How do you feel today? v. 3.0

Post by **Cameraman Jenn** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 5:18 am

Wow, same wavelength folks. I was just checking this thread specifically to see if Lorin had posted. Call her tomorrow Ali, whether she texts back or not. If she doesn't answer then please leave her a message that we are worried and we miss and love her and want to hear from her ASAP.

I feel good today. I'm sending all of you guys mental hugs whether you need em or not. I am however jealous of Ali going to WFC. Even SRD got waitlisted for waiting too long to register. Who knew it was going to fill up with so many so quick. I will say that I heard that for the first time it will be more extras than writers/publicists so more like a wondercon than in the past. Should be very interesting Ali.

Post by **deer of the dawn** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 7:31 am

Frustrated with having delegated tasks and people don't do them or don't do them well.

Post by **sgt.null** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 8:23 am

i have today off. work at the prison fri-sun. then mon-fri at school. (othe rthan shooting day - blah) the sat-wed at th eprison again before one day off.

Post by **aliantha** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 12:11 pm

Jenn, I'll ping her again today, one way or another. And thanks for the info re SRD -- I had wondered why he wasn't on the guest list.... The postcards came yesterday, so I spent about an hour last night with my trusty Creative Memories guillotine, cutting them in half. It worked pretty well, mostly.

Still waiting on the business cards, but it's not fatal if they don't show up since I always forget to give them out anyhow... Hmm, I should put the leftover bookmarks in my holiday cards. It would be kind of like payback for those Jesus tracts one of my aunts always sends....

It's raining like hell this morning and I'm not looking forward to going out in it. Plus I left my little umbrella on the train last night, like a dope.

I'm down to the second-string umbrella that I usually keep in the car -- and I think I put it in the car because it leaks. Sigh. Gonna be a fun morning.

Post by **Cameraman Jenn** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 4:19 am

Deer of the Dawn, I know of what you speak. Sorus knows it intimately as well. I know I feel for you and I am sure she does too.

Sarge, hit the target every time dammit. I expect nothing less.

Ali, yes, call her. I realized I do have her cell number but I get home so late that it's too late to call. I'm closing tomorrow so I'll get up early and call her in the morning.

How do I feel today? Exhausted but in a good way, the kind that is accompanied by a strong sense of accomplishment after a day of hard manual and mental labor. OH and Sorus, I cut my hair last night and so you will see it tomorrow. I think it's cute cuz it's got this seventies feathered look.

Post by **sgt.null** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 6:39 am

tired of banging my head against a wall. seems some people have some sort of vested interest in the quantity of my posts versus the quality of my posts.

i already worked 11 straight days a few weeks ago. i start a 13 day straight day stretch this friday. (that includes the schooling)

most days i am one officer short - and we now are short a commissary sgt. so i get to run the trucks and run the meals and listen to the warden, asst warden, major and captain chew on my ass because the inmates are getting away with too much because we can't watch them as well as we should.

the inmates know this so they are starting to misbehave on a regular basis, so i have to take time out of my day to write them up - say goodbye to my five minute lunch break i had been taking.

i know no one needs to care wto bits about any of that. and the money, i like it well. we have a brand new bathroom and the back porch that had been falling down has been stripped to the floorboards.

and i get shiny new comics.

but this board was supposed to be fun.

so if it really bothers folks all that much reset my post count to zero. that way some folks can feel better about all their quality posts.

Post by **Ananda** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 6:56 am

I like your posts, Nullo. They make me smile.

Post by **Holsety** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 7:30 am

I'm feeling like an insomniac as per the semi-usual. I have a sleep cycle where I get good sleep and then bad sleep, never consistent sleep.

Ananda wrote:I like your posts, Nullo. They make me smile.

I second that motion, not like my opinion matters round here nor anywheres.

Post by **deer of the dawn** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 10:42 am

Sorry, null, people are just jealous.

Aliantha, you reminded me of a story I heard. A guy rides the train to work everyday. Several times it's raining in the morning, so he takes an umbrella, but forgets it at work. So one morning, no umbrellas left to use. He gets on the train and sits down next to an old lady. When he gets up to exit the train he grabs her umbrella because it looks exactly like one of his. She stops him, and embarrassed, he apologizes and explains, but she's like, yeah sure. Later when he leaves work he remembers the several umbrellas he has there and gets on the train with an armload. Guess who's on the same train-- the old lady, who announces, "I see you did well for yourself today."

Post by **DukkhaWaynhim** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 11:30 am

Happy Friday everybody! Today is my last official day as a document reviewer -- even though I will continue to be 'transitioning' through the end of the calendar year. My new position starts (on paper) Monday. I am flying out Sunday afternoon to the corporate office in Princeton (NJ) to meet my new team, and start collborating on how to support global client audits (fun!) without traveling very much at all (frustrating!). The job change is very welcome. Even with a department change, two reorganizations and a coupla job title changes, I have essentially been performing validation document reviews for over 8yrs. While the new job does contain a small fraction of that, it is no longer the majority of my day.
The best part is that I get to move a step further away from our corporate albatross project, that is already Too Big To Fail, but has visions of Apocalyptic darkness written upon it in cheerful red sharpie, for all but top management to see.
Imagine, if you will, a multimillion dollar steampunk-y Rube Goldberg software system that manages to do the simplest things in the most unimaginably inefficient ways possible. Now imagine it with serious design flaws. Now imagine it with sketchy design documentation. Now imagine it with poorly written requirements. Now imagine it being designed and tested by contractors that know little about your business model, and can't easily learn because your trainers and documentation specialists were let go 10 years ago. And then compress all that into an unrealistic project timeline. Also, don't hire to backfill people when they get frustrated and leave, or reluctantly admit that they must be replaced but then hire more contractors....oh, and make sure that your most knowledgeable people on the project always have 20 other things to do just to keep the lights on in the current production system.
And, most importantly, act all surprised and pissy when the project 'suddenly' goes wildly overbudget.

Geronimo Project Management -- the ability to jump out of the plane without a parachute, and report a 'green' project status all the way until impact, at which point the status goes 'red', very very very red, and everyone gets to act all surprised because it is impossible to have predicted that the project status was going to change like it did.

Hmm, didn't mean to really turn this into a semi-rant. I'm actually set up to have a good day. Been up since 4:30, had a great workout (gonna be sore later), and did I mention it was F-R-I-D-A-Y ?!

Have a great weekend everybody!

dw

Post by **lorin** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 1:44 pm

hi
I am sorry I worried people. I went to bed for 5 days. I had no computer, they stole my router also. And apparently there are blackberry issues. Took a double hit last weekend and I snapped. My new home was robbed and they decided to deny my flood coverage. I lost everything on both ends, coming and going. They took everything of value. Tvs, computer, ipods, ipad, crystal, all my cookware, stereo, my winter coat, camera, computer monitor, and they even took my bag of costco coffee. I am grateful I am drug free these days, as my free fall and drugs would have been really bad. I am ok now.

I feel like I am being watched. They were in my house a long time and it creeps me out. The detectives were very nonchalant about the whole thing. I am looking into an alarm system but adt gets very bad reviews and slomin shield is a 5 year contract. I have no tv yet but I bought a new router and thank god I have my laptop. It was a lesson that I have to back everything up, which I havent done. I have 4000 songs on Itunes which would kill me to lose. I have been emailing all my writing to myself so it is backed up but not very secure.

Eventually I will find the good in all this. I am just in the middle of a pityparty right now.

Anyway, thank you for all the support. It really does help.

Post by **aliantha** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 3:19 pm

Thank the gods you're okay!

Anything I say at this point is going to sound trite, with a loss of this magnitude. But I'm gonna say it anyway, because I'm stupid like that.

It's all just stuff. You and Helldog are what's important.

Post by **Cameraman Jenn** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 5:02 pm

I think you are allowed a pity party. I second what Ali said though, it's you and helldog that are important.

Post by **danlo** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 7:00 pm

Dam, hang in there girl!

Post by **lucimay** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 7:02 pm

DukkhaWaynhim wrote:The best part is that I get to move a step further away from our corporate albatross project, that is already Too Big To Fail, but has visions of Apocalyptic darkness written upon it in cheerful red sharpie, for all but top management to see.

Imagine, if you will, a multimillion dollar steampunk-y Rube Goldberg software system that manages to do the simplest things in the most unimaginably inefficient ways possible. Now imagine it with serious design flaws. Now imagine it with sketchy design documentation. Now imagine it with poorly written requirements. Now imagine it being designed and tested by contractors that know little about your business model, and can't easily learn because your trainers and documentation specialists were let go 10 years ago. And then compress all that into an unrealistic project timeline. Also, don't hire to backfill people when they get frustrated and leave, or reluctantly admit that they must be replaced but then hire more contractors....oh, and make sure that your most knowledgeable people on the project always have 20 other things to do just to keep the lights on in the current production system.
And, most importantly, act all surprised and pissy when the project 'suddenly' goes wildly overbudget.

Geronimo Project Management -- the ability to jump out of the plane without a parachute, and report a 'green' project status all the way until impact, at which point the status goes 'red', very very very red, and everyone gets to act all surprised because it is impossible to have predicted that the project status was going to change like it did.

omg freakin AWESOME rant!!!!! i LOVED it!!

congrats on moving a step further way from that steaming pile of disaster waiting to happen too bub! you know what they say about standing too close to a sh*tpile!!

hope you have fun with your new job and thanks again for a HUGELY entertaining laugh! (oh yeah, and for the Ale-8 which i finally broke down and drank night before last, it was sooooo awesome!

)

Lorin!!! my poor sweetpea!!!! i've been waiting to hear from you too to extend my condolences on your loss and loss and loss and loss and...jebus h,

HEY UNIVERSE!! THIS IS LUCI! GIVE LORIN A FREAKIN BREAK WOULDJA?!

ok there! i used my mod voice on the universe. one of those cops that seemed nonchalant is probably going to have hemmeroids until he figures out he needs to get his ass in gear and find your stuff. trust me, the universe doesn't wanna mess with me on this!

(just trying to make you smile if not out and out giggle!)

sending cyber hugs but know you can always call me if you need to rant!

Post by **aliantha** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 7:31 pm

OMG OMG OMG! luci used her mod voice on the Universe! Lorin, you are good to go from here on out!

And yeah, dw, I was remiss in not mentioning what a fabulous rant that was. Congrats on your escape.

And happy Friday to all!

Post by **lorin** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 9:37 pm

you guys are amazing.

so just so you know, I think someone was listening to luci. I had been saying that my only issue (until now

) with the new house was there was no place to walk, that there were no sidewalks for my two mile walk each day and that walking took my life in my hands. I came home today and the town is building a sidewalk! it starts from my house and ends at Jericho tpke, allowing me exactly two miles round trip. Weird, huh?

I went to Costco today since I just got paid to replace the tv. I was thinking I wouldn't replace it, that the gods were telling me to stop watching so much tv but it is just too damn quiet and I am too damn jumpy. I need sound. And I like the netflix movies so I decided to just buy one. Well, the 2 tvs I bought for 1700.00 each one year ago are now 499.00. So I bought one. I am broke. I also bought the costco coffee they stole. Trying to put things back to normal.

The rest of the paycheck goes towards a new furnace and hot water heater (and mold cleanup). Cant sell the house without them.

One foot in front of the other.

Thanks for listening to my 'stuff'

One question - does anyone have an alarm system? Can you give me any advice?

Post by **wayfriend** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 9:48 pm

Hey, lorin. One day you're going to write a very inspirational story and make a million dollars. For now, please know that you are writing very inspirational posts and making a million admirers. I have had much smaller problems and I did not come out of them anywhere near as together as you. So please invite me to your pity party and I will bring pie.

Post by **DukkhaWaynhim** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 10:42 pm

Lorin,
In early 2010 as a reaction to a home burglary, I bought an alarm system and service from Guardian - not sure if they are out East or not. I looked at ADT, but they seemed pretty expensive for what they were offering direct, as I refused to go through one of the many resellers, which all seemed very pushy. I chose Guardian because they had high praise on Angie's List, and because you can work with them directly instead of going through a reseller, and the 5yr Guardian contract is assignable, meaning if I were to sell my house while still under contract I can assign the contract remainder and make it part of the market offering.
The installation cost me about $300, but got me everything I needed for a 2-story 2,200 sqft house -- wireless door sensors, wired motion detectors programmed to ignore pets, an alarm emitter loud enough to wake the dead, UPS backup, 2-way cellular speakerphone that allows the monitoring service people to hear what is happening during an alarm event and/or talk to me, a remote fob to toggle the system from my car, and two full controlpads (one inside my most entered door, and another in the master bedroom -- their features are programmable, including a panic button, a silent panic code for distress, different zones and operation modes, and a secret panic mode). The monthly service fee is $49, and covers wireless sensor battery replacement and system outage service calls. It also texts and calls my cell whenever an alarm event occurs, and I am called when the alarm trips so I retain the option to judge whether it is a false alarm or not -- but all of that service behavior is negotiable.
The alarm is so loud it made my older dog crap itself in fear/surprise. That was fun, since she was the one that set it off by getting out of her room and running up the stairs -- which negates the pet-friendly programming on the motion detector.
I suspect the numerous warning window stickers and yard signs I now have are deterrent enough to ward off everyone but seasoned professional thieves - in which case I'd probably be screwed anyway.

YouTube · Post by **Menolly** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 11:22 pm

DukkhaWaynhim wrote:I suspect the numerous warning window stickers and yard signs I now have are deterrent enough to ward off everyone but seasoned professional thieves - in which case I'd probably be screwed anyway.

Which always makes me wonder...

Would stickers and yard signs be enough of a deterrent, without actually installing the alarm system? If a pro can defeat the system, then there was no real point in having it against them, and if everyone else is deterred by the stickers and signs, then one could save the actual alarm and service expense, yes?

Kevin's Watch

Kevin's Watch

How do you feel today? v. 3.0