"That middle east situation....." written by Mrmike on estrip.org

Category: the world

07/17/06 12:01 - 77ºF - ID#29560

That middle east situation.....

Permalink: That_middle_east_situation_.html
Words: 2
Location: Buffalo, NY

07/16/06 08:49 - 79ºF - ID#29559

"I'm really miserable, San Diego!"

Milk was a bad choice....

Nah, not another self-pitying post. I come to you, dear reader, in praise of pool side pizza and beverage on a Friday night. The look on the lifegard's face was worth it. After depositing my eldest at a get together, the other two and I headed for the Holiday inn pool on Delaware to attempt to cool off. While still on the 290, I had my industrious 12 year old get on the phone and order up a chicken sausauge pizza from Just Pizza and have it delivered to the pool. If you've never been there, there are a bunch of tables outside the pool. We commandeered one. I unpacked my stuff included coop pop just as the delivery guy appeared at the gate.

Much to both my own amusement and those of other pool folks, I paid the delivery dude and took our dinner to the table where the three of us chowed down. Lifeguard strolls over, with "You really shouldn't have it delivered here. You can bring it, but you can't have it delivered."

I being me would have usually said something like "worked pretty good this time," but this time settled for a promise to not to do it again and an offer of a slice.

A kind word and a slice will indeed get you far. Was so pleased with my self, I cleared as the kids were first ones in the pool. I was a rotten egg but for once it was okay.

All praises to (e:Springfaerie)'s post -- I took that to heart and am ready for another round of cable foolishness on Monday.

"Bring it on, beeches!"

Permalink: _quot_I_m_really_miserable_San_Diego_quot_.html
Words: 278
Location: Buffalo, NY

07/14/06 09:37 - 82ºF - ID#29558

I'm sorry

I apologize, estrippers. My past few posts have been of the whining variety about the state of work, when it is just a damn job. It's been a tough week and the places I can count on for sympathetic ears have been seemingly few and far between. I'll bring the shopping list of all the new free on demand channels monday -- that actually is cool.

I appreciate the strip wide indulgence.

metalpeter writes at 07:12:51 07/17/06 - Comment #10013: I think it is good that you I forgot the exact word you said so I'll say grumble on (e:strip). The reason being is that if we read the post and don't feal like hearing or would that be reading it then we can skip onto another post, but people at work don't really have that option. It is healther to both you and the people that you work with that you get rid of your frustrations here. I know from personal work experance that sometimes if you complain about stuff at work it can become a cycle ( and even though a lot of the time they are verry legit and good points) then people start to look at you as a complainer. I know there is someone at work who I thought was preaty cool and that I liked but it seemed to me that instead of adressing her issues with her boss that she was complaining to us. It wasn't that she wanted sympthy (us guys often get that wrong) she just wanted someone to listen to her or hear that. I'm not saying that there is anything wrong with complaining. People get the shit end of the stick all the time and if you are that person then it really sucks. My genreal point was that e;strip is a great place to vent and that it is a better place to vent then at work. However things that are important at work should still be brought up at work, in a professional way. I wish you the best of luck with all the changes and all the crazzyness that I'm sure will insue.

theecarey writes at 11:45:48 07/14/06 - Comment #9942: bah, this work situation seriously sucks. You have an outlet here for venting, whining (I still dont think its whining) and freaking out as needed. This is your place to do it, so I am with (e:leetee) --you've got nothing to apologize for!!

And you'll figure it out. End one chapter and start another; opportunities arise from all sorts of situations.

semper gumbi, friend.

leetee writes at 10:45:57 07/14/06 - Comment #9939: Dude, you got nothing to apologize for, if you ask me (not that you were, but when have i ever been one to shut up?). It is, after all, your journal. We don't complain about the millions of pictues of (e:Paul) 's lunch, now do we? *grin*

Permalink: I_m_sorry.html
Words: 72
Location: Buffalo, NY

07/14/06 03:52 - 87ºF - ID#29557

This just flat out blows.....

Organizational meeting today in front of about 20 people. We each had to introduce ourselves to the new vp. After the round table completed, he made some introductory remarks. He gestured to his new monkey boy, "This is xxxxxxxxxxx, he'll be taking Michael's (me) position."

The meeting went on for another 45 minutes. I didn't hear any of it. I knew it was coming but to hear it stated that way made me feel like shit. I can imagine monkey boy was a little uncomfortable too, but I could have cared less. Shit like that makes you wonder about attention spans. Half the people in the meeting were sales reps. 3 of which HAD to stop me after the meeting search for more beef on me (there is none).

It would have been against all laws of corporate behavior, manhood in general, and what not to go to my desk, put my head down and cry a little, but an two hours later I don't have much energy for much else.

Check my title, this both sucks and blows.

Permalink: This_just_flat_out_blows_.html
Words: 176
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: family stuff

07/09/06 07:51 - 78ºF - ID#29556

Aunt Lizzie died today

My aunt Lizzie passed away this afternoon. She was 82, quite fond of smoke and fonder still of drink, and had a full ride. We knew it was coming and so did she. She was diagnosed with cancer of everywhere it seemed a few months back.

I admire the fact that she took that in stride. She was of the opinion that "I had a nice run." She got to go in peace in her own bed and on her own terms. How many of us can say that. She was able to will herself to hang in there until the out of towners could arrive to say goodbye. When my wife and I split, she was the first to say how little that mattered, that there was always a place of me at her table and a cold beer when I needed one. That's what made it easy. When you meet your significant others family, it can be intimidating. First time I met the family was in Towne Gardens and despite how cool my in-laws are and were then, it was a little daunting to greet them en masse. But Lizzie was of a mind set that not only was I welcome, but what took me so long get there in the first place.

She told my daughter not to cry for her, that there really wasn't anything to be sad about. I later told my child that she should do whatever works best for her, but Lizzie's point was that she didn't get cheated and leaves on her own terms.

Me, I guess I feel bad that I don't feel worse. I admire that she was able to pick her time and essentially tell Cancer to fuck off until she got to see everybody once more. Mostly because it didn't feel right, we postponed my daughter's birthday revelry for a few days (still gave her the non-ipod today).

I miss Lizzie already. The "we all just folks, that's it" way she approached people should be law. So, I could go to Shakespeare for the gathering but it didn't seem right. We didn't birthday party today, we just hung out family style and raised the occasional glass to Aunt Lizzie.

Miss you, Lizzie!

Permalink: Aunt_Lizzie_died_today.html
Words: 373
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: lil victories

07/12/06 08:01 - 74ºF - ID#29555

Woohoo! got a new user sound to work

Paul Weller and Noel Gallagher doing "That's Entertainment" It was the first thing to go right today. I didn't get my mail Tuesday, instead grabbed it on my way to work. Something about reading a rejection letter with your morning coffee can color the whole day. Fate really hates me. Within a hour, 3 different managers wanted to find out what my story was with the transition to Time Warner. Apparently, my boss telling them I was being forced to a new department was a complicated concept for them to get the arms around.

While this was transpiring, I got an email that I was behind on my cable bill (I was), so I had to go fix that. An incentive I was running got complicated and problem laden. I've yet to get my introductory crap and am still waiting literally for my Time Warner pot to pee in.

I think my last nerve is coming unspooled.

All this just to find out we're getting Adult Swim on Demand when the new bosses come in.

I stopped by the house formerly known as mine to drop off a pooh bear for my nephew and my daughter was making cookies.

It's funny what will keep you from going to pieces.

Permalink: Woohoo_got_a_new_user_sound_to_work.html
Words: 208
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: serenity now

07/11/06 08:56 - 80ºF - ID#29554

Monday I got another day on my mind

In between death, taxes, and spreading news about death to the family with a side of working in the middle of a silly ass merger, forcing my sisters to grow the fuck up and place, monday found me in serious need of some cosmic serenity, Monday night found me with no obligations to be anyplace so I headed out to the marina. As (e:jenks) once said, "if you leave your house, you occasionally see people." I did the stroll down the to the tower at the edge of the marina and took the attached by doing that incredible photographic stunt of turning 90 degrees (it's a tricky one when your feet are all thumbs.)

The last one came from my spot at the ice cream stand. I figured I was entitled, having hiked the marina to the tower and back again.

You gotta reward yourself, ya know...

Permalink: Monday_I_got_another_day_on_my_mind.html
Words: 154
Location: Buffalo, NY

07/07/06 01:41 - 74ºF - ID#29553

Warning! Incredibly Harmful Virus!

If you receive an e-mail with a subject line of "Badtimes," delete it immediately WITHOUT reading it.This is the most dangerous e-mail virus yet.

It will re-write your harddrive. Not only that, but it will scramble any disks that are even close to yourcomputer.

It will recalibrate yourrefrigerator's coolness setting so all your ice cream melts and milk curdles.

It will demagnetize the strips onall your credit cards, reprogram your ATM access code, screw up the tracking on your VCR and use subspace field harmonics to scratch any CDs you try to play.

It will give your ex-boy/girlfriend your new phone number.

It will mix anti freeze into your fish tank. It will drink all your beer and leave its dirty socks on the coffee table whenthere's company coming over.

It will hide your car keys when youare late for work and interfere with your car radio so that you hear only static while stuck in traffic. Badtimes will make you fall in love with a hardened criminal.

It will give you nightmares about circus midgets.

It will replace your shampoo with Nair and your Nair with Rogaine, all while dating your current boy/girlfriend behind your back and billing their dates and rendezvous to your Visa card. Badtimes will give you Dutch Elm disease.

It will leave the toilet seat up and leave the hairdryer plugged in dangerously close to a full bathtub. It will not only remove the forbidden tags from your mattresses and pillows, and refill your skim milk with whole.

It is insidious and subtle. It is dangerous and terrifying to behold.

It is also a rather interestingshade of mauve.These are just a few signs.

Be very, very afraid.

Permalink: Warning_Incredibly_Harmful_Virus_.html
Words: 286
Location: Buffalo, NY

07/06/06 10:47 - 66ºF - ID#29552

Godfuckingdammit!!

I understand life is unfair. Hell, that's the world for you and in the middle of the TW-Adelphia takeover, I'm doing my best to roll with the punches but I'm feeling worked and it has a trickle down effect on everything else.

I've had estrip on a lot in the background to help keep my sanity. I'm being shoved aside not for some marketing wunderkind, but for a recent college grad who's rents are connected with the people who make a lot of cable tchotckeys, tote bags and crap. Essentially, I've been dealt to ensure a steady supply of souvenirs. That does not do wonders for one's self esteem. My big mouth got me into trouble too. When the transition happens, hourly employees will not get paid for a week, yet salaried won't miss a beat. I pointed out the double standard as well as how patronizing it was to tell hourlies "to save a little" for the transition.
My question of "Why punish those who could afford the least?" I'm thinking if the salaried folks can seamlessly work their way in, why can't the hourlies? We get commission and ot. I'm fine with settling that in, but if salary is going to get pinched, do for all or not at all.

I'm doing my best to cope with the shift in position -- Went to my new desk and posted a coming soon -- watch this space sign, with but not too closely in small print and the three women closest started carping about is that your desk? are you sitting there? Perhaps we should break you at that spot instead?

Oy vey! I can work with anybody, but this is going to be tough.

My current department had a work gathering to go to at the ballpark (causing me to miss India.Arie (dammit)), but it felt good to sit in the sun and have a few cold beers and forget about all the prima donnas and troublesome finances and questionable social life.

I got a funny feeling I'm not going to get the job I interviewed for before the holiday.

My esteem is taking a beating, sort of screaming in a crowded room and nobody turns.

Sucks