I walk to work everyday. We live less than a mile from my job, and walking is good exercise (I've dropped 40-50 pounds since moving here) so walking to work makes far more sense than driving. Normally, I don't mind the walk as it gives me a bit of time to listen to music and just let my mind wander.
Every so often, when I get into the office and am waiting for the crappy elevators, someone will make some comment to me about the weather and walking in. It's usually something along the lines of "Boy, it's a bit chilly out there, isn't it?" They say this when it's in the low- to mid-50s. No, see, low- to mid-50s is perfect for walking to work. I walk fast enough that the cooler temperatures are really very nice.
It's days like today that I hate walking in. It was already in the high-60s, approaching 70, and was 98% humidity when I left the house. That sucks!
Yeah, I'll admit that walking in when it's below zero and windy isn't exactly a joy either, but in some ways I prefer that to days like this. At least one the really cold days, you're bundled up and you warm up as you move. Today, the only way to make it more bearable to be outside would have been to strip down completely - unfortunately, there are those annoying "public decency" laws. Thankfully, I followed through with my promise from a couple weeks back and actually did get a hair cut, so I don't have to worry about looking like someone from a 1970s disco. Unfortunately, that's not the only problem with humidity - there's also the whole showing up to work sweaty thing.
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
The Joys of Humidity
This is the first time in a very long time that I've lived someplace which actually has humidity on any kind of regular basis. Previously, I was living in Arizona, which if you've ever been there you know is barely even aware that there is such a thing as "humidity." And prior to that, I lived in Colorado, which is aware of humidity, but usually keeps it at arm's length the majority of the time. And, yeah, before being in Colorado I was in Hawai'i and Seattle, which are admittedly very familiar with it, but I was a real little kid then and didn't really pay attention to that kind of thing, so that doesn't really count.
Now, however, I'm getting used to living someplace with humidity. This is important and noticeable in a few different ways. First, the sticking of wooden doors. Doors which normally open and close without a problem currently require a sledgehammer-sized rubber mallet to operate. There's also the fact that breathing is somewhat akin to trying to breath through a wet rag. Breathing through a wet rag might be useful in a fire, but not so good when your walking the mile home at a pretty good pace. And let's not forget my favorite sign of humidity - my head looking like I'm from the 1970s and have just gotten a perm. Normally, my hair is very straight; when there's humidity, however, that changes. It's especially bad when I haven't gotten my hair cut in a while and it's a little long - like it is right now. You ever seen "That '70s Show"? Yeah, I kind of look like I could be an extra on it right now.
I am getting a hair cut tomorrow . . . even if I have to do it myself with my jack-knife.
Now, however, I'm getting used to living someplace with humidity. This is important and noticeable in a few different ways. First, the sticking of wooden doors. Doors which normally open and close without a problem currently require a sledgehammer-sized rubber mallet to operate. There's also the fact that breathing is somewhat akin to trying to breath through a wet rag. Breathing through a wet rag might be useful in a fire, but not so good when your walking the mile home at a pretty good pace. And let's not forget my favorite sign of humidity - my head looking like I'm from the 1970s and have just gotten a perm. Normally, my hair is very straight; when there's humidity, however, that changes. It's especially bad when I haven't gotten my hair cut in a while and it's a little long - like it is right now. You ever seen "That '70s Show"? Yeah, I kind of look like I could be an extra on it right now.
I am getting a hair cut tomorrow . . . even if I have to do it myself with my jack-knife.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Crapé
There are these commercials right now of McDonald's new McCafé. If you haven't seen these, it shows people doing various activities which aren't exactly considered "fun." Things like ironing or washing the car. The voice over says what the person is doing - for example "chore". Then the person drinks one of these new trendy coffee things that McD's is offering, called a "McCafé". They add the "aye" like in café, and magically, things become far better. So "chore" becomes "choré" and it's no longer a pain in the ass but something you would forgo sex to take part in. All because of a McCafé!
These are really fucking annoying. And pretentious - really fucking pretentious. The implication is that McD's coffees are somehow better than others; and you know this because it has an accented "e". Do they seriously think people are going to think "Well, I normally wouldn't have an iced coffee from McDonalds, but you know, it's 'McCafé' so it has to be something special."
It the same kind of mentality which originally prompted places like Star-fucks to start calling their drinks things like "tall," "grande," and "venti". Naturally, I'm not the first to rant of this particular piece of idiocy - check out one of my favorite Foamy rants. At least I know I'm not the only person out there who realizes that this kind of pseudo-intellectually crap is just that - crap.
These are really fucking annoying. And pretentious - really fucking pretentious. The implication is that McD's coffees are somehow better than others; and you know this because it has an accented "e". Do they seriously think people are going to think "Well, I normally wouldn't have an iced coffee from McDonalds, but you know, it's 'McCafé' so it has to be something special."
It the same kind of mentality which originally prompted places like Star-fucks to start calling their drinks things like "tall," "grande," and "venti". Naturally, I'm not the first to rant of this particular piece of idiocy - check out one of my favorite Foamy rants. At least I know I'm not the only person out there who realizes that this kind of pseudo-intellectually crap is just that - crap.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Not My Favorite Meeting
I sometimes hate dealing with people who simply cannot move on from things. Obviously, there are somethings in life which are so life-changing that moving on isn't an easy thing. But in this case, I'm talking about everyday failures and disappointments. I was in a meeting today which was focused on developing and refining a management plan for a particular collection of heritage related sites and programs in the area. And one of the people went off on a 15 or 20 moan-fest about how it was never going to work in their town because a past government administration had done some stupid shit.
I wanted to say "Are you fucking kidding me?!?" You're honestly saying that your present government administration isn't going to support this because a past one didn't, and so it's not even worth trying? Yes, government administrations do some dumb shit and they make mistakes. But to refuse to even consider trying this plan because something similar - similar, not the same - had been axed about 10 years ago is just being a whiny little bitch.
I really doesn't do any good to just bemoan the failures of the past. Remember them, learn from them, but don't just sit there and whine about it. Situations change, people come and go, and you need to shift with those changes. To do otherwise is to throw your hands up and embrace defeat without ever even walking onto the field.
On a similar note, I hate trying to deal with people who are only going to hear what they have already convinced themselves of. Yeah, had one of those at this same meeting.
Just to back up a little, one of the things this particular management plan we're working on seeks to do is provide a group of themes, each with various subthemes, upon which individual communities can tell their stories. The consultants who have been developing this management plan evaluated the various communities and have provided recommendations on which theme is the strongest in each community. Community A has a particularly rich history in Theme 1, while community B is strongest in Theme 3, and community C is strongest in Theme 2, etc. Pretty straight forward, right? Of course, each of these communities also has stories to tell in each of the other themes, but they are particularly strong in one, or maybe two, specific themes.
Well this person heard all of this as "Because A is strongest in 1, A and only A will be telling the stories related to Theme 1, and they will only tell stories from Theme 1." They were convinced that this was the case, even after the consultants explaining several times that just because C was strongest in Theme 2 they couldn't (or shouldn't) tell stories related to other themes; and likewise, just because A was strongest in Theme 1 that other communities couldn't tell those stories.
I was watching other people around the table as the consultants tried to explain this, and it was clear that everyone else got this, but this particular person could not let go of what they had already convinced themselves of. I even jumped in and tried to help explain it - didn't work - and only received a "how can you be so young and stupid" look from the person in question. Yes, I'm quite a bit younger that them, but that doesn't mean I'm stupid. I'm actually quite intelligent (a few notable occasions aside, I will admit), and I happen to be very good at grasping organizational frameworks, which is essentially what these themes are intended to be - a way of organizing the management of a particular community's heritage resources.
What it really comes down to is this person had decided that they needed to "save" us from making some horrible mistake and then couldn't get beyond the idea that we were the ones in the wrong. They never stopped to consider that they might be wrong in their understanding of the situation. Had they done so, they might have been able to actually listen to what was being said. But we all know those who are the most zealous are the ones least likely to listen.
I wanted to say "Are you fucking kidding me?!?" You're honestly saying that your present government administration isn't going to support this because a past one didn't, and so it's not even worth trying? Yes, government administrations do some dumb shit and they make mistakes. But to refuse to even consider trying this plan because something similar - similar, not the same - had been axed about 10 years ago is just being a whiny little bitch.
I really doesn't do any good to just bemoan the failures of the past. Remember them, learn from them, but don't just sit there and whine about it. Situations change, people come and go, and you need to shift with those changes. To do otherwise is to throw your hands up and embrace defeat without ever even walking onto the field.
On a similar note, I hate trying to deal with people who are only going to hear what they have already convinced themselves of. Yeah, had one of those at this same meeting.
Just to back up a little, one of the things this particular management plan we're working on seeks to do is provide a group of themes, each with various subthemes, upon which individual communities can tell their stories. The consultants who have been developing this management plan evaluated the various communities and have provided recommendations on which theme is the strongest in each community. Community A has a particularly rich history in Theme 1, while community B is strongest in Theme 3, and community C is strongest in Theme 2, etc. Pretty straight forward, right? Of course, each of these communities also has stories to tell in each of the other themes, but they are particularly strong in one, or maybe two, specific themes.
Well this person heard all of this as "Because A is strongest in 1, A and only A will be telling the stories related to Theme 1, and they will only tell stories from Theme 1." They were convinced that this was the case, even after the consultants explaining several times that just because C was strongest in Theme 2 they couldn't (or shouldn't) tell stories related to other themes; and likewise, just because A was strongest in Theme 1 that other communities couldn't tell those stories.
I was watching other people around the table as the consultants tried to explain this, and it was clear that everyone else got this, but this particular person could not let go of what they had already convinced themselves of. I even jumped in and tried to help explain it - didn't work - and only received a "how can you be so young and stupid" look from the person in question. Yes, I'm quite a bit younger that them, but that doesn't mean I'm stupid. I'm actually quite intelligent (a few notable occasions aside, I will admit), and I happen to be very good at grasping organizational frameworks, which is essentially what these themes are intended to be - a way of organizing the management of a particular community's heritage resources.
What it really comes down to is this person had decided that they needed to "save" us from making some horrible mistake and then couldn't get beyond the idea that we were the ones in the wrong. They never stopped to consider that they might be wrong in their understanding of the situation. Had they done so, they might have been able to actually listen to what was being said. But we all know those who are the most zealous are the ones least likely to listen.
New Book
I started a new book today - Storm Front, by Jim Butcher. It's one of the Dresden File books. I don't know if you've heard of this series before, but they actually turned it into a SciFi channel show a few years back. Didn't last too long, but there it is. Anyway, I enjoyed the show and when I saw one of the books on the library shelf, I decided to give them a try. And I think I'm going to like them. Here's a couple of quotes from the first few chapters:
"Science, the largest religion of the twentieth century, had become somewhat tarnished by images of exploding space shuttles, crack babies, and a generation of complacent Americans who had allowed the television to raise their children. People were looking for something - I think they just don't know what."
"Paranoid? Probably. But just because you're paranoid doesn't mean that there isn't an invisible demon about to eat your face."
"I shook my head, bewildered. They say we wizards are subtle. But you believe you me, we've got nothing, nothing at all, on women."
"Science, the largest religion of the twentieth century, had become somewhat tarnished by images of exploding space shuttles, crack babies, and a generation of complacent Americans who had allowed the television to raise their children. People were looking for something - I think they just don't know what."
"Paranoid? Probably. But just because you're paranoid doesn't mean that there isn't an invisible demon about to eat your face."
"I shook my head, bewildered. They say we wizards are subtle. But you believe you me, we've got nothing, nothing at all, on women."
Saturday, May 02, 2009
Definition of Irony
I was just messing around Addicting Games.com. They currently have Pandemic 2, which given the current Swine Flu situation, is highly ironic to begin with.
Not that that didn't stop me from playing the game (I thoroughly enjoyed the first one and actually managed to kill everyone in the world as a virus!). No, the really irony was the ad that ran before the game. Lysol disinfectant.
Not that that didn't stop me from playing the game (I thoroughly enjoyed the first one and actually managed to kill everyone in the world as a virus!). No, the really irony was the ad that ran before the game. Lysol disinfectant.
Friday, May 01, 2009
Pot, Kettle. Kettle, Pot.
From CNN.com: "RNC chairman Michael Steele issued the following statement regarding filling Justice Souter's seat on the Supreme Court:
'President Obama campaigned as a moderate yet he and Congressional Democrats are pushing our nation further and faster to the left than voters bargained for.
The next Supreme Court justice will hold a lifetime appointment, and the president should take his time and search for a nominee whose legal views are consistent with and reflective of mainstream America. He should not use this as an opportunity to impose his liberal legacy on America or give political payback to the far left of his party by nominating someone who makes judicial decisions through an ideological rather than legal lens.
Republicans will reserve judgment until the president makes an appointment.'"
Really, Mr Steele? What's that saying about glass houses and trowing rocks? Despite the fact that Justice Souter only announced today that he's going to step down in a few months, you're already accusing the President of trying to appoint someone to "impose a liberal legacy" or "give political pay back to the far left of his party." Funny, two of the reasons Mr. Bush picked Samuel Alito was specifically because he would swing the Court further Right and appease the far Right after the whole Harriet Miers fiasco.
As for making "judicial decisions through an ideological rather than legal lens," what do think Antonin Scalia has been doing for the last nearly quarter century?
If you're really going to do what you say and reserve comment until you know who Mr. Obama is actually, shut up already!
'President Obama campaigned as a moderate yet he and Congressional Democrats are pushing our nation further and faster to the left than voters bargained for.
The next Supreme Court justice will hold a lifetime appointment, and the president should take his time and search for a nominee whose legal views are consistent with and reflective of mainstream America. He should not use this as an opportunity to impose his liberal legacy on America or give political payback to the far left of his party by nominating someone who makes judicial decisions through an ideological rather than legal lens.
Republicans will reserve judgment until the president makes an appointment.'"
Really, Mr Steele? What's that saying about glass houses and trowing rocks? Despite the fact that Justice Souter only announced today that he's going to step down in a few months, you're already accusing the President of trying to appoint someone to "impose a liberal legacy" or "give political pay back to the far left of his party." Funny, two of the reasons Mr. Bush picked Samuel Alito was specifically because he would swing the Court further Right and appease the far Right after the whole Harriet Miers fiasco.
As for making "judicial decisions through an ideological rather than legal lens," what do think Antonin Scalia has been doing for the last nearly quarter century?
If you're really going to do what you say and reserve comment until you know who Mr. Obama is actually, shut up already!
Thursday, April 16, 2009
No, You're Not Special
One of the most frustrating parts of my job is dealing with people who feel they should be an exception to the rules. Or worse, assume the rules were put in place specifically to inconvenience them and them alone. The first become indigent when you say "no" and the second often become zealous and demand to be treated special.
I am very well aware of the fact that the business of government has the potential to be annoying and tiresome. There's red tape on the red tape, so to speak. Things don't happen as quickly or smoothly as it seems they should, and there are often a lot of forms and paperwork to filled out for what otherwise might be a simple task. Believe me, I know - I often have to deal with some of those forms and I have plenty of paperwork to complete myself. Unfortunately, much of this red tape is necessary to help ensure a level playing field. In many ways, a lot of what we do in government is about trying our damnedest to make sure that things are as much the same from one case to the next. Yes, things change over time and details will vary, but the idea is make is so each person has as equal a chance as possible. That's why there are so many rules and regulations.
But there are people out there who simple can't or won't try to understand this fact. They want what they want and they want it now! And damnit, it's your job as a public servant to make sure that it happens right away! I often want to look at these people and say, quite calmly, "I'm sorry you fucked up and didn't start this process sooner, but it's not my fault you have the all personality and ability for rational thought of a crack-adled chihuahua on PCP." I will do what I can, but this job is one of those where the old adage it true: a lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.
Naturally, these people aren't just this way with those of us who work in government. They have this same additude in any situation where someone else is doing something for them. Cashiers, folks in retail, wait-staff, doesn't matter. Basically, if the job includes the words "customer" and "service" in any form, these people will pull this crap. I've seen (and experienced) it time and again. It's like these people replace the work "service" with "slave." You are to be at their beck and call, to give them anything they want right away, without question. And heaven help you if you happen to be in their line of sight when a mistake happens.
Personally, I think it should be manditory for everyone to have a customer service job at some point relatively early on in their lives. And I don't mean a job at some upscale, posh place where staff are expected to act superior to everyone around them (you know the places and people I'm talking about). No, I mean a job at someplace like a convenience store, a regular restaraunt (greasy-spoon would be best), a big-box store (but probably not a computer one, too much of a culture where staff are supposed to be supieror to the customers), or some kind of enterianment venue - movie theater, amusement park, etc.
Believe me, after a few months working in one of these jobs, you'll gain a whole new appreciation for what "customer service" really means.
I am very well aware of the fact that the business of government has the potential to be annoying and tiresome. There's red tape on the red tape, so to speak. Things don't happen as quickly or smoothly as it seems they should, and there are often a lot of forms and paperwork to filled out for what otherwise might be a simple task. Believe me, I know - I often have to deal with some of those forms and I have plenty of paperwork to complete myself. Unfortunately, much of this red tape is necessary to help ensure a level playing field. In many ways, a lot of what we do in government is about trying our damnedest to make sure that things are as much the same from one case to the next. Yes, things change over time and details will vary, but the idea is make is so each person has as equal a chance as possible. That's why there are so many rules and regulations.
But there are people out there who simple can't or won't try to understand this fact. They want what they want and they want it now! And damnit, it's your job as a public servant to make sure that it happens right away! I often want to look at these people and say, quite calmly, "I'm sorry you fucked up and didn't start this process sooner, but it's not my fault you have the all personality and ability for rational thought of a crack-adled chihuahua on PCP." I will do what I can, but this job is one of those where the old adage it true: a lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.
Naturally, these people aren't just this way with those of us who work in government. They have this same additude in any situation where someone else is doing something for them. Cashiers, folks in retail, wait-staff, doesn't matter. Basically, if the job includes the words "customer" and "service" in any form, these people will pull this crap. I've seen (and experienced) it time and again. It's like these people replace the work "service" with "slave." You are to be at their beck and call, to give them anything they want right away, without question. And heaven help you if you happen to be in their line of sight when a mistake happens.
Personally, I think it should be manditory for everyone to have a customer service job at some point relatively early on in their lives. And I don't mean a job at some upscale, posh place where staff are expected to act superior to everyone around them (you know the places and people I'm talking about). No, I mean a job at someplace like a convenience store, a regular restaraunt (greasy-spoon would be best), a big-box store (but probably not a computer one, too much of a culture where staff are supposed to be supieror to the customers), or some kind of enterianment venue - movie theater, amusement park, etc.
Believe me, after a few months working in one of these jobs, you'll gain a whole new appreciation for what "customer service" really means.
Don't Let The Door Hit You On The Way Out!
At long last, one of my greatest complaints agianst pro football is going away. Yes, that's right, that pompous, drivel-spouting annoyance, John Madden, is retiring! For years, I have railed against Madden - I have even had posts with titles such as "Fuckin' John Madden".
I'm reasonably sure that Madden isn't force of evil or anything like that (although, one can never be completely sure). And I am willing to acknowledge that he has played an important role in the world of American Football. But this doesn't excuse the fact that a great deal of what he said as a "color commentator" was pure and utter shit. He would constantly be either stating the completely obvious ("If the quaterback overthrows his receiver, it's going be hard for the guy to catch it.") or going off on these long, nearly unintellegible rants on a particular play. And many of these rants included the over-use of the "screen pen" which resulted in the screen being covered with little yellow arrows and lines and X's and circles. By the time he done with pen and rant, another two or three plays could have happened while you're stuck looking at screen which has more yellow lines than green grass.
I've often wondered how Al Michaels has been able to go so many years without taking one of his golf clubs to the back of Madden's head.
Here's the CNN announcement.
I'm reasonably sure that Madden isn't force of evil or anything like that (although, one can never be completely sure). And I am willing to acknowledge that he has played an important role in the world of American Football. But this doesn't excuse the fact that a great deal of what he said as a "color commentator" was pure and utter shit. He would constantly be either stating the completely obvious ("If the quaterback overthrows his receiver, it's going be hard for the guy to catch it.") or going off on these long, nearly unintellegible rants on a particular play. And many of these rants included the over-use of the "screen pen" which resulted in the screen being covered with little yellow arrows and lines and X's and circles. By the time he done with pen and rant, another two or three plays could have happened while you're stuck looking at screen which has more yellow lines than green grass.
I've often wondered how Al Michaels has been able to go so many years without taking one of his golf clubs to the back of Madden's head.
Here's the CNN announcement.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Why Didn't You Fucking Tell Me This Sooner?!?
I fucking hate when fucking idiots don't give me all the fucking information the first fucking time!
Yes, I'm a little pissed off at the moment.
I had someone one stop by my office today about one of the major projects we have going on right now. She asked me about how I was going about my part of the project. I informed her that I was doing exactly what she told I was supposed to be doing. She stops and says, "Oh. No, I'm sorry, you need to be doing this instead."
She had this information right from the very beginning! Instead of giving me that information (which is slightly different from the way this particular part of the project is usually done) at the time, she said go about it in the usual way. So I did! Now, I've done a bunch of extra work which I didn't need to!
. . .
Luckily, the not-so-usual way things are to be done this time is not too hard to do. But the point is that because she couldn't take the time to give me all the information (which could have been accomplished by emailing me a single document!), I now have a bunch of extra work which could have easily been avoided. I hate when people do this kind of shit!
Yes, I'm a little pissed off at the moment.
I had someone one stop by my office today about one of the major projects we have going on right now. She asked me about how I was going about my part of the project. I informed her that I was doing exactly what she told I was supposed to be doing. She stops and says, "Oh. No, I'm sorry, you need to be doing this instead."
She had this information right from the very beginning! Instead of giving me that information (which is slightly different from the way this particular part of the project is usually done) at the time, she said go about it in the usual way. So I did! Now, I've done a bunch of extra work which I didn't need to!
. . .
Luckily, the not-so-usual way things are to be done this time is not too hard to do. But the point is that because she couldn't take the time to give me all the information (which could have been accomplished by emailing me a single document!), I now have a bunch of extra work which could have easily been avoided. I hate when people do this kind of shit!
Saturday, April 04, 2009
On The Subject Of . . .
. . . being a bastard, I recently came across a new webcomic. Appropriately enough, it's actually called "On the Subject Of" - it's a simple one panel comic, which usually aren't interesting enough for me to bother with. This one, however, focuses on an angry midget of indeterminate age, who goes off on various things which annoy and/or bother him. The most recent, on what he calls "Vegemarians," especially amuses me. See it here.
At Least I'm Not The Only One
I just did a hit check on my blog. One of the things that I look at every now and then is the word hits that are triggering the most often. Despite my lack of reliable updates - which I keep meaning to improve, I swear! - I'm still getting hits (if not visits) on a regular basis.
Of particular amusement to me at the moment, the words which are triggering the most hits in the past few weeks are "hate" and "clip art." It seams that I'm not the only person with an undying hatred of clip art. And frankly, this is a good thing. The more of us who hate it, the less likely other people will quit using it.
Just as a side note, the other phrases which triggers a lot of hits are "being a bastard" and "driving in Phoenix." My posts on three these topics have accounted for maybe a third of my overall hits. Yes yes, I'm a geek and find this kind of thing interesting. Fuck off - I'm sure you've got your own little quirks!
Of particular amusement to me at the moment, the words which are triggering the most hits in the past few weeks are "hate" and "clip art." It seams that I'm not the only person with an undying hatred of clip art. And frankly, this is a good thing. The more of us who hate it, the less likely other people will quit using it.
Just as a side note, the other phrases which triggers a lot of hits are "being a bastard" and "driving in Phoenix." My posts on three these topics have accounted for maybe a third of my overall hits. Yes yes, I'm a geek and find this kind of thing interesting. Fuck off - I'm sure you've got your own little quirks!
Friday, April 03, 2009
Did You Really Just Compare Yourself to MLK Jr?
Okay - I wrote this much earlier today, and had planned on posting it when I got home. But obviously, things changed a bit with the shootings (if you haven't heard about this, you've obviously been hiding under a rock somewhere - check any major news site for the events in Binghamton, NY, or look at my post from earlier today). Anyway, here is the rant that was originally intended for today.
I came across this story on CNN today. As a quick run-down, a woman in California is upset because her kid's school district cancelled graduation - for eighth graders! So, as a form of protest, she's encouraging people to keep their kids out of school today. Apparently, the way things work there is the school district loses money for each day a student is absent. Her idea is to cost the district as much money as possible to draw attention to this action by the school district.
Fine. I personally think it's a rather stupid to get worked up over a "graduation" ceremony for fucking eighth graders, but she has every right to be an idiot.
My problem is how she justified this. According to the article, she said, "Peaceful civil disobedience has moved mountains in this country in the past, and the kids learn about Martin Luther King each year and this is exactly the example he set." WHAT THE FUCK!?! She's comparing making a petty protest about a fucking eighth grade graduation to Dr. King's work for racial equality and civil rights? I'm sorry lady, you're not honoring Dr. King's legacy with this shit; you're cheapening it. Let's face it, if your precious little yuppie larva doesn't get to sit in a hot auditorium for an hour only to receive a little slip of paper saying "Congratulations for finishing Middle School," the world isn't going to end. They will still go to high school. It's not like they're going to be checking for eighth grade graduation certificates at the door next year at the high school.
In my opinion, lady, you're not upset at the fact that they cancelled the graduation. Your upset at the fact that you no longer will have the chance to stand on display and brag about your kid and get the chance to say "Look at me! Look at how great I am because my kid finished middle school!" If you were really concerned about the impact the lack of a graduation ceremony is going to have on you kid, get together with a bunch of your kid's friend's parents and arrange a trip for this group of friends go out to a restaurant of their choice; maybe someplace like Dave and Busters.* I'm sure if you asked the kids, they would probably prefer a Saturday afternoon playing video games and hanging out with friends over sitting in that hot auditorium.
* For those of you who haven't heard of Dave and Busters, it's kind of like Chuck E. Cheeses, only not for little kids. It has real food and better games. Oh, and after 9:00 PM, they serve alcohol.
I came across this story on CNN today. As a quick run-down, a woman in California is upset because her kid's school district cancelled graduation - for eighth graders! So, as a form of protest, she's encouraging people to keep their kids out of school today. Apparently, the way things work there is the school district loses money for each day a student is absent. Her idea is to cost the district as much money as possible to draw attention to this action by the school district.
Fine. I personally think it's a rather stupid to get worked up over a "graduation" ceremony for fucking eighth graders, but she has every right to be an idiot.
My problem is how she justified this. According to the article, she said, "Peaceful civil disobedience has moved mountains in this country in the past, and the kids learn about Martin Luther King each year and this is exactly the example he set." WHAT THE FUCK!?! She's comparing making a petty protest about a fucking eighth grade graduation to Dr. King's work for racial equality and civil rights? I'm sorry lady, you're not honoring Dr. King's legacy with this shit; you're cheapening it. Let's face it, if your precious little yuppie larva doesn't get to sit in a hot auditorium for an hour only to receive a little slip of paper saying "Congratulations for finishing Middle School," the world isn't going to end. They will still go to high school. It's not like they're going to be checking for eighth grade graduation certificates at the door next year at the high school.
In my opinion, lady, you're not upset at the fact that they cancelled the graduation. Your upset at the fact that you no longer will have the chance to stand on display and brag about your kid and get the chance to say "Look at me! Look at how great I am because my kid finished middle school!" If you were really concerned about the impact the lack of a graduation ceremony is going to have on you kid, get together with a bunch of your kid's friend's parents and arrange a trip for this group of friends go out to a restaurant of their choice; maybe someplace like Dave and Busters.* I'm sure if you asked the kids, they would probably prefer a Saturday afternoon playing video games and hanging out with friends over sitting in that hot auditorium.
* For those of you who haven't heard of Dave and Busters, it's kind of like Chuck E. Cheeses, only not for little kids. It has real food and better games. Oh, and after 9:00 PM, they serve alcohol.
We're Okay
If you've been watching the news today, you probably know that there has been a multiple shooting here in town. If you haven't, here's the quick rundown: Starting at about 10:30-10:45 AM, a man walked into a building where a number of people were in the process of becoming American citizens and opened fire. This took place about 4 blocks from our apartment and close to my route to work. We have just recently heard the confirmation that the shooter is dead from a self-inflicted gun shot. Including the shooter, a total of 13 people are dead and another 5 wounded. They closed down City Hall at 2:30 today and sent us all home. Both Journey and I are now home and safe and staying here.
Sunday, March 08, 2009
Fuckin' Daylight Savings
I hate daylight savings. Always have. It was nice living in Arizona, where they don't do daylight savings. Yeah, it was a pain having to adjust twice a year to everyone else resetting their clocks, but I didn't have to worry about it.
Now that we're not in Arizona, we are once again part of this daylight savings crap. And it's not the losing an hour of sleep last night that annoys me. It's the fact that it's really a useless hold over that doesn't really do any good any more.
Daylight savings was useful when people were working and living based on daylight hours. Now, we work and live based on the clock. I've heard people say "Well, you know, it means you don't turn your lights on until later in the evening, which saves you money." Yes, it's true that you now won't turn on your lights until later - but your turning them on longer in the morning! Any savings you might have gained by turning the lights on later in the evening are used up by having them on in the morning as you're getting ready.
And this crap about moving even earlier in the year is just that - crap.
Now that we're not in Arizona, we are once again part of this daylight savings crap. And it's not the losing an hour of sleep last night that annoys me. It's the fact that it's really a useless hold over that doesn't really do any good any more.
Daylight savings was useful when people were working and living based on daylight hours. Now, we work and live based on the clock. I've heard people say "Well, you know, it means you don't turn your lights on until later in the evening, which saves you money." Yes, it's true that you now won't turn on your lights until later - but your turning them on longer in the morning! Any savings you might have gained by turning the lights on later in the evening are used up by having them on in the morning as you're getting ready.
And this crap about moving even earlier in the year is just that - crap.
Monday, February 23, 2009
I Didn't Need to See That
I saw a woman on my walk home tonight - she had so much silicon in her lips and so much bright red lipstick that it looked like she was wearing one of those cheesy wax lips things. This was even beyond the opening singer from Rockey Horror. Seriously, who thinks this is an attractive look for themselves?
Thursday, February 12, 2009
The Fun Things I'm Learning At My New Job
Needless to say, things have been a little busy since moving from Arizona to New York, and I've been blogging much lately. Often, it's simply that I'm tired and want to relax and not think about anything too hard. I'm going to try to be better about that in the future, and I think it will get easier as I continue to settle in and I spend less time simply trying to get my feet under me at work. Work has provided me with some interesting lessons in the first six weeks or so. Here are some of the work-related things I've learned in that time:
The documentation around this place sucks. There are binders upon binders of slides and photos, but only about 1 in 10 binders and 1 in 20 slides/photos are labeled at all. When you're trying to go back and track down old photos of a particular place, the lack of organization makes it a little hard to accomplish.
The woman who had this job before had been here more than 20 years. While this means that that she was pretty good at it, it also means that toward the end she was getting really burned out. It also means that she simply had all of the institutional knowledge in her head, hence part of the reason for the lack of documentation and organization as stated above.
The elevators are all kinds of messed up. On any given day, one or more of the elevators may decide its simply not going to work that day. Or sometimes it will only acknowledge people wanting to go down, so if you're headed up you may have actually hop on one going down and take a detour. And there's fact that doors start to open before the elevator stops - as in there's often a foot difference between the elevator and the floor.
The temp pool in this city is a little pathetic. We have one in particular, doing transcriptions, who likes to talk - a lot, and very loud. She seems incapable of understanding that she's shouting when she doesn't bother to talk off her headphones. And she talks about things that she probably really shouldn't be talking about at work, especially when "work" is as City Hall. We get all the gory details about her divorce and debt troubles. Luckily for me, her desk is NOT right outside MY office - the guy next door to me isn't so lucky.
The thermostat in my office is in the worst possible location. It's right next to the door, on the far side of the room from the windows. And I suspect that the weather stripping around these windows is the original 1972 weather stripping. This means that on days like today, when it's cold and rainy with high winds (weather channel said 30-40 mph with gusts up to 50 mph), my office is damn cold. And I'm thinking that in the summer when it gets warm outside, it's going to get warm inside. If the thermostat had been placed in the middle of the room it would work a little better. The problem is that it picks up on the warmer air coming in from the general work space. So right by the door, where the thermostat is, it's a pleasant 70 degrees. By my desk, it's more like 65 with a draft.
My computer sucks. My work one, not this one. This one's only real problem is that is has Vista. No, my work one takes about 10 minutes to finish booting enough that I can launch Outlook and actually have it load (relatively) promptly. At least they're working on getting me a new one. It's just taking a while.
I wonder what I'm going to learn tomorrow. And, yes, I will try to be better about posting more often.
The documentation around this place sucks. There are binders upon binders of slides and photos, but only about 1 in 10 binders and 1 in 20 slides/photos are labeled at all. When you're trying to go back and track down old photos of a particular place, the lack of organization makes it a little hard to accomplish.
The woman who had this job before had been here more than 20 years. While this means that that she was pretty good at it, it also means that toward the end she was getting really burned out. It also means that she simply had all of the institutional knowledge in her head, hence part of the reason for the lack of documentation and organization as stated above.
The elevators are all kinds of messed up. On any given day, one or more of the elevators may decide its simply not going to work that day. Or sometimes it will only acknowledge people wanting to go down, so if you're headed up you may have actually hop on one going down and take a detour. And there's fact that doors start to open before the elevator stops - as in there's often a foot difference between the elevator and the floor.
The temp pool in this city is a little pathetic. We have one in particular, doing transcriptions, who likes to talk - a lot, and very loud. She seems incapable of understanding that she's shouting when she doesn't bother to talk off her headphones. And she talks about things that she probably really shouldn't be talking about at work, especially when "work" is as City Hall. We get all the gory details about her divorce and debt troubles. Luckily for me, her desk is NOT right outside MY office - the guy next door to me isn't so lucky.
The thermostat in my office is in the worst possible location. It's right next to the door, on the far side of the room from the windows. And I suspect that the weather stripping around these windows is the original 1972 weather stripping. This means that on days like today, when it's cold and rainy with high winds (weather channel said 30-40 mph with gusts up to 50 mph), my office is damn cold. And I'm thinking that in the summer when it gets warm outside, it's going to get warm inside. If the thermostat had been placed in the middle of the room it would work a little better. The problem is that it picks up on the warmer air coming in from the general work space. So right by the door, where the thermostat is, it's a pleasant 70 degrees. By my desk, it's more like 65 with a draft.
My computer sucks. My work one, not this one. This one's only real problem is that is has Vista. No, my work one takes about 10 minutes to finish booting enough that I can launch Outlook and actually have it load (relatively) promptly. At least they're working on getting me a new one. It's just taking a while.
I wonder what I'm going to learn tomorrow. And, yes, I will try to be better about posting more often.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Damn That's Cold
Yeah yeah yeah - I know I just said that my posts may be a little sporadic and here I am with another post immediately. Shut up - it's my blog and I can do anything I want, damnit! (I work in government now, so I have today off.)
And no, that's not what I mean by the title of this post. I actually am referring to the weather. I knew that it would be cold here in Upstate New York, but the second half of last week was a little more than I had bargained for. We had several days in a row with highs in the single digits - and then a wind chill on top of that. And I walk to work! Not very far, mind you, but even as little as a mile feels like a long walk when it's -15 with wind chill.
It was cold enough that the moisture from my breath was condensing and freezing on my facial hair. You want to know what cold looks like? Check this out:
That's the partially frozen river I cross over everyday on my walk to work. The water is enough warmer than the air that it's actually fogging. And this is at about 8:45 in the morning (yeah, that's right, my work day doesn't start until 9:00!). I'm looking forward to this week when we're supposed to have highs in the mid-20s - it means I'll have a pleasant walk to work!
And no, that's not what I mean by the title of this post. I actually am referring to the weather. I knew that it would be cold here in Upstate New York, but the second half of last week was a little more than I had bargained for. We had several days in a row with highs in the single digits - and then a wind chill on top of that. And I walk to work! Not very far, mind you, but even as little as a mile feels like a long walk when it's -15 with wind chill.
It was cold enough that the moisture from my breath was condensing and freezing on my facial hair. You want to know what cold looks like? Check this out:
That's the partially frozen river I cross over everyday on my walk to work. The water is enough warmer than the air that it's actually fogging. And this is at about 8:45 in the morning (yeah, that's right, my work day doesn't start until 9:00!). I'm looking forward to this week when we're supposed to have highs in the mid-20s - it means I'll have a pleasant walk to work!
We've Made It!
I know it's been a long while since my last post, but in my defense, we have been a little busy.
So, Journey have made it Upstate New York and I've started work. The drive out from Tucson when well enough. We only had one day of bad weather and that was the very last one. Still can't say that I'd want to drive a 22 foot moving truck again anytime soon, but all things considered, it was fine.
It was once we got here that we hit problems. I had arranged a place for us when I came out here for visit in November, but we get got here we found that the place was absolutely trashed and full of black mold (yeah, the kind that has been known to cause all kinds of health problems, including death). Journey documented the whole sordid tale on her blog if you want to read it. Long story short, we told the landlady we were not going to move in to a house that was unsafe to live in and we would find another place to live. She said fine, but I'm only going to give half your deposit back (this despite the fact that neither she or we signed the lease). So, we did just that - found another place which is quite a bit better. And we continue to fight with her over getting the rest of our deposit back.
And I've started work. It's taking a little bit of time to get into the swing of things, but that's always the case with a new job. Everyone, myself included, is excited about my being here. I don't have the whole story, but apparently the woman who was responsible for historic preservation before me had been in the job for more than 20 years before she burned out and left. And the position was more or less vacant for more than a year before I started. Other people in the department were covering some of the those responsibilities, but that was in addition to their regular duties. So, needless to say, the program needs some updating and revamping. Which is actually just fine by me. And which seems to be just fine by a lot of people associated with preservation in the area. They're excited that I'm here and that I've got some new and different ideas. Hopefully I'll be able to do everything I want to do and make the program a real solid one.
And then there's the fun of getting settled in a new city which is so different from where we've come from. We're working on finding stores and restaurants and things to do. So, if my posts continue to be spotty for a little bit, hopefully you can forgive me, given how busy we are right now!
So, Journey have made it Upstate New York and I've started work. The drive out from Tucson when well enough. We only had one day of bad weather and that was the very last one. Still can't say that I'd want to drive a 22 foot moving truck again anytime soon, but all things considered, it was fine.
It was once we got here that we hit problems. I had arranged a place for us when I came out here for visit in November, but we get got here we found that the place was absolutely trashed and full of black mold (yeah, the kind that has been known to cause all kinds of health problems, including death). Journey documented the whole sordid tale on her blog if you want to read it. Long story short, we told the landlady we were not going to move in to a house that was unsafe to live in and we would find another place to live. She said fine, but I'm only going to give half your deposit back (this despite the fact that neither she or we signed the lease). So, we did just that - found another place which is quite a bit better. And we continue to fight with her over getting the rest of our deposit back.
And I've started work. It's taking a little bit of time to get into the swing of things, but that's always the case with a new job. Everyone, myself included, is excited about my being here. I don't have the whole story, but apparently the woman who was responsible for historic preservation before me had been in the job for more than 20 years before she burned out and left. And the position was more or less vacant for more than a year before I started. Other people in the department were covering some of the those responsibilities, but that was in addition to their regular duties. So, needless to say, the program needs some updating and revamping. Which is actually just fine by me. And which seems to be just fine by a lot of people associated with preservation in the area. They're excited that I'm here and that I've got some new and different ideas. Hopefully I'll be able to do everything I want to do and make the program a real solid one.
And then there's the fun of getting settled in a new city which is so different from where we've come from. We're working on finding stores and restaurants and things to do. So, if my posts continue to be spotty for a little bit, hopefully you can forgive me, given how busy we are right now!
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