Get Shiggy Wit' It

Gunshy

2010-04-05T21:56:00.001-04:00

I'm going to overthink a decision now. I'm so completely incapable of coming up with a good set of pros-vs-cons on this job I've been offered (pro: I have an offer. con: i would be flying there weekly) that I'm nitpicking the small things.

One thing we're going to need is someone to get the kids off to school from the time J has to be at work. So, like, getting to my house at 6:30 and getting the Boy onto his bus and then bringing the girls to their respective schools. And what if there's a day off? Aw, fuggit. Not that it would be any different/better if I worked close, mind you.

So, I'm just going to stew in this and not be able to sleep and "wake up" in the morning as incapable of pulling the trigger as I am now. Fuck this.

The beat goes on

2010-03-23T14:22:00.001-04:00

Yeah I'm still looking for a job. I hate to complain because some people have it worse. But my finances are quickly being drained, my patience is quickly getting tried, and I'm questioning whether the 15 years of experience I have is just a dream because "perfect" positions don't even want to see me. I probably need to overhaul my resume to minimize the fact I've jumped around so much. Regardless of whether or not it was my fault.

Calculate this: I've been let go FOUR times in less than two years. Is it a record? Doubt it. But thinking about it in that context makes me feel like I'm in this rut for the long haul and even if I get a great job I shouldn't feel comfortable.

I would love to completely change my career path, but the thought of going back to school makes me physically ill, and I don't know what there is I could DO that could support a family properly. I could teach, but what? The private sector sucks balls, the public sector doesn't seem to have a clue as to what I could bring to the table, and I don't have the type of thing I could get my own clients for.

So I talk to recruiters, I send out my electronic life, and I sit here and watch Maury or Spring Training baseball so that that helpless feeling of overthinking doesn't fill the gaps.

Just. Not. Fair.

2010-02-12T13:11:00.001-05:00

One of these lifetimes I'm going to catch a break.

How pissed can I be, really?

2010-01-28T15:22:00.001-05:00

Forgetting that I can't imagine things being markedly different at workin the forseeable future...
Forgetting that Shigette's job search doesn't seem like it's a priority, and the ONE interview she went on seems to have dead-ended...

I'm trying to understand how I had more money in the bank when I was making 25% less than I am now back 6 years ago, and now we have to pick and choose our monthly outgo by bill. How do other people do it, because I haven't gotten my bailout yet.

Should I be happy I have a job even though it's not financially positive?

Grrrr

2009-11-29T11:01:00.001-05:00

Logic is a dangerous thing.

Just keeping this here for reference.

2009-11-20T16:50:00.001-05:00

1. It doesn't matter what I say, I'm wrong.

2. It doesn't matter how nice and calm I am, I get screamed at.
2a. I can't scream at the kids. But that just goes for me.

3. I try to be flexible, yet I'm the thing that prevents stuff from getting done.

4. When I'm at work I still get called/emailed/IMmed all the time to be asked what I want from the store, that someone said something unimportant, or that a piece of clothing can't be found.

5. 75% of the time dinner is a decision I need to make, and 90% of the laundry is mine to do.

6. If I have something to do out of the house after work, there's rarely a "how did it go" or a "did you have fun" but often pouting and wondering why I didn't call or text.
6a. I also get complaints that I'm the only one in the house involved with that "something" because fun that's not had together is a problem.

7. "I need a vacation" is the second most uttered phrase in my house after "s/he hit me" ... neither by me.

8. Whatever affects me is always less extreme than what affects others.

9. Your mileage may vary. But only yours.

Moving to Arizona!

2009-11-11T16:30:00.001-05:00

No, I'm not moving. This is a pipe dream. Truth be told, if I ever make it into the witness protection program I'll suggest Tuscon. Or maybe Albuquerque, because you can never have too many Q's in your life.

I just hate water. I hate water with the fury of a tsunami. Because them tsunamis are all about fury.

God willing if I'm around when 2009 is over I will french-kiss baby new year 2010.

It's all water.

2009-10-29T10:02:00.000-04:00

My life is water.

Raining since about Friday here in Shigville.
Water in the living room because the roof is leaking. We got an estimate and it shall be fixed.
Water in the basement (a lot) because of another as yet not isolated leak. I just go down there for 1/2 an hour a couple times a day to wetvac up the puddles. Joyful.
Water in my CAR because the sunroof seal is no longer a seal. So I wear a jacket. On my lap. If I have to drive anywhere. And I can't get a new car just yet because affording the repairs to the house are probably slightly more urgent than avoiding that second shower each morning.
C'mon lottery ticket!

This week in Cliches

2009-09-25T09:23:00.001-04:00

The Wife is the one that usually has the remote. This is because she cares about television a *LOT* more than I do. I'm happy farting around on the internet while she selects the wide-screen programing. Sometimes I pay more attention than others (I like Amazing Race, House, Glee, the procedurals), sometimes I just let her watch (Heroes, Grey's Anatomy, anything where people are making cakes).

Last night we watched House on DVR. Then we watched Grey's Anatomy. Two two-hour season premieres in the span of a three-hour evening. Ah, time savers.

House was good. And in the course of two hours he changes from self-absorbed asshole to sensitive asshole, and you meet characters in an inpatient facility that looks like cliche psych ward (all that's missing is Robin Williams as the doctor who throws a ball that a catatonic Robert DeNiro catches) ... but the story was fluid and Hugh Laurie plays the part well.

Then Grey's Anatomy. Which is probably the biggest heap of crap television show on this side of Cop Rock. It's smarmy, preachy, and cliche all rolled into one. It's got pretty/handsome multicultural doctors burying their own selfless comrade. It's got people with illnesses asking the all-too-human (and weepy and oversexed) doctors: "Can you help me?" It's got depressed multi-amputees wishing to die, then learning to walk again. And calling their moms. It's got a cancer-stricken doctor who pushed her lover away only to take him back after she literally died in his arms. And you have hospitals merging and that's the cliffhanger -- tune in next week to find out if anyone's going to be kicked off the cast because of (salary disputes) hospitals cutting costs.

The only thing this premiere episode of horseshit was missing was a young boy who appears in the hospital with a dog with a busted leg, who gets adopted by a doctor who we all thought was insensitive, and comforts the boy when he has to put the dog down, accompanied with swirling ardent music (probably Sia's "Breathe Me" because it was already used perfectly in the "Six Feet Under" finale and Grey's is jealous) and an overly long backwards pan by the camera out of the operating room. This would likely have been done as the seventh plot line that's neatly wrapped up at the end of the show.

Don't get me wrong. Grey's Anatomy has its moments. Like ... um ... the closing credits. Yeah. That's a great moment.

People are weird

2009-09-24T10:18:00.001-04:00

Some of my high school/college friends named their kids things they're completely going to regret if they ever make it out of their ghettos.

It's so completely not cute to give your kid a unique name that's unpronounceable as spelled. Extra vowels that don't make sense, changing all the "i" sounds into "y" letters, and apostrophes make me mourn for society.

O hai

2009-09-17T09:34:00.000-04:00

Yeah, Shiggy has been a bit scarce recently at the usual hangouts. A combination of new job (where good impressions must be made) and daddy-related transportation and planning have put a crimp on the "fun" or what have you.

In other news:

1. Job is going okay. I'm a bit frustrated that I'm doing roughly the same thing I was doing 10 years ago but it's a job. And the benefits are good. The paycut was not. I give it a year before I can make a move either up or out, assuming the economy will support that decision. But I like it here, all things considered. I just need to make more money to afford waking up in the morning.

2. The Boy is especially ornery these days. We believe there's some type of a mood disorder going on with him, but if he's acting out, the (older) Girl is on her very very best (srsly) cooperative behavior. I feel like my house is one giant ball of PMS some days.

3. Shigette MIGHT be getting a job. This is fantastic. It would make up for the pay cut I took for this gig plus a wee bit more, after taking out the added expenses of daycare, afterschool care, and an initial hit for a work wardrobe.

3a. This development might allow us to get me a new car, because old car is OLD. And I'm up for inspection in January. I'm not looking for anything fancy, but whatever it is will be an expense we don't currently have.

3b. I'm not going to bitch about other financial issues, except that a check the size of recent tax refunds right now would get us in good shape.

4. I'm in a bit of a mental rut these days, which I will chalk up to items 1, 2, and 3b, as well as the change in seasons, moon phase, and the sorry state of the Mets.

So, that's what's up over here. I'm still reachable in the usual ways. Hope all's well with all of you, dear readers.

Ridiculous?

2009-03-17T12:52:00.001-04:00

Last Monday I spoke to my boss (in a different time zone) and he
reassured me that he knows about the delay and I should know that he's
ok with it. And that I can't get anything done, and I shouldn't have
to be "busy just for the sake of being busy" because I'll soon be
quite busy enough....and I should go to the movies.

Since Monday I have received medical and dental cards with my name and
employer's name on them. I have also received a paycheck. And pay
stub.

But still no laptop.

This is not how I work. I'm easily distracted, sure, but I know the
pressure I have to *keep* a job this time around and I'm really
anxious to show my boss that he didn't make a mistake hiring me. But
my boss knows that I don't have a laptop yet. I feel "out of sight,
out of mind" which goes both ways (like, if I'm paid, I'm on the
payroll and I shouldn't make noise).

Complicating matters is that the co-owner of the place is the one
responsible for the laptop. So it's not like I'm going to call him out
on this.

I'm going to wait. Catch up on teevee, maybe pretend to clean my
house. But for the people that read this, I'm frustrated at my lack of
work, concerned that I made the wrong choice, and appalled that my
company is completely dragging their feet on this. And I *STILL* have
met only one of my cow orkers. Muh.

I'm not complaining.

2009-03-05T10:04:00.000-05:00

Nope, I'm not. I shouldn't. But the second-guessing is killing me at the moment.

Two things

2009-02-15T20:54:00.001-05:00

I realize that I need to WORK for my "me" time. It's not that I don't like being around my family but ... well ... sometimes it's a lot tougher than it looks. I'm exhausted as phuq right now but I don't have anyone else awake in the house, as Shigette is out with a friend. Om.

-------------------

I think I saw my former boss from the edumactional place leaving the train in my town on Wednesday. She lives in the same town that I live in, and I happen to know where exactly that happens to be. I keep expecting to run into her in town someplace but it's been 9 months since she gave me the boot. I wouldn't have known it was her but I had to look behind me when I heard her unmistakeable accent (although in this town, maybe not so much).

What would I say to her if we saw each other? And were forced to make small talk? I have actually considered this question a few times. The responses range from "Phuq you, you cnut, die in a fire." to "You really got rid of (other former cow orker)? Wow, I'm in great company, thanks for that lift." to "My life is super. And you're still at an 11 year old startup company that can't produce a product people want to buy."

And her response would probably be something HR'ey like "I'm sorry you feel that way" or "It's too bad how things ended" and I'd probably put my leg out in the aisle to trip her, and then step on her head on the way out.

Aah, just typing that made me feel good.

Full circle

2009-02-05T09:25:00.001-05:00

I'm thinking about the bailouts that the government is giving to pretty much any company that asks for them.

And I'm now thinking they are bad ideas. All of them.

None, or very little of this money is going to individuals who need it. The ebb and flow of corporate America is in a down cycle and not much is going to change that ... or at least as quickly as it's needed. So, let the companies fail. What could happen? Unemployment would hit unimagined levels, tax rolls would dry up, the housing market and banking would collapse further, and nobody would be able to buy anything.

Then the government, if it wants to help things, should give money directly to the people that need it. I don't think very many people would be upset if some of the poorly-run economic niches (Banking, Auto industry, etc.) of this country would be demolished and new ones pop up in their places.

Not that I subscribe to her politics, but maybe Atlas Shrugged is really the way to go here. Get the intelligent people to make better products and drive the economy a bit better, no?

Purgatory

2009-01-05T14:47:00.001-05:00

If I tell them they're jerking me around I don't have my best potential job opportunity.

so it goes...

2008-11-14T09:12:00.001-05:00

Yeah, I'm not working.

For the record, we can say it's not my fault completely. Three things:

1. The implementation was supposed to have happened in early July, and then I could get on my soapbox and spread the gospel of our Data to the masses. This has not happened and has been pushed back to February at earliest. So my five months there have been spent not doing what I was brought there for.

2. A specific part of the implementation was entrusted to me. This was given to me the day before the lead developer left for a three-week trip to India, and I was responsible for evaluation and user testing. I got signoff before he returned, yet someone in the business decided to play the "I didn't know about this" card after she had never been involved in it to begin with.

3. I was brought into a meeting to discuss a report. What I didn't know was that the report was non-negotiable. Neither did the project manager who sat on it for 8 weeks before even RESPONDING to the request with this meeting. And the report went directly to the CEO. So, I looked very bad, and the project manager (a 10 year employee) will probably be canned as well. Although it doesn't make me HAPPY they would fire him, it does validate my point that my termination was not completely my fault.

Angel? No, I was not. But up until the day before, I had delivered some good work. It's too bad I won't get credit for it when it's brought to the senior management as an "idea."

Muh.

It's what happens when you're busy making other plans

2008-10-26T12:21:00.001-04:00

Life goes on, and there is a sense of basic stability at the moment
that I find reassuring. My job isn't ... Or at least I think it isn't
... in any danger of not being, the family is well, and I have
optimism that we are not going to elect a doofus.

--
Sent from my mobile device

tee he hee.

2008-09-18T10:32:00.001-04:00

<a style=" background: #000 url(http://www.bunkbeds.net/velociraptor/img/badge.jpg) no-repeat 0 0; display: block; width: 322px; height: 157px; text-align: center; padding-top: 150px; text-decoration: none; font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 30px; color: #ff9900; " href="http://www.bunkbeds.net/velociraptor/"> <span style="display: none;">I could survive for</span> 1 minute, 9 seconds <span style="display: none;">chained to a bunk bed with a velociraptor</span> </a>

Woke up this morning...

2008-09-18T08:17:00.001-04:00

Yeah, yesterday made me feel great. And it's carried over a bit. I have a few lingering issues in my head that will not be resolved easily.

Houseguest. Gone after tonight. Although Shigette has been quite nice to me through the whole thing probably because she realizes this is not a situation I would have otherwise approved.

The stupid car that's no longer mine that I need to take care of -- I'd journal about that but it would make me look both stupid and assholish. Long story short, this shouldn't be my problem anymore, it's done.

The car that will be mine that my friend is still driving, "oh, you'll get it next week" has been the last six weeks. And I still don't have a car, and it's getting to be a problem.

The jorb thing is in a state of harmonius unresolution. Consulting. Through another company. Hosing me at every turn, yet supposedly it's a great arrangement. I bet that's what they said to the investors of AIG. On paper I've never made more money. So why am I behind on stuff? If this doesn't look like it will be resolved by, say, February, I'm going to start looking again. Oh joy.

And then there are the family issues, which would require the Jackie Collins treatment. So I leave them to her.

I'm sorry to vent. Wait. This is MY blog. I'm not sorry. You, gentle reader, can go anywhere else you want. Here's your chance.

i'm too fucking tired for this

2008-09-17T22:24:00.001-04:00

Shigette is allowing this friend of hers to temporarily stay at Chez Shig. Temporarily = 3 nights. And it's okay. This guy isn't going to be a mooch because he is staying with someone ELSE most of the time but just can't stay with that person for a few days while his mother in law will be there. The guy is nice enough. He's a student. An older guy, but a student.

It's now 10:20. He's not here. I'm tired and have been up since about 6 am. Shigette is in bed because she's tired. As she's allowed to be after chasing the kids around all day.

Even though his shit is here I'm about thisclose to locking the doors because he has no key. We've gotten no calls, no expectation of the time he'll be here, no consideration that we actually have lives we're leading that he is making inconvenient with his presence. Shigette has texted him. No response. I don't know what he does with the family he usually stays with but this is not cool. And Shigette is kicking him out tomorrow, I don't care how nice he is. In-fucking-excusable.

10:25. Nothing yet.

Back to school, part 1

2008-09-03T12:48:00.001-04:00

Shiglette started 1st grade today. Shigette is mad because she's in a class with girls that are mean. I actually think this is a blessing in disguise on the off chance that the teacher can pick up on this and teach them how to be respectful of others.

No, Shiglette is not a perfect child by a LONGshot. But she's one of those kids who will be influenced by other girls if they want her to be their friend. So if mean girl says "You can't be friends with (nice kid) if you want to be MY friend," it is possible that Shiglette will consider that request. Even when the mean girl is just a horrible kid. We of course need to teach that at home, but if Shiglette and specific mean kids are in the same classroom chances are this is for a reason.

I wrote an email that maybe Shigette will send to the principal and the teacher, saying to them to watch out for this class in case the above happens. However, I do not share Shigette's concern (especially to the extent that she pretty much told off one of the other parents in the class about how HER kid was mean) and hope that this doesn't become a bigger issue between US.

Muh.

The Battle in the Basement!

2008-08-28T08:42:00.001-04:00

Yeah, so ### is sick with an upper respiratory thing. And J is sick with an upper respiratory thing. Hmmm.

J's IM away message is "I'm sick and I'm pissed" ... rightfully so, because she has to chase around 3 kids all week and school starts Tuesday. ### moves out Monday because it's available on 9/1.

### sends an email (from our basement, because she's too sick to go to werk) (... did you catch that it was an email?) saying "Your energy might be better directed elsewhere than being pissed at me for something out of my control."

So J asks me, the email king, to compose one back to ###.

Yammer yammer yammer We have opened our home to you for the summer and have gone out of our way to make you comfortable and to stay out of your way. Maybe it's possible to get yourself into your own place sooner than Monday.

I'm too nice. Especially because we've been told by large chunks of friends to put out her crap the night before trash day.

New Math

2008-08-18T16:20:00.001-04:00

The following is a not-so-fleshed-out idea, but you'll get the gist of it. It's something that's gone around in my head for quite a while.

The "big three" automakers in the United States have posted multiple billion-dollar-loss quarters recently. It's a shame that they're doing poorly, but as the future of industry shifts to the global marketplace it might be expected that our automobiles are increasingly being made in foreign territories.

The U.S. based oil conglomerates have been posting earnings that are spiraling out of control. ExxonMobil, in their previous fiscal year, posted gross earnings of over $140 Billion, and their cash on hand is in the $40 Billion range. Oil companies have seemingly little reason to do anything differently to post profits -- which is, print money.

Think for a second about Intel and Microsoft. Two companies with a single symbiotic relationship. Is it perfect? No. But their fortunes are inexorably linked. Intel makes a better chip, Microsoft exploits it to the limit. (Or, it should).

I'm proposing that the Oil Conglomerates work closely with the US Automakers. Subsidize their R&D for better and more efficient cars. Push each other to do things better. Because if the US automakers fail, it does not bode well for the Oil Industry.

Looking at things too deeply

2008-08-07T23:42:00.001-04:00

OK, the job thing has its ups and downs. Up: Hey, I'm working. Down: Um, will you pay me? Up: I'm doing what I find really interesting. Down: I'd so do it differently because the company doesn't understand how I can work. Up: I'm looked at as a senior-level person in the group. Down: I'm sitting in a cube aisle with less privacy than even Company I had in their row of desks with no walls.

The biggest thing that I find a gauge of my work is the head of my area. She's a very smart woman. I mean, she hired ME. But she's keeps her cards really close to her vest. What are her plans? What does she think of things? How am *I* doing? And the last couple weeks have been REALLY frosty when she would walk by. So, what happens? Yesterday I had reason to speak with her for a couple things. And she smiled, and cracked a (admittedly lame) joke. I saw her outside yesterday afternoon and asked how things were going, and she shared details about her meeting Today I asked her a question as she was walking in front of my desk, and she agreed with me. Also today there were elevators waiting for me. And little things are going in my favor.

Of course it's difficult to quantify. But good when little positive things start coming toward me I'll know it's a good sign.

Stupid human tricks

2008-07-29T20:17:00.001-04:00

Our summer boarder's grandfather passed away last night. I happened to just have put Shigita down to bed when she came upstairs to use the bathroom and she heard me typing away in this very living room. She was quite upset, and blamed herself for not being home to visit him in the hospital, or to do things with the family, etc. etc. I comforted her a little bit by saying he was old and had a full life, etc. and then she went downstairs to bed.

Thing is, she made this decision to leave her family ... her kids shuttled off to their dad, her sick mom left with her ne'er-do-well sister, her grandfather in the hospital slowly declining. She's out here trying to change careers and use the kindness of others to do it on the cheap. And this was her being HER. Without consideration for others, especially the feelings of her kids. So, maybe she should feel a little more upset that she wasn't there. Or maybe she shouldn't, because at the end this was a feeling she decided she could live with.

ROFLBBQ

2008-07-18T08:30:00.001-04:00

Good friends of ours invited us to their house yesterday for a long-promised barbecue. And wouldn't you know it, they got a new computer. "Oh, if you can look it it that would be great, there's a couple things we would ask you to do but dinner's going to be ready in 15 minutes." No problem, I didn't want to talk to them anyway. And that was enough time to install and configure the printer-scanner-fax machine purchased back last September and never taken out of the box.

I kind of feel responsible for their technical well-being as I could not get their wireless router to work a couple years ago in their old house for no apparent reason. So after a second new computer (they're going to get a laptop during 'back to school' sales) I'm going to spend some time there configuring.

Everything happens for a reason, right?

2008-07-15T12:39:00.001-04:00

When I look back at my life at some point in the future, I'll see the highs and lows, and try to make a pattern of it. Yes, I'm a data monkey at heart. That's what I do. One pattern that's highly obvious right now is the run of bad crap that started about this time last year. Hopefully the icing on the cake happened yesterday so we can move on to bigger and better things.

This is the hand I've been dealt, and unfortunately folding it is not an option. I'm hoping that there's something I can put to use out of it, other than the education in "how to get out of bed in the morning when there's no reason to subject yourself to it." So I do what I can. And maybe the next hand I'm dealt is a straight flush.

Is this a friend?

2008-07-08T08:51:00.001-04:00

There's a couple in our town with a daughter the same age as Shiglette. They recently moved here, near where the wife is from originally, after living out of state. I had heard they ran a business that went under back in the old location but they were making a "fresh start" here.

Their daughter and mine are friends, we've broken bread together as families, we've helped each other out in a pinch. Sure, they're a bit nutty, but being a bit strange myself I don't hold that against them.

They're having a lot of problems now. Knowing more than I should, this couple (specifically the husband) is in deep financial trouble. And I know the extent of it, and it's surprising that someone can live like he is. A bright guy, a nice guy, a talented guy, but with no hesitation to misrepresent himself to get things done. She doesn't lead on to the fact she knows or cares about what's going on, but tells my wife about this, that, or the other thing they're going to do this summer. My wife knows what's going on with these people too, and is sick to her stomach after getting off the phone with this woman -- is she supposed to tell her what she knows (and was told in confidence), or should she pretend nothing's going on? One thing is clear, you do NOT get this deep in crap without knowing you're going there.

There is a great chance that this couple will be sued by an organization we both are members of for misrepresentation and nonpayment. And the results won't be pretty if they are. I was told to Google his name, and read the document that popped up. I did. They've been in legal problems before, and the internet does not lie.

So, we know these people about two years. They're in deep doo-doo. What's the protocol here? We can't stick up for them in this, because we know what's been going on from a variety of different sources. We can be NICE to them, but will that make us part of the problem? It's sad but I really hope they move away so we can distance ourselves from our relationship, whatever that may be.

Old friends, new lives

2008-07-08T06:22:00.001-04:00

I met a middle-high school friend of mine for lunch yesterday. He's now living on the other side of the country and was in town for some family event. We got together on Facebook and shared some experiences of the last 15 or so years (we had been in touch very intermittently in the time after high school) and met for lunch near my office.

It's always a bit of a reality check when I realize that high school people don't remain the way they were in high school. I made a comment to my friend that he was always talking about Manhattan and how he wanted to live there when he could, but now he was living much further out West. He's married, doesn't want kids, but is doing quite well for himself in his own very niche business.

It was great to see him, and if he were at all closer we'd get together more because of the familiarity. But this'll probably be a once a decade thing in person. Too bad, really. I miss the idea of school friends.

It's crack.

2008-07-05T08:02:00.001-04:00

Facebook. It's crack. Well, without the chemical imbalance. Although, I've stayed up really late to peruse it or play Scrabulous. Hmmm. Maybe it DOES affect you chemically.

Some of my high school friends are: a rabbi, a contributing writer to multiple magazines, and a VP or an advertising agency. I didn't think they were that interesting when I graduated 18 years ago, but lives happen. They're living in Washington State, New Mexico, the Bay Area. They've got 5 kids, or 5 cats.

And to think we were concentrated in 4 or 5 zipcodes growing up, with similar childhoods (give or take whatever their parents made annually) and experiences (see childhoods). Yeah, sure, there were those who had winter trips to Vail or Antigua, which I did not. Or those who got a new car with a rear spoiler waiting for them when they came home with a license, which I did not. But it's funny ... the life success is not related to the childhood indulgences.

Something to think about.

An even stupider recruiter

2008-07-03T19:58:00.000-04:00

Some recruiter emails me: "Please edit" with an attached resume named Tanya.doc.

I open Tanya in HTML (thanks gmail) and it's not at all my resume. However, Tanya lives three doors down from me on the other side of the street. I'm freaking out. How did I get related to Tanya's resume, and why did this dumb@ss send it to me?

Email protocol

2008-07-02T11:00:00.001-04:00

Numbnut recruiter I've never worked with has sent me and seven others a job spec that I'm completely unqualified for. I know it's seven others because all of us are on the "TO" line. I mean, jeez, these people are all potentially up for the SAME JOB! Anything to get a leg up in this economy is game. What if this was being sent to a work address? I don't want to be signed up for zoophilia spam.

Response to Numbnut is below:

-----------

Dear numbnut recruiter,

Thanks for the job spec, but I am in a new position two weeks already.

It's very bad form to put your recipients in the "To" line of your email. Especially when they could possibly be competing against each other for the same position. Please be more careful with your contact email addresses.

Regards,

Shiggy

Silly friends

2008-06-30T10:48:00.001-04:00

So Shigette has this Crazy Wacky friend. We'll call her CW. She's a kind and generous person ... more than most I know. However, CW is one of those flaky people who make plans and forget them. Not once, but like, all the time. CW completely blew off Shigita's birthday party, without an RSVP, yet she kept in contact with Shigette and knew about the preparations for said party. She also will call Shigette to complain about everything going on in her life, then before Shigette can get a word out about her own issues will say she has to run and hang up. And CW is also pregnant with her FOURTH child and hates her husband.

Shigette told me she ran into CW today and proceeded to tell me that the reason CW has been flaky recently is because her #3 is going from doctor to doctor with some internal issues, and CW herself is going from doctor to doctor with severe health issues with her pregnancy. CW is going alone to her doctor for some tests, to which Shigette said, "don't worry, I'll take you, you shouldn't be alone, etc. etc." Of course we would have to find a babysitter for our 1-year-old for her to be with CW at that time.

I told Shigette that CW is HER friend and it's not my issue, but she's getting set up to be disappointed again by this friend. Shigette told me that we have other friends in our circle who are more dependable and she doesn't NEED CW to be there for us if we have these other friends. But I guess I'm just questioning this friendship from the perspective of one-sidedness. Why would she choose to be near and dear to this girl who is completely flaky and makes poor life decisions? (And that I don't like CW's husband so I wouldn't choose to hang out with them either.)

Any thoughts?

Byproducts of having a job

2008-06-24T14:44:00.000-04:00

1. Cellphone calls from "Restricted" or "Unknown Caller" now bug me more than they did

2. I let calls from "Restricted" or "Unknown Caller" go to voicemail directly

3. I'm getting lots fewer emails

4. I'm eating more snack food

5. I'm drinking more coffee (it also helps that the machine is 8 steps from my chair)

6. I can't goof off as much

7. I'm looking at traffic reports more

8. My handwriting is getting worse

Jorb!

2008-06-18T18:51:00.001-04:00

I have a new jorb!

Starting tomorrow, this pig is, once again, EMPLOYED.

Werd.

Meet The Meh-ts.

2008-06-12T21:10:00.001-04:00

There once was a closer named Billy
Who was giving up leads willy-nilly
What opponents would fear
Made $10 million a year
And now that investment looks silly.

Used cars, anyone?

2008-06-04T09:52:00.001-04:00

I'm looking at jobs online, and it's making me feel dirty. With each, I do a cursory inventory of my own skills and figure if it's worth applying to. Can I get away with saying I've done something I really haven't had more than a basic knowledge of? Maybe if I brush up on it before I speak to the recruiter, Google's got to find me some tutorials.

Some days I find a good 5 or 6 jobs that fit my skill set. It's not a matter of a career move -- it's just survival at this point. I'm hoping to be gainfully employed before too long. Doing what? Who knows.

My next job

2008-05-28T16:17:00.000-04:00

My next job will be something in which I see a future.
My next job will be a place where I do not feel guilty about leaving "on time" most of the time.
My next job will have a culture I can participate in.
My next job will be with an organization I can feel proud of working for.
My next job will be supportive of my needs, both professionally and personally.
My next job will first reward the people who do good, rather than first blame the people that don't.
My next job will already have good paths of communication built, rather than having to guess who is the next in line.
My next job will be built on a marketable idea and will at least have tasted success on some level.
My next job will be glad to have me as an employee.

So, yeah.

2008-05-25T09:28:00.001-04:00

I was let go from my job on Friday.

Yup, unemployed again. However, it's not going to help ANYONE if I sit and stew about it, because nobody's going to offer a job to a sour twit. And I have some irons in the fire, so I'll just put on my best HR-ey face and smile my way through the next few (hopefully) weeks.

Was this justified? I'd be hard pressed to say no, actually. My job performance was suffering because there was this keen political game they were playing which I tried to stay out of. It was called, "let's blame the next guy," and I would say I took my shots STICKING UP for people rather than passing the blame to them. Was I the best employee there? Not by a long shot. But I lived the ups and downs of the company probably more personally than others, and I have had very few good nights' sleep in eight weeks or so because of my constantly churning stomach. So there was a lot of relief through the "difficult conversation" that I had with my (silent) boss and HR on Friday.

Anyway, I now will look to spend as little time on the dole as possible.

Democratic update 2

2008-04-30T22:20:00.002-04:00

I love electoral-vote.com.

Based on polls of April 30th, if the election were held today, electoral votes would be:

Clinton 291 McCain 247

Obama 243 McCain 269 ...Ties 26

I stand by my last post.

Democratic update

2008-04-23T10:15:00.001-04:00

OK, let me get this straight. Obama has won more votes than Hillary. He's won more STATES than Hillary. He's won more money than Hillary. And yes, the MONEY is a win too.

Yet, with the exception of Illinois, has he won any state that the Democrats would traditionally carry in a general election?

Don't get me wrong. Obama's a charismatic, intelligent guy with lots of ideas. And I would expect he could carry most Democratic states in a general election if it got to that point. Yet, at this point his "convincing" lead in the primaries just rings hollow.

I had a dream

2008-03-03T16:47:00.000-05:00

So my dream started with me getting a letter saying my new job started Monday. And it was right before I would otherwise have had to leave for my current job. So I get to the train as usual, take it into NYC, and hop a subway downtown where this job is. Of course I leave the letter at home but my Tribeca-Fu and "the street is five letters long and begins with a _" guided me to the right direction.

I'm at this job, and I'm going around a neat office, it's a little on the dark side with lots of computers lighting the way. It's also pretty loud in there because everyone is playing music and watching car crash footage on YouTube. Yes, I have vivid dreams.

It's about 11 am and I get the realization that "OMG, I haven't called in to my current job to let them know I wouldn't be coming in today!" They said, here, use our phones, but I decided to use my cell because we have caller ID in this office.

I called three people (including my boss) and just got voice mail. I said, "screw it, they'll realize I left when I don't return their calls." And then I woke up.

------

No, I am still working at the current job. No, I have not had offers or interviews of any substance that lead me in this direction. I am chalking this up to wishful thinking, and leaving it at that.

Somehow it's going to be my fault anyway.

2008-03-03T10:11:00.000-05:00

I sent someone a file on Thursday afternoon. I get a "high-priority" email Saturday in the early AM saying that they can't work with the file because it's in the wrong format to view on their home computer and they need it in the right format to compile into a status report before Monday.

I respond (first thing this morning) that:
1. Sorry I didn't realize you would be working on this from your home computer [but you DID have it a full day at work and I sent it to you before it was actually due from me]
2. Here's the file in the "right" format [although it's Monday a.m. already and there's no way you're going to use it]
3. Here's links to a converter that you can install at home [which you won't]

I guarantee this is going to be made into an issue with me to blame. Most probably because I did not check my email over the weekend.

Blog entry

2008-03-01T10:50:00.001-05:00

Complain complain complain

Grumble grumble

Hey look how awesome I am in teh midst of this complaining

Complain complain complain

Grumble. Peace out.

I just love this name

2008-02-16T13:15:00.002-05:00

Wonderful Terrific Monds.

That is all.

I'm old.

2008-02-09T13:03:00.001-05:00

Fountains of Wayne rocked last night. Even though they lead off the show with "Please Don't Rock Me Tonight." But hey. You can't win 'em all.

Saw a young guy wearing a t-shirt of my alma mater, and we were pretty much squished up next to each other on the way out of the venue. "Oh hai," said I. "I graduated there (mmfty-mmf) years ago." (OK, it's less than 20, so there's no "mmfty." More like "mmfteen," I'd correct it to. But I'm lazy and don't like the Backspace button.)

He said, "Oh, I don't know if I'm even in yet!"

I'm like, "Hey. Pleased to meet your acquaintance. I'm fscking old."

Just because you're intelligent doesn't mean you're right.

2008-02-04T19:40:00.001-05:00

I have a few direct reports at my yob. I found a reasonably harmless blog that "Outspoken One" had created in his own name, and for some reason I decided to see what he was doing on it recently. There's some quote on it that seems to relate to me that isn't really nice, giving the opinion that since I don't pay attention to what this dude is saying, I shouldn't be a supervisor.

I could be angry ... and I guess I sort of am. But not because he wrote that message about me, it's because this particular guy can be a complete stubborn tool, and his attitude gets many people annoyed at him at our reasonably small workplace.

Here's a specific instance: Last week, Outspoken One showed me something that he wanted to do to a database, that it solved a problem, and it should be done to EVERY database. I gave him two reasons why that might not be a good idea, he sulked and virtually carried on like "I know better than you, your opinion isn't important unless you agree." But I was right. I'm his boss, after all. The next day, he apologized to me, saying that the identified problem was specific to the initial dataset, and that he should think more before he determines a course of action in the future. I don't get SMUG usually. But in this case I did. Big sh!t-eating grin at my cube. I tried to hide it.

Moral of the story: If you're going to publish something in your own name -- or have any sort of FaceSpace account, be careful what you post.

On timing

2008-01-25T08:17:00.001-05:00

So, we have a small lending library here at work. I'm usually taking books and reading them on the train, and then putting them back when I get the chance. Getting time to read on my 45 minute commute is one of the things that makes the commute sane.

Anyway last night I took a paperback from the shelf. Called _The Reader_ by Bernhard Schlink (and translated from German), it's the story of a boy who develops a relationship with an older woman, who he then encounters later in life as she is on trial for Nazi atrocities. I'm both pleased and a bit sheepish to declare that it took me exactly these 45 minutes to read. One train ride, from work to home, and I completed the entire book, absorbed it, and could probably write a review of it. I suppose I'm blessed with the ability to race Evelyn Wood in a speedreading contest.

But this morning, as I thought about it a little more, the author of this book may have spent months or YEARS writing this book. Poured his heart, soul, and ink into it. And I dispatched it between 5:30 and 6:15 last night. A mere trifle, to keep me occupied as I stood up on the train. Sure, I enjoyed it, because it made my trip go a bit quicker. But I'm wondering -- would the esteemed Herr Schlink MIND that I devoured his attempt at literature in less time than it takes to make a German Chocolate Cake.

On steroids

2007-12-16T13:22:00.001-05:00

With all the people fingered in the Mitchell report (lack of evidence for many notwithstanding), I don't think there's going to be much of an effect. The active players will all get their days "in court" during the course of the upcoming seasons. The inactive players will have to deal with all of this. And honestly, the ones that did things that were not at the time banned by baseball must not get punished in the least. Andy Pettitte took HGH in 2000? Yes, shameful. But it was not at the time a punishable offense in the realm of Major League Baseball.

So I'm wondering now about Pete Rose. He's a schmuck, who bet on the outcome of baseball games. But there's no evidence he ever CHEATED for personal gain. I demand an immediate un-banning of Pete Rose. Make him re-eligible for a 15-year stint on the Hall Of Fame ballot. Let the voters have their say on Rose. Because they will on McGwire, Bonds, and Clemens. And while they're at it, do the same for Joe Jackson of the 1919 Black Sox.

We're all fanboys.

2007-12-02T21:04:00.000-05:00

In my youth, I was an unabashed Billy Joel fanboy. I blame my uncle, who was completely the music geek of my extended family, on either side. It also helped that I played piano, but that just helped me identify with whatever it was that Billy Joel did.

By fanboy, I look at what Star Trek geeks do. I would totally have attended conventions if I could have, I read books, clipped newspaper articles, and wound up learning the backstories of not just Billy himself (well-documented), but members of his band. Don't get me started on Richie Canatta, mmmkay?

One of the milestone events of my teenage years was when Billy traveled to Russia and performed a series of shows in Moscow and Leningrad/St. Petersburg. I followed the run-up to the trip (and the first concert I ever attended was his last US concert before he left for Moscow) and even tried catching some of it on the radio when WNEW had a simulcast. This helped me achieve fanboy status because it was not in the comfort of my own home, it was in some antique store that was playing light jazz on their stereo before I got to it. :) My parents were embarrassed.

I don't have time to be a fanboy of Billy Joel's now ... and the fact that he hasn't released a new studio album since 1994 makes it a bit difficult to keep up with the latest. But I think fanboydom is perfectly acceptable. At any age. But it's easier to explain away as an adolescent.

Vent, Thanksgiving edition

2007-11-24T03:05:00.001-05:00

OK, so. The good fortune of an open wireless internet connection allows me to vent. Lucky you.

I'm at my father-in-law's place. Since my mother-in-law passed in September we haven't been back. This house was cold and unwelcoming before -- now it's cold, unwelcoming, and karmically empty. The baby has been nursing all night (well, 10pm-2am) and Shigette has pretty much banished me to 'anywhere but the bedroom' with teh bebbi so she can sleep. Of course this means going downstairs, where I'm in a t-shirt and sweats and watching ESPN in the 50 degree living room. The dog is also up. And the dog is whiny and smelly...although he must have been groomed recently because the smell isn't as bad as it has been on previous visits. Dog is awake and whining why I'm not letting him out. I'm trying to ignore him and keep him away from teh bebbi who is finally asleep in her car seat. Now he's whining at my f-i-l's bedroom door.

Yesterday we had a short graveside service for Shigette's cousin who had passed away in March. Fun time had by all. Not. Obviously we wouldn't have missed it, being teh bebbi (born 2 months after) is named for her. And we got to see a number of cousins and family-ish people that we don't often see. We got back "home" around 3:00 and I kept looking at the microwave clock in the kitchen, thinking "Hmm. 4:12. We would be home before 8:30." It was all I could do to not blurt out "oh we can go back to NJ now?"

We wound up going out to dinner with Shigette's brother and his wife after f-i-l offered to watch the (older two) children. It was nice as we don't often see them alone. I mean, together. Just themselves. Then get the kids to bed (because they need the prompting) and time for bed ourselves. And the sleeping baby woke up. Sure thing she'd sleep. Right.

The dog is now whining loudly behind a gate in the computer room while I'm on the sofa watching tv and typing this. A very old L&O with Jane Kaczmarek. Interesting. He's not used to people being awake during his night time. I am this close to getting that fork we used for turkey carving. VERY CLOSE.

I sincerely hope that with the extra time Shigette will be allowed to sleep tonight, she will be magnanimous and handle the drive home. Otherwise there's going to be a very blue guard rail somewhere on I-95 tomorrow afternoon.

Who are the Dylans?

2007-11-07T08:33:00.000-05:00

I was talking to a friend of mine who is a big music buff (years 1964-74, generally) and he was complaining that in today's music, there are no songwriters who are the same level of the Dylans, the Joni Mitchells, the Simons (and Garfunkels).

I didn't have much of an answer for him then, but it came to me on the train this morning. Singer-songwriters are no longer mainstream! Everything is producer-driven (see: Britney Spears and her ilk, hip-hop) and aim for the widest audience. I mean, I wsan't buying music then but one could assume that Bob Dylan didn't speak to the entire music-buying public in the mid-to-late 60s. The other issue is that there are many more definitions of music now than there were when Dylan and Joni 'trolled the scene. There are likely Dylans in every genre. Country? Sure. Rap? Of course. Folk-rock? Definitely.

So, we'll assume that these people are out there -- the Dylans of the 21st Century. Where are they? Well, the whole subgenre of "indie" music, covering a wide swath of musical tastes, is likely where the bulk of these uber-songwriters hang out. Many of them sell a fraction of the records that the mainstream artists do, and this is why their influence is felt most usually by other similar musicians.

So, the question is not, who are the Dylans -- it's "Where are these folks hiding?"

Ugh

2007-11-06T08:04:00.001-05:00

Baby woke up at 1:30 am.
I fed her, put her in her carseat, in the swing, and went back to snooze.
Baby woke up at 2:30 am.
Didn't have to move her, she kinda whined herself back to sleep.
Baby woke up at 4:00 am.
Gave her a bottle in her swinging carseat, which she for the most part held.
Baby didn't go back to sleep.
Since 4:00 am.
Took an early shower, left the house at 6:30 to try and make some hay before the sun shined.
* got a good parking spot, but that's because I was there 1/2 hour early.
My entire train ride smelled like everyone just hopped on from the gym.
Nauseous and wet, I trudge up to work.
Get immediate wonderful news about a deal not closing.
All before 8.
Be all you can be.

Movie Arithmetic

2007-11-05T19:57:00.000-05:00

I has a project.
My project, let me show you it.

De do do do...

2007-10-08T16:33:00.001-04:00

Andy Summers of The Police says new album possible.

This is kind of interesting. Summers is 64, Sting and Stewart are in their mid-50s. Yet they would consider a new album. I wish it would have HALF the energy of their other four studio albums, which are all classics in my mind.

But I would be curious as to the types of songs they would have. I've come up with a couple of ideas for them:

I Can't Stand Losing (My Hair)
De do do do, de da da da, I forgot what I was gonna say to you...
When the world is running down, you need to get the hell off my lawn...
Every Breath You Take is closer to your last one...
Every Little Thing My Chiropractor Does Is Magic
...All I Want Is To Be (Buried) Next To You

(what do you have?)

On appearances

2007-09-14T09:53:00.001-04:00

My favorite room in my inlaws' large suburban house, strangely enough, is a half-bathroom that sits just past the living room in a hallway. For a tiny space, it's very pretty. The wall is painted something like a sea foam green (wait, I'm not done) but it's the same color as a part of a lithograph that hangs on the wall opposite the door. This painting is of a sitting room in a house, open to a body of water that is that color.

For the room to be effective, care was taken to match the color of the paint to the color of the water in the painting, and I was always impressed by how perfect the room's paint job was. There's also a little spotlight that shines on this painting from the ceiling, making it a focal point (although as a bathroom we all know what the focal point REALLY is). The space is small but the impact is welcoming and shows that the owners of the house care enough to keep a good home.

Obviously nothing is always as it seems though, and upon careful closer inspection I've noticed that there are little imperfections in the paint job, a couple of gouges in the wall, and a cracked tile in a corner that nobody would usually see. Pretty well put together at first glance, but if you're seeking them there are imperfections that we must gloss over. I think this applies to every nice space, and could be extended to the families that occupy them.

Monday Complaint Entry

2007-09-04T12:52:00.001-04:00

1) I need a vacation from my non-good long holiday weekend.
2) My planned vacation for October is on the verge of being cancelled due to the reason behind #1.
3) I have to have a meeting with one of my minions about proper ways to communicate and I'm not excited about it.
4) I am developing a splitting headache.
5) I have a splinter in my thumb and it's making it difficult to type.

It be faiv oh cloch nao yas pleez? kthxbai.

Gets by Buckner!

2007-08-30T09:42:00.001-04:00

<a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYN/NYN198610250.shtml">I love BaseballReference.com</a>

I can hear Vin Scully as I read through this.

Denizens of the train

2007-08-24T08:47:00.001-04:00

Yeah, I commute. By train. What of it?

What I always get a kick out of is that, as open as the train is, nobody dares speak to each other because we're all strangers on that train. So people have this bizarre expectation of privacy. It's not the case. Especially when you're sitting next to someone. No noise is uttered (with the exception of (generally) hushed cellphone calls) and head movements are to stay in an forward and locked position.

So it's always interesting when that tenuous privacy is broken, either because someone has to stand in an aisle or happens to see something that someone else is reading/typing/doing. Recently I've encountered a few doozies that need to bear repeating.

Monday I had the misfortune of sitting next to a woman of about 45 wearing pants a little too tight sifting through X-rated text messages on her cellphone from a lover. Open, linger, delete. Open, linger, delete. I came to the realization that these were all done the night before. And I threw up a little in my mouth.

Some other day (maybe last week?) there was a pretty animated conversation between younger professionals wearing nice suits directly behind me. I believe they went to the Hamptons for either the previous week or weekend, and they must have brought girlfriends that weren't sitting with them. Because I don't think they would have liked what these guys had to say about them -- that's all I need to say about that.

A woman was on the phone with someone from her office totally lambasting someone that they both worked with. I don't know what any of them did, but this particular someone was getting her in trouble because he sent a nasty email. I don't recall the exact text of the email, but she probably read parts of it four or five times to this person on the phone.

And today, in fact, there was a man in professional dress playing with his Treo in front of me (I was standing at the time). Looked like he was reading an email, but it didn't take long to realize that it was a browser pointed at literotica.com. I'm glad he was wearing pants.

Like most people on the train, I usually keep to myself with either an iPod, a book, or a crossword puzzle. But I'll be the one that's also taking mental notes.

Holy Cow!

2007-08-23T10:30:00.001-04:00

As the late Phil Rizzuto and Mel Allen would say, Holy Cow! (Um, yeah, Scooter did not make that one up.)

I was watching the usual lack of good television with Shigette last night and we kept flipping back and forth to the Mets/Padres game broadcasting from Shea. As I am wont to do, I threw up the Yahoo Sports page and watched the boxscore around the usual timewasting activities the internet lends itself to.

Me: "Did I see that right?"
She: "See what?"
Me: "The Orioles are being blown out."
She: "What's blown out?"
Me: "The score says 21 to 3"
She: "Ouch, that's gotta hurt."

Well I immediately switched to THAT boxscore, and the game ended with Dubya's team throttling the O's 30-3, for the most runs scored in a game in 110 years. I was ex-stat-ic. (sorry, had to be done.) Two players on the Rangers with 7 RBI. 10 runs in an inning, 9 in another. Only four pitchers used by the O's because ... of all things ... it was the first game of a doubleheader. Things like this make my evening fun.

When I was in college I decided to send letters out to every major league team asking to work in their operations office. Of course it never happened, but I have a box of letterhead from every major league team that existed in the '90s, many with the signatures of the teams' General Managers who were celebrities to me, especially at that time.

Baseball is not an obsession with me to the level that it was when I was a teenager -- I mean, there's a family I need to feed as well -- but it still has a front-and-center spot in my heart. And even following a meaningless game between two sub-500 teams on a lazy August night is something that makes me smile.

Difficulties

2007-08-16T02:18:00.001-04:00

Today sucked ass.

Last night I couldn't get my work VPN working so I had to do three hours of work before about 10am today. I tried getting into work 45 minutes or so early but karma kicked my ass.

AT work, a client meltdown resulted in one of my minions being questioned about her integrity and she started crying. Of course, minion doesn't get that in some cases being asked if you're lazy is a good thing when the response supports your efforts, but she was thrown off by all of it. She is hopefully calm now or will be in the a.m. and I'll give her a mentoring moment.

In the meantime I got about 2.5 hours of that 3 hours of work done (with the deadline being last week at some point) and finished to a "well, it frickin' better be good enough" state. I think it might well be, because the bottleneck I faced was given a "hmmm, yeah, we should go in the opposite direction" comment from those I needed to pass my results on to. This was the reason for probably 4 hours of analysis over the prior two days, so I feel secure in the feeling that the resultant waste of time was another example of karmic payback.

At the end of the day, after the crying and time wasting efforts and the coming home to "why are we still not getting paid by your stupid insurance" conversations again, I got the chance to give blood. Yay needles! They love my O-negativeness. Hopefully this effort balances the day out. If I have another day Thursday like today at work, I might take a mental health day on Friday.

Oh someone told me yesterday

2007-08-06T09:08:00.001-04:00

The Police concert was last night. After all the back and forth it turns out Shigita was slightly under the weather so Shigette begged out. And she wouldn't have had a good time anyway as J and L never called to apologize or whatever. I took my brother, and I barely spoke to the offending parties at the concert. And that's all I'm going to say about that right now. Stay tuned for act III in that story.

However, the show itself was quite good. The Fratellis opened for them -- not very flashy but they sounded good. And I bet they were excited to have an audience outside of that iPod ad they did. (You'll know the song if you heard it, I don't know the name of it.)

The trio was great from the first gong, but great in a "what do you want, Synchronicity is 25 years old" way. Many of the arrangements were more drawn out, jazzier, and in a lower key to make up for Sting's aging throat. Thing is, it's a rare show in which the music is exactly as it was on the original record (and we're talking original records here), and if it WERE the same the audience would be bored, right? You go to a concert to see how the songs are interpreted in a live setting. The riffs are drawn out, the audience gets involved, and cheers for musicianship erupt at times.

They opened with "Synchronicity II" which was pretty faithful to the original. Andy Summers is a better guitarist than I remembered him to be (and at age 64, and with his stage presence, and wearing the striped shirt he was, he reminded me of a not-yet-undead Keith Richards). During So Lonely, Sting referred to the place as "Welcome to the Stewart Copeland Show" and he was NOT exaggerating. Stewart showed up with his "A" game and was clearly the glue that kept the show together. I was glad to have seen him perform live, he's always been a favorite of mine and would be my first pick on percussion on my Fantasy Band team.

As far as the song selection goes -- no surprises during the set, except some extended riffs made the crowd a little antsy about singing when they didn't know the cues. The only song off the top of my head that they missed was "Spirits In The Material World." The visuals were actually stunning -- I liked the light show. The three screens behind the band generally focused one each on the band members, and there were neat splashes of color on big screens on the sides and above the stage. It made me stop concentrating on the fact I was paying good money to watch middle-aged musicians play.

You gotta have friends

2007-08-02T08:28:00.001-04:00

Shigette and I are going to the Police concert this Sunday. Because of logistics, we're taking baby Shigita. I mean, she's 11 weeks old tomorrow and we really don't feel like leaving her with a sitter for six hours.

Yesterday afternoon (as I was on my way home from work) Shigette gets a call from our good friend L, with whom (and husband J) we are sitting with at the concert. L and J had tickets with L's boss before L was fired from said job, so they sold those and bought tickets from another friend (who we are also going with) who had extras. But this is another story.

L asks Shigette if we are still planning on bringing the baby, and Shigette responds that we are. Then launches into this diatribe about how she and J were planning on making this an adult night out and the baby's going to ruin the vibe of the concert for us, and what are we going to do if we need to change a diaper or nurse her and we shouldn't bring the baby because it's a safety issue and we're exposing her to bad things if we bring her.

Shigette gets upset and tells L that we didn't expect to clear this decision with her. The back and forth goes on for a little while with Shigette getting more upset by the minute. L winds up getting hung up on.

I get home and get this relayed to me. Shigette is still livid (and on the phone with another friend to relay the drama). L was expecting Shigette to call her back, but in Shigette's words "I don't even think she's a friend anymore, why should I call her?"

My response: If she were to call US back, I would gladly speak to her. I would be logical and analytical and not show emotion with her. Because this was not an emotional decision for us -- hey, we're going to bring the baby and all will be well -- it surely shouldn't be one for her. I don't really need another mother, I have one already.

The nerve of some people.

Cleaning's tough

2007-07-29T12:17:00.001-04:00

This is actually a story from last weekend. I was cleaning the refrigerator. Found a yogurt in the back of the fridge, I don't eat them myself but Shigette does, from time to time.

Me: "Shigette, you bought yogurt?"
She: "No, I didn't. Did you?"
Me: "No, but this one expires August 8."
She: "I didn't buy yogurt."
Me & She in unison: "Ewwwwwwwww! It's LAST August 8!"

Look what the internet says about me!

2007-07-28T17:46:00.000-04:00

Ten Top Trivia Tips about Shiggy!

You share your birthday with shiggy.
Shiggy was originally green, and actually contained cocaine.
Duelling is legal in Paraguay as long as both parties are shiggy.
Half a cup of shiggy contains only seventeen calories!
If you lie on your back with your legs stretched it is impossible to sink in shiggy!
The colour of shiggy is no indication of his spiciness, but size usually is!
Moles are able to tunnel through 300 feet of shiggy in a day!
Only 55 percent of Americans know that the sun is made of shiggy.
Wearing headphones for an hour will increase the amount of shiggy in your ear 700 times.
Oranges, lemons, watermelons, pineapples and shiggy are all berries.

DO NOT WANT

2007-07-26T14:18:00.001-04:00

On the walk to my office in Midtown Manhattan I pass a number of cafes and sandwich shops.

There's one that actually LOOKS nice from the outside and has a menu in their window. If I ever go there, remind me not to buy the "conned" beef.

Play ball!

2007-07-25T08:29:00.001-04:00

So last night, during her normal crank-out period, we put Shigita in her bouncy seat so Shigette could read more of HP7 and I could get some things done in the house. The Mets-Pirates game is on and bebbi is strangely calm, seemingly watching the game on TV.

Runner on, Lasting Milledge hits one over the fence in right field for a home run. The announcers get animated, some lights flash on screen.

Shigita looks at me and giggles mightily. Without provocation other than the two-run shot by Milledge.

I'm so proud of our little Mets fan.

On music formats

2007-07-23T09:51:00.001-04:00

Maybe it's because my hearing sucks, or because I'm listening on $5 headphones via my PC, but I'm trying to figure out what's SO MUCH BETTER about "lossless" music formats, except the amount of space the files take up.

I'm just looking to pass the time more betterly at work -- if a MP3 at 192kbps sounds ok to me does this mean I'm not worthy of the music I'm playing? I don't believe the founding parents of rock and roll really cared about the quality, as long as it was good enough to listen to and dance a little.

So here I am listening to a recorded FM broadcast of a concert I wish I was at, in FLAC format. I'm glad I got a new thumb drive that'll hold it.

I'm not a very spontaneous guy...

2007-07-22T10:00:00.001-04:00

... but last night I went to testdrive a new minivan at about 7:30 pm based on recommendation (yes, we were in the market for one) and drove it off the lot at 11:00.

Yay, car payments!

So many things wrong with this

2007-07-17T10:10:00.001-04:00

I get home from work yesterday and there's a car in front of my house. Jogging my brain, I'm wondering who's car it is, wondering, oh crap, it's this "friend" we haven't seen in a while.

Said "friend" is really a high school friend of two (adult - mid-20s) babysitters we use, and a major hanger-on. She came over to see the new baby and is in a reasonably stable relationship. This is good, because she was a total psycho when we first met her. She's pierced and tattooed, playing up the "I'm a butch lesbian and going to shout it from the rooftops" angle, which I don't particularly enjoy, but still.

So "friend" needs to explain that her best friend (one of the babysitters) is engaging in exceedingly questionable behavior with random internet hookups. In extreme detail. She learned this after reading emails. And she's brought this all up to the babysitter person who laughs it off. I'm a bit angry with babysitter person for what I'm hearing, but I'm almost incredulous at "friend" because she feels the need to explain exactly WHAT babysitter is doing. Like, specifics. Of course, "friend" has been psycho enough that her behavior can be questionable as well and yet hasn't done anything about it other than judge her friends, but this is beside the point.

This goes on for over an hour, as we continually have to shoo away our kids because this is DEFINITELY an NC-17 conversation.

I leave the room to change out of my work clothes, come back downstairs and "friend" is still there. I go upstairs to read the girl a book before bed, come back downstairs and "friend" is still there. I make the suggestion to J that we think about dinner, we have a 10 minute conversation about Chinese or Subway, and "friend" makes no motion to the door. It is now 8:30 pm.

I drive around the block a few times on my way back from picking up dinner (Panera) and "friend" is getting up from her seat. Finally she leaves. FINALLY. OMG, we have our house back.

I tell Shigette that I was a bit surprised that she was over. And a bit annoyed that she wouldn't get the hint and leave. Shigette responds "oh, that's just her, you know what she's like." What a fine way to ruin an evening. Next time I see that car outside my house I'm going to drive around until she leaves.

NWA: Newborns With Attitude

2007-07-16T22:33:00.000-04:00

Shigita was laying on her changing table and playing with her hands, and she wound up holding up one fist in front of her head, holding it for a few seconds at the time.

Our new phrase in this house: "Fight the power."

Open Letter

2007-07-16T10:51:00.001-04:00

Open Letter to the dude with the Dell in the train seat next to me.

Dear Dude,

When people sneeze, it is appropriate for them to cover their mouths. This makes germs less likely to distribute near other people. It also prevents your boogers from flying all around.

I happened to be looking in the direction of your nice new laptop when you sneezed. You wound up coating your reflective screen with snot. I was both horrified and embarrassed to be sitting there at that moment, and because there was a guy standing next to me it would have been difficult to get up and move at that time. But I really wanted to. Oh how I really wanted to.

When I got to my office I scrubbed my hands with scalding hot water. And I asked around for Airborne to no avail. I hope you didn't get me sick, buddy.

Love,
Shigpit

We are all beings of free will. I keep telling myself that.

2007-07-12T08:38:00.001-04:00

I picked up the phone and a friend was a bit in need of an ear. She didn't specifically request advice about the situation she was in, but she seemed to be a bit upset about something.

Without getting into the actual exchange, I brought up a number of points (five or six, at least) that she might think of as good ideas to get out of the situation or at least make it better. But each one I mentioned, she just explained that it wouldn't work, or that she was unwilling to put in that effort. Finally, I pretty much gave up and told her that I'm trying to help, yet she must enjoy what's going on in her world enough to not to want to change it. Her reply, "I think this is something I need to work out on my own." I was frustrated that she dismissed my advice, a bit annoyed that I expended energy I thought was going to help a friend, and a bit confused as to why she would have lead me down that road when all she really wanted to do was complain.

Next time I pick up that phone and I see her on the caller ID, I'll still answer it, but maybe I'm going to need to distance myself from her issues and pass her over to Shigette.

Don't be a hater

2007-07-10T11:59:00.001-04:00

I am really liking my job. I'm here 2.5 months and happy to be here. Of course with every new role there are things you wish were different. Here, there are a few things I **JUST CAN NOT STAND** that I will enumerate.

1. Like any other company that deals with software, there's this nutty work ethic some people have which allows them to sleep in, saunter into the office at 10am, then leave late. I'm one of a very few early birds (I get in around 8am) but I feel guilty leaving work at 5:30. Meh.

2. In my last job I had an office. With a door. That I closed from time to time. There's very little privacy here and I'm always looking over my shoulder as I type or talk on the phone. It's going to take a lot of getting used to.

3. The worst part of this place is the bathroom. In one bathroom, if you're at the sink washing your hands the mirror reflects the guy who's on the can in the stall. There's like 1/2" of spacing where the stall door is, and ... uh ... it's IN THE MIRROR. I'm not especially SHY, but I like to poop in private.

Other than that I like it here. :)

6 Down

2007-07-06T08:40:00.001-04:00

My friend S probably hates me. We take the train together most of the way from our town (at which time I transfer and he stays on). He likes to do crossword puzzles. He stopped sharing them with me after one day, when he said we should do it together, and I got most of the puzzle in about 10 minutes before I disembarked. He writes slow.

This morning I took a catnap on the train while S did his puzzle (from yesterday's free NYC paper) in the seat in front of me. Woozy from nap, I get out of my seat to get the train, and notice he filled in most of the puzzle. I said, "Good job, S" but he said, 'no, I have a couple more to get' and moved his hand.

I'm getting off the train and say, "6-Down is BRONTE" to which point he shook his fist at me.

Paradise by the Dashboard Lights

2007-07-05T09:23:00.001-04:00

I'm usually up with teh bebbi (Shigita) at some point between 1-3 am for feeding, etc. Last night was no different, and to make her get back to sleep I usually walk her around the house for a bit until she closes her eyes.

So I walk from the back room to the front door to look outside at the dark and rainy street, and there's a car parked outside my house. I see a little bit of movement from within the car, which becomes repetitive, and I get the realization that sex is being had in that car. Holy carp. I don't want them to see ME (Shiggy with baby = buzzkill^2) and yet I can't easily look away. Not that there's very much to be seen, mind you -- the whole episode was something north of PG-13 and south of R. I decide to walk around a bit more -- kinda wanting to nip the chance of screaming baby in the bud.

5 minutes later: yup, still there. Lightning in the distance reveals EXTREMELY fogged up windows. Yet the shapes still move. I'll walk around a little more.

I come back to see a cigarette being lit from inside the car. Aw, how sweet. The guy gets out of the car to stretch his legs (clothed) and I recognize him as a friend of the kid that lives a couple doors down. What, T couldn't let him use the basement? Jeez, some friend he is.

All in all, I'm glad someone in the vicinity of my house got some last night. Happy Fourth.

Um, yeah.

2007-07-04T21:15:00.001-04:00

I just got an email out of the total blue from this guy I lived with for a few months after college. Said guy, at the time, was a major prick, and being that I had just met my (now) wife I was ecstatic for a place to go that was not populated by Major Prick (reporting for duty, sir!). Shigette calls him "enough about me, what do you think about me?" and I moved out of the apartment only a few months after he moved in with me.

OK, it's 10 years on, and I haven't said boo or thought about him much since then. Yeah, I'll probably say hi because I don't hold grudges well. But I'm just a bit nervous that he's going to be all "so this is my life since then" and expect me to care. Because I really don't. Even though I wish him nothing but happiness, I really don't have the energy to be close with this guy again -- he's involved and very close with his circle, and trust me, he takes a LOT of energy to be around.

So, yeah, maybe I'll talk with the guy over email a bit. But that's hopefully the extent of it.

Is it just me or ...

2007-07-03T14:03:00.001-04:00

... is Lindsay Lohan on target to become Anna Nicole Smith in 10 years?

Don't you think you should...

2007-07-01T16:43:00.000-04:00

... go here?

I just found this site. Something sweet. :)

Gonna eat some worms

2007-06-28T10:43:00.001-04:00

To be successful in a work environment, it is important for people to be able to divorce business requirements with personal feelings. We all do things we don't WANT to do in our jobs, but how we each perform in those situations will determine the impact of our overall contribution. We are all capable of more than we're responsible for, but we all have to do what the job requires especially in a junior level position.

Sometimes there are opportunities for one to become involved in new projects or utilize their knowledge in cross-functional groups. The ones with aspirations generally take these opportunities to differentiate themselves from others in their peer group.

What I don't understand is when people complain about the responsibilities they have, say they are some combination of overworked and underpaid, yet decline chances to shine with offers of opportunities to get involved with and stop just short of flatly refusing to be involved in work activities that the rest of group is responsible for.

The problem with high expectations

2007-06-27T08:30:00.001-04:00

I'm a big fan of Crowded House. I am trying to rearrange my schedule so I can see them live when they're here in the States. I teared up when I heard drummer Paul Hester offed himself. I have rarities on MP3. You know, the whole nine yards.

Of course, when I found that they were coming out with a new album this summer I immediately procured it. (And that's all I'm going to say about that.) I loaded my iPod for today's commute and cued up song #1. 15 years of waiting were going to melt away and I was going to hear what the Crowdies had to say. My anticipation was that the album would SOUND like Crowded House ... you remember "Something So Strong" and "Don't Dream It's Over." You might not remember "Chocolate Cake" or "Instinct" or "Distant Sun" but both the ballads and the upbeat songs had something uplifting about them.

Sadly, this only happened about three times over the course of this album. I won't say it was a train wreck, because in general Crowded House's fart noises are more listenable than most of the crap coming out of top-40-ville these days. But I was thoroughly disappointed because of the high standards I held this band up to. Sure, I'll still support them, and there were a couple of gems on the album. But overall, the expectations I had failed me, and for that I'm sad.

Crowded House, "Time On Earth" ... gets a C+.

It's come to my attention...

2007-06-22T12:43:00.001-04:00

... that I have not updated my blog in a very long time. Let's see why, OK?

April: Interviewed and got offered a new job. Gave notice to old job, handed over 2 1/3 years of work to my able minion, who is now a department of one. Started current job, which requires me to commute into Manhattan.

May: Heavily integrated into new job. Heavily integrated into new baby (Shigita) born May 18th. Took a few days off and a few days to work from home, and came back unscathed but very sleepy.

June: Lots of job stuff, lots of baby stuff, coming to work on three hours sleep and doing it all again that night. Developed a strange pain in my side. Thinking it was appendicitis, going to the DOCTOR (omfg) and then the HOSPITAL (holy jumpin' jeebus) and taking tests and figuring out the pain will go away in 3-14 days without surgery.

This brings me up to the present day. June 22nd. I've been in four hours of meetings, and it's only 12:30. My side continues to hurt but I'm popping Advil Liquigels like they're green Good-N-Plentys. I'm snarfing down chinese food provided to me by my company (thanks company) and typing this blog entry before I meet a couple people in another conference room.

All said, Shigpit is Silly Busy. But I love to write, so I will continue. I'll block off time for it.

Y? Because we LIKE you.

2007-05-31T09:16:00.001-04:00

We had an unwanted visitor in my house. With the baby we needed to make sure that this unwanted visitor was not allowed, under no uncertain terms. The visitor was of the rodent persuasion, and that made us all exceedingly uncomfortable and skeezed out.

So I bought traps.

Try #1: The focaccia bread the Mother In Law bought and the mouse nibbled on through the saran wrap. Eaten off the four traps, traps didn't kick.
Try #2: Peanut Butter: Eaten off the four traps, traps didn't kick.
Try #3: Cheerios: Eaten off the four traps, traps didn't kick.
Try #4: Pieces of Hot Dogs: Eaten off the four traps, traps didn't kick.

By this point we felt that the mouse was so tiny, the traps wouldn't work at all. My wife suggested I call an exterminator and had been scared there might have been more than one.

Try #5: Different bread. Eaten off the four traps, traps didn't kick.
Try #6: MORE peanut butter. Eaten off the four traps, traps didn't kick.

I then thought, hey, let's give the thing a buffet. So ...
Try #7: Bread on one, peanut butter on two, hot dog on one. Eaten off the four traps, traps didn't kick.
Try #8: Peanut Butter with a cheerio in it. Success. For me, not the mouse.

The mouse was not little. I believe the tail was about 7" long. And I am sufficiently grossed out by having a mouse on my counter. It might have been little at one time, but we fed the thing well.

And tonight, I will scrub the kitchen so well it will shine.

It's weird.

2007-05-10T21:02:00.001-04:00

I keep hearing that all these pitchers are getting Tommy John surgery. I guess nobody wants to spend for the surgery of a hall-of-fame pitcher.

This is why I hate spellcheckers.

2007-05-02T19:57:00.001-04:00

IRS: Man ran secret bank from Wash. home

By GENE JOHNSON, Associated Press Writer Wed May 2, 9:40 AM ET

SEATTLE - A man operated a "warehouse bank" out of his suburban home, taking at least $28 million from people around the country who wanted a discrete bank account, according to court documents.

No. No. This is wrong. Unless the guy was trying for a service for SEPARATE bank accounts. Your writer more likely wanted to use discreet which means secret or trustworthy. I appeal to the Associated Press. Get rid of your spellcheckers and start getting proofreaders.

GAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

2007-05-01T15:50:00.001-04:00

... but it's a good GAAAAAAAAAAAH!

I will be sad...

2007-04-14T22:11:00.000-04:00

... when this whole Imus controversy also claims those yummy ho-hos.

So it goes

2007-04-12T13:41:00.001-04:00

Kurt Vonnegut died this morning. I'm sad.

When I was...oh, about 9 or so, and we would go visit my uncle and aunt, there was ABSOLUTELY nothing to do in his house for me. I had to keep myself busy, and so it generally meant I was watching a ballgame on television or reading one of his books. He had a big bookcase, if I remember correctly.

One of the authors that was well-represented was Kurt Vonnegut. So I read "Player Piano" first, then "Breakfast of Champions" because of the illustrations. I remember realizing that the books were extremely heavy topics disguised in comedy even as far back as then. I have to email my uncle.

I'm a bit sad, I'm a bit angry, but I hope that this news gets people that weren't aware of him up to their library to take out a book he write, just for the experience. And to understand why this is a sad occasion in American history. I would have loved to see him in a position of governmental authority. Oh how I would have loved that.

Kurt Vonnegut died this morning. So it goes.

On Imus

2007-04-11T09:45:00.001-04:00

I was exceedingly proud of the Rutgers Women's Basketball team on their performance in the NCAA tournament this year. I didn't really follow them, but it was always a good story to hear and have that pride of state thing.

So when I heard Imus's comments last week, I laughed. Not because the comments were inherently funny, but because I knew then how deep in sh!t Imus would be when the hammer finally fell. It was a nervous laugh, something like I would have also done when medical test results were OK or my boss was giving me his review at the end of the year.

I don't listen to his show, but I've had the opportunity to hear Imus speak about his comments (oh, how meta) and the Rutgers contingent speak about dignity and purpose. I've heard the pundits call for his head or line up in support of him. It's been said that Imus makes fun of everyone and he's also a right bigot at times, yet he also does tremendous good for ill children through his personal foundation.

I watch his body language and it looks like he is incredulous that his comments could have been taken at anything more than a joke. Yet the outrage this has caused has required him to reflect upon himself and agree that what he said was wrong even when he doesn't believe it. His body is saying, "Jeez, can't you PC people take a damn joke?" And he's squirming in his chair because he's rarely ever opened up to such scrutiny.

Imus should not be fired. The joke he thought he made was lost on everyone, but the reverberations have put him in his own little circle of hell near those who have stuck their feet in their mouths due to a joke gone wrong or a bad choice of words. It's not bad enough that he needs to be fired (like Al Campanis did) but he will likely need to watch his mouth and think a little more for as long as he continues to appear on the radio. Because everyone is listening now. And that, for a "comedian," is punishment enough.

Fountains of Wayne - Traffic And Weather

2007-04-07T17:35:00.001-04:00

Fountains Of Wayne has made a name for itself with wry, ironic lyrics wrapped around melodies the Cars might have written 20 years ago. You all remember the story of "Stacy's Mom" and being inked by "Red Dragon Tattoo," but that only tells half the story. Adam Schlesinger and Chris Collingwood are masters at their art -- pondering the mundanity and absurdity of suburban life in song.

"Yolanda Hayes" is a fine example -- what makes the DMV employee tick? "behind window B/explaining patiently/that she needs to see six forms of ID?" Maybe this isn't as catchy as Stacy's Mom, but the lyrics are discovered at every listen. "New Routine" tells the story of multiple subjects who are just not content in their environment; a waitress from Mineola who meets and breaks up with a man in Lichtenstein who himself leaves to work at a La Quinta Inn in Bowling Green, Kentucky and gets spurned by its Canadian manager who wants to return to her home.

The Fountains lead off with "Someone To Love," a boy-just-barely-misses-girl story that takes place in Brooklyn. It's got what you expect -- singable lyrics (check), catchy tune (check), harmony (check), comparisons to The Cars (check). The recently completed video features Daily Show correspondent Demetri Martin. Alas, Rachel Hunter does not make an appearance.

"Traffic And Weather" is a definitely safe bet. You know what you're going to get when you open the wrapper. And that's a great thing. I give it ... an A-.

On respect

2007-03-27T14:44:00.001-04:00

OK, it's official, I'm being micromanaged to the point where I'm becoming claustrophobic. My supervisor sent me an EMAIL to ask me why I sent an email to someone without his knowledge. And then proceeded to request more respect from me because, of course, he's my supervisor.

I never considered myself as not having respect for him, but being that I feel cut out of other departmental projects that I'm more qualified to work on than the people who they're using, I don't believe the respect goes both ways.

C'mon, my door's wide open for opportunity to just waltz in. No knocking necessary from this point on.

Damn 'em all.

2007-03-22T20:27:00.000-04:00

I first re-updated my resume on Monster.com on September 30, 2005. It might have actually been at the advice of my boss at the time. It was two days before my 10-month anniversary at my current company. Since then I've periodically modified it to add and remove things and stuff. This goes with the territory and I'm fine with it.

So this recruiter contacts me with a "great position" that "getting an interview is just a formality, because [he knows] the hiring manager personally." All I needed to do was make a couple more bullet points about things that I've done and he'll let me know when to go into the city. He just wants to focus on my business skills rather than my technical skills because this would be the focus of the job. Just please keep the techie stuff on, because the hiring manager is pretty techie himself.

I updated my resume and sent it out to him. "Great" he says. "I'll be in touch. What's your availability next week?"

Today I get an email from him. "They're going to pass -- you're too techie for this role."

What do I have to do?

In the car

2007-03-10T15:46:00.000-05:00

This morning, I picked Shigette up from the train station after she was at her cousin's funeral last week.

Me: "So I cleaned up a bit."
She: "Oh?"
Me: "Yeah, the kids helped."
She: "That's good, they can be big helpers from time to time."
Me: "Yeah. And I moved the sofa in the living room to vacuum under it."
She: "Oh. Uh, should I ask?"
Me: "No. Let's just say we shouldn't have bought more Cheerios."
She: (breaks up laughing) Ewwww. (more laughing) I needed that.

Short notice

2007-03-06T19:55:00.001-05:00

I called it in the last entry. Shigette is heading back down tomorrow to be there for Thursday's funeral. I'll have the kids to myself the rest of the week until we leave Friday afternoon to head down there. Meh.

So where were we?

2007-03-03T10:42:00.000-05:00

/me enters the blogging confessional.

Me: It's been almost one month since I've last blogged.
Dark face behind thin curtain: A month? And you're still HERE? I'm surprised the intarweb deities haven't struck you dead yet.
Me: Can't I just post a video or something and call it over?
DFBTC: No! You need to catch your readers up on your life.
Me: Aw, c'mon, that's boring.
DFBTC: Yeah. It is. But it is what you must do. Begone, piglet.

Yeah. OK. In the last month I've given myself a major beat-down. People don't stop walking over you unless you get your ass up off the ground, I've learned. So I've spent the month pretty much getting my ducks in a row about some of that and some of the "jobs don't find themselves" area. And general living. Because every weekend with a pregnant wife is an opportunity to be pestered to clean the house a bit more.

Last week we got the sad news that a close cousin of Shigette's is in the hospital with pneumonia. As she's presently going through radiation for lung cancer (must qualify: not a smoker!) this is not a good sign, and Shigette is at present on a train going down to visit her. I know if the prognosis is bad, there's a chance she'll have to take another train down soon on shorter notice. And I'll probably be here with the kids again.

So, my mood isn't that great. I'm holding together, but things that don't affect me usually are getting at my last nerve. It's happening here, it's happening at work (a lot more often than usual), and my response to such generally shuts me down for a while. I'll be fine once the winter ends, thankfully it's looking promising that might actually happen.

C'mon, Spring.

Wha?

2007-02-07T08:40:00.001-05:00

Someone in my office just emailed me a SCREENSHOT of an E-MAIL.

What is wrong with this picture?

Why must they hate me so?

2007-01-26T09:07:00.001-05:00

Yesterday was a Bad Day at werk. I was distracted with stupid things, I found out a mistake occurred (a while ago) that I had a large hand in creating, and I was just off.

And then, I had to run home to go back out with the family. To the Continental Arena. To watch an ice show. By Disney.

See, a few weeks ago a very good friend of ours asked Shigette if she was interested in tickets. "Well, I'll talk to Shiggy and I'll get back to you." To which, said good friend thought it was fine to buy us four tickets. Before I had the chance to say, "Uh, $100 + the crap we would buy at the show, and it's a school night, and I really really am not interested in this, means thanks but no thanks."

The show would have been nice if I were in a better mood. As it was, the kids were complaining the whole way THERE. And it happened to let out into 10 degree weather and not being from Minneapolis I tend to not want to GET OUT OF BED at those temperatures, let alone trek my whiny children to an ice show filled with princesses and Goofy and other whiny children.

I'm not usually a party pooper. And I don't complain much. In fact, I'm one of the most laid-back, go-with-the-flow people I know. But next time I will tell Shigette that if she HAS to go to one of these things to bring a friend that will appreciate things more than I will or else I will be a vocally unhappy camper.

State of the Union

2007-01-24T09:46:00.000-05:00

What the SotU needs is John Madden and Tim McCarver doing the play-by-play. Or at least a DVD track commentary. Complete with Xs and Os, and neat graphics with each representative's voting record and silly stats popping up. I can see that now:

JM: "You know something, Joe Biden really looks interested in what POTUS is saying. I can see him taking mental notes to reference this in his speech when he drops out after the South Dakota primaries."

TM: "Nancy Pelosi has now blinked more times than any other speaker of the house during any other SotU address. If this doesn't get her into the hall of fame, I'll eat my hat."

JM: (on teleboard) "As the President walks here, he'll shake thirty-seven ... no, thirty-eight hands. He's going to then walk to the podium and bump chests with Dick Cheney and do one of those extend-hand-psych-out-and-straighten-hair moves to Nancy Pelosi. She'll be dissed and dismissed by the POTUS."

TM: "In 2002, Bush used the word 'terror' in any of its forms more times in this speech than any other president before him. In 2003, he increased his terror output by more than 8 points! I think 2007 might be another banner year for terror."

JM: "Imagine the post-speech spread! I'm salivating at it already!"

TM: "Wow, I'm impressed you haven't eaten the whole thing yet."

A Pregnant Pause

2007-01-23T08:40:00.000-05:00

Every pregnancy is different for the woman that is pregnant. I can't imagine ever going through it from that end of things -- if men ever had to get pregnant one could assume that someone would come up with a symptom-free gestation period in very short order.

For the men, every pregnancy is exactly the same. Pregnancy for fathers-to-be consists of walking on eggshells and staying out of the way of the mother-to-be, speaking only when spoken to, and worrying about how to handle the side effect of the specific hormone level that will be thrown out of whack today.

This week in Chez Cochon, it's the one responsible for nesting. By nesting I'm not talking loops or babushka dolls. Nesting is the phenomenon by which pregnant women must straighten, clean, and sterilize every surface of every room in the house. It usually is in full force by mid-second trimester when the woman has enough energy to do this, but in general the underlying theme of counting down weeks before the house has a baby in it is most definitely the culprit. Today it was, "I just cleaned the entire kitchen and now you're EATING in it?" and "I did four loads of laundry yesterday and everything's finally clean and now you have to wake up and screw it up by changing your underwear?" Oh yeah, and, "The baby room is a pigsty! There are books all over the floor and you can't even get in here." Granted, said baby room is presently empty and waiting for a weekend to clean and set up the crib, yadda yadda, and even THAT is going to probably wait until the equinox at the earliest.

And it makes the fathers-to-be long for the baby to show up to make the impending lack of sleep feel like a vacation.