I'll be staying late tonight to work on month-end expenses.
I'm going to need some coffee.
-Tom
Friday, April 29, 2005
Boycott Best Buy
Best Buy used to be my favorite place to purchase dvds. No more. I used to really enjoy drifting up and down the aisles slowly reading all the titles and selecting (I'll be honest) eight or nine at a time. However. Best Buy sucks. Therefore I am no longer going to do any purchasing of anything there ever again, no matter how convenient. Here's why:
I bought a digital camera (really). You may recall the nightmare of phone calls and double-crosses I had to get through to purchase my digital camera: (jog your memory). You may also recall I was compelled to buy retail at Best Buy, which was really just a continuation of that nightmare: (come again). But Now, now I see the final chapter, the culmination of what undoubtedly took years of hard work to devise and implement. Best Buy corporate must have a chapter in their business statement called "how to screw the consumer you've already screwed over at least once." Probably right after the chapter on hiring customer service representatives who could not complete the GED requirements.
I used my Best Buy credit card at the time of purchase. I accepted their offer of zero interest for six months, and planned to pay the balance within a few weeks time. I discovered very soon after making my purchase that the balance can be paid over the phone through an automated 800 number. Excellent, I appreciate automated billing, it makes things easy. Call up, punch in some numbers, the pound sign (aside: the tic-tac-toe board-looking symbol on the bottom right key of your keypad is sometimes called an octothorpe). So, I called the number.
I was informed, via automated voice girl, that I would need the invoice number, printed on my billing statement, to access the system. To that point I had not received a statement. Very well, I shall wait, after all I've got six months.
Yesterday I received my first statement. First statement. Much to my surprise I saw not only the charge for my digital camera which I covered with their stupid Best Buy credit card, but, but, also an eleven dollar late fee. WTF, my dear readers, wtf. They've charged me a late fee before sending me the first bill. Strange? Yes. Disputable? Yes. Only the begining? Yes.
Because now that I have an invoice number I can call the automated system, pay the balance (dispute the late fee) and be done with the whole affair. Well GUESS WHAT. The lovely, quick, automated system CHARGES A FEE TO PROCESS YOUR PAYMENT w. t. f. [should be read as a menacing whisper] w.t.f.
So my options are these:
1. hang up, write out a check, buy a stamp, send the check, get charged one or possibly two more unfounded late fees, call customer service (repeatedly) to dispute said late fees, and drag this on for months.
2. stay on the line, pay the balance (not the late fee, possible not the processing fee) save the fight with customer service for another day
3. pay the whole damn thing. bastards.
I chose option two. Because come on. There's no way I'm paying the late fee, because you never told me when my first payment was due. I think it's really an ingenious little scheme. Don't tell the consumer he's late until it's too late, and then charge him. Bastards.
Now the processing fee is just a whole 'nother mind game. Another ingenious scheme: Offer the consumer an easy, fast, pain-free way to pay off his enormous credit card balance, and then charge him for it. Bastards. Oh, and then confuse him.
Confuse me? Yes. Because after agreeing to the processing fee, and agreeing to leave it on my balance (to be disputed at a future date), as I exited out of the automated system the pleasant female voice kindly reminded me that there was a fee for using the system. wtf? Is that the processing fee I've already agreed to or are you naming another hidden fee, just to call up your stupid bill-pay hotline missy? Cuz that ain't happenin'. If you're saying I now have to dispute three bogus charges I may skip the phone call altogether, fly down to Best Buy HQ in Carolina to formally denounce the corporation and formally announce a boycott. Which I'm doing anyway. But if I have to fly down there I'm going to kick it into high gear. I'm talking rallies, pickets, rioting, the works. Charge me a late fee? I'll kick your ass.
-Tom
recommended download:
Barenaked Ladies , Life, In A Nutshell
and
Weezer, Don't Let Go
I bought a digital camera (really). You may recall the nightmare of phone calls and double-crosses I had to get through to purchase my digital camera: (jog your memory). You may also recall I was compelled to buy retail at Best Buy, which was really just a continuation of that nightmare: (come again). But Now, now I see the final chapter, the culmination of what undoubtedly took years of hard work to devise and implement. Best Buy corporate must have a chapter in their business statement called "how to screw the consumer you've already screwed over at least once." Probably right after the chapter on hiring customer service representatives who could not complete the GED requirements.
I used my Best Buy credit card at the time of purchase. I accepted their offer of zero interest for six months, and planned to pay the balance within a few weeks time. I discovered very soon after making my purchase that the balance can be paid over the phone through an automated 800 number. Excellent, I appreciate automated billing, it makes things easy. Call up, punch in some numbers, the pound sign (aside: the tic-tac-toe board-looking symbol on the bottom right key of your keypad is sometimes called an octothorpe). So, I called the number.
I was informed, via automated voice girl, that I would need the invoice number, printed on my billing statement, to access the system. To that point I had not received a statement. Very well, I shall wait, after all I've got six months.
Yesterday I received my first statement. First statement. Much to my surprise I saw not only the charge for my digital camera which I covered with their stupid Best Buy credit card, but, but, also an eleven dollar late fee. WTF, my dear readers, wtf. They've charged me a late fee before sending me the first bill. Strange? Yes. Disputable? Yes. Only the begining? Yes.
Because now that I have an invoice number I can call the automated system, pay the balance (dispute the late fee) and be done with the whole affair. Well GUESS WHAT. The lovely, quick, automated system CHARGES A FEE TO PROCESS YOUR PAYMENT w. t. f. [should be read as a menacing whisper] w.t.f.
So my options are these:
1. hang up, write out a check, buy a stamp, send the check, get charged one or possibly two more unfounded late fees, call customer service (repeatedly) to dispute said late fees, and drag this on for months.
2. stay on the line, pay the balance (not the late fee, possible not the processing fee) save the fight with customer service for another day
3. pay the whole damn thing. bastards.
I chose option two. Because come on. There's no way I'm paying the late fee, because you never told me when my first payment was due. I think it's really an ingenious little scheme. Don't tell the consumer he's late until it's too late, and then charge him. Bastards.
Now the processing fee is just a whole 'nother mind game. Another ingenious scheme: Offer the consumer an easy, fast, pain-free way to pay off his enormous credit card balance, and then charge him for it. Bastards. Oh, and then confuse him.
Confuse me? Yes. Because after agreeing to the processing fee, and agreeing to leave it on my balance (to be disputed at a future date), as I exited out of the automated system the pleasant female voice kindly reminded me that there was a fee for using the system. wtf? Is that the processing fee I've already agreed to or are you naming another hidden fee, just to call up your stupid bill-pay hotline missy? Cuz that ain't happenin'. If you're saying I now have to dispute three bogus charges I may skip the phone call altogether, fly down to Best Buy HQ in Carolina to formally denounce the corporation and formally announce a boycott. Which I'm doing anyway. But if I have to fly down there I'm going to kick it into high gear. I'm talking rallies, pickets, rioting, the works. Charge me a late fee? I'll kick your ass.
-Tom
recommended download:
Barenaked Ladies , Life, In A Nutshell
and
Weezer, Don't Let Go
Thursday, April 28, 2005
it's like a disease
blogger - has finally done it: interfered. and what's worse: it's getting worse.
When all this began, months ago, I was diligent, dedicated, efficient, and pure. I did my work. I double-checked. Then I blogged.
Soon after this began, less months ago, I was less diligent, semi-dedicated, efficient, and not so pure. I did my work. While I did my work I thought about blogging. Sometimes I would blog then work.
Now, now, I am at the mercy of my desire to blog. At its mercy. To bring the point into relief (unconscious acts are italicized):
This morning I made an entry on my spreadsheet. I clicked Save. I opened a window to the internet. I clicked print. I logged in to blogger.com. I began thinking about the Celtics. I began writing about the Celtics. I began browsing around online. I visited other blogs. I thought that I had forgotten something. I continued to browse the internet. I sort of think something I forgot is job-related. Maybe something to do with my...computer? I opened my email. I logged onto AIM. I perused away messages. Maybe I printed...something. Yes. Think about that. Think. I went back to the internet. AHA! The printer!! I have to go to the printer!! ...
It's become my driving force. No longer a conscious thought. This could spell trouble.
-Tom
recommended download:
Blink 182, A New Hope
Marcy Playground, Wave Motion Gun
Bob Dylan, The Times They Are A' Changing
The Who, The Seeker
When all this began, months ago, I was diligent, dedicated, efficient, and pure. I did my work. I double-checked. Then I blogged.
Soon after this began, less months ago, I was less diligent, semi-dedicated, efficient, and not so pure. I did my work. While I did my work I thought about blogging. Sometimes I would blog then work.
Now, now, I am at the mercy of my desire to blog. At its mercy. To bring the point into relief (unconscious acts are italicized):
This morning I made an entry on my spreadsheet. I clicked Save. I opened a window to the internet. I clicked print. I logged in to blogger.com. I began thinking about the Celtics. I began writing about the Celtics. I began browsing around online. I visited other blogs. I thought that I had forgotten something. I continued to browse the internet. I sort of think something I forgot is job-related. Maybe something to do with my...computer? I opened my email. I logged onto AIM. I perused away messages. Maybe I printed...something. Yes. Think about that. Think. I went back to the internet. AHA! The printer!! I have to go to the printer!! ...
It's become my driving force. No longer a conscious thought. This could spell trouble.
-Tom
recommended download:
Blink 182, A New Hope
Marcy Playground, Wave Motion Gun
Bob Dylan, The Times They Are A' Changing
The Who, The Seeker
They are obsessed with the celtics
What is the big deal. The whole office. It's basketball for crying out loud. And I can't stand basketball. And it's not even good basketball. They won their division with a .500 record. Can you imagine? They were the best in their division because they only lost half of their games. A dominant team they are not.
AND NO ONE WILL SHUT UP ABOUT IT. Stupid coworkers. I can hardly stand them talking about the Red Sox, and I love baseball. I mean come on. Basketball hasn't been the same since Jordan left the game, and you people out there who were fans and now are just sitting around calling yourselves fans but really you're just waiting for the second coming of his Airness (wwMJd) are almost as bad as the people out there who actually like this sport. WHATS THE BIG DEAL?
It's not exciting. It's not a team sport. It's not a "team" league. It's an individual's league. It all started with MJ. I don't blame him though, how could you not get caught up in the greatest player to ever walk the face of the earth's game? I blame the league. It was their decision to start fueling and advertising the individual "superstar" (of which Jordan was the last, or only) and the "grudges" or "feuds" "Come see Shaq and Kobe battle for supremacy in the West." Um. Hello. Last time I checked they put five guys out on the floor. Yeah, that's right five. That's four more than one. Someone should maybe remind the league office. Guys, you should promote the TEAM. If you wanted grudge matches maybe you should start talking to the wwe or hell, you can maybe start promoting ten pin. BUT THERE ARE FOUR OTHER GUYS (who I'm pretty sure are payed well) OUT THERE TOO.
To sum up ADINA SKIM TO HERE the NBA has ruined basketball. Plus I'm not a fan anyway. And there's no way the Celtics get past the second round, because they're not very good. Stupid basketball.
-Tom
recommended download:
The Monkees, Last Train To Clarksville
AND NO ONE WILL SHUT UP ABOUT IT. Stupid coworkers. I can hardly stand them talking about the Red Sox, and I love baseball. I mean come on. Basketball hasn't been the same since Jordan left the game, and you people out there who were fans and now are just sitting around calling yourselves fans but really you're just waiting for the second coming of his Airness (wwMJd) are almost as bad as the people out there who actually like this sport. WHATS THE BIG DEAL?
It's not exciting. It's not a team sport. It's not a "team" league. It's an individual's league. It all started with MJ. I don't blame him though, how could you not get caught up in the greatest player to ever walk the face of the earth's game? I blame the league. It was their decision to start fueling and advertising the individual "superstar" (of which Jordan was the last, or only) and the "grudges" or "feuds" "Come see Shaq and Kobe battle for supremacy in the West." Um. Hello. Last time I checked they put five guys out on the floor. Yeah, that's right five. That's four more than one. Someone should maybe remind the league office. Guys, you should promote the TEAM. If you wanted grudge matches maybe you should start talking to the wwe or hell, you can maybe start promoting ten pin. BUT THERE ARE FOUR OTHER GUYS (who I'm pretty sure are payed well) OUT THERE TOO.
To sum up ADINA SKIM TO HERE the NBA has ruined basketball. Plus I'm not a fan anyway. And there's no way the Celtics get past the second round, because they're not very good. Stupid basketball.
-Tom
recommended download:
The Monkees, Last Train To Clarksville
Wednesday, April 27, 2005
Now and then I find my way
I am the opposite of awake: tired. That's not really the opposite, but it is a good illustration of how my mind is working right now: Slowly. I think a giant dunkin donuts latte is in order, but I think I will probably not get one, since car insurance is so expensive. That didn't seem closely related, did it? I'll explain: I would like to purchase a car, I need money. I am saving money. I just learned however exactly how expensive car insurance really is: very expensive. Therefore, I need to save money for the car and also for the insurance for the car. Therefore I am trying, with much difficulty, to will myself into a spending freeze. No more bought lunches. No more spur of themoment dvd purchases. No more compulsive transactions for, yet another, pair of sunglasses. I have, to this point, failed miserably. Why, just yesterday I logged on to amazon.com and bought the life aquatic and rushmore. It wasn't the one click purchase that got me either, I went through all the steps. I used to be good at saving money. Like in fuorth grade, when we got a quarter to buy milk at lunch, and I saved those quarters all year and at the end of the year I had like seventeen dollars in quarters. Which are still sitting in my piggie bank. Though, my boss did ask me to work late friday for some overtime pay. That's a good thing. Really, working late means I'll get out of here near maybe eight o'clock, that's the perfect time to head in to the city and eat dinner and then meet some people and go out. What a perfect way to blow the overtime pay I will have just earned. Spending freeze. Right.
-Tom
recommended download
Three Doors Down, Away From The Sun
-Tom
recommended download
Three Doors Down, Away From The Sun
Monday, April 25, 2005
I'm not dead either
This is a post to send messages to other people-
John: nobody thought you were dead. Though it would have been nice if you'd left a note or post or an away message up so people would know you were in chicago.
Kelly: congrats on being adult and the "watermelon pink" couch. also, congratulations on that other thing if you know what I mean
John and Kelly: listen, I know these people are your friends, from high school, and maybe that makes it a little more real for you, but STOP freaking out. it's a BABY. not the end of the world brought about by ATOMIC WAR. hooray for new life. If I were you I'd be crossing my fingers. the baby wouldn't freak me out so much as being asked to be god parents. I hope you're not that close to the parents ;)
Kat: how's Hermione?
Adina: how's passover? also, when you say you spent the day "passing over" was that just a flip sort of message, or did you mean it, because I think if you meant it you'd be likening yourself to the angel of death and I'd rather not think about you that way
Samantha: thanks for commenting on the blog these past few entries. it's nice to get comments.
Everyone who isn't samantha: Ahem. [points at previous message] Ahem.
Lindsay: Do you even read this? If so, you should update your journal. If it could talk I think it would say something like "ZZZzzzzzz..... ZZZZZzzzzz...."
Donny: I had a thought, how about an abstract representation of some statistical imagery for your next stained glass project? The bell curve, some important constants, or the formula from an important theorem. OR. you could do the Cheshire Cat.
Tom and Maureen: I don't think you guys are reading this, but if you are: did you see olando bloom or any other big stars over in morocco when they were filming Kingdom of Heaven? that would be pretty cool
Anonymous: to everybody out there I haven't mentioned leave me a comment :) I'll mention you next time.
-Tom
recommended download: Matt Nathanson, Answering Machine
John: nobody thought you were dead. Though it would have been nice if you'd left a note or post or an away message up so people would know you were in chicago.
Kelly: congrats on being adult and the "watermelon pink" couch. also, congratulations on that other thing if you know what I mean
John and Kelly: listen, I know these people are your friends, from high school, and maybe that makes it a little more real for you, but STOP freaking out. it's a BABY. not the end of the world brought about by ATOMIC WAR. hooray for new life. If I were you I'd be crossing my fingers. the baby wouldn't freak me out so much as being asked to be god parents. I hope you're not that close to the parents ;)
Kat: how's Hermione?
Adina: how's passover? also, when you say you spent the day "passing over" was that just a flip sort of message, or did you mean it, because I think if you meant it you'd be likening yourself to the angel of death and I'd rather not think about you that way
Samantha: thanks for commenting on the blog these past few entries. it's nice to get comments.
Everyone who isn't samantha: Ahem. [points at previous message] Ahem.
Lindsay: Do you even read this? If so, you should update your journal. If it could talk I think it would say something like "ZZZzzzzzz..... ZZZZZzzzzz...."
Donny: I had a thought, how about an abstract representation of some statistical imagery for your next stained glass project? The bell curve, some important constants, or the formula from an important theorem. OR. you could do the Cheshire Cat.
Tom and Maureen: I don't think you guys are reading this, but if you are: did you see olando bloom or any other big stars over in morocco when they were filming Kingdom of Heaven? that would be pretty cool
Anonymous: to everybody out there I haven't mentioned leave me a comment :) I'll mention you next time.
-Tom
recommended download: Matt Nathanson, Answering Machine
Thursday, April 21, 2005
Zzz...
I just fell asleep at my desk. Really. I was leaning on my hand, and the next thing I know, I gave a start and woke myself up. I don't know how long I was asleep, could have been only thirty seconds, but it's a first. I certainly wasn't asleep long enough for my arm to go dead and then tip over and whack my face off the keyboard (which I've seen happen, but it was a notebook not a keyboard, and it wasn't here it was in CS101). Also, not long enough for anyone to notice. I think.
-tom
x-I
-tom
x-I
Ah, young love
I was going to write about relationships, and how I'm not in one. I had intended on being serious, but my first few drafts were flip and off the cuff. Why would I want to be serious about love, or young love, or infatuation, or giant crushes that have almost no hope of reciprocation? That's the last thing I would be serious about (but seriously, when have I ever been serious about anything?)
I love the emotional turmoil associated with the begining of a relationship, that first period, when you don't know if the girl likes you, when her inadvertent smile can give you a heart attack you're so happy, when nothing makes sense and you realize you would keep it like that forever if you could. That's the stuff I love.. That's my favorite thing ever. Unfortunately (for me) the past few times that that situation has arisen the girl had no idea. When things start like that they almost never work out. All it takes is "wow, she's incredibly cool/ltalented/pretty/smart/cute, wouldn't it be great if...." and I'm off, a world of imagined happiness. My imagination is my fatal flaw. I create a world in my head where everything goes perfectly. I could script the first few dates. We're hopelessly enamored with (of?) each other. The problem, is this all happens in the few seconds after seeing the girl for the first time, before I've even had a chance to talk to her. I can count on one hand how many times it's worked out. Zero. Sometimes the girl doesn't want anything to do with me (kk) sometimes the girl likes me and would like to date me while continuing to like and date (and sleep with) all her other guy friends (km), sometimes the girl has a boyfriend (cb), and sometimes the girl never ever finds out (es). Tragic. (for me).
Anyway, spring is sprung. Love is in the air. For those of you lucky enough to have a crush, or other (significant or not) I wish you the best. For those of you out there without a crush or other, don't despair, I'm positive there's some guy you don't even know about crushing on you, whose heart stops when you glance his way and smile.
-tom
recommended download:
Matt Nathanson, Suspended
Howie Day, Collide
I love the emotional turmoil associated with the begining of a relationship, that first period, when you don't know if the girl likes you, when her inadvertent smile can give you a heart attack you're so happy, when nothing makes sense and you realize you would keep it like that forever if you could. That's the stuff I love.. That's my favorite thing ever. Unfortunately (for me) the past few times that that situation has arisen the girl had no idea. When things start like that they almost never work out. All it takes is "wow, she's incredibly cool/ltalented/pretty/smart/cute, wouldn't it be great if...." and I'm off, a world of imagined happiness. My imagination is my fatal flaw. I create a world in my head where everything goes perfectly. I could script the first few dates. We're hopelessly enamored with (of?) each other. The problem, is this all happens in the few seconds after seeing the girl for the first time, before I've even had a chance to talk to her. I can count on one hand how many times it's worked out. Zero. Sometimes the girl doesn't want anything to do with me (kk) sometimes the girl likes me and would like to date me while continuing to like and date (and sleep with) all her other guy friends (km), sometimes the girl has a boyfriend (cb), and sometimes the girl never ever finds out (es). Tragic. (for me).
Anyway, spring is sprung. Love is in the air. For those of you lucky enough to have a crush, or other (significant or not) I wish you the best. For those of you out there without a crush or other, don't despair, I'm positive there's some guy you don't even know about crushing on you, whose heart stops when you glance his way and smile.
-tom
recommended download:
Matt Nathanson, Suspended
Howie Day, Collide
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
e-People
That's it. I'm swearing off electronic relationships. They're getting weirder and creepier everyday. This was prompted when I found way too many people I know on google. It started out innocently enough, I was thinking "wouldn't it be a hoot to find some obscure webpage someone put together in high school" but is that what I found? NO. I found instead online profile, online journals, online photo albums, all told, way too much information floating around online. Hey, I'm guilty too. I've got profiles on thefacebook on Friendster, I'm sitting here writing entries in an online journal, and they're all public, no limited access, I'm just as googleable. Before, when we all still lived in obscurity the only thing that google came up with was a photo of me juggling. (which was really cool, btw). Now though, it's out of hand. There is too much information available to anyone out there. I'm swearing off e-relations.
I'm now seeking out friendships with real, actual people. Friendships that depend on being in the same place, physically, to interact: Bars, resturants, libraries, shows, movies, coffee houses, dorms, apartments, and so on.
However. So not to exclude the other group, the-people-I've-met-but-never-in-person (deppy, c-dep, samantha, rosy, and so on) I'm going to maintain those connections. I'm talking about building more bridges, (real ones), but not tearing any down.
Oh, and, since I do love AIM so much, once we've met, in person, e-lations are totally acceptable. People move away, are busy, and so on. That's what AIM's for, and cell phones, and email, and online journals even.
Electronic communication is messing with me. Even this post is rambling and incoherent. Just an assortment of semi-related sentences. I'll try and clarify. What I'm saying is:
Get Real.
-Tom
recommended downloads:
bob schneider, king of the world, and I'm good now
green day, when I come around
and
from the Castlevania II soundtrack, Simon's Theme (Rock Remix)
I'm now seeking out friendships with real, actual people. Friendships that depend on being in the same place, physically, to interact: Bars, resturants, libraries, shows, movies, coffee houses, dorms, apartments, and so on.
However. So not to exclude the other group, the-people-I've-met-but-never-in-person (deppy, c-dep, samantha, rosy, and so on) I'm going to maintain those connections. I'm talking about building more bridges, (real ones), but not tearing any down.
Oh, and, since I do love AIM so much, once we've met, in person, e-lations are totally acceptable. People move away, are busy, and so on. That's what AIM's for, and cell phones, and email, and online journals even.
Electronic communication is messing with me. Even this post is rambling and incoherent. Just an assortment of semi-related sentences. I'll try and clarify. What I'm saying is:
Get Real.
-Tom
recommended downloads:
bob schneider, king of the world, and I'm good now
green day, when I come around
and
from the Castlevania II soundtrack, Simon's Theme (Rock Remix)
Tuesday, April 19, 2005
This is the post that will get me fired.
Someone will read this over my shoulder, or accidentally discover the link, I may forget to lock my computer. This is the post that will get me fired.
First thoughts. I'm only going on initial impressions.
I do not enjoy coming in to work. Let's not say I hate it, but I'm no fan. I do enjoy people, I like working with them, solving problems, interacting. It's just the work.
The new senior started today, the "pretty face." Initial impressions. It's good for morale.
You won't hear me complaining about sexism or misconduct. I give everyone the benefit of the doubt. I do not suspect that she was given the job because she, to quote a coworker "has a nice ass," but rather because she can do the job.
But I'm writing here, (and will be fired because), I don't think it hurts. Why not have a pretty face in the group? Far be it from me to prohibit pleasant features from assailing my eyes. Far be it from anyone. Given a choice? I would undoubtedly choose the person who could do the job and be easy to look at. I like good looking women. Bring 'em on. Unless of course they're (favorite expression of its kind) as dumb as a bag of hammers. Then don't hire them. But if they're both good looking and competent? Well, that's just good for everybody concerned, isn't it? Yes. Unless you're the ugly one who got the boot. Tough.
I'm totally getting fired for this.
-Tom
First thoughts. I'm only going on initial impressions.
I do not enjoy coming in to work. Let's not say I hate it, but I'm no fan. I do enjoy people, I like working with them, solving problems, interacting. It's just the work.
The new senior started today, the "pretty face." Initial impressions. It's good for morale.
You won't hear me complaining about sexism or misconduct. I give everyone the benefit of the doubt. I do not suspect that she was given the job because she, to quote a coworker "has a nice ass," but rather because she can do the job.
But I'm writing here, (and will be fired because), I don't think it hurts. Why not have a pretty face in the group? Far be it from me to prohibit pleasant features from assailing my eyes. Far be it from anyone. Given a choice? I would undoubtedly choose the person who could do the job and be easy to look at. I like good looking women. Bring 'em on. Unless of course they're (favorite expression of its kind) as dumb as a bag of hammers. Then don't hire them. But if they're both good looking and competent? Well, that's just good for everybody concerned, isn't it? Yes. Unless you're the ugly one who got the boot. Tough.
I'm totally getting fired for this.
-Tom
Monday, April 18, 2005
Time away
The more time I spend away from work the more time I want to spend away from work. Work sucks. And I'll tell you why. Work doesn't mean anything. I spent three months interviewing for a job, I rejected offers from direct advertising groups, and poorly run start-up companies. I settled for this job because the benefits outweighed the detriments. The more time I spend away from this job the more I realize that the detriments are growing heavier.
I don't want to be a plug-in employee. All I wanted was a job with a company that wanted me. That is not the job I have. I settled for a spot that could be filled by anyone. The company does not know me, does not need me. They need someone with a college degree - and really, from the work I do (from the lack of work there is for me to do) I can tell you the college degree is a luxury for the HR department, this could be done by anyone with two years of high school education. They don't care that I juggle. They don't care how I solve problems, or that I take the greatest pleasure in understanding problems and coming up with the how-to to fix them. They only care that I fit the mold, the minimum requirements, and that I haven't screwed up. There uncaring approach is wearisome. Very soon I am going to purchase a car. Soon after that I would like to find an apartment. What I would most like to find is a company that wants to find me. Some enterprise that is looking for something specific, specifically me.
It's nice to be wanted.
-Tom
recommended download:
The Who: Can't Explain
Bob Schneider: King Of The World
I don't want to be a plug-in employee. All I wanted was a job with a company that wanted me. That is not the job I have. I settled for a spot that could be filled by anyone. The company does not know me, does not need me. They need someone with a college degree - and really, from the work I do (from the lack of work there is for me to do) I can tell you the college degree is a luxury for the HR department, this could be done by anyone with two years of high school education. They don't care that I juggle. They don't care how I solve problems, or that I take the greatest pleasure in understanding problems and coming up with the how-to to fix them. They only care that I fit the mold, the minimum requirements, and that I haven't screwed up. There uncaring approach is wearisome. Very soon I am going to purchase a car. Soon after that I would like to find an apartment. What I would most like to find is a company that wants to find me. Some enterprise that is looking for something specific, specifically me.
It's nice to be wanted.
-Tom
recommended download:
The Who: Can't Explain
Bob Schneider: King Of The World
Sunday, April 17, 2005
The Blue Room
We all have dreams, everyone of us, and I'm sure I get distracted at times, I'm sure I stop paying attention to my dreams. We have to, I think, to let them simmer. I know that mine get placed aside in the day-to-day, and they hold a special place, for me, because they're not always in the forefront. I like to be reminded of my dreams.
Some of you may have read my earlier post, about producing. I'd written that after thinking about a play that absolutely floored me. Tonight, I saw another play. It was good. It brought that dream back into the light. I'll think about that theater for the next few days, and about actors who transform ideas into real live people. There's a world there, it's a world I'd like to be part of, and haven't yet. In its own time, I think it will happen. That's what dreams are for: to come true. Right?
-Tom
tonight's recommended downloads:
Fleetwood Mac, Landslide
and
Stephen Kellogg, Anthem Of Our Discovery
Some of you may have read my earlier post, about producing. I'd written that after thinking about a play that absolutely floored me. Tonight, I saw another play. It was good. It brought that dream back into the light. I'll think about that theater for the next few days, and about actors who transform ideas into real live people. There's a world there, it's a world I'd like to be part of, and haven't yet. In its own time, I think it will happen. That's what dreams are for: to come true. Right?
-Tom
tonight's recommended downloads:
Fleetwood Mac, Landslide
and
Stephen Kellogg, Anthem Of Our Discovery
Friday, April 15, 2005
Drunk Notebook
I had my notebook with me last night. I was writing in it. Here's the transcript:
4/14/05
We had the "April 14th party at Greatest Bar" tonight. I met Donna Laura and I finally asked Ashley out. And she said "I have a boyfriend now." First of all WTF I'll totally kick his ass. Second of all Abbey is cool, so is Donna. Third of all I won't finish this thought cuz the T's here. Damn. Alcohol rocks.
I called Adina, Beth, & John... & then I called Adina, I remember she laughed a lot. then I might have called Kelly (TX) maybe
Then I called Beth to say "hi" and I don't know what else
I think the end.
I love alcohol.
2nd drunk entry
I don't remember exactly what she said, but she said "timing sucks," or "timing is bad" or something similar with "timing" but she does "want to be friends" and I don't stop by her desk as often since the move.
I don't think I'll remember this much. Rely on Adina's memory, or Beth's voicemail.
met: Donna, Laura, Ashley, Lisa talked to Mike about resp. about more resp. Don't remember much else. love alcohol!
3rd entry
I am totally confused
I don't know which way I'm heading
I don't recognize the OLP songs on my playlist
Somewhere Out There, Innocent?
don't recognize
Don't. Recognize.
I love it
&
I am worried by it.
4th
"I love life more than life itself"
The people on the T are maybe wondering why every 30 seconds I am grabbing this notebook from my bag & scribbling notes between stops I don't care
I love life I love everyone that makes life life EVERYONE IN THE WORLD IS PERFECT
(listening to OLP: Gravity)
(Sullivan)
5th
I am Angry
&
I am Drunk
which one will win out?
we'll see in the morning,
I think.
4/14/05
We had the "April 14th party at Greatest Bar" tonight. I met Donna Laura and I finally asked Ashley out. And she said "I have a boyfriend now." First of all WTF I'll totally kick his ass. Second of all Abbey is cool, so is Donna. Third of all I won't finish this thought cuz the T's here. Damn. Alcohol rocks.
I called Adina, Beth, & John... & then I called Adina, I remember she laughed a lot. then I might have called Kelly (TX) maybe
Then I called Beth to say "hi" and I don't know what else
I think the end.
I love alcohol.
2nd drunk entry
I don't remember exactly what she said, but she said "timing sucks," or "timing is bad" or something similar with "timing" but she does "want to be friends" and I don't stop by her desk as often since the move.
I don't think I'll remember this much. Rely on Adina's memory, or Beth's voicemail.
met: Donna, Laura, Ashley, Lisa talked to Mike about resp. about more resp. Don't remember much else. love alcohol!
3rd entry
I am totally confused
I don't know which way I'm heading
I don't recognize the OLP songs on my playlist
Somewhere Out There, Innocent?
don't recognize
Don't. Recognize.
I love it
&
I am worried by it.
4th
"I love life more than life itself"
The people on the T are maybe wondering why every 30 seconds I am grabbing this notebook from my bag & scribbling notes between stops I don't care
I love life I love everyone that makes life life EVERYONE IN THE WORLD IS PERFECT
(listening to OLP: Gravity)
(Sullivan)
5th
I am Angry
&
I am Drunk
which one will win out?
we'll see in the morning,
I think.
I should not have consumed that much alcohol last night
I am begining to see things. I just saw a small black fly that wasn't there walk across my desk. (speaking of flies, are there any other things out there that are named because they possess a certain ability? you know, I've never heard of a "walk")
I thought I was hungover this morning when I woke up.
I think now, that I was still drunk.
Now I am hungover. It sucks.
I can remember the point that I should have stopped drinking last night. It's actually the last thing I remember about last night. Definitely should have stopped then. If I had, maybe I wouldn't feel as miserable as I do now. Physically I mean: nausea, hallucinations, headache, chills, vertigo and so on. Psychologically I'm in a pretty good place, as long as I don't think about what I did last night (or about what I suspect I did last night -see previous post for a hint-)
I hope to be able to get up from my desk and walk by lunchtime.
I thought I was hungover this morning when I woke up.
I think now, that I was still drunk.
Now I am hungover. It sucks.
I can remember the point that I should have stopped drinking last night. It's actually the last thing I remember about last night. Definitely should have stopped then. If I had, maybe I wouldn't feel as miserable as I do now. Physically I mean: nausea, hallucinations, headache, chills, vertigo and so on. Psychologically I'm in a pretty good place, as long as I don't think about what I did last night (or about what I suspect I did last night -see previous post for a hint-)
I hope to be able to get up from my desk and walk by lunchtime.
May or may not have happened
We had an office get together last night. At a bar. An open bar. The things I'm pretty sure happened are listed, the things that may or may not have happened are in bold.
«Began the night with Cindy and her sister and their two friends, all of them 4'5" and Vietnamese
«Had three managers comment on me being surrounded by tiny asian women, (not all of them office-appropriate comments)
«Watched the game on the big screen, go sox.
«Got asked by my managers if I was interviewing elsewhere
«Might have denied it
«Berated my senior manager and *demanded* more responsibility
«May have asked out the pretty girl
«She said no
«After asking and being denied, may have asked the pretty girl out again
«Had much too much to drink
«Learned the names of some more coworkers, names like Abbey Donna Laura Anne
«May have forgotten which names go with who
«May have asked the pretty girl out, again
«Got invited to Montreal on a trip a coworker is planning.
«May not remember which coworker is planning the trip
«May have acted like that drunk guy at the office party everybody laughs about the next day, or until someone else does something stupider.
«Called at least three people. Had four minute conversation with someone who may have been Adina
«May have left a message on Beth's phone. May have left a message on someone else's phone. May have talked to people I shouldn't have been talking to.
«May not remember all the things I don't remember doing.
You all should have been there.
-Tom
recommended download
Pushstars, Drunk is better than dead
«Began the night with Cindy and her sister and their two friends, all of them 4'5" and Vietnamese
«Had three managers comment on me being surrounded by tiny asian women, (not all of them office-appropriate comments)
«Watched the game on the big screen, go sox.
«Got asked by my managers if I was interviewing elsewhere
«Might have denied it
«Berated my senior manager and *demanded* more responsibility
«May have asked out the pretty girl
«She said no
«After asking and being denied, may have asked the pretty girl out again
«Had much too much to drink
«Learned the names of some more coworkers, names like Abbey Donna Laura Anne
«May have forgotten which names go with who
«May have asked the pretty girl out, again
«Got invited to Montreal on a trip a coworker is planning.
«May not remember which coworker is planning the trip
«May have acted like that drunk guy at the office party everybody laughs about the next day, or until someone else does something stupider.
«Called at least three people. Had four minute conversation with someone who may have been Adina
«May have left a message on Beth's phone. May have left a message on someone else's phone. May have talked to people I shouldn't have been talking to.
«May not remember all the things I don't remember doing.
You all should have been there.
-Tom
recommended download
Pushstars, Drunk is better than dead
Thursday, April 14, 2005
Give to Ceasar
I paid my taxes last night. IRS telefile. Piece of cake. Call up, input the code they mailed me, and my social, and W2 info, done in three minutes. I accidentally hit 1 instead of 2 when asked if I wanted my refund mailed to me instead of directly deposited in my bank account, but whatever, the money's still coming.
And then, the Massachusetts telefile. Which is stupid. Because you need the amount of your 2003 refund to log into the system. Does anyone out there keep that handy? Does anyone out there believe for a second that I would go to the necessary lengths to save that bit of information from last year? Well, the answer is yes, shame on you doubters. I did keep the information. It just took me a while to find it.
The reason I kept it is the same thing happened last year, and I didn't have the previous year's return handy, actually I didn't have it at all. In any case, after struggling through filing last year I did save my return. Where? I couldn't remember.
But, let's think about this logically. Taxes should be filed before April 15th. I am not one to miss deadlines (well, if missing the deadline will cost me money). Therefore I must have filed last year while still at school. Therefore, if I saved anything it should be with my school files (My "files" being giant stacks of disorganized papers dating from May 2000 to May 2004 - including but not limited to college applications for schools I chose not to apply to or attend, every math test I ever took, approximately half of the philosophy tests I ever took, assorted flyers and advertisements for student group functions like the First Annual TerrierFest Juggling Convention -which only made it to the second annual convention, but that's a different post- and many, many receipts and bills for stuff I'm sure I paid for but probably lost). So, let's go check the files. Turns out, not as easy as it seems. The giant stacks of mostly useless paper products have been placed in a giant cardboard box that once housed my 17 inch monitor. The box has been placed in the crawl space in my brother's closet, behind a bureau which is bigger than the doorway. How they got the bureau in there I'll never know, maybe they built the walls around it, but there's no way it will fit out the door. Therefore, to get to the stacks I climb over the bureau.
The crawl space is shallow, and very short. I have about a foot and a half of clearance to get over and down behind to where the papers are. I make it, because I am nothing if not graceful and athletic. I manage to not break any bones or pieces of furniture in the process. Now, to actually find the tax return of yesteryear I need a light, cue the cell phone, my on-the-go flashlight. I spend ten minutes determining where the tax return should be and then start digging.
My files are stratified, like rock, it feels like an archeological dig searching for stuff in there. All you need to do is find something with a date on it, you know you're in the right area, old birthday cards, a freshman year transcript, a schedule from junior year, I could have been a geologist. About the only thing I didn't find in there was a wooly mammoth skeleton. Oh, the other thing I didn't find in there was my tax return.
So, I extricate myself from the crawl space, landing hard when I fall off of the bureau onto the floor, but sustaining only minor injuries, like a concussion. I resignedly begin toward the computer to print off a 1040a that will need to be filled out and mailed before friday, April 15th. AND THEN I REMEMBER WHERE MY TAX RETURN IS!
Well, no, but I remembered another place some old papers might be, and that's almost as good right? Right. So I go to the closet (my closet) and find the box my new hard drive came in (two years ago), and open it, and what do I find? My old hard drive - and below it: more papers! And right there on top, not my tax return, but a confirmation sheet, with confirmation number, and the amount of my state refund! BAM.
Fill out the MA telefile sheet, dial the numba, input and confirm. done done and done. Taxes filed. Refunds on the way. And then that Futurama episode where Bender is God, and then meets God.
happy fiscal year end.
-Tom
recommended downloads:
Our Lady Peace, Superman's Dead
And then, the Massachusetts telefile. Which is stupid. Because you need the amount of your 2003 refund to log into the system. Does anyone out there keep that handy? Does anyone out there believe for a second that I would go to the necessary lengths to save that bit of information from last year? Well, the answer is yes, shame on you doubters. I did keep the information. It just took me a while to find it.
The reason I kept it is the same thing happened last year, and I didn't have the previous year's return handy, actually I didn't have it at all. In any case, after struggling through filing last year I did save my return. Where? I couldn't remember.
But, let's think about this logically. Taxes should be filed before April 15th. I am not one to miss deadlines (well, if missing the deadline will cost me money). Therefore I must have filed last year while still at school. Therefore, if I saved anything it should be with my school files (My "files" being giant stacks of disorganized papers dating from May 2000 to May 2004 - including but not limited to college applications for schools I chose not to apply to or attend, every math test I ever took, approximately half of the philosophy tests I ever took, assorted flyers and advertisements for student group functions like the First Annual TerrierFest Juggling Convention -which only made it to the second annual convention, but that's a different post- and many, many receipts and bills for stuff I'm sure I paid for but probably lost). So, let's go check the files. Turns out, not as easy as it seems. The giant stacks of mostly useless paper products have been placed in a giant cardboard box that once housed my 17 inch monitor. The box has been placed in the crawl space in my brother's closet, behind a bureau which is bigger than the doorway. How they got the bureau in there I'll never know, maybe they built the walls around it, but there's no way it will fit out the door. Therefore, to get to the stacks I climb over the bureau.
The crawl space is shallow, and very short. I have about a foot and a half of clearance to get over and down behind to where the papers are. I make it, because I am nothing if not graceful and athletic. I manage to not break any bones or pieces of furniture in the process. Now, to actually find the tax return of yesteryear I need a light, cue the cell phone, my on-the-go flashlight. I spend ten minutes determining where the tax return should be and then start digging.
My files are stratified, like rock, it feels like an archeological dig searching for stuff in there. All you need to do is find something with a date on it, you know you're in the right area, old birthday cards, a freshman year transcript, a schedule from junior year, I could have been a geologist. About the only thing I didn't find in there was a wooly mammoth skeleton. Oh, the other thing I didn't find in there was my tax return.
So, I extricate myself from the crawl space, landing hard when I fall off of the bureau onto the floor, but sustaining only minor injuries, like a concussion. I resignedly begin toward the computer to print off a 1040a that will need to be filled out and mailed before friday, April 15th. AND THEN I REMEMBER WHERE MY TAX RETURN IS!
Well, no, but I remembered another place some old papers might be, and that's almost as good right? Right. So I go to the closet (my closet) and find the box my new hard drive came in (two years ago), and open it, and what do I find? My old hard drive - and below it: more papers! And right there on top, not my tax return, but a confirmation sheet, with confirmation number, and the amount of my state refund! BAM.
Fill out the MA telefile sheet, dial the numba, input and confirm. done done and done. Taxes filed. Refunds on the way. And then that Futurama episode where Bender is God, and then meets God.
happy fiscal year end.
-Tom
recommended downloads:
Our Lady Peace, Superman's Dead
The people in your neighborhood
Guess who I saw on the T this morning. Misty and Misty's friend! You may remember them from "A very good morning." They also had another friend with them today, a gravely-voiced gentleman in a navy blue jacket. Today's trip was nowhere near as exciting though, just your basic spring day train ride. It could have become an interesting trip, just as we were pulling out of the first station we stopped, then backed up, then sat at the station for five minutes. Nothing came of it, we just pulled out and continued on as usual.
"In your search for all things highlight worthy let the word "routine" serve as a warning sign." -Casey McCall
-Tom
recommended download
Fountains of Wayne, Radiation Vibe
"In your search for all things highlight worthy let the word "routine" serve as a warning sign." -Casey McCall
-Tom
recommended download
Fountains of Wayne, Radiation Vibe
Wednesday, April 13, 2005
This is not a good place for me.
When I left for lunch today I put on my jacket, as usual, and then, I picked up my bag, looked at my desk for a second, then slung it over my shoulder and headed for the door. I left with my bag because I was thinking about not coming back. This is not a place I usually get to, though I have been here before. This is not a good place for me.
It's not the work. There is a lot of it, but I could probably finish it all on time if I decided to do so, I have the ability. It's not the atmosphere, today has been nice, no one complaining, no bone-head managerial decisions, no obnoxious coworkers. I must have been the trip. No doubt I'm a little tired, catching up on sleep was never a goal. Exhaustion is a likely contributor to my current disposition. More than that, though, I blame the wonderfulness of the trip. I met some very great people down there in Texas. I've said before, I've never met a Texan I didn't like, and I stand by that. I blame the four wonderful days I spent in the central time zone. They made me realize, or maybe helped me to remember, that there are more important things, and most importantly, that I'm happiest experiencing those things.
Contributing to another's well-being, especially a friend's; Spending all day in the warm sunshine and light breeze of a spring day. Sitting and watching a baseball game without worrying about what's going on at work, or caring what your supervisor thinks; Meeting new people and understanding each other right away, and then laughing, because you all think the same things are funny. Enjoying life is more important. I find it very difficult to come back to work after a weekend of real happiness.
-T
recommended downloads:
Our Lady Peace, Happiness Is Not A Fish That You Can Catch and Life
Lucky Boys Confusion, Atari
It's not the work. There is a lot of it, but I could probably finish it all on time if I decided to do so, I have the ability. It's not the atmosphere, today has been nice, no one complaining, no bone-head managerial decisions, no obnoxious coworkers. I must have been the trip. No doubt I'm a little tired, catching up on sleep was never a goal. Exhaustion is a likely contributor to my current disposition. More than that, though, I blame the wonderfulness of the trip. I met some very great people down there in Texas. I've said before, I've never met a Texan I didn't like, and I stand by that. I blame the four wonderful days I spent in the central time zone. They made me realize, or maybe helped me to remember, that there are more important things, and most importantly, that I'm happiest experiencing those things.
Contributing to another's well-being, especially a friend's; Spending all day in the warm sunshine and light breeze of a spring day. Sitting and watching a baseball game without worrying about what's going on at work, or caring what your supervisor thinks; Meeting new people and understanding each other right away, and then laughing, because you all think the same things are funny. Enjoying life is more important. I find it very difficult to come back to work after a weekend of real happiness.
-T
recommended downloads:
Our Lady Peace, Happiness Is Not A Fish That You Can Catch and Life
Lucky Boys Confusion, Atari
Back in the saddle
In the middle of April I spent four gorgeous spring days in Dallas/Ft. Worth. When I landed in Boston on the 12th it was snowing. This is why I love New England.
Now I am back at my desk, working on funds and budgets, and trying to keep my brain off "sleep" mode. It is a difficult task (the last one, the first two are so boring they only make staying awake harder). I spent the morning deleting the 63 emails I'd missed while I was out Monday and Tuesday; none were relevant. I've also been asked three times how my trip was: once by the complainer Charlie, he was sincere; once by Anne, who was also sincere, but as she doesn't use more than six words per day she didn't have any follow-up questions; and once by hypermanager, who was not sincere, but rather waiting for a chance to ask "did you go to a mustang ranch, how about a dude ranch? were you at a chicken ranch?" Thanks buddy. I was in Dallas. I saw three cowboys hats, total.
I may or may not post highlights from the trip later on, right now I'm not in a very highlighty place. I'm much more in a close my eyes and go to sleep at my desk place. No, that's wrong. The place I'm really in is that place where you know there are things more important than funds, and cubicles, when you know that spending time with friends on warm spring days, meeting new exciting people, and travelling to places you haven't been before, and then enjoying coming back home are more important. Alas, I haven't established a way to generate cash flow without spending time here at work though. So I'm back in between "travel to new places" times, languishing in the "do boring repetative work" time.
-Tom
recommended downloads
Our Lady Peace, Are You Sad
Now I am back at my desk, working on funds and budgets, and trying to keep my brain off "sleep" mode. It is a difficult task (the last one, the first two are so boring they only make staying awake harder). I spent the morning deleting the 63 emails I'd missed while I was out Monday and Tuesday; none were relevant. I've also been asked three times how my trip was: once by the complainer Charlie, he was sincere; once by Anne, who was also sincere, but as she doesn't use more than six words per day she didn't have any follow-up questions; and once by hypermanager, who was not sincere, but rather waiting for a chance to ask "did you go to a mustang ranch, how about a dude ranch? were you at a chicken ranch?" Thanks buddy. I was in Dallas. I saw three cowboys hats, total.
I may or may not post highlights from the trip later on, right now I'm not in a very highlighty place. I'm much more in a close my eyes and go to sleep at my desk place. No, that's wrong. The place I'm really in is that place where you know there are things more important than funds, and cubicles, when you know that spending time with friends on warm spring days, meeting new exciting people, and travelling to places you haven't been before, and then enjoying coming back home are more important. Alas, I haven't established a way to generate cash flow without spending time here at work though. So I'm back in between "travel to new places" times, languishing in the "do boring repetative work" time.
-Tom
recommended downloads
Our Lady Peace, Are You Sad
Friday, April 08, 2005
The Last Stop
So Amazo is moving on to bigger and better things, eh? Well, not this guy. I'm staying right here on blogger. You know why? Because it's easy, that's why. They manager the servers, they store my archives, they worry about security, it's great.
I walk the fine line between lazy and efficient. Well, I don't so much walk the line as jump back and forth across it. The point is: Blogger doesn't cost me any money (without peppering me with ads ads ads). The point is: Blogger is better than lj. The point is, I've already spent so much time (ten mintues, total) coming up with aliases for the blogs in the links section. Come on "Escape from Suburbia"? That's great. It should come with an eyepatch. (hi Felecia P-) (that's a pirate, with an eyepatch).
This is where I am, and this is where I'll stay. (and that is a direct quote from The Princess Bride).
-Tom
recommended purchase:
Marcy Playground, MP3 (it's their third album. get it?) (that "get it?" question refers to the joke - not the album. if the "get it" refered to the album it would have been imperative and punctuated with a period.)
P-r arr.
I walk the fine line between lazy and efficient. Well, I don't so much walk the line as jump back and forth across it. The point is: Blogger doesn't cost me any money (without peppering me with ads ads ads). The point is: Blogger is better than lj. The point is, I've already spent so much time (ten mintues, total) coming up with aliases for the blogs in the links section. Come on "Escape from Suburbia"? That's great. It should come with an eyepatch. (hi Felecia P-) (that's a pirate, with an eyepatch).
This is where I am, and this is where I'll stay. (and that is a direct quote from The Princess Bride).
-Tom
recommended purchase:
Marcy Playground, MP3 (it's their third album. get it?) (that "get it?" question refers to the joke - not the album. if the "get it" refered to the album it would have been imperative and punctuated with a period.)
P-r arr.
Thursday, April 07, 2005
Two bit
When I quit my job I'm going to let it all go. I will consciously disregard any and all technical aspects of what we do here. I will consciously allow my skills to fall away, unpracticed, unused, one by one. Leave it all behind.
It will happen quickly, one or two days after my resignation it will be complete. If asked to return soon after leaving I would need to be retrained for each part of the job. Trades, rates, funds, and holdings would no longer mean anything. I will forget phone extensions, I will for get email addresses, even my own, I will be unable to recognize former coworkers in a crowd.
When I leave, everything goes.
-Tom
recommended download:
Marcy Playground, No One's Boy
It will happen quickly, one or two days after my resignation it will be complete. If asked to return soon after leaving I would need to be retrained for each part of the job. Trades, rates, funds, and holdings would no longer mean anything. I will forget phone extensions, I will for get email addresses, even my own, I will be unable to recognize former coworkers in a crowd.
When I leave, everything goes.
-Tom
recommended download:
Marcy Playground, No One's Boy
Tom does Texas
Well, Tom does Dallas and Arlington, the rest of Texas will have to wait until next time. I'm all excited. I get to (1)fly (2)go to texas (3)hang out with kelly (4)see a baseball game (5)eat lots of great texas food and do other fun texas things. Five great reasons to be excited, all packed into one weekend.
You'll be happy to know I've resolved my dilema, (you may not recall my dilema: wear a red sox hat at the rangers' home opener or get some ranger gear) I'm going with the sox hat, since after all I'm a sox fan, and I'd guess they'd be under represented in Arlington.
I have no resolved my footwear dilema, as I was going to get a new pair of running shoes but the store I frequent (infrequently) has apparently dissapeared. Right off the map. Nothing online, not even a defunct phone number. Just gone. This could be the start of the next Xfile movie. Shoe store: vanished.
The third dilema is that of the budgets. Normally not a big deal. They gave me one to finish for tomorrow, before I leave for the lone star state. Ok, I can handle that. Oh, wait, what's that? It's the GIANT FUND? the one with eighteen classes? That's going to take hours (normal budgets take at most hour singular) this one'll be three or four hours which sucks big time, cuz that means either skipping lunch today or tomorrow (or both?) and maybe staying late tomorrow. Worst idea ever. Who wants to stick around late on a friday before a long weekend trip to the central time zone? Not this cowboy.
Fourth (and final) dilema: Go out friday night or don't. This one has also been resolved. My original plan was to go party "I'm going to Texas!" "I'll drink to that!" sort of night. But. I am so tired. I've decided instead, to go home from work (at what I hope is the usual time) eat a small supper and then SLEEP. That way I'll be refreshed and ready to go for my grand texas adventure.
Til then,
-Tom
recommended download
Kenny Rogers, The Gambler
Del McCoury, All Aboard
You'll be happy to know I've resolved my dilema, (you may not recall my dilema: wear a red sox hat at the rangers' home opener or get some ranger gear) I'm going with the sox hat, since after all I'm a sox fan, and I'd guess they'd be under represented in Arlington.
I have no resolved my footwear dilema, as I was going to get a new pair of running shoes but the store I frequent (infrequently) has apparently dissapeared. Right off the map. Nothing online, not even a defunct phone number. Just gone. This could be the start of the next Xfile movie. Shoe store: vanished.
The third dilema is that of the budgets. Normally not a big deal. They gave me one to finish for tomorrow, before I leave for the lone star state. Ok, I can handle that. Oh, wait, what's that? It's the GIANT FUND? the one with eighteen classes? That's going to take hours (normal budgets take at most hour singular) this one'll be three or four hours which sucks big time, cuz that means either skipping lunch today or tomorrow (or both?) and maybe staying late tomorrow. Worst idea ever. Who wants to stick around late on a friday before a long weekend trip to the central time zone? Not this cowboy.
Fourth (and final) dilema: Go out friday night or don't. This one has also been resolved. My original plan was to go party "I'm going to Texas!" "I'll drink to that!" sort of night. But. I am so tired. I've decided instead, to go home from work (at what I hope is the usual time) eat a small supper and then SLEEP. That way I'll be refreshed and ready to go for my grand texas adventure.
Til then,
-Tom
recommended download
Kenny Rogers, The Gambler
Del McCoury, All Aboard
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
Tell all your friends
I'm building an empire. An empire of blogger connections. You want in? deal. just leave me a comment and make sure your blog is worth reading.
aside to mightygirl: Hey mightygirl, I'm waiting one week for you to post a comment here, then I'm putting you in the "peopleiknow" section anyway.
tell all your friends. adina, I know you only have that one other friend besides me, you should tell her.
recommended download:
The Doors, People Are Strange (when you're a stranger)
aside to mightygirl: Hey mightygirl, I'm waiting one week for you to post a comment here, then I'm putting you in the "peopleiknow" section anyway.
tell all your friends. adina, I know you only have that one other friend besides me, you should tell her.
recommended download:
The Doors, People Are Strange (when you're a stranger)
Networking, creepy-stalkery style
Howdy, you may be here because you linked through a comment I left on your blog. Welcome. Thus begins my super blog networking extravaganza.
My name is Tom. I am envious of you, you bloggers out there with links to many other bloggers. Folks like defective yeti, whose sidebar of a thousand links actually has a thousand links (I counted). I too wish to be one of you.
But--
I would rather not just start linking arbitrary blogs, I would rather linking non-arbitrary blogs, blogs with whom I have established contact with the authors of. Right now, those people appear on my side bar under "peopleiknow" I want those numbers to grow.
So here I am. ready to network. to establish a collection of connections. ready to reach out and read something. Welcome to the sidebar.
-tom
recommended downloads:
Feeder, Insomnia
My name is Tom. I am envious of you, you bloggers out there with links to many other bloggers. Folks like defective yeti, whose sidebar of a thousand links actually has a thousand links (I counted). I too wish to be one of you.
But--
I would rather not just start linking arbitrary blogs, I would rather linking non-arbitrary blogs, blogs with whom I have established contact with the authors of. Right now, those people appear on my side bar under "peopleiknow" I want those numbers to grow.
So here I am. ready to network. to establish a collection of connections. ready to reach out and read something. Welcome to the sidebar.
-tom
recommended downloads:
Feeder, Insomnia
good idea, bad idea
So I stayed up last night to watch the Johnny Damon interview on Conan. Bad idea. It's not like I've been getting lots of sleep lately anyway. Last night, no exception. I went right to bed at the end of the interview, but that's only about six and a half hours of sleep.
And I'm the least extreme case. There are some people out there that don't have the luxury of sleeping until eight o'clock, they have to get up at six or something to get ready for work on time. Then there are the girls, who have like, hair and makeup and clothes to worry about too. How is everyone else supposed to function when I can't even make it with my few extra hours in bed?
Speaking of not getting enough sleep, someone who will remain nameless but you know who you are ;) didn't get much sleep either, but for entirely different reasons ;) ;) That reason, probably a good idea.
So this here's a shout out to the sleep deprived, the walking zombies, the too-tired-to-be-walking zombies, and everybody else out there feeling like you've got weights on your eyelids and sand in your brain. You're not alone, but knowing that won't help.
-Tom
recommended download:
Our Lady Peace, Lying Awake, Clumsy
Lucky Boys Confusion, Commitment
and
Avril Lavigne, Sk8er boi
ps. thanks to sam for reminding me to start listening to olp again
pps. shut up, I can like avril if you like maroon 5.
And I'm the least extreme case. There are some people out there that don't have the luxury of sleeping until eight o'clock, they have to get up at six or something to get ready for work on time. Then there are the girls, who have like, hair and makeup and clothes to worry about too. How is everyone else supposed to function when I can't even make it with my few extra hours in bed?
Speaking of not getting enough sleep, someone who will remain nameless but you know who you are ;) didn't get much sleep either, but for entirely different reasons ;) ;) That reason, probably a good idea.
So this here's a shout out to the sleep deprived, the walking zombies, the too-tired-to-be-walking zombies, and everybody else out there feeling like you've got weights on your eyelids and sand in your brain. You're not alone, but knowing that won't help.
-Tom
recommended download:
Our Lady Peace, Lying Awake, Clumsy
Lucky Boys Confusion, Commitment
and
Avril Lavigne, Sk8er boi
ps. thanks to sam for reminding me to start listening to olp again
pps. shut up, I can like avril if you like maroon 5.
vote!
pick your favorite sub-header! or suggest your own! it's like a contest!
-tom
recommended download
Avril Lavigne, Let Go
Pushstars, Drunk Is Better Than Dead
The Darkness, Growing On Me
Marcy Playground, Hotter Than The Sun
-tom
recommended download
Avril Lavigne, Let Go
Pushstars, Drunk Is Better Than Dead
The Darkness, Growing On Me
Marcy Playground, Hotter Than The Sun
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
Let's talk about totally freaking out
I lost my phone. This is a big deal. I spend about 0.00% of my day on the phone. Really, it's not a phone at all, it's a battery I charge up, and clip to my belt until it runs out, then charge again. But talk about freaking the hell out.
I lead a simple life. Leaving the house in the morning there are four things I bring with me, four things I know will get me through any situation that arises: my keys, my wallet, my chapstick, and my phone. That's it. I've got those things, I'm set. They're like, the pillars, the foundation my day is based on, so maybe you can imagine what happens when one of the pillars just goes missing. I start freaking the hell out.
I realized the phone was gone just as I stepped off the T. That is not a good situation to be in. Desperation hit me like an electric shock, turning and sprinting towards the train as it's leaving the station is something you've seen late commuters do, what you don't often see are those commuters trying to wedge their fingers in the doors of the train and pry them open as it is accelerating out of the station. Panic. The train was gone. My phone was on the train. My phone. Train. Freak the hell out.
My mind immediately tackles the problem, calculating how fast I can run, how far away the next station is, the chance that my phone has been pocketed by a less than upstanding commuter. Meanwhile my feet are on autopilot, and I end up in the office at my desk. Problem not solved. Where is my phone. My link to the outside world (sort of). My shiny silver walkie-talkie enabled cellular device. I miss it already.
Fire up the computer. mbta.com Track down the lost-and-found number. What do I tell them...um, it's on a train? No, I am detailed oriented. I am ready with the car number, with the time the train left with me off it and my phone on it, with the color, everything. Turns out, not necessary. Because while I'm firing up the computer, I call home. To say hey, I lost my phone on the T. But, please could you just sort of check that I didn't leave it on my bed because I forgot a pillar of my day-to-day life thanks.
Turns out, it was on my bed.
-Tom
I lead a simple life. Leaving the house in the morning there are four things I bring with me, four things I know will get me through any situation that arises: my keys, my wallet, my chapstick, and my phone. That's it. I've got those things, I'm set. They're like, the pillars, the foundation my day is based on, so maybe you can imagine what happens when one of the pillars just goes missing. I start freaking the hell out.
I realized the phone was gone just as I stepped off the T. That is not a good situation to be in. Desperation hit me like an electric shock, turning and sprinting towards the train as it's leaving the station is something you've seen late commuters do, what you don't often see are those commuters trying to wedge their fingers in the doors of the train and pry them open as it is accelerating out of the station. Panic. The train was gone. My phone was on the train. My phone. Train. Freak the hell out.
My mind immediately tackles the problem, calculating how fast I can run, how far away the next station is, the chance that my phone has been pocketed by a less than upstanding commuter. Meanwhile my feet are on autopilot, and I end up in the office at my desk. Problem not solved. Where is my phone. My link to the outside world (sort of). My shiny silver walkie-talkie enabled cellular device. I miss it already.
Fire up the computer. mbta.com Track down the lost-and-found number. What do I tell them...um, it's on a train? No, I am detailed oriented. I am ready with the car number, with the time the train left with me off it and my phone on it, with the color, everything. Turns out, not necessary. Because while I'm firing up the computer, I call home. To say hey, I lost my phone on the T. But, please could you just sort of check that I didn't leave it on my bed because I forgot a pillar of my day-to-day life thanks.
Turns out, it was on my bed.
-Tom
Monday, April 04, 2005
wow. what a relief.
Are there people in your office that you couldn't survive without? Well, I'm sure you'd survive without them, but it would definitely take you a some time to adjust to an office without them. I don't mean the guy that orders your supplies, I mean the "beautiful people." These are the people that brighten up your day just by being there - and they don't necessarily have to be physically attractive to be beautiful.
Like, there's the complainer, he sits next to me. He took a few days off last week. I was beside myself with boredom and negative energy. Normally his complaining lets me see the nicer side of work. He's like a negative enegery black hole, sucking all the complaining, all the grumpiness, all of the bad elements of this environment into his cube, leaving the good ones exposed to be marvelled at. There's the Manager on the other side of the floor, she's just plain cute. Like a toddler or puppy would be cute. Dressed in spring colors all the time, smiling all the time. She makes people smile when they pass her in the aisles, spritely. Cute girl is one of the beautiful people. Anne, in our group is too, she's back from vacation.
Last week was tough, Anne and the sprite were both out for vacation. Last friday was tougher. Only Charlie the complainer was here. No other beautiful people. No outside reason to smile. Today I started to get worried, I knew Anne was supposed to come back, but what about cute girl, or the sprite, what if they'd quit! I was worried. Then, when I got back from my morning coffee run, I saw the sprite. Whew. I smiled without even thinking about it. And then, relief of reliefs, cute girl came back. She was training all morning. But now she's back. My day can go on. Thanks for coming back, beautiful people.
-Tom
recommended download
Green Day, St. Jimmy
Like, there's the complainer, he sits next to me. He took a few days off last week. I was beside myself with boredom and negative energy. Normally his complaining lets me see the nicer side of work. He's like a negative enegery black hole, sucking all the complaining, all the grumpiness, all of the bad elements of this environment into his cube, leaving the good ones exposed to be marvelled at. There's the Manager on the other side of the floor, she's just plain cute. Like a toddler or puppy would be cute. Dressed in spring colors all the time, smiling all the time. She makes people smile when they pass her in the aisles, spritely. Cute girl is one of the beautiful people. Anne, in our group is too, she's back from vacation.
Last week was tough, Anne and the sprite were both out for vacation. Last friday was tougher. Only Charlie the complainer was here. No other beautiful people. No outside reason to smile. Today I started to get worried, I knew Anne was supposed to come back, but what about cute girl, or the sprite, what if they'd quit! I was worried. Then, when I got back from my morning coffee run, I saw the sprite. Whew. I smiled without even thinking about it. And then, relief of reliefs, cute girl came back. She was training all morning. But now she's back. My day can go on. Thanks for coming back, beautiful people.
-Tom
recommended download
Green Day, St. Jimmy
PAY ATTENTION TO ME!
hey, has anybody noticed I changed the little thing that usually says "online journal" to something else? anyway, I did.
-Tom
recommended download:
Sister Hazel, Everybody
-Tom
recommended download:
Sister Hazel, Everybody
On ending relationships (with the opposite sex)
The West Campus Heartbreaker. That's a nickname Donny likes to kid me with. I picked it up last year. When I was breaking hearts, left and right, in west campus. Seriously, I could have had t-shirts made. It was never a goal, but it seemed to be an inevitable outcome. Why must I be so attractive to the opposite sex (females)? Sure I'm charming, handsome, funny, intelligent, modest, and some (very few) girls have wanted to date me - but why must it always end in heartbreak?
I'll tell you why. I'll tell you why because I think I've just figured it out. If you'd've asked me before, I would not have been able to tell you, now, I have a theory: I have problems. Mental ones. Psychological problems. I am driven to destroy relationships.
It's like this:
1. boy meets girl,
2. boy and girl find each other attractive,
3. girl thinks she wants to date boy,
4. boy (me) goes out of his way to be a jerk.
5. girl hates boy.
6. boy is vindicated.
See, because I've got it in my head that any relationship that is meant to be should hold up under strain. I therefore put undue strain on the relationship, and, if it survives, then clearly it was meant to be. (none have survived). It's very simple - if it was meant to be, then me acting like a jerk wouldn't be enough to stop it from happening.
But it gets better. I mean, hey, I'm sure a lot of guys have acted like jerks at some point, and they've still landed the steady girlfriend, here's where my biggest compulsion comes into play. I take the steps - I am compelled - to take the steps necessary to ensure that the relationship is so damaged, so overwhelmed by my ability to be a horrible human being that it can never, ever be salvaged. Like the time I thought I was being nice and sent a letter to this girl I liked, and it was so creepy she thought I was stalking her and almost called her three brothers to find me and beat me to death. (she didn't, but came very, very close). Or the time when just as this girl I was hanging out with was about to ask about "us" when I told her I really liked this other girl who wasn't her, or the topper, which many of you have heard about, when I told a girl I'd been seeing a couple weeks quote: "I feel nothing" That one got the entire staff turned against me, I didn't have a conversation with any of them for about four months.
I drive breakups into the ground. This is not an apology. This is an explanation. Sorry.
-Tom
recommended download:
Cowboy Mouth, How Do You Tell Someone
"Call me old fashioned, but I like a dump to be as memorable as it is devastating."
-Bender, Futurama
I'll tell you why. I'll tell you why because I think I've just figured it out. If you'd've asked me before, I would not have been able to tell you, now, I have a theory: I have problems. Mental ones. Psychological problems. I am driven to destroy relationships.
It's like this:
1. boy meets girl,
2. boy and girl find each other attractive,
3. girl thinks she wants to date boy,
4. boy (me) goes out of his way to be a jerk.
5. girl hates boy.
6. boy is vindicated.
See, because I've got it in my head that any relationship that is meant to be should hold up under strain. I therefore put undue strain on the relationship, and, if it survives, then clearly it was meant to be. (none have survived). It's very simple - if it was meant to be, then me acting like a jerk wouldn't be enough to stop it from happening.
But it gets better. I mean, hey, I'm sure a lot of guys have acted like jerks at some point, and they've still landed the steady girlfriend, here's where my biggest compulsion comes into play. I take the steps - I am compelled - to take the steps necessary to ensure that the relationship is so damaged, so overwhelmed by my ability to be a horrible human being that it can never, ever be salvaged. Like the time I thought I was being nice and sent a letter to this girl I liked, and it was so creepy she thought I was stalking her and almost called her three brothers to find me and beat me to death. (she didn't, but came very, very close). Or the time when just as this girl I was hanging out with was about to ask about "us" when I told her I really liked this other girl who wasn't her, or the topper, which many of you have heard about, when I told a girl I'd been seeing a couple weeks quote: "I feel nothing" That one got the entire staff turned against me, I didn't have a conversation with any of them for about four months.
I drive breakups into the ground. This is not an apology. This is an explanation. Sorry.
-Tom
recommended download:
Cowboy Mouth, How Do You Tell Someone
"Call me old fashioned, but I like a dump to be as memorable as it is devastating."
-Bender, Futurama
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