Category: Uncategorized Page 98 of 157

lost, carabas, floor, mood

On May 15, 2009

The season finale for Lost was this past week – as expected, extreeeeem cliffhanger. It was pretty good and I enjoyed it, but I’m hoping they don’t negate the entire season via time-travel.

Went out to Carabas last night for dinner with my room-mate and his sister (she’s in town for an extended weekend). The food was okay, a little under-whelming. Overcooked veggies, bland bread – though the fish was pretty good. The server was… pushy. She reacted in horror when I declined the salad (which you can’t get plain) and the soups (none of which I liked). She ended up pushing the salad onto my room-mate’s sister and was at a loss when my room-mate declined the options as well. Not really sure why she was pushing the free items on us like that. I think next time around I’ll just get the pepperoni pizza and play it safe.

There’s a crew scheduled to be at the apartment today to replace the kitchen floor. The tile was coming up and we finally convinced the landlords it was a trip hazard – as in, I have already tripped and you’d better get it fixed before I fall also. So, last night we move all the furniture out of the way and while it would be awesome if it was done before I got home, I sort of doubt that. It’s a big and weirdly shaped area.

I’ve been in sort of dark mood recently. Some random work stress and some stuff at home. And it doesn’t help that the pool has been closed all week. It’ll be good to get back in the water and get back to a better mode.

I’m thinking about trading some games in for the wii – I got a couple of duds that are just collecting dust – may be something fun to do this afternoon.

Sort of a quiet day here at work. Probably just as well that I don’t have a window – I’d be getting even less done.

I guess this is it for now… later…

flu-box

By admin

On May 8, 2009

In Uncategorized

For the past week, there has been a giant cardboard in the kitchen/breakroom here in the building with a garbage bag as a liner. There are no labels or signs anywhere near the box to indicate i’s purpose and rumors abound. Today, I contacted the building coordinator and he gave me the facts.

The cardboard boxes are for the swine flu.

Okay, stay with me on this, it gets better.

The idea is that restroom users will be able to open the door to the restroom as they leave while shielding themselves from the handle with a paper towel. That potenially swine-flu laden towel can then be disposed of in the cardboard box.

All fine in theory, except:

1. How would we know to follow that practice?

2. The restrooms exit out into the kitchen. Not a good storage area for biohazzard materials.

3. The garbage cans are right inside the restroom doors – allowing a user to open the door while holding a paper towel, then throw it away and exit before the door closes.

4. There’s already a garbage can in the kitchen – so now we have two and less floorspace.

5. Seriously – this is supposed to protect us from swine flu?

I’m more worried about the “black dust” that blows out of the vents and settles on our desks and tables – and, I’m guessing in our lungs. And the hazerdous chemical waste storeage facility behind our building next to the loading dock.

Swine flu? Please, if I can survive this building, I’m not worried about the flu.

later…

muppet, wine

By admin

On May 8, 2009

In Uncategorized

When I’m helping build a webform, there’s always a testing period. For at least the first test, I put in real information so that if it ends up not going were expected, it will be easier to track down. I always use a made up name – the more ridiculous the better – and the word Test if there’s a comment area.

Well, apparently the test data didn’t get cleared out of the database. I got a call on the answering machine at home yesterday asking for confirmation of attendance at a luncheon. The message was directed toward…. Link Hogthrob.

For those of you that don’t know – and apparently the person making the call is one of those – Link Hogthrob is the pig captain of the SS SwineTrek along with First Mate Piggy and Dr. Julius Strangepork. On the Muppet show.

My room-mate suggested I tell them he can’t come because of the swine flu – but if they didn’t get the Muppet pig reference – the won’t get this joke either.

So, I have to make a call today that I’m dreading. Do I play it cool and actually pretend to be Link and cancel? Or do I try to explain and not embarrass them?

In other news… I went to a wine tasting event last night that my room-mate’s rotary club puts on every year. The only reason I go to these is to make sure he gets home okay and to bid on the silent auction items for a Mother’s day gift. The pickings were slim at the auction table, though I did get something that will work – I think. Fortunately, I brought plenty of paper and just stood quietly off to the side. Kind of a strange and boring evening for the designated driver, but I knew what to expect and got through it.

That’s it for now… later

essay

By admin

On May 7, 2009

In Uncategorized

Yesterday morning, I had a dream I was back in college and had missed an English class. The assignment was to write an essay on the topic “If you knew you were dying, who would you tell and why?”

So, still in the dream, I began to write the essay. It was still going around in my head when I woke up and I kept thinking about it as I drove into work. As soon as I got to my computer, I transcribed it – as closely as I could from my notes in the dream. I finished the one and a half page essay and saved it. So, my homework is done.

But, how in the world am I going to turn it in?

later…

flop

By admin

On May 4, 2009

In Uncategorized

I was heading up the stairs from the basement this afternoon when the “incident” occured. My flip-flops – which, since they have the UA logo on them are really zip-flops – betrayed me and I stumbled. This instantly turned my zip-flops into trip-flops and I went down hard. My left big toe got cut and the nail was painfully torn. I made it to the top of the stairs and stood there for a moment – then verifed that yes, I was bleeding.

I got myself doctored up and was back up to speed in no time. And then I headed back downstairs to see if I’d at least managed to damage the steps. I didn’t.

The weekend has been pretty quiet otherwise. Lots of reading and video games. Not looking forward to work tomorrow, but it’s finals week and it should be a little quiet for us.

later…

membership

By admin

On May 1, 2009

In Uncategorized

With the natitorium pool closing next week, I decided to get a membership at the rec center pool. Both are on campus and within easy walking distance of my work building – the nat has a nice pool, but the rec center is a nicer facility over all. The biggest difference for me, though, is the price. As a staff member, I can use the nat for free – the rec center membership for the summer costs $100. Seeing as how I really want to keep swimming this summer, I don’t have much of a choice.

So, I headed over to the rec center yesterday to get a membership – and it took about 10 minutes for them to find someone that could process the membership. I had to fill out a form – which was dumb since it only asked for info already on file in my employee records – and when she asked how long I wanted the membership I explained:

“Just for the summer – I usually swim in the nat…”

Her reply: “You know the nat pool is closed for the summer,”

Me: “That’s why I’m here,”

She did give me a bit of a bonus by starting my membership a week early I won’t have to miss out my swim before the summer “officially” starts.

Today I headed to the rec center for my swim and got in 27 laps. There’s a current that I alternately benefited from and fought – I think it made for a better workout overall.

later…

HDMI

By admin

On April 30, 2009

In Uncategorized

The other day, my room-mate and I tried to watch 1408 on DVD – but the DVD picture wasn’t working. The sound was okay though. So, after a bit of testing, I determined it was the HDMI cable that was the problem. Which ticked me off cause those things are expensive. In the short term, I swapped the cable with that for the cable box – and we were in business.

(I went and got a new HDMI cable the next day)

So, with picture restored and surround sound cranked, we fired up the DVD and I settled in to enjoy a pretty good interpretation of a really good Stephen King story.

And less than 10 minutes in, my room-mate fell asleep.

Now, 1408 is the story of a man vs. a haunted hotel room. And the room pretty much destroys itself trying to drive him crazy. Fires, floods, monsters, screaming – pretty much the whole package.

I tried to wake him a couple of times and finally just gave up and woke him when it was done.

Not too surprising, really – he fell asleep in the theatre during James Bond.

later…

grandma, book, neighbor

By admin

On April 28, 2009

In Uncategorized

I talked to my sister late last evening – she gave me an update on my grandmother. Grandma isn’t really doing better and although the doctors had said at one point that it might take 15 -20 weeks before she shows marked improvement, some decisions are already being made. There’s been discussion about her moving in with my aunt and uncle and then renting out her house and selling her car.

I’m getting all this 2nd or 3rd hand and I guess there’s some tension building between my dad and his siblings. I guess we knew and could see a slow decline, but this is… well… sudden.

My sister and I are talking about taking a couple of days and going to visit – though the question suddenly becomes – “where will we stay?” – since we always stay with Grandma when we visit there.

Strange times.

I had a bit of a headache yesterday and had to lay down a bit – fortunately, it didn’t turn into a migraine. I did some reading – a new book called “sharp teeth”. It’s written in the style of poetry, which had me a little worried when I first opened it up, but it’s an easy read and well put together. And you really have to work at it to go wrong with werewolves.

The new neighbors were out in the back yard, and they failed the only test I have for neighbors. That being – are they quiet? I’m pretty much fine with everything else – up to and including ritual sacrifice. As long as it’s done quietly. And they weren’t.

I had a busy morning – but the afternoon is slowing down a bit. Made some good progress on a big survey project and I’ve got to close down a ballot later today. Just kind of in a quiet mode.

I guess that’s it for now. I think I’m going to try and write another twitter haiku.

later…

eye, sunshine, books, pandemic

By admin

On April 27, 2009

In Uncategorized

Friday afternoon, while still at work, my right eye started to swell shut. I used to get this when I was a kid and even had allergy tests done that were inconclusive. The remedy back then was Benedryl and sleep – and I didn’t have much choice on the sleep part after taking the Benedryl.

So, when this happened, I at least knew what to do. I stopped on my way home and got some Benedryl and took one as soon as I got in the door.

And though I didn’t fall asleep, I was pretty much drugged up the rest of the evening. I took another before I went to bed.

On Saturday, I still wasn’t back to normal – so, I took another dose. Spent much of the day outside and when I was feeling a little better, I ran some errands. Which was not the best thing to do. I’m always a careful driving, but I could feel my reaction time was not up to par and took things extra slow. I felt a little better after a snack and about a gallon iced tea from Wendy’s.

Today, my eye is better – almost back to normal. I still don’t know was causes this, but at least it didn’t interfere with any plans.

It’s been really nice outside the past couple of days and I got a little sun for my pale geek flesh. I’m a ways from tan, but I think shorter doses will be better.

I’ve been doing a lot of reading this weekend, finished one book, read another cover to cover, and started a third. Lazy weekends are made for sitting outside and reading.

I got a call from Mom this afternoon with some precautionary warnings about the potential pandemic. I’m not sure if I’m going to be stocking up on food and water yet, but the Ohio case that’s been found is in Lorraine county – which is not that far away.

Not looking forward to work this week – got a couple more big projects and a huge survey to put together.

I think I’ll play a little bit of a video game and call it an early night.

later…

soccer, sisters, sick, sleep

By admin

On April 20, 2009

In Uncategorized

I went to a soccer game on with my former room-mate’s mother. We were there to watch her grandson and although I enjoy her company, the tension between her and her son is starting to get to me. If pressed, I think I could come up with what she had told me was the cause of their ‘cold war’ – but it seems so trivial. So, I stood on the side lines near her – and because of that her son never acknowledged me. I’m not really sure if he would have if she hadn’t been there actually, but I like to think he would. It’s just… tiresome. And I seem to be caught in the middle of it. Not really sure what I can do about it. And there are a lot of soccer games coming up.

While I was at the field, my cell phone rang. The number on the caller ID was my sister’s and when I hit the button to take the call, I heard a horrible noise. It almost sounded like distorted words in with the buzzing sound so I listened for a minute before I figured out that it was the sound of a chainsaw.

This didn’t really surprise me. My sister and brother-in-law have a wood burning stove and they are always on the hunt for firewood. Also, my brother-in-law really enjoys his chainsaw. When the noise didn’t stop, I figured I’d been called by accident and hung up.

After the match, I called my sister back and asked her how the wood cutting had gone. She said it was fine, but couldn’t figure out how I knew. I told her that she called me and we got a good laugh out of it – though she’s pretty sure her phone locks when it’s closed – partly ruling out “butt-dialing”. So, strange, but funny.

I did a little running around that afternoon with a few errands and got a little sun. It was good while it lasted. Sunday was gray and raining.

And Sunday morning started far too early. I was still in bed a little before 9:30 and while slightly on my way to being awake, I was still enjoying being partly asleep. And then the phone rings. After a couple of rings, I realize my room-mate isn’t going to get it. I glance at the caller ID, grumble, and answer the phone with my most sleepy sounding hello I can muster. The conversation goes like this:

Me: “Hello?”

My room-mate’s sister: “Hey, are you awake?”

M: “Just barely and not happy about it. Is this an emergency?”

M R-M S: “No. Bye.”

Me: “I’ll have him call you later.”

(click)

Turns out my room-mate had been awake since 6:30 that morning, but was in the bathroom when she called. When he called her back later, she made a comment of how it took him 5 hours to call back after I got over being pissed off. (Yeah, it doesn’t make any sense to me either)

Personally, if I had called someone and awakened them at a time when it would be usual for someone to be asleep – well, I’d be tripping over myself to apologize. No such response.

For the record, I’m up at 6:30 every morning of the work week and on the weekend – if given half a chance – I’m going to sleep in. Especially single digits AM.

In other news…I’ve been fighting a cold for the past few days and it got bad enough that I took some alkaseltzer plus cold. I know people who tell me that it isn’t that bad. And those people are lying. I did feel a little better though as the evening went on – but ended up having a bit of trouble getting to sleep.

Which is not a good thing. I’ve been having trouble getting enough rest for the past week or so. I’m getting the same number of hours – but they aren’t doing the job as well as they usually do.

Not sure what’s going on with that, but I’m not liking the dark circles under my eyes or the extra-tiredness I’ve got going.

So, it’s going to be a busy week. I’m going to be in several day long sessions for evaluation of our website as the tech guy for the evaluation software. And I’m really hoping it doesn’t break. So, lots to do today to try and get ahead.

later…