I helped my room-mate a little on Sunday at his job. Not a big deal, perhaps, but he works at a funeral home. There was a "customer" that needed his attention and he needed a little help with the removal and repositioning of some absorbent padding. I asked if I needed to "glove up" and he said yes - I figured I'd be right in the mix of things. Instead, he did the work and I held the plastic bag for the used padding. A bit of a letdown, actually. Still, I did my part and helped a bit. I didn't save the gloves as a souvenir.
While out driving over the weekend, I saw a woman on a motorcycle with a pink leather jacket and a giant stuffed Hello Kitty strapped to the seat behind her. It was freaky.
I was out on campus today and while walking from one area to another I came across two marching band practices on different fields. I despise walking past a marching because - despite never having been in one - I always feel the almost compulsive urge to match my steps to the beat of the drums. I end up looking like a) a complete mindless tool or b) a complete spazz stumbling at every step to try and not match the rhythm.
The TV was on today at the pool - a giant screen normally used during swimming matches but this time set up to show the Olympics. I was busy with the whole swimming/not drowning thing and didn't see much. It wasn't swimming, which is good since I would have felt really outclassed. And I was already feeling that from the girl in the next lane that swam like a freaking dolphin. And that was before she put on the flippers and started hydro-planing.
I've started transcribing my written beach story into a text file. It'll take me a long time, I think, and longer still to do the editing. In a way, it doesn't really matter. I wrote the story because it was one I wanted to tell. If I get it done and others enjoy it - so much the better. But it's mostly for me.
later...
Monday, August 18, 2008
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
map, dream
I was just about to go to bed last night when my room-mate approached me with something akin to panic. A couple of weeks ago, I had helped him with a show field map for a car show he's involved with. In the past, we've done this using powerpoint and it was relatively easy for him to modify this once I set it up. This time around, we didn't have access to Powerpoint and I used a scanned image of an old event program and modified it using Fireworks. It's a pretty good program, but there's a learning curve.
Well, he got some additional updates last night that he should have gotten days ago. The clock was ticking and he needed to send the changed map via email last night. He asked if I could show him how to make the changes, but I shook my head and told him it would take far longer that way.
So, I sat down at the computer and he refered to his notes and we made the updates. Despite the troubles we had with the file (even getting the dang thing to save properly was a chore) we got things updated and I finally went to bed. I don't know if he got the email out or not - I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. Which surprised me a bit - I was putting forth quite a lot of brain-power on the file updates - figured I would have trouble settling down.
But that only lasted a while. I had a terrible nightmare that woke me up and scared the crap out of me.
I dreamed that I was being hunted through a dark neighborhood by a blood-thirsty serial killer. Seemed like I was running forever, but he finally cornered me and pulled out a wicked looking knife. Somehow, I managed to get the knife away from him and I used it against him. As his lifeless body fell to the ground, a bunch of my friends ran up to me and told me that his family was coming home and that I needed to get out of there. In the dream, I was shocked that such a lunatic would have a family, that he would have spent all that time hunting me when his family was due to arrive home - and that I had just killed somebody's dad and husband and left his body on their front yard. I started running again when I saw the headlights of a mini-van start down the street toward the house - the bloody knife still in my hand.
I woke up then, in a panic that I was now a fugitive and they would think that I was the killer. I finally got myself calmed down and went back to sleep.
Still a little out of it this morning, but I'm here at work and it's time to get back to it.
later...
Well, he got some additional updates last night that he should have gotten days ago. The clock was ticking and he needed to send the changed map via email last night. He asked if I could show him how to make the changes, but I shook my head and told him it would take far longer that way.
So, I sat down at the computer and he refered to his notes and we made the updates. Despite the troubles we had with the file (even getting the dang thing to save properly was a chore) we got things updated and I finally went to bed. I don't know if he got the email out or not - I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. Which surprised me a bit - I was putting forth quite a lot of brain-power on the file updates - figured I would have trouble settling down.
But that only lasted a while. I had a terrible nightmare that woke me up and scared the crap out of me.
I dreamed that I was being hunted through a dark neighborhood by a blood-thirsty serial killer. Seemed like I was running forever, but he finally cornered me and pulled out a wicked looking knife. Somehow, I managed to get the knife away from him and I used it against him. As his lifeless body fell to the ground, a bunch of my friends ran up to me and told me that his family was coming home and that I needed to get out of there. In the dream, I was shocked that such a lunatic would have a family, that he would have spent all that time hunting me when his family was due to arrive home - and that I had just killed somebody's dad and husband and left his body on their front yard. I started running again when I saw the headlights of a mini-van start down the street toward the house - the bloody knife still in my hand.
I woke up then, in a panic that I was now a fugitive and they would think that I was the killer. I finally got myself calmed down and went back to sleep.
Still a little out of it this morning, but I'm here at work and it's time to get back to it.
later...
Monday, August 11, 2008
projects, motorcycle, game
Although I played a lot of video games this weekend, I still managed to find some time to do a couple of projects.
The first involved building stands for the tiki torches in the backyard. Apparently, they were knocked down while we were gone and the tiki fuel spilled out and killed the grass. As designated "builder of shit", my room-mate tasked me with coming up with a solution. I opted for building a small crossbar wooden base with a vertical piece to wire the tiki torch to it - then putting the whole thing in a plastic flower pot and filling it with gravel. I did this for three of them, but didn't have quite enough gravel. A "small bag" is only a few bucks - but the small is still 50 pounds. I'm guessing I'll need 10 pounds at the most - not sure what I'll do with the rest.
The second project involved afixing boards to inside walls of the garage so that we can hang things there. My room-mate had tried this at some point, but the stud-finder he was using was either not working right or he wasn't using it right. I had a more high-tech tool and with a little patience I found the studs and affixed two large boards - then added in the hooks and hung up some stuff. It was a little tricky to do by myself, but I managed.
I also wanted to put some peg boards on the back wall - but the stud-finder sensor concluded that the entire wall was a screaming grid of lethal voltage. So, I didn't drill anything into that wall. I think I know how to get the sensor to be more reliable, but I didn't really want to mess with it.
While I was working on the garage, enjoying the cool afternoon with the door open, a virtual parade of motorcycles cruised up and down the road. One after another, over and over, all afternoon. It's normally a pretty quiet neighborhood and the sound of the engines was really annoying. I considered putting up a sign out front to try and get them to stop and explain what was going on - or hopefully stop doing it. I mean, if it was some really misguided fundraiser for a sick child, I might understand - but it seemed more like a "look at me, I'm cool" kinda thing. I didn't put up the sign, thinking that if I did anger them, I might be able to hold off a couple of bikers with a sword and some attititude but they clearly had me out-numbered. I've been looking online to see if I can figure out what they were doing, but no luck so far. There's apparently some kind of Angels of Hope ride, but that seems to be for next week and it's further south. I also seem to recall something like this last year around this time. If I can figure it out, I'll see if I can suggest an alternate route. Or invest in some spike strips.
The game that occupied much of my attention was Okami and just when I thought I'd beaten it, the whole thing opened up and the adventure got even bigger. It's really cool and I'm having fun exloring the whole world in the game and kicking some serious butt.
That's it for now - back to work.
The first involved building stands for the tiki torches in the backyard. Apparently, they were knocked down while we were gone and the tiki fuel spilled out and killed the grass. As designated "builder of shit", my room-mate tasked me with coming up with a solution. I opted for building a small crossbar wooden base with a vertical piece to wire the tiki torch to it - then putting the whole thing in a plastic flower pot and filling it with gravel. I did this for three of them, but didn't have quite enough gravel. A "small bag" is only a few bucks - but the small is still 50 pounds. I'm guessing I'll need 10 pounds at the most - not sure what I'll do with the rest.
The second project involved afixing boards to inside walls of the garage so that we can hang things there. My room-mate had tried this at some point, but the stud-finder he was using was either not working right or he wasn't using it right. I had a more high-tech tool and with a little patience I found the studs and affixed two large boards - then added in the hooks and hung up some stuff. It was a little tricky to do by myself, but I managed.
I also wanted to put some peg boards on the back wall - but the stud-finder sensor concluded that the entire wall was a screaming grid of lethal voltage. So, I didn't drill anything into that wall. I think I know how to get the sensor to be more reliable, but I didn't really want to mess with it.
While I was working on the garage, enjoying the cool afternoon with the door open, a virtual parade of motorcycles cruised up and down the road. One after another, over and over, all afternoon. It's normally a pretty quiet neighborhood and the sound of the engines was really annoying. I considered putting up a sign out front to try and get them to stop and explain what was going on - or hopefully stop doing it. I mean, if it was some really misguided fundraiser for a sick child, I might understand - but it seemed more like a "look at me, I'm cool" kinda thing. I didn't put up the sign, thinking that if I did anger them, I might be able to hold off a couple of bikers with a sword and some attititude but they clearly had me out-numbered. I've been looking online to see if I can figure out what they were doing, but no luck so far. There's apparently some kind of Angels of Hope ride, but that seems to be for next week and it's further south. I also seem to recall something like this last year around this time. If I can figure it out, I'll see if I can suggest an alternate route. Or invest in some spike strips.
The game that occupied much of my attention was Okami and just when I thought I'd beaten it, the whole thing opened up and the adventure got even bigger. It's really cool and I'm having fun exloring the whole world in the game and kicking some serious butt.
That's it for now - back to work.
Saturday, August 09, 2008
ocean swimming
While on vacation, I decided that I would ocean swim every day. In the campus pool I can do a mile in about 40 minutes or so. I figured that if I did at least 45 minutes in the ocean, that would be the equivalent of a mile.
Ocean swimming is a lot different than the pool – for one, it’s much more salty. Add in the waves, variable depth, other swimmers, potential for fish and sharks and it’s a pretty intense experience.
I usually started from the beach in front of the condo, then swam down toward the pier – but not all the way to the pier since the fishermen throw the un-needed fish parts over the side and it attracts sharks.
Though I swam the same stretch of water every day, it was always a unique experience. The currents and the tides were always changing and some days were more difficult than others. I got smacked in the face by the tides many times – but eventually found a rhythm that kept me in the clear.
I mostly swam breaststroke, but occasionally ramped it up a notch and switched to butterfly. I’m not very good at that one, but the tossing motion of the waves actually helped. It didn’t do that too long since it tired me out, but it was pretty cool for a while.
So, I figure I did about 12 miles while I was on vacation, not counting the swimming I did in the pool or the “epic fail” of the boogie board.
Not Olympic level, but not too shabby.
Ocean swimming is a lot different than the pool – for one, it’s much more salty. Add in the waves, variable depth, other swimmers, potential for fish and sharks and it’s a pretty intense experience.
I usually started from the beach in front of the condo, then swam down toward the pier – but not all the way to the pier since the fishermen throw the un-needed fish parts over the side and it attracts sharks.
Though I swam the same stretch of water every day, it was always a unique experience. The currents and the tides were always changing and some days were more difficult than others. I got smacked in the face by the tides many times – but eventually found a rhythm that kept me in the clear.
I mostly swam breaststroke, but occasionally ramped it up a notch and switched to butterfly. I’m not very good at that one, but the tossing motion of the waves actually helped. It didn’t do that too long since it tired me out, but it was pretty cool for a while.
So, I figure I did about 12 miles while I was on vacation, not counting the swimming I did in the pool or the “epic fail” of the boogie board.
Not Olympic level, but not too shabby.
beach trip
I got back Thursday from a 2 week trip to Myrtle beach (Surfside) with my room-mate and his extended family. Here are some highlights from the trip:
1. Day one on the beach and two women approached us with free samples of Pringles SnackStix. We accepted a few packages and they went on their way. A few minutes later, another duo approached with more samples. Then a third group, and finally a fourth. When the 5th group came around, we politely declined. Apparently, they were poorly coordinated and didn’t realize that they were hitting the same part of the beach over and over. Or they didn’t care. In any case, we got a pile of snacks.
2. We met up with some of my room-mates somewhat distant cousins at another condo for a cookout and game night. The odds were somewhat stacked against my team as we were playing Scene It and there were limited TV/Movie/Music fans on our side. Fortunately, I do pretty well with the visual puzzles and we held our own. On the last set of questions, my room-mates 8 year old cousin came up with the answer of Jimmy Newtron before anyone else and I followed up with another cartoon based answer – Princess Monokoe. The rest of the group was stunned when they answer came up on the screen. Thank you, somewhat obscure anime.
3. On a separate occasion, we played Scatagories and for the question of “Things you Replace” I suggested Needles. Which seemed quite responsible and clever. For “Things You Shout”, I used - for different rounds – Kneel before Zod! and Spoon! That being the command of Superman’s enemy in Superman 2 and the battle cry of the Tick, respectively. I was denied both times.
4. In the past, I’ve gotten pretty well burned on these trips. This time, thanks to liberal applications of SPF 30 and 45, my pale geek flesh was only moderately tanned.
5. I bought and tried a boogie board. The only way to describe my experience on that is “Epic Fail”
6. I watched a lot of “shark week” on tv in the evenings and a special on the History Channel on corn.
7. While out to dinner one evening, I split an order of calamari, black olives, and cheese. It was disturbing to look at, but quite good.
8. On the last night we were there, there was a massive lightning storm out to sea. It seemed like the lightning kept hitting the same general area with huge strikes and in many cases, the lighting would branch out in cloud to cloud strikes. Really amazing.
9. While we were down in the area, we also went to see Brookgreen Gardens. It has a bunch of really impressive outdoor sculptures and a sprawling garden – really neat to see. They also had a sort of outdoor zoo – my favorite animals were the huge spiders near the horse barn, the three otters in their own creek, and a giant alligator that moved just enough to show us he was the boss.
10. I didn’t do as much reading as I thought I would, but I did a lot of writing on the beach. I worked mainly on a short story – but I’ll need to type it up so that other people can read it.
I also did a lot of swimming – but I’ll go over that in another post. It was a good trip, but it’s also good to be home.
1. Day one on the beach and two women approached us with free samples of Pringles SnackStix. We accepted a few packages and they went on their way. A few minutes later, another duo approached with more samples. Then a third group, and finally a fourth. When the 5th group came around, we politely declined. Apparently, they were poorly coordinated and didn’t realize that they were hitting the same part of the beach over and over. Or they didn’t care. In any case, we got a pile of snacks.
2. We met up with some of my room-mates somewhat distant cousins at another condo for a cookout and game night. The odds were somewhat stacked against my team as we were playing Scene It and there were limited TV/Movie/Music fans on our side. Fortunately, I do pretty well with the visual puzzles and we held our own. On the last set of questions, my room-mates 8 year old cousin came up with the answer of Jimmy Newtron before anyone else and I followed up with another cartoon based answer – Princess Monokoe. The rest of the group was stunned when they answer came up on the screen. Thank you, somewhat obscure anime.
3. On a separate occasion, we played Scatagories and for the question of “Things you Replace” I suggested Needles. Which seemed quite responsible and clever. For “Things You Shout”, I used - for different rounds – Kneel before Zod! and Spoon! That being the command of Superman’s enemy in Superman 2 and the battle cry of the Tick, respectively. I was denied both times.
4. In the past, I’ve gotten pretty well burned on these trips. This time, thanks to liberal applications of SPF 30 and 45, my pale geek flesh was only moderately tanned.
5. I bought and tried a boogie board. The only way to describe my experience on that is “Epic Fail”
6. I watched a lot of “shark week” on tv in the evenings and a special on the History Channel on corn.
7. While out to dinner one evening, I split an order of calamari, black olives, and cheese. It was disturbing to look at, but quite good.
8. On the last night we were there, there was a massive lightning storm out to sea. It seemed like the lightning kept hitting the same general area with huge strikes and in many cases, the lighting would branch out in cloud to cloud strikes. Really amazing.
9. While we were down in the area, we also went to see Brookgreen Gardens. It has a bunch of really impressive outdoor sculptures and a sprawling garden – really neat to see. They also had a sort of outdoor zoo – my favorite animals were the huge spiders near the horse barn, the three otters in their own creek, and a giant alligator that moved just enough to show us he was the boss.
10. I didn’t do as much reading as I thought I would, but I did a lot of writing on the beach. I worked mainly on a short story – but I’ll need to type it up so that other people can read it.
I also did a lot of swimming – but I’ll go over that in another post. It was a good trip, but it’s also good to be home.
Monday, July 21, 2008
all-star, head, paint, paint again, swim
On Saturday, I went to my FRM's son's baseball game - and it was the All-Stars. So, we saw some pretty good - and still pretty funny - baseball. The game started very early, but it was still pretty hot out. We also had some wankers going the whole passive-aggressive route when we sat on the bleachers and apparently blocked their view of home plate (they were sitting off to the side). I heard everything they were saying, but wasn't going to move until they grew up and asked politely. They finally did, and I moved a bit. My FRM's mom was overheating and I brought an umbrella for her - but apparently that was in the way as well so we had to put it down. She finally had to move since it was too hot for her.
We went to lunch after the game and I did some running around with some errands. Had a pretty productive day for a weekend and of course, I had to pay for that. That evening, while watching a movie, I got another migraine. Haven't had one for a while and apparently I was overdue. I took some asprin and went to bed early. I still had the remnants on Sunday, but I was perked up enough to finish up a little project - using glass paint on a light bulb.
I'd purchased one of these at Target, but the wattage was too low for what we needed, so I painted my own bulb and finally finished it on Sunday. Looks pretty cool - even better than the store bought one. I also tried a variation on the painting technique based on accident - trying to go for something that looked like jupiter or something. Didn't work as I intended, but I may try again. I was also feeling well enough to watch most of the Shining - still a dang good movie.
Also played a bit mroe Okami - and using the celestial paintbrush in the game to reshape the world. Pretty sweet game.
Then this morning the headache - or a new one of the same flavor came back. I got it stopped with some potent asprine before it went full-blown - but it lingered all day. I swam at lunch time and that helped a bit - but then the sunshine was bright enough to make it worse. It got a little beter as the day went on. I still have it a bit and I'm still here at work - waiting on the relaunch of our website. Better go check and see how things are going - and if the pizza is here yet.
One last thing... while I was at the pool there was some kind of kids swim camp going on. I came out of the locker room in my square-cut speedos and one of the kids said - quite loudly - "that's disgusting!" I ignored him - as I do most childern unless they are directly talking to me - but was thinking to myself a line that Yoda said: "When 900 years old you become, look as good you will not."
And Yoda was a wise little dude. And besides, I do look pretty good in my suit - I've worked for it. And it's way more modest than some of the other suits I've seen guys wear there. If the kids had gone through there half an hour later, they might have been scarred for life at the old guy with the pot belly and a micro-speedo. Hell, I was shaken by the sight and I've watched a lot of horror movies.
That's it for now... later...
We went to lunch after the game and I did some running around with some errands. Had a pretty productive day for a weekend and of course, I had to pay for that. That evening, while watching a movie, I got another migraine. Haven't had one for a while and apparently I was overdue. I took some asprin and went to bed early. I still had the remnants on Sunday, but I was perked up enough to finish up a little project - using glass paint on a light bulb.
I'd purchased one of these at Target, but the wattage was too low for what we needed, so I painted my own bulb and finally finished it on Sunday. Looks pretty cool - even better than the store bought one. I also tried a variation on the painting technique based on accident - trying to go for something that looked like jupiter or something. Didn't work as I intended, but I may try again. I was also feeling well enough to watch most of the Shining - still a dang good movie.
Also played a bit mroe Okami - and using the celestial paintbrush in the game to reshape the world. Pretty sweet game.
Then this morning the headache - or a new one of the same flavor came back. I got it stopped with some potent asprine before it went full-blown - but it lingered all day. I swam at lunch time and that helped a bit - but then the sunshine was bright enough to make it worse. It got a little beter as the day went on. I still have it a bit and I'm still here at work - waiting on the relaunch of our website. Better go check and see how things are going - and if the pizza is here yet.
One last thing... while I was at the pool there was some kind of kids swim camp going on. I came out of the locker room in my square-cut speedos and one of the kids said - quite loudly - "that's disgusting!" I ignored him - as I do most childern unless they are directly talking to me - but was thinking to myself a line that Yoda said: "When 900 years old you become, look as good you will not."
And Yoda was a wise little dude. And besides, I do look pretty good in my suit - I've worked for it. And it's way more modest than some of the other suits I've seen guys wear there. If the kids had gone through there half an hour later, they might have been scarred for life at the old guy with the pot belly and a micro-speedo. Hell, I was shaken by the sight and I've watched a lot of horror movies.
That's it for now... later...
Friday, July 18, 2008
fortune cookies
I made a page that lists the fortunes I've gotten from cookies - and my comments about them.
Fortune Cookies
later...
Fortune Cookies
later...
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
lego, chipotle, abs, motivation, traffic, importance
I'm working on a project at home that required some very specific shapes - and I had one from an old Lego set that fit the bill. Needing more, I checked out the Lego site and found I was able to order specific legos - in any quantity I wanted. It was way cool.
Finally convinced my room-mate to go to Chipotle recently. He thought the burrito was okay, but thought they put too much rice in it. I, of course, ate my burrito in it's entirety and enjoyed every morsel.
I bought an "abs ball" a while ago - essentially a weighted ball used to enhance abs strengthening exercises. It's been mocking me for a while in the living room and I haven't had the motivation to try it out yet. On Monday, I fired up the included DVD and tried it out.
I didn't really get a good workout from the ball - but I think that was because I was taking notes from the DVD as I never wanted to watch it again. The fitness dude on the dvd was a complete tool and seriously annoying to listen to. I did the exercises and took notes - I'll run though the exercises again tonight without the DVD. I saved it, though, as the DVD also has an advanced program on it too. I suspect it's the same guy. Update: I just looked at the website for this product and found they won an award for the DVD! Proof positive that people will give other people awards for everything.
Motivation - I lack it. Really tough to get and stay motivated here at work. We've got some big projects, but I'm finding it difficult to stay on track. I'm getting stuff done, but not as much as I should be.
The drive to work this morning saw me going the speed limit and slightly above. And the traffic was flying past me like I was standing still. Normally, I'm a little casual with speed limits but with the cost of gas I'm a little more careful about my speed. Plus, we were all going to work - why would someone be in a hurry to do that?
I got a few "high importance" emails today from people that were wondering what to do with the sudden increase in a particular type of spam. I've never really understood a high important flag on an email - am I suddenly going to drop everything else in favor of that one email? Not likely - especially when I get several at once. The spam had a heading about "urgent fund transfer" and one of the users actually asked if it was legitimate. Sigh.
I guess that's it for now - starting to get busy this morning. Later...
Finally convinced my room-mate to go to Chipotle recently. He thought the burrito was okay, but thought they put too much rice in it. I, of course, ate my burrito in it's entirety and enjoyed every morsel.
I bought an "abs ball" a while ago - essentially a weighted ball used to enhance abs strengthening exercises. It's been mocking me for a while in the living room and I haven't had the motivation to try it out yet. On Monday, I fired up the included DVD and tried it out.
I didn't really get a good workout from the ball - but I think that was because I was taking notes from the DVD as I never wanted to watch it again. The fitness dude on the dvd was a complete tool and seriously annoying to listen to. I did the exercises and took notes - I'll run though the exercises again tonight without the DVD. I saved it, though, as the DVD also has an advanced program on it too. I suspect it's the same guy. Update: I just looked at the website for this product and found they won an award for the DVD! Proof positive that people will give other people awards for everything.
Motivation - I lack it. Really tough to get and stay motivated here at work. We've got some big projects, but I'm finding it difficult to stay on track. I'm getting stuff done, but not as much as I should be.
The drive to work this morning saw me going the speed limit and slightly above. And the traffic was flying past me like I was standing still. Normally, I'm a little casual with speed limits but with the cost of gas I'm a little more careful about my speed. Plus, we were all going to work - why would someone be in a hurry to do that?
I got a few "high importance" emails today from people that were wondering what to do with the sudden increase in a particular type of spam. I've never really understood a high important flag on an email - am I suddenly going to drop everything else in favor of that one email? Not likely - especially when I get several at once. The spam had a heading about "urgent fund transfer" and one of the users actually asked if it was legitimate. Sigh.
I guess that's it for now - starting to get busy this morning. Later...
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
trainee
I tried to leave work a bit early yesterday, but I got delayed a few times. Managed to grab a bit of food (2 breakfast bars and a green tea) on my way to the blood drive - so I didn't have any problems with getting sick afterward. The experience was pretty good and the staff were friendly.
Only one slight downward note was the trainee that took my history. He was very nervous and when he went to take my temperature, he didn't get the plastic sleeve on the metal temperature probe. Neither of us noticed until I bit down on metal. I handed it back to him and explained the problem. He was quite freaked out and I knew it was a simple accident.
As he cleaned off the probe, the supervisor that was hovering over him said that the metal probe without the plastic would have burned my mouth. So, it was apparently a bigger deal than it seemed. The rest of the process went smoothly and he did a far better job at the finger stick than the last trainee I had. (they had used too much pressure and blood had spurted onto their lab coat - I felt bad about that, but it really wasn't my fault).
The actual donation part went very smoothly and I was out of there 45 minutes after I had walked in. No problems at all - though I am very tired this morning.
back to work before I doze off... later
Only one slight downward note was the trainee that took my history. He was very nervous and when he went to take my temperature, he didn't get the plastic sleeve on the metal temperature probe. Neither of us noticed until I bit down on metal. I handed it back to him and explained the problem. He was quite freaked out and I knew it was a simple accident.
As he cleaned off the probe, the supervisor that was hovering over him said that the metal probe without the plastic would have burned my mouth. So, it was apparently a bigger deal than it seemed. The rest of the process went smoothly and he did a far better job at the finger stick than the last trainee I had. (they had used too much pressure and blood had spurted onto their lab coat - I felt bad about that, but it really wasn't my fault).
The actual donation part went very smoothly and I was out of there 45 minutes after I had walked in. No problems at all - though I am very tired this morning.
back to work before I doze off... later
Thursday, July 03, 2008
side, game, dolphin
I had a meeting yesterday - and got a headache. I'm not saying that the meeting gave me the headache, but I'm strongly implying it. This one centered itself on the sign of my head, on the level with my temple on the left side, but further back. I put some pressure on the area and rubbed it - which seemed to help for a bit - but it came back a little later while I was out trading in some video games. I managed to get myself home and sat quietly for a little while, hoping it would fade out. I also took some aspirin, but it ramped up quickly and I had to lay down for a while. I got up and ate dinner, then just lay around for a while - then gave up, took a shower, and went to bed early. I guess I'm over it, but it was annoying. Especially since I just bought new games and was eager to play.
This is the second time I've gone into GameStop - and like last time, they tried to pressure me into getting a discount card. I'm normally a fan of discount cards - but not the kind you have to pay for. In those cases, I always feel pressured to buy more to justify the cost of the card - which kinda bites. The sales guy tried a several times to get me to sign up for the card - and finally pulled a bait and switch on me - which I fell for based mostly on my headache and a desire to get the heck out of there. So, now I've got a discount card that I may only use a few times a year, a magazine subscription that I'll read but wouldn't have chosen, and entry into their mailing list (great). Still, I got some cool-looking games, so that's something.
My swim yesterday was pretty average - I did 32 laps. There was a girl 2 lanes over, though, that was swimming the butterfly stroke like some kind of mer-person. She basically exploded out of the water on each stroke and then plunged back at incredible speed. I was really impressed. I don't know how fast she was, but it would have made a dolphin feel bad.
That's it for now...
This is the second time I've gone into GameStop - and like last time, they tried to pressure me into getting a discount card. I'm normally a fan of discount cards - but not the kind you have to pay for. In those cases, I always feel pressured to buy more to justify the cost of the card - which kinda bites. The sales guy tried a several times to get me to sign up for the card - and finally pulled a bait and switch on me - which I fell for based mostly on my headache and a desire to get the heck out of there. So, now I've got a discount card that I may only use a few times a year, a magazine subscription that I'll read but wouldn't have chosen, and entry into their mailing list (great). Still, I got some cool-looking games, so that's something.
My swim yesterday was pretty average - I did 32 laps. There was a girl 2 lanes over, though, that was swimming the butterfly stroke like some kind of mer-person. She basically exploded out of the water on each stroke and then plunged back at incredible speed. I was really impressed. I don't know how fast she was, but it would have made a dolphin feel bad.
That's it for now...
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
tires, cookie
This morning, on the drive to work, a truck hauling a backhoe in a cart passed me on the left. Unfortunately, the back right tire of the cart wasn't up to the challenge and was disintegrating. Chunks of the tire were coming off and flipping up onto the road in front of me. I slowed down and he started to get over in front of me, then managed to get all the way off the road. There was no damage to my car, but I did have the stink of burning tires with me for a few miles.
I frequently get food at the Asian restaurant area of the student union - and when I do, I get a fortune cookie. I like these little auguries and don't read them until I'm done with my lunch and have eaten the cookie. In the past, I've gotten encouraging ones like:
"You will have a long and healthy life" or
"Obstacles can't hold you back"
Yesterday's cookie, however, had this message:
"Do not be afraid of computers. Be afraid of the lack of them."
Ummm... great? What the heck does that mean? I mean, I like computers and I'm not afraid of them - though I've seen The Terminator too many times to really trust them.
But for a fortune cookie? Weird.
At some point, I'm going to have to post all my fortunes - maybe on my web site.
That's it for now... later...
I frequently get food at the Asian restaurant area of the student union - and when I do, I get a fortune cookie. I like these little auguries and don't read them until I'm done with my lunch and have eaten the cookie. In the past, I've gotten encouraging ones like:
"You will have a long and healthy life" or
"Obstacles can't hold you back"
Yesterday's cookie, however, had this message:
"Do not be afraid of computers. Be afraid of the lack of them."
Ummm... great? What the heck does that mean? I mean, I like computers and I'm not afraid of them - though I've seen The Terminator too many times to really trust them.
But for a fortune cookie? Weird.
At some point, I'm going to have to post all my fortunes - maybe on my web site.
That's it for now... later...
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
restroom
Earlier this afternoon I headed over to the restroom near the vending machines here at work to "do what needed to be done". This is the larger of the men's restrooms in the building and boasts 2 stalls and 2 urinals. I proceeded to one of the stalls and discovered that the previous occupant was apparently not feeling well and left behind some "residue".
But, hey, two stalls. I went into the next stall and found that there was what appeared to be blood on the outside of the toilet bowl. It started at the edge of the bowl and ran down the outside in two areas.
In the men's room? Blood on the outside of a toilet bowl? I've seen this before... in a horror movie.
"what needed to be done" was not that urgent - I'm going to wait until I get home.
(shudder)
But, hey, two stalls. I went into the next stall and found that there was what appeared to be blood on the outside of the toilet bowl. It started at the edge of the bowl and ran down the outside in two areas.
In the men's room? Blood on the outside of a toilet bowl? I've seen this before... in a horror movie.
"what needed to be done" was not that urgent - I'm going to wait until I get home.
(shudder)
Monday, June 23, 2008
hail, driver, guilt, experiment
As I got out on the road today, the sky opened up and started to pelt my car with rain and hail. I almost typed "me" instead of "my car" but that wasn't the literal case. It had been, however, pelting the poor soul on a motorcycle before he got under the cover of an overpass. I slowed down as a I went past, thinking that excessive splashing would only add insult to his injury.
I reached my destination, accomplished the tasks I set out before me, and attempted to leave the parking lot.
Now, I don't like parking lots. Rather, I don't like the other people that use parking lots - as they usually do it wrong.
1) They park as so to take up multiple spaces. I freaking hate. Either learn to park more accurately or don't take your fancy pants car out into the world if you are that scared.
2) Lots are designed so that humans not paying attention to their world are forced directly into the lane of traffic right in front of the store.
3) People that cut across the spaces and don't pay attention.
It's that last one that really torqued me to today. I was traveling down the lane as I was supposed to and this car came screaming diagonally across the spaces - headed right for where my car was going to be. Since I'm not an idiot, I slowed down to a stop and so did the other car. The driver stuck her hand out the car window and I expected that she was doing so to wave me on or perhaps flick away the cigarette ash.
Instead, she flipped me off - then put the accelerator to the floor and took off in front of me - still going diagonally across the lot. Since she was still diagonal, she decided that the stop sign didn't quite apply to her so she ran that as well.
Ironically, I caught up with her at the next stop light. She was one car up and one car over - putting me ironically diagonally from her car. She didn't notice me - or if she did she chose not to acknowledge me. In any case, I thought some unpleasant things about her and considering myself lucky I both saw her in time to stop and that I don't have a baseball bat in my car since I would mostly now be in jail.
Speaking of guilt - there are two things I am guilty of, and they are both internet memes. Now, I am normally disdainful of overly hyped things. Example: I still haven't seen Titanic nor do I care to. So, appreciating anything that is defined as hype should be impossible for me, but there are two memes that I really enjoy.
1. LOLcats. I know, I know. It's terrible. These damn things just crack me up. I mean, there's some really stupid shit here, but there are a few gems in there that sometimes make me LOL. The best I've seen so far is a cat in a box, looking up at the camera. The caption says, "I'm in your Quantum box. Maybe." That's funny on several levels.
2. "Do not want" and "All your base are belong to us". The first is a mistranslation of the ending Darth Vader shout of "Nooooo!" from Star Wars episode 4. The other is another mistranslation - this time from a video game. I really like how they have taken on a life far beyond their orginal forms. Also, the "Do not want" has a decidely Zen quality to it which I'm just really starting to appreciate.
Finally, I tried an experiment today. Over the weekend, I tried something called Cashew Crush - which was a really excellent snack except that I got seriously congested and spent the rest of the afternoon sneezing. I ended up having to take an allergy pill to get it settled down - and I really don't like to take any kind of medicine until it's really serious.
Thinking that I might be developing an allergy to cashews - which would really bite since I enjoy them - I tried a bit more cashews today in the Cashew Crunch to see if I would start sneezing again. I haven't. So, that wasn't it.
That's it for now... later...
I reached my destination, accomplished the tasks I set out before me, and attempted to leave the parking lot.
Now, I don't like parking lots. Rather, I don't like the other people that use parking lots - as they usually do it wrong.
1) They park as so to take up multiple spaces. I freaking hate. Either learn to park more accurately or don't take your fancy pants car out into the world if you are that scared.
2) Lots are designed so that humans not paying attention to their world are forced directly into the lane of traffic right in front of the store.
3) People that cut across the spaces and don't pay attention.
It's that last one that really torqued me to today. I was traveling down the lane as I was supposed to and this car came screaming diagonally across the spaces - headed right for where my car was going to be. Since I'm not an idiot, I slowed down to a stop and so did the other car. The driver stuck her hand out the car window and I expected that she was doing so to wave me on or perhaps flick away the cigarette ash.
Instead, she flipped me off - then put the accelerator to the floor and took off in front of me - still going diagonally across the lot. Since she was still diagonal, she decided that the stop sign didn't quite apply to her so she ran that as well.
Ironically, I caught up with her at the next stop light. She was one car up and one car over - putting me ironically diagonally from her car. She didn't notice me - or if she did she chose not to acknowledge me. In any case, I thought some unpleasant things about her and considering myself lucky I both saw her in time to stop and that I don't have a baseball bat in my car since I would mostly now be in jail.
Speaking of guilt - there are two things I am guilty of, and they are both internet memes. Now, I am normally disdainful of overly hyped things. Example: I still haven't seen Titanic nor do I care to. So, appreciating anything that is defined as hype should be impossible for me, but there are two memes that I really enjoy.
1. LOLcats. I know, I know. It's terrible. These damn things just crack me up. I mean, there's some really stupid shit here, but there are a few gems in there that sometimes make me LOL. The best I've seen so far is a cat in a box, looking up at the camera. The caption says, "I'm in your Quantum box. Maybe." That's funny on several levels.
2. "Do not want" and "All your base are belong to us". The first is a mistranslation of the ending Darth Vader shout of "Nooooo!" from Star Wars episode 4. The other is another mistranslation - this time from a video game. I really like how they have taken on a life far beyond their orginal forms. Also, the "Do not want" has a decidely Zen quality to it which I'm just really starting to appreciate.
Finally, I tried an experiment today. Over the weekend, I tried something called Cashew Crush - which was a really excellent snack except that I got seriously congested and spent the rest of the afternoon sneezing. I ended up having to take an allergy pill to get it settled down - and I really don't like to take any kind of medicine until it's really serious.
Thinking that I might be developing an allergy to cashews - which would really bite since I enjoy them - I tried a bit more cashews today in the Cashew Crunch to see if I would start sneezing again. I haven't. So, that wasn't it.
That's it for now... later...
Sunday, June 22, 2008
car, steps, swim, lunch
My room-mate's lease on his car will be expiring soon and so on Saturday he decided to head to Columbus to the dealership where his brother works to return the car and lease a new one. I went along - partly for something to do on a quiet Saturday morning and partly out of relief. For the past several months there has a been an ever increasing debate for my room-mate on exactly which car to get. Make, model, features, color - over and over again. And for me, a non-car kinda guy - it was becoming seriously tedious.
We get to the dealership and I had fortunately brought a book - so I sat quietly in the lounge and tried to tune out the blaring TV. If I could have found a volume control, I would have turned it down.
With the paperwork done, we loaded back in the car, stopped at Long John Silver's for lunch, and then headed back. The car is pretty nice and has some cool features and such - though not enough cup-holders - but I was just glad that the endless debate was done. Oh, and the car comes with XM radio for 3 months free - but we found that XM radio has commercials. I can't believe that anyone would pay for radio and also pay to have commercials - thought I guess cable TV is that way. In any case, my room-mate already has Siruis and he'll be sticking with that.
In other news... the back steps out onto the patio have been starting to bow and pulling the nails up. So, I bought some treated lumber, some outdoor wood-screws and on Saturday afternoon my room-mate and I replaced the steps. We didn't do the railing or the risers, just the steps themselves. And it was a good thing too as a huge thunderstorm rolled in just as we were finishing it up. It was a successful project - no mistakes in the cuts for the wood posts, no injuries, and the steps are sturdy and level - and lined up well.
Last Friday, I was in a meeting most of the morning and then had lunch plans and so missed my window of opportunity for my mid-day swim. I had planned to go for a swim after work, but then remembered that the pool was going to be closed for a special event. So, that kinda sucked.
The good news was that my lunch plans included a former co-worker visiting - a few of us went to lunch with her at the student center and swapped some work stories and just generally had a really nice time.
I guess that's it for now. I'm not really looking forward to this week - but we'll get through it.
later...
We get to the dealership and I had fortunately brought a book - so I sat quietly in the lounge and tried to tune out the blaring TV. If I could have found a volume control, I would have turned it down.
With the paperwork done, we loaded back in the car, stopped at Long John Silver's for lunch, and then headed back. The car is pretty nice and has some cool features and such - though not enough cup-holders - but I was just glad that the endless debate was done. Oh, and the car comes with XM radio for 3 months free - but we found that XM radio has commercials. I can't believe that anyone would pay for radio and also pay to have commercials - thought I guess cable TV is that way. In any case, my room-mate already has Siruis and he'll be sticking with that.
In other news... the back steps out onto the patio have been starting to bow and pulling the nails up. So, I bought some treated lumber, some outdoor wood-screws and on Saturday afternoon my room-mate and I replaced the steps. We didn't do the railing or the risers, just the steps themselves. And it was a good thing too as a huge thunderstorm rolled in just as we were finishing it up. It was a successful project - no mistakes in the cuts for the wood posts, no injuries, and the steps are sturdy and level - and lined up well.
Last Friday, I was in a meeting most of the morning and then had lunch plans and so missed my window of opportunity for my mid-day swim. I had planned to go for a swim after work, but then remembered that the pool was going to be closed for a special event. So, that kinda sucked.
The good news was that my lunch plans included a former co-worker visiting - a few of us went to lunch with her at the student center and swapped some work stories and just generally had a really nice time.
I guess that's it for now. I'm not really looking forward to this week - but we'll get through it.
later...
Thursday, June 12, 2008
fuel, swim, visit, hike, dinner
I usually don't fill up the gas tank in my car - usually just put in about 20 bucks or so at a time which usually lasts quite a while since I'd really drive that much. By avoiding the big fill-up, I don't worry so much about the fluctuating gas prices. This time, since I had a little traveling to do this past weekend, I filled up Thursday morning on the way to work. Grand total: $42.86 It went up that afternoon again, so at least that's something, but it was still quite a shock to see. I think there are ways to fix the gas price problem - but most of them involve getting people to not be greedy. So, not likely.
I got in 96 laps total last week - and did 36 today. Getting off to a good start on the week. I'll have to check my records to see what my per week record is.
I went and visited my parents this past weekend for Father's day. My sister and brother-in-law came over too and we watched some movies, played some dominoes, and went for a hike. My sister didn't have the right shoes so she had to borrow a too small pair from mom. A substantial blister was the result. I just had my flip flops and while they were a little uncomfortable and loud, they didn't cause me any injury. Also, we saw a small toad on the trail - so, that was cool.
We weren't sure where to go for dinner for father's day that wouldn't have huge lines - so, we went to CiCi's pizza in a nearby town. The food was pretty good, the service was okay - but some of the other customers were a little disturbing to see. Let's just say they could have benefited from more trips to the salad bar and fewer trips to the dessert area.
That's about it for now... later...
I got in 96 laps total last week - and did 36 today. Getting off to a good start on the week. I'll have to check my records to see what my per week record is.
I went and visited my parents this past weekend for Father's day. My sister and brother-in-law came over too and we watched some movies, played some dominoes, and went for a hike. My sister didn't have the right shoes so she had to borrow a too small pair from mom. A substantial blister was the result. I just had my flip flops and while they were a little uncomfortable and loud, they didn't cause me any injury. Also, we saw a small toad on the trail - so, that was cool.
We weren't sure where to go for dinner for father's day that wouldn't have huge lines - so, we went to CiCi's pizza in a nearby town. The food was pretty good, the service was okay - but some of the other customers were a little disturbing to see. Let's just say they could have benefited from more trips to the salad bar and fewer trips to the dessert area.
That's about it for now... later...
Sunday, June 08, 2008
karma, 122b, party
After a mostly unproductive and still cranky afternoon on Friday, I headed to a craft store and then on to get a CD. The CD was in stock, but the craft store didn't have exactly what I wanted. After my futile search, I got on the highway to go home and suddenly found myself stuck in traffic.
It felt a little like karma - that my pointless anger had traffic based repercussions. In retrospect, I feel a little guilty about things for the rest of the drivers on the road. We were all creeping along when I heard a "pop" and looked over to the side. A guy in a suddenly not-so-nice car was trying to pull off the road with a sluggish success since the traffic was tight. There was smoke coming out of his hood and something leaking from under his car. I didn't feel karmicly upset about this one - clearly, he's been having a far worse day than I could be blamed for. He got off the road and a glance showed him to be neither surprised or really upset. I didn't go try to help him, assuming he had a cell phone.
Of course, had it be a reversed situation - I would have needed some help since I don't yet have a cell phone. Another reason, I suppose, that I should reconsider getting one. Even well intentioned people will assume that should I break down, I would be okay since I could just call on my non-existent cell phone for help.
Anyway, back to the traffic. We were still creeping along when I came upon an exit - though it was not the one I wanted. There may have been more detailed signs that I didn't notice before, but all this one said was Exit 122b. I don't know where it went, only that it was within a few miles of my home, but maybe not the direction I wanted to travel. I tend to find a route and then stick with it until there's some kind of extreme situation and I wasn't sure if stuck in traffic warranted getting lost and maybe wasting even more time trying to find an alternative way home.
A car in front of me - really mostly past the road - decided that they would give old 122b a try. They executed a tight, almost U, turn and took the exit. They rounded the curve and disappeared behind the trees. I remained in my car, with the windows rolled down and my heat turned to try and keep my engine cooler. I wondered if they knew where they were going. If they had a plan and a route in mind. Or maybe they just decided moving - in any direction - was better than just sitting there.
The "horrible" accident that had traffic backed up in both directions for miles turned out to be a fender bender that had been pulled off the side of the road and the only thing blocking and slowing traffic was, well, traffic.
In other news... yesterday evening I went to a party with some friends to see the latest addition to an outdoor train set in one of the friends backyard. The train itself was having some issues, but the setup was amazing. It included some new buildings since I was last there - a new house and more cars and an amazingly detailed greenhouse in miniature.
The snacks were good and the conversation lively. I overheard a discussion in the kitchen that seemed to mix religion, politics, and alcohol in equal parts. Curiously, everyone in the conversation seemed to be on the same very loud side. Not an argument, then - but a general complaint session on the sorry state of the world. I stayed out of...
Wait. I need to pause for a moment and un-recommend a snack food. Early this morning, I had some "bold" flavored chex party mix working off the assumption that the chex mix was almost like cereal and counted as a breakfast food. It's good and has a nice and appropriately bold flavor, but even teeth brushing and mouthwash have failed to remove the taste. While I was typing I burped a little bit and the flavor came right back. It is NOT good the second time around and I feel the need to just go ahead and drink the mouth wash this time. I'll be back....
(please wait)
Less intense mouthwash? Don't believe everything you read. Anyway...
I stayed out the discussion and had a really nice conversation with a few other people - one of whom is allergic to alcohol. He had one beer that he really enjoyed - and then spent the rest of the night sneezing and blowing his nose. I both started and stopped my drinking while in college - but I could still sympathize.
Anyway, it was late when my room-mate and I got back - turned out he'd been one of the debaters in the kitchen so I drove his car back.
I've been enjoying the quiet Sunday at home - did a little reading outside and now I'm listening to the new Aimee Mann CD while I write this unusually long blog. I guess that's it for now.
later...
It felt a little like karma - that my pointless anger had traffic based repercussions. In retrospect, I feel a little guilty about things for the rest of the drivers on the road. We were all creeping along when I heard a "pop" and looked over to the side. A guy in a suddenly not-so-nice car was trying to pull off the road with a sluggish success since the traffic was tight. There was smoke coming out of his hood and something leaking from under his car. I didn't feel karmicly upset about this one - clearly, he's been having a far worse day than I could be blamed for. He got off the road and a glance showed him to be neither surprised or really upset. I didn't go try to help him, assuming he had a cell phone.
Of course, had it be a reversed situation - I would have needed some help since I don't yet have a cell phone. Another reason, I suppose, that I should reconsider getting one. Even well intentioned people will assume that should I break down, I would be okay since I could just call on my non-existent cell phone for help.
Anyway, back to the traffic. We were still creeping along when I came upon an exit - though it was not the one I wanted. There may have been more detailed signs that I didn't notice before, but all this one said was Exit 122b. I don't know where it went, only that it was within a few miles of my home, but maybe not the direction I wanted to travel. I tend to find a route and then stick with it until there's some kind of extreme situation and I wasn't sure if stuck in traffic warranted getting lost and maybe wasting even more time trying to find an alternative way home.
A car in front of me - really mostly past the road - decided that they would give old 122b a try. They executed a tight, almost U, turn and took the exit. They rounded the curve and disappeared behind the trees. I remained in my car, with the windows rolled down and my heat turned to try and keep my engine cooler. I wondered if they knew where they were going. If they had a plan and a route in mind. Or maybe they just decided moving - in any direction - was better than just sitting there.
The "horrible" accident that had traffic backed up in both directions for miles turned out to be a fender bender that had been pulled off the side of the road and the only thing blocking and slowing traffic was, well, traffic.
In other news... yesterday evening I went to a party with some friends to see the latest addition to an outdoor train set in one of the friends backyard. The train itself was having some issues, but the setup was amazing. It included some new buildings since I was last there - a new house and more cars and an amazingly detailed greenhouse in miniature.
The snacks were good and the conversation lively. I overheard a discussion in the kitchen that seemed to mix religion, politics, and alcohol in equal parts. Curiously, everyone in the conversation seemed to be on the same very loud side. Not an argument, then - but a general complaint session on the sorry state of the world. I stayed out of...
Wait. I need to pause for a moment and un-recommend a snack food. Early this morning, I had some "bold" flavored chex party mix working off the assumption that the chex mix was almost like cereal and counted as a breakfast food. It's good and has a nice and appropriately bold flavor, but even teeth brushing and mouthwash have failed to remove the taste. While I was typing I burped a little bit and the flavor came right back. It is NOT good the second time around and I feel the need to just go ahead and drink the mouth wash this time. I'll be back....
(please wait)
Less intense mouthwash? Don't believe everything you read. Anyway...
I stayed out the discussion and had a really nice conversation with a few other people - one of whom is allergic to alcohol. He had one beer that he really enjoyed - and then spent the rest of the night sneezing and blowing his nose. I both started and stopped my drinking while in college - but I could still sympathize.
Anyway, it was late when my room-mate and I got back - turned out he'd been one of the debaters in the kitchen so I drove his car back.
I've been enjoying the quiet Sunday at home - did a little reading outside and now I'm listening to the new Aimee Mann CD while I write this unusually long blog. I guess that's it for now.
later...
Friday, June 06, 2008
54 laps, meeting, aftermath
I swam 54 lap today - that's one and a half miles. I was fast and intense - hardly even slowing down on the turns. I outlasted everyone else in the pool.
I feel pretty good physically afterward - caught my breath in less than a minute and was composed before I hit the locker room. I swam through my lunch hour and just got a couple of healthy snacks instead.
The reason for this personal record-setting swim, however, was not a good thing. I generally try not to talk about work here - and when I do I'm impossibly vague - since that sort of thing tends to get people fired. So, I'm going to vent a little here, but I'm still going to be vague.
I got called into a meeting this morning and got dragged over the coals for things that were not my fault by someone outside our department. I took it personally - which was a mistake, I know. I think I'm good at my job because I care about what I'm doing with the big picture - but that same commitment was attacked today. This guy was belligerent, condescending, arrogant, argumentative, and a whole slew of unpleasant big words. Even worse, my boss got the meeting started and then left for most of it - returning only at the end.
I felt thrown to the wolves. We've done extraordinary work in very little time and this guy had only bad things to say about what we'd accomplished. I stayed polite, quiet, and civil - and managed, just barely, to keep my cool. Should have gotten some kind of award for not smacking the shit out of him.
I think the swim made use of "rage-propulsion" and most of that has burned off. I'm back down to my standard "slightly cranky" - and I can live with that. In the grand scheme of things, this guy was just an ass and with that kind of an attitude, life is going to punish him far better than I could. I'd still like to help punish him - I've even started a list - but we've got too much to do.
So, time to get back to it. I think I may go buy a CD after work or maybe some flower stems for an origami project. I think some good music and a little folding will do me wonders.
later
I feel pretty good physically afterward - caught my breath in less than a minute and was composed before I hit the locker room. I swam through my lunch hour and just got a couple of healthy snacks instead.
The reason for this personal record-setting swim, however, was not a good thing. I generally try not to talk about work here - and when I do I'm impossibly vague - since that sort of thing tends to get people fired. So, I'm going to vent a little here, but I'm still going to be vague.
I got called into a meeting this morning and got dragged over the coals for things that were not my fault by someone outside our department. I took it personally - which was a mistake, I know. I think I'm good at my job because I care about what I'm doing with the big picture - but that same commitment was attacked today. This guy was belligerent, condescending, arrogant, argumentative, and a whole slew of unpleasant big words. Even worse, my boss got the meeting started and then left for most of it - returning only at the end.
I felt thrown to the wolves. We've done extraordinary work in very little time and this guy had only bad things to say about what we'd accomplished. I stayed polite, quiet, and civil - and managed, just barely, to keep my cool. Should have gotten some kind of award for not smacking the shit out of him.
I think the swim made use of "rage-propulsion" and most of that has burned off. I'm back down to my standard "slightly cranky" - and I can live with that. In the grand scheme of things, this guy was just an ass and with that kind of an attitude, life is going to punish him far better than I could. I'd still like to help punish him - I've even started a list - but we've got too much to do.
So, time to get back to it. I think I may go buy a CD after work or maybe some flower stems for an origami project. I think some good music and a little folding will do me wonders.
later
visit, game, work, news
Earlier this week, my sister and brother in law stopped by for a quick visit on their way back from buying a car. She had sent me an email earlier in the day to let me know they would be in the area - I replied back with a "Yes" for a visit, but they were already on the road. The rain and traffic made them a little later than they expected, but they got to the apartment safely and then my room-mate joined us for a dinner at CiCi's pizza. After dinner they stayed only for a short while before getting on the road. The weather didn't look good, but the weather channel said the worst would be over before they got home. Dad called my sister while they were at my place to warn them about the tornado warnings at their home, but he was neither surprised or really that interested that they were in akron. He called me a couple days later to apologize for not talking to me when he called my sister - even though she was in my living room at the time. I told him it was no big deal since I figured he was heading for shelter in the basement anyway and shouldn't have been on the phone.
I picked up a new game recently - Patapon. I'd heard good things about it, but wasn't sure if I could get into it. It's a rhythm game - you tap the appropriate buttons following the beat to play. In this case, you are commanding an army of primitives by pounding the war drums to get them to march or attack. I was a little worried since I don't have much natural rhythm, but I got the hang of it and I'm inspiring my little warriors onto battle and victory. The missions aren't too long (there's no pause feature), but just long enough to really get into the adventure. I don't play too long in one sitting because the PSP isn't comfortable to hold - but I'm enjoying it.
Finally, work has been crazy busy - I'm double booked for meetings today and considering a workers comp claim for my copy|paste pinky on my left hand. Been doing a lot of that.
Oh, almost forgot - I called my FRM's mom last night to see how she was doing. Apparently, my FMR's wife had a baby girl and his oldest son just moved into an apartment about 6 doors down from where FMR and I used to live. Small world...
Okay, gotta go - later...
I picked up a new game recently - Patapon. I'd heard good things about it, but wasn't sure if I could get into it. It's a rhythm game - you tap the appropriate buttons following the beat to play. In this case, you are commanding an army of primitives by pounding the war drums to get them to march or attack. I was a little worried since I don't have much natural rhythm, but I got the hang of it and I'm inspiring my little warriors onto battle and victory. The missions aren't too long (there's no pause feature), but just long enough to really get into the adventure. I don't play too long in one sitting because the PSP isn't comfortable to hold - but I'm enjoying it.
Finally, work has been crazy busy - I'm double booked for meetings today and considering a workers comp claim for my copy|paste pinky on my left hand. Been doing a lot of that.
Oh, almost forgot - I called my FRM's mom last night to see how she was doing. Apparently, my FMR's wife had a baby girl and his oldest son just moved into an apartment about 6 doors down from where FMR and I used to live. Small world...
Okay, gotta go - later...
Monday, June 02, 2008
bookstore, no swim
I went to a bookstore this weekend in Wheeling, WV called Books-A-Million. Based on the store name alone, I had high hopes. Unfortunately, I had a bit of a headache when we got there. I couldn't find a Horror Fiction section, so I headed over to SciFi and began to peruse the selection. I noticed two things right off:
1. The staff was doing some kind of inventory with those bar-code scanner guns that required them scanning every single book one at a time. The scanner gun beeped every time they did this. I was instantly homicidal, but didn't act on my impulse.
2. They were completely missing several of my favorite and prolific authors. Irksome.
I tried another section, only to have another staffer begin beeping. My headache getting worse, I finally gave up and headed for the checkout. Before they clerk began checking out the items, she asked if I had a rewards card. I told her no and she began to explain the stickers on the hardback books and how I could get a discount if I signed up. I politely declined and she continued with her pitch. I declined again, still politely, but with a slight increase in tone.
Still, she continued with the great features of the reward card. I interrupted her and told her I was not from the area and that I had never heard of this store before. Undaunted, she asked where I was from and I finally trumped her by saying Akron, Ohio. She tried to come back by staying that they were expanding up north, but really had nothing to go on - if I'm unlikely to come back, why would I "need" a rewards card? I thought it was done, but just before giving me the total, she hauled out a sheet of paper and suggested that I could sign up for a magazine subscription. I declined again, polite in words, but not in look or tone. Transaction complete, I headed for the door and freedom.
As a coda to the story, my room-mate was behind me in line and tried to get her stopped by telling her he was from Akron as well, but she essentially ignored him in favor of her "speech".
Rude behavior in the name of customer service. Annoying and disturbing.
I've got a headache again this afternoon - though I think this is work related and comes from staring at a computer screen too long. I also forgot my swim trunks today and so missed my swim.
Almost time to go home - later...
1. The staff was doing some kind of inventory with those bar-code scanner guns that required them scanning every single book one at a time. The scanner gun beeped every time they did this. I was instantly homicidal, but didn't act on my impulse.
2. They were completely missing several of my favorite and prolific authors. Irksome.
I tried another section, only to have another staffer begin beeping. My headache getting worse, I finally gave up and headed for the checkout. Before they clerk began checking out the items, she asked if I had a rewards card. I told her no and she began to explain the stickers on the hardback books and how I could get a discount if I signed up. I politely declined and she continued with her pitch. I declined again, still politely, but with a slight increase in tone.
Still, she continued with the great features of the reward card. I interrupted her and told her I was not from the area and that I had never heard of this store before. Undaunted, she asked where I was from and I finally trumped her by saying Akron, Ohio. She tried to come back by staying that they were expanding up north, but really had nothing to go on - if I'm unlikely to come back, why would I "need" a rewards card? I thought it was done, but just before giving me the total, she hauled out a sheet of paper and suggested that I could sign up for a magazine subscription. I declined again, polite in words, but not in look or tone. Transaction complete, I headed for the door and freedom.
As a coda to the story, my room-mate was behind me in line and tried to get her stopped by telling her he was from Akron as well, but she essentially ignored him in favor of her "speech".
Rude behavior in the name of customer service. Annoying and disturbing.
I've got a headache again this afternoon - though I think this is work related and comes from staring at a computer screen too long. I also forgot my swim trunks today and so missed my swim.
Almost time to go home - later...
Monday, May 26, 2008
mood, food, work, trip, appliances
I haven't really been in the mood for blogged in a while, but as Gurney Halleck said in the first Dune book: "Not in the mood? Mood's a thing for cattle and loveplay, not blogging!"
Or something like that. So, back into it...
Went to a Chinese buffet for dinner on Friday and ate a whole honking pile of food. 2 full plates of "dinner items" Sweet and sour chicken, fried shrimp, green beans. 2 small plates of sushi, maybe around 14-16 pieces - mostly spicy crab and tuna. 1 full plate of dessert, various items. And 1 fortune cookie. I was physically uncomfortable. It was awesome.
My room-mate went away hungry. I know, I know. Seems like that would be impossible at a buffet. But, I think he didn't get the concept.
Work has been very busy, but productive. Sometimes those things really don't go together, but I've gotten a lot accomplished toward our big relaunch goal. There have been a couple of annoying snags, but we'll get through it.
Yesterday, I went with my room-mate down to his dad's house to help him clear things our. The goal was to move the washer and dryer to his work, get the curio cabinet for his secretary, and the chest of drawers for himself. The first trip to wheeling and we picked up the washer, dryer and the chest. Back to canton to unload at his work. The old washer and dryer need to be moved out and the new installed - which I'll rant about in a moment. We left the chest there at his work as well and headed back to Wheeling. In wheeling, we picked up the curio cabinet, a tv, a metal shelf and some odds and ends. Back to canton and his work site to pick up the cabinet again since it had the shelves for the curio cabinet. Then to hartville to deliver the curio cabinet. Then home to unload the rest. He had to go back into work, but I got to take a break and played some video games. He's head back down to wheeling today to do some more clearing out as they've sold the house and need to get it emptied.
Now, on to the rant about appliances... The hoses for the washer were difficult to remove - we had to find pliers to get them started. The faucets were not labeled and we had to "guess" which ones would go where. And finally, the thing that made me want to go and find an engineer so I could smack them...
Wait. The only engineering that I know is my brother-in-law and he doesn't work with this type of consumer design. So, he's excluded from the smacking.
Anyway, the cord for the dryer is too short. It's not even long enough for the plug to reach as high as the top of dryer. And the outlet is at least 6-7 inches higher up than that. So, to make it work, they're going to need to buy a longer cord and rewire the damn thing or built some kind of platform to elevate the dryer. Stupid, stupid design. We just left it undone since we were short of time, but it irked me not to be able to finish the job.
That's it for now, I'm going to try and get some sunshine today before heading back to the windowless cube farm at work tomorrow.
later...
Or something like that. So, back into it...
Went to a Chinese buffet for dinner on Friday and ate a whole honking pile of food. 2 full plates of "dinner items" Sweet and sour chicken, fried shrimp, green beans. 2 small plates of sushi, maybe around 14-16 pieces - mostly spicy crab and tuna. 1 full plate of dessert, various items. And 1 fortune cookie. I was physically uncomfortable. It was awesome.
My room-mate went away hungry. I know, I know. Seems like that would be impossible at a buffet. But, I think he didn't get the concept.
Work has been very busy, but productive. Sometimes those things really don't go together, but I've gotten a lot accomplished toward our big relaunch goal. There have been a couple of annoying snags, but we'll get through it.
Yesterday, I went with my room-mate down to his dad's house to help him clear things our. The goal was to move the washer and dryer to his work, get the curio cabinet for his secretary, and the chest of drawers for himself. The first trip to wheeling and we picked up the washer, dryer and the chest. Back to canton to unload at his work. The old washer and dryer need to be moved out and the new installed - which I'll rant about in a moment. We left the chest there at his work as well and headed back to Wheeling. In wheeling, we picked up the curio cabinet, a tv, a metal shelf and some odds and ends. Back to canton and his work site to pick up the cabinet again since it had the shelves for the curio cabinet. Then to hartville to deliver the curio cabinet. Then home to unload the rest. He had to go back into work, but I got to take a break and played some video games. He's head back down to wheeling today to do some more clearing out as they've sold the house and need to get it emptied.
Now, on to the rant about appliances... The hoses for the washer were difficult to remove - we had to find pliers to get them started. The faucets were not labeled and we had to "guess" which ones would go where. And finally, the thing that made me want to go and find an engineer so I could smack them...
Wait. The only engineering that I know is my brother-in-law and he doesn't work with this type of consumer design. So, he's excluded from the smacking.
Anyway, the cord for the dryer is too short. It's not even long enough for the plug to reach as high as the top of dryer. And the outlet is at least 6-7 inches higher up than that. So, to make it work, they're going to need to buy a longer cord and rewire the damn thing or built some kind of platform to elevate the dryer. Stupid, stupid design. We just left it undone since we were short of time, but it irked me not to be able to finish the job.
That's it for now, I'm going to try and get some sunshine today before heading back to the windowless cube farm at work tomorrow.
later...
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