to undergo the ordeal of "Workers Comp". I wouldn't wish this experience on my worst enemy or even a radical terrorist for that matter. You work your whole life, contribute to society (Sort of I hope) and an accident on the job turns you into some sort of criminal. YES criminal. Guilty until proven innocent. Spies on the corner watching your every move. To be continued..........