This collection of entries is from November 2004.
Tuesday, November 30, 2004
Second Snow
It's snowing again. All of the other snow had melted, and now we're getting hit again.
The weather critters are forecasting 1"-5" (depending on where you live around the city)
Great.
posted at 07:13 PM | Link | Mundane § |
75 Games, $2,520,700, and outThat's it.
Ken Jennings' run on Jeopardy is over. As reported over on kottke.org some time ago, today was the broadcast day of Mr. Jennings' last day on Jeopardy.
He lost in Final Jeopardy. It was only a two person Final Jeopardy. The challenger - Nancy Zerg - had $10,000 - Ken had $14,000
The answer was: MOST OF THIS FIRM'S 70,000 SEASONAL EMPLOYEES WORK ONLY 4 MONTHS A YEAR
Ken's Response: What is Fed Ex?
The Correct Response: What is H&R Block?
The Challenger bet $4,401 taking her to $14,401 - one dollar over Ken.
Ken bet $5,601 taking him down to $8,799 and looses.
Update: Nancy Zerg's "Giant Killing" Championship lasted only one day, finishing last the next day
posted at 04:08 PM | Link | TV § |
Monday, November 29, 2004
Soap?Many of you out there that actually know me, know that I've been battling these weird leg twitches, usually when I'm sitting down or laying down. In rare circumstances, they even twitch when I'm standing or walking. It's not a little twitch either. If I'm standing, they're pretty... um... "violent". I mean, it almost looks like I'm kicking somebody.
So, last week, Carol is reading some health column in a local paper (Daily Herald), that said: If you suffer from Restless Leg Syndrome (Which I don't think I have), try this to stop your twitching at night -
Put a bar of soap under your sheet. Does not work with Dial or Dove.
HUH? WHa...?
So, we grabbed a bar of Coast and threw it under my sheet last Friday.
HAVEN'T TWITCHED AT NIGHT SINCE
What the hell does a bar of soap have to do with this???????
read more of this entry »
Soap therapy cleans up leg cramps By DR. PETER H. GOTT
DEAR DR. GOTT: I don't know how the soap-under-the-sheet technique works for leg cramps, but it does.
I have been diagnosed with restless legs syndrome and, since using the soap therapy, have had no symptoms.
I now can sleep through the night for the first time in many years. Thank you for the tip.
DEAR READER: Since I first published this remedy for nocturnal leg cramps, I have received dozens of letters from readers who endorsed this novel approach.
Recently, I also received mail from patients with restless legs syndrome, a serious and uncomfortable disorder of unknown cause. These RLS patients have had success with the soap.
Although it would be irresponsible of me to endorse this as a cure for RLS, the initial responses have been overwhelming. I'll update you in a future column as I receive more feedback from readers.
To review the technique briefly for people who may have missed previous columns, here is what to do: Take a bar of soap (large or small, new or used, but no Dial or Dove) and place it under the bottom sheet of the bed in the area of the feet and legs. Go to sleep and see what happens. If you sleep, undisturbed by leg cramps or RLS for a full night, let me know. Of course, write me if the technique is ineffective. I'm looking for honest and objective analyses.
Dr. Peter Gott: Scientist says soap does indeed cure leg cramps
Dear Dr. Gott: You asked to hear from readers experienced with the soap cure for leg cramps.
Let me begin my answer by saying that I am a college graduate and a professional scientist who is naturally skeptical of unproven treatments and cures.
However, I do have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and check in periodically with the related Web sites (such as www.copd-international.com) to check on recent updates. For decades, I have been troubled by leg cramps that disrupt my sleep five to 10 times a night. All the standard therapies, including quinine pills and massage, have been ineffective. Several people on the Internet have touted the soap cure: a bar of soap placed under the mattress cover near my legs.
Did this sound ridiculous? You bet. But I gave it a try. Did it work? Yes, indeed. I haven't had a cramp since.
The proper technique is simple. Unwrap a fresh bar of soap (don't use Dove) and discard the wrapper. It doesn't need to be a huge, bath-size bar; even the small bars common in hotels work for most people. Then place the unwrapped bar directly under the bottom sheet or on the bed where the legs are usually located. That's it.
Some people may need to rub the legs with an extra bar of soap, but, in most instances, this is not necessary. The cramps are gone. Why? I haven't a clue.
Dear Reader: Nor have I. But I am publishing your letter - which is one of dozens I have received since mentioning the soap cure for leg cramps - because the therapy is, apparently, an effective preventive for a common human malady. In such circumstances, we probably don't need an explanation of how the technique works, but it does. Thanks to you, and other readers, for writing.
« hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 09:16 AM | Link | Odd | 15 comments § |
Sunday, November 28, 2004
BP
I haven't been feeling well for months. It's all my fault - I haven't seen a doctor in over a year. I have high blood pressure and I haven't been taking my medications. Since July, I've been having these fleeting feeling of wanting to go to sleep NOW. What really bothers me is when it happens when I'm driving. I'm also developing this thing where I can fall asleep in a chair or just sitting on the couch.
So, I went out and got a a Blood Pressure cuff that I can just put on my wrist. It self-inflates, so I can take it quick and maybe understand what I'm feeling and interpret it to how high my blood pressure is.
I woke up really early this morning, went downstairs and watched a bit of TV and - of course - fell asleep sitting up.
When I woke up, I slapped on the BP cuff - 160 over 110. OK, THAT'S BAD...
I have to get a handle on this...
posted at 09:17 AM | Link | Mundane | 1 comment § |
Saturday, November 27, 2004
Boboli & FriendsWe had Barry & Buffy over tonight, just to hang around. For dinner, we made our own little pizzas with Boboli and our own ingredients. It's a great little fun thing to do with friends. Then, we spent the evening making a game out of the list of 400 Quotes that American Film Institute has submitted to it's membership to come up with the 100 Best Quotes of All Time (which will be next year's - AFI'S 100 Years... 100 Movie Quotes, a three-hour TV special in June 2005). The quotes are great, but what makes one quote better than another?
posted at 09:54 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Friday, November 26, 2004
Black Friday roadsI must have been driving between the early bird shoppers and the other shoppers going out later in the morning. There was no one of the road this morning. There was no one in the parking lot. There was no one in the building. It's going to be a boring day...
posted at 08:18 AM | Link | Work § |
Thursday, November 25, 2004
Turkey Drunk
Ahhhhhhhh... the turkey was fine.... Everything else that Carol made was excellent.
I'm Turkey Drunk. I loves me the tryptophan...
I've got a bad problem - I'm on the last hole on my belt. When did that happen?
I am thankfull that our guests left early, and I can get some sleep before working tomorrow!!! Whooo Hooo!!!!
I am also thankful on this day that this is not my family: Man accused of stabbing relatives over holiday table manners
posted at 10:17 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Blog-A-Turkey 2004
It's Thanksgiving and time to make this year's turkey.
I've decided not to do a Blog-A-Turkey this year. I just didn't feel like it. (Here's last year's Blog-A-Turkey 2003 video on how I brabecue my Thanksgiving Turkey. (WMV file Running time: 12:27 Size: 51.1Mb)).
So far, things aren't going as well as I had hoped. The weather is cold - one of the coldest I can remember in recent history. We have all that snow from yesterday. But, it's been sunny. The snow plow company came out and did the driveway. I'm having trouble concentrating on the charcoal management, and it's gotten way out of control. I can't get any of the burned out coals to get pushed down below bottom grate, so there's charcoal everywhere on top o fthe grill. Not the way I normally do it, but the bird came off quickly. We'll see later when we carve it up.
posted at 03:47 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Wednesday, November 24, 2004
OK, that was BAAAAAAADI didn't have a hat or gloves with me as I left the building. The wind was screaming, the snow/sleet mix pelted me in the face. I actually got one of those "brain freezes" as I walked to the car.
The car was coated with the snow/sleet. I was happy to find that I had left my gloves and earmuffs in the car! Yea! But then I realized I didn't have a brush to clean the car. I remembered a license plate frame that I haven't put on the front of the car. I used that to scrape the windows clean.
Finally on the road I found out that there were no plows, no salt trucks. I had trouble trying to make a left turn onto Higgins because the eastbound traffic kept blocking the intersection. Had to waith throuhg 5 lights.
Overall, from the time I walked out of the building until the time I walked into my house, it was almost one hour.
Can't wait to see what Winter is going to look like.
posted at 06:40 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Maybe I was a bit hasty...... in doling out criticisms of our local weather critters. I just got back from looking out our 11th floor window (there are no windows in the lab that I am working in). The view is... well, there is no view. All I see is snow blowing right to left. I can see the parking lot below, and it's only wet, but there is snow accumulating on the few cars left in the lot. There's snow accumulating on the grass below. The traffic on 53/I-355 is moving as if it were just raining. I just checked out my home Weathercam and it's the same, though it doesn't look like it's blowing like it is here (but then, home is only 4 miles away). I can watch the melted snow drip down my window pane on the camera, watch the school buses go through the neighborhood.
The power is fluctuating - I can hear the sound of AC buzzing through the floors in the lab. Great. I didn't expect power problems...
posted at 02:06 PM | Link | Mundane § |
The ugliness of manThis has to be the most brutal thing I have read recently. I know Columbia is famous for abductions, but this is over the top:
Colombia police report abduction by C-section
posted at 11:34 AM | Link | Mundane § |
Tuesday, November 23, 2004
Ah, the end is coming...... the end of the Good Weather, that is. Local meteorologists are doing the the full-on hardcore "The Sky Is Falling!" routines, saying that computer models are saying snow tomorrow - some places getting in excess of 8" (Which, of course, sucks).
All I know is that when I stepped out the building after work today, the air had a nice clean smell, the was barely a breeze, and the temperature felt just right.
All hell should be breaking loose in 18 hours..
posted at 04:36 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Monday, November 22, 2004
Favorite ThingsThe lab I work in is very quiet except for the deafening noise of the air handlers. Makes for a very boring environment to work on building servers, especially when you are waiting for a long Ghosting process to complete. I've been bringing a small radio to work that fits in my shirt pocket - I use it all the time at White Sox and Wolves games. The reception in the lab is a bit "iffy" in some areas, mostly from all of the RF that the computers are generating, but there's also some Spanish language radio station pretty close to here that bleeds over everything.
The cool thing about the radio is that it also has a TV band, so I listen to some programs in the morning.
Today, I had to listen to Oprah because it was her annual Oprah's Favorite Things 2004 show. It seem sto get bigger and bigger every year. The twist this year, though, was everyone in the audience was a teacher and there was somebody there from all 50 states. Let's face it - teachers hardly earn anything and many times spend their own money on supplies for class. It made all the sense to invite teachers to this show.
posted at 09:24 AM | Link | Mundane § |
Sunday, November 21, 2004
Mom's 75th
Went to Diane's to celebrate mom's birthday (which is actually Tuesday). I must have still been hungry from last night, because I ate everything in sight tonight (It doesn't hurt that Diane and Melinda cook so well... and they know our tatses).
posted at 10:24 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Saturday, November 20, 2004
On Patrol...
Just got home from my Goddaughter Sam's birthday party - her 17th. Lets just say time is passing pretty quickly... For the first time in I don't know how long, I didn't enjoy the food at the party. I left still feeling hungry. I didn't get seconds, as I didn't enjoy the "firsts". It's odd being with family - it just seems the group is getting smaller and smaller - some were ill, some are no longer with us... it's an odd feeling of life continuing on without some of the "parts".
When we drove home, we saw three police cars on the street near our house (on the "circle" that goes around us), so we had to go check it out. It looks like someone was throwing a party (judging by the amount of parked cars) that may have gotten out of hand. By the time we got home and got inside, a car driving through the neighborhood, was stopped by a squad car, which was joined by a second squad, only to have a third squad stiop by to check out what was going on. This is the most ecitement we've seen in YEARS...
posted at 09:57 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Friday, November 19, 2004
Mêlée in DetroitHoly crap - I don't think I've ever seen something get out of hand this badly. There'to be arrests after all of this. I have never seen something this scary at a sporting event in my life. I have no idea how somebody didn't get themselves seriously injured in all of this - and considering that 1) it was an NBA game and 2) it was in Detroit, I'm surprised somebody didn't smuggle in a weapon and killed somebody.
What am I talking about?
Pacers 97, Pistons 82, 45.9 seconds left in the game.
It all started when Detroit's Ben Wallace went in for a layup
and was fouled hard by Artest from behind.Wallace wheeled around and pushed Artest in the face. The benches emptied and punches were thrown.As the players continued shoving each other near center court and coaches tried to restore order, Artest sprawled out on his back on the scorer's table, looking relaxed.Just when it appeared tempers had died down, Artest was struck by a full cup thrown from the stands. He jumped up, and charged into the stands, throwing punches as he climbed over seats.Fans were punching back, and Jackson and another teammate joined Artest in the mêlée. As the crowd roared, drinks and debris showered the court and the Pacers players covered their heads as they hustled through the runway leading to the locker room.A man in a Pistons jersey approached Artest on the court with fists raised, shouting at him. Artest punched him in the face, knocking the man to the floor before leaving the court. Artest was pulled away, and the fan charged back. O'Neal stepped in and punched the man.
And this was much worse than the description.
I haven't followed the NBA in years. I've felt that the NBA is just turning into a bunch of thugs.
I'm not buying any "self defense" pleas here - it just reinforced my feelings.
A bunch of thugs.
Update: NBA Commissioner David Stern announced suspensions: Pacers forward Ron Artest has been suspended for the remainder of the season.
Indiana guard Stephen Jackson has been suspended for 30 games.
Pacers forward Jermaine O’Neal has been suspended for 25 games.
Indiana guard Anthony Johnson has been suspended for five games.
Detroit forward/center Ben Wallace has been suspended for six games.
Pistons forwards Elden Campbell and Derrick Coleman and guard Chauncey Billups have each been suspended for one game for leaving the bench during an on-court altercation.
Indiana guard Reggie Miller has been suspended for one game for leaving the bench during an on-court altercation.
posted at 10:22 PM | Link | Sports § |
Thursday, November 18, 2004
AloneMy partner that's supposed to be working with me in the lab is out sick today, so I'm here alone. In the dark. (Well, I didn't turn the lights on in this part of the lab (I don't even know where the switch is) and those of you that know me will know that I like working in the dark or in subdued lighting.) I'm digging this. I'm just worried about actually doing work in here today. So far, I have not got an official security ID badge for this facility. That means I don't have any way to get back into the lab if I have to leave to, oh let's say, go to the restroom. I have no accounts on the network here, which means I have no access to any of the help desk systems. In a nutshell, that means if there is a server that needs to be built & shipped or just a drive that needs imaging and shipping, I have no way of getting that information. I have no email access as well.
So, I'm alone in the lab, cutoff from my cow-orkers (I've always liked that spelling!). Hopefully I can keep busy.
posted at 08:27 AM | Link | Work § |
Wednesday, November 17, 2004
Bought?So, one of the companies that I'm indirectly working for is being bought...
Kmart Corp. is acquiring Sears, Roebuck & Co. in an $11 billion merger
Overheard standing at an elevator: "It's like tieing two drunken whores together and hoping they'll walk a straight line..."
posted at 07:51 AM | Link | Work | 1 comment § |
Tuesday, November 16, 2004
Amazing Race 6 starts! THEME
It was great seeing Phil standing atop one of the Marina City towers in Chicago. They did some very nice drunken helicopter cameraman shots of the city and really made the place look great. The teams came in on the yellow Seadog boats that are available for rides at Navy Pier. The were let off by Buckingham Fountain where Phil officially started the race. It was also very intersting to see how the teams first interacted with each other on the 40-50 minute trip on the Blue Line to O'Hare. I don't think we've ever seen aliances being built before the teams got to the first airport.
I'm very happy the show is on the air again!
posted at 10:08 PM | Link | Amazing Race § |
CheaperSo Carol calls me from work to have me make her airline reservations to Las Vegas. I guess the company decided that since we were going out there earlier and I had already made my reservations, that Carol could do her's and she'd get reimbursed.
So, I go back to Ted and book the same flights as I did yesterday. In fact, I even get her the seat next to me on both flights.
Yesterday, my airfare was $193.20. Today her airfare was $178.20. $15 cheaper. (I wish mine was the cheaper one since she's the one getting reimbursed!)
posted at 06:11 PM | Link | Las Vegas § |
You're EVIL, just EVIL194 comment spams from 64.141.68.16 that are slow enough to get around MT's built-in throttle is just plain EVIL.
You're EVIL, ya bastard. You and your like. Go away and do not darken my door again, Mr 64.141.68.16. You and your random quotes with links to a home equity loan site...
May you die a horrible death and rot in hell, every single one of you comment spammers...
posted at 11:32 AM | Link | Blogging | 1 comment § |
*gack*Wow...
... nothing can wake you up like the smell of a snootful of air downwind of a sewage treatment plant as you pull into your parking lot, ready for work.
I feel ill...
posted at 07:21 AM | Link | Work § |
Monday, November 15, 2004
Vegas, babyCarol came home tonight and told me to book a flight to Las Vegas in January. She's going to a trade show there again this year (just like back in January), but this year I can finally go with.
I haven't been to Las Vegas since I started writing this blog. Carol and I have gone once or twice a year every year from 1994 until a week after 9/11. Once I started having employment issues with the I.T. market in Chicago, we had to curtail our vacations. I miss that town.
The trade show itself is at Manadalay Bay, but since her company is paying for the lodging, they're staying next door at Luxor (we've stayed there a couple of times before).
I found a great airfare on Ted (my first time flying with them).
Finally, something to look forward too...
posted at 07:10 PM | Link | Las Vegas § |
Sunday, November 14, 2004
DefenseHow long can the Bears keep winning when the only points being scored are from the defense???
posted at 03:53 PM | Link | Bears § |
Saturday, November 13, 2004
Incredible
Over the past few weeks I don't see much of Carol anymore. Well, at least it seems that way. She's putting in an awful lot of hours at work, but it's seasonal and this isn't the first time we've had to go through this. That forced us to go to the movies on a Saturday. We went to the AMC South Barrington 30 to catch a late afternoon showing (4:45pm) of The Incredibles.
We typically don't go to the movies on a Saturday, especially as it turns toward evening. Today, we found out why that's a good thing.
read more of this entry »
We got to the theaters about half an hour before the scheduled showtime. We were in Theater 29 (out of 30), so we were in one of the smaller theaters, and already there were people camped out in the "good seats". (Everyone has "good seats" when they go to the movies - it's that place where you always want to sit because it gives you the correct angle to the screen, not too close where you can't see the whole sctreen, but not too far away where the screen appears too small for your liking and the audio is now at a lower level than what you like). During the next 20 minutes, there was a steady flow of people coming into the theater, eventually filling up every seat 10 minutes before showtime. The group is mixed between adults, teens and parents with kids of all ages. It was so bad, coples were plitting up so they could sit in individual seats across the theater.
Then the wait seemed to be getting longer. Sure enough, it's 5 minutes after trhe scheduled start and a quick look into the projection booth shows... the projector opened-up and somebody working inside. Another 5 minutes pass and I look around the auditorium and see kids starting to run around and popcorn everywhere. This could get messy.
The lights come down and the audio of the trailers starts up. The audio is familiar and when the bulb in the projectror turns on, everyone realizes it's the trailer for Star Wars III. But - the framing is off and the top half of the film is on the bottom of the screen and vice-versa. The crowd is screaming for someone to fix it as the trailer plods on... eventually someone hears our pleas. Damn. It was the only trailer I really wanted to see. We see the SpongeBob SquarePants trailer and then anothertrailer startes for some animated story I didn't know when the film comes off the sprokets, and out of the gate and shuts down. Now management is involved trying to calm the crowd. Because the delay is so long, we are given free small drink and free small popcorn vouchers. The trailers start again, this time it starts in the middle of Pixar's next picture - Cars - due in November of next year. A Pixar short starts - and abruptly stops. Management is back - we're getting free passes for a movie as compensation for our trouble. The theater all this time is pandemonium of kids being restless, people going to and from the concessions, people just leaving from having to endure these delays, and people still coming into the theater looking for non-existant seats.
50 minutes after the scheduled start, The Incredibles is finally on the screen.
Thre wasn't a hitch during the show, which was a relief. The movie itself was absolutely great! It explores ideas never brought before on the screen - such as what happens to superheroes when society turns litigious? How do superhero families cope with their powers... or just cope to fit-in with society? The animation is great, the voice acting again is great. This is well worth seeing! It will be another Pixar hit - guaranteed! « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 09:04 PM | Link | Movies § |
Friday, November 12, 2004
RamallahWatching CNN's coverage of Arafat returning to Ramallah and it looks pretty damn near - but not quite - out of control as the helicopters are landing in the compound with thousands and thousands of people swarming in.
Betcha this doesn't go off exactly as planned...
posted at 06:35 AM | Link | Current Events § |
Turning the corner?OK, one thing's for sure - Chip doesn't like the new meds. His reaction is like it REALLY doesn't taste good - like it's tart or sour or just something nasty.
This morning, Carol and I realized something - he's not sneezing. His nose is drier. How could that be already?
Downside? It doesn't look like he's eating much. Could be a side effect of the taste problem. We really need to watch how this turns out...
posted at 06:14 AM | Link | Bunnies § |
Thursday, November 11, 2004
Lunch with a friendBarry drove out to the 'burbs today and we had lunch at Stir Crazy in Woodfield. We used to have lunch somewhat irregulary while we were both out of work, but this is the first time we did it (I think) this year. Talked about all kinds of wierd things. Enjoyable.
posted at 02:05 PM | Link | Friends § |
Wednesday, November 10, 2004
Oh, no pixJust an FYI - (like anyone out there cares) - There won't be any pictures from where I'm working. There's signs in the lobby forbidding any cameras in the building, so no chance to show you what I'm doing. Hmmm... I suppose I can post a picture of the building itself...
posted at 02:03 PM | Link | Work § |
Fire drill(s)The strobe lights started going off this morning - Fire Drill. I hate these things, but I guess you have to classify these things as a necessary evil. Fortunately, today was going to be the warmest day of the week, so management picked a good day. I can tell you that I went down 11 flights of stairs easier than I thought. Out in the parking lot I met a woman that I worked with just last month. She's working in my building now, so we commiserated about our last gig.
So the drill was over and we took our time going inside. The lobby was full, the elevators were full, so we waited a while - only to find out that the building was executing the drills by groups of floors - the alarm goes off again and a new bunch of people pour outside. We wait again and go back in, but decide to go down to the cafeteria for coffee, which, after we got there, decided not to get anything. We hit the button on the eleveator and wait around a bit when we see the light go out on the button. Sure enough, time for the third group. Back outside and wait around. This time, we're one of the first one's in and we get an elevator to actually stop on our floor (there is only one ewlevator that stops on our floor, so we were lucky to get it).
Anyway, nice way to break up the day...
posted at 10:56 AM | Link | Work § |
Tuesday, November 09, 2004
Different drugsI drove out to the vet after work today to pickup new meds for Chip. This time it's Baytril. I have to administer it once a day for 21 days straight. The first time didn't go so smooth tonight - I think Chip was expecting the old drugs and wasn't ready for the taste of the new stuff.
I just want him to stop sneezing. Everytime he sneezes, it looks like it just bothers the hell out of him.
posted at 05:45 PM | Link | Bunnies § |
11th Worst JobWas reading a story in this morning's Chicago Tribune - Think you've got a lousy job? Try tick dragging. It's about a study by William Speed Weed, contributing editor at Popular Science magazine about what scientists think are the world's lousiest jobs.
That's when I saw it - #11 is actually something I've done and can attest that it truely is a sucky job - Computer help-desk tech
read more of this entry »
Popular Science list of worst jobs
1. Anal-wart researcher
2. Worm parasitologist
3. Lab-animal veterinarian
4. Tampon squeezer (STD researcher)
5. Landfill monitor
6. K-25 (Oak Ridge lab) demolition
7. St. John's Harbor (sewage) ecologist
8. Iraqi archaeologist
9. Tick dragger
10. Nurse
11. Computer help-desk tech
12. Congressional science fellow
13. Public school science teacher
14. Nosologist (disease statistician)
15. Root sorter
16. Crank (maverick theorist)
17. TV meteorologist « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 06:41 AM | Link | Odd § |
Monday, November 08, 2004
So dryThe lab that I'm working in feels so dry that I think my eyeballs are going to bleed. I am so damn exhausted, that I can't keep my eyes open. In fact, they're cross-eyed right now. The just want to be covered... so they... can... rest... ahhhhhhh... WHOA! No good! No sleeping on the job! Even my Red Bull isn't helping me this morning. I really thought I'd be in better shape today.
Hmmm... the sound of the air handlers changes picth and intensity as I close my eyes and drift a bit. I can tell I'm drifting because when I "awake" the air handlers sound totally different. Weird.
posted at 08:40 AM | Link | Work § |
Sunday, November 07, 2004
Football?The Bears are playing in about half an hour and I just don't give a damn. I don't feel anything for them this year. They suck and they continue to suck and probably will suck for the rest of this year. Can't expect much more from a new head coach.
posted at 02:44 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Saturday, November 06, 2004
To lick our wounds and gnaw our teeth over dinnerWe finally had all of our schedules aligned so we drove into the city to have dinner with B & B and Debbie. Again, a wonderful evening. Most of the time, however, when comisserating over the election results. I think that was the most we've talked politics ever (for one period of time). It was nice to "comisserate" with friends.
I had a moment to talk to Barry & Buffy about a plan I have up my sleve - to celebrate our 25th anniversaries together (ours was just this past September, their's is in September of 2006). It will give us enough time to save up for my idea: a Mediteranean Cruise. I think it's safe to say they were intrigued about the prospect.
posted at 11:49 PM | Link | Friends § |
Friday, November 05, 2004
Day 2So far... 's OK.
The cafeteria is suckier than I had originally thought. The people here are actually pretty nice. The work is OK. At least there's documentation.
Can't beat the location. Even in Rush Hour, it's still 10-15 minutes to get home.
The only downside is the technology that I have to support. OS/2 WARP? Puh-lease...
I'm a little concerned - I'm exhausted and I can't seem to shake it. I know I should sleep more and nap more whenever I can, but I just can't seem to do it...
posted at 05:04 PM | Link | Work § |
Thursday, November 04, 2004
Throw Back Part DeauxWell, I'm back at work again for a couple of weeks - and it's deja vu all over again.
I'm working for the same people as my last gig, but in a different location and doing different work. I'm still working for the same company, but they have a different contract to service and support the retail store operations of the same other company. I'm in Schaumburg instead of my hometown Hoffman Estates, so instead of driving only 9 miles to work... I'm now driving ONLY 4.8 MILES!
So, today I was building servers. Remember how I was complaining about Windows NT being used on the desktops? Know what the servers are using? OS/2 WARP!!!
So far, can't read how this is all going to work out. The building is no where as nice as the other facility and there's a LOT less people.
But so far, it's OK.
posted at 06:11 PM | Link | Work § |
Wednesday, November 03, 2004
29 Years Ago...I just realized that it was 29 years ago this morning that I auditioned for the best job of my life.
I only wish I knew it back then...
posted at 05:43 PM | Link | Puppeteering § |
Back to the grind...Starting again at 9am tomorrow for a 4-week stint...
Let's see how THIS one goes...
posted at 04:02 PM | Link | Work § |
It's not over yet?I thought by now, when I woke up, that all of the votes would be counted, states declared, and we'd have a damn President elected.
Nope, unless you're the goddamn Fox News Network...
No concessions, no acceptances...
Crap
posted at 08:00 AM | Link | Current Events § |
Tuesday, November 02, 2004
VOTED!
I made it to the local grade school - my polling place. The people working the tables with all of the registration materials were all - grumpy. Just plain ol' grumpy. What type of voting devices do we use? PUNCH CARDS! Yes, the county hasn't made it out of the 20th Century yet. So, I did what I came to do - VOTE! The ballot wasn't long and was a snap to get through - except for the section that has always bin the bane of me - Judges Seeking Retention. Like the average citizen knows how the hell each of these 70 judges are performing! Fortunately I found a website that has the recommendations of 11 different Bar Associations so you can find out who can stay and who should get the hell off the bench. It just takes time to punch all of these selections.
So my I have executed my right to vote. Now it's time to sit back and see how it does or doesn't make a difference.
posted at 01:25 PM | Link | Current Events § |
Polls are open!MUST GO OUT AND VOTE!!!!!!!!!!!
posted at 06:00 AM | Link | Current Events § |
Monday, November 01, 2004
Another trip to the vet
So, Chip has not responded to his antibiotics. He's still sneezing. Sometimes, he'll sneeze 10 times in a row or even more. You can see on his face that he just wants this to stop. He's getting frustrated and we just feel bad for him. We brought him back to the vet's tonight. We saw a different doctor (I wanted to get him in as soon as possible and our original doctor wasn't available). So, the doctor took Chip and sedated him to scope him and get a sample of the mucous so that he can be treated with specific drugs instead on a generic antibiotic. When we brought him home, he started sneezing worse, and the cultures won't be ready for a week. What's worse, is that he was sneezing blood when we got home. Now, we were told that would happen since the doctor had to shove something up his nose, but it still pulls on the heartstrings to see that happen.
The good news is that his lungs are clear, The bad news is that the doctor said there's a possibility that the sneezing is not fixable. Only time will tell.
posted at 09:01 PM | Link | Bunnies § |
*nose wiggle*posted at 07:33 AM | Link | Memes § |
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