How do you feel today?

[aliantha]

I'm now done with acquiring stuff for the apartment, huzzah!

STUFF? Ali, do you need STUFF? I still have lots of STUFF. Send me your addy, I will put STUFF in the mail for you.

Thanks, but no. I'd dumped a bunch of worn-out furniture when I moved from Manassas to the new place and have been gradually replacing it. The "detritus of daily living" type of stuff, I've still got in spades.

[Cameraman Jenn]

Sorus wrote:

Cameraman Jenn wrote:
Scratch that cigarette break, Sorus, I got some special equipment for you in my bid to drive the JA crazy so I will get up a bit early and drop it off to you on my way in to work. I'm so going to hell

Eh, hell probably has good music.

I have a pocketful of Annoy-A-Trons. This will take some careful planning. The first one isn't doing much right now. They're also managing to ignore the louder and more annoying low-battery alert on one of the door alarms.

Time to take things to the next level.

Might I suggest a second annoyatron basic set only to the high pitched frequency hidden in the pocket beween the back of the lowest shelf and the backing of the shelving brace in behind the cameras? There should be just enough room to slip it in there. Also, they will never find it there and the added random noise will spice things up a bit and since the other one is hidden several inches down inside the shelving brace side rail to the upper right of the tech bench under the network antennae, the location I just suggested would put it close enough to the first one to really make it hard to pinpoint the location of either. Another good location would be to pull off the black base siding and hide it way in the middle of the base behind the tech bench. Yes, I am evil. I only wish I could find a way to break into Derek's car and hide the one that says, "Hey, can you hear me?" inside somewhere. That would be hysterical. By the way, Jacob knows I am responsible for the noise. He flat out accused me of causing that noise so I sort of admitted it but not what it was or where it was. I simply said, "I told you I had a parting gift for my pal Derek." then laughed and wished him good luck figuring it out. On another note, it was nice seeing you this morning. I hope you enjoyed being the object of total jealousy by Ryan and his coveting of all the evil gadgets I gave you. That was pretty amusing to me. I do have more of all the devices. They had a special going on for buy one get one free on the eviltron and the annoyatron 2.0 and then a special price for the annoyatron basic 3 pack for members with recent purchases of $50 or more so I qualified because of my t-shirt purchases. So essentially, you have one of each device, Ryan has one annoyatron basic and I have two spare annoyatrons, one eviltron and one annoyatron 2.0. I think that should last us quite a while.

Work is going well. I finished the last of my training crap this morning in under an hour so I worked the floor for a bit then was given an eight section plan-o-gram. It's been a while since I had to do something like that but I managed to get it halfway done in between helping customers, covering for lunches and backing up in the copy center. Apparently it was not mentioned that I worked the copy center at my old store so today when I jumped in to back up there, people were shocked. Then later I was coming back from helping a customer and noticed a long line at the registers so I just jumped on and then when done, Crystal, who was covering the register for the cashier on break, said she needed to take her first break and she was the copy center person on duty. I volunteered and she gave me a funny look and I told her I was from the copy center at my old store. She had no idea. She had just started a job so I finished it while she was at break. She was so happy. I guess the SOP around there is that when people stand in for the copy center they just write down jobs on scraps of paper for her to figure out when she gets back. That has to change. On the down side, I have a manager's meeting on Sunday morning at six am. Ugh. That means I have to get up at four to get to it on time and then stick around until 2:30 doing catch up projects. Work week is Sunday through Saturday so Sunday counts as the following week. That means six days in a row, then two days off and then I am learning the closing procedures from Zaidiin all of the next week so with my commute I won't be getting home until around eleven thirty at night. Ugh.

I know, I am long-winded but hey, on another note, it was nice to not only see Sorus this morning but my now defunct because of my transfer old stop on the way to work coffee joint crew. I stopped in and got my usual before I dropped the devices of torture off to Sorus. I walked in the door and they were busy but Evan saw me and yelled, "JEEEENNNNNN!!!" and so the crew looked up and I got a bunch of "Hey Jenn"'s and a "Hey Red!" and a "Hey Beautiful!" from the crew. I also got an almost unanimous head turning look from the mass of customers both in line and waiting for their beverages. I did a dramatic full arm wave and said, "I just can't stay away from the best coffee crew in town!" There was more banter back and forth and I got stared at by some of the customers but it was quite entertaining.

I also had a moment with one of my new crew today. He called me Jenny. I stopped short and there were two other employees well within hearing and I said, "You can call me Jenn, you can call me Jennifer, you can even call me evil bitch, just please don't EVER call me Jenny again." He looked mortified and apologized and I told him, "It's cool, you didn't know I greatly dislike that, but now you do so we are cool, ok?" and he was ok. I know I am ridiculous but I really do hate that.

Lorin, good for you for purging. It does feel good.

Sea, just tell him to bugger off and use dlb's southern accent and call him a dozy bint.

Ali, don't worry, I won't send you my cast off stuff. Also the magnets won't work unless you have a metal based tub, try putting rolls of pennies inside the bottom hem or using a thick external curtain that blocks the airflow. If you go the penny route I suggest this particular shower curtain/bath mat for style purposes.

www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/gear/b9b2/

[Sorus]

Might I suggest a second annoyatron basic set only to the high pitched frequency hidden in the pocket beween the back of the lowest shelf and the backing of the shelving brace in behind the cameras? There should be just enough room to slip it in there. Also, they will never find it there and the added random noise will spice things up a bit and since the other one is hidden several inches down inside the shelving brace side rail to the upper right of the tech bench under the network antennae, the location I just suggested would put it close enough to the first one to really make it hard to pinpoint the location of either.

Sounds good. I will set it first thing Monday.

[Cameraman Jenn]

I love you Sorus. That's why I trust my legacy of evil to you. You know the spots of which I speak and know their merit.

[Sorus]

Hehe. I will keep you updated.

[aliantha]

Ali, don't worry, I won't send you my cast off stuff. Also the magnets won't work unless you have a metal based tub, try putting rolls of pennies inside the bottom hem or using a thick external curtain that blocks the airflow. If you go the penny route I suggest this particular shower curtain/bath mat for style purposes.

www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/gear/b9b2/

Thanks for not sending me your castoffs, Jenn.

The tub is indeed metal and the magnets do stick. The pennies-in-the-hem trick would work, but I'd have to sew in a wide enough hem (which is not a deal-breaker). I really like my shower curtain -- I sent away to the UK for it several years ago because I didn't like anything I saw in stores here. (Yes, I ordered a shower curtain from the UK. Yes, I'm weird.) It's woven polyester so it's lightweight and doesn't need a liner, and billowing wasn't an issue at the other place. But yeah, I may have to get a new shower curtain. Probably won't go with the Bates Motel look, tho...

[stonemaybe]

or



decisions decisions!

[lorin]

[aliantha]

Hmm, the model with the memorabilia pockets would certainly solve the weight issue...

But see how cool my current one is?


And see how nicely it matches the candle plate I got at IKEA?


It would be such a shame to break up the set...

[Cameraman Jenn]

It is a nice set Ali, however, if you painted blood spatter on the dish it would go great with the curtains both Stone and I suggested.

I'm tired oh so tired. With the new commute I have been leaving the house at 8:30 am and getting home sometime between 7:30 and 8. Plus I have a manager's meeting on Sunday that begins at six am. Ugh. Just. Ugh.

[Seareach]

I bought CURTAINS! El-cheapo curtains from BigW but I don't care because they're green and I like 'em! And I don't think I've ever bought myself curtains before!

[Avatar]

Meh. Thought I was going to get the parts I'm waiting for for my PC today...alas, it is not to be. The whole bloody country shut down yesterday afternoon for the start of the World Cup, and they couldn't get collected. So now I have to wait 'til Monday. (This is the GF's machine.)

Ah well, not too serious in he big scheme of things. Just annoying.

--A

[Menolly]

As long as you have some sort of access before the 19th, Av...
...wait, what am I saying? No access, no retribution on cho's crusaders...

[aliantha]

Congrats on the curtains purchase, Sea!

Jenn, I'll take your suggestion about the candle plate under advisement.

Magickmaker and I had a good time at the Potomac Celtic Festival today. I got to hear the band I came for, and we bought some stuff, including some yummy local honey and a kit for making mead. Then it was time for lunch. That's when we discovered that the festival organizers hadn't installed an ATM at the site this year, and none of the food vendors took anything but cash. So we left earlier than we might have otherwise. It would have been nice to stay longer to see some of the dancing and hear a few more bands. Oh well.

[Cameraman Jenn]

Yay! Curtains! You must post a pic of the window when you have them hung up. I unintentionally bought something last night. I must have accidentally hit one click while browsing electric portable scooters on Amazon last night. I came home today and was recharging my translink (public transportation card) card and when I checked my bank account there was a charge at Amazon for $362 bucks. I was like... WHAT???? I looked at the order and it says the status is in shipping process and can't be cancelled or changed. I called Amazon and they told me to refuse the shipment. Thing is, it is the scooter I am most interested in but had I intended to order it I would have chosen the super saver shipping and saved fifty bucks, one click automatically puts it in standard shipping mode. So since they could not cancel the order and I do want the scooter (just hadn't totally made up my mind yet) I managed to work a deal in which we both were happy. They were able to refund my shipping costs which will save them money in the long run over me refusing it and then probably re-ordering it with super saver and them shipping it back. In the long run it will save me about six bucks a day in commuter costs. It should also save me some time since I won't have to wait for buses or deal with all the bus stops en route on my commute. Plus I can zip around a bit in the city with it. www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product ... sku=132129

The speed and longevity ratings seem to vary somewhat from site to site. Some say up to 20 mph and 9.5 miles depending on rider weight. From all that I have read, the 15 mph max and 8 mile rating are based on a 240 pound rider. I weigh 128 pounds right now so I probably fall more in the 20/9.5 classification. Either way, it should help with commuting costs in the long run. It's not as light as I hoped and again, weight of the thing seems to vary from site to site, from 55 pounds to 80. I figure I'll ride it with the seat for a bit and then once I am comfy on it and used to it I'll lose the seat and ride it standing.

On other notes, because it qualifies as an electric bike I can take it on public trains, NOT buses, just trains. My moped is several things, NOT something I want to fight bridge traffic in, secondly NOT running still (insert frustrated tears here) lastly because of the gas engine, forbidden on public transit although it qualifies as a bicycle with special circumstances by California DMV standards. Which basically means I didn't need a motorcycle permit but I did need to register it and get a license plate and title. It's so stupidly convoluted and confusing. There are apparently also size limitations for public transportation on bikes. Max length is 60 inches but the scooter is only 44 so I am good there. It won't fit the front of a bus because of the fork styling which prohibits it from buses. OY... who knew there were so many details. Anyway, suffice it to say, soon I will be tooling around on an electric scooter, by sometime between the 17th of this month and the 22nd according to my projected delivery date. Once it arrives I may try to figure up a backpack style sling setup so that I can carry it on the bus system. The handlebars fold and the seat is one tiny turn of an allen wrench. Plus it isn't gas so I CAN sling it around more easily than the gas powered skateboard scooter I was considering. Another added plus is that it fully charges in 8 hours so I can plug it in at work and be charged all the time.

Then for completely different notes: SORUS!!! Your boss and my ex-boss called me last night when I got home. Apparently he misses me a ton for several reasons, not just copy center but for being his sounding board and giving advice on not just work but personal things. He also claimed to have found the first annoyatron. I figure one of the crew in the loop spilled the beans because he NEVER would have found it on his own, not in that short of a time. Regardless, it's apparently been working well on the JA anyway and supposedly the device was located by your boss while the JA was NOT on duty. (Again, I doubt) I figure he tricked someone into telling him where it was or looked at past security camera footage to find it. In other words, in case anyone decided to look at the back camera footage to find the device which your boss is smart enough to do, you can be seen. This means super sneaky, as in you and I are the only ones who know the prospective location of the new device. I suggest a scan gun cover and label making when you plant it. Your boss at my insistence has left the original in place so we are good with that but he might go a bit crazy with the installation of the second one. You know how he is, he needs to know. He told me that the JA was wondering what the hell that beep was and that he told him that if he couldn't figure it out he was an idiot. I like that your boss is more amused then irritated now that he is in the loop.

[aliantha]

Well, I'm glad to hear the boss in question is on board with the annoyatron project. I was a teensy bit worried that he would make trouble for you at your new store.

Good news about your new electric scooter, tho!

[Menolly]

The new scooter sounds fun, Jenn!
Do try to get photos of you enjoying it please.

[Sorus]

In that case, I might wait a week before planting the next one. Make 'em wonder.

I got a lot of work done on one of my video projects last night and am pleased with the way it's working out. Maybe my guild should ditch me more often. Probably not going to post it on YouTube this time since it violates multiple copyrights - dunno how some people get away with posting what they do, but my stuff always gets removed.

I've never been much of an artist since nothing I set to media matches what I have in my head, so it's nice when a project comes together even if the source material is not my own.

[Cameraman Jenn]

Sorus, I'm glad your vid project is going well and I wouldn't bother waiting to plant the next device. I like making Jacob crazy especially because now that I think about it, if he goes to look at past footage he will be looking for ME coming in the store not suspecting you. I figure Ryan would also be a primary suspect. Because we did a serious bit of can I talk to you privately moments and walked away from Jacob and dps on my last day in the store. Plus, the area I gave you the new evil things in is the one spot in the store that is NOT on camera due to the feed being broken. So all he would see is me walking into the store and over to dps and Ryan was there the whole time. Even though he knows we are friends, I don't think he believes you have a evil side that would participate in such childish mind messing activities, well it's either that or he subconsciously refuses to believe because the alternative might scare him.

Anyway, today I am tired. Six days in a row and six am meeting. I did have a good day anyway. I met the nicest ladies in the checkout line when i was covering for a coworker's break. They came up to the counter and were talking about how hot it was today and I said, "I know, I am not used to it because I live in San Francisco." One of the ladies said, "Girl, whatchoo doin working all the way up over here?" I said, "This is where the promotion and pay raise was." They both told me congratulations. Then the same lady asked where in SF I lived and I told her the Loin. She went, "Whoowee, that's a tough hood. I work as an ER nurse at St. Francis." St. Francis is in the Loin. I laughed because here she is living just blocks from my work and I live just six blocks from her work. I told her I was still adjusting to the commute since it takes me approximately an hour or more and that just last night because the buses run so sparsely on weekends I waited forty minutes for a 26 to MacArthur. She said, "Oh girl, NO, I'll be right back." She comes back in a few minutes later with a bus schedule for the 31, hands it to me and says, "If you live in the loin I KNOW you can handle West Oakland so here's what you do. Pick up a 57 bus schedule too, I didn't have an extra. Get off at West Oakland, then you have the options of both the 31 and the 57 which drop off on the other side of the Babies R Us store down the parking lot over there. The station is much further but it will be faster and less miles on BART so it will save you some money." I told her, "You are so incredibly fabulous that there isn't a word in the English language that can hold a candle to you." She turned to her friend and said, "GURL, that's what I"M talkin bout." Then the three of us bantered a bit while finishing their purchases and as they walked out the door they both turned and waved and the one without the map yelled, "Bye Jenn, good luck with the new job!" and the gal who gave me the map said, "Nice to have met you, Jenn, see you around girl!" By this time one of my coworkers had come up by the registers and was looking at me kinda funny and said, "What was that about?" I looked at her, winked and said totally white girl deadpan, "Just bonding with my sisters." She busted out laughing. Did I mention I am the only white person in the store? Then while she was laughing I did the Oprah cocky head/neck move and said, "I got me some crazy mad people skillz." That just made her laugh harder. She told me she was going to like working with me. Out of 18 people in the store we have eleven african americans, four asians, two latinos and me. Most of the people are female, we only have five men working there and only one of the guys is in management, tech department manager. I thought he was an assistant but found out today he's actually the tech department manager. He should be the other assistant though because he's much more capable than one of the two assistant managers at the store. Anyway, I've probably blathered enough for now.

I do have one parting question, Why is it that in urban Latino speak my name becomes Jenny and in urban African American speak my name is Djinn?

[Sorus]

Well, I figure if I do it on a Monday there's no way they would find me on the camera since I mess with so much stuff as part of my normal job.

Glad you have some nice coworkers at your new location, that makes such a difference.