Goodness Sake

Posted on May 2, 2010 by Frog

It’s already 76 degrees and humid. You’d think we’re in the middle of July and not at the beginning of May.

Yesterday we went canoeing for the first time in years. It was really nice to get back on the water even if my shoulders are sore from the paddling.

We drifted a little bit so I could take some pictures with my phone. We talked about how we need to charge the old camera’s batteries and bring it with us the next time. We figure if the old camera goes for a swim that’s not too bad–at least it isn’t as bad as losing the newer camera.

At one of the bends in the river:

Posted in Thinking, Watching | Comments Off

Soon, we’ll munch.

Posted on April 28, 2010 by Frog

Last year we thought the fig tree had died and decided if it didn’t show signs of life by the time graduation rolled around we would dig it up and think of something else to plant.

The tree did survive and then decided to get really tall and fill itself out. Now, look what’s coming:

Posted in Gardening | 3 Comments

Yes, I Do Fly Around On A Broom

Posted on April 27, 2010 by Frog

One of the people laid-off is our IT person. I should mention that I had a very similar position to hers when I worked in private industry. I am married to wonder-geek so I know something about something when it comes to IT.

Our IT person is lazy and has a horrible attitude. In fact, last time around we’re pretty sure the only reason she kept her job was that she’d been showing up longer than our other IT person who was very competent and very pleasant. He landed at another position within the university and rumor has it will be our go-to person when our current hag IT person leaves.

A co-worker’s machine fails every time she turns it on so it takes her about 30 minutes every day to finally be able to log on and connect to the network. This has been going on for over a year. My machine has been slowly failing over the last six months but until it actually sets the building on fire our IT person won’t do anything. I received multiple error messages yesterday (one of them said Abandon Hope/run for your life) and her advice was that I should save more. Save more to the hard drive that’s about to smoke.

She also accused me of doing something to my machine. Yep, blaming the customer is always the best policy. Not that she would actually know if I did something to my machine since she can’t be bothered to come to our office or remotely connect to our machines when we send her Abandon Hope/run for your life error messages. My co-worker has given up asking for help because she knows it will never come. She’s starting a list of things to ask our new go-to person in July.

So, in this one instance, I’m glad we had to lay off people.

Posted in General Spleen Venting | Comments Off

Dodged

Posted on April 22, 2010 by Frog

We finally heard officially that my unit is safe. So, I have a job in the next fiscal year. Many, many people don’t. We were already a lean organization from the last layoff three years ago. We’re about to be terribly small.

And, now for something completely pretty:

Posted in Gardening, Thinking | 1 Comment

Punk Rock Girl

Posted on April 21, 2010 by Frog

The better-half sent this email a few minutes ago and it cracks me up. Mojo Nixon rules.

Posted in Generic Thoughts, Listening | Comments Off

Two Odd Things

Posted on April 21, 2010 by Frog

Odd Thing One:
I said something not too long ago about hearing a story on NPR and the person I was talking to said, “it figures you listen to that.” What does that mean?

Odd Thing Two:
Other units have had their conversation about what the organization is going to look like next year (our year starts July 1), but my unit has not. It’s getting weird that folks are poking their heads into my office and asking me if I’m staying.

Posted in Thinking | Comments Off

Must be played loudly

Posted on April 16, 2010 by Frog

We bought the new Gil Scott-Heron CD the other day (yes, we still do it old skool). The CD is a mixture of kick-ass songs and poetry. The man does both equally well.

Posted in Listening | Comments Off

For Whom the Bell Tolls

Posted on April 14, 2010 by Frog

The Director is in our offices today talking to people one-by-one. She’s quite approachable so it’s not unusual that she’s talking to folks, it is unusual that she’s doing it with her door shut. That can only mean one thing…the layoff notifications are beginning.

We knew it was either this week or next and I guess she’s talking to those folks who will be leaving us. We were reassured yesterday by our supervisor that our unit will be safe, but you are never quite “safe” until you know what’s going to happen and who is left standing. We went through this three years ago and the memory of how poorly it was handled is still very fresh in most everyone’s mind.

I have more confidence in our new director that she won’t turn into a total jackass like our last director. He was so bad that we made a pin the tail on the donkey game last time there were layoffs and his face was on the jackass.

Posted in General Spleen Venting | Comments Off

Think about what?

Posted on April 7, 2010 by Frog

A co-worker just finished watching a webcast and then came to talk to me about the feasibility of doing something like that for our clients. We talked about how that’s a good idea, we could easily do it and why doesn’t our client do more of that in the first place.

I told the co-worker about my presentation to a training subcommittee two weeks ago and how one of the options was to do something just like what she had just observed. I also mentioned how the client’s lead on such things was in the room and how he was engaged in the discussion. I also said she may want to mention it to him since he and I had talked yesterday about increasing communication with the people in the field.

My co-worker winds up the conversation with me with the statement that I should think about it. Think about what? Think about how well my presentation went over? How it generated a lot of discussion and got some people really interested in different ways to provide training? Or, should I think about how she comes three years late to the party and then thinks that she’s just thought of something novel?

What I’m really thinking about is how it’s 2:30 and I go home in an hour and a half.

Posted in Generic Thoughts | Comments Off

Picture and Words, oh my

Posted on April 1, 2010 by Frog

Neglect blog much?

We made the season’s first fish tacos last night. I’m not sure why we don’t make these all the time, but spring and summer seem more suited to fish tacos.

The better-half grilled a tilapia fillet using the grill pan. And, I made guacamole, a cabbage salad/slaw thing and black beans. We had some salsa from last year’s canning extravaganza and decided it was too spicy and so we pitched the contents of all the remaining jars.

Yes, I just said something was too spicy. It was all about the peppers and not a damn thing about the other ingredients. We’ve opened several of the jars over the past few months and every jar contained salsa that wasn’t worthy. Life is way too short to eat crappy salsa.

Behold, the fish taco:

Posted in Eating | 4 Comments