Over the last several days it has come to my attention people read this thing — imagine my surprise!
I’m still trying to get around to really writing - the reason I started doing the blog thing was I found great enjoyment by reading my blog sensei’s thoughts and also I was listening to an interview with David Sedaris. The interviewer asked about his writing habits, how much, how often and Sedaris noted he wrote every day although it wasn’t always fiction. He considered just the act of writing (whether it be a note to a friend or a journal entry or an actual story) enough.
The comment got me to thinking.
I have a number of projects I’ve wanted to get around to finishing (two short films, a children’s book, three comic book stories, two books - one fiction, one non-fiction and a board game). The thing is, I keep finding myself too preoccupied to actually get around to putting in the work to completing these things.
I just wind up getting caught up in the daily routine... and that’s really a bit of a problem.
See, I’ve got to figure I’m never really going to get ahead, or get anywhere for that matter if I keep letting it happen... work has a tendency to do that to me. By that, I mean it’s a bit distracting which made me come to an epiphany of sorts — I needed to get started writing, if only to exercise the muscles, so that’s why I wound up starting the blog.
Hopefully, by the time I do get around to actually putting something down, the writing muscles will be in tip top shape.
Dec 28, 2004
Why is it every time some kind of disaster happens somewhere around the world, the first thing all the talking heads do is focus our attention on it for several days straight and try to couch the whole thing on whether or not it will happen to us?
So, the story du jour is the Tsunami. Anybody want to take odds on how long this story occupies our collective consciousness? I figure it’ll be about two weeks, about the time it takes for everyone to get tired of all that vacation video of the big wave. I’m a cynic, what can I say.
I really like the fact on a couple of tonight’s newscasts, the newscasters were broadcasting from the scene and observing that little had been done to remove the dead and rotting corpses. One comely looking lass, commented on the reek from a decaying corpse and opined it was disgusting...
How could these people not cleeeeaaaannnnn uuuuupppppp?!?!? (you’ll just to have to try and imagine the annoying whine of her voice)
It’s real fun watching a natural disaster occur in a second or third world country viewed through the prism of the first world newscaster. Never mind the governments in many of the stricken nations have a big enough problem just delivering basic services like clean water, housing and a sanitation system - yeah, they’ll get right on that thing with the bodies lady.
I have my own problems with the guy from the UN and his statements. While I can understand he’s motivated in a purely humanitarian way - anything even remotely coming out of the UN these days in the way of moral indignity I view with a certain jaundiced eye. Then again, since were all supposed to be unto gods ourselves (the human race that is), always somewhat amazing when we find that the natural world isn’t buying into our bullshit - it’ll make me think twice before the next time I take out one of those ever prevalent ant hills.
You had to know it was only a matter of time before someone got around to blaming Georgie Junior:
Indian Minister of State for Science and Technology Kapil Sibal said, “If the country had such an alert system in place, we could have warned the coastal areas of the imminent danger and avoided the loss of life.” But there is no room in the Bush budget for such life-saving measures; the U.S. government's priorities are corporate profit and endless war.
At a meeting of the UN Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission in June, experts concluded that the “Indian Ocean has a significant threat from both local and distant tsunamis” and should have a warning network. But no action was agreed upon. Geologist Brian Atwater of the U.S. Geological Survey said, “Sumatra has an ample history of great earthquakes, which makes the lack of a tsunami warning system in the Indian Ocean all the more tragic. Everyone knew Sumatra was a loaded gun.”
Indian Minister of State for Science and Technology Kapil Sibal said, “If the country had such an alert system in place, we could have warned the coastal areas of the imminent danger and avoided the loss of life.” But there is no room in the Bush budget for such life-saving measures; the U.S. government's priorities are corporate profit and endless war.
At a meeting of the UN Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission in June, experts concluded that the “Indian Ocean has a significant threat from both local and distant tsunamis” and should have a warning network. But no action was agreed upon. Geologist Brian Atwater of the U.S. Geological Survey said, “Sumatra has an ample history of great earthquakes, which makes the lack of a tsunami warning system in the Indian Ocean all the more tragic. Everyone knew Sumatra was a loaded gun.”
Dec 22, 2004
Results 1 - 10 of about 1,100,000 for WORLD OF PJ - 0.11 sec. (About this page)
So, it turns out the blog is someting like the fourth thing listed on the page. I was wondering if you could even find the damn thing if you didn’t know the url!
I like this though, a German site which I can’t understand at all since I don’t speak German.
Yesterday, I was talking about how much I worry and it’s true I wind up worry way more than I should.
Today, I’m at work again - third day in a row and totally bored out of my mind.
It’s weird being ‘the freelancer’ at times. On the one hand, there’s this very real ‘putting out the fire’ mentality that goes along with being a freelancer. Usually, clients aren’t going to be inclined to call you in just so you can sit aroud all day and bill downtime. Those days (if they ever existed) are long gone. When you are called in, it’s usually to deal with the ‘crisis du jour,’ something so truely nasty, mindless and painful that the client balks at sacrificing a full time employee on the altar of the project.
It’s graphic arts 9 - 1 - 1. We need that project on a CD to go! Stet!
Anyway, if it really bothered me I imagine I would change jobs but, I don’t. I just keep waiting for the latest emergency. Then again, it also means when I do go and work onsite for a client, I’m prepared for things to be totally out of control and the exception is when they aren’t...
...and it can be maddening.
I don’t really have much of a problem ‘goofing off’ (is there anyone who does?), I’m just less than thrilled when I’m in the position where there’s nothing to do and somehow I am supposed to look busy. The look busy part isn’t something I like to do. Look busy means surfing the web is not such a great idea, working on something of your own while you wait would generally be frowned on and just going out for a coffee run sends the wrong message.
Then, I think about and want to chide myself! This is what I have to complain about?!? I’m getting paid to look busy!
What a wussy I am sometimes.
Today, I’m at work again - third day in a row and totally bored out of my mind.
It’s weird being ‘the freelancer’ at times. On the one hand, there’s this very real ‘putting out the fire’ mentality that goes along with being a freelancer. Usually, clients aren’t going to be inclined to call you in just so you can sit aroud all day and bill downtime. Those days (if they ever existed) are long gone. When you are called in, it’s usually to deal with the ‘crisis du jour,’ something so truely nasty, mindless and painful that the client balks at sacrificing a full time employee on the altar of the project.
It’s graphic arts 9 - 1 - 1. We need that project on a CD to go! Stet!
Anyway, if it really bothered me I imagine I would change jobs but, I don’t. I just keep waiting for the latest emergency. Then again, it also means when I do go and work onsite for a client, I’m prepared for things to be totally out of control and the exception is when they aren’t...
...and it can be maddening.
I don’t really have much of a problem ‘goofing off’ (is there anyone who does?), I’m just less than thrilled when I’m in the position where there’s nothing to do and somehow I am supposed to look busy. The look busy part isn’t something I like to do. Look busy means surfing the web is not such a great idea, working on something of your own while you wait would generally be frowned on and just going out for a coffee run sends the wrong message.
Then, I think about and want to chide myself! This is what I have to complain about?!? I’m getting paid to look busy!
What a wussy I am sometimes.
Amazon.com has a series of short films currently posted on their web site - you’re going to need bandwidth to view them but, out of the five, three are certainly worth viewing.
Check out:
Tooth Fairy featuring Chris Noth
and
Do Geese See God? featuring Blair Underwood
and my own personal favorite -
Portrait featuring Minnie Driver
Check out:
Tooth Fairy featuring Chris Noth
and
Do Geese See God? featuring Blair Underwood
and my own personal favorite -
Portrait featuring Minnie Driver
Dec 21, 2004
I’ve been managing about one blog entry a week the last few weeks. I guess blogging runs in cycles more or less and this is one of those less times.
I’m never really sure if anyone reads the damn thing so, I don’t worry so much about it. Which is unusual...
...because I actually spend a great portion of my day worrying. I worry about work-whether I have it, if I have it whether I’ll keep it, if I’ll get it done, if I’ll get paid, when I’ll get paid, if I’ll do a good job, if I’ll get there on time, if they’ll be mad if I don’t, what I’m not getting done while I’m at work. I worry about my health-what that pain was, if my blood pressure is too high, if I’m eating right, how much I weigh. I worry about my social life-about getting a girlfriend, about finding a girlfriend, about keeping a girlfriend, if I’ll always be a bachelor, why people don’t call, if I feel comfortable talking to the people who do call, how I come off, how I’m perceived, what I project. If I’m getting things done, if I’m not.
Yes, it’s just a world of worry.
At the end of the day it manages to get me little (other than a few more gray hairs), it’s a habit I’ve so far tried to break myself of (unsuccessfully so) and I keep waiting for that magical day when I will wake up and find myself in some semblance of inner serenity.
Man, if there was one thing I could get for Christmas, that would be it.
In the spirit of that - and the constant struggle to put things in perspective, I post this link, my lame gift to you.
I’m never really sure if anyone reads the damn thing so, I don’t worry so much about it. Which is unusual...
...because I actually spend a great portion of my day worrying. I worry about work-whether I have it, if I have it whether I’ll keep it, if I’ll get it done, if I’ll get paid, when I’ll get paid, if I’ll do a good job, if I’ll get there on time, if they’ll be mad if I don’t, what I’m not getting done while I’m at work. I worry about my health-what that pain was, if my blood pressure is too high, if I’m eating right, how much I weigh. I worry about my social life-about getting a girlfriend, about finding a girlfriend, about keeping a girlfriend, if I’ll always be a bachelor, why people don’t call, if I feel comfortable talking to the people who do call, how I come off, how I’m perceived, what I project. If I’m getting things done, if I’m not.
Yes, it’s just a world of worry.
At the end of the day it manages to get me little (other than a few more gray hairs), it’s a habit I’ve so far tried to break myself of (unsuccessfully so) and I keep waiting for that magical day when I will wake up and find myself in some semblance of inner serenity.
Man, if there was one thing I could get for Christmas, that would be it.
In the spirit of that - and the constant struggle to put things in perspective, I post this link, my lame gift to you.
I took another listen to one of my favorite stories, you need Real Audio to listen in but, it’s really worth it.
A parable of race and politics in America. The story of Chicago's first black mayor--and the chaos that broke loose in Chicago politics when he took office. If you've never heard the hilarious, inspiring voice of Harold Washington, you're in for big treat.
A parable of race and politics in America. The story of Chicago's first black mayor--and the chaos that broke loose in Chicago politics when he took office. If you've never heard the hilarious, inspiring voice of Harold Washington, you're in for big treat.
Dec 14, 2004
“I’m in labor.”
“Go pee.”
“Breathe.”
“Blow.”
These are the only four things, I am assured by our birthing class instructor, that I need to remember when going to the hospital to have a baby. I wrote them down on a pamphlet she gave me so I wouldn't forget, and posted it on the refrigerator when I got home. I looked at several times a day for more than two months. I would not forget when the time came.
My friend Mark with his very unique take on becoming a daddy. Very funny reading and well in keeping with Mark’s matter-of-fact view on things.
“Go pee.”
“Breathe.”
“Blow.”
These are the only four things, I am assured by our birthing class instructor, that I need to remember when going to the hospital to have a baby. I wrote them down on a pamphlet she gave me so I wouldn't forget, and posted it on the refrigerator when I got home. I looked at several times a day for more than two months. I would not forget when the time came.
My friend Mark with his very unique take on becoming a daddy. Very funny reading and well in keeping with Mark’s matter-of-fact view on things.
Dec 7, 2004
Embracing my inner geek...
No poetry has been written about it, as Hart Crane did with the Brooklyn Bridge. No songs have been written about it, as Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel did with the 59th Street (Queensboro) Bridge. No one ever attempted to sell this bridge. Indeed, before it was ever completed, the span was described by John DeWitt Warner as a "surrender of the City Beautiful to the City Vulgar." While not renowned for its beauty, the Williamsburg Bridge has fulfilled its original mission to relieve traffic congestion on the Brooklyn Bridge, and to serve as an important link between Manhattan and the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn.
A link to one of my favorite sites with all the history and arcane lore of the New York area.
No poetry has been written about it, as Hart Crane did with the Brooklyn Bridge. No songs have been written about it, as Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel did with the 59th Street (Queensboro) Bridge. No one ever attempted to sell this bridge. Indeed, before it was ever completed, the span was described by John DeWitt Warner as a "surrender of the City Beautiful to the City Vulgar." While not renowned for its beauty, the Williamsburg Bridge has fulfilled its original mission to relieve traffic congestion on the Brooklyn Bridge, and to serve as an important link between Manhattan and the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn.
A link to one of my favorite sites with all the history and arcane lore of the New York area.
Nov 29, 2004
Wow, first hurdle of the holiday season is past us! Hooray!
Thanksgiving has come and gone.
The requisite large dinner was fine - the three day bout with food poisoning wasn’t. Everytime I get sick reminds me of how fortunate I am to be relatively healthy most of the time.
Ah, I can see it now: THANKSGIVING! THE MOVIE! A holiday resulting in more trips to the bathroom than a week’s vacation to Mexico.
I was supposed to go away and then at the 11th hour changed plans out of some misplaced sense of guilt - well, maybe I’ll take a long drive later this month, who knows.
I haven’t written a lot lately because I’ve actually been busy as all get out trying to get things done - I’m soon to be the beneficiary of a bigger pipe (DSL) and truthfully I can’t wait. Plus making the migration over to new machines, wiping and trashing the old is turning into quite the bit of work.
Plus, I can feel another great adventure on the horizon... dating! I finally find myself having the urge to date again.
More as it happens.
Oh, and another reason I stopped writing was because of the crummy election and all the stupid fallout from it. It finally culminated in an email battle that cost a friendship (it had to happen and I’m sure I’m not the only person it happened to). Just didn’t make me feel like writing much about anything.c
Thanksgiving has come and gone.
The requisite large dinner was fine - the three day bout with food poisoning wasn’t. Everytime I get sick reminds me of how fortunate I am to be relatively healthy most of the time.
Ah, I can see it now: THANKSGIVING! THE MOVIE! A holiday resulting in more trips to the bathroom than a week’s vacation to Mexico.
I was supposed to go away and then at the 11th hour changed plans out of some misplaced sense of guilt - well, maybe I’ll take a long drive later this month, who knows.
I haven’t written a lot lately because I’ve actually been busy as all get out trying to get things done - I’m soon to be the beneficiary of a bigger pipe (DSL) and truthfully I can’t wait. Plus making the migration over to new machines, wiping and trashing the old is turning into quite the bit of work.
Plus, I can feel another great adventure on the horizon... dating! I finally find myself having the urge to date again.
More as it happens.
Oh, and another reason I stopped writing was because of the crummy election and all the stupid fallout from it. It finally culminated in an email battle that cost a friendship (it had to happen and I’m sure I’m not the only person it happened to). Just didn’t make me feel like writing much about anything.c
Nov 12, 2004
Oh, and one other thing while I’m at it (and this is mainly because Mike told me I was two for two.
Now you have to imagine this in John Sterling’s voice:
The Yaaaannnkkkkeeeeesssss llooooossssseeeee!!!!!
The Yaaaannnkkkkeeeeesssss llooooossssseeeee!!!!!
The Yaaaannnkkkkeeeeesssss llooooossssseeeee!!!!!
I imagine whatever the fates had determined in regard to the election, they gave New England something to feel good about.
The Yankees - the first team in baseball history to lose a seven game series after being up 3 to nothing. Stick that alongside those 26 World Championships Yankee fans!
The biggest choke in baseball history!
That’s what the biggest payroll in baseball got you this year:
CHOKE!
On behalf of Mets fans everywhere - we knew you had it in you. Thank you for giving us what we need to stop you guys from ever crowing about your team again.?
Now you have to imagine this in John Sterling’s voice:
The Yaaaannnkkkkeeeeesssss llooooossssseeeee!!!!!
The Yaaaannnkkkkeeeeesssss llooooossssseeeee!!!!!
The Yaaaannnkkkkeeeeesssss llooooossssseeeee!!!!!
I imagine whatever the fates had determined in regard to the election, they gave New England something to feel good about.
The Yankees - the first team in baseball history to lose a seven game series after being up 3 to nothing. Stick that alongside those 26 World Championships Yankee fans!
The biggest choke in baseball history!
That’s what the biggest payroll in baseball got you this year:
CHOKE!
On behalf of Mets fans everywhere - we knew you had it in you. Thank you for giving us what we need to stop you guys from ever crowing about your team again.?
I haven’t written in awhile now. It’s been a busy time and as much as I have to say, I wanted to give myself the time to clarify my thoughts.
Over the last week or so, since the election I’ve gotten a few angry emails from people about how dissatisfied they were by the outcome - I actually probably lost a friend over this stupid election (more on that another time).
So, since it seems to be a bit of a preoccupation with some people, let’s talk about the election.
Should we couch our conversation in the simplest of terms? Should we break everything down to “red states” and “blue states?”
I guess it all depends on just how ‘stupid’ one wants to be about the whole thing.
Yeah! That’s it! It’s those goddamn red states! No, it’s the fucking blue states - they just don’t get it!
Is this what the level of political discourse in this country has sunk to? Seems like it.
To take the tact of the patron saint of the Democratic party, “I feel your pain.” All the Democrat supporters out there who had pinned all their hopes on the Kerry/Edwards ticket, truly it was not a good day.
Of course, I don’t have to tell you this, you’ve been running around in your misery for the last few weeks since the election, basking in the delightful suffering of the election loss - so please take this in the spirit it is given: GET THE FUCK OVER IT!
Harsh? Maybe.
Look, Democrats in this country are faced with a tough job at this moment - they need to work harder than ever before. Let’s put it this way, the same effort that went into promoting the Kerry/Edwards ticket was an honest and earnest effort - it’s admirable, it really is! But, now the real job begins and that’s not about giving up. It’s about focusing all that effort onto the mid-term elections in two years and working just as hard for the state and local Democratic candidates on the upcoming ticket.
And let me tell you, I’m speaking as a registered Republican - figure that one out! Truthfully, I can say I’ve never cast a vote for Georgie Junior. As much as he wants to present himself as the standard bearer of the party, the dirty little secret is that there are a lot of moderate Republicans (yes, Democrats - I know you have a lot of trouble believing this but, we are out there) who would’ve been altogether happy to vote for someone other than Junior.
It’s just Kerry wasn’t that guy.
I mean, there are people on the Democratic side I really wish would’ve made the ticket, but they didn’t. Hell, there are some ‘Democrats’ I know who weren’t altogether that comfortable with candidate Kerry - what does that tell you?!?
Do me a favor though. Stop painting Republicans with a broad brush. During the campaign, I heard my party of choice vilified so much so, I almost was at the point of voting for Junior out of spite! Yeah, I can pull the party line lever with the best of them, do I want to? No, but make my party out to be a villain and you’re pushing me into that corner (which I think isn’t such an unusual reaction).
Man, I wish Kerry would’ve wowed me but, honestly when you got right down to it, I couldn’t find anything I was too happy about with his ‘plan for America.’
I think there are a lot of people out there that felt the very same way. Actually, I didn’t seem to pick up that much of a plan other than ‘I’d do the same thing the other guy did but, I’d do it better.’
It just wasn’t enough - and if you hardcore Kerry supporters out there tell me I’m wrong about that, well I guess that means you really didn’t do such a good job getting your message out to me and all those other people that voted.
So, suit yourself if you want, move out of the country, or how about talking about seceding from the union (ignoring the fact that in all 50 states there were people who voted for each of the two major candidates). Better still, just continue to whine and look for ways to blame the people of our country, “They’re stupid,” “Americans suck,” or my personal favorite, “you’ll be sorry.” The election was rigged somehow. I’m sure we’ll be able to obsess about the thousand and one reasons why Kerry didn’t win but, at the end of the day you’re just going to have to get past that.
Obviously something is happening in this country. There seems to be something going on of which we are all aware and truth be told I would hate to see the political pendulum swing too far to the right or to the left which would only happen when people decide they want to separate themselves from the process.
Over the last week or so, since the election I’ve gotten a few angry emails from people about how dissatisfied they were by the outcome - I actually probably lost a friend over this stupid election (more on that another time).
So, since it seems to be a bit of a preoccupation with some people, let’s talk about the election.
Should we couch our conversation in the simplest of terms? Should we break everything down to “red states” and “blue states?”
I guess it all depends on just how ‘stupid’ one wants to be about the whole thing.
Yeah! That’s it! It’s those goddamn red states! No, it’s the fucking blue states - they just don’t get it!
Is this what the level of political discourse in this country has sunk to? Seems like it.
To take the tact of the patron saint of the Democratic party, “I feel your pain.” All the Democrat supporters out there who had pinned all their hopes on the Kerry/Edwards ticket, truly it was not a good day.
Of course, I don’t have to tell you this, you’ve been running around in your misery for the last few weeks since the election, basking in the delightful suffering of the election loss - so please take this in the spirit it is given: GET THE FUCK OVER IT!
Harsh? Maybe.
Look, Democrats in this country are faced with a tough job at this moment - they need to work harder than ever before. Let’s put it this way, the same effort that went into promoting the Kerry/Edwards ticket was an honest and earnest effort - it’s admirable, it really is! But, now the real job begins and that’s not about giving up. It’s about focusing all that effort onto the mid-term elections in two years and working just as hard for the state and local Democratic candidates on the upcoming ticket.
And let me tell you, I’m speaking as a registered Republican - figure that one out! Truthfully, I can say I’ve never cast a vote for Georgie Junior. As much as he wants to present himself as the standard bearer of the party, the dirty little secret is that there are a lot of moderate Republicans (yes, Democrats - I know you have a lot of trouble believing this but, we are out there) who would’ve been altogether happy to vote for someone other than Junior.
It’s just Kerry wasn’t that guy.
I mean, there are people on the Democratic side I really wish would’ve made the ticket, but they didn’t. Hell, there are some ‘Democrats’ I know who weren’t altogether that comfortable with candidate Kerry - what does that tell you?!?
Do me a favor though. Stop painting Republicans with a broad brush. During the campaign, I heard my party of choice vilified so much so, I almost was at the point of voting for Junior out of spite! Yeah, I can pull the party line lever with the best of them, do I want to? No, but make my party out to be a villain and you’re pushing me into that corner (which I think isn’t such an unusual reaction).
Man, I wish Kerry would’ve wowed me but, honestly when you got right down to it, I couldn’t find anything I was too happy about with his ‘plan for America.’
I think there are a lot of people out there that felt the very same way. Actually, I didn’t seem to pick up that much of a plan other than ‘I’d do the same thing the other guy did but, I’d do it better.’
It just wasn’t enough - and if you hardcore Kerry supporters out there tell me I’m wrong about that, well I guess that means you really didn’t do such a good job getting your message out to me and all those other people that voted.
So, suit yourself if you want, move out of the country, or how about talking about seceding from the union (ignoring the fact that in all 50 states there were people who voted for each of the two major candidates). Better still, just continue to whine and look for ways to blame the people of our country, “They’re stupid,” “Americans suck,” or my personal favorite, “you’ll be sorry.” The election was rigged somehow. I’m sure we’ll be able to obsess about the thousand and one reasons why Kerry didn’t win but, at the end of the day you’re just going to have to get past that.
Obviously something is happening in this country. There seems to be something going on of which we are all aware and truth be told I would hate to see the political pendulum swing too far to the right or to the left which would only happen when people decide they want to separate themselves from the process.
Nov 2, 2004
Oct 30, 2004
Ooooo... so busy lately it doesn't ever seem like I have time to think, let alone write.
I've given myself over to silence lately. Usually, I’m one of those people that has to have a TV or radio on to feel comfortable but, with the pace of things lately a few moments of quiet are really necessary.
So much to write about... mmmmmm... where to begin? I know, how about this:
I’ve been fairly busy lately working (which is a story in and of itself). Something that happened the other day made me think about a trend I’ve noticed.
When was the last time you heard someone at your job say, “I don’t know.” Particularly when it involved them performing some kind of work related task or something they would be responsible for - usually it’s a common refrain when you’re asking the person in charge for some time off or for the ability to carry out some personal business - but, when was the last time a co-worker admitted to not being the “Master of the Universe?”
Just curious. Let’s all take a moment if we will and ponder that for a second, okay? Think you can remember hearing it recently at your job?
Anyway, so among the myriad responsibilities I wind up having, is coming in and doing those dirty jobs that nobody really wants to do. Yes, it can be quite tedious but, the pay is good.
Usually, I’ll get handed something a designer has made (oooooohhhh, pretty) but which now has to be used in real world settings by people who don’t care about the nuances of design and are more interested in getting their work done with a minimum of effort.
This entails taking a layout from a program a designer is familiar with (Quark and Illustrator are the most popular culprits), and putting it into some program which every office jockey the world over uses (Word).
Like a lot of other people in my end of the business, I hate all those Microsoft Office programs. They’re a necessary evil. Through the years, I’ve gotten familiar with them but, it’s a grudging familiarity to be sure.
So, this week one of my big projects was to take this design and make a template of it. What happens is once I’ve worked in the program for a few days, I get familiar with all the little tricks and as soon as a week or two passes without using Word, all those little neat tricks vanish from the knowledge base.
I’m in the middle of this thing and of course, like every other project I wind up working on, it was due three weeks ago. Eventually, I run up to this point where I get most everything finished but, there’s still this one thing I can’t quite figure out. Most programs nowadays have extensive help databases (which no one seems to want to use) and before I say I can’t do something, I’ll try typing in every kind of query I can hoping the program will tell me how I can do what I want to do.
Sometimes though it just doesn’t work out.
Now I’m left with two choices, I can say I don’t know how to do something or I can use what is a big tact these days and say it just can’t be done.
So, I say I don’t know.
Fortunately, I know people who might know and it’s only a matter of asking them. So, I tell the person I’m working for that that’s what I’ll do and I’ll find out the answer and get back to them...
...and as luck would have it, people are pretty nice to me about those things and when I send out an email asking for help, I get a bunch of responses a number of which have the answer I need. Lo and behold, problem solved!
So, I finish up the job and after everything is done I just go back and tell the guy everything is finished - it’s been taken care off and is ready to go.
He’s happy (it’s finished), I’m happy (I learned something and a bunch of people came through for me) and it’s one less thing to deal with.
But then, I got to thinking, how many times does someone actually say they don’t know?
Just something to keep in mind, don’t you think?
I've given myself over to silence lately. Usually, I’m one of those people that has to have a TV or radio on to feel comfortable but, with the pace of things lately a few moments of quiet are really necessary.
So much to write about... mmmmmm... where to begin? I know, how about this:
I’ve been fairly busy lately working (which is a story in and of itself). Something that happened the other day made me think about a trend I’ve noticed.
When was the last time you heard someone at your job say, “I don’t know.” Particularly when it involved them performing some kind of work related task or something they would be responsible for - usually it’s a common refrain when you’re asking the person in charge for some time off or for the ability to carry out some personal business - but, when was the last time a co-worker admitted to not being the “Master of the Universe?”
Just curious. Let’s all take a moment if we will and ponder that for a second, okay? Think you can remember hearing it recently at your job?
Anyway, so among the myriad responsibilities I wind up having, is coming in and doing those dirty jobs that nobody really wants to do. Yes, it can be quite tedious but, the pay is good.
Usually, I’ll get handed something a designer has made (oooooohhhh, pretty) but which now has to be used in real world settings by people who don’t care about the nuances of design and are more interested in getting their work done with a minimum of effort.
This entails taking a layout from a program a designer is familiar with (Quark and Illustrator are the most popular culprits), and putting it into some program which every office jockey the world over uses (Word).
Like a lot of other people in my end of the business, I hate all those Microsoft Office programs. They’re a necessary evil. Through the years, I’ve gotten familiar with them but, it’s a grudging familiarity to be sure.
So, this week one of my big projects was to take this design and make a template of it. What happens is once I’ve worked in the program for a few days, I get familiar with all the little tricks and as soon as a week or two passes without using Word, all those little neat tricks vanish from the knowledge base.
I’m in the middle of this thing and of course, like every other project I wind up working on, it was due three weeks ago. Eventually, I run up to this point where I get most everything finished but, there’s still this one thing I can’t quite figure out. Most programs nowadays have extensive help databases (which no one seems to want to use) and before I say I can’t do something, I’ll try typing in every kind of query I can hoping the program will tell me how I can do what I want to do.
Sometimes though it just doesn’t work out.
Now I’m left with two choices, I can say I don’t know how to do something or I can use what is a big tact these days and say it just can’t be done.
So, I say I don’t know.
Fortunately, I know people who might know and it’s only a matter of asking them. So, I tell the person I’m working for that that’s what I’ll do and I’ll find out the answer and get back to them...
...and as luck would have it, people are pretty nice to me about those things and when I send out an email asking for help, I get a bunch of responses a number of which have the answer I need. Lo and behold, problem solved!
So, I finish up the job and after everything is done I just go back and tell the guy everything is finished - it’s been taken care off and is ready to go.
He’s happy (it’s finished), I’m happy (I learned something and a bunch of people came through for me) and it’s one less thing to deal with.
But then, I got to thinking, how many times does someone actually say they don’t know?
Just something to keep in mind, don’t you think?
Oct 19, 2004
Bad week for the old folks...
I went to a wake last week. A friend called me Monday because he found out he has to fly out to Chicago to go to an uncle’s funeral this week and the same day I got the news someone else in the family passed - so there’s another wake and a funeral this week.
I don’t feel older but when I was at the wake last week, I was talking to a cousin’s kid (and her husband) who just had their seecond child!!! This relagates me to a generation of grandparents?!?!?!
Stop the clock!
Also, it’s unfortunate because the people who are passing are part of a unique generation and they will be missed.
I went to a wake last week. A friend called me Monday because he found out he has to fly out to Chicago to go to an uncle’s funeral this week and the same day I got the news someone else in the family passed - so there’s another wake and a funeral this week.
I don’t feel older but when I was at the wake last week, I was talking to a cousin’s kid (and her husband) who just had their seecond child!!! This relagates me to a generation of grandparents?!?!?!
Stop the clock!
Also, it’s unfortunate because the people who are passing are part of a unique generation and they will be missed.
As I had said earlier I’m not particularly crazy about the rhetoric of this campaign (on either side). So in the interest of fairness I thought I would post two emails I received today:
Cheney: Terrorists May Bomb U.S. Cities
By ANDREW WELSH-HUGGINS
CARROLL, Ohio (AP) - Vice President Dick Cheney on Tuesday evoked the possibility of terrorists bombing U.S. cities with nuclear weapons and questioned whether Sen. John Kerry could combat such a threat, which the vice president called a concept “you’ve got to get your mind around.”
“The biggest threat we face now as a nation is the possibility of terrorists ending up in the middle of one of our cities with deadlier weapons than have ever before been used against us - biological agents or a nuclear weapon or a chemical weapon of some kind to be able to threaten the lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans,” Cheney said.
“That’s the ultimate threat. For us to have a strategy that’s capable of defeating that threat, you’ve got to get your mind around that concept,” Cheney said.
Cheney, speaking to an invitation-only crowd as he began a bus tour through Republican strongholds in Ohio, said Kerry is trying to convince voters he would be the same type of “tough, aggressive” leader as President Bush in the fight against terrorism. “I don’t believe it,” the vice president said. “I don’t think there’s any evidence to support the proposition that he would, in fact, do it.”
Cheney praised the recent elections in Afghanistan but said they don't mean the U.S. mission there is finished.
“Does that mean it’s over now and we can walk away? No, it doesn’t,” he said. “This is three yards and a cloud of dust. There’s no touchdown passes in this business. We’ll stay as long as we need to help them train their own security forces, which we’re doing actively so they can take over responsibility for their own security.”
In a campaign appearance Monday in Johnstown, Pa., Cheney criticized rival vice presidential candidate John Edwards for going “overboard” in his comments about Kerry’s support of unrestricted federal funding for stem cell research, which Bush and Cheney oppose. He also accused Edwards of giving people “false hope.”
Edwards told supporters in Newton, Iowa, on Oct. 11, “If we do the work that we can do in this country, the work that we will do when John Kerry is president, people like Christopher Reeve will get up out of that wheelchair and walk again.” The actor, a quadriplegic who became an advocate for stem cell research, had died a day earlier.
“I thought, frankly, the other day what John Edwards suggested when he made his comments about Christopher Reeve, that somehow if John Kerry were president, Christopher Reeve could get up out of his wheelchair and there all of his problems would be solved, I really thought was an inappropriate remark, especially given... well, given the false hope it engendered,”
Cheney said.
and then I also received this email...
“One way or the other, we are determined to deny Iraq the capacity to develop weapons of mass destruction and the missiles to deliver them. That is our bottom line.” — President Clinton, Feb. 4, 1998
“If Saddam rejects peace and we have to use force, our purpose is clear. We want to seriously diminish the threat posed by Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction program.” — President Clinton, Feb. 17, 1998
Iraq is a long way from [here],! but what happens there matters a great deal here. For the risks that the leaders of a rogue state will use nuclear, chemical or biological weapons against us or our allies is the greatest security threat we face.” — Madeline Albright, Feb 18, 1998
“He will use those weapons of mass destruction again, as he has ten time since 1983.” — Sandy Berger, Clinton National Security Adviser, Feb,18,1998
“We urge you, after consulting with Congress, and consistent with the U.S. Constitution and laws, to take necessary actions (including, if appropriate, air and missile strikes on suspect Iraqi sites) to respond effectively to the threat posed by Iraq’s refusal to end its weapons of mass destruction programs.” — Letter to President Clinton, signed by Sens. Carl Levin (D-MI), Tom Daschle (D-SD), John Kerry( D - MA), and others Oct. 9, 1998
“Saddam Hussein has been engaged in the development of weapons of mass destruction technology which is a threat to countries in the region and he has made a mockery of the weapons inspection process.” — Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D,CA), Dec. 16, 1998
“Hussein has chosen to spend his money on building weapons of mass destruction and palaces for his cronies.” — Madeline Albright, Clinton Secretary of State, Nov. 10, 1999
“There is no doubt that Saddam Hussein has invigorated his weapons programs. Reports indicate that biological, chemical and nuclear programs continue at apace and may be back to pre-Gulf War status. In addition, Saddam continues to redefine delivery systems and is doubtless using the cover of an illicit missile program to develop longer-range missiles that will threaten the United States and our allies.” — Letter to President Bush, Signed by Sen. Bob Graham (D, FL,) and others, Dec 5, 2001
“We begin with the common belief that Saddam Hussein is a tyrant and threat to the peace and stability of the region. He has ignored the mandated of the United Nations and is building weapons of mass destruction and the means of delivering them.” — Sen. Carl Levin (D, MI), Sept. 19, 2002
“We know that he has stored secret supplies of biological and chemical Weapons throughout his country.” — Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002
“Iraq’s search for weapons of mass destruction has proven impossible to deter and we should assume that it will continue for as long as Saddam is in power.” — Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002
“We have known for many years that Saddam Hussein is seeking and developing weapons of mass destruction.” — Sen. Ted Kennedy (D, MA), Sept. 27,2002
“The last UN weapons inspectors left Iraq in October of 1998. We are confident that Saddam Hussein retains some stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons, and that he has since embarked on a crash course to build up his chemical and biological warfare capabilities. Intelligence reports indicate that he is seeking nuclear weapons...” — Sen. Robert Byrd (D, WV), Oct. 3, 2002
“I will be voting to give the President of the United States the authority to use force if necessary to disarm Saddam Hussein because believe that a deadly arsenal of weapons of mass destruction in his hands is a real and grave threat to our security.” — Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA), Oct. 9, 2002
“There is unmistakable evidence that Saddam Hussein is working aggressively to develop nuclear weapons and will likely have nuclear weapons within the next five years... We also should remember we have always underestimated the progress Saddam has made in development of weapons of mass destruction.” — Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D, WV), Oct 10, 2002
“He has systematically violated, over the course of the past 11 years, every significant UN resolution that has demanded that he disarm and destroy his chemical and biological weapons, and any nuclear capacity. This he has refused to do” — Rep. Henry Waxman (D, CA), Oct. 10, 2002
“In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program. He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including al Qaeda members... It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons.” — Sen. Hillary Clinton (D, NY), Oct 10, 2002
“We are in possession of what I think to be compelling evidence that Saddam Hussein has, and has had for a number of years, a developing capacity for the production and storage of weapons of mass destruction.” — Sen. Bob Graham (D,FL), Dec. 8, 2002
“Without question, we need to disarm Saddam Hussein. He is a brutal, murderous dictator, leading an oppressive regime... He presents a particularly grievous threat because he is so consistently prone to miscalculation... And now he is miscalculating America's response to his continued deceit and his consistent grasp for weapons of mass destruction... So the threat of Saddam Hussein with weapons of mass destruction is real” — Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA),Jan.23. 2003
SO NOW THESE SAME DEMOCRATS SAY PRESIDENT BUSH LIED — THAT THERE NEVER WERE ANY WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION AND HE TOOK US TO WAR UNNECESSARILY!
Send this to everybody you know... The networks won’t do it (Fox excluded). Its up to us to get the word out...
Quick! Let’s get Goosey Lucy! The Sky is falling! The Sky is falling!
Oct 17, 2004
There have been a number of occasions over the last several weeks where I’ve started to write something only to lose my train of thought, get interrupted or have the computer crash.
Maybe today, I’ll manage to soldier through...
The Election.
There’s been a lot of ink devoted to the election over the last several weeks. Every four years the people of this country become obsessed with the political version of Survivor. No doubt, the reason why the reality show is so successful is in that it mirrors the presidential primaries and campaigns.
Just a few short months ago, we watched as Howard Dean’s scream in a moment of passion became his undoing and four years from now one wonders if it’ll be more than a footnote of the current campaign. Howard Dean fades into the ranks of those who tried for the brass ring and self destructed (let’s dig up images of Gary Hart and his playful boat rides).
I’m admittedly a bit of a cynic when it comes to these things. I can’t say I’ve been really satisfied by the positions of either of the two major parties over the last several years. There are points on both sides which have captured my heart and then there are points where they both have totally lost me.
So, there are only a few weeks left before I walk in and close that curtain and I can’t say I’ll be really sure what I’ll do until I close the that curtain behind me.
I will say that I followed most of the debates and came away very disappointed.
I listened to the first half of the first debate on the radio as I was on my way home from work.
Listening to the debate was a good thing as I was spared the posturing the candidates feel compelled to do on TV - makes me think everyone in the nation would be better served if the debates were televised but the candidates visages weren’t shown (I don’t know maybe put a picture of each guy up as he is speaking).
The thing that stuck with me was in a nation as large as ours these two are the best we can come up with?! How sad.
Also, doesn’t it appear that the nature of the campaigns has changed dramatically over the last fifty years? How much of an influence (and a negative one at that) does TV have on these things today?
Another thing that also interested me was that MTV, MTV2, BET and VH1 all networks which have been running campaigns endeavoring to get people out and vote decided not to carry the debates live. I guess Pimp My Ride is really the choice of likely young voters??
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