Two Hundred Seventy-Third Entry
Overwhelmed is the only word to describe how I feel today, and have felt all week.
It all started on Friday...
Paula asked me to babysit for her Friday night. She had to work until 8:30, and afterwards was going to go out with some work friends. I worked at A's the night before, and did not get much sleep that night, nor the whole week for that matter. The last thing I was that day was patient.
I got to Paula's at 5pm and Calvin was getting ready for work. I brought two frozen pizzas for us to have for dinner(if you are ever in an Albertsons, you must try the Essencia brand Supreme Pizza...very good). Well, the girls don't like combination pizza. I actually knew this, but I was having a week long brain fart and completely forgot. So, after cooking the combo pizza twice(i forgot to remove the cardboard), I made some pepperoni pizza that they had in the freezer for the girls. They went to town on it.
After dinner the four of us talked for a while and then I started to get sleepy. I decided that we should all play a game. The game was called....Naptime!! It was 7:30, and I was dead tired. I convinced Georgia and Shaley to play with me, and banished Dalila to her room(she just turned 13 and thinks everything is stupid.) It wasn't that hard to convince Georgia and Shaley this was a fun game. They are only 5 and 7, and if you just laugh enough, they think they are having a good time. I tried to nap, but I'll tarred and feathered if Shaley didn't just have to keep getting up to get her dollies! It just so happens that her dolly somehow "fell" behind me, and that I happened to be laying on the part of the sofa that was Shaley's favorite. Georgia was a real peach(get it?) and played the game very well. I probably only got about 10 minutes of sleep total before their cousins Stephanie and Michelle(ages 15 and 14, respectively) decided to walk to the house and throw it into disarray.
Shaley and Georgia just adore Steph and Michelle, and it wasn't long before they were up and running around. About 10 minutes later, Cindy came over and brought Nathan. He is a little devil child. Christ almighty that boy can howl! It was all over by then. Three teens and three "babies". All trying to talk at the same time, all trying to get each others attention.
Paula got home at around 9pm and got ready for her night out. The girls and Nathan were a little quieter when she got there. After Paula left, Nathan went home, and Dalila, Stephanie and Michelle went to spend the night at my aunts house. It was just Shaley, Georgia and me. They played video games and I watched Collateral.
By 10pm, the two started fighting about the computer game. I told Shaley to let Georgia play and she started to cry. She came over and I knew she wouldn't last long. I told her that it would be her turn in 10 minutes. She gave me a hug and climbed into my lap and we watched Collateral(don't worry, it had just started, no killing yet). But I knew that Shaley would go to sleep before 10 minutes, and she did. I carried her to bed. Now it was just Georgia and me. After a while, she got tired of the computer and wanted to play Playstation. I told her that we could play after the movie was over. I suggested that she go lay down in bed and when the movie was over I would get her to play video games. She actually went to bed and fell asleep.
So now it was just me. Tom Cruise had already killed the guy in the apartment, and the guy in the penthouse and was on his way to the jazz club. I had seen all that already, I was just waiting for the end.
So I decided to get drunk and eat the rest of the pizza. Reflecting upon it now, I don't think that was a good idea, but oh well. There were no emergencies, no house fire.
Collateral was a very very good movie. The ending was very very very good. Is it oscar calibre for Jaime Foxx? Yeah...only just barely though.
Paula got home at 3:30am. I was still awake and just hanging on. Shortly after that, Calvin came home. They went to bed and I slept on the sofa. Their stupid dog, Ginger, kept waking me up. Goddamn dog! I swung at her to get her away, but she couldn't take the hint. I got some sleep though.
The first thing I see when I woke up was Shaley taking the blanket off of me and looking for her doll. It was 7:30am. I nearly yelled at her. I calmly told her to go back to bed. But within half an hour, everyone was awake. I had no choice but to get up.
Paula made biscuits and gravy though....mmmmm....drool....
I hung out for a while, and went home at noon. I tried to nap, but couldn't. I had to be at work at 3:30.
I didn't sleep much, and went to work. Work pissed me off, as it has been of late. No recognition for the hardworking, just for the ass-kissing.
I got home after 10pm. I stayed up to watch SNL and I was impressed by Paris Hilton's acting. She didn't seem afraid to make fun of herself. Either that or she was completely oblivious.
I get to sleep at about 12:30(taped the rest of SNL) and got up at 7am to go study with Kuna at the office. Semi-productive morning. I was really tired. I got home at about 1pm, and baked my other frozen pizza. I did beaucoup laundry, and dishes, and watched shows I taped earlier in the week. I had to be at work at 5pm and I wanted to tape the Super Bowl. After eating the pizza, I got a call from Tia Luisa, inviting me to a Super feast. I was stuffed from the pizza, but I needed to have some of Debbies famous ribs. So off I went in the middle of the 1st quarter to Tia's, where I engorged myself on ribs, chicken wings, beans and potato salad. I somehow got to work without being able to walk. I was ready to burst.
Work sucked, as it has been. I got home at 11pm. Couldn't get to sleep til about 12:30.
Woke up at 7:20. I realized that I had run out of cigarettes the night before. Without a single thought, I quit smoking. I put on the patch and walked on out that door.
These have been the worst three days of my life.
Monday, the first day of quitting, Marcia, the boss, came to me and said that she needs plans and specs for TWO projects by Friday. Ok...I nearly freaked. There is no way I can get it done by Friday. Besides, I'm not here this Friday. Monday night I had to experience the joy of bagging groceries for ungrateful bitches, and the customers are pretty bad too.
Tuesday was worse than Monday for nicotine withdrawal, and today was the worst so far. Even worse than the last time I tried to quit. If I don't kill myself, I'm going to die trying.
Bright spot: I met a gorgeous girl at Albertson's. I guess met is not quite the right word...bagged her groceries while making a complete ass of myself is probably a more appropriate term.
Lent sacrifices: The usual Chocolate. But new in '05, eating after 8pm.
1.30.2005
Two Hundred Seventy-Second Entry
I'm at work again, studying. I got here at about 7:30 this morning. I am dead tired. I worked til 11 last night. My body just aches.
Sacramento on Thursday was a big success. DSA signed off on my plans. Excellent.
I've started thinking about a vacate in May. Not a big flying one, just a boring stay at home or go up to the Bay vacate. I don't think I've ever taken one of those. I'll be done with the big test, so maybe it would be a good thing to just veg for a week or more. I'll try to do it around my birthday.
GOD I'm tired.
Kipp called in "sick" last night, leaving us a bagger short. Apparently, his car broke down in Sacramento and he couldn't get it fixed. He called last night to find out his hours for today, and I could hear a girl laughing in the background. Car troubles my foot. I guess I'd do the same thing if there was a possibility of sex.
I am soooo tired. I was hustling last night to get all of my closing stuff done. In 40 minutes, I cleaned all the checkstands, put away all of the go-backs(about 30 items,) and got all the carts(about 20). Like I said, my body hurts.
There is a new mandate that says all baggers must stamp their sweeps and actually do them. There has been a lot of stamping sweeps but not actually doing them. The new Store Director is cracking down. Rumor has it he is actually going to start looking at the surveillance tapes to see if we are actually doing them. I wouldn't really mind so much, but there are some baggers who just get away with anything just because they shmooze with the right people. Somehow I think the new mandate won't apply to them.
Next week I get my Albie's benefits! I think I'll go see a podiatrist first, an accupuncturist, maybe a little allergist, and a pinch of dermatologist. Believe me, by the time the year is out, I will have seen any type of doctor you can think of. Any suggestions?
I'm at work again, studying. I got here at about 7:30 this morning. I am dead tired. I worked til 11 last night. My body just aches.
Sacramento on Thursday was a big success. DSA signed off on my plans. Excellent.
I've started thinking about a vacate in May. Not a big flying one, just a boring stay at home or go up to the Bay vacate. I don't think I've ever taken one of those. I'll be done with the big test, so maybe it would be a good thing to just veg for a week or more. I'll try to do it around my birthday.
GOD I'm tired.
Kipp called in "sick" last night, leaving us a bagger short. Apparently, his car broke down in Sacramento and he couldn't get it fixed. He called last night to find out his hours for today, and I could hear a girl laughing in the background. Car troubles my foot. I guess I'd do the same thing if there was a possibility of sex.
I am soooo tired. I was hustling last night to get all of my closing stuff done. In 40 minutes, I cleaned all the checkstands, put away all of the go-backs(about 30 items,) and got all the carts(about 20). Like I said, my body hurts.
There is a new mandate that says all baggers must stamp their sweeps and actually do them. There has been a lot of stamping sweeps but not actually doing them. The new Store Director is cracking down. Rumor has it he is actually going to start looking at the surveillance tapes to see if we are actually doing them. I wouldn't really mind so much, but there are some baggers who just get away with anything just because they shmooze with the right people. Somehow I think the new mandate won't apply to them.
Next week I get my Albie's benefits! I think I'll go see a podiatrist first, an accupuncturist, maybe a little allergist, and a pinch of dermatologist. Believe me, by the time the year is out, I will have seen any type of doctor you can think of. Any suggestions?
1.22.2005
Two Hundred Seventy-First Entry
I am currently in my office at work digesting my Panda Express lunch. Why on a Saturday you ask? I am studying for my exam with Kuna (a coworker). He wants to meet up to study on a regular basis, and today is the first day of that studying. We are studying for different exams, but it helps to have someone to help you not procrastinate.
We couldn't think of a place around here conducive to all day studying. All the libraries close early, and restaurants and coffee places are too distracting. It sucks. The only place we could come up with is here, the lovely TC Gvmt. Plaza building. I guess it's alright. I have access to the internet, and that's good.
I've already covered 5 chapters out of the 89 in my Reference Manual. WooHoo!! It's all easy stuff though. Background...like vectors, algebra, metric system, calculus. Nothing engineering yet. But I can't wait!
I am currently in my office at work digesting my Panda Express lunch. Why on a Saturday you ask? I am studying for my exam with Kuna (a coworker). He wants to meet up to study on a regular basis, and today is the first day of that studying. We are studying for different exams, but it helps to have someone to help you not procrastinate.
We couldn't think of a place around here conducive to all day studying. All the libraries close early, and restaurants and coffee places are too distracting. It sucks. The only place we could come up with is here, the lovely TC Gvmt. Plaza building. I guess it's alright. I have access to the internet, and that's good.
I've already covered 5 chapters out of the 89 in my Reference Manual. WooHoo!! It's all easy stuff though. Background...like vectors, algebra, metric system, calculus. Nothing engineering yet. But I can't wait!
1.18.2005
Two Hundred Seventieth Entry
I didn't do squat this weekend. I worked at Albertsons, entertained my parents and went to my grandparents 60th anniversary party. It was fun hanging out with all my family.
Oh yeah, I watched Paparazzi. Don't waste your time. I watched Meet the Parents on USA. It was really funny, but probably even more so without all the censoring and commercials.
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday I am closing at Albertsons. For some reason, they gave me Friday and Saturday off. I am a little upset about that. I would much rather work on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and one week night than four weeknights. I think they're trying to fuck with me.
Good/Frustrating news. I gave Steve a ride home from Albertsons on Sunday night and he told me that Wes(fourth in command, manager) said that I work hard and I should be made a clerk. Golly gee Wes, thanks for the compliment. But when exactly is that gonna happen??
Funny thing. Wes' favorite saying is "Git 'er done". He says that for everything. It also explains why he's been in a good mood lately....hehehe.
A cashier, who shall remain nameless, has vowed to get Chad fired. I won't hold my breath. He was pissing me off this weekend. Almost back to his old lazy tricks. Hmmph!
Back to work...
I didn't do squat this weekend. I worked at Albertsons, entertained my parents and went to my grandparents 60th anniversary party. It was fun hanging out with all my family.
Oh yeah, I watched Paparazzi. Don't waste your time. I watched Meet the Parents on USA. It was really funny, but probably even more so without all the censoring and commercials.
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday I am closing at Albertsons. For some reason, they gave me Friday and Saturday off. I am a little upset about that. I would much rather work on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and one week night than four weeknights. I think they're trying to fuck with me.
Good/Frustrating news. I gave Steve a ride home from Albertsons on Sunday night and he told me that Wes(fourth in command, manager) said that I work hard and I should be made a clerk. Golly gee Wes, thanks for the compliment. But when exactly is that gonna happen??
Funny thing. Wes' favorite saying is "Git 'er done". He says that for everything. It also explains why he's been in a good mood lately....hehehe.
A cashier, who shall remain nameless, has vowed to get Chad fired. I won't hold my breath. He was pissing me off this weekend. Almost back to his old lazy tricks. Hmmph!
Back to work...
1.10.2005
Two Hundred Sixty-Ninth Entry
I would like to give a shout out to Rouja.
I am drunk. Drunk is good.
As of last week, there was only one person that I didn't get along with at Albertsons. His name is Chad. Chad is an extremely lazy 16 year old that is only working because his parents are forcing him too. Not that he needs to, his parents are filthy rich. Anyway...
Last Wednesday I decided that my ill-will towards Chad should end. Partly because he was showing great improvement in the grocery bagging arena, and partly because I felt bad for him being picked on by all the Checkers. Brad, a checker, was laying into him verbally about how he needs to do what all the checkers ask of him. I stuck up for Chad because all Chad seems to know how to do is stand around and cop a tude. That ended the silent hostility between me and Chad.
Today, our truce is still intact but wearing thin. Today was a particularly tude-iful Chad day and a lot of the baggers weren't havin it. There was even a mini-shoving match between the well-liked Kipp(a bagger, 20 years old) and Chad. Kipp lamented the fact that Chad cannot be the subject of a Kipp ass-whoopin' because he is a minor. But Kipp swears that if Chad was 18, Kipp would kick his ass all over the place. Yes, it was as "high school" as it sounds. The rest of the night Johnny(another bagger, 19 years old) and I were chanting "Kick his ass" under our breaths. Very very high school.
Tomorrow night I am closing, I have Tuesday and Wednesday off and am closing again on Thursday. I have Friday off and am working a relatively early shift on Saturday. Pretty cherry schedule if you ask me.
Sleep time..
I would like to give a shout out to Rouja.
I am drunk. Drunk is good.
As of last week, there was only one person that I didn't get along with at Albertsons. His name is Chad. Chad is an extremely lazy 16 year old that is only working because his parents are forcing him too. Not that he needs to, his parents are filthy rich. Anyway...
Last Wednesday I decided that my ill-will towards Chad should end. Partly because he was showing great improvement in the grocery bagging arena, and partly because I felt bad for him being picked on by all the Checkers. Brad, a checker, was laying into him verbally about how he needs to do what all the checkers ask of him. I stuck up for Chad because all Chad seems to know how to do is stand around and cop a tude. That ended the silent hostility between me and Chad.
Today, our truce is still intact but wearing thin. Today was a particularly tude-iful Chad day and a lot of the baggers weren't havin it. There was even a mini-shoving match between the well-liked Kipp(a bagger, 20 years old) and Chad. Kipp lamented the fact that Chad cannot be the subject of a Kipp ass-whoopin' because he is a minor. But Kipp swears that if Chad was 18, Kipp would kick his ass all over the place. Yes, it was as "high school" as it sounds. The rest of the night Johnny(another bagger, 19 years old) and I were chanting "Kick his ass" under our breaths. Very very high school.
Tomorrow night I am closing, I have Tuesday and Wednesday off and am closing again on Thursday. I have Friday off and am working a relatively early shift on Saturday. Pretty cherry schedule if you ask me.
Sleep time..
1.06.2005
Two Hundred Sixty-Eighth Entry
I was loaned a DVD of a christian comedian called Brad Stein about three weeks ago. I have yet to see it. Every day I am reminded by Blas(the office religious zealot) to watch it. I really have no desire to watch it, but will do so because I told him I would. He probably thinks that by watching it I'll probably start rollin' around on the ground and speaking in tongues and swear off my evil ways of watching TV and DVD's with the word 'ass'(gasp!) in them.
The last month and a half have been really draining; physically, mentally and financially. I spent over $700 on presents. I love to give presents, especially to little kids, i.e. Georgia and Shaley and Dalila; the look of excitement on their faces is priceless and the hugs and kisses are even better. I like to receive presents, don't get me wrong, but not as much as giving.
I was really excited about my Festivist gift. I have the Nikka Costa CD in my truck right now and it is one of the best CD's I have ever heard. Love it, love it, love it. The sad songs make me sad, the happy songs make me happy. Thank you Lamar!
New Years Eve was fun. Hanging out with Jen, Lisa and Amy was fun. I got drunk and erased all evidence of it. Sorry Lisa, no blackmail.
Getting back to the daily grind after a very enjoyable holiday season really sucks.
2005 is going to be a busy year. My PE exam is the only thing on my list for the first third of the year. I'm afraid I won't be any fun at all through April. I'll be studying for the exam my every spare moment. Quitting smoking and paying debt down are other priorities for the first two thirds of this year. The final third is full of difficult choices: real estate investments, change in career, education continuation, relocation to the bay area-out of state-abroad. It's going to be tough, but at least all of these choices are connected. One choice will dictate the others.
2005 will not be a very social year. I plan on staying at home in Tulare a lot and spending less money in return. When I want to get away, I'll go to the other place I feel real comfortable, the coast. Meaning, SLO. It's only half the distance than to the bay area...I could go and come on the same day. I could probably even do some studying there.
Have a good year everyone!
I was loaned a DVD of a christian comedian called Brad Stein about three weeks ago. I have yet to see it. Every day I am reminded by Blas(the office religious zealot) to watch it. I really have no desire to watch it, but will do so because I told him I would. He probably thinks that by watching it I'll probably start rollin' around on the ground and speaking in tongues and swear off my evil ways of watching TV and DVD's with the word 'ass'(gasp!) in them.
The last month and a half have been really draining; physically, mentally and financially. I spent over $700 on presents. I love to give presents, especially to little kids, i.e. Georgia and Shaley and Dalila; the look of excitement on their faces is priceless and the hugs and kisses are even better. I like to receive presents, don't get me wrong, but not as much as giving.
I was really excited about my Festivist gift. I have the Nikka Costa CD in my truck right now and it is one of the best CD's I have ever heard. Love it, love it, love it. The sad songs make me sad, the happy songs make me happy. Thank you Lamar!
New Years Eve was fun. Hanging out with Jen, Lisa and Amy was fun. I got drunk and erased all evidence of it. Sorry Lisa, no blackmail.
Getting back to the daily grind after a very enjoyable holiday season really sucks.
2005 is going to be a busy year. My PE exam is the only thing on my list for the first third of the year. I'm afraid I won't be any fun at all through April. I'll be studying for the exam my every spare moment. Quitting smoking and paying debt down are other priorities for the first two thirds of this year. The final third is full of difficult choices: real estate investments, change in career, education continuation, relocation to the bay area-out of state-abroad. It's going to be tough, but at least all of these choices are connected. One choice will dictate the others.
2005 will not be a very social year. I plan on staying at home in Tulare a lot and spending less money in return. When I want to get away, I'll go to the other place I feel real comfortable, the coast. Meaning, SLO. It's only half the distance than to the bay area...I could go and come on the same day. I could probably even do some studying there.
Have a good year everyone!
12.16.2004
12.11.2004
Two Hundred Sixty-Sixth Entry
I'm allergic to penicillin. I was red and itchy for two days. So now I'm allergic to two things: Cats and penicillin. Keepin' count?
My friendster count is now up to 5. Wow. I'm moving up in the world. My latest Friendster is Sean. Remember? Sean Tellier? It has a long old time since I heard that name. Very good hearing from him.
Jen called earlier. Great talking with her, as always. Good soul.
This friendster thing has depressed me somewhat. It is really hard for me to make friends. And when I do, I get lazy and lose contact. Friendster is cool in that it connects people that have lost touch.
As much as I've said I hated High School, I now realize that it was one of the best experiences in my life. The banality of the lives of an everyday high school can never be experienced again. 360 of us graduated from SL in 96. 360 of us spent at least one year confined to the SL campus, breathing in each others air, bumping into each other in the hall. Some of us took advantage of it and took off running after high school. But others, myself included, didn't. I didn't keep in touch with most of the people I considered a good friend.
I just finished going through my senior yearbook. It was VERY nostalgic and I nearly cried. It wasn't the pictures but the messages that got to me. John, Donovan, and Brent's "OK, Phil, shut up and play cards," Lynnett's "Statue?", Winnie and Wendy's "Fish and Buffalo!" All great memories of a time when I really had nothing to worry about. As much as I like to think that I had it rough in high school, it was a cakewalk compared to my current situation.
I know folks will disagree with me but I truly feel that high school was a much simpler time. We were all there and couldn't leave, we didn't have mortgages to pay, marriages to be in, conferences to attend, apartments to decorate. Our lives were as predictable as the day is bright.
I guess what I am getting at is that I really regret not keeping in touch with people from high school. And I really, really regret not giving high school a fair shake and taking full advantage of it. I could have been a completely different person now.
Note: Oddly missing from my yearbook are scribblings from Lisa and Jen. Interesting. I've got Louis, Dayni and Carolyn, but no Lisa and Jen.
Life sucks.
I'm allergic to penicillin. I was red and itchy for two days. So now I'm allergic to two things: Cats and penicillin. Keepin' count?
My friendster count is now up to 5. Wow. I'm moving up in the world. My latest Friendster is Sean. Remember? Sean Tellier? It has a long old time since I heard that name. Very good hearing from him.
Jen called earlier. Great talking with her, as always. Good soul.
This friendster thing has depressed me somewhat. It is really hard for me to make friends. And when I do, I get lazy and lose contact. Friendster is cool in that it connects people that have lost touch.
As much as I've said I hated High School, I now realize that it was one of the best experiences in my life. The banality of the lives of an everyday high school can never be experienced again. 360 of us graduated from SL in 96. 360 of us spent at least one year confined to the SL campus, breathing in each others air, bumping into each other in the hall. Some of us took advantage of it and took off running after high school. But others, myself included, didn't. I didn't keep in touch with most of the people I considered a good friend.
I just finished going through my senior yearbook. It was VERY nostalgic and I nearly cried. It wasn't the pictures but the messages that got to me. John, Donovan, and Brent's "OK, Phil, shut up and play cards," Lynnett's "Statue?", Winnie and Wendy's "Fish and Buffalo!" All great memories of a time when I really had nothing to worry about. As much as I like to think that I had it rough in high school, it was a cakewalk compared to my current situation.
I know folks will disagree with me but I truly feel that high school was a much simpler time. We were all there and couldn't leave, we didn't have mortgages to pay, marriages to be in, conferences to attend, apartments to decorate. Our lives were as predictable as the day is bright.
I guess what I am getting at is that I really regret not keeping in touch with people from high school. And I really, really regret not giving high school a fair shake and taking full advantage of it. I could have been a completely different person now.
Note: Oddly missing from my yearbook are scribblings from Lisa and Jen. Interesting. I've got Louis, Dayni and Carolyn, but no Lisa and Jen.
Life sucks.
12.07.2004
Two Hundred Sixty-Fifth Entry
Ando tanto tempo a perguntar
Porque esperar tanto assim de alguém
Percorrendo espaços no mesmo lugar
Não sei a quanto tempo estou a te buscar
Num segundo eu vou
Sabendo e percebendo o seu sabor
Sem ter medo estou
Correndo contra o vento sem nanhum rancor
Ando tanto tempo a perguntar
Porque esperar tanto assim de alguém
Sem saber
Sem qualquer medo de ver
"Tanto Tempo"
Bebel Gilberto
Ando tanto tempo a perguntar
Porque esperar tanto assim de alguém
Percorrendo espaços no mesmo lugar
Não sei a quanto tempo estou a te buscar
Num segundo eu vou
Sabendo e percebendo o seu sabor
Sem ter medo estou
Correndo contra o vento sem nanhum rancor
Ando tanto tempo a perguntar
Porque esperar tanto assim de alguém
Sem saber
Sem qualquer medo de ver
"Tanto Tempo"
Bebel Gilberto
11.29.2004
Two Hundred Sixty-Fourth Entry
I am boycotting WalMart. Check it out.
It's disgusting. I hate the WalMart.
I am boycotting WalMart. Check it out.
It's disgusting. I hate the WalMart.
11.23.2004
Two Hundred Sixty-Third Entry
Bless me, for I have sinned.
It has been over a week since my last entry.
I just placed my lunch order in. Tuna salad sandwich with lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, onions and provolone on wheat. Port of Subs sucks, but there's no changing Port of Subs Tuesdays.
Louis was here this past weekend. It was good to see him.
Last night at Albertson's was a mess. It was the busiest I had ever seen it. I couldn't believe how busy it was(Fucking Thanksgiving.) And on top of being busy, I had to close. And on top of that, the management decided to give me the two laziest, stupidest baggers that work there. And another guy that was supposed to be there until 10:30 decided he'd had enough and left at 9:30. Stupid new guy. So I was left there to do everything on my own: fill up the bags, wash the checkstands, and put back a whole cart of go-backs. My shift was officially supposed to be over at 11:30. I was there until 12:30, and I still didn't finish the go-backs. I was also supposed to fill all of the spray bottles with cleaner and put paper towels at each checkstand but I couldn't get to that either.
I will probably get a talking to today when I go in(we aren't supposed to work overtime), but I cleared the extra hour with the manager. Besides, it would have been a fiasco if all those go-backs were left for todays baggers there really would have been hell to pay. If they do talk to me, by God, I'll give them an earful.
On the other hand, if they fire me that would be one less thing I would have to deal with. Less money, but more sleep. Initially the money was a big plus, but now I'm beginning to think that it's more of a wash.
The one cool thing about last night: I got to be a checker! It was fun and I was really running through the items fast. The checker that was training me was playing bagger and she had to tell me to slow down because she hadn't bagged in years. I can't remember anything I learned, but it was still fun.
Two more days and it's all over. Fucking Thanksgiving.
Bless me, for I have sinned.
It has been over a week since my last entry.
I just placed my lunch order in. Tuna salad sandwich with lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, onions and provolone on wheat. Port of Subs sucks, but there's no changing Port of Subs Tuesdays.
Louis was here this past weekend. It was good to see him.
Last night at Albertson's was a mess. It was the busiest I had ever seen it. I couldn't believe how busy it was(Fucking Thanksgiving.) And on top of being busy, I had to close. And on top of that, the management decided to give me the two laziest, stupidest baggers that work there. And another guy that was supposed to be there until 10:30 decided he'd had enough and left at 9:30. Stupid new guy. So I was left there to do everything on my own: fill up the bags, wash the checkstands, and put back a whole cart of go-backs. My shift was officially supposed to be over at 11:30. I was there until 12:30, and I still didn't finish the go-backs. I was also supposed to fill all of the spray bottles with cleaner and put paper towels at each checkstand but I couldn't get to that either.
I will probably get a talking to today when I go in(we aren't supposed to work overtime), but I cleared the extra hour with the manager. Besides, it would have been a fiasco if all those go-backs were left for todays baggers there really would have been hell to pay. If they do talk to me, by God, I'll give them an earful.
On the other hand, if they fire me that would be one less thing I would have to deal with. Less money, but more sleep. Initially the money was a big plus, but now I'm beginning to think that it's more of a wash.
The one cool thing about last night: I got to be a checker! It was fun and I was really running through the items fast. The checker that was training me was playing bagger and she had to tell me to slow down because she hadn't bagged in years. I can't remember anything I learned, but it was still fun.
Two more days and it's all over. Fucking Thanksgiving.
11.11.2004
Two Hundred Sixty-Second Entry
I got an email from friendster today and it was Lynnett Santos saying hi. I haven't talked to her in over 8 years. "Friendster, bringing old friends together."
I then went through and added a little something special to my three friends' friendster pages. Awww. I was a little jealous of my three friendster friends' dozens of friendster friends, but then I remembered that if I had put a little more effort into my own friendster-ing, then I would be where they are. I have only myself to blame..."Friendster, keeping the friendless, friendless." God, I should be an ad-exec!
Today I had a meeting with Caltrans in Fresno. It went overwhelmingly well, much to our surprise. We left the meeting feeling confident that we had addressed all of Caltrans' concerns sufficiently. We were on a high out of that meeting. Then I fell asleep in the car, and missed all the office gossip. Hey!...I was tired!!
Good/bad news...starting next week, Albertsons will be closing at 11pm instead of midnight. That's good because when I close, I can have an extra hour of sleep for my other job the following day. That's bad because it will probably cut my weekly hours by about four or five. It's OK. I will sacrifice twenty bucks for an extra hour of sleep.
I did my budget today and assuming everything stays the same for me, financially, I can have all of my credit cards paid off in less than a year. Totally excellent. Then I can pay off my truck, and then my student loans. Hopefully after another year, I will be debt free.
I have totally decided that this weekend will be the official start date for my studying. It needs to start now if I am to have a chance in hell of passing the test next Spring.
Other good news. I have secured a tentative schedule for Thanksgiving which gives me Thanksgiving night, the next day and Saturday morning off. Guess who's comin' home? Me!
I got an email from friendster today and it was Lynnett Santos saying hi. I haven't talked to her in over 8 years. "Friendster, bringing old friends together."
I then went through and added a little something special to my three friends' friendster pages. Awww. I was a little jealous of my three friendster friends' dozens of friendster friends, but then I remembered that if I had put a little more effort into my own friendster-ing, then I would be where they are. I have only myself to blame..."Friendster, keeping the friendless, friendless." God, I should be an ad-exec!
Today I had a meeting with Caltrans in Fresno. It went overwhelmingly well, much to our surprise. We left the meeting feeling confident that we had addressed all of Caltrans' concerns sufficiently. We were on a high out of that meeting. Then I fell asleep in the car, and missed all the office gossip. Hey!...I was tired!!
Good/bad news...starting next week, Albertsons will be closing at 11pm instead of midnight. That's good because when I close, I can have an extra hour of sleep for my other job the following day. That's bad because it will probably cut my weekly hours by about four or five. It's OK. I will sacrifice twenty bucks for an extra hour of sleep.
I did my budget today and assuming everything stays the same for me, financially, I can have all of my credit cards paid off in less than a year. Totally excellent. Then I can pay off my truck, and then my student loans. Hopefully after another year, I will be debt free.
I have totally decided that this weekend will be the official start date for my studying. It needs to start now if I am to have a chance in hell of passing the test next Spring.
Other good news. I have secured a tentative schedule for Thanksgiving which gives me Thanksgiving night, the next day and Saturday morning off. Guess who's comin' home? Me!
11.03.2004
Two Hundred Sixty-First Entry
Took a few political quizzes today...
The Few The Proud The COMMUNIST! You belive in
equality above all things. "I wish
everyone could live in a palace".
Want to know what political party you really are?
brought to you by Quizilla
Took a few political quizzes today...
The Few The Proud The COMMUNIST! You belive in
equality above all things. "I wish
everyone could live in a palace".
Want to know what political party you really are?
brought to you by Quizilla
You are Communist What: Communism Where: At the distant top-left of the politcal spectrum How: Developed by German politicians Marx and Engels in the book The Communist Manifesto, communists believe that society should be run by the workers. It has been attempted and failed in countries including Russia, China, and North Korea.
Who'd of thought.
I'm a Liberal-leaning Libertarian in this one....
a Green Party member in this one....
a Liberal Libertarian in this one....
and a Civil Libertarian in this one.
Wow. I guess in the next election I get to vote three times.
10.25.2004
Two Hundred Sixtieth Entry
I'm sick. I'm sick, I'm sick, I'm sick.
Disease is never fun. Except for when you get to stay home and watch TV all day:
6:40:00am - Awoke to the TV and clock radio going off.
6:40:15am - Hit the snooze on the clock radio, watched a story on the news about some plane crash.
6:45:00am - Awoke to the clock radio going off, with the TV still on.
6:45:10am - Hit the snooze on the clock radio, watched a clip of some Oktoberfest festival in Fresno.
6:50:00am - Awoke to the clock radio going off, with the TV still on.
6:50:07am - Hit the snooze on the clock radio, watched the lamest traffic report in history. "There's a cow wandering around on Caruthers Ave. near Midvalley, so you better watch out for that."
6:55:00am - Awoke to the clock radio going off, with the TV still on. Decide not to hit the snooze. A decision that would alter the course of my day...OK, not really.
7:20:13am - After watching some more news, and wondering why I didn't feel as sick as I did yesterday, I called the office and left a message with my supervisor saying that I was not going in to work today. Better safe than sorry, I always say.
7:22am - Went to the bathroom for my first bowel movement of the day. It is somewhat of a morning ritual. If I don't have time, I hold it until I get to work. The flush power of the toilets at work is amazing. Nothing will clog those things.
7:26am - Hatched plan to go on a no carb, all protein and fat binge in an effort to clog the toilet at work.
7:35am - Went downstairs and immediately started on my Vitamin C loading for the day. I started out the day with about 1.5 gallons of OJ. I also ate two frozen burritos(I nuked them first).
7:40am through 12:30pm - Watched news, napped, Watched Good Day Live(they have new hosts...not so good)(We love you Jillian!), napped, Watched BBC America, napped.
12:30pm - Got hungry and went to McDonalds for food.
12:40pm - Ate McDonalds at home while watching TV, napping and drinking orange juice.
1:15pm - Picked up some trash in my living room in a half-hearted attempt to tidy up.
2:00pm - Exhausted from "tidying up" I took a nap.
2:30pm through 9:00pm - I re-watched most of the Arrested Development episodes(still hilariously funny!), "tidied up" some more(mainly so I wouldn't have to step on the same National Geographic mag each time I got up from the sofa...it was time for the Maxim to enjoy my feet), drank tons of OJ, had two mini-bowls of cereal and a roll of Ritz crackers for dinner, and washed all the dishes I could find.
9:00pm - Put on CBS and watched Everybody Loves Raymond. Still funny after 10 years...
9:30pm - Watched Two and a Half Men...not so funny. Clipped my finger and toe nails. They were gettin' claw-ey.
10:00pm - Watched the news...definitely not funny, but informative and educational, and drank a Theraflu thing.
11:00pm - Retired to the second floor and checked email and blogged.
I ended the day with about half a quart of orange juice. It's probably just enough for tomorrow morning before work.
I can't sign out for the night without saying that Arrested Development is one of the best TV shows I've ever seen. The DVD special features really help explain a lot of what goes on on and off the set to make the show as great as it is. As far as favorite characters go, there are no favorites, they are all favorites. Each one does their part to make the show hilarious.
There is heavy rain in the forecast for tomorrow evening. I'm excited! It's just what I need to get over this disease.
I'm sick. I'm sick, I'm sick, I'm sick.
Disease is never fun. Except for when you get to stay home and watch TV all day:
6:40:00am - Awoke to the TV and clock radio going off.
6:40:15am - Hit the snooze on the clock radio, watched a story on the news about some plane crash.
6:45:00am - Awoke to the clock radio going off, with the TV still on.
6:45:10am - Hit the snooze on the clock radio, watched a clip of some Oktoberfest festival in Fresno.
6:50:00am - Awoke to the clock radio going off, with the TV still on.
6:50:07am - Hit the snooze on the clock radio, watched the lamest traffic report in history. "There's a cow wandering around on Caruthers Ave. near Midvalley, so you better watch out for that."
6:55:00am - Awoke to the clock radio going off, with the TV still on. Decide not to hit the snooze. A decision that would alter the course of my day...OK, not really.
7:20:13am - After watching some more news, and wondering why I didn't feel as sick as I did yesterday, I called the office and left a message with my supervisor saying that I was not going in to work today. Better safe than sorry, I always say.
7:22am - Went to the bathroom for my first bowel movement of the day. It is somewhat of a morning ritual. If I don't have time, I hold it until I get to work. The flush power of the toilets at work is amazing. Nothing will clog those things.
7:26am - Hatched plan to go on a no carb, all protein and fat binge in an effort to clog the toilet at work.
7:35am - Went downstairs and immediately started on my Vitamin C loading for the day. I started out the day with about 1.5 gallons of OJ. I also ate two frozen burritos(I nuked them first).
7:40am through 12:30pm - Watched news, napped, Watched Good Day Live(they have new hosts...not so good)(We love you Jillian!), napped, Watched BBC America, napped.
12:30pm - Got hungry and went to McDonalds for food.
12:40pm - Ate McDonalds at home while watching TV, napping and drinking orange juice.
1:15pm - Picked up some trash in my living room in a half-hearted attempt to tidy up.
2:00pm - Exhausted from "tidying up" I took a nap.
2:30pm through 9:00pm - I re-watched most of the Arrested Development episodes(still hilariously funny!), "tidied up" some more(mainly so I wouldn't have to step on the same National Geographic mag each time I got up from the sofa...it was time for the Maxim to enjoy my feet), drank tons of OJ, had two mini-bowls of cereal and a roll of Ritz crackers for dinner, and washed all the dishes I could find.
9:00pm - Put on CBS and watched Everybody Loves Raymond. Still funny after 10 years...
9:30pm - Watched Two and a Half Men...not so funny. Clipped my finger and toe nails. They were gettin' claw-ey.
10:00pm - Watched the news...definitely not funny, but informative and educational, and drank a Theraflu thing.
11:00pm - Retired to the second floor and checked email and blogged.
I ended the day with about half a quart of orange juice. It's probably just enough for tomorrow morning before work.
I can't sign out for the night without saying that Arrested Development is one of the best TV shows I've ever seen. The DVD special features really help explain a lot of what goes on on and off the set to make the show as great as it is. As far as favorite characters go, there are no favorites, they are all favorites. Each one does their part to make the show hilarious.
There is heavy rain in the forecast for tomorrow evening. I'm excited! It's just what I need to get over this disease.
10.21.2004
Two Hundred Fifty-Ninth Entry
Red Sox win the pennant! Red Sox win the pennant!
I wouldn't be happier if I won the lottery. That's a lie.
Last night I closed at Albertson's. I am very tired today.
Amy was here this weekend and I had a lot of fun. Thanks Amy for visiting.
I would also like to thank Carolyn for the First Season Arrested Development DVD. Yes, I finally used the Target Gift Card she gave me for my birthday. I really like that show. I had seen a few episodes during the regular season, and on Saturday, Amy and I watched the marathon on FX. I had no idea that GOB were his initials. I am on episode five.
We had the first fog today. It wasn't too dense, about a quarter mile visibility, but enough to make it fun.
Red Sox win the pennant! Red Sox win the pennant!
I wouldn't be happier if I won the lottery. That's a lie.
Last night I closed at Albertson's. I am very tired today.
Amy was here this weekend and I had a lot of fun. Thanks Amy for visiting.
I would also like to thank Carolyn for the First Season Arrested Development DVD. Yes, I finally used the Target Gift Card she gave me for my birthday. I really like that show. I had seen a few episodes during the regular season, and on Saturday, Amy and I watched the marathon on FX. I had no idea that GOB were his initials. I am on episode five.
We had the first fog today. It wasn't too dense, about a quarter mile visibility, but enough to make it fun.
10.18.2004
Two Hundred Fifty-Seventh Entry
Tomorrow, I am stepping outside the safe and sheltered confines of my office and am going to give a 20 minute presentation to the Tulare County Board of Supervisors. I guess, not so much give the presentation, as be the technician for the presentation. Well, not so much be the technician, as the button pusher for the Power Point portion of the presentation. For which I have to wear a tie. I'll be the best goddamned dressed button pusher ever seen. I gotta find all my bling....
I saw the new Eminem video and nearly snotted all over myself it was so funny. Hahahaha. Noone in Hollywood is safe.
I was very sad to read Britney's "I'm taking a break" letter to her fans. Thank you Jen for sharing that beautifully penned homage to Britney's crappy life by Britney. I hope to God she doesn't reproduce. I can see her having just enough kids to start a tween band. Actually, that probably wouldn't be a bad idea for her. She must realize that she can't be this successful forever. She needs a healthy and "talented" set of dependants to support her as she ages. God knows deadbeat Kevin won't do that for her. (Hmmm...it may sound like I care, but I don't.)
Thank you Lisa for filling my answering machine with three messages containing Michael Gates belting Freeway of Love. It truly made my eyes water. It made me miss Karaoke...for about two seconds.
I didn't work tonight. I don't work tomorrow night. I close on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. I'm working 3-9 on Saturday. Working at Albertson's is fun, until your feet and back start reminding you you've been standing and walking for two hours straight.
On a related topic, do me a favor and do not ask for paper bags at the Supermarket. Reasons why:
a) It takes the courtesy clerk longer to bag your groceries. By the time I actually get one open, I could have had 2 plastic bags filled up.
b) They are not stronger than plastic. That is an urban legend(Fred). If you are still concerned, ask your courtesy clerk to double bag something for you. It is a helluva lot easier than fussing with the goddamn paper bags.
c) Contrary to popular belief, it does not save the environment. Although paper bags are recyclable, most of the paper bags from grocery stores end up in the trash, either from people who forget to recycle them, or from people who use them as trash bags. If anything, you are contributing to the overflowing landfill problem. Just do this quick exercise, take a paper grocery bag and a plastic one. Crumple up the paper bag as small as you can. Now, take a plastic bag and tear a bunch of holes in it (to simulate it's interaction with other objects at a landfill or in the home) and scrunch it down as small as you can. Which one is smaller? Plastic. And don't give me any of that biodegradable bullshit. A lesson on how landfills work: California law states that after a day of trash at a landfill, the days trash must (MUST!) be covered by dirt. I kid you not. Now imagine weeks and weeks of trash building up, layer upon layer. Now, the landfill will settle some, there is no denying that, but what do you think happens to the trash in all these layers in the absence of water? It doesn't decompose. Sure there is some water that goes with the trash, in the form of banana peels and the like, but it ain't enough to decompose all that trash. Why do you think people can go diggin' around a landfill and find a legible copy of the New York Times announcing Kennedy as the President? If you really want to help the environment, create a compost pile in your backyard.
d) This reason is the grossest one. I didn't know about this until Jane told me about it at work a couple of weeks ago. The glue that holds the paper together in the shape of a bag is a delicasee for...COCKROACHES!! Yes! It's true!!! I couldn't believe it myself. All I kept thinking about was how many cockroaches there must have been in my childhood kitchen between the counter and the fridge. So disgusting. They climb on into the bags, feast on the glue and lay eggs all over the place. Gross, gross, gross!!!
e) The final reason. It really pisses us off. It does. We are supposed to be happy and smiling, but I've never done more number fours than when bagging with paper bags. JEEE--SUSSS!!
If you still want paper bags when shopping, but don't care if your groceries are in them or not, just ask for them. Any courtesy clerk would be more than happy to give you a few paper bags.
The new store director started today. His name is Kenny. Hahahahaha. Many South Park jokes in the future. I don't think I've ever known anyone named Kenny. Oh wait, Kenny something-or-other in Elementary School. What a jerk.
It's gonna rain pretty heavy tomorrow according to the forecast earlier this afternoon. 100% chance of heavy rain for us here in Tulare. Fun! You know what that means?! Snow in the mountains!!!!!!
I can't think of anything else to write.
Tomorrow, I am stepping outside the safe and sheltered confines of my office and am going to give a 20 minute presentation to the Tulare County Board of Supervisors. I guess, not so much give the presentation, as be the technician for the presentation. Well, not so much be the technician, as the button pusher for the Power Point portion of the presentation. For which I have to wear a tie. I'll be the best goddamned dressed button pusher ever seen. I gotta find all my bling....
I saw the new Eminem video and nearly snotted all over myself it was so funny. Hahahaha. Noone in Hollywood is safe.
I was very sad to read Britney's "I'm taking a break" letter to her fans. Thank you Jen for sharing that beautifully penned homage to Britney's crappy life by Britney. I hope to God she doesn't reproduce. I can see her having just enough kids to start a tween band. Actually, that probably wouldn't be a bad idea for her. She must realize that she can't be this successful forever. She needs a healthy and "talented" set of dependants to support her as she ages. God knows deadbeat Kevin won't do that for her. (Hmmm...it may sound like I care, but I don't.)
Thank you Lisa for filling my answering machine with three messages containing Michael Gates belting Freeway of Love. It truly made my eyes water. It made me miss Karaoke...for about two seconds.
I didn't work tonight. I don't work tomorrow night. I close on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. I'm working 3-9 on Saturday. Working at Albertson's is fun, until your feet and back start reminding you you've been standing and walking for two hours straight.
On a related topic, do me a favor and do not ask for paper bags at the Supermarket. Reasons why:
a) It takes the courtesy clerk longer to bag your groceries. By the time I actually get one open, I could have had 2 plastic bags filled up.
b) They are not stronger than plastic. That is an urban legend(Fred). If you are still concerned, ask your courtesy clerk to double bag something for you. It is a helluva lot easier than fussing with the goddamn paper bags.
c) Contrary to popular belief, it does not save the environment. Although paper bags are recyclable, most of the paper bags from grocery stores end up in the trash, either from people who forget to recycle them, or from people who use them as trash bags. If anything, you are contributing to the overflowing landfill problem. Just do this quick exercise, take a paper grocery bag and a plastic one. Crumple up the paper bag as small as you can. Now, take a plastic bag and tear a bunch of holes in it (to simulate it's interaction with other objects at a landfill or in the home) and scrunch it down as small as you can. Which one is smaller? Plastic. And don't give me any of that biodegradable bullshit. A lesson on how landfills work: California law states that after a day of trash at a landfill, the days trash must (MUST!) be covered by dirt. I kid you not. Now imagine weeks and weeks of trash building up, layer upon layer. Now, the landfill will settle some, there is no denying that, but what do you think happens to the trash in all these layers in the absence of water? It doesn't decompose. Sure there is some water that goes with the trash, in the form of banana peels and the like, but it ain't enough to decompose all that trash. Why do you think people can go diggin' around a landfill and find a legible copy of the New York Times announcing Kennedy as the President? If you really want to help the environment, create a compost pile in your backyard.
d) This reason is the grossest one. I didn't know about this until Jane told me about it at work a couple of weeks ago. The glue that holds the paper together in the shape of a bag is a delicasee for...COCKROACHES!! Yes! It's true!!! I couldn't believe it myself. All I kept thinking about was how many cockroaches there must have been in my childhood kitchen between the counter and the fridge. So disgusting. They climb on into the bags, feast on the glue and lay eggs all over the place. Gross, gross, gross!!!
e) The final reason. It really pisses us off. It does. We are supposed to be happy and smiling, but I've never done more number fours than when bagging with paper bags. JEEE--SUSSS!!
If you still want paper bags when shopping, but don't care if your groceries are in them or not, just ask for them. Any courtesy clerk would be more than happy to give you a few paper bags.
The new store director started today. His name is Kenny. Hahahahaha. Many South Park jokes in the future. I don't think I've ever known anyone named Kenny. Oh wait, Kenny something-or-other in Elementary School. What a jerk.
It's gonna rain pretty heavy tomorrow according to the forecast earlier this afternoon. 100% chance of heavy rain for us here in Tulare. Fun! You know what that means?! Snow in the mountains!!!!!!
I can't think of anything else to write.
10.17.2004
Two Hundred Fifty-Sixth Entry
It's raining. I stood in the dark in my backyard for 10 minutes just feeling the rain. Letting it soak me. I opened the window in my bedroom so I can fall asleep to the sound of the rain. I love the rain.
There is just something relaxing and almost cathartic about the rain. "It's raining. I'm standing in the rain. I'm getting wet." I forgot about work tomorrow, work on Monday, my laundry, my bills. I forgot about everything and thought only of the rain. "How long does it take a drop to reach me from it's place of formation? It must be only a matter of minutes. Is it raining in San Leandro? I sure hope so. How big is the storm that is producing this rain? Does it reach all the way up to the Bay Area? or down to LA? The water feels good hitting me." It's been a long time since I felt rain.
The last time was probably in San Luis Obispo, my Senior year. It was raining the hardest I've ever seen in my life. I couldn't believe it. It must've been about two in the morning and I was doing takeoffs for my estimation class. I heard the heavy downpour and ran to the door to see it. It rained so hard I couldn't see the building not 200 feet in front of me. Beautiful. I went out onto the sidewalk and got completely soaked. I just stood there. Thinking. Waiting. Wondering about the rain....much of the same things I wondered tonight. It lasted 5-10 minutes. I was completely drenched. It felt good.
It's the first rain of the year. It isn't much, just enough to make the roads slick. But it's promising. While I can never expect a torrential storm like the one in SLO, I can look forward to several more of these.
I love the rain.
It's raining. I stood in the dark in my backyard for 10 minutes just feeling the rain. Letting it soak me. I opened the window in my bedroom so I can fall asleep to the sound of the rain. I love the rain.
There is just something relaxing and almost cathartic about the rain. "It's raining. I'm standing in the rain. I'm getting wet." I forgot about work tomorrow, work on Monday, my laundry, my bills. I forgot about everything and thought only of the rain. "How long does it take a drop to reach me from it's place of formation? It must be only a matter of minutes. Is it raining in San Leandro? I sure hope so. How big is the storm that is producing this rain? Does it reach all the way up to the Bay Area? or down to LA? The water feels good hitting me." It's been a long time since I felt rain.
The last time was probably in San Luis Obispo, my Senior year. It was raining the hardest I've ever seen in my life. I couldn't believe it. It must've been about two in the morning and I was doing takeoffs for my estimation class. I heard the heavy downpour and ran to the door to see it. It rained so hard I couldn't see the building not 200 feet in front of me. Beautiful. I went out onto the sidewalk and got completely soaked. I just stood there. Thinking. Waiting. Wondering about the rain....much of the same things I wondered tonight. It lasted 5-10 minutes. I was completely drenched. It felt good.
It's the first rain of the year. It isn't much, just enough to make the roads slick. But it's promising. While I can never expect a torrential storm like the one in SLO, I can look forward to several more of these.
I love the rain.
10.13.2004
Two Hundred Fifty-Fifth Entry
Science for the sake of science...what? Helping people through science...huh?
I just read an article saying that the FDA approved computer chip implants for humans. Whoa. It's a sign of the end times folks.
I just OD'd on coffee and I feel great!
I have the rest of the week off from Albertsons. I really like working there, but I'm glad for my days off. And I get paid tomorrow! It's gonna be a small check though. I only worked 24 hours last week.
I have to go to Costco tonight to stock up the Cantina. I counted all the money we have in the kitty and the total was $505.83. In the 10 months I have been in charge of the Cantina, it has gone from owing me $200, to having over $550 in cash money and goods. Not bad, not bloody bad. I was talking with Danny and we were thinking that maybe all the excess cash could be used to invest in a stock of our choosing, buy lottery tickets every week, or have a just-because-we-have-a-ton-of-money party.
It's freakin' hot today.
Science for the sake of science...what? Helping people through science...huh?
I just read an article saying that the FDA approved computer chip implants for humans. Whoa. It's a sign of the end times folks.
I just OD'd on coffee and I feel great!
I have the rest of the week off from Albertsons. I really like working there, but I'm glad for my days off. And I get paid tomorrow! It's gonna be a small check though. I only worked 24 hours last week.
I have to go to Costco tonight to stock up the Cantina. I counted all the money we have in the kitty and the total was $505.83. In the 10 months I have been in charge of the Cantina, it has gone from owing me $200, to having over $550 in cash money and goods. Not bad, not bloody bad. I was talking with Danny and we were thinking that maybe all the excess cash could be used to invest in a stock of our choosing, buy lottery tickets every week, or have a just-because-we-have-a-ton-of-money party.
It's freakin' hot today.
10.02.2004
Two Hundred Fifty-Fourth Entry
The A's were just denied a chance at the playoffs. The Giants are most likely eliminated too. The Raiders and Niners suck, the Warriors suck, the Sharks suck. Bay Area sports just ain't what it used to be.
I guess now that I officially live in Southern California I can root for the Dodgers and Angels, Chargers and Ducks, Lakers and Clippers. But that's no fun.
Go BoSox!
Yesterday, I closed for the fourth time in a row(I spent a lot of the time cart skiing). They had to give me today off or pay me time and a half for my shift today. They gave me the day off. What did I do today? Next to nothing:
I went to my grandma's house. I went with Paula and Calvin to a house they are seriously thinking of buying. And later, I am going to a lamb barbeque at the PPAV in Visalia. I don't think I've ever had BBQ lamb. Sounds good though. Baaaaa.
Everything downstairs has been consolidated and in piles. The house is as neat as it has been in several months. It took a lot of hardwork and determination this week to get it the way it is now.
My escape plan should begin next weekend. That is the scheduled start of my studying for the PE. I am excited and thrilled at the opportunity to start studying. I just can't wait.
I hope Eric and Norma's wedding went well. I hope Amy had a fun time. I wish I'd have gone. I could have used a break from the insanity.
I will be needing to go to San Leandro sometime towards the end of this month to get my last car service. Bullet is nearing 60,000 miles, 59,2-something.
I got two new credit cards this week. I love it. They are shiny and platinum. With this new Albertson's job, all of my credit cards should be paid off by late next year. We'll see.
The A's were just denied a chance at the playoffs. The Giants are most likely eliminated too. The Raiders and Niners suck, the Warriors suck, the Sharks suck. Bay Area sports just ain't what it used to be.
I guess now that I officially live in Southern California I can root for the Dodgers and Angels, Chargers and Ducks, Lakers and Clippers. But that's no fun.
Go BoSox!
Yesterday, I closed for the fourth time in a row(I spent a lot of the time cart skiing). They had to give me today off or pay me time and a half for my shift today. They gave me the day off. What did I do today? Next to nothing:
I went to my grandma's house. I went with Paula and Calvin to a house they are seriously thinking of buying. And later, I am going to a lamb barbeque at the PPAV in Visalia. I don't think I've ever had BBQ lamb. Sounds good though. Baaaaa.
Everything downstairs has been consolidated and in piles. The house is as neat as it has been in several months. It took a lot of hardwork and determination this week to get it the way it is now.
My escape plan should begin next weekend. That is the scheduled start of my studying for the PE. I am excited and thrilled at the opportunity to start studying. I just can't wait.
I hope Eric and Norma's wedding went well. I hope Amy had a fun time. I wish I'd have gone. I could have used a break from the insanity.
I will be needing to go to San Leandro sometime towards the end of this month to get my last car service. Bullet is nearing 60,000 miles, 59,2-something.
I got two new credit cards this week. I love it. They are shiny and platinum. With this new Albertson's job, all of my credit cards should be paid off by late next year. We'll see.
9.30.2004
Two Hundred Fifty-Third Entry
To say that I have been busy and tired the past week is a huge understatement. I have been working a lot at Albertson's in my inaugural week. It is a very tiring job, but very fun.
The people I work with are great...a sarcastic and cynical Tulare City Council candidate, a very nice woman from the Azores, a perverted ex-con, a woman who can "suck a golf ball through a hose", a very happy and helpful girl who reminds me a lot of Delia(it's a compliment Del), a hardworking Forrest Gump and a lazy son-of-a' that takes 20 minute breaks and does no work. Of course there are the managers, and I haven't met one I didn't like.
My favorite task at Albertson's is doing go-backs. Those are the things that people decide they don't want when they get up to the Cashier. Go-backs are a chance to get away from the front end for a while and learn stuff in the store. I get to help the customers that are out on the floor, which is kind of fun. Even more fun is what I like to call, cart skiing. I run as fast as I can down the aisle with the go-back cart in front of me and then lean forward onto the cart and "ski" on my tip-toes. Great fun. I'll probably get hurt doing that someday.
I learned how to water the produce yesterday. That is pretty fun. Playing with water indoors has always been something I couldn't do, but now I get to do it. Hahahaha.
The compliments have been coming fast and furious. The checkers say that I'm one of the three best Courtesy Clerks in the store. Even the managers give me compliments. Someday I aspire to be an Albertson's manager.
One thing that does suck is that there are a lot of flakes that call in sick all the time. Who gets called when that happens? Me, the new guy. Oh yeah, by the way, there was another new guy that started the same day that I did and he already quit. Interesting...
Tonight, I am closing for the third night in a row. Since I've started, I've only had one day off, and that was Monday. I took the day off from the County too to make it a real day off.
So yeah, I'm busy and tired, I don't get to see or talk to my girlfriend as often as I would like, I am losing track of my TV shows and I'm never home except to sleep, but it is all worth it. I'm makin' BANK!
To say that I have been busy and tired the past week is a huge understatement. I have been working a lot at Albertson's in my inaugural week. It is a very tiring job, but very fun.
The people I work with are great...a sarcastic and cynical Tulare City Council candidate, a very nice woman from the Azores, a perverted ex-con, a woman who can "suck a golf ball through a hose", a very happy and helpful girl who reminds me a lot of Delia(it's a compliment Del), a hardworking Forrest Gump and a lazy son-of-a' that takes 20 minute breaks and does no work. Of course there are the managers, and I haven't met one I didn't like.
My favorite task at Albertson's is doing go-backs. Those are the things that people decide they don't want when they get up to the Cashier. Go-backs are a chance to get away from the front end for a while and learn stuff in the store. I get to help the customers that are out on the floor, which is kind of fun. Even more fun is what I like to call, cart skiing. I run as fast as I can down the aisle with the go-back cart in front of me and then lean forward onto the cart and "ski" on my tip-toes. Great fun. I'll probably get hurt doing that someday.
I learned how to water the produce yesterday. That is pretty fun. Playing with water indoors has always been something I couldn't do, but now I get to do it. Hahahaha.
The compliments have been coming fast and furious. The checkers say that I'm one of the three best Courtesy Clerks in the store. Even the managers give me compliments. Someday I aspire to be an Albertson's manager.
One thing that does suck is that there are a lot of flakes that call in sick all the time. Who gets called when that happens? Me, the new guy. Oh yeah, by the way, there was another new guy that started the same day that I did and he already quit. Interesting...
Tonight, I am closing for the third night in a row. Since I've started, I've only had one day off, and that was Monday. I took the day off from the County too to make it a real day off.
So yeah, I'm busy and tired, I don't get to see or talk to my girlfriend as often as I would like, I am losing track of my TV shows and I'm never home except to sleep, but it is all worth it. I'm makin' BANK!
9.15.2004
Two Hundred Fifty-Second Entry
I peed in a cup today....I had an interview at Albertson's today. It went well. Looks like the job is flexible enough to form itself around my County job. I just have to call back on Friday to talk with the manager again. I'm looking forward to the opportunity to working at Albertson's.
I got my promotion. Yay! $120 more bucks a month!
I'm tired.
GO IVAN!!!
I peed in a cup today....I had an interview at Albertson's today. It went well. Looks like the job is flexible enough to form itself around my County job. I just have to call back on Friday to talk with the manager again. I'm looking forward to the opportunity to working at Albertson's.
I got my promotion. Yay! $120 more bucks a month!
I'm tired.
GO IVAN!!!
9.12.2004
Two Hundred Fifty-First Entry
Since my last entry, I have gone through a lot. If anyone has noticed me acting a little odd or distant recently, I apologize.
I am almost 100% certain that by this time next year I will be somewhere else. I really don't care where it is. I can't live and work here past that. I have been seriously reevaluating my career path and continue to be disappointed with it. I can no longer say that I enjoy doing a single thing at work. For some reason, I have become the research bitch at work. First it was ADA, then it was Bikeways and now its fed and state standards. How the hell is any of this going to look good on my resume? It isn't!
If it wasn't for the fact that I have absolutely no other option, I would leave. But I can't. So I'll just have to cope.
The past week my brains been working overtime trying to figure out my escape plan. I need to have a plan to fulfill all of my commitments and minimize my responsibilities. Then I can truly escape. Live a life with minimal financial or professional commitments or responsibilities.
The only thing holding me back is passing the PE. If I never work another day as a Civil Engineer after I get my PE, I won't care. I'll have that piece of paper that tells me that the last eight years of my life weren't a complete fucking waste. It's like closure.
I had a vision this week while driving to Paula's house. I'm checking my mail one day in July. In it there is an envelope from the California Department of Consumer Affairs with the results of my exam. I open it and find that I passed all four sections. After crying for an hour about just what it means to be a Professional Engineer and how long it took me to complete the journey that started eight years ago, I go to the liquor store. I spend over $500 on liquor and drink for a week straight(I'll have enough vacation by then). Random people come over and congratulate me, drink and after a while don't even remember what we were drinking for. The following week I go to work, hand in my two week notice and begin my escape.
You're all invited, of course.
Since my last entry, I have gone through a lot. If anyone has noticed me acting a little odd or distant recently, I apologize.
I am almost 100% certain that by this time next year I will be somewhere else. I really don't care where it is. I can't live and work here past that. I have been seriously reevaluating my career path and continue to be disappointed with it. I can no longer say that I enjoy doing a single thing at work. For some reason, I have become the research bitch at work. First it was ADA, then it was Bikeways and now its fed and state standards. How the hell is any of this going to look good on my resume? It isn't!
If it wasn't for the fact that I have absolutely no other option, I would leave. But I can't. So I'll just have to cope.
The past week my brains been working overtime trying to figure out my escape plan. I need to have a plan to fulfill all of my commitments and minimize my responsibilities. Then I can truly escape. Live a life with minimal financial or professional commitments or responsibilities.
The only thing holding me back is passing the PE. If I never work another day as a Civil Engineer after I get my PE, I won't care. I'll have that piece of paper that tells me that the last eight years of my life weren't a complete fucking waste. It's like closure.
I had a vision this week while driving to Paula's house. I'm checking my mail one day in July. In it there is an envelope from the California Department of Consumer Affairs with the results of my exam. I open it and find that I passed all four sections. After crying for an hour about just what it means to be a Professional Engineer and how long it took me to complete the journey that started eight years ago, I go to the liquor store. I spend over $500 on liquor and drink for a week straight(I'll have enough vacation by then). Random people come over and congratulate me, drink and after a while don't even remember what we were drinking for. The following week I go to work, hand in my two week notice and begin my escape.
You're all invited, of course.
8.15.2004
Two Hundred Fiftieth Entry
I have mixed feelings about this past weekend. I'm glad I got to spend a lot of down time with my family. I'm glad I got to spend some alone time with Amy. I'm not glad I didn't get to see Louis and Jen. I'm not glad I had to pay my car insurance.
See, mixed feelings.
A big shout out to my peeps in the HI! Aloha wahines!!
Another big shout out to my peeps on the red planet! Zera mitels!!
I have mixed feelings about this past weekend. I'm glad I got to spend a lot of down time with my family. I'm glad I got to spend some alone time with Amy. I'm not glad I didn't get to see Louis and Jen. I'm not glad I had to pay my car insurance.
See, mixed feelings.
A big shout out to my peeps in the HI! Aloha wahines!!
Another big shout out to my peeps on the red planet! Zera mitels!!
8.08.2004
Two Hundred Forty-Ninth Entry
I am making quite a bit of headway on my website. Uploading photos that is.
Just got back from watching "The Bourne Supremacy" with Paula and Calvin. Awesome movie! Xlent and plentiful car chases! It makes me want to go back to Berlin. And learn German.
I hope they make "The Bourne Ultimatum".
Must read them all.
I am making quite a bit of headway on my website. Uploading photos that is.
Just got back from watching "The Bourne Supremacy" with Paula and Calvin. Awesome movie! Xlent and plentiful car chases! It makes me want to go back to Berlin. And learn German.
I hope they make "The Bourne Ultimatum".
Must read them all.
8.07.2004
Two Hundred Forty-Eighth Entry
This past weekend was fun. Amy was here. We did a lot of stuff. We watched TV, watched "The Shining" and "The Others", watched some more TV, nearly got arrested for eating Cold Stone out by the airport, went to my Grandma's house a lot, went to a bullfight on Monday night, ate tons of food(not literally, figuratively), slept very little, and talked. It had been a long time since I'd seen her. It was good.
----------
On Tuesday I got my PAF(Performance Appraisal Form). I got a 7 out of 10, which is the highest you can get without the supervisor having to write a special essay explaining the reason for the 8, 9 or 10. Nobody likes that. Nobody ever gets above a 7. Anyway, with this stellar PAF, I was given a promotion! I was excited. My super told me that I deserved it and asked me if I had anything to say. I told him that I didn't really care about all the pats on the back and just wanted the money. He laughed. I told him I was serious. It's either a 5 or 10% raise. I really need this.
Fast forward to Thursday. Phil tells me that the county has place a freeze on hiring and on promotions due to budget issues. I almost started crying. I told him, in no uncertain terms, that I was going to start looking for another job. He told me not to start looking yet. Him and Marcia put in a freeze exemption paperwork thingy and once it goes through, I should have my promotion. Good lookin' out, but I was still shocked. I've had to put up with this bullshit for 2 years only to get frozen.
----------
My aunt came back from Portugal on Monday. I was over there on Thursday night and got the download about the trip and I downloaded to her about my trip....all three of them. Then we had dinner. Mmmmm. I am off the hook now for my Grandma's meds. It's gonna suck not going there every day. I've gotten used to it. I guess I could still go, but now that I don't have to I probably won't. I'll go back to the once or twice a week visits.
----------
Last night I finally constructed my coffee table. It is massive. And moving it requires major strength. But......it.......looks.........good? I like it. I even have materials left over. I love my new power tool!
----------
Me going to Palm Desert delayed a long overdue project from being delivered. I have been working on this project for about a year, and it's crunch time. The four days I was gone to Palm Desert were four days that I could have completed a lot on the project. I should have trusted my gut and not gone to the conference. But I can't say no, especially when it's the boss asking.
I'm sure I've talked about this project before. It is a sidewalk installation project in the poorest community in the county. It is a good project for a place that really needs it.
My deliverable for this project is to produce a complete set of construction plans to send to CalTrans for review. I have never done this before. I have no idea what needs to be done to complete the drawings. I've been trudging a long, with very little direction from my supervisor. I ask him about what I need to do, and he either evades the question or tells me just one thing that needs to be done. What I need is a list of things to do to complete the drawings and not piecemeal guidance. That way I can at least have a reliable schedule to tell people. I can't think of how many times I have told them that I could have it done in a week only to have something else come up that needs to be done.
I've brought three sets of the current drawings home this weekend with the intention of staring at them forever and waiting for more work to come to me. I don't have AutoCAD at home anymore, so I can't make the changes directly onto the CAD file, hence the three copies.
----------
That is all I have to report.
This past weekend was fun. Amy was here. We did a lot of stuff. We watched TV, watched "The Shining" and "The Others", watched some more TV, nearly got arrested for eating Cold Stone out by the airport, went to my Grandma's house a lot, went to a bullfight on Monday night, ate tons of food(not literally, figuratively), slept very little, and talked. It had been a long time since I'd seen her. It was good.
----------
On Tuesday I got my PAF(Performance Appraisal Form). I got a 7 out of 10, which is the highest you can get without the supervisor having to write a special essay explaining the reason for the 8, 9 or 10. Nobody likes that. Nobody ever gets above a 7. Anyway, with this stellar PAF, I was given a promotion! I was excited. My super told me that I deserved it and asked me if I had anything to say. I told him that I didn't really care about all the pats on the back and just wanted the money. He laughed. I told him I was serious. It's either a 5 or 10% raise. I really need this.
Fast forward to Thursday. Phil tells me that the county has place a freeze on hiring and on promotions due to budget issues. I almost started crying. I told him, in no uncertain terms, that I was going to start looking for another job. He told me not to start looking yet. Him and Marcia put in a freeze exemption paperwork thingy and once it goes through, I should have my promotion. Good lookin' out, but I was still shocked. I've had to put up with this bullshit for 2 years only to get frozen.
----------
My aunt came back from Portugal on Monday. I was over there on Thursday night and got the download about the trip and I downloaded to her about my trip....all three of them. Then we had dinner. Mmmmm. I am off the hook now for my Grandma's meds. It's gonna suck not going there every day. I've gotten used to it. I guess I could still go, but now that I don't have to I probably won't. I'll go back to the once or twice a week visits.
----------
Last night I finally constructed my coffee table. It is massive. And moving it requires major strength. But......it.......looks.........good? I like it. I even have materials left over. I love my new power tool!
----------
Me going to Palm Desert delayed a long overdue project from being delivered. I have been working on this project for about a year, and it's crunch time. The four days I was gone to Palm Desert were four days that I could have completed a lot on the project. I should have trusted my gut and not gone to the conference. But I can't say no, especially when it's the boss asking.
I'm sure I've talked about this project before. It is a sidewalk installation project in the poorest community in the county. It is a good project for a place that really needs it.
My deliverable for this project is to produce a complete set of construction plans to send to CalTrans for review. I have never done this before. I have no idea what needs to be done to complete the drawings. I've been trudging a long, with very little direction from my supervisor. I ask him about what I need to do, and he either evades the question or tells me just one thing that needs to be done. What I need is a list of things to do to complete the drawings and not piecemeal guidance. That way I can at least have a reliable schedule to tell people. I can't think of how many times I have told them that I could have it done in a week only to have something else come up that needs to be done.
I've brought three sets of the current drawings home this weekend with the intention of staring at them forever and waiting for more work to come to me. I don't have AutoCAD at home anymore, so I can't make the changes directly onto the CAD file, hence the three copies.
----------
That is all I have to report.
7.29.2004
7.27.2004
Two Hundred Forty-Sixth Entry
I am in Palm Desert, California and having a good time.
I was informed yesterday at 8am that I needed to go home right away and pack for a three day conference that my boss, Marcia couldn't go to at the last minute. I was scrambling all over the place. I needed to: go to the bank, pay bills, take care of my grandma's meds, find someone to take care of my grandma's meds while I was out of town, pack, buy some last minute supplies for the three night stay and.....that's it.
We are staying at the Desert Springs Marriott in Palm Desert. It is sooooo nice. And cheap! Apparently summertime is the off-season and my awesome room costs $99 a night. I have a view of Palm Springs, the mountains behind it, the fake lake around the resort and the swimming pool. If only I had binoculars....hahaha.
About the conference...
It's called StormCon and it's all about storm water. Treatment, storage...you name it about storm water, it's here. Today was broken up into three lectures. The only one I didn't sleep a little in was the last one about "Bioretention for Stormwater Treatment". It was actually very interesting. We are thinking about doing a few bioretention basins in the county.
There are tons of vendors here with lots of cool toys. I got a squirt gun, mini beachball, golf tees and a tons of other stuff.
Tomorrow I only have two lectures because one of them got cancelled. I'm fine with that. The one that got cancelled was the last one of the day. I'm even finer with that.
The one sucky thing about it all is that it is frickin' 180 degrees outside. Blechh.
I am in Palm Desert, California and having a good time.
I was informed yesterday at 8am that I needed to go home right away and pack for a three day conference that my boss, Marcia couldn't go to at the last minute. I was scrambling all over the place. I needed to: go to the bank, pay bills, take care of my grandma's meds, find someone to take care of my grandma's meds while I was out of town, pack, buy some last minute supplies for the three night stay and.....that's it.
We are staying at the Desert Springs Marriott in Palm Desert. It is sooooo nice. And cheap! Apparently summertime is the off-season and my awesome room costs $99 a night. I have a view of Palm Springs, the mountains behind it, the fake lake around the resort and the swimming pool. If only I had binoculars....hahaha.
About the conference...
It's called StormCon and it's all about storm water. Treatment, storage...you name it about storm water, it's here. Today was broken up into three lectures. The only one I didn't sleep a little in was the last one about "Bioretention for Stormwater Treatment". It was actually very interesting. We are thinking about doing a few bioretention basins in the county.
There are tons of vendors here with lots of cool toys. I got a squirt gun, mini beachball, golf tees and a tons of other stuff.
Tomorrow I only have two lectures because one of them got cancelled. I'm fine with that. The one that got cancelled was the last one of the day. I'm even finer with that.
The one sucky thing about it all is that it is frickin' 180 degrees outside. Blechh.
7.25.2004
Two Hundred Forty-Fourth Entry
This weekend was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed having Hernani stay at my house. We visited a lot of family, and that's always fun. What I enjoyed the most was talking with him. He really is a very interesting person with even more interesting ideas. We were up until 5am yesterday sitting outside drinking Jager and Port just talking. I've never done that before. It was very fun.
It's unfortunate that only now I realize just how much I enjoy his company, as he prepares to leave the US to live in Portugal for one year.
This weekend was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed having Hernani stay at my house. We visited a lot of family, and that's always fun. What I enjoyed the most was talking with him. He really is a very interesting person with even more interesting ideas. We were up until 5am yesterday sitting outside drinking Jager and Port just talking. I've never done that before. It was very fun.
It's unfortunate that only now I realize just how much I enjoy his company, as he prepares to leave the US to live in Portugal for one year.
7.24.2004
Two Hundred Forty-Third Entry
Hernani is here in Tulare visiting. When he got here last night, we went to A&W for dinner. Well, he went for dinner and I went for my second dinner. There's always room for a Double Bacon Cheeseburger, fries and root beer float.
We watched "The Shining" last night. Very good, but very scary. Damn that Stanley Kubrick for making the best films ever.
Today, we are visiting family.
Cell phone odds:
- Verizon EVEN
- Nextel 2:1
- T-Mobile 6:1
- Sprint 60:1
Catherine Zeta-Jones is ruthless!
Hernani is here in Tulare visiting. When he got here last night, we went to A&W for dinner. Well, he went for dinner and I went for my second dinner. There's always room for a Double Bacon Cheeseburger, fries and root beer float.
We watched "The Shining" last night. Very good, but very scary. Damn that Stanley Kubrick for making the best films ever.
Today, we are visiting family.
Cell phone odds:
- Verizon EVEN
- Nextel 2:1
- T-Mobile 6:1
- Sprint 60:1
Catherine Zeta-Jones is ruthless!
7.22.2004
Two Hundred Forty-Second Entry
I forgot how much I enjoyed watching "Scrubs". There's a mini-marathon on NBC tonight. Very good.
Newbie's new movie, "Garden State", looks pretty interesting.
My quest for a new cell phone service has taken an interesting twist. Originally I was leaning towards Verizon, but Fred told me that if I get a Nextel, he can get me a major deal on a cell phone through his work. I may be bloop-blooping.
Current Odds:
- Verizon EVEN (Can you hear me now?)
- Nextel 3:2 (bloop-bloop)
- T-Mobile 9:1 (It's all Zeta-Jones' fault)
- Sprint 60:1 (It sucks, but it rounds out the top four possibilities)
It's getting interesting. The odds could change daily.
I forgot how much I enjoyed watching "Scrubs". There's a mini-marathon on NBC tonight. Very good.
Newbie's new movie, "Garden State", looks pretty interesting.
My quest for a new cell phone service has taken an interesting twist. Originally I was leaning towards Verizon, but Fred told me that if I get a Nextel, he can get me a major deal on a cell phone through his work. I may be bloop-blooping.
Current Odds:
- Verizon EVEN (Can you hear me now?)
- Nextel 3:2 (bloop-bloop)
- T-Mobile 9:1 (It's all Zeta-Jones' fault)
- Sprint 60:1 (It sucks, but it rounds out the top four possibilities)
It's getting interesting. The odds could change daily.
7.20.2004
Two Hundred Fortieth Entry
July 20, 2004
AT&T Wireless
P.O. Box 68055
Anaheim Hills, CA 92817-8055
To Whom It May Concern:
I am writing this letter to express my extreme dissatisfaction with AT&T Wireless.
I used to be an AT&T Wireless customer. In fact, until yesterday, I was a satisfied AT&T Wireless customer. But, as a result of a serious miscommunication by one of your Customer Care Representatives, I decided to cancel my wireless account with AT&T Wireless.
About a month and a half ago, I called you to learn about international calling rates. I was going to Portugal and wanted to know how much it would cost to use my cell phone over there. I was (mis)informed that if I paid an additional $3.99 a month, it would only cost $0.99 a minute to place calls on my AT&T Wireless cell phone. Knowing that I would be using my cell phone a lot in Portugal, I signed up for the $0.99 a minute/$3.99 a month international plan.
A couple of weeks ago, I received my statement and noticed that I was charged $1.29 a minute for calls I thought would cost $0.99 a minute. I called Customer Care yesterday to discuss the apparent overcharging and was frustrated that the representative couldn’t and wouldn’t do anything. She explained and insisted that the offer I had agreed to reduced the per minute charge to $1.29, and not to $0.99. I could not understand how one Customer Care Representative, a month and a half ago, could quote me one rate and another Customer Care Representative tell me that the rate was, in fact, higher. I thought, “if AT&T Wireless Customer Care Representatives don’t even quote the same rates, how can I expect to be treated well and fairly as a customer?” I decided, on the spot, to cancel my wireless service.
I am not asking that you credit my account the $84.60 that I was overcharged. I can’t ask for that because my mistake in all this was failing to get the $0.99 a minute/$3.99 a month deal in writing. What I am asking is that a lot more care is taken when Customer Care Representatives are talking to customers about “Special Offers” and “Good Deals”. It can’t benefit me now, but it would most certainly help you satisfy your millions of customers.
Sincerely,
Phillip Toste
Former Wireless #: **********
Former Account #: **********
Let me know what you think. Too harsh? Not harsh enough? Say Something!
July 20, 2004
AT&T Wireless
P.O. Box 68055
Anaheim Hills, CA 92817-8055
To Whom It May Concern:
I am writing this letter to express my extreme dissatisfaction with AT&T Wireless.
I used to be an AT&T Wireless customer. In fact, until yesterday, I was a satisfied AT&T Wireless customer. But, as a result of a serious miscommunication by one of your Customer Care Representatives, I decided to cancel my wireless account with AT&T Wireless.
About a month and a half ago, I called you to learn about international calling rates. I was going to Portugal and wanted to know how much it would cost to use my cell phone over there. I was (mis)informed that if I paid an additional $3.99 a month, it would only cost $0.99 a minute to place calls on my AT&T Wireless cell phone. Knowing that I would be using my cell phone a lot in Portugal, I signed up for the $0.99 a minute/$3.99 a month international plan.
A couple of weeks ago, I received my statement and noticed that I was charged $1.29 a minute for calls I thought would cost $0.99 a minute. I called Customer Care yesterday to discuss the apparent overcharging and was frustrated that the representative couldn’t and wouldn’t do anything. She explained and insisted that the offer I had agreed to reduced the per minute charge to $1.29, and not to $0.99. I could not understand how one Customer Care Representative, a month and a half ago, could quote me one rate and another Customer Care Representative tell me that the rate was, in fact, higher. I thought, “if AT&T Wireless Customer Care Representatives don’t even quote the same rates, how can I expect to be treated well and fairly as a customer?” I decided, on the spot, to cancel my wireless service.
I am not asking that you credit my account the $84.60 that I was overcharged. I can’t ask for that because my mistake in all this was failing to get the $0.99 a minute/$3.99 a month deal in writing. What I am asking is that a lot more care is taken when Customer Care Representatives are talking to customers about “Special Offers” and “Good Deals”. It can’t benefit me now, but it would most certainly help you satisfy your millions of customers.
Sincerely,
Phillip Toste
Former Wireless #: **********
Former Account #: **********
Let me know what you think. Too harsh? Not harsh enough? Say Something!
Two Hundred Thirty-Ninth Entry
Any suggestions for wireless service? Use the comments link below.
I found some killer phones on the net yesterday, but you have to live in Europe or Asia to get them. Some of them "will be offered in the USA later this year." Yeah, I won't hold my breath. Check out the Nokia 7600 and 7610. They are pretty cool. So is the SonyEricsson P900.
Any suggestions for wireless service? Use the comments link below.
I found some killer phones on the net yesterday, but you have to live in Europe or Asia to get them. Some of them "will be offered in the USA later this year." Yeah, I won't hold my breath. Check out the Nokia 7600 and 7610. They are pretty cool. So is the SonyEricsson P900.
7.19.2004
Two Hundred Thirty-Eighth Entry
Today officially begins my "War on AT&T Wireless".
Rewind
Before I left for Portugal, I called AT&T Wireless and asked them for the discounted international calling plan. They promised me $.99 a minute for calls placed while in Portugal, for $3.99 a month. Fine.
Fast-Forward
Well, $440 later, I find out that I was charged $1.29 a minute for all the calls I placed in Portugal. Goddammit!
I called Customer Care earlier and told them of the discrepancy on the bill. It quickly became a matter of he said/she said, with me saying I was promised $.99 a minute and the lady saying that I was promised $1.29 a minute. She "checked the computer" and "found out" that the "regular rate" for calls from Portugal on an AT&T Wireless phone is $2.91. Obviously a lie. There is no way it could cost that much.
Accepting defeat really sucks, but after being on the phone for 15 minutes, it gets easier. Realizing that I was having smoke blown up my ass, I angrily requested to cancel my cell service with AT&T.
Oooo, it's on.
Today officially begins my "War on AT&T Wireless".
Rewind
Before I left for Portugal, I called AT&T Wireless and asked them for the discounted international calling plan. They promised me $.99 a minute for calls placed while in Portugal, for $3.99 a month. Fine.
Fast-Forward
Well, $440 later, I find out that I was charged $1.29 a minute for all the calls I placed in Portugal. Goddammit!
I called Customer Care earlier and told them of the discrepancy on the bill. It quickly became a matter of he said/she said, with me saying I was promised $.99 a minute and the lady saying that I was promised $1.29 a minute. She "checked the computer" and "found out" that the "regular rate" for calls from Portugal on an AT&T Wireless phone is $2.91. Obviously a lie. There is no way it could cost that much.
Accepting defeat really sucks, but after being on the phone for 15 minutes, it gets easier. Realizing that I was having smoke blown up my ass, I angrily requested to cancel my cell service with AT&T.
Oooo, it's on.
7.18.2004
Two Hundred Thirty-Seventh Entry
The one thing I've been most worried about concerning my blog happened to Jen this weekend. Her blog was found by someone who wasn't privy to it. Her thoughts that were meant for only a few close friends to read, were read by someone who doesn't understand the circumstances under which some blogs are written.
Blog entries tend to be thoughts and feelings that are occuring at the moment they are written, but not necessarily thoughts and feelings that are permanent or lasting.
It is an unfortunate situation.
The one thing I've been most worried about concerning my blog happened to Jen this weekend. Her blog was found by someone who wasn't privy to it. Her thoughts that were meant for only a few close friends to read, were read by someone who doesn't understand the circumstances under which some blogs are written.
Blog entries tend to be thoughts and feelings that are occuring at the moment they are written, but not necessarily thoughts and feelings that are permanent or lasting.
It is an unfortunate situation.
7.14.2004
7.12.2004
Two Hundred Thirty-Fifth Entry
I am free.
I can go back to my normal life.
After this coming weekend, I have no plans to visit the Bay Area for at least the next four weeks.
It's hotter than hell here, but at least I have air-con and won't have to suffer the heat in my truck driving back and forth to the Bay Area.
-----
The last month was extremely busy, extremely nerve-wracking, but extremely fun. Would I ever let myself get this busy again? Never.
-----
First was Las Vegas.
Louis and I stayed at the Paris Resort and Casino. I recommend it to everyone. It is a bit pricey(aren't they all?) but the decor and ambiance of the hotel is absolutely, hands down the best in Vegas. The buffet is awesome too. Loved it, loved it, loved it.
We hit most of the casinos on the strip. After Paris, my favorites were Bellagio and Venetian.
We watched the Wayne Brady show at the Mirage. It was hilarious!! It was just like watching "Who's Line" but just Wayne Brady. Very funny.
McDonalds was had by all at least 3 times that I can remember. We also developed a technique for getting free drinks at the casinos. We would sit at the nickel slots, wait for a DSB(Drink Service Bitch) to show up, start throwing nickels in, and order our free drinks. When our drinks came, we would throw another nickel in and then take off to another part of the casino or another casino altogether.
It was a lot of fun. There were a lot of interesting conversations between Louis and I, some of which I am not at liberty to discuss. Just Kidding.
-----
Then there was Portugal.
That was tons and tons of fun. I didn't want to leave. I want to go back next year. And then the year after that. My family is the same as ever which is good to see. It was just really great to see everything and watch my parents get really excited about showing us everything.
The festival was also great, even though the locals said it was one of the worst ones in recent memory. It didn't help that it rained and was cold most of the time I was there. But, I did get to see Simple Minds play(Breakfast Club song), and The Wailers(Bob Marley's band). There was also a DJ on the first night of the festival and my cousins took full advantage of the cheap beer and good music and got up on stage and did some very "interesting" dancing. It was awesome.
One night after the festival we went to "Wolf". A very cool night club where there's a DJ and lots of interesting liquor, including Absinthe(no, I did not partake.)
I ate so much good food throughout the vacation. I didn't eat anything I didn't like...except for octopus. Blechh.
My culture is something that I was never really too proud of. It's kind of just always there. But after this trip, I realized just how proud I am that I come from such a different culture and way of living.
-----
And then there was the Bachelor Party.
I got back from Portugal and had to be back at work the following day. Then I had to come back that weekend for the Bachelor Party.
In keeping with Louis' requirements, I had no stripper at the party. Noone seemed to mind. Every once in a while Rouja, Jesse or Bernice would walk through and that was about enough. Tons of food. Way too much alcohol. A lot of fun. Louis won $21.
We were attacked by the Bachelorette Party that night too.
Lamar had an idea that we play "Truth of Dare". I must admit, at first I was skeptical, but I enjoyed it. Anyway, just as we were about to end the game and go back inside, the girls drove by and threw TP and condoms and a bra and panties at us. They were planning to TP the house. I don't know why, but they were. Although they were unsuccessful, Louis spearheaded an effort to get back at the girls. He was really wanting to go, but the ideas were getting a little out of control so I had to stifle the revenge talk.
We got ours though. I placed a phone call to Jen warning her of what was to come. Apparently they spent a long time camped out in front of the windows waiting for our attack. Hahaha.
-----
Yesterday was the wedding of the century.
All the planning, stressing, worrying that went into the wedding paid off. The wedding went off without a hitch. It was emotional, beautiful and fun. I'm honored to have been a part of it. 'Nuff said.
-----
Future plans are fairly normal, sort of. By August I really want to start studying for my PE exam. I am only going to take the fucker once. At least I hope I only have to take it once.
Then there are plans for a second job perhaps. We'll see how my August promotion goes.
Also, by the end of September, I hope to be a Dual Citizen(USA and Portugal). An EU passport is a very good thing to have. So might as well.
-----
Going to bed now, good night.
I am free.
I can go back to my normal life.
After this coming weekend, I have no plans to visit the Bay Area for at least the next four weeks.
It's hotter than hell here, but at least I have air-con and won't have to suffer the heat in my truck driving back and forth to the Bay Area.
-----
The last month was extremely busy, extremely nerve-wracking, but extremely fun. Would I ever let myself get this busy again? Never.
-----
First was Las Vegas.
Louis and I stayed at the Paris Resort and Casino. I recommend it to everyone. It is a bit pricey(aren't they all?) but the decor and ambiance of the hotel is absolutely, hands down the best in Vegas. The buffet is awesome too. Loved it, loved it, loved it.
We hit most of the casinos on the strip. After Paris, my favorites were Bellagio and Venetian.
We watched the Wayne Brady show at the Mirage. It was hilarious!! It was just like watching "Who's Line" but just Wayne Brady. Very funny.
McDonalds was had by all at least 3 times that I can remember. We also developed a technique for getting free drinks at the casinos. We would sit at the nickel slots, wait for a DSB(Drink Service Bitch) to show up, start throwing nickels in, and order our free drinks. When our drinks came, we would throw another nickel in and then take off to another part of the casino or another casino altogether.
It was a lot of fun. There were a lot of interesting conversations between Louis and I, some of which I am not at liberty to discuss. Just Kidding.
-----
Then there was Portugal.
That was tons and tons of fun. I didn't want to leave. I want to go back next year. And then the year after that. My family is the same as ever which is good to see. It was just really great to see everything and watch my parents get really excited about showing us everything.
The festival was also great, even though the locals said it was one of the worst ones in recent memory. It didn't help that it rained and was cold most of the time I was there. But, I did get to see Simple Minds play(Breakfast Club song), and The Wailers(Bob Marley's band). There was also a DJ on the first night of the festival and my cousins took full advantage of the cheap beer and good music and got up on stage and did some very "interesting" dancing. It was awesome.
One night after the festival we went to "Wolf". A very cool night club where there's a DJ and lots of interesting liquor, including Absinthe(no, I did not partake.)
I ate so much good food throughout the vacation. I didn't eat anything I didn't like...except for octopus. Blechh.
My culture is something that I was never really too proud of. It's kind of just always there. But after this trip, I realized just how proud I am that I come from such a different culture and way of living.
-----
And then there was the Bachelor Party.
I got back from Portugal and had to be back at work the following day. Then I had to come back that weekend for the Bachelor Party.
In keeping with Louis' requirements, I had no stripper at the party. Noone seemed to mind. Every once in a while Rouja, Jesse or Bernice would walk through and that was about enough. Tons of food. Way too much alcohol. A lot of fun. Louis won $21.
We were attacked by the Bachelorette Party that night too.
Lamar had an idea that we play "Truth of Dare". I must admit, at first I was skeptical, but I enjoyed it. Anyway, just as we were about to end the game and go back inside, the girls drove by and threw TP and condoms and a bra and panties at us. They were planning to TP the house. I don't know why, but they were. Although they were unsuccessful, Louis spearheaded an effort to get back at the girls. He was really wanting to go, but the ideas were getting a little out of control so I had to stifle the revenge talk.
We got ours though. I placed a phone call to Jen warning her of what was to come. Apparently they spent a long time camped out in front of the windows waiting for our attack. Hahaha.
-----
Yesterday was the wedding of the century.
All the planning, stressing, worrying that went into the wedding paid off. The wedding went off without a hitch. It was emotional, beautiful and fun. I'm honored to have been a part of it. 'Nuff said.
-----
Future plans are fairly normal, sort of. By August I really want to start studying for my PE exam. I am only going to take the fucker once. At least I hope I only have to take it once.
Then there are plans for a second job perhaps. We'll see how my August promotion goes.
Also, by the end of September, I hope to be a Dual Citizen(USA and Portugal). An EU passport is a very good thing to have. So might as well.
-----
Going to bed now, good night.
6.09.2004
Two Hundred Thirty-Fourth Entry
Being pigeonholed at work is not necessarily a bad thing. You do become the go to guy, but it also opens the door to learn about other things and how your expertise and these other things are inter-related. That might not hold true in all fields, but it certainly does at my job.
Example: The other day at work, Dan, the transit guy (think buses), came to me because he knew that I was the unofficial ADA expert at work. He wanted to know what the ADA requirements for bus shelters were. That interaction with Dan also gave me the opportunity to find out more about the transit field of things (something that I would like to know more about).
But, there are the people(like my boss, Marcia) who say that if you have only one person in the office that is the only expert on a certain topic, you might as well get rid of that person because once they leave, there isn't anyone that knows anything about that topic. But nobody's getting fired. It's the government.
In any case, it's good to be needed. And when you need something from someone, they kind of owe you. Sweet.
There you go.
*****
I got a package today in the mail. Don't know why, I never expected it. I don't know how to take it.
Being pigeonholed at work is not necessarily a bad thing. You do become the go to guy, but it also opens the door to learn about other things and how your expertise and these other things are inter-related. That might not hold true in all fields, but it certainly does at my job.
Example: The other day at work, Dan, the transit guy (think buses), came to me because he knew that I was the unofficial ADA expert at work. He wanted to know what the ADA requirements for bus shelters were. That interaction with Dan also gave me the opportunity to find out more about the transit field of things (something that I would like to know more about).
But, there are the people(like my boss, Marcia) who say that if you have only one person in the office that is the only expert on a certain topic, you might as well get rid of that person because once they leave, there isn't anyone that knows anything about that topic. But nobody's getting fired. It's the government.
In any case, it's good to be needed. And when you need something from someone, they kind of owe you. Sweet.
There you go.
*****
I got a package today in the mail. Don't know why, I never expected it. I don't know how to take it.
6.08.2004
Two Hundred Thirty-Third Entry
In exactly 61 hours, I will be taking off in a Boeing 737-200 Jet heading for Las Vegas. Am I excited? You betcha!
Had dinner with Liberalina last night. I like spending time with her. For someone who has been through a lot of rough times in her life, she can still put on a happy face and have fun. I'm truly lucky to have someone like her in my life.
We went to the Black Bear Restaurant. I had Stuffed Chicken Breasts. It was reaaaaalllllly good. Liberalina had the same.
Had dinner at Tia Luisa's tonight. She cooks really good. Pork chops, cheesy broccoli, and tomato and onion salad. Mmmmmmmmmm. Afterwards we watched the Laker game. I left with about a minute left. I couldn't bear to watch the end. The Lakers were losing by 4. I thought it was over and didn't want to watch it. Too bad because Kobe nailed a three at the end of regulation and the game went into overtime. Shit. Lakers ended up winning. That would have been something to watch.
60.75 hours to go!!
In exactly 61 hours, I will be taking off in a Boeing 737-200 Jet heading for Las Vegas. Am I excited? You betcha!
Had dinner with Liberalina last night. I like spending time with her. For someone who has been through a lot of rough times in her life, she can still put on a happy face and have fun. I'm truly lucky to have someone like her in my life.
We went to the Black Bear Restaurant. I had Stuffed Chicken Breasts. It was reaaaaalllllly good. Liberalina had the same.
Had dinner at Tia Luisa's tonight. She cooks really good. Pork chops, cheesy broccoli, and tomato and onion salad. Mmmmmmmmmm. Afterwards we watched the Laker game. I left with about a minute left. I couldn't bear to watch the end. The Lakers were losing by 4. I thought it was over and didn't want to watch it. Too bad because Kobe nailed a three at the end of regulation and the game went into overtime. Shit. Lakers ended up winning. That would have been something to watch.
60.75 hours to go!!
6.05.2004
Two Hundred Thirty-Second Entry
I just watched a David and Victoria Beckham interview on Parkinson (British talkshow on BBC America). Victoria sang live. And she wasn't too bad. Her nickname for David is "Golden Balls". Hahahahahahaha.
As part of my I'm-at-home-by-myself-and-have-nothing-to-do Saturday, I have been perusing portuguese radio stations on the net. There is even one from the Azores. The top-40 stations I have come across are pretty good and are a mix between Z95.7(when it was around) and Capital FM from London. Me likey. There are also a lot of pure dance radio stations, which surprises me about Portugal.
Vacation itinerary (for those who don't know)
-Friday, June 11, 2004:
Depart SFO 12:00pm
Arrive LAS 1:25pm
-Sunday, June 13, 2004:
Depart LAS 11:22am
Arrive SFO 12:53pm
-Sunday, June 13, 2004:
Depart OAK 10:25pm
Arrive BOS 7:25am (Monday, June 14)
-Tuesday, June 15, 2004:
Depart BOS ~10:00pm
Arrive PDL ~6:00am (Wednesday, June 16)
-Wednesday, June 16, 2004:
Depart PDL ~7:00am
Arrive TER ~8:00am
-Monday, June 28, 2004:
Depart TER ~10:00am
Arrive OAK ~1:30pm
I don't know which leg of my trip I am most excited about. Probably Vegas cuz I've never been there. Love the Vegas. But both Boston and the Azores are very exciting. But for today, Vegas takes the lead. It's been a very fluid order of favs the past few weeks...
Ooooo...Kylie.
This coming week is going to be hectic. Must have everything for the trip in order by Thursday night when I go up to the Bay Area.
I just watched a David and Victoria Beckham interview on Parkinson (British talkshow on BBC America). Victoria sang live. And she wasn't too bad. Her nickname for David is "Golden Balls". Hahahahahahaha.
As part of my I'm-at-home-by-myself-and-have-nothing-to-do Saturday, I have been perusing portuguese radio stations on the net. There is even one from the Azores. The top-40 stations I have come across are pretty good and are a mix between Z95.7(when it was around) and Capital FM from London. Me likey. There are also a lot of pure dance radio stations, which surprises me about Portugal.
Vacation itinerary (for those who don't know)
-Friday, June 11, 2004:
Depart SFO 12:00pm
Arrive LAS 1:25pm
-Sunday, June 13, 2004:
Depart LAS 11:22am
Arrive SFO 12:53pm
-Sunday, June 13, 2004:
Depart OAK 10:25pm
Arrive BOS 7:25am (Monday, June 14)
-Tuesday, June 15, 2004:
Depart BOS ~10:00pm
Arrive PDL ~6:00am (Wednesday, June 16)
-Wednesday, June 16, 2004:
Depart PDL ~7:00am
Arrive TER ~8:00am
-Monday, June 28, 2004:
Depart TER ~10:00am
Arrive OAK ~1:30pm
I don't know which leg of my trip I am most excited about. Probably Vegas cuz I've never been there. Love the Vegas. But both Boston and the Azores are very exciting. But for today, Vegas takes the lead. It's been a very fluid order of favs the past few weeks...
Ooooo...Kylie.
This coming week is going to be hectic. Must have everything for the trip in order by Thursday night when I go up to the Bay Area.
Two Hundred Thirty-First Entry
Today was and is an excellent day. I had forgotten just how long it has been since I spent a day at home alone. I have just been soooo busy recently that I haven't had a chance to veg at home. It is so great. I love TV.
I went to Costco this morning and bought stuff for the Cantina at work. I also picked up dog food and potatoes for Paula.
I love vegging.
Today was and is an excellent day. I had forgotten just how long it has been since I spent a day at home alone. I have just been soooo busy recently that I haven't had a chance to veg at home. It is so great. I love TV.
I went to Costco this morning and bought stuff for the Cantina at work. I also picked up dog food and potatoes for Paula.
I love vegging.
6.03.2004
Two Hundred Thirtieth Entry
Have you ever been going full steam at something and once it's over it feels like the floor's dropped out from under you?
I ran out of work today. I have no more overtime worthy projects to work on. And just when I was sooooo close to getting enough OT for my trip.
I sent the last thing I was working on over to the drafters today. I turned around, ready to work on something else, but there was nothing else. At least until the drafters are finished with my request. I can't expect that for a while...they are really, really slow.
I was all set to work at least 11 hours this weekend, but that isn't going to happen. It's extremely frustrating.
Have you ever been going full steam at something and once it's over it feels like the floor's dropped out from under you?
I ran out of work today. I have no more overtime worthy projects to work on. And just when I was sooooo close to getting enough OT for my trip.
I sent the last thing I was working on over to the drafters today. I turned around, ready to work on something else, but there was nothing else. At least until the drafters are finished with my request. I can't expect that for a while...they are really, really slow.
I was all set to work at least 11 hours this weekend, but that isn't going to happen. It's extremely frustrating.
6.01.2004
Two Hundred Twenty-Ninth Entry
A very depressed day. Not feeling well, mentally. I can't pinpoint it.
I was this close to going to Best Buy and buying a $1200 camcorder (I tend to spend when I'm down), but I talked myself out of it and saved my credit card from eternal debt.
I need my upcoming vacation. I need to get away from my hell and breathe.
A very depressed day. Not feeling well, mentally. I can't pinpoint it.
I was this close to going to Best Buy and buying a $1200 camcorder (I tend to spend when I'm down), but I talked myself out of it and saved my credit card from eternal debt.
I need my upcoming vacation. I need to get away from my hell and breathe.
5.31.2004
Two Hundred Twenty-Eighth Entry
This weekend has been really fun.
I went to Cache Creek on Friday night with Louis, Jen and Lisa...just like old times. Much fun was had by all. I lost $70. It's all good though. I drank a few beers and watched Louis attempt to dance like the guys up on the stage. It was hilarious! No offense Louis...
Saturday was a Neira-Heystek wedding devoted day. I spent 6 hours in Pleasanton/Dublin getting fitted for a tuxedo and eating dinner. It was a lot of fun. Dinner was realllllly good...Macaroni Grill! I would tell you all about the tuxes, but I have been sworn to secrecy.
Saturday night, I went Karaoke with Amy, Jen and Lisa. Just like old times.... I love to Karaoke. I don't know why, I just do. And of course, there was the mandatory Wal Mart run afterwards.
Today I went to the movies with Amy. For as long as we have been going out, we have never been to a movie together. We went and saw "Saved" at the Shattuck Cinemas. It was a verrrrry good movie. Think of all the bible beaters and holy rollers and all the stereotypes involved and multiply by 12. It was sooooo funny!
After that, I came home and ate BBQ. Then I watched a couple movies with Rouja. It got to be 9:30 and I decided that I would go home early tomorrow morning. I really need to work tomorrow.
I called Amy at 10 tonight and I went over to her house. We hung out and I helped her write her paper.
And now I am home...it's 2:39, and 10 seconds...beep.
I'm not leaving early tomorrow.
And I'd like to give a shout out to Rouja.
And another shout out to Fred.
This weekend has been really fun.
I went to Cache Creek on Friday night with Louis, Jen and Lisa...just like old times. Much fun was had by all. I lost $70. It's all good though. I drank a few beers and watched Louis attempt to dance like the guys up on the stage. It was hilarious! No offense Louis...
Saturday was a Neira-Heystek wedding devoted day. I spent 6 hours in Pleasanton/Dublin getting fitted for a tuxedo and eating dinner. It was a lot of fun. Dinner was realllllly good...Macaroni Grill! I would tell you all about the tuxes, but I have been sworn to secrecy.
Saturday night, I went Karaoke with Amy, Jen and Lisa. Just like old times.... I love to Karaoke. I don't know why, I just do. And of course, there was the mandatory Wal Mart run afterwards.
Today I went to the movies with Amy. For as long as we have been going out, we have never been to a movie together. We went and saw "Saved" at the Shattuck Cinemas. It was a verrrrry good movie. Think of all the bible beaters and holy rollers and all the stereotypes involved and multiply by 12. It was sooooo funny!
After that, I came home and ate BBQ. Then I watched a couple movies with Rouja. It got to be 9:30 and I decided that I would go home early tomorrow morning. I really need to work tomorrow.
I called Amy at 10 tonight and I went over to her house. We hung out and I helped her write her paper.
And now I am home...it's 2:39, and 10 seconds...beep.
I'm not leaving early tomorrow.
And I'd like to give a shout out to Rouja.
And another shout out to Fred.
5.26.2004
5.18.2004
Two Hundred Twenty-Fifth Entry
Fantasia clearly won AI tonight. It'll be interesting to see who gets the boot tomorrow.
24 was awesome! Why haven't I watched the show before??
TV aside, I spoke with Amy tonight. I love talking with her. She watches the same shows I do...at least now she does. Hahaha.
After Amy and I ended our conversation, I became very pensive. A lot of things running through my head (could be the alcohol). Song worthy? Some of it, maybe.
Must go buy Jen's b-day prezzie tomorrow. Must check out backpack prices at Surplus City tomorrow too.
I asked my boss if I could work Memorial Day weekend and she said that it's OK. I can't work the whole day on Saturday due to ultra top secret plans. I really need to test my key before then to make sure it works.
I started up work again today on the project that is going to cause me the most headaches in the coming weeks. Jesus.
My boss today asked me a bizarre question. She asked me when I will become eligible for the Engineer II position. I told her I make 2 years in August. There is a position open for Traffic Engineer, but they are looking for either an E2 or 3. She said that if that job is still open come August, that I would be eligible. Then she added that she wasn't trying to run me off or anything. Interesting...it would only be a lateral move, but if I someday want to work for a city, traffic experience is definitely a plus.
Blas and his wife welcomed a new addition to their family on Sunday. Her name is, get this, Kylie Nichole Martinez. I nearly passed out when I read this. He came back to work today and I informed him that this daughters namesake is a sexy, slutty, amoral singer from Australia. He was less than pleased. I can't blame him especially since he is a strict (no secular TV or Radio) Pentecostal. I love spreading joy!!
I must admit though, I could see myself naming my kid Kylie. It's a cool name.
Credit Card Payoff Update:
17 months 'til payoff.
Good night!
Fantasia clearly won AI tonight. It'll be interesting to see who gets the boot tomorrow.
24 was awesome! Why haven't I watched the show before??
TV aside, I spoke with Amy tonight. I love talking with her. She watches the same shows I do...at least now she does. Hahaha.
After Amy and I ended our conversation, I became very pensive. A lot of things running through my head (could be the alcohol). Song worthy? Some of it, maybe.
Must go buy Jen's b-day prezzie tomorrow. Must check out backpack prices at Surplus City tomorrow too.
I asked my boss if I could work Memorial Day weekend and she said that it's OK. I can't work the whole day on Saturday due to ultra top secret plans. I really need to test my key before then to make sure it works.
I started up work again today on the project that is going to cause me the most headaches in the coming weeks. Jesus.
My boss today asked me a bizarre question. She asked me when I will become eligible for the Engineer II position. I told her I make 2 years in August. There is a position open for Traffic Engineer, but they are looking for either an E2 or 3. She said that if that job is still open come August, that I would be eligible. Then she added that she wasn't trying to run me off or anything. Interesting...it would only be a lateral move, but if I someday want to work for a city, traffic experience is definitely a plus.
Blas and his wife welcomed a new addition to their family on Sunday. Her name is, get this, Kylie Nichole Martinez. I nearly passed out when I read this. He came back to work today and I informed him that this daughters namesake is a sexy, slutty, amoral singer from Australia. He was less than pleased. I can't blame him especially since he is a strict (no secular TV or Radio) Pentecostal. I love spreading joy!!
I must admit though, I could see myself naming my kid Kylie. It's a cool name.
Credit Card Payoff Update:
17 months 'til payoff.
Good night!
5.16.2004
Two Hundred Twenty-Fourth Entry
It's hard to believe, but there are people at my work that care less about working there than I do.
I was supposed to work yesterday at the office and add 7 hours of comp time to my growing balance. Well...whoever was supposed to upgrade my passkey to a 24-7 key, forgot to do so. Mother fuckers.
So I lost 7 hours of comp time yesterday. That's alright. I made up for it with extra laziness and pizza.
No Alias tonight, but it's a new State of Play (BBC America show. Excellent political drama. Even better than West Wing.)
It's hard to believe, but there are people at my work that care less about working there than I do.
I was supposed to work yesterday at the office and add 7 hours of comp time to my growing balance. Well...whoever was supposed to upgrade my passkey to a 24-7 key, forgot to do so. Mother fuckers.
So I lost 7 hours of comp time yesterday. That's alright. I made up for it with extra laziness and pizza.
No Alias tonight, but it's a new State of Play (BBC America show. Excellent political drama. Even better than West Wing.)
5.13.2004
Two Hundred Twenty-Third Entry
As the President of Beers said, "It's a travi-sha-mockery!!"
The Series Finale of Frasier is coming up. The very first episode was on earlier...really funny! This is one show that I'm sorry I didn't follow from the beginning.
So far this week I have worked 3.5 hours overtime. Tomorrow I hope to work 2 hours, and then I want to try and work at least 6.5 hours on Saturday, bringing my total for the week to 12 hours of overtime. That translates to 18 hours of comp time leave. After this week, I'll only need 8.2 more hours of overtime to reach my original goal. But.....
Since the Neira-Heystek wedding is right after I get back from Portugal, I am going to try to get more comp time to take at least three days off for the wedding, the two days before and the day after. Very nice. I think I'll even try to work some more extra and actually get paid for the overtime.
As the President of Beers said, "It's a travi-sha-mockery!!"
The Series Finale of Frasier is coming up. The very first episode was on earlier...really funny! This is one show that I'm sorry I didn't follow from the beginning.
So far this week I have worked 3.5 hours overtime. Tomorrow I hope to work 2 hours, and then I want to try and work at least 6.5 hours on Saturday, bringing my total for the week to 12 hours of overtime. That translates to 18 hours of comp time leave. After this week, I'll only need 8.2 more hours of overtime to reach my original goal. But.....
Since the Neira-Heystek wedding is right after I get back from Portugal, I am going to try to get more comp time to take at least three days off for the wedding, the two days before and the day after. Very nice. I think I'll even try to work some more extra and actually get paid for the overtime.
5.12.2004
Two Hundred Twenty-Second Entry
It would have been one thing if La Toya absolutely sucked at her final song tonight and busted out in tears, but the fact that she held it together and sang soooo good made it all the more painful to watch her leave. Paula cried (and cried hard), Fantasia cried, Diana cried, and Jasmine cried (more tears of joy after giant-luckily avoiding the chop, the evil Hawaiian bitch).
Unbelievable.
It would have been one thing if La Toya absolutely sucked at her final song tonight and busted out in tears, but the fact that she held it together and sang soooo good made it all the more painful to watch her leave. Paula cried (and cried hard), Fantasia cried, Diana cried, and Jasmine cried (more tears of joy after giant-luckily avoiding the chop, the evil Hawaiian bitch).
Unbelievable.
Two Hundred Twenty-First Entry
I can't believe it. I just can't believe it.
That little Hawaiian flower bitch is safe this week. And who makes the sacrifice? LATOYA!!
I can't believe America is so stupid to vote off LaToya. I thought she could have won the competition...easily.
Goddammit! Goddammit!!
I'm not pissed though, it would be silly to get upset over a dumb TV show....I can't wait for Big Brother to start.
I got the official OK to work Saturday and catch up on a lot of stuff that really needs to get done. I even got my pass-key upgraded to a 24/7 key. I could go there at 3am, if I wanted. Sweet.
I also found out today that there is a locker room in the downstairs bathroom. I checked it out and it was pretty cool. There are two shower stalls where there could easily be eight, 15 lockers, a bench, and a little nook with a mirror, exercise bike and barbell. It's not a full gym and I guess it used to be a lot bigger. But I can definitely see myself working out in the morning and taking a shower at work. It would save me tons of time. There is only one locker left, so I will have to find out how to secure one.
I'm ready to boycott AI.
I can't believe it. I just can't believe it.
That little Hawaiian flower bitch is safe this week. And who makes the sacrifice? LATOYA!!
I can't believe America is so stupid to vote off LaToya. I thought she could have won the competition...easily.
Goddammit! Goddammit!!
I'm not pissed though, it would be silly to get upset over a dumb TV show....I can't wait for Big Brother to start.
I got the official OK to work Saturday and catch up on a lot of stuff that really needs to get done. I even got my pass-key upgraded to a 24/7 key. I could go there at 3am, if I wanted. Sweet.
I also found out today that there is a locker room in the downstairs bathroom. I checked it out and it was pretty cool. There are two shower stalls where there could easily be eight, 15 lockers, a bench, and a little nook with a mirror, exercise bike and barbell. It's not a full gym and I guess it used to be a lot bigger. But I can definitely see myself working out in the morning and taking a shower at work. It would save me tons of time. There is only one locker left, so I will have to find out how to secure one.
I'm ready to boycott AI.
5.11.2004
Two Hundred Twentieth Entry
Diana clearly won the night tonight on American Idol. Will vote 7 for her and 3 for LaToya.
Bad news at work today. The traffic engineer got pissed at his boss and moved to the flood control position that has been vacant for almost a year. That is where the bulk of my extra work these next few weeks was supposed to come from. And I found out today that another big project I was to work on is being taken out of its parent contract. I was going to suggest that I work overtime this weekend to help meet the deadlines, but now I have nothing. What a piece. There are only so many crosswords you can do for overtime.
Semi-good news at work today. The county deposited my check into my account twice. Very rare! Half the county employees got paid twice, while the other half got nothing. I just happened to be in the better half.
God! 24 is good tonight!!
Diana clearly won the night tonight on American Idol. Will vote 7 for her and 3 for LaToya.
Bad news at work today. The traffic engineer got pissed at his boss and moved to the flood control position that has been vacant for almost a year. That is where the bulk of my extra work these next few weeks was supposed to come from. And I found out today that another big project I was to work on is being taken out of its parent contract. I was going to suggest that I work overtime this weekend to help meet the deadlines, but now I have nothing. What a piece. There are only so many crosswords you can do for overtime.
Semi-good news at work today. The county deposited my check into my account twice. Very rare! Half the county employees got paid twice, while the other half got nothing. I just happened to be in the better half.
God! 24 is good tonight!!
5.10.2004
Two Hundred Nineteenth Entry
I got my reimbursement check from my Sacramento conference. All seven hundred sixty-eight dollars and forty cents. I went straight to the bank right after work and paid my rent. And now I have 93 bucks left for the rest of the week. And...I get my regular check tomorrow! Excellent. I smell big payment to credit cards.
I looked at my last statement and I noticed that the last time I used my credit card was April 8th, when I was in Sacramento. Wow, I am amazed at my discipline. I won't chop them up yet, but once this summer is over I will probably have enough of a cushion in my checking account to not have to worry about having to use a credit card. Until then, they will remain in one piece.
That's pretty much all I have to say.
Oh yeah. I went and flew kites with Dalila, Georgia and Shaley. It was really windy today here. It was a lot of fun.
I got my reimbursement check from my Sacramento conference. All seven hundred sixty-eight dollars and forty cents. I went straight to the bank right after work and paid my rent. And now I have 93 bucks left for the rest of the week. And...I get my regular check tomorrow! Excellent. I smell big payment to credit cards.
I looked at my last statement and I noticed that the last time I used my credit card was April 8th, when I was in Sacramento. Wow, I am amazed at my discipline. I won't chop them up yet, but once this summer is over I will probably have enough of a cushion in my checking account to not have to worry about having to use a credit card. Until then, they will remain in one piece.
That's pretty much all I have to say.
Oh yeah. I went and flew kites with Dalila, Georgia and Shaley. It was really windy today here. It was a lot of fun.
5.09.2004
Two Hundred Eighteenth Entry
I had a really fun weekend. It was full of family, friends and surprises. Very good. Disappointment: No "oke"(karaoke).
Birthday present ideas/rules:
-Money (checks, not cash)
-Anything with a gift receipt (so I can return it for cash)
-No gift cards!
So yeah, if you are going to get me anything, please take the above ideas/rules into consideration. I am on a severe get-rid-of-debt kick and want money to help me with that. Of course thought counts, and if you were planning on getting anything for me for my birthday, you can write it on a piece of paper and wrap it around my birthday check.
I had a really fun weekend. It was full of family, friends and surprises. Very good. Disappointment: No "oke"(karaoke).
Birthday present ideas/rules:
-Money (checks, not cash)
-Anything with a gift receipt (so I can return it for cash)
-No gift cards!
So yeah, if you are going to get me anything, please take the above ideas/rules into consideration. I am on a severe get-rid-of-debt kick and want money to help me with that. Of course thought counts, and if you were planning on getting anything for me for my birthday, you can write it on a piece of paper and wrap it around my birthday check.
5.07.2004
5.06.2004
Two Hundred Sixteenth Entry
"Friends" tonight was a classic. I laughed, I cried. It was the perfect way to end the series. I doubt "Joey" will be as good.
I've only worked 2 hours of overtime this week.
Total comp time thus far: 15.05 hours.
Total comp time needed: 47.50 hours.
Comp time needed: 32.45 hours.
And that means that I need to work another 21.7 hours of overtime to make up all the time I need to get paid during my vacation. A little extra wouldn't hurt either.
I am planning on working 3 hours overtime tomorrow which would bring my overtime needed down to 18.7 hours, and my comp time needed down to 28.05 hours. The good thing is, that all the stuff that was supposed to be done this week, hasn't been done. Next week will be hell. I'm still waiting on 5 more curb and gutter surveys too. Ai ai ai! Not to mention the Richgrove Alleys that I need to complete, and all the official grades I need to set. Triple ai ai ai!
"Friends" tonight was a classic. I laughed, I cried. It was the perfect way to end the series. I doubt "Joey" will be as good.
I've only worked 2 hours of overtime this week.
Total comp time thus far: 15.05 hours.
Total comp time needed: 47.50 hours.
Comp time needed: 32.45 hours.
And that means that I need to work another 21.7 hours of overtime to make up all the time I need to get paid during my vacation. A little extra wouldn't hurt either.
I am planning on working 3 hours overtime tomorrow which would bring my overtime needed down to 18.7 hours, and my comp time needed down to 28.05 hours. The good thing is, that all the stuff that was supposed to be done this week, hasn't been done. Next week will be hell. I'm still waiting on 5 more curb and gutter surveys too. Ai ai ai! Not to mention the Richgrove Alleys that I need to complete, and all the official grades I need to set. Triple ai ai ai!
4.28.2004
Two Hundred Fifteenth Entry
WooHoo!!! John, The Red-Headed Stepchild, Stevens got voted off AI! There is justice in this world.
I was driving home tonight, and as I drove over the freeway, I saw a giant brush fire behind some houses. It first I thought it could have been a controlled burn, but then I remembered that you can't do that within city limits. Duh! I drove by it and it was really cool. There were people running around all over the place. The TCFD hadn't even got there yet. It had just started. I drove up to it and watched it for a minute. I wish I had my camera with me. As I was leaving, the FD was rollin' in. When I got home, I ran up stairs to see if I could see it from my window(the fire is about a quarter mile from my house) but I couldn't. Too many trees in the way. Oh well.
I got a cool new cubicle organizer for my office today. It cost the County about $100, but its worth it. I've been needing more surfaces for my crap to spread to.
I vacuumed my living room today, and I hated every minute of it. Vacuuming is the one household chore that I absolutely detest doing. Not that I enjoy doing housework, but... you know what I mean.
I've been trying to write a song for the last few days. For those of you who don't know...
squiggly lines
Way back a few years ago, Jen and I were both into playing guitar (her more than me) and excited about making music. Lisa got in on the action and became our songwriter. Jen and I (and possibly Lisa...can't remember due to neo-band drug phase) made a pact to have a legitimate band by the time we turned 28.
squiggly lines
Come May 21st, 2004, we will have exactly 2 years to do this. In true Gemini form (I can't say this for Jen...she's a cusper) I have put it off and kind of lost interest in it...blah. Well, this week I have made an effort to write down my lyrical thoughts and make them rhyme. It's hard. I keep thinking about Eddie on AbFab when she is instructed by her "life coach" to write a pop song...."Hey baby...I'm drivin' down the road....lookin' at the bicycles....lookin' at the birds and people walkin' on by..." I try, but the words aren't there. I have had some really interesting ideas, but the words just aren't there. And you just can't write songs about Civil Engineering. "Hey baby...I'm drivin' down the road...checkin' out the superelevation of the curve...lookin' at the curb and gutter grade...starin' at the structural columns of the bridge..." Nno.
WooHoo!!! John, The Red-Headed Stepchild, Stevens got voted off AI! There is justice in this world.
I was driving home tonight, and as I drove over the freeway, I saw a giant brush fire behind some houses. It first I thought it could have been a controlled burn, but then I remembered that you can't do that within city limits. Duh! I drove by it and it was really cool. There were people running around all over the place. The TCFD hadn't even got there yet. It had just started. I drove up to it and watched it for a minute. I wish I had my camera with me. As I was leaving, the FD was rollin' in. When I got home, I ran up stairs to see if I could see it from my window(the fire is about a quarter mile from my house) but I couldn't. Too many trees in the way. Oh well.
I got a cool new cubicle organizer for my office today. It cost the County about $100, but its worth it. I've been needing more surfaces for my crap to spread to.
I vacuumed my living room today, and I hated every minute of it. Vacuuming is the one household chore that I absolutely detest doing. Not that I enjoy doing housework, but... you know what I mean.
I've been trying to write a song for the last few days. For those of you who don't know...
squiggly lines
Way back a few years ago, Jen and I were both into playing guitar (her more than me) and excited about making music. Lisa got in on the action and became our songwriter. Jen and I (and possibly Lisa...can't remember due to neo-band drug phase) made a pact to have a legitimate band by the time we turned 28.
squiggly lines
Come May 21st, 2004, we will have exactly 2 years to do this. In true Gemini form (I can't say this for Jen...she's a cusper) I have put it off and kind of lost interest in it...blah. Well, this week I have made an effort to write down my lyrical thoughts and make them rhyme. It's hard. I keep thinking about Eddie on AbFab when she is instructed by her "life coach" to write a pop song...."Hey baby...I'm drivin' down the road....lookin' at the bicycles....lookin' at the birds and people walkin' on by..." I try, but the words aren't there. I have had some really interesting ideas, but the words just aren't there. And you just can't write songs about Civil Engineering. "Hey baby...I'm drivin' down the road...checkin' out the superelevation of the curve...lookin' at the curb and gutter grade...starin' at the structural columns of the bridge..." Nno.
4.25.2004
Two Hundred Fourteenth Entry
I'm still upset Jennifer Hudson was voted off Idol. Stupid John Stevens.
As most of you know already, I am going to Portugal in June. I knew my family was going before Easter. I told everyone that I would not be able to go due to time/vacation time restraints. But, in true Toste family style, I was persuaded to go by means of which I cannot mention for fear of persecution.
So yeah:
June 11th (noon) - Fly to Vegas from SFO w/Louis
June 13th (11:30am) - Fly back from Vegas to SFO w/Louis
June 13th (10:30pm) - Fly to Boston from Oakland by myself
June 14th (7:30am) - Get to Boston from Oakland
June 15th (~10pm) - Fly from Boston to Azores w/family
June 28th (~10am) - Fly from Azores directly to Oakland w/brothers.
It's going to be a very busy few weeks. And I would normally need 84 hours of leave to pull it off.
The Mechanics
I don't have enough vacate(I watched Legally Blonde yesterday) to be gone for two weeks. So, a combination of sick leave(the Friday we leave for Vegas), vacation(24.5 hours by the time we leave), comp time(4.55 hours to date), personal holiday(8 hours I can take whenever), a leave of absence and patient/compassionate management at work allows me to be gone for this vacate. In an effort to reduce my leave without pay, Marcia has very generously offered me the opportunity to work overtime. For every hour I work overtime, I get 1.5 hours of comp time(it's basically vacation time). So:
4 hours of sick leave
+
24.5 hours of vacation
+
8 hours of personal holiday
=
36.50 hours of leave
84 hours needed
-
36.50 hours of leave
=
47.50 hours of extra leave needed (i.e. comp time)
Now, another thing I forgot to mention is that any request for personal leave of absence where I would be gone for more than 40 hours would need to be approved by the head of personnel at the courthouse. That's where the comp time comes in.
47.50 hours of comp time needed
-
4.55 hours of comp time
=
42.95 hours of comp time needed
/
1.5 hours of leave per hour of overtime
=
28.7 hours of overtime
I need to work 28.7 hours of overtime if I want to get paid during the vacate. That amounts to about 4 hours every week from now til then. It just so happens that we have an absolutely giant pile of work to do at work. We are all working under the gun right now. I don't think I will have any trouble making up a big chunk of the time needed for the vacate. And hopefully I will be able to work a little more comp time than I actually need.
In other news.
I bought a bunch of cinder blocks and pine boards and am going to make a coffee table. It's white trash furniture, according to Louis. But all the things cost me $32. And I've got some cool ideas to make it decent looking.
I'm still upset Jennifer Hudson was voted off Idol. Stupid John Stevens.
As most of you know already, I am going to Portugal in June. I knew my family was going before Easter. I told everyone that I would not be able to go due to time/vacation time restraints. But, in true Toste family style, I was persuaded to go by means of which I cannot mention for fear of persecution.
So yeah:
June 11th (noon) - Fly to Vegas from SFO w/Louis
June 13th (11:30am) - Fly back from Vegas to SFO w/Louis
June 13th (10:30pm) - Fly to Boston from Oakland by myself
June 14th (7:30am) - Get to Boston from Oakland
June 15th (~10pm) - Fly from Boston to Azores w/family
June 28th (~10am) - Fly from Azores directly to Oakland w/brothers.
It's going to be a very busy few weeks. And I would normally need 84 hours of leave to pull it off.
The Mechanics
I don't have enough vacate(I watched Legally Blonde yesterday) to be gone for two weeks. So, a combination of sick leave(the Friday we leave for Vegas), vacation(24.5 hours by the time we leave), comp time(4.55 hours to date), personal holiday(8 hours I can take whenever), a leave of absence and patient/compassionate management at work allows me to be gone for this vacate. In an effort to reduce my leave without pay, Marcia has very generously offered me the opportunity to work overtime. For every hour I work overtime, I get 1.5 hours of comp time(it's basically vacation time). So:
4 hours of sick leave
+
24.5 hours of vacation
+
8 hours of personal holiday
=
36.50 hours of leave
84 hours needed
-
36.50 hours of leave
=
47.50 hours of extra leave needed (i.e. comp time)
Now, another thing I forgot to mention is that any request for personal leave of absence where I would be gone for more than 40 hours would need to be approved by the head of personnel at the courthouse. That's where the comp time comes in.
47.50 hours of comp time needed
-
4.55 hours of comp time
=
42.95 hours of comp time needed
/
1.5 hours of leave per hour of overtime
=
28.7 hours of overtime
I need to work 28.7 hours of overtime if I want to get paid during the vacate. That amounts to about 4 hours every week from now til then. It just so happens that we have an absolutely giant pile of work to do at work. We are all working under the gun right now. I don't think I will have any trouble making up a big chunk of the time needed for the vacate. And hopefully I will be able to work a little more comp time than I actually need.
In other news.
I bought a bunch of cinder blocks and pine boards and am going to make a coffee table. It's white trash furniture, according to Louis. But all the things cost me $32. And I've got some cool ideas to make it decent looking.
4.15.2004
Two Hundred Thirteenth Entry
It has been a while since I wrote a blog.
Last week was the California ADA Conference, referred to as the Curb Ramp Carnival at my office. I learned a lot of things about the accessibility issues facing disabled Californians. It was a good conference, and I learned a lot.
I was up north all last week for the conference and Easter. I missed a lot at work.
This week has been really stressful. There is going to be a lot of voluntary and possibly some manditory overtime at work. Not that I mind getting Comp Time (for every hour worked over time, we get 1.5 hours of paid leave), but it's kind of a nuisance.
***Newsflash*** Jon Peter Lewis was voted off of American Idol tonight. I thought for sure Diana was going this week.
It has been a while since I wrote a blog.
Last week was the California ADA Conference, referred to as the Curb Ramp Carnival at my office. I learned a lot of things about the accessibility issues facing disabled Californians. It was a good conference, and I learned a lot.
I was up north all last week for the conference and Easter. I missed a lot at work.
This week has been really stressful. There is going to be a lot of voluntary and possibly some manditory overtime at work. Not that I mind getting Comp Time (for every hour worked over time, we get 1.5 hours of paid leave), but it's kind of a nuisance.
***Newsflash*** Jon Peter Lewis was voted off of American Idol tonight. I thought for sure Diana was going this week.
3.31.2004
Two Hundred Twelfth Entry
Out the door just in time
Headin' down the 405
Gotta meet the new boss by 8 am
The phone rings in the car
The wife is workin' hard
She's runnin' late tonight again
Well, I know what I've been told,
You got to work to feed the soul
But I can't do this all on my own
No, I know, I'm no Superman
I'm no Superman
You've got your love online
You think you're doing fine
But you're just plugged into the wall
And that deck of tarot cards
Won't get you very far
There ain't no hand to break your fall
Well, I know what I've been told
You gotta know just when to fold
But I can't do this all on my own
No, I know, I'm no Superman
I'm no Superman
That's right
You've crossed the finish line
Won the race but lost your mind
Was it worth it after all
I need you here with me
Cause love is all we need
Just take a hold of the hand that breaks the fall
Well I know what I've been told
Gotta break free to break the mold
But I can't do this all on my own
No, I can't do this all on my own
I know that I'm no Superman
I'm no Superman
I'm No Superman
by: Lazlo Bane
Out the door just in time
Headin' down the 405
Gotta meet the new boss by 8 am
The phone rings in the car
The wife is workin' hard
She's runnin' late tonight again
Well, I know what I've been told,
You got to work to feed the soul
But I can't do this all on my own
No, I know, I'm no Superman
I'm no Superman
You've got your love online
You think you're doing fine
But you're just plugged into the wall
And that deck of tarot cards
Won't get you very far
There ain't no hand to break your fall
Well, I know what I've been told
You gotta know just when to fold
But I can't do this all on my own
No, I know, I'm no Superman
I'm no Superman
That's right
You've crossed the finish line
Won the race but lost your mind
Was it worth it after all
I need you here with me
Cause love is all we need
Just take a hold of the hand that breaks the fall
Well I know what I've been told
Gotta break free to break the mold
But I can't do this all on my own
No, I can't do this all on my own
I know that I'm no Superman
I'm no Superman
I'm No Superman
by: Lazlo Bane
3.28.2004
Two Hundred Eleventh Entry
Amy was down this weekend. We had lots of fun. Much eating, TV and farting around was had by all.
I am sooo excited about going home next Friday. Less excited about the conference in Sacramento on Tuesday. Meeting new people. Hmmmph! And then excited about coming back to SL on Thursday. And less excited about going back to work the following Monday.
Oh yeah, did I tell y'all that I'm going to a conference next week? Yeah. The "California ADA Conference". It's in Sacramento. I'm staying at the Best Western Hotel. I am excited about learning all kinds of things about ADA and cementing myself as the "Curb Ramp Czar" at work, but I am not excited about everything else a conference means, mainly meeting a bunch of people. Scary.
So yeah, if enough people are interested, I am open to having a hotel party in my room. I will be there Monday night through Wednesday night. I'm certain that noone will take me up on that offer, but it would be fun, and I thought I'd throw the idea out there.
Amy was down this weekend. We had lots of fun. Much eating, TV and farting around was had by all.
I am sooo excited about going home next Friday. Less excited about the conference in Sacramento on Tuesday. Meeting new people. Hmmmph! And then excited about coming back to SL on Thursday. And less excited about going back to work the following Monday.
Oh yeah, did I tell y'all that I'm going to a conference next week? Yeah. The "California ADA Conference". It's in Sacramento. I'm staying at the Best Western Hotel. I am excited about learning all kinds of things about ADA and cementing myself as the "Curb Ramp Czar" at work, but I am not excited about everything else a conference means, mainly meeting a bunch of people. Scary.
So yeah, if enough people are interested, I am open to having a hotel party in my room. I will be there Monday night through Wednesday night. I'm certain that noone will take me up on that offer, but it would be fun, and I thought I'd throw the idea out there.
3.24.2004
Two Hundred Tenth Entry
It has been a long, long time since I wrote in my blog. A lot has happened since my last entry:
Trip to the Coast
I went to the Coast a couple of weekends ago. I went with my cousin Igo and his friend David. It was a lot of fun. We went to SLO, Cal Poly, Pismo, Montana de Oro, Santa Maria and everywhere in between. We ate until we nearly exploded at Krispy Kreme, Margies and Woodstocks. It was a great day.
Amy Visit
Amy came to Tulare this weekend. We had a lot of fun. I didn't realize how much I missed her until I saw her actually drive up to my house. She's coming again this weekend.
Wisdom Extraction
I had the Friday from hell last week. I locked myself out of my house, spent an hour trying to break in, had a wisdom tooth pulled, took my grandma to the doctor, suffered from unbelievable pain that I'm sure is worse than childbirth, did 6 loads of laundry, I put away 6 loads of laundry, and cleaned my house. My wisdom tooth-hole still hurts and I am taking about 4 Motrin's a day.
Death of a Dream
I found out yesterday that I am not eligible to sit for the PE exam this October. I have to sit for it April 2005. I have to wait until at least July 2005 to quit my job. I am so sick of it. I am motivated more than ever to get a second job.
Rubber Checks
I bounced a record 5 checks this month. Fucking 24-Hour Fitness takes their money out at the most inconvenient times.
Idol Madness
I have yet to miss an episode of American Idol. I am officially addicted. I am pulling for Diana DeGarmo. I'm glad Matt got eliminated this week.
That catches you all up.
It has been a long, long time since I wrote in my blog. A lot has happened since my last entry:
Trip to the Coast
I went to the Coast a couple of weekends ago. I went with my cousin Igo and his friend David. It was a lot of fun. We went to SLO, Cal Poly, Pismo, Montana de Oro, Santa Maria and everywhere in between. We ate until we nearly exploded at Krispy Kreme, Margies and Woodstocks. It was a great day.
Amy Visit
Amy came to Tulare this weekend. We had a lot of fun. I didn't realize how much I missed her until I saw her actually drive up to my house. She's coming again this weekend.
Wisdom Extraction
I had the Friday from hell last week. I locked myself out of my house, spent an hour trying to break in, had a wisdom tooth pulled, took my grandma to the doctor, suffered from unbelievable pain that I'm sure is worse than childbirth, did 6 loads of laundry, I put away 6 loads of laundry, and cleaned my house. My wisdom tooth-hole still hurts and I am taking about 4 Motrin's a day.
Death of a Dream
I found out yesterday that I am not eligible to sit for the PE exam this October. I have to sit for it April 2005. I have to wait until at least July 2005 to quit my job. I am so sick of it. I am motivated more than ever to get a second job.
Rubber Checks
I bounced a record 5 checks this month. Fucking 24-Hour Fitness takes their money out at the most inconvenient times.
Idol Madness
I have yet to miss an episode of American Idol. I am officially addicted. I am pulling for Diana DeGarmo. I'm glad Matt got eliminated this week.
That catches you all up.
3.08.2004
Two Hundred Ninth Entry
This weekend was extremely fun. It was a weekend of food, family, friends, campfires, food, snow, hiking, food...
Friday night we got to the cabin at about 7pm. We unloaded and hung out by the fire. We ate a dinner of hot dogs and chili. Delicious. For dessert, we had strawberry covered cheesecake. It was Igo's birthday on Thursday, so we lit a Jesus candle and sang him Happy Birthday. He turned 17. After dinner, we sat in the cabin and lounged/talked. We played "Light as a Feather". Lisa and Igo levitated! We figured out the sleeping arrangements and went to bed.
Saturday morning I woke up at 5:30am. I was out of the cabin by 6am. I was the only one awake. I decided to hike down to the creek by myself. It was a very tough hike. I was dying the whole way down and back up. At the creek I accidentally nearly completely fell in. My foot was soaked.
I went up and saw that Tia and Debbie were awake already. They were taking the dogs for a walk. Tia started the fire and we sat around. Everyone got up soon there after. We drank hot chocolate and talked around the fire. The sun behind us was welcome warmth.
We ate a breakfast of "vegelated" eggs and flank steak. It was sooooo good!
Afterwards, Jen, Lisa and I went down to Glenville to buy beer, trashbags and a newspaper. Very expense! On the way back, we took a detour to Sugarloaf and loaded up my truck bed with a ton of snow. When we got back we had a snow fight and lots of snow fun.
By mid afternoon, Jen wanted to go fishing. So we went. We didn't catch anything. We didn't even see any fish in the clear creek, but nevermind. It was fun to just sit around and cast the line in.
We had lunch at about 5pm. It was meatloaf and it was soooooo good! I don't normally care too much for meatloaf, but I love Debbie's version of it. Paula's is a close second. :)
We sat around the fire more and talked. Roasted Marshmallows and stuff like that.
Dinner consisted of Tia's World Famous 10 Veggie Chicken Soup. It cooked for over 8 hours. It was sooooo good! It was even better when I added Cilantro, Sour Cream and Wine. Mmmmmmmmmmm.
We all crashed pretty early (around 9pm).
Sunday morning I awoke at 5am and went to the bathroom. I could barely see anything. I was going into the bathroom and Jen kicked me. She was awake too! I did my business and went back to bed. I couldn't sleep anymore so I listened to my mp3 player. When it got more light outside, I got dressed and went outside. Tia followed shortly thereafter. We started the fire and put the soup on.
Soup for breakfast. It was even better the second day.
We played a little frisbee and catch later. Then it was time to pack up.
We packed up and hung out for another hour enjoying the silence and serenity. It was almost sad to leave.
Thanks to Debbie, Tia, Igo, David, Jen and Lisa for making it a great weekend.
I intend on going back up there again. It's only an hour and a half away from here. Lots of fun.
This weekend was extremely fun. It was a weekend of food, family, friends, campfires, food, snow, hiking, food...
Friday night we got to the cabin at about 7pm. We unloaded and hung out by the fire. We ate a dinner of hot dogs and chili. Delicious. For dessert, we had strawberry covered cheesecake. It was Igo's birthday on Thursday, so we lit a Jesus candle and sang him Happy Birthday. He turned 17. After dinner, we sat in the cabin and lounged/talked. We played "Light as a Feather". Lisa and Igo levitated! We figured out the sleeping arrangements and went to bed.
Saturday morning I woke up at 5:30am. I was out of the cabin by 6am. I was the only one awake. I decided to hike down to the creek by myself. It was a very tough hike. I was dying the whole way down and back up. At the creek I accidentally nearly completely fell in. My foot was soaked.
I went up and saw that Tia and Debbie were awake already. They were taking the dogs for a walk. Tia started the fire and we sat around. Everyone got up soon there after. We drank hot chocolate and talked around the fire. The sun behind us was welcome warmth.
We ate a breakfast of "vegelated" eggs and flank steak. It was sooooo good!
Afterwards, Jen, Lisa and I went down to Glenville to buy beer, trashbags and a newspaper. Very expense! On the way back, we took a detour to Sugarloaf and loaded up my truck bed with a ton of snow. When we got back we had a snow fight and lots of snow fun.
By mid afternoon, Jen wanted to go fishing. So we went. We didn't catch anything. We didn't even see any fish in the clear creek, but nevermind. It was fun to just sit around and cast the line in.
We had lunch at about 5pm. It was meatloaf and it was soooooo good! I don't normally care too much for meatloaf, but I love Debbie's version of it. Paula's is a close second. :)
We sat around the fire more and talked. Roasted Marshmallows and stuff like that.
Dinner consisted of Tia's World Famous 10 Veggie Chicken Soup. It cooked for over 8 hours. It was sooooo good! It was even better when I added Cilantro, Sour Cream and Wine. Mmmmmmmmmmm.
We all crashed pretty early (around 9pm).
Sunday morning I awoke at 5am and went to the bathroom. I could barely see anything. I was going into the bathroom and Jen kicked me. She was awake too! I did my business and went back to bed. I couldn't sleep anymore so I listened to my mp3 player. When it got more light outside, I got dressed and went outside. Tia followed shortly thereafter. We started the fire and put the soup on.
Soup for breakfast. It was even better the second day.
We played a little frisbee and catch later. Then it was time to pack up.
We packed up and hung out for another hour enjoying the silence and serenity. It was almost sad to leave.
Thanks to Debbie, Tia, Igo, David, Jen and Lisa for making it a great weekend.
I intend on going back up there again. It's only an hour and a half away from here. Lots of fun.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)