Thunder of Wade

training, travel, comic,baby, sword

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On September 22, 2010

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One of my co-workers and I went to an Adobe CS5 training session last week. It was an all day thing and I had other things going on at work that day, but we sorted things out and spent the day at a hotel conference room in Fairlawn. I left in what I thought was plenty of time that morning, but traffic turned into a big, steaming pile of crap. I did what I always do in traffic jams, turned on AM radio. Partly for the traffic reports, but mostly for the misery. People on AM radio are, generally speaking, having terrible lives. Helps put things in perspective.

Anyway, the training was okay, but parts were a little beneath me. I think I could have taught a couple of sessions and my co-worker could have taught them all – and they didn’t use CS5 for the whole thing anyway. I learned a little, maybe – and it was still nice to get out of the office.
That Friday, I headed south a bit to visit my co-worker and his wife and new baby. I brought a baby toy and made some earrings for his wife – which she really liked. I got to hold the new baby for a while and then stayed for dinner. We had a nice time and they have a really nice place.
On Saturday, I headed back to Fairlawn to get a new battery for my room-mate’s camera, some new books at the over-priced Barnes and Noble, and some craft supplies for about 5 different projects. One note about Barnes and Noble – there was some guy on the second floor that believed he was doing a stand-up comedy routine. When I first heard him, he was so bad I thought he was doing a mic check. He wasn’t. He was as for real as he could get. I actually cut my trip – to a bookstore of all places – short, just to get away from him. Yes, that bad.
I worked on a couple of projects over the weekend and helped my room-mate get to the car show that he helps host each year. I also learned how to braid hemp fiber – one of my co-workers needed a new carrying strap for his drum – so, that was kinda cool.
On Monday, that same co-worker came into the office to see how we’d decorated his cubicle with pink streamers and balloons to celebrate his return to work after his baby daughter was born. He was really surprised and liked the decorations – he’s kept them up all week.
Today, on top of not getting enough sleep and getting my beverage stuck in the vending machines – I forgot my trunks and couldn’t go swimming. This is the first time I’ve missed a swim since I started and made my rule: M-W-F, if the university is open and I’m there, I swim.
Finally, I had a weird feeling today. I do not, as a rule, carry a sword when I’m on campus. It’s not really allowed. But all day, whenever I was walking around, I kept reaching for a sword that I knew couldn’t be there. Apparently, if I did carry a sword, I would wear it inverted on my back – so I kept reaching behind my back for the handle to grab, draw, and decapitate someone. Yeah, it’s been that kind of week. How can you be in the habit of doing something that you’ve never done before? The feeling faded once I got in my car and headed home – which is a good sign. I got my oil changed and did a couple of little projects – I’m making replicas of world-ending technology. So far I have ICE-9, Red Matter, and a bottle of concentrated Time.
Ummm… yeah.

100

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On September 17, 2010

In Uncategorized

I did 100 push ups yesterday as part of the “hundred push ups program”. This was the final test for the program and I sort of surprised myself – it wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. I mean, it was work and I was tired when I was done, but I didn’t collapse into a pile of lumpy Jello afterward. I just kept a steady pace and kept counting.

I didn’t do “nose to the floor” – didn’t do that at all during the program. So, there’s room for improvement and I’ll keep going with it.
So, yea me – in a sort of anti-climactic way.

the hatred returns

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On September 10, 2010

In Uncategorized

I used to despise cell phones. The dropped calls, the bad reception, the “minutes”, the way people used them in stupid ways. And I was pretty much set on hating them – going so far as to write up a detailed rant about it and refusing to get one of my own.

But, being a geek, the lure of technology eventually wore me down and not quite two years ago I finally got a cell phone. I wasn’t the last person on the planet to get one, but I did my best.
The phone was a little bulky, but it had a sliding keyboard that was nice since I didn’t know if I was the kind of person that would text. The monthly plan changes annoyed me, but I figured that was just the way things were.
And slowly, I got lulled. It was kinda nice to chat with my sister on the way home from work. Text messages were kinda fun. I liked having a camera with me all the time. The service seemed pretty good in my area and I didn’t have many dropped calls. It was… okay. And all that hatred started to fade into a quiet acceptance. I was careful to always keep it with me and dutifully kept it charged. The phone became part of my daily routine.
But about a month or so ago, something changed. I found that I had no signal strength at my apartment. In fact, after some tests, it appeared to die just as I pulled into my driveway. I’d have maybe one bar – if that – and the phone’s battery would swiftly drain as it tried to find a signal. Instead of days between charging, I’d get maybe an hour at home before it was desperately beeping as it died.
So, yesterday after my haircut, I stopped by my local Verizon store to figure out what was going on. The guy there was helping someone and I waited patiently. At one point, he asked if I had a question while he was still working with customer and I told him to go ahead – I was in no hurry. And I didn’t want some flippant answer to get rid of me to get back to the paying customer. A second staff member showed up after a while and she came over to help me.
Side note: She was dressed in the standard “uniform” – but was wearing a headband that might have been more appropriate at a jazzercise class. I’m not judging, but I’m just saying…
Anyway, I explained what was happening and asked what kinds of things might be causing interference in the signal. You know, science.
Her reply:
“I notice you’re using one of the old (it’s less than 2 years) Alltel phones. The towers in the area were upgraded and that might be causing the signal issues. You should be eligible for an upgrade on your phone.”
Translation: “We changed something that had a negative impact on our customers without telling them and the only fix is to drain more money out of them by selling them a new overpriced phone they don’t want or need and calling it an upgrade because we hate you all and don’t understand the basics of customer service or human decency”
And in that moment, my hatred of cell phones returned. It swelled up around me like a fleece blanket, warm from the dryer. Then it burrowed into my skin, down to my very soul, where it began to fester and rot.
Ahhhhhh, yeah. That’s the stuff. Feels sooooooo good to be back on familiar ground.
I told her that I wasn’t prepared to get a new phone right then, but that I’d stop back.
Translation: “You’ve wasted enough of my time and I’m too angry to think carefully about the phone I’d get and vulnerable to your evil psychological sales tactics. I’m going to do some research so I can come back here and get a phone that is actually appropriate for my needs and doesn’t get chosen for me to feed your commission.”
As I was walking out the door she called out to me and said that if I hit *228 option 2 it might help, but she couldn’t guarantee it. I thanked her and went on my way.
Yeah, right. Like I’m going to push some random buttons on my phone before I have everything backed up. Do I look like George Jetson? I like pushing buttons, but let’s be serious here.
So, with the hatred spreading its poison into my system, I got in my car, filled the air with some deeply satisfying swear words (including a couple new ones I made up on the spot), and went home.
I’ll do my homework, back up my data, and in a few days I’ll head back and get a new phone. I guess the anger at being screwed with is tempered by the satisfaction of knowing I’m being screwed with. And I’m hooked on the convenience of a phone now – any kind of defiance is just going to hurt me and won’t impact their bottom line much. I suppose I could switch carriers if I could find one that wasn’t pure evil, but I doubt such a thing exists.
So, I’m back to hating cell phones. It feels like things are right with the world again, I’ve got a baseline to my emotional levels.
And though it sickens me to the core and makes me physically uncomfortable, I’m wondering it I can get a new phone in metallic green. (shudder)

2 miles, signed, chicken, say my name

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On September 4, 2010

In Uncategorized

I swam 3/4 of a mile yesterday and this morning I headed back to the pool. I planned on doing at least 3 miles, but the lanes were set up the “long way” – and I got worn out and only did 2 miles. It was also a little weird – there was no one else in the pool. Just me and the lifeguard.

She was bored – obviously. It’s not like I was going to drown, so she just paced slowly up and down the length of the pool with me. It was kind of nice, actually. When I finished up my swim, I walked over to her and thanked her for watching out for me. I told it must have been pretty boring, but it was appreciated. She smiled and said it was no problem. Might have been the first time anyone thanked her for being a lifeguard.
Not that I really needed a lifeguard – but they wouldn’t have opened the pool if they didn’t have the staff. So, I guess I did need her there.
I’m a little disappointed that I didn’t do more -but I still have pushups to do this afternoon and my shoulders were starting to hurt.
I went over to Borders after the swim and found a couple of books that looked good. I stood in line for a while – longer than I should have had to. The problem was a woman who hadn’t signed her credit card. The clerk rightly asked for ID, which the woman didn’t have. So, we all had to wait for her to go out to her car and get her purse and get her ID.
You know what, people? It says right on the back of the damn card that you need to sign it. Period. If you don’t sign it, they don’t have to accept it. Also period. For those that think – “well, what if my card gets stolen?” – well, then the thief can then sign your name however they want and then go on their way. It’s actually worse because they won’t have to worry about matching a signature. Also? The post office won’t accept your card unless you sign it. Do you really want to go up against the post office? Do you know where they got the phrase ‘postal’? Sign your damn card and get out of my way.
Afterwards, I headed over to Chik-filet. (sp?) They have good chicken sandwiches there and I have two stories to relate.
1. I went there a few weeks ago and the line was so long I didn’t want to fight for a special order to not have pickles. So, I just rolled with the standard bun-pickle-chicken-bun order and discovered – to my surprise – that I like dill pickles. Weird.
2. This time, they asked me for my name as I placed my order. When they brought the food over to me, they called me by name and thanked me for coming in today.
Now, my bank does this same thing too and it vaguely annoys me. (actually Borders did this as well today.) These people don’t really know me. We aren’t friends. The bank (and borders) is just reading my name off the screen after I swipe my card and Chik-filet only knew my name because I told it to them 45 seconds before that and they typed it onto a screen.
I guess they are trying to form some kind of relationship with me – trying to reinforce customer loyalty or something. But the name doesn’t do it. Having the books I want – and short lines – will bring me back to borders. Having good chicken sandwiches will bring me back to Chik-filet. Having a nearby location and reasonable fees will bring me back to my bank. Having strangers say my name won’t do it. Heck, I think I had a better rapport with the lifeguard and without my glasses I couldn’t even really see her – and I sure don’t know her name.
Hmmm… lot of time of soapboxes today. Better get back to the real world.

working out

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On August 31, 2010

In Uncategorized

The past few weeks I’ve been on a fitness kick. Monday, Wednesday, Friday – still swimming at lunch time at the pool. Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday – pushups (part of hundredpushups) . And at least 2 miles a day on elliptical 6 days a week.

Feels like I’m training for something, but I don’t know what that is. Maybe I’m just trying to look more reasonable in my Speedos.
It’s been crazy busy here at work with the start of classes. I’m keeping up with most of it, but it’s been a struggle.
I’ve started to acquire my Halloween costume supplies – should be a good one this year if I can pull it off.
I got to see my folks and my sister and her family this past weekend for my Dad’s birthday. We didn’t do much, but had fun with my baby niece. She’s pretty adorable and very good natured. And she gets along pretty well with her uncle Anthony.
Finally, I’m trying to learn how to make an origami kangaroo. It’s surprisingly slow going – I barely made it through the “basic shape” before I ran into trouble.

yesterday was weird

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On August 5, 2010

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1. The sign in front of the parking lot said it closed at 12 pm that day for resurfacing? Who closes a parking lot at noon? I pulled in at first thinking I had until midnight and that they had just gotten the sign wrong, but decided I didn’t want to take a chance and pulled out and picked another lot.

2. There are two keypads and card swipes on the doors to different areas of the building. The buttons don’t move when you push them – instead, they just beep to let you know that they’ve been “pushed”. My colleague and I were trying to each use one of these keypads – and the beeps made it impossible to tell if we’d actually hit a button or not. I just stopped and let him go first and once he had his door open, I used my keypad and went on into the office.
3. Had a ‘difference of opinion’ with a co-worker over the intuitiveness of a webpage. I wanted the information on the form visible, he wanted to put it as a mouse-over on the checkboxes. We were both convinced that our way was intuitive. I’m pretty sure he was wrong. No, I’m certain he was wrong, but we ended the discussion politely and we’re going to leave it up to the department to decide.
4. On the drive home, a car made a turn into the opposing lane facing me and the rear passenger door flew open and a suitcase fell out. The car slammed on the brakes as did I – though I was pretty much out of the way… right up until the driver threw open his door and walked into my lane to go around the car and reload. I managed to go on around him as he went on his way. It should be noted that his passenger in the front – the person ideally that should have made the move to fix things – just sat there.
5. I saved the best for last. I was swimming yesterday, just about to finish up lap #24 when the fire alarm started going off in the building. I climbed out of the pool, looked at the lifeguard and shrugged. She shrugged back, and I went on into the locker room. The fire alarm was painfully loud in there, but I figured it was a drill and grabbed my towel to dry off. Then someone came in and told us we had to evacuate the building. So, still in my speedo and with the towel partly wrapped around my waist (it was too small to cover me completely), I headed out of the locker room, down the hall, and out the front door. I was joined by others in t-shirts and shorts – who told me it could have been worse that a) at least I had my trunks and b) at least it wasn’t winter. A few minutes later The director for the facility said we could go to the rec center and finish our workouts – so a few of us trekked across the lawn to the rec center. I hit the pool and did 6 more laps before I got the all clear. I headed back to ONAT, got into my regular clothes, and went back to work.
Like I said – a weird day.

projects, locks, game, exercise, and rearrange

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On August 2, 2010

In Uncategorized

I picked up some supplies over the weekend for a couple of projects. I got a big roll of paper to make a gigantic origami star. Not sure where I’ll put it, but it should be pretty cool. I also found a pump to make a small fountain for the patio. Not sure what the actual fountain will end up looking like, but finding the pump itself was a challenge.

I also helped my room-mate with the storage garage for his classic caddy. He called me while I was in Lowe’s to come help with the door to the garage as it seemed to be stuck. When I got there, we first thought it was the vinyl flange at the top that was getting in the way, but then I took another look at the door locks after struggling with the door for a minute. There are two, one on each side. When the metal plates are lined up, the door is secured and you can put a padlock through the holes to lock it. One side had the plates apart (open) and the other had the plates together (closed). I slid the plates apart and lifted the door and it practically flew open. My room-mate, who wasn’t watching when I adjusted the plates, was frankly astonished when the door flew open. He insists that he checked both plates – which struck me as a statement worthy of an eyebrow raise. But after further thought I concede that if the plates were not all the way open, they could have slid back into the closed position when lifting pressure was applied to the door. In any case, we had the door open and I went on my way.
I’ve been playing a game called Trine – a side scrolling platforming game with three characters that you can swap between at any time. I beat the game yesterday and I plan on going back and trying to get a “perfect” score on the levels with all the items and experience found.
I’ve also been trying to get more exercise. Not really with a specific goal in mind, just want to see what I can do. I’ve been keeping up with my M-W-F swimming and I’ve added in a daily 2 mile stint on the elliptical trainer. Next up is the 100 pushups, a program to get a person able to do 100 pushups at one time. On my initial test, I could do 20 – which is not awesome, but not that bad either. I’ll track my progress and see how it goes. I guess that’s part of why it appeals to me – I like the numbers. I’ll try to do this T-Th-Sat.
Finally, I spent some time on Saturday re-arranging one of the upstairs rooms to include a reading nook – and finally putting my bench that I made to some good use.
So, lots done and lots to do.

rocking the speedo

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On July 27, 2010

In Uncategorized

Two words: Beef. Cake.

One link: Here.

vacation: writing and exercise

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On July 25, 2010

In Uncategorized

I did two things more than anything else on my vacation: playing my PSP and writing. I did a lot of writing, filling two notebooks with a story. It’s crap and I know it, but at least it went quickly and passed the time. I’ve got another idea for a story that might actually be worth something, but it wasn’t really flowing for me.

I got plenty of exercise on my vacation, swimming and a little kayaking. And I did some people watching and decided that between the morbidly obese and the ultra-fit people, I was somewhere on the fitter side – but still have some work to do.
So, I’ve ramped up my exercise and I’m trying to use the elliptical trainer once a day now. I’m also going to dust off the bowflex this evening and give that a go. No specific goals, but good intentions.
I got some “emerging from the ocean” pictures that I’ll try to get posted later today.

vacation: the bad

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On July 25, 2010

In Uncategorized

And now for the bad. And I have a surprising amount of bad from this vacation.

1. My grandmother passed away. I mean, how much worse could can you get?
2. The drive was 10 hours each way. Which is pretty horrific all by itself. Add in my room-mate – who has been going to the same place on vacation for about a thousand years – still not being sure of the route to take. This is with years of experience, a map, and a freaking GPS. Which he argued with for the first 2 hours of the trip back before giving up and letting her guide us. He’s going to be pissed that I wrote this in the blog, but dangit, pick a route and stick to it. He knows how completely insane that indecision makes me because I’ve told him how insane that indecision makes me.
3. My room-mate and siblings argued with every single conversation they had. Every single one. I counted and it was all of them. Ugh.
4. I got bitch slapped and owned by the waves. I got in my time/distance, but it was rough. I looked good in my “Daniel Craig as James Bond” Speedos, but I was the ocean’s bitch.
5. My room-mate drove the Sea-Doo like an old man. Every time we got up to speed, he’d drop the throttle and we’d slam to a stop. I mean, seriously.
6. I had computer problems to fix. My uncle’s were easy to address on windows 7, but I had some vista issues on another machine that I could not surmount. Very frustrating.
7. Parking the Sea-Doo involved me getting into the canal and lifting on the machine while my room-mate pulled it onto the mini-dock. I did not smell very fresh afterwards and was quite sore.
8. We ate out at the same places we ate out at last year. And the wait on one of those trips? 2 hours. The food? Not worth a 2 hour wait.
8. We had plans to go places and do things, but ended up spending much of the time sitting in the sun. I was bored. A lot. And this was a bigger deal than it seems. I was just kinda of hoping for an adventure or two and it was just more of the same.
On the bright side, I wasn’t at work. But, sheesh. I know I’m really poor at relaxing, but the lack of fun on this trip was staggering. There’s got to be something more.
And just writing this has put me in bad mood. I think I need to go back and read about the fun parts of my trip again.

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