Girlie with the Curlies

Weighing options for the future

2011-08-25T11:28:00.000-07:00

At some point in our lives, you're going to be asked to make a choice. Now I'm not talking about the "tall, grande or venti" choice... I mean a real choice, the tough choice. If you're lucky, it works out. If you're even luckier it doesn't, and you learn something from it, and you can live to see another day.

Here's the thing, it doesn't always present itself like we're told in literature or by popular media. It will and may appear as a mundane/throwaway decision. Sometimes it's does feel ground shaking, and sometimes not. What I've learned is that you'll never know until after the choice was made whether or not it was that choice. The one that will shape you forever after.

So then when you're faced with something that feels big... like I am now... I've learned to not put too much pressure on it. Just let it be a choice. Not a big choice, just a choice. Now whether or not I follow my own advice is another thing altogether. But I have to try and be Zen about it. Its a choice, its not the "butterfly wing-flap" that will send be careening off a cliff, its only going to be a decision. a small one at that...

Being Zen is more difficult than it sounds. Too much pressure to be without pressure.

Returning to work, with baby in daycare.

2011-06-02T11:56:00.000-07:00

Its an odd thing to think in this modern day that I am asked to make a choice. Be a "Stay-at-home-mom", or be a "working-mom." Truthfully to me, both seem like ironies. I am a mom. No matter where I am or what I do, I am someone's mother. But I am being asked to align myself with a choice.

I feel the guilt. I know it deep in my bones about leaving my child with a virtual stranger in the hopes that they will care for my young love in the same way that I would. I hurt when she cries in the mornings when I leave her, and I am near breakdown in the evenings if I am minutes late to see her. I cherish the few precious moments that we have before she sleeps at night and I find myself near tears if I don't get to kiss her goodnight. Does that stop me from leaving each day, not yet. The nightmares are there (and I do have them) about what happens when I can't care for my child, but they aren't yet pungent enough to stop me from wanting to be an adult and live in an adult world.

Besides its too early to say if this will even hold. Its only been day 5 of my new job, post baby. I need to let this marinate more before I get too deep in the psychological aspects of being a 'working-mom.'

What its like to be fat in America today

2010-10-08T11:42:00.001-07:00

My husband actually sent this link to me. So far it is the one truly clear statement of what it is like to be 'overweight' in modern day America. The most truthful part is the one that cuts deepest:

"When your significant other tells you you're pretty, or beautiful even, you assume he's saying that because he thinks he should and not because he believes it. Not because you're self-deprecating or have low self-esteem or anything else; you can accept all other compliments from him, about being smart or funny or whatever, and you can even smile and say thank you when he says you're pretty, but you don't internalize it the way you do other compliments, you don't really believe it, because how could it be true?"

I realize that it may be hard to understand, but for a lifetime of being told that you aren't worthy of anything because of your size, its difficult to even put into words what you deal with everyday. The awful thing about it is that I am truly fearful, that my daughter will be stuck in a world where the potential for her weight far 'outweighs' her potential in any other venue. I've been overweight my entire life, and although I promise myself that my daughter won't have a 'fat mommy' I can't delude myself into believing that I'll ever be 'thin.'

Genetically I've been blessed with broad shoulders, long muscular legs, a wide-torso (aka big boobs), and these things are truly blessings... but to the rest of the American public they are curses. Although I'm almost 6' tall, it doesn't make up for the rest of the 'heft' that I've inherited from my heritage of peasant farmers, (on both sides.) Ironically I'm better suited to survive almost anything that nature can throw at me due to these blessings, but according to modern day media, I'm a freak because I weigh over 200 lbs.

ugh. this is horrible. There are times when I wish blinders were available in human form.

She was in fine "Zadow" form. Impatient and a little early to the party

2010-09-17T14:39:00.001-07:00

So I gave birth.

Yeah it was interesting... more for the fact that it was so damned fast and for the most part textbook. I've never been "textbook" or normal in any other thing in my life, and for this...this amazingly, painful, wonderful, exhilarating, and exhausting thing... I was for the most part textbook (with the exception of the speed of delivery.)

Now I'm a mom. I'm not sure what that means, or how I'm supposed to be. Strangely enough I'm ready to go back to being me pre-baby... almost. I've had my share of breakdowns, my share of nervous moments and a few frenzied nights. Otherwise I vacillates back and forth between freaking out and pure joy.

I know after next week I'll have more insight to this whole strange biological miracle called birth. For now...I'm just over the moon to have had 7 hours sleep last night. (in chunks... but it still counts)

I'm expecting... or am expectant...

2010-07-01T15:23:00.001-07:00

For those of you who don't know... I am pregnant. This is something that I've been working on (if you can call it work) for some time. It's both for personal and medical reasons that I'm overjoyed with the fact that I can get and am pregnant for the first time in my life.

With that said, here are the details: As of today I am 6 months 3 weeks preggers, with a little girl (we believe) and yes we've already picked out a name. My belly is now the size of a prize pumpkin, and my gas is phenomenally unbelievable. Otherwise I am doing just fine. I am active, healthy and doing pretty much everything that I was doing before I got pregnant, minus the skydiving, flame throwing and rollerskating.

I am, as is my husband, trying to remain as normal as I can be. One of the great things about being pregnant is that it also kind of gives you lee-way to stop and recognize that "normal" is a personal thing that varies from person to person/couple to couple. What I may see as normal, someone else may think of as horribly irresponsible, and yet someone else may see as tame. Truly I have no conception of what I will be like, or what this little alien in my belly will be like, but I've gotta say, its a great impetus to learn how to "let go." This is not as easy as it sounds considering that I am a self-described control freak. As I progress with this process I've learned how truly adaptable the human body and psyche are when faced with change. This is more than just shrugging it off and going "oh well," I mean that when I've given myself the opportunity to take stock of what the hell is going on inside, I'm really amazed.

The human body is pretty darned interesting.

Did you Know 4.0 - for 2009

2010-01-14T15:10:00.001-08:00

Going back to the drawing board

2009-12-07T08:09:00.000-08:00

Part of the sour part of leaving the working world unintentionally is that you do have to revisit all of your older evidence of work past. The difficult part with that is that it is not always consistently available.

Worst part is that because I work kind of frenetically I have stuff all over the place. Case in point I forgot that I had some stuff published with the eLearning guild, (pg 55) as well as with the ASTD. goes to show that I really don't have my stuff together.

I have to hunt this all down and the collate it again into one spot for an online portfolio again. this is not going to be easy.

The beauty of push-button publishing....

2009-11-02T22:03:00.000-08:00

For those of you who care, and even for those of you who don't I've recently taken it upon myself, and my husband to renovate a 1929 Cottage.

It's not one of those namby-pamby renovations... i mean gutted - down to the studs renovation. And not only that, but as an exercise in shared responsibility my husband and I will also be blogging the process. I personally hope that it'll be a good exercise for both mine and my husband's writing and cooperative efforts on this house... and it may have unintended but postive side-effects of helping us log and learn from our mistakes.

I will as ever continue for time-to-time make my 'other' entries here, as I have since 2001.

for those of you who are intersted... the blog is http://oaklandshack.blogspot.com

My friend... the blogger!!

2009-10-16T11:06:00.000-07:00

My ex-roommate and friend Jess Hemmerly is taking part of, or could be considered at the bleeding edge of this revolutionary thing called "the interwebs"

She's a part of a select group of people who are delving into the details of what the future will be, and how current structures of both political, social and legal will form what that future means. I should be jealous, but I can't be. I'm proud to know someone who'se navel gasing will help me in the future as I'd rather have good people like her at the helm than others I don't know and couldn't trust to by even my mom a drink.

That doesn't mean though that I've got my own opionins on the matter - as her particular form of study is one that I used to be heavily involved in my previous positions, IP law (specifically trademark and copyright) and fair use.

It's one I don't suggest that you get into, as it, along with any form of communication that involves lawyers always devolves into it's own archaic language that is intended to obfuscate, frustrate, and ultimately eliminate any but the most dedicated individuals. The worst part about it, is that if you are one of those determined "know-it-alls" like myself, you tend to get high-minded once you feel like you've cracked the code of what it all means. The quick and dirty version? "What's mine, should be mine. But if you like it, and you ask my permission I'll let you play with it. " but ultimately whenever money's involved it's never that easy.

it's an interesting discussion... I'd say you could learn something about the future of what media may be.... or at least one corner of this discussion...as it builds uniquely on my ongoing internal discussion of how do (the collective) we manage/understand/filter/find information in todays' world?

I've yet to find my position, but all the same its an increasingly interesting discourse that I'll have with pretty much any person who'll let me.

...on how to manage IT geeks... or geeks in general

2009-09-21T16:41:00.000-07:00

The key ingredient is 'r-e-s-p-e-c-t' - find out what it means to them... and you'll get what you want.

here's the article in full:

Opinion: The unspoken truth about managing geeks

j.ello

I can sum up every article, book and column written by notable management experts about managing IT in two sentences: "Geeks are smart and creative, but they are also egocentric, antisocial, managerially and business-challenged, victim-prone, bullheaded and credit-whoring. To overcome these intractable behavioral deficits you must do X, Y and Z."

X, Y and Z are variable and usually contradictory between one expert and the next, but the patronizing stereotypes remain constant. I'm not entirely sure that is helpful. So, using the familiar brush, allow me to paint a different picture of those IT pros buried somewhere in your organization.

My career has been stippled with a good bit of disaster recovery consulting, which has led me to deal with dozens of organizations on their worst day, when opinions were pretty raw. I've heard all of the above-mentioned stereotypes and far worse, as well as good bit of rage. The worse shape an organization is in, the more you hear the stereotypes thrown around. But my personal experiences working within IT groups have always been quite good, working with IT pros for whom the negative stereotypes just don't seem to apply. I tended to chalk up IT group failures to some bad luck in hiring and the delicate balance of those geek stereotypes.

Recently, though, I have come to realize that perfectly healthy groups with solid, well-adjusted IT pros can and will devolve, slowly and quietly, into the behaviors that give rise to the stereotypes, given the right set of conditions. It turns out that it is the conditions that are stereotypical, and the IT pros tend to react to those conditions in logical ways. To say it a different way, organizations actively elicit these stereotypical negative behaviors.

Understanding why IT pros appear to act the way they do makes working with, among and as one of them the easiest job in the world.

It's all about respect

Few people notice this, but for IT groups respect is the currency of the realm. IT pros do not squander this currency. Those whom they do not believe are worthy of their respect might instead be treated to professional courtesy, a friendly demeanor or the acceptance of authority. Gaining respect is not a matter of being the boss and has nothing to do with being likeable or sociable; whether you talk, eat or smell right; or any measure that isn't directly related to the work. The amount of respect an IT pro pays someone is a measure of how tolerable that person is when it comes to getting things done, including the elegance and practicality of his solutions and suggestions. IT pros always and without fail, quietly self-organize around those who make the work easier, while shunning those who make the work harder, independent of the organizational chart.

This self-ordering behavior occurs naturally in the IT world because it is populated by people skilled in creative analysis and ordered reasoning. Doctors are a close parallel. The stakes may be higher in medicine, but the work in both fields requires a technical expertise that can't be faked and a proficiency that can only be measured by qualified peers. I think every good IT pro on the planet idolizes Dr. House (minus the addictions).

While everyone would like to work for a nice person who is always right, IT pros will prefer a jerk who is always right over a nice person who is always wrong. Wrong creates unnecessary work, impossible situations and major failures. Wrong is evil, and it must be defeated. Capacity for technical reasoning trumps all other professional factors, period.

Foundational (bottom-up) respect is not only the largest single determining factor in the success of an IT team, but the most ignored. I believe you can predict success or failure of an IT group simply by assessing the amount of mutual respect within it.

The elements of the stereotypes

Ego -- Similar to what good doctors do, IT pros figure out that the proper projection of ego engenders trust and reduces apprehension. Because IT pros' education does not emphasize how to deal with people, there are always rough edges. Ego, as it plays out in IT, is an essential confidence combined with a not-so-subtle cynicism. It's not about being right for the sake of being right but being right for the sake of saving a lot of time, effort, money and credibility. IT is a team sport, so being right or wrong impacts other members of the group in non-trivial ways. Unlike in many industries, in IT, colleagues can significantly influence the careers of the entire team. Correctness yields respect, respect builds good teams, and good teams build trust and maintain credibility through a healthy projection of ego. Strong IT groups view correctness as a virtue, and certitude as a delivery method. Meek IT groups, beaten down by inconsistent policies and a lack of structural support, are simply ineffective at driving change and creating efficiencies, getting mowed over by the clients, the management or both at every turn.

The victim mentality -- IT pros are sensitive to logic -- that's what you pay them for. When things don't add up, they are prone to express their opinions on the matter, and the level of response will be proportional to the absurdity of the event. The more things that occur that make no sense, the more cynical IT pros will become. Standard organizational politics often run afoul of this, so IT pros can come to be seen as whiny or as having a victim mentality. Presuming this is a trait that must be disciplined out of them is a huge management mistake. IT pros complain primarily about logic, and primarily to people they respect. If you are dismissive of complaints, fail to recognize an illogical event or behave in deceptive ways, IT pros will likely stop complaining to you. You might mistake this as a behavioral improvement, when it's actually a show of disrespect. It means you are no longer worth talking to, which leads to insubordination.

Insubordination -- This is a tricky one. Good IT pros are not anti-bureaucracy, as many observers think. They are anti-stupidity. The difference is both subjective and subtle. Good IT pros, whether they are expected to or not, have to operate and make decisions with little supervision. So when the rules are loose and logical and supervision is results-oriented, supportive and helpful to the process, IT pros are loyal, open, engaged and downright sociable. Arbitrary or micro-management, illogical decisions, inconsistent policies, the creation of unnecessary work and exclusionary practices will elicit a quiet, subversive, almost vicious attitude from otherwise excellent IT staff. Interestingly, IT groups don't fall apart in this mode. From the outside, nothing looks to be wrong and the work still gets done. But internally, the IT group, or portions of it, may cut themselves off almost entirely from the intended management structure. They may work on big projects or steer the group entirely from the shadows while diverting the attention of supervisors to lesser topics. They believe they are protecting the organization, as well as their own credibility -- and they are often correct.

Credit whoring -- IT pros would prefer to make a good decision than to get credit for it. What will make them seek credit is the danger that a member of the group or management who is dangerous to the process might receive the credit for the work instead. That is insulting. If you've got a lot of credit whores in your IT group, there are bigger problems causing it.

Antisocial behavior -- It's fair to say that there is a large contingent of IT pros who are socially unskilled. However, this doesn't mean those IT pros are antisocial. On the whole, they have plenty to say. If you want to get your IT pros more involved, you should deal with the problems laid out above and then train your other staff how to deal with IT. Users need to be reminded a few things, including:

IT wants to help me.
I should keep an open mind.
IT is not my personal tech adviser, nor is my work computer my personal computer.
IT people have lives and other interests.

Like anyone else, IT people tend to socialize with people who respect them. They'll stop going to the company picnic if it becomes an occasion for everyone to list all the computer problems they never bothered to mention before.

How we elicit the stereotypes

What executives often fail to recognize is that every decision made that impacts IT is a technical decision. Not just some of the decisions, and not just the details of the decision, but every decision, bar none.

With IT, you cannot separate the technical aspects from the business aspects. They are one and the same, each constrained by the other and both constrained by creativity. Creativity is the most valuable asset of an IT group, and failing to promote it can cost an organization literally millions of dollars.

Most IT pros support an organization that is not involved with IT. The primary task of any IT group is to teach people how to work. That's may sound authoritarian, but it's not. IT's job at the most fundamental level is to build, maintain and improve frameworks within which to accomplish tasks. You may not view a Web server as a framework to accomplish tasks, but it does automate the processes of advertising, sales, informing and entertaining, all of which would otherwise be done in other ways. IT groups literally teach and reteach the world how to work. That's the job.

When you understand the mission of IT, it isn't hard to see why co-workers and supervisors are judged severely according to their abilities to contribute to that process. If someone has to constantly be taught Computers 101 every time a new problem presents itself, he can't contribute in the most fundamental way. It is one thing to deal with that from a co-worker, but quite another if the people who represent IT to the organization at large aren't cognizant of how the technology works, can't communicate it in the manner the IT group needs it communicated, can't maintain consistency, take credit for the work of the group members, etc. This creates a huge morale problem for the group. Executives expect expert advice from the top IT person, but they have no way of knowing when they aren't getting it. Therein lies the problem.

IT pros know when this is happening, and they find that it is impossible to draw attention to it. Once their work is impeded by the problem, they will adopt strategies and behaviors that help circumvent the issue. That is not a sustainable state, but how long it takes to deteriorate can be days, months or even years.

How to fix it

So, if you want to have a really happy, healthy and valuable IT group, I recommend one thing: Take an interest. IT pros work their butts off for people they respect, so you need to give them every reason to afford you some.

You can start with the hiring process. When hiring an IT pro, imagine you're recruiting a doctor. And if you're hiring a CIO, think of employing a chief of medicine. The chief of medicine should have many qualifications, but first and foremost, he should be a practicing doctor. Who decides if a doctor is a doctor? Other doctors! So, if your IT group isn't at the table for the hiring process of their bosses and peers, this already does a disservice to the process.

Favor technical competence and leadership skills. Standard managerial processes are nearly useless in an IT group. As I mentioned, if you've managed to hire well in the lower ranks of your IT group, the staff already know how to manage things. Unlike in many industries, the fight in most IT groups is in how to get things done, not how to avoid work. IT pros will self-organize, disrupt and subvert in the name of accomplishing work. An over-structured, micro-managing, technically deficient runt, no matter how polished, who's thrown into the mix for the sake of management will get a response from the professional IT group that's similar to anyone's response to a five-year-old tugging his pants leg.

What IT pros want in a manager is a technical sounding board and a source of general direction. Leadership and technical competence are qualities to look for in every member of the team. If you need someone to keep track of where projects are, file paperwork, produce reports and do customer relations, hire some assistants for a lot less money.

When it comes to performance checks, yearly reviews are worthless without a 360-degree assessment. Those things take more time than a simple top-down review, but it is time well spent. If you've been paying attention to what I've been telling you about how IT groups behave and organize, then you will see your IT group in a whole different light when you read the group's 360s.

And make sure all your managers are practicing and learning. It is very easy to slip behind the curve in those positions, but just as with doctors, the only way to be relevant is to practice and maintain an expertise. In IT, six months to a year is all that stands between respect and irrelevance.

Finally, executives should have multiple in-points to the IT team. If the IT team is singing out of tune, it is worth investigating the reasons. But you'll never even know if that's the case if the only information you receive is from the CIO. Periodically, bring a few key IT brains to the boardroom to observe the problems of the organization at large, even about things outside of the IT world, if only to make use of their exquisitely refined BS detectors. A good IT pro is trained in how to accomplish work; their skills are not necessarily limited to computing. In fact, the best business decision-makers I know are IT people who aren't even managers.

As I said at the very beginning, it's all about respect. If you can identify and cultivate those individuals and processes that earn genuine respect from IT pros, you'll have a great IT team. Taking an honest interest in helping your IT group help you is probably the smartest business move an organization can make. It also makes for happy, completely non-geek-like geeks.

i've drifted..

2009-09-08T19:27:00.000-07:00

The last few months have been hectic. And as a result I've been spending time reviewing, revising and revisiting my world view.

I understand that there are actually people who are out there that read this from time to time, so no worries.. this is all good stuff.

I've found my personal unlevened heaven

2009-06-10T17:13:00.001-07:00

http://foodporndaily.com is a genius idea.... the idea of showcasing the one most universal thing that we all love... fooooodddd

http://foodgawker.com/ is a good one as well. but the big glossy moments aren't as satisfying.

this pic: http://foodporndaily.com/pictures/view/spice-rubbed-slow-cooked-pork-shoulder made me stop in my tracks and drool...

where it matters

2009-06-02T12:09:00.000-07:00

commentary on the state of journalism and newspapers

2009-03-15T12:43:00.000-07:00

This is something that has been coming up alot recently... both as an interpersonal discussion on the state of the world, and then also as how it pertains to the current state of general dissemiation of information.

(blogs being amoungst that group of disseminators)

Anyway the discussion has turned pretty frequently to the sorry state of the local (once great, now defamed and disasterous) paper, and the fact that I personally find it difficult to pay for a product that less and less reflects the actual needs it is supposed to be serving.

I understand, and support fully the idea of a devoted and determined core of journalistic bull-dogs, but find that there is more in the blogosphere (which is highly subjective, and infrequently checked) and to the court jesters (i.e. The Daily Show's John Stewart) than there is in the world of formal "news" world.

I came across this article from Metafilter... and it has a take on it that I hadn't considered....
http://www.shirky.com/weblog/2009/03/newspapers-and-thinking-the-unthinkable/

I'd say read it - but you probably may not, and that's okay. Distilled to its essence, the essay is about how we are "in" the revolution, and that by being in it, we are increasingly discomforted by the lack of stablity. The old structures that we were used to have crumbled, and as a result we look to the skies and ask "Why?" But then get confused even more so when there is no answer.

Ultimately we're in a place in history where we aren't used to being. On the precipice of change, and the precipice is one that is unlike anything we've experienced to date. We look to history and find no comparison, which leaves us without comfort.

so then what do (the collective) we do? I don't know... but I'm here now, and doing my part to catalouge my piece in it. How I will effect it, i don't know - even if I do...not sure.

What I need

2009-02-16T16:03:00.000-08:00

I did a search for "kira needs" and the first hit was....

Kira needs to sleep with somebody....

HAHAHAHAHA

managing the middle

2009-02-09T10:18:00.000-08:00

I look up, and now I'm a year older than where I started... it happened so quickly and now I'm in a place where I never imagined that I'd ever be.

the middle.

Solidly, firmly, uniformly in the middle. Which is a place that I've been trained my entire life to detest. And yet it happened. so easily, so quickly and without my active participation in any of it. That's probably how it came upon me. I know that this should be a lament. For the loss of what I should or could have been. But with the years coming on me now, I realize that this isn't so bad. I've not sacrified what I beleive to be my principles, I feel like I know now what I'm good at and where I suck.

I'm at the pearly gates... looking into St. Peter's eyes...

2009-01-08T11:35:00.000-08:00

'Cause I think I've gone to pork-lovin heaven..... A BBQ'd Bacon wrapped, Pork Sausage, Bacon filled pinwheel.... of LOVE!!!!

Tell me that doesn't look like heaven on a plate!!

Thank god it's nearly lunchtime - so that I can at least attempt to temporarily satiate my drooling palate with a BLT... and then go home and dream of making this concoction of the gods when have time to try..

ahhhh.....

Ref: http://www.bbqaddicts.com/blog/recipes/bacon-explosion/

You've probably seen this....but if Not...?

2008-12-18T16:57:00.000-08:00

hee... so true!

2008-11-14T12:41:00.000-08:00

We've gotten some interesting gifts - but by far and away we were both overwhelmed not only byt the volume, but also by the care and thoughtful-ness.

that said...there were a couple of ringers.

You know the ones where you sit and scratch your head in wonder. Sometimes you even blurt out loud... "what were they thinking?" or "did they really spend money on that? For us?!?!"

One of the ringers is a painting. you can see that it was a carefully chosen painting, and there is probably a deeper meaning to it, but Obviously I'm too dim to get it. It is truly unexpected. It has two deer in the painting of electro-shock pink and blue, against a field of melting snow. It's certinaly noticeable.

then the piece-de-resistance

Drum-roll...

Ta-da!

and the interesting part...aside from it being in technocolor and existing (which should be enough) it is a limited edition collectors item.

and they paid a sizeable amount of money for it.

The kicker - the place where they bought it from - I would likely never shop there. So now...well... I've got an interesting addition for my home of a "limited edition "grateful dead cookie jar.

I'm glad that I'm so well loved. (i think.)

history....maybe?

2008-11-05T09:46:00.000-08:00

Being cynical...I'm tempered with my response to what happened yesterday.

Why?

It's feeling more and more like a loaded deck. It's the win 'we' wanted (not the royal 'we' more of the proletariat 'we') but it feels a little vacant. It isn't that Barak Hussein Obama is not the right person for the job... that I don't and can't know for some time, its more about the 'historic' aspect of his win.

Yes, it's racial. No denying that. Yes it's historical - nearly 475 years in the making. But it may be that it wasn't a 'true' win. "They", and by "they" I mean the entitled, entrenched and enfranchised elitist oligarchs which comprise 25% of the population - i.e. whitey, didn't vote for Barak Hussein Obama because they really wanted to. He was only the lesser of two evils.

Deal with the devil you know...and the devil we know is so bad, I suspect that people were willing to deal with the unknown. Now what that means... I'm not sure. Its more of a conciliatory gesture. Not on where I feel like 'Yeah - I want this!!' That "they" are voting for Obama because they really want this...

but I'm cynical. I hope I'm wrong.

more customer comments

2008-11-05T09:45:00.001-08:00

From people whom are providing random comments on hotel stays.....

This hotel is ancient, but lacks the appeal of the pyramids...it's more like your great grandma's house. I'm amazed they were able to keep all the original furnishings...like the carpet.

Elevator smelled very bad and did not stop at right floors. Had to ride up and down several times to get off on right floor.

You saved us from having to stay with relatives! Thanks!

heheheheheheeh

2008-10-16T09:15:00.000-07:00

we've all been thinkin it. I'm glad someone's sayin it.

hmmmm

2008-10-10T16:38:00.000-07:00

leave it to the capitalists.

2008-10-07T15:18:00.001-07:00

ahahahahaha

http://www.chocolate.co.uk/eMerchantPro/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=58&idproduct=262

*sob*

an explination for the $700 payout/bailout

2008-10-06T15:07:00.000-07:00

So, if like me you find that you're pissed off about the whole debacle and the fact that you feel like you need to support some fat-cat's effed up mistake, educate.

I didn't understand why, I still don't believe that it's a good reason why... but I understand now...

"Commercial paper" seized up - and no one was willing to lend to any one because we 'broke the buck'

it doesn't really make sense of it in written form - but seriously listen. It will make more sense... I swear.

it won't alleviate your frustration - but hopefully you won't feel as bewildered.

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?episode=365

If you want to know how we got here: http://www.thislife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?episode=355

Obama v McCain

2008-10-06T09:08:00.001-07:00

Some thoughts on Obama's camp vs. McCain's.

Obama:
Occidental College - Two years.
Columbia University - B.A. political science with a specialization in international relations.
Harvard - Juris Doctor (J.D.) Magna Cum Laude

Biden:
University of Delaware - B.A. in history and B.A. in political science.
Syracuse University College of Law - Juris Doctor (J.D.)

vs.

McCain:
United States Naval Academy - Class rank 894 out of 899 ....(5 from the bottom.)

Palin:
Hawaii Pacific University - 1 semester
North Idaho College - 2 semesters - general study
University of Idaho - 2 semesters - journalism
Matanuska-Susitna College - 1 semester
University of Idaho - 3 semesters - B.A. in journalism

*******************************************

I'm a little confused.

If you grow up in Hawaii , raised by your grandparents, you're 'exotic, different.'
Grow up in Alaska eating moose burgers, a quintessential American story.

If your name is Barack you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim.
Name your kids Willow , Trig and Track, you're a maverick.

Graduate from Harvard law School and you are unstable.
Attend 5 different small colleges before graduating, you're well-grounded.

If you spend 3 years as a brilliant community organizer, become the first black President of the Harvard Law Review, create a voter registration drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor, spend 8 years as a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, become chairman of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, spend 4 years in the United States Senate representing a state of 13 million people while sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs committees, you don't have any real leadership experience.

If your total resume is: local weather girl, 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 6,000 people, 20 months as the governor of a state with only 650,000 people, then you're qualified to become the country's second highest ranking executive.

If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while raising 2 beautiful daughters, all within Protestant churches, you're not a real Christian.

If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your disfigured wife and three children and married the heiress the next month, you're a Christian.

If you teach responsible, age appropriate sex education, including the proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fiber of society.

If , while governor, you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with no other option in sex education in your state's school system while your unwed teen daughter ends up pregnant, you're very responsible.

If your wife is a Harvard graduate lawyer who gave up a position in a prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city community, then gave that up to raise a family, your family's values
don't represent America 's.

If your husband is nicknamed 'First Dude', with at least one DWI conviction and no college education, who didn't register to vote until age 25 and once was a member of a group that advocated the secession of Alaska from the USA , your family is extremely admirable.

And finally, if you're famous for your quick temper, you're the one to have your finger on the button.

10 things you should know about John McCain (but probably don't):

1. John McCain voted against establishing a national holiday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Now he says his position has 'evolved,' yet he's continued to oppose key civil rights laws.

2. According to Bloomberg News, McCain is more hawkish than Bush on Iraq , Russia and China . Conservative columnist Pat Buchanan says McCain 'will make Cheney look like Gandhi.

3. His reputation is built on his opposition to torture, but McCain voted against a bill to ban waterboarding, and then applauded President Bush for vetoing that ban.

4. McCain opposes a woman's right to choose. He said, 'I do not support Roe versus Wade. It should be overturned.

5. The Children's Defense Fund rated McCain as the worst senator in Congress for children. He voted against the children's health care bill last year, then defended Bush's veto of the bill.

6. He's one of the richest people in a Senate filled with millionaires. The Associated Press reports he and his wife own at least eight homes! Yet McCain says the solution to the housing crisis is for people facing foreclosure to get a 'second job' and skip their vacations.

7. Many of McCain's fellow Republican senators say he's too reckless to be commander in chief. One Republican senator said: 'The thought of his being president sends a cold chill down my spine. He's erratic. He's hotheaded. He loses his temper and he worries me.

8. McCain talks a lot about taking on special interests, but his campaign manager and top advisers are actually lobbyists. The government watchdog group Public Citizen says McCain has 59 lobbyists raising money for his campaign, more than any of the other presidential candidates.

9. McCain has sought closer ties to the extreme religious right in recent years. The pastor McCain calls his 'spiritual guide,' Rod Parsley, believes America 's founding mission is to destroy Islam, which he calls a 'false religion.' McCain sought the political support of right-wing preacher John Hagee, who believes Hurricane Katrina was God's punishment for gay rights and called the Catholic Church 'the Antichrist' and a 'false cult'.

10. He positions himself as pro-environment, but he scored a 0—yes, zero—from the League of Conservation Voters last year.

Sources:
1. 'The Complicated History of John McCain and MLK Day,' ABC News, April 3, 2008
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/04/the-complicated.html
'McCain Facts,' ColorOfChange.org, April 4, 2008
http://colorofchange.org/mccain_facts/
2. 'McCain More Hawkish Than Bush on Russia, China, Iraq,' Bloomberg News, March 12, 2008
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aF28rSCtk0ZM&refer=us
'Buchanan: John McCain 'Will Make Cheney Look Like Gandhi,'' ThinkProgress, February 6, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/02/06/buchanan-gandhi-mccain/
3. 'McCain Sides With Bush On Torture Again, Supports Veto Of Anti-Waterboarding Bill,' ThinkProgress, February 20, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/02/20/mccain-torture-veto/
4. 'McCain says Roe v. Wade should be overturned,' MSNBC, February 18, 2007
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17222147/
5. '2007 Children's Defense Fund Action Council® Nonpartisan Congressional Scorecard,' February 2008
http://www.childrensdefense.org/site/PageServer?pagename=act_learn_scorecard2007
'McCain: Bush right to veto kids health insurance expansion,' CNN, October 3, 2007
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/10/03/mccain.interview/
6. 'Beer Executive Could Be Next First Lady,' Associated Press, April 3, 2008
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h-S1sWHm0tchtdMP5LcLywg5ZtMgD8VQ86M80
'McCain Says Bank Bailout Should End `Systemic Risk,'' Bloomberg News, March 25, 2008
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aHMiDVYaXZFM&refer=home
7. 'Will McCain's Temper Be a Liability?,' Associated Press, February 16, 2008
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=4301022
'Famed McCain temper is tamed,' Boston Globe, January 27, 2008
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/01/27/famed_mccain_temper_is_tamed/
8. 'Black Claims McCain's Campaign Is Above Lobbyist Influence: 'I Don't Know What The Criticism Is,'' ThinkProgress, April 2, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/04/02/mccain-black-lobbyist/
'McCain's Lobbyist Friends Rally 'Round Their Man,' ABC News, January 29, 2008
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=4210251
9. 'McCain's Spiritual Guide: Destroy Islam,' Mother Jones Magazine, March 12, 2008
http://www.motherjones.com/washington_dispatch/2008/03/john-mccain-rod-parsley-spiritual-guide.html
'Will McCain Specifically 'Repudiate' Hagee's Anti-Gay Comments?,' ThinkProgress, March 12, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/03/12/mccain-hagee-anti-gay/
'McCain 'Very Honored' By Support Of Pastor Preaching 'End-Time Confrontation With Iran,'' ThinkProgress, February 28, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/02/28/hagee-mccain-endorsement/
10. 'John McCain Gets a Zero Rating for His Environmental Record,' Sierra Club, February 28, 2008
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/environment/77913/

Oh Holy lord in heaven

2008-08-22T15:22:00.000-07:00

Do you believe this? I heard about this originally on a conservative radio show "Marketplace" (on PRI)
The story was about how Neo-con Lobbyist Ed Rogers (and major contributor to the McCain campaign) lives unlike anyone I know...(that and the fact that he thinks so little of the currency that barely keeps the rest of us afloat

Yes... that is an actual sheet of dollar bills below her... she uses them to wrap presents for her friends...

yeah...

He should be worried... tis a freakin federal offense to deface the $$ (at least at this level, and on national TV... did I mention that this was on NBC?)

Yah... makes me sick to my stomach as well...all for a present...

I had to include a link: http://web.me.com/eronotcasek/POWERHOUSE/powerhouse.html
so you can see your yourself her glee at being able to wrap presents in the american dollar.

I found this & too it from http://doverbitch.blogspot.com/2008/08/power-house.html

panic

2008-08-15T13:30:00.000-07:00

i am beginning to realize that organizing large groups of people to converge into any one location is kind of terrifying, and exhausing at the same time. I have no idea how or why so many people do this.

That and I also want to say that I am absolutely in the wrong business. I need to be in the wedding industry...as it is truly that - an industry. Everyone told me that I would get taken, but I thought that I did my research and was prepared. I wasn't. Effing thieves. The lot of them. And they prey on your naivete and the story-book wedding that you are told from the get-go that you are supposed to have.

ugh. All I wanted was a nice day in the outdoors. Hopefully with family and friends.

whatever...It alternately pisses me off and gives me nigh terrors. I hate the fact that one day should mean so much. And the effed up truth of the situation is that most guests wont care if its storybook or if its gunshot. Its maybe 3-4 hours out of their normal routine and the come, celebrate, then leave...

when did this all turn into such a circus?

Muppets know their audience!!!

2008-07-24T16:28:00.001-07:00

....disclaimer

2008-07-07T11:15:00.000-07:00

I cannot be held responsible for my:

blatant disregard for gravity.
painful displays of public loudness.
outbursts of impertinent nature.
expelling of internal organs on the sidewalk.
whiplash mood swings.
potential fondling of inanimate objects.
inappropriate announcements of undying affection to strangers.

I do accept full responsibility for:

The humming vibration of pain coming from my eyelashes.
The taste in my mouth that makes me believe that I made-out with the business end of a sheepdog.
The embarrassing stories that are inevitably going to come forward about all above stated disclaimers.
The fact that I drank like a 20-something, while obviously a 30-something.
I knew I had to go to work today, and actually work - but did it anyway.

All that said - thank you to my friends for coming out and participating in my painful dissent into public displays of drunken-ness. It was a rare one - but I think (as I can't say I rightly remember) that we all had a good time. And we should go back again... next week, and do it all over - as the rest of the day was still a win (at least for me...)

I'm never drinking again.

From the tortured souls who are addicted:

2008-07-01T10:49:00.001-07:00

To Xbox 360…..

I know I suffer myself.

My loved one has fallen prey to the horrible green glow of the monster that is Xbox 360. He is unfortunately not alone. I suspect that it may be a family trait, as his often calm cousin has also succumbed to the horror himself.

Although there is a glimmer of hope as at least his cousin has managed to wrangle himself from the grips of the monster. Despite his near lapse - he is still '360 free' after 21 days.

Hereafter is his account of his encounter:

"Hi my name is Sterling and I have gone 21 days with playing the 360.

I almost had a relapse last night. But I fought the temptation. The 360's siren call had me in it's grasp, I had the hard supple plastic of the wireless controller in my hand and it felt good. The green glow of the 360 powering up had me hypnotized. Then the power went out. "

Thank god for poor power connections (and the over use of power strips in an old house… )

[Flickr] Kira Zadow Colley wants you to see something

2008-06-26T10:28:00.001-07:00

I've uploaded the rest of the photos to Flicker in this set - there are waaaaay too many shots from car windows - so please forgive my repetitiveness - I have no good sense on what's good versus what's bad.

Enjoy!!!

ol' fashoned Road trip
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zuleka/sets/72157605723162088

About the set
258 items | 0 views

Kenneth and Kira's 6 state road trip.

A selection of things from the set

(By the way, if the set link doesn't work, try copying and pasting it from this email into your browser's address bar.)

Flickr is almost certainly the best photo management and sharing application in the world. If you'd like to see what I use it for you can check out my profile page or browse my photostream.

The Grand Tetons from Signal Mountain

2008-06-20T20:07:00.001-07:00

The vacation - it was a road trip to WY - as neither of us has ever been there.

The fantastic thing of note is that there are no foot hills. only mountains. They top out at 13,000 ft. and the base of the mountains start at approx 7,000 ft. and go vertically straight up.

They truly are a wonder to behold. And I'm desperate to go back.

reaching my ropes end

2008-06-12T19:15:00.001-07:00

there is something about creative work - (whether what I do is really considered creative or not, I'm calling it creative) it has a taxing output on you.

I'm not whining - but there comes a point when you look back and you think,

"wow, that was crap."

Really, the part that is distressing is not that I put out crap - but that I didn't care enough that I put out crap. That the effort to make it more than just the written equivalent of slop on a plate was not enough to keep me from doing it. Its that I didn't care at all, because I felt that it didn't matter.

So I'm assigning the lack of desire to the sense that I'm busted. Wide open and splayed out on the sidewalk. Yucky remains of what was once live - but got hit by an oncoming bus. (way too many mixed metaphors...forgive me.)

I decided on a whim that I need out. But not all the way - not Hemmingway, not Hunter S. Thompson "out" either. Yet I'm not going to lie to myself - I'm taking their inspiration. (the theory, not application - so don't worry... I'm about to explain myself...)

So I'm taking a mini-trip and going to the opposite end of the spectrum of comfortable. The (nearest) physical manifestation of the creative barren-ness that I am currently feeling. To find out what the lack of comfort and safety feels like in more than just my head.

I'm hopeful it'll restore me, and maybe burn off some of the Nietzsche thats been lurking about lately. That or I'm really over thinking a road trip and trying to feel like I need to justify time away from work.

I don't know which is sadder.

dang,

2008-06-09T12:29:00.000-07:00

some bad news today....
- my job is going to get much harder again. And I was getting used to actually having my weekends to myself again.

:(

the things people say - when its collected anonymously

2008-06-04T12:24:00.001-07:00

For those of you who don't know, I work for an Online travel website. Part of the deal is that they send out anonymous surveys to their customer soliciting feedback about their recent stays. Sometimes people use these anonymous surveys about their travel to provide some very witty feedback about the condition and quality of their stay, here is a recent collection of the more colorful ones. (You should try to guess which one is my favorite...)

Closet opening was barely 15" to 18". Making it very difficult to get your upper body into the closet to see & work behind the door.

okay this one - i just really don't understand why you'd need to get your upper torso into a closet? what in the heck are you doing in there?

Bed was very lumpy & noisey, making it impossible for you & your spouse to enjoy love making for fear of broadcasting to all the neighbors.

This could be on the amenities list for the local hanky-panky spot, no?

Amenities:you have to be hip enough to go to those bars in the hotel which is ridiculous everyone who stays at the hotel should have access.

Can I get an Amen?

I would not use the sink to wash a dog.

Why would you care to? But points for the colorful & creative description.

Other:Room had view of methane flame burning from the city dump located across the street.

Wait, isn't that an attraction?
If you've got kids - this could have been part of the all-inclusive kid-friendly package , no? ;-)

Service Quality:There was a young kid that should have been working at McDonalds training another kid that should have been in REHAB!

WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

2008-05-13T15:32:00.000-07:00

every time i hear this - it reminds me of rolling down an extemely long grassy hill.

you start out slow - then you build momentum - and you can't stop. then once you get a rythm going - you cant wait to keep going!!!

Roshambo 6th Annual Rock Paper Scissors Tournament

2008-05-01T10:59:00.001-07:00

Hey there all you Roshambuddies...

Are you ready to throw your fists and fingers for a slice of the $1600 pie? Let's see your skills on June 7th at high noon. Trust us, this is one of the funniest and most enjoyable ways to spend the day. The 6th Annual Western Regional RPS championship is sure to be the greatest yet...

6th Annual Rock Paper Scissors Championship!!!

This years tourney will be held at our swanky new tasting room in Carneros at Cornerstone Place where the champion will take home the $1,600 grand prize. We are pleased to announce that the Space Cowboys Unimog will be spinning some tunes. Come one come all, enjoy wine country the roshambo way. Tickets are available online or at the tasting room. Competitor tickets are limited and are sure to sell out! Get them while you can! Click here for tickets!

Thanks again for all your support, please contact us with any questions.

info@roshambowinery.com
888-525-WINE (9463)

RoshamboWinery
23568 Hwy 121
Sonoma, California 95476

I have to be on my best behavior

2008-03-21T20:39:00.000-07:00

I am realizing, very quickly, that people are actually reading this blog for more than just spam. And that thought is rather frightening. When I started back in 2004 I hadn't expected that anyone other that immediate friends or family had, or would take the time to invest in my ramblings. However...

There is always that possibility that I am over thinking this whole process. And i'm willing to be that if more likely than not the real reason for my sudden paranoia. That and the incessant questions of "when, how or what" this whole growing up and getting married thing has done to my inner circle. Its sort of like I've joined a club, that I was really unaware that I was about to join.

Part of me is exstatic (sp?)- and then there is the rebellious- hippie- antidisestablishmentarian who believes that all of this is completely bunk and that I should have my head examined for wanting to actively become a part of the 'married lot' is mad.

so... some news

2008-02-29T12:52:00.001-08:00

We've set a date...

We're still working out most of the details ourselves... but I just wanted to get something out there for you to see... and to get excited about.

some one needs to check themselves

2008-02-04T19:42:00.000-08:00

Why in the hell did I just get an offer , in the mail no less, to join the AARP!!!

WTF!?!?!?

har har. very funny. confess your sins and I won't throw flaming human poo on your door.

Never thought I'd live to see the day

2008-01-24T10:31:00.000-08:00

the $50,000 final match at the 2007 USARPS Championship in Las Vegas, And ESPN2 was there to cover it... I couldn't help but laugh out loud - until I realized that this guy who won it is now 50K richer than me.

another update...

2008-01-24T10:22:00.001-08:00

for those of you who complain...

I am busy.

for those of you who don't care....

I am stressed..

there...

happy now - two updates in as many minutes...

go do something beneficial for yourself - instead of reading this post - read about how the French economy is poised to crash all due to one mad evil genius.

That time of year again!

2008-01-24T10:17:00.000-08:00

I make it a point to treat myself on this horrible time of year when I am reminded of the fact that the aging process means that I get older, not younger, and that I also start to decay faster - not slower... than I had anticipated.

I will instead of dwelling on the inevitability that I will eventually turn into my mother - I will attempt to drown it out with good fermented grapes. Preferably in large quantities... and with others whom enjoy the imbibing of the self-same liquids!

-care to join me on Saturday?

i love my new company

2007-12-13T16:31:00.000-08:00

Best Company Christmast gift EVAR!!

I think the entire company ran to the dispensation point like we were all in Kindergarten.

I don't think I've ever worked at such an awesome company before. Regardless, its better than the racial slurs and the bad hangover from bad wine I got last year!!!

awesome!!

part of me is overjoyed!!

2007-12-03T16:18:00.000-08:00

The other part of me is convinced that its the sign of the coming apocolypse

http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/05/14/news/rock.php

There is an actual RPS -society - and this is not a desease....the actual rochambo game of Rock, Paper, Scissors.

There is a society.

It is a recognized sport... ESPN actually covered the world championships.

Its international.

I'm having palpatations.

I could be a winner like this dude here:
and yes, he is in full pirate regalia, and he just won $7,000.

Don't you feel silly for not thinking of it first? If you don't I do.

ahhhh.... nice soothing music

2007-12-03T15:40:00.001-08:00

lol - more geekery

2007-11-14T12:01:00.001-08:00

EXCEL THE MIGHTY HERALD OF DOS SHALL USURP AIX THE DEMON SPAWN UNIX. WHERE THOU SHALL CAST THE DEMON SPAWN INTO THE PITS OF BERNOULLI. ONCE THERE THE AIX SHALL RIDE TO THE RIVER I/O BUS OF 4MHz. YE DEMON SHALL BE DELIVERED TO THE DESERT VACUUM TUBES AND MECHANICAL RELAYS. ONCE THERE THE DEMON AIX EVIL SPAWN OF UNIX SHALL SPEND INFINITE UNDERCLOCK CYCLES IN THE BELLY OF ENIAC AS A PROCESSOR OF PUNCH TAPE

"War is Peace. Freedom is Slavery. Ignorance is Strength." [Big Brother]

"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." [ Benjamin Franklin ]

Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage.

its all about being a Pilot for your P***y!! (verbage NSFW)

2007-11-13T18:21:00.000-08:00

Just as a precaution don't play this loud at work.. no this is not a 2 girls & a cup situation...more funny beacuse she is totally committed to educating about Vagina Power.

Halloween 2004

2007-11-13T11:48:00.001-08:00

Halloween 015,
originally uploaded by kizzy.

ahh... the last great Halloween adventure... when Halloween on the Castro ended in someone forgetting to take their costume off - and dialing drunken to friends while traipsing about the flat in their unders... can you guess who I'm talking about here???

Kira@GlenCanyon

2007-11-13T09:09:00.001-08:00

Kira@GlenCanyon,
originally uploaded by kizzy.

dang... that's all I gotta say

MiddleOfNowhere

2007-11-13T09:06:00.001-08:00

MiddleOfNowhere,
originally uploaded by kizzy.

The definition of the open road... nowhere for miles, no one for miles!

ConqueringBryce

2007-11-13T09:05:00.001-08:00

ConqueringBryce,
originally uploaded by kizzy.

I had forgotten about some of these photos...This was from a fool-hardy road trip that I took with two of my mates back in '03 - nearly 4 years ago to the SW... the trust-dusty Toyota and three people with no good sense....ahhh the good old days.

From the book of THE MAN

2007-11-09T10:28:00.001-08:00

Ye followers of Unix shall be banished to the deepest pits of tartarus. Bond to ribbon strip printing
Kenneth Greer: Follow if idol worshipers and false Gods of Windows shall drink not of the cup of knowledge but be forever strapped to punch cards and sent adrift of the 8Hz land of Coleco

MMMMMMMM

2007-10-30T13:06:00.001-07:00

Cocktail Competition at Rye Bar

San Francisco’s top mixologists will be competing next Monday to create the best cocktail featuring Gosling’s Rum.

Cocktails will be judged on originality, personality, functionality
(can this drink be made in any well stocked bar?), compatibility of ingredients…and of course, taste!

Judges for the competition include: yours truly (City Dish), Deborah Parker Wong (Patterson’s The Tasting Panel Magazine), Lisa Park (7×7 Magazine online food editor), and other people who know much more about making tasty cocktails than I do.

There is NO COVER CHARGE to attend.
Guests will get to sample all the cocktail entries. Plus, Rye will be offering Gosling’s Rum drink specials all night long. Come watch me drink on the job while alienating some of the city’s best bartenders. I can’t wait!

WHEN: Monday, November 5th.
Contest begins at 7PM

WHERE: RYE
688 Geary St. @ Leavenworth
(415) 786-7803

From Story of THE MAN:

2007-10-12T10:26:00.001-07:00

The angel AIX came done and spoke to me he sayeth "Seek out HP_UX is it the greatest of them all and he willed show the way to the true path of enlightenment. For there are many evils out there; devils that shall make you stay from carrying light or the true OS." Those unbelievers and devils helpers like DOS and Widoz may try to turn you away but listen NOT for there works are like poison fraught with GPFs and stack dumps. The are fouls and evil and belong in the land to CP/M and Ti99/4a. Not worthy of the undying lands of memory management true multitasking and real updates.

i said yes....

2007-10-06T22:19:00.000-07:00

I said yes, when i could have said 'maybe'...The story goes....

I was working late at the office. I am on the ground level, and have floor to ceiling windows that are about 20 ft. high. All day long I am on the other side of the fishbowl, looking out. I normally work with earplugs and a headset on as there is construction going on right next to my window. As a result of the noise and the visual distractions, I prefer to work late. Primarily because after 5 pm the office manager comes around and closes the shades, and by then the construction work has stopped.

I hear a loud "bang, bang, bang" at the window right behind my desk. Normally I ignore it, as it tends to be a random stranger knocking on the glass to see if something happens...(Incidentally I have a newfound respect for goldfish.) But it was repeated after a few seconds. "Oh - kay? this person is being annoying. If I'm lucky, I'll open the curtains to get them to go away." I think to myself that this person is going to be sorry when they see my mean lookin' mug staring them down.

I swipe aside the curtains to see Kenneth, standing at the window holding a little blue box, a hang-dog look on his face ad a sign that says:

Will you marry me? (please check one)
YES!
no.
Maybe?

I giggled, came outside and said yes... so now you know the story....

He also proposed to me three months earlier - while I was standing in front of his family homestead. At the time I was covered in bug bites, and sweating my dignity away, and quickly melting onto the asphalt... I said yes then, but the ring didn't fit, due to swolen fingers and a lack of sizing prior to the ring purchase. So this second proposal story is is not the original one - but certainly the cuter of the two proposals I can now say I've had. It was much shorter and doesn't involve me being indecent due to the heat, and wild mosquitoes, and attacking wasps.

No dates yet - this was only about 3+ weeks ago. But we are thinking some time next year. I'll keep everyone posted.

thanks in advance.
kira

More from the book of DOS

2007-09-27T12:54:00.001-07:00

his-greatness: FROM THE BOOK OF DOS1.1.226.2.25.25.144.255.326.6.53
MAY THE DEMON SPAWN OF UNIX BE CAST IN THE TO MIASMA OF PUNCH CARD INPUT AND DOT MATRIX PRINTING. YE FOLLOWERS OF UNIX SHALL ROT FROM TAPE DRIVE INPUTS. WHILE THE SAVIOR OS WINDOWS 2099 CAST YOU INTO THE ABYSS OF ETERNAL TICKER TAPE PRINTING

Looking - searching and not finding anything

2007-09-27T11:20:00.001-07:00

~~Its been some time since I've had the opportunity to think about~~ that’s a lie. I've been thinking about this for some time. This has been a thorn in my side for awhile and I feel that there is some necessary BS that I need to get off my chest. Because it's been bothering me.

I can't afford to live in San Francisco anymore, and it pisses me off.

There are lots of reasons why - but the simple fact remains that San Francisco is turning into SF/NYC. All we're missing is that extra letter to complete the an acronym. (it's probably going to be SFc or SFO like the airport.) Quaintly we locals have been calling it "the city" for some time, and every other surrounding "burrow" as The towns. But I think we all know specifically who I'm referring to. Oakland or oak-town…

The frustration level is building because I'm looking to buy. Looking to buy into that all elusive promise of ownership - that promise of a piece of something that belongs to me. Not something I inherited. I never wanted to be that person - that gift-taker the unloving, ungrateful kid who takes without giving. But the way things are looking it may end up that way…

It's intensely frustrating. But its heart warming to know I'm not alone: http://sfist.com/2007/09/27/in_a_material_w.php

Ugh...

I'm all about free...

2007-09-25T12:41:00.000-07:00

This Friday in SF - there is going to be a jumbo-tron simulcast of SF Opera's Samson & Delilah.
Normally good seats at the War Memorial Opera House go for about $100 a piece.

And since I'm not well connected enough to know someone to get me in for free I thought it might be helpful to those of you who are artistically inclined - but are too cheap (read poor) to support the arts to the degree you'd like to.

So this shindig is free. All you need to do is show. Be artsy - all while chugging a beer and chowing down on a good 'ol park dog. Ahh... the most excellent mixture of high refinement and regular relaxation... Personally I think that "classical" art forms would be better appreciated if they'd simply let us arrive in our Sunday morning attire.

the deets: Samson and Delilah @ AT&T park Friday night (9/28/07) 7 pm Price: FREE
The link: http://sfopera.com/news.asp

Here's for free! anything...

Talk like a pirate day - 9/19

2007-09-14T09:44:00.000-07:00

From the MAN Psalm 12.5.1

2007-08-31T13:37:00.000-07:00

This is kinda silly - but it still gave me a giggle

The profit word and powerpoint shall summon forth the powers of dos to banish the damon unix to the pits of mechanical relays, and lock the anti-os in the cave of bernoulli. It is here where ye damon unix shall do no harm the to the widow-lites. The herald excel came with a warning to the window-lites that the damon shall come speaking in the tongue of cobalt.

Call rebuke.bat
Call destroyunix.bat
Convert *man *dos

Coming from a nerdy back and forth about OS dominance

2007-08-31T12:34:00.000-07:00

From time to time I get this IM from a friend of mine. They have been having a back and forth about which OS dominates - is perfect - is an embodiment of human kinds undoing... whatever...

this one was particularly funny... can you guess which OS he's defending?

from the MAN psalm 6.4.3

The naysayer and non believers of the on true OS are rough and in the end times shall ride with the ferryman 686 on the river of Cyrix and cast into the cast into the pits of Atari and judged by Ti 99/4a. Those deemed not worthy of redemption shall be banished to 3MHZ land of dementia.

Rabbit proof-fence proving to be waterproof too...

2007-08-21T09:44:00.000-07:00

The picture is a satellite image, above, and an aerial photograph of the rabbit-proof fence in Australia, separating dark native vegetation and light farmland.

Taken from New York Times:
The rabbit-proof fence — or bunny fence — in Western Australia was completed in 1907 and stretches about 2,000 miles. It acts as a boundary separating native vegetation from farmland. Within the fence area, scientists have observed a strange phenomenon: above the native vegetation, the sky is rich in rain-producing clouds. But the sky on the farmland side is clear.

we can't feed ourselves because in order to do so we are going to end up dehydrating ourselves at the same time...isn't that a nice beyotch slap in the face from mother earth.

evidence I am not a hater/crazy for dissin Lauryn Hill

2007-08-10T09:28:00.001-07:00

Take one look, just one and tell me that I am not crazy.

taken from:
http://www.afterellen.com/blog/dorothysnarker

that's what I thought. you can't say nuthin. I want my money back.

hehehehehe

2007-08-09T21:37:00.001-07:00

i love the muppets - and I miss them too

I'm not alone - this is just getting sadder.

2007-06-29T16:57:00.001-07:00

There is more coming in over the interwebs about how bad of a show Lauryn Hill put on on July 27th at the paramount:

I Use to Love Her, But Now I Don’t: The Bay Area’s Falling Out with Lauryn Hill By K.R. Fardy
http://blogs.sfweekly.com/shookdown/2007/06/damn_lauryn_hills_train_wreck.php

MissInfo.Tv: Lauryn Hill’s embarrassing show in Oakland…no more making excuses for her

The Concert Blog with Jim Harrington:The Misadventures of Lauryn Hill

Such a shame it's all gone to pot....

2007-06-28T09:30:00.000-07:00

I was hyped. I had tickets to see one of the "once great" artists of my era. I was going to see Lauryn Hill in one of my most favorite venues - the Paramount theater in Oakland.

But I didn't see her. I saw a shell. I saw a sham, and heard an old, drunken/stoned mess. It was bad, so bad that I had to feel shame for her back-up band, the promoters, and even shame that the Paramount had to be host to such a horrible act.

Ms. Thang has gotten too big for her boots.

First of all she had the gaul to get all 'diva' and arrive a full 2 and 1/2 hour late. Let me make this clear... two and one half hours after her scheduled time to perform. I recognize that musicians believe that they have the license to show late for performances, and it is a given that I had expected her to get on stage around 9 pm. Not 10 pm. She didn't set foot on stage till 10 pm.

Not only that - but her opener was incoherent, garbled and much too loud. Never mind that it was the excellent back-up band that was doing the work. Not even 2 minutes into the song she was dabbing her self with a towel - sweating profusely and looking as if she was going through the shakes... It was pitiful. After the much too long song finally ended she was asking the sound engineer for more "voice..." that she couldn't hear herself in the monitors. Or maybe it was wishful thinking that she simply didn't believe that she was just that bad.

I held out hope - I knew in my heart that "this can't be it...I've got to wait and see what happens...this is going to get better..." I made my boyfriend wait out a few more songs in anticipation that she would get better - or play the songs I had waited to hear - and bless him he waited for me.

By the second song - not more than a few moments into it I had begun to loose hope. She countered the now sitting crowd with "lets give them something they recognize."

What? Wait... no it doesn't work that way. You are the PAID performer. I gave you MY hard earned coin, now its your turn. So get up there and dance, monkey! Slap those cymbals, and do as I expect.

I had lost hope at that point. I wanted to believe in her ability to win over the crowd with her lovely voice - but that lovely voice wasn't there. It was a hoarse, broken and not up to the task of holding the appreciation of this crowd. Myself included. She broke into a fatal version of "Final Hour" and for much of the crowd it was their final hour. They had waited too long for this poor showing to stand it any longer. People started to leave.

One more, just one more, please!?!?! I begged my boyfriend to stay. He agreed, and then it happened. in the midst of the song - she fell flat on her back. literaly. She fell on stage. I couldn't stand it anymore. I had to go. This was not the powerful - graceful - soulful woman I remember from 10 years ago. This was just a bad clown show.

In the lobby people were lining up at the box office demanding their money back. I considered waiting with them - then realized the futilty of it. I left. Hurt and saddened.

I will mourn her as if she were dead.
RIP Lauyrn Hill 2007.

2007-06-19T16:12:00.001-07:00

because I like potatoes

Update: (716) 650-6240

2007-06-06T15:54:00.000-07:00

So I've left this little link alone for some time - but I'm realizing that this is the one entry that has managed to help more than anything else. - so culled from the original posting here is what I've managed to find:

Debt collection communication should be in writing. You can deny any receipt of a call. The FTC requires a debt collection agency to reply if you have made this request.
If these guys won't leave you alone you try to stop it sending them a registered letter to cease and desist from calling you anymore under the FTC for Unfair Telemarketing/Collection practices. (its important that you send it registered... it's more 'legal' then...)
You can report them to the BBB for Buffalo, NY. The compliance officer is Mr. Paul F Labaki

A quick search online shows this:

National Action Financial Services, Inc. www.sitel.com
165 Lawrence Bell Drive Suite 100
Williamsville, NY 14221
Erie County, New York

This Business Operates under the Names
Finance Services;N A F S; National Action Financial Services, Inc.; Sitel Corp.

They notorious bottom feeders. They by old debts at a discount (that are past the statute of limitations which cannot be persued in court) and try to collect the entire face value of the debt anyway from unsuspecting people.
- taken from http://whocalled.us/lookup/7166506240

So what have we learned... ignore them. If they don't go away - push them out of their own foxhole by forcing them to deal with the nastyness they try and use on you. Be smarter than these fools.

take care!

OOOHHHHH!!!

2007-05-01T16:17:00.000-07:00

I have got to tell you this is soooo geeky its adorable. Unfortch - its only a prototype, and doesn't exist in real life... but here is someone thinking about utility and design at the same time.

one of those "damn, why didn't I think of that" thingies...

LegoLand

2007-04-24T14:45:00.001-07:00

LegoLand,
originally uploaded by jakesmome.

leave it to the lego's to make it more fun, than it is in real life!

Naaktrecreatie

2007-04-24T14:41:00.001-07:00

Naaktrecreatie,
originally uploaded by Rnout.

huh!/!?!?!

i never thought that nudism or Germans would be int he same sentence... wait maybe I did....

a great article and read

2007-04-20T14:03:00.000-07:00

Now a bit of disclosure.... I am in love with Saul Williams' writings... perhaps even his mind.

He has always had the ability to efficiently tear into your head and get to the specifics of the emotions. His ability to get the comparison that to this point I have always been aware of - but been unable to voice makes me love him that much more.

I would strongly suggest that you read the open letter to Ms. Winfrey that Saul Williams writes her about Hip-Hop and our Current Adminstration.

I only hope it makes you think,maybe even react.

One can only hope.

Graphic representations of how we're grabbing our ankles

2007-04-18T13:34:00.000-07:00

Found this link thanks to MetaFilter... Its been awhile since I've been on that site.
Its always been a great source for information but also so very inflammatory...

this link: http://www.thebudgetgraph.com/poster/
only makes me more mad... particularly the lack of Education and Health funding and the deluge of monies spent on defense.

after one month

2007-03-22T08:17:00.000-07:00

and no tears.

This is a good sign. The fact that I feel compelled to work because I care to make the product good, not because I have a deadline that asolutely must be met.

this is a nice change.

That and I have congratulations to offer to my mates: You're married! geeze who'da thunk that you would have gotten married? (actually I lie...I did!)

I'm going to have fun celebrating their good times!! yay!

if only life didn't imitate art.

2007-02-20T20:19:00.000-08:00

or art imitating life.... The superbowl ads from CareerBuilder.com spoke a truth that I was laughing at while I watched, and then cried a little when I realized that this was more real to life than I realized.

Promotion Pit:

Training Seminar:

Performance Evaluation:

Its more than a little sad because I can see this happening every day. And its going to hurt us all.

I quit!!!

2007-02-02T16:47:00.000-08:00

Yep. Literally. I just walked out of my job today. It was both terrifying and liberating. I decided that I had enough trauma and pain from this stinking job and so I quit.

Actually I had a plan. I had been planning for quite some time and had decided that today was THE day. I had so many auspicious signs.... Full moon, Start of a new month (Black History Month at that) That and my 30 day probation was about up anyway.

I should give you some background. On January 2nd, right after a very long new years, where I managed to work about 95 hours to finish a project that I had been tasked.... I arrived into work at 9 am, exhausted. I got in did the usual ritual of saying hello and then turning on my computer to check my mail. There it was... the e-mail. It said to come up to a meeting at 11 am for a performance review, not to prepare anything but to be on time.

I panicked. how you deal with an e-mail first thing in the morning when you're exhausted? I did the best thing I could do. I frantically asked my coworkers, " was this the norm? " "Is this how the performance reviews are conducted? " I've never been in a situation like this before and I was freaking out. In the meantime, my boss was out, Her boss was inaccessible. I had no one to turn to and was at a complete loss. Even now just thinking about it is causing knots in my stomach. I couldn't have been in a worse situation. I had a massive deadline due and I couldn't focus. So I paced and I paced, wearing a circle in the rug

I go up to a meeting room at 11 a.m. Sitting there were both my boss and her manager, across the table looking stern and calm. I approached hesitant and sat down . I was immediately informed that this was my performance review. I tried to keep my composure during the course of the presentation. I found out that they were displeased with my work. So displeased in fact, that they found it "unacceptable" and "subpar." When I asked for details. I was informed that I had been polled prior about this very same information. (Turns out, Halloween was my first verbal warning, but I was never told it was my warning, and never got any documentation that it was.)

On top of that they slid a big document across the table at me and asked me to read it and then sign it. I read it. it was the standard fare of HR documents, but in addition there was a typed up single page note. It was so scathing and so personal that it felt personal. In this letter, my manager accused me specifically of holding up the project, and went so far to say "I no longer had faith in her abilities to finish the work."

I was horrified. I had no real response. It was as if someone had hit me in the gut kicked me in the face slapped me around and told me my mother was a cheap whore. All of those hours for nothing! It was so virulent it astounded me. I was told I should sign it immediately on recognition of excepting this document. I told them I didn't feel comfortable signing it. I said, that I'd like to take it away and look it over it before I sign anything. I was immediately told "there would be no more meetings, we can stay here all day if we need to."

My heart was in my throat, and you know me I hate confrontation. So I signed the document just to get out of there, realizing I had signed my doom.

It was a 30 day performance plan, where their immediate suggestions for my improvement included:

Send all written material to my manager for review prior to distribution.
Reach out to my manager should I feel I need assistance

I wish I were joking. This is verbatim from the "performance improvement" document. I don't know about you but that does not look like any plan for professional improvement. If their complaint was the unsatisfactory nature of my work, how does my sending all of my work to my manager rectify that issue?

Regardless, I had been planning to leave for some time. You can see on the entry from December 29 that I had already been considering leaving. This is simply the kick in the ass that I needed to get out. In that respect, they were nice enough to give me 30 days to find another job. So I took the opportunity and I got down to my new task with a new urgency. I needed to escape. Iworked sparingly in the meantime, but I wasn't really there.

I started applying to jobs furiously and surprisingly I got quite a few callbacks quickly. The larger project i had been busting my back on, went live in January 15. Although I had to work on Martin Luther King holiday. So my manager made a exchange for January 29 and offered the 24th through the 26th as comp time "for all our hard work."

I used my comp time appropriately. I went out for 4 interviews. It turns out I am a desirable property to another company, and they made an offer within 72 hours.

It was just a matter of deciding when to leave my current job. I decided today, and I decided to be worse than they were. I left a note on my desk for my boss when I left for lunch at noon. I don't think she's found out about it yet. I sent a delayed e-mail to the HR manager at 5 p.m.. If she doesn't know by now. She's the idiot I always suppose she is.

It doesn't matter now I'm free.

hum drum

2006-12-29T16:24:00.000-08:00

its now just a matter of waiting.

I'm not exactly sure when this happened. I spend my days waiting for the clock to move just that much faster. When I don't wait for the clock I am waiting for other people. But its not like I'm doing anything earth shattering, nor interesting. What I do effects no one, and nothing. So I sit and I wait.

I don't even know what I am waiting for. Part of me thinks that maybe I'm waiting for something to happen. Like get fired. or fly off the handle and strangle my boss till she's blue in the face. Something.

Sure I go to work, and I sit in my cubical. I do the keyboard tapdance all day in hopes that if I do it long enough I look like I'm doing something. But really I'm finding out that whatever I have done really isn't what needs to be done, so then the people above me throw downcast looks and then simply take the work away from me. I don't know what's going on.

Instead I wait. not so patiently, but I still wait.

I wait to be told when and how to wipe my own ass, then I do it, only to be told I did it wrong. I ask for clarification, guidance, only to be told that I should already know how to. I try and protest, claiming that I thought I did - but I'm obviously not doing it to the specifications that are desireable, just to be shot down once more with the retort that I "should" know.

Fuck this. I'm looking for new work elsewhere. I've already applied for an upgrade....a better job has got to be something, no?

James Brown - RIP 1933 to 2006

2006-12-25T01:16:00.000-08:00

from the AP wire:

Brown was hospitalized with pneumonia at Emory Crawford Long Hospital on Sunday and died around 1:45 a.m. Monday.

I, for one of millions, will never forget the Godfather of Soul. His music had the power to heal, make people rise up, and bring conciousness to so many generations. Without his influence music to today would never be a great as his weakest attempt.

He will be greatly missed.

why am I working on christmas?

2006-12-25T00:48:00.000-08:00

seriously.

this sucks. Nevermind that I don't get paid for OT. I'm fuckin salaried for crying out loud. I was fucking hood-winked. "we'll never make you work for more than 40 hours a week." bull shit. I've clocked on average for the past 4 moths: around 65 hours a week.

if i didn't like money I'd fucking quit. That and I kind of want to see this project through to the end...even though it's probably going to go down in horrible flames simply because it's an unreasonable delivery time for a project of its size. Nevermind the fact that there are only 3 designers working on this that would otherwise take a team of about 8 highly skilled flash developers to do it. Not overly educated PhD's and MA's sitting around attempting to build it. That and the time schedule is unreasonable. 3 months to deliver something that any design shop would tell you would take 6 months to do properly. This is going to end horribly... hopefully not in my quick dismissal from this company.

Although I did pack my stuff up on friday, just in case. I'm not taking any chances. I've been spit out too many times to not know any better.

holidays

2006-12-22T15:36:00.000-08:00

holi-days.

it meant something once. not so sure about it now. It's beginning to feel more and more like "come-spend-your-money" days.

I guess that I'm reminiscing about what it was like when I was a kid. It was magical - okay not really magical - but it make me think of a time when I thought that it was possible for my desires to come true. (Besides - most 5 year old desires are easy to meet.)

One thing that I remember that makes me smile inside a little - I used to sneak out of bed late at night and I'd tip-toe up to the Christmas tree. Praying that the squeaky floor wouldn't give me away. The tree was all adorned with lights and colors - and towered over me. I remember standing there gaping at how tall it was and how really awesome it felt. I thought that it was the prettiest thing that I'd ever seen.

then... and this is the one thing that I never understood... i had the compulsion to pray.

really.

I'd kneel down on my knees- just like those Rockwell-ian images - in my jammies, and I'd pray. Pray not really for things - but really whispered hopes. I'd pray that I'd grow up big and be happy and that boys would like me, but really I remember praying that things would be better. That life would be simple and that all my family and friends would be okay in the coming year.

I truly thought that it was possible for this magical (albeit dead) tree to grant peace and keep a watchful eye over me, my family and friends. And actually expected for my wishes to come true.

Now I'm older, but strangely I still yearn for that same compulsion to pray for peace. Pray for guidance and pray for a fruitful and happy year ahead. I mean that is what this time of year is for anyway. The earth is hibernating with the expectation that in the season to come all will grow and be good.

So my holiday will be spent quietly praying for all my friends and family. For all those strangers I don't know, and finally for the wish that I could be young at heart for as long as I can hold on to it.

That'd be an awesome gift.

love,
ME!

explain to me how this makes sense

2006-11-29T13:03:00.000-08:00

Your boss e-mails you to tell you that the e-mail service is down.

Think about that for a minute.

How does this make any sense? On what planet would this seem to work? And then giggle to yourself because it actually did happen...to my boyfriend, this morning. His boss is just *that-much* closer to the nut house.

Ah - how I love the holidays

2006-11-27T15:11:00.000-08:00

new toys and Turkey hangovers

2006-11-24T13:22:00.000-08:00

okay so it's been a while and I apologize I have been no other excuse is other than the truth. I have a brand-new toy now, Dragon NaturallySpeaking 9 and of course I am using this as an opportunity to play with it and test it out. it's working pretty good so far and truthfully it would be nice if I could get it to work with everything I use on a regular basis.

now as for productivity lord only knows. It may actually be worse for me simply because it allows my mind wander while I'm trying to get my thoughts in order which is of course never is easy as you think. it is until you suddenly are given the liberties to do whatever you want with your hands instead of focusing on typing. maybe doing the keyboard tap dance it may not always be bad.

anyway, back to real deal. Yesterday was turkey day, and I'm hoping that you like I, stuffed ourselves silly. I'm lying because I was good and did not proceed to eat my weight in food, at least not at the dinner table. so therefore doesn't really count as stuffing myself and I don't care what you say that's the truth I'm sticking to.

I took my mother to my boyfriend's family's home before the meal, and it seemed like everything was okay. I'm not certain however simply because there is the possibility that my mother felt some awkwardness at being the only white woman at the meal. It's a new experience for her as it is always been the opposite for me being the only biracial girl that most appeals. She was quite quiet, in fact much quieter than I have ever seen her. However, that may just be simply because my boyfriend's family are quite talkative. I'm going to chalk it up to nervousness. In which case that makes the evening even more delicious simply for the nerve factor.

I only hope they were impressed with my abilities to talk smack with the rest of them. Remember I am still a white girl at heart and I'm learning.

So much for keeping it real.

You stay well and healthy don't forget to jog off those extra 5 pounds that you gained yesterday I hope to hear from everyone ,when they get the chance. you can use the comments or you can e-mail me as I do check my mail. Not regularly, when it's only necessary. much love from the left Coast

but are you really counting?

2006-11-17T23:09:00.000-08:00

RIP Ed Bradley

2006-11-10T14:51:00.000-08:00

I know - it is a terrible loss, and I am a day late... but it's well documented. I will refer to the many blogs/newscasts regarding Mr. Bradley's work:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Bradley
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/11/09/national/main2165871.shtml
http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/TV/11/09/obit.bradley/index.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/09/AR2006110900820.html

Ok, ok - everyone knows the news

2006-11-10T14:49:00.000-08:00

or maybe you didn't. Aside from this being one of the more happier years that I've had in 12... I think I might actually be in love with germany now.

Posted Friday, Nov. 10, 2006
Just days after his resignation, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is about to face more repercussions for his involvement in the troubled wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. New legal documents, to be filed next week with Germany's top prosecutor, will seek a criminal investigation and prosecution of Rumsfeld, along with Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, former CIA director George Tenet and other senior U.S. civilian and military officers, for their alleged roles in abuses committed at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison and at the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Whether or not this actually comes to fruition, I think I'm going to have to find a german and shake his/her hand for coming to our rescue. Oh... happy days are here again!!!!

I have to stay optimistic.

OH MY GOD!!!! - my most favoritest part of oktober

2006-09-22T22:16:00.000-07:00

About 3 years ago a friend invited me to Oktoberfest in Mt Tam... I went 'cause I thought it might be fun - nature and beer normally go so well together.

I had a blast and have ever since been trying to get back to that festival. It is rarely publisized (meaning you have to be in-to get in) nor talked about outside of given circles...I came across this by accident.

Address: 3115 Butters Drive, Oakland 94602. Phone: (510) 531-2930.
Directions: From Hwy 13 Exit Joaquin Miller Rd., take that road about 1/4 mile up the hill, turn Right on Butters & go about 1/2 mile. Look for a small sign and a steep downhill driveway on the right side, taking you to their parking area. A huge outdoor dance floor is on the left, and the clubhouse is on the right. The dance floor has an incredible view of Oakland, San Francisco, the Bay and the Peninsula. Not as much shade on this dance floor, so wear a good sun hat.

The Date:
Oktoberfest II - Oct 1 - Johnny Krische Band

The fest is 1-6 p.m. Admission around $10.

I would suggest that you come with...It's going to be awesome. Good beer, good food and friendly people.

4 year anniversary

2006-09-18T20:51:00.000-07:00

I just realized...this blog will be turning 4 soon. Damn. who knew I could keep this up for this long.

Work drama!

2006-09-18T20:28:00.000-07:00

Updates? nothing big, but its everything to do with the fact that I haven't worked at a large company...ever. So all of this, everyday of this, is new to me. Now whether or not this is good - has yet to be determined. Regardless I am beginning to see that what it does mean is that I am going to have to learn how to fight my way out of the muck and find a nice little spot on a rock above it all.

How long that will take? I'm not sure. Regardless I'm going to have to get on it. I need to find that little place of isolation where the rest of this can't reach me. Now I don't actually think that this will or even could happen. I'm not that stupid.

Anyway.. week 4 and still am feeling completely clueless and haven't got a firm grip on the reality that is quickly forming around me. and Bam!! thrust into it. I'm doing slip-shod work 'cause I have no guidance and an overwhelming sense that something...anything needs to simply be produced. (which in the end isn't great.)

The Background:
Day one - walk through the door... and get the preverbial "hot potato." My boss wants me to re-work a program and deliver it in two weeks. I say okay, not even having sat down at my computer to establish what my freakin login is. When I do get the chance to sit down and take a look at this "thing" that she wants me to rework...there is no way on gods green earth that it can be done. I have no superpowers. (boy I wish I did though...probably the ability to stop time... that always seemed cool...)

I get a new estimate for my boss cobbled together...but this is based on the prospect that I have at least 3 other people helping me out on this. I set the date for the end of September. I get to work trying to find out who can help me. nobody bites. Now everyone is very helpful in offering they "assistance" but I find that this translates to, "I will tell you what I could do If I was re-creating this, but I cant actually help you do anything." SO I'm going it on my own. I think that I can actually do it, so I break my back and work for nearly 3 weeks straight...bringing work home every evening and in many cases waking up early to get to work by 6:30 am.

I send out the best alpha versions of the program that I can slap-dash together in about 5 days and no tools. (they can't install the software I need to develop this crappy program because of some beauracratic bullshit number was placed in the wrong field...)

I ask for feedback... I say two days (since it's just a review...real quick , I think) 8 days later I get the feedback I need. I now have to adjust my schedule because of this time warp that everyone else was in (8 days = 2 days) and then proceed to update my boss on the situation. I kow-tow as best I can and explain to the best of my abilities that "I was too agressive with my timelines." Cross my fingers and press the send button. Two minutes later I get a phone call...

long story short... the e-mail got circulated all the way up to the director of the department. Now Instead of a simple time adjustment I'm seen as gumming up the works...when in fact it was never me to begin with.

I'm coping with it. I'm passing the buck as best I can...but it still sucks. "It's only my fourth week" i keep having to remind myself. But thats beginnging to sound like a simpering whiney reply to "get to work."

christ.

I only hope that it doesn't stay this way.

simply lovely....and truly mesmorizing

2006-08-30T21:06:00.000-07:00

I love the ZeFrank

2006-08-30T20:31:00.000-07:00

the show with zefrank

2006-08-24T16:16:00.000-07:00

Week 1 Of work:

my ass is numb.

my brain is full

my feet are swolen

I like money, but I think I hate work...

globeandmail.com : 'A basic rule of punctuation'

2006-08-07T21:58:00.000-07:00

A good reminder of where you don't want to splice your sentences:

Read the following and think hard about what it means:

Page 7 of the contract states: The agreement “shall continue in force for a period of five years from the date it is made, and thereafter for successive five year terms, unless and until terminated by one year prior notice in writing by either party.”

Now read the article... you can see how this makes me feel so bad and soooo good for all the right reasons!

Star Trek Inspirational Posters

2006-08-07T21:46:00.000-07:00

Genius. Pure. Fucking. Genius!

YouTube - OK Go - Here It Goes Again

2006-08-03T16:51:00.000-07:00

What can't you love about this video? I ask you>?

Cornrows to a job interview?

2006-07-21T12:40:00.000-07:00

I got my hair done up yesterday, and as luck would have it I got a call today from the Gap corporation asking me for an interview on Monday. The job is within the corporate offices in downtown San Francisco.This is a white collar job and I had a question of the blogosphere.

Okay, so I know that I'm not supposed to work for the Gap. They are evil. They are multinational hell. Most important they are whitebread. As whitey-white bread milk-toast-ish as they can be. And that is not me. Never has been, never will be.

However...One very important point I need to make. I am unemployed. Been unemployed now for nearly 8 months. That said, I like money. Not that I am saying that I couldn't live without it, but lets be honest. Money does make things a whole heck of alot easier. That and I could really use some. Not a whole lot, just enough on a regular basis. What I am basically trying to say is that in the end, principles, morals and pride have very little bearing on your professional and fiscal future.

Now that I have made my point,What I am trying to say...in so many words, should I take out my cornrows, a mere 4 days after having them put in for a face-to-face interview?

Okay, So I know that the next question you'll probably ask... well if you're out of work why in the hell did you get your hair done like that if you knew you were interviewing!?!?!
I'll accept that it seems like a frivilous thing to spend money on when you don't have work. Honestly? The money was a present. Plus, going to the hair salon was something I could do for myself. And I haven't done for myself in nearly 8 or 9 months since I quit my job to finish school. I think that I am allowed one or two frivilous items, considering that I haven't been shopping or bought many different odd and random things for myself in that time.

So now that I've answered that burning question, In your comment please state:
1. Yes - (take out cornrows) or No - (leave them in)
2. Your reason why. (breif... about 5 sentences or less...)

If you have any other questions, I'll be happy to answer them.

Just so you know, normally when I go to interviews I would pull my hair back into a bun(as it can sometimes be unruly) and wear nerdy/smart - looking glasses.

I'm just looking for some input. I figured that the blogosphere might have some good info.

Thanks!

>>Update: I ended up taking them down, anyway. so oh-well.

negligent in my blogger duities

2006-07-11T09:36:00.000-07:00

Nothing to explain. Simply that I am lazy. (seems to be the standard explination lately)

You know when you have too much time and nothing gets done? exactly. I knew you knew me well.

Regardless, I finished school. Graduated. Offically. I am a mistress now. a professional mistress.
Unfortunately this means that I actually have to go and get a job. No more hiding out in school. Although the prospect of staying in school forever makes some sense. No? Nevertheless I have to learn how to take the psychological abuse of rejection that the working world seems to enjoy dolling out to me.

News: Mom got a new knee, and a new attitude adjustment. She's now a full fleged weenie. (not just a half...) and I am being the good daughter and calling her names and generally making her hate me. (ohh fun!)

I am still unemployed, but hopeful that my current economic state will not interefere in my lifelong desire to get a regular paycheck for investigating my navel. Maybe I'll become a writer.

No new political statements for inflaming the public, nor enticting riot. Although I haven't really been anything more than the apathetic middle class american who has been wooed by reality tv and ansetized by pop-cultre and the newest esteem shredding fashion trend.

ah. such is life. so indulgent.

Lay, Skilling convicted in Enron collapse - Yahoo! News

2006-05-25T09:36:00.000-07:00

Lay, Skilling convicted in Enron collapse

i am SO happy I am doing a little dance. FELONS!!! i hope that they send them to pellican bay. or san quentin.

But I know they wont. It would still be nice... a girl can dream. Ahhhh..... Ken Lay would have to be some big burly bald man's bitch.

oohh... that makes me happy...

>>Update: 7/11/06 - Are you thinking what I am thinking? This seems a little convienent, doesnt it? And it doesn't hurt that the timing of his death vacates the Guilty verdict....hmmmm.... I bet he shows up in Argentina in a few years.