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Leetee's Journal

leetee
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04/19/2008 20:10 #44057

An Engineer's Guide To Cats

theecarey - 04/20/08 20:37
Oh, this was jut awesome! I need to send it on to a few people. hilarious..
metalpeter - 04/20/08 13:26
Cute cats and what a great video it is quit funny
ladycroft - 04/20/08 11:18
OMG the cat yodeling is hysterical!!!

04/18/2008 14:58 #44046

What Do I Actually Want?
Some of you might be following the saga of me and the state job. I reckon most of you don't give a shit, and that is a-ok with me.

Right now, i am trying to figure out what i want. I got a call from my contact regarding this job and she says i need to get a driver's license ASAP, all caps. She wanted to drive me to the DMV today, but it just doesn't work that way.

These days, new drivers need to do a 5 hour class and get a certificate saying it was completed. Most drivers ed places do this on Saturdays, but i am working this Saturday, 10 am 'til close at 6pm.

It was suggested i blow off work, don't go, get someone to cover for me, quit if i have to. Even though i hate my job and the people i work for, i could not do that to the people i work with. I have some integrity.

The boss is going away and we were told in a mandatory meeting a few weeks ago that no one can take off any time during her managers get away (some sort of thing the managers get if WE do all this work for them... *grumble*) or during inventory, which happens shortly after she gets back. No way on earth i would get any time off, even if i asked, and i just cannot screw anyone over like that, even if they would do it to me in a flash. I just can't.

Kinda puts me in a high pressure situation.. get a license and get it right now. Like before April is over, even?!!?? Not sure i could pass without a little practise and (e:Uncutsaniflush) is working a lot right now, too. So he has barely any time to take me. We seem to work such opposite shifts, too.

I need to do this all on my terms. I still have to be myself. I still need to get a license, so why wait.

I did find a place that has one of those 5 hour classes on Tuesday night. It will be a time crunch for me, to get from work to the class, by bus, in an hour, but i will do what i can. Will make for a long day, too... 9am - 4pm, then a 5 hour class starting at 5pm, after working until 9:30pm the night before. I can do it. It is possible...

But...

Do i actually want the job? This job? I have been questioning that lately. Too much. Wondering if smoke was being blown up my ass or if it is and has been something i actually want. Is it just because it is a state job, with good benefits, even for part timers? Or do i really want to work with the developmentally disabled?

I reckon i can figure that out as i go. If i do get the license and the job and start the training... if i hate it, how much further behind am i? In another job i hate, but at least i get benefits.
mrmike - 04/19/08 14:10
There is a part time assistant manager gig at the Zoo for the gift shop. See the webpage and use me for reference.
jenks - 04/18/08 18:47
go for it lee....
nothing to lose but some free time and some sleep.
If you try and hate it, at least you tried. And if nothing else, getting your license is something to be proud of.
You've done so many milestone things this year- just keep adding to it!
and maybe there's a peep/someone that can help you get there instead of having to wait for a bus?

though I do think it's a little unreasonable of them to want it RIGHT THIS SECOND.

good luck!
kookcity2000 - 04/18/08 18:16
do it and don't look back
metalpeter - 04/18/08 17:53
First of all I wish you luck with getting the license. If nothing else if you do get that as a result of trying to get this job then something positive comes out of it even if you don't get the job. In terms of if you really want the job that I can't answer you. But even if you don't really want it at the very least it still could be better then the place you are at now, so you could wind up liking it more even though it might not be what you want so you would still be better off. In any event I wish you luck.

04/17/2008 09:33 #44033

Palace of Dosas
A while back, (e:Uncutsaniflush) and i saw a review in the Buffalo News about this restaurant. Unfortunately, my stomach was at a point in which i could eat so little and one of the trigger foods when i ate out was Indian. So, we weren't eating out much and never eating Indian.

I've never found out what is wrong with my stomach (sucks to not have health insurance), but i do have flare ups when i can eat almost nothing without cramps. Tea and toast, and somedays, not that. But i digress.

But, yesterday, i felt brave. Been months and months since i had Indian. And i missed it... oh, how i missed Indian food.

So, we went to the Palace of Dosas (not much of a website, but, it exsits). It was soooOOOooo yummy.

Sorry, (e:Paul), i didn't take pictures, didn't have the camera with me.

(e:Uncutsaniflush) had the masala dosa lunch special.... the dosa was HUGE. About a foot long!! He gave me a hunk and it was superyum! It came with some sort of creamy minty stuff that had a kick, some soup that had peppers in it and a couple of bread things -- one that looked and tasted like a savoury donut (yep, i am from Hamilton, the birthplace of Tim Horton's) and the other like a slightly bland piece of corn bread.

I had what i thought was the other lunch special, the Thali, i think it was called. It was huge... rice with nann and a pompadom, and 6 wee dishes of yummy things to scoop up and eat. There was a riata (please, forgive all my mispellings) that was amazing and had chunks of cucumber. There was a spicy bell pepper dish that was sorta like a soup. There was a spinach and chick pea dish that had a bit of a kick and a slight mint taste. There was a tangy tomatoey soup that was spicy. There was a legume dish that was mild. And, much to my surprise, a desert i liked. Surprising because it had 2 things i rarely like in deserts -- raisins and tapioca. It was a nice finish to the meal... mangos with raisins and pistachios.

Turns out, when we got the bill, i had the full version, the dinner one, i guess you could call it. A bit disappointing that there was a communication problem, but it wasn't expensive at all.... for both of us, the bill was 20 bucks and change.

I loved the fact that i had all these choices (despite the fact that there are technically only 2 lunch specials) for me. Everything was vegetarian...!!!!!!!!!!
tinypliny - 04/17/08 22:16
I love this restaurant as well. (Biased opinion coming up.) South Indian food is far superior to North Indian food anyway. "They" just don't get it. hehehe.

To put some names to your descriptions:

-- Creamy minty stuff that had a kick: Mint-Coriander-Coconut Chutney with a guarded dose of thai green chillies.
-- Soup that had peppers in it: Rasam (If it was the thicker one with some veggies and a hint of lentils that would be Sambhar)
-- Bread that looked and tasted like a savoury donut: Vadai (made with light lentils (Urad Dal) and rice dough and deep fried.
-- Slightly bland piece of corn bread: I am guessing this was white, right? Then its the famed idly - the ubiquitous breakfast steamed rice cake from south india. Tastes splendid dipped in the chutneys and the rasam/sambhar.

-- riata --> Raita: Yoghurt based dish. Chunks can vary from fried chick-pea crispies to pineapple to cucumber.
-- Spicy bell pepper dish that was sorta like a soup: Sambhar
-- Spinach and chick pea dish that had a bit of a kick and a slight mint taste: ??? At a loss. I need to check this out.
-- Tangy tomatoey soup that was spicy: Rasam
-- A legume dish that was mild: I am guessing some Dal.
-- Raisins and tapioca: Payasam. Can also be made with rice.

Ooohhh.... You have made me want to cook now...

04/13/2008 10:43 #43995

Free Ride
We just renewed our Buffalo Zoo membership and since we did it early, we got some coupons. Some we will use, others, we won't. So, i thought i would ask if anyone here would be interested in them.

Anyone want 10 free train or carousel ride coupons for the Buffalo Zoo? Email or post it me with your address and i will mail them to you.
mrmike - 04/13/08 12:49
I don't think I need them this year Lee :) I might be able to hook up LC and her nephew when the time comes.

Felly, the ride coupons don't but if you by a Buffalo Zoo membership, you don't pay at Toronto
metalpeter - 04/13/08 11:34
That is a funny Question. On a side note I haven't been to the zoo in a long time, I wish I could use them but I'm sure I'll never wind up going this year.
fellyconnelly - 04/13/08 11:14
don't suppose they will work at the toronto zoo, will they?
ladycroft - 04/13/08 11:08
well i don't know about 10 - but i was planning to take my nephew to the zoo when i come home in june...so a few?

04/01/2008 09:50 #43858

Named
Well, we finally figured out names for our girls, (e:LeeTee,43805).

The more outgoing but less dominate one was called Decca before; she is dark brown and has a white chin and belly. So, we named her after the Linux mascot, Tux.

The timid but dominate one was called Uh-Oh before; she is beige all over. We decided to name her Tofu.

So, there you have it, Tux and Tofu. :)

We made a vet appointment for them tomorrow. I signed a paper at the SPCA promising to take them to the vet within 10 days of adopting them, and tomorrow, both (e:Uncutsaniflush) and i have the day off, so he can drive us.

Yesterday, my our DM was in the store, as she usually is on Monday. Of course, that makes things run less efficiently and it makes our manager artificially cheerful. My manager asked me if we found names yet, so i told her. Of course, the DM was a moron about it. How could you have rats as pets? Do they have rabies she asked!? I shake my head at the sheer stupidity and lack of knowledge some people have.

Don't mock my rats!
fellyconnelly - 04/13/08 11:15
rats are cute! i had a pet mouse once. I loved her(him?).