Thunder of Wade

accidental frappuccino

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On April 12, 2011

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I headed over to the nearby school of law today for a beverage – since the computer center vending machines don’t have the selection or the convenience of using our campus ID for payment. My co-worker went with me since he wanted to get out of the office for a few minutes as well.

I swiped my card and punched in the code for a cranberry juice. The machine did its thing, but when the bottle dropped, it neatly wedged itself between the plexiglass front, a side panel, and the corner. I gave the machine an experimental shove and quickly concluded that I was out of luck. I swore quietly and my co-worker came over to give it a try. He used what was right on the edge of excessive force, and then went ahead and crossed the line to excessive. To the point that I thought he might break the machine – not a good thing in a building full of lawyers.
After a few moments, something odd happened. The cranberry juice bottle refused to budge – of course – but another bottle fell instead. In the far upper left corner of the machine are the really pricey drinks and apparently they are vulnerable to machine shaking. Down tumbled a cold bottle of Starbucks Coffee Vanilla Frappuccino – which I’ve never tried.
We quickly headed back to the office – leaving behind the stranded bottle of juice in favor of the iced coffee drink.
It was good. It tasted of anarchy. 🙂

the law

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On April 11, 2011

In Uncategorized

Early on Saturday morning – before I headed out for my epic swim – I heard sirens outside. I looked out to see 3 police cars come down one of the roads near the apartment and make a sharp turn onto our road. A bit later, my room-mate heard something that could have been shots fired, but it was difficult to tell.

A bit after that, my room-mate looked out the back windows and saw a police care in our backyard. There was a black Cadillac parked/abandoned back there as well and we watched a police officer inspected the car. Not long after that, a tow-truck came, but they ended up driving the car out of the yard since the ground was too wet for the truck. In short order, everything was back to the way it was.
Later that day, we found out (from our neighbor whose brother is on the local police force) that the car had been stolen in a nearby township, driven it and been pursued by police until he got to our backyard, then fled on foot. He was captured a few blocks away.
This was all fascinating at the time, but now it’s just disconcerting. I guess the trees in the back and along the road made me forget that I’m really still in the city. We’re always very careful about locked doors and such, but it’s still worrisome.

5 miles

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On April 10, 2011

In Uncategorized

I hit the pool this morning and did 30 laps. I was feeling pretty good and worked my way up to 60. Figured that I could do better than that, I set my sights on 120. I was getting tired, but kept going. 150 came and went and by this point I was really tired, but I did some math and realized that another 30 would finish me at 180 – 5 miles.

I got through it, but I was really tired. I mean really tired. It was all I could do to pull myself out of the pool. I was feeling better when I got dressed and better still when I got home and ate. I think I’ll sleep pretty well tonight.
5 miles. Didn’t think I had it in me – and not bad for a 38 year old.

irritated

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On April 5, 2011

In Uncategorized

I spent much of my Monday in a bad mood. Must have gotten up on the wrong side of the bed – I was cranky all day. And pretty much every email or phone call I got just ticked me off more. I couldn’t even enjoy my swim – I got dizzy at the end and had to stop and rest. I got home, spent most of the evening cranky and went to bed cranky.

So, I get into work with a resolve to have a better attitude and I check my voice-mail. I had one message – from 5:30 the evening before – asking for help with a project that needed to be done that night.
Really.
Now, I’m pretty much used to the “last minute” on projects – it’s kinda the way things go. But this one really took the cake. I called them this morning and they had worked around the system and gotten whatever Incredibly! Important! Thing! done that they needed to get done.
So, I actually had people contributing to my bad mood when I wasn’t even here. A sort of time delay annoyance.
(insert head shaking here)

laps and news

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On April 2, 2011

In Uncategorized

Yesterday, I hit the pool after work since I wanted to go farther than my lunch hour would have alloted me. So, I did 60 laps and felt pretty good. Today, I hit the pool again and did 45. I would have gone farther, but I got really worn out. Still, not bad for two days.

Got some bad news from Illinois this week. My aunt – who has been fighting brain tumor – had a relapse. She had been doing better but had a seizure and was back in the hospital for surgery. They removed 90% of the tumor and some scar tissue and are still waiting to see how she’s doing. She’s a fighter and we’re all pulling for her.

cold and feeling down

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On March 31, 2011

In Uncategorized

My room-mate got some bad news this week – he lost his job. It was a sales job and a stop-gap measure at best – but still rough for him to hear. Apparently, he wasn’t meeting the sales goals – though none of the previous 5 people in that job could meet the goals either.

He’s going to get paid though the end of this week and he’s already got some leads on a new job, but things are still pretty tense around the apartment for now.
Work has been kinda stressful for me these past couple of weeks. I’m holding my own, but the projects keep rolling in. Which is good, but it wears me out.
And, because I live in Ohio, I’m required by law to complain about the snow. “I’m tired of the snow” So, there you go.

catching up

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On March 27, 2011

In Uncategorized

I just finished up my antibiotics today – I’m hoping that the trend of getting better stays the course. Still a bit of a cough this morning, but I’m feeling pretty good.

I fought through the cough this past week to get my laps in at the pool – and did 45 yesterday. The last ten involved coughing underwater, but I avoided drowning – which is always a good goal. So, 90 laps for the week and back on track.
Earlier this week I helped run a series of usability tests on part of our website for work. It went pretty well and I think we got some good information, but it took a lot out of me.
I also did my taxes. Which I despise. I don’t know that anyone really enjoys doing their taxes, but I’ve taken it to a new level of despising. I’m getting some money back on federal and from the state – and I didn’t owe the city anything. So, it’s over and done for the year – just wish it wasn’t always so complicated.
In other not-terribly-awesome news… I’ve decided to boycott chik-fil-a. I found out that – despite the tasty food and disturbingly polite and friendly service – they are kinda evil. Or rather, their corporate office funds other folks that are evil. I guess it’s a bit like BP – though in their case they are pretending to admit they are wrong and then still being amazingly evil and greedy. I can respect that. Chik-fil-a thinks they are doing the right thing and that is a bit more disturbing. I’m considering writing an email to their corporate office, but seems a little futile.
Went and saw Red Riding Hood last night. Pretty good, nice twist at the end – though it did drag on a bit.
I’ve been playing Overlord for a while now on the PS3. I’ve played this before and didn’t make a lot of progress, but this time around I’ve got some new tactics and it’s a lot more fun.
And finally, I’m thinking about doing a little work today. I’ve got a survey to build that looked like a bit of fun – or I may work some more on my new desk for home.

humor in emails

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On March 25, 2011

In Uncategorized

Two emails that I’ve recently sent:

“As Supreme Overlord â„¢ of the SYMPA List management system, my powers are vast and amazing. Unfortunately, while I can see what lists you are a member of, I don’t have a way to view a list of lists that you own.
Guess I’m going to have to get rid of that “I’m omnipotent! Ask me literally anything!” name-badge.“
and in response to “How can we end world corruption?”

“Wait… End world corruption? I’ve been trying to increase it all these years.”
Just doing my part to keep my co-workers guessing.

coughing and crazy

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On March 12, 2011

In Uncategorized

A week ago Thursday, I started getting a cough. By Friday, I was a mess. Took the day off and spent most of the coughing, then coughing so hard I would throw up, then throwing up so hard I would get dizzy. The weekend sucked. Took Monday off. Finally back to work on Tuesday, still sick.

I kept fighting it and finally gave up yesterday and went to the doctor. The diagnosis is bronchitis and doctor go met a prescription. I’m getting tired of the constant cough and having to sleep sitting up. I’ve even been too tired to play video games most of the time.
My room-mate has pretty much the same thing – though he has been mixing his over-the-counter meds with some disturbing results. The lines between “reality” and “crazy talk” blurred enough that he tried to convince me that the reason we were both sick with the same thing at the same time was that we were “taken” by space aliens. He explained that he had “awakened” at night and seen stars on the ceiling and then they started to move – he felt like he was someplace else.
And then he got ticked when I didn’t believe him. Really. I tried to argue with him that his explanation was the “least likely” of possibilities instead of the “most likely”, but then I just gave up. There’s only so much I can handle when I’m that sick and I’d already broken my number #1 rule – “Don’t f*@# with crazy people”.
The next day he called me at work to complain about the people in his room and how a little girl plugged in her electric cat and let it run across the bed and then how someone peed on him. That evening, when I woke up from a nap and came downstairs, he got confused between day and night.
I finally got him convinced that he really needs to stop mixing the meds and he’s doing much better now. Still as sick as I am, but way less crazy.

donating blood and a loss

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On March 8, 2011

In Uncategorized

I went to donate blood yesterday after work. I didn’t have an appointment, but it didn’t really slow anything down. Went through the usual process right up until they did the needle stick. The nurse was alerted to a problem and hurried over to the snack table. A high-school aged guy had his head down on the table and was about to pass out. A couple of the nurses got damp cloths and carefully tipped him back over in his chair so his feet were elevated. It looked a little weird, but seemed to do the job. They kept him like that for a few minutes, then moved him onto one of the beds. He had turned a strange shade of green and stayed that way all through my donation – which went smoothly and uneventfully. (though the actual needle stick was a little rough – I’m guessing she was distracted) I’m guessing he didn’t eat before his donation – I learned my lesson on that a while ago.

When I was done, I went to stop at the snack table, but there was no room. So, mildly cranky at being denied my juice and cookie, I headed on home – no worse for wear.
That evening I got a call from my former room-mate’s mom. She told me that my FRM’s former girlfriend’s mom had passed away. Seems like a tenuous connection to me, but as much of a jerk as my FRM could be – he did manage to surround himself with good people. So, I get along well with his mom, his former girlfriend, and her mom. The service is to today and I can’t get out of work, but I got an address and put a card in the mail. Doesn’t seem like enough, but maybe it will help.
Busy day ahead of me – lots of work to do. Better get to it.

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