Even GoogleAds thinks you have a problem…

God, I love Texts From Last Night. I love them more when they’re in my Google Reader and include ads.

In case you can’t read it: It’s all a bunch of faces and I remember what the floor looked like. I LMAO, though, when I saw the Google ad beneath it. Sometimes, the Google ad placements are better than the actual texts…

Before I get into the entry proper - I love the few friends I have who took the time to point out that I posted a picture of Pony violating Moo in the same entry where I mention keeping this blog clean. Yes, yes, I did do that on purpose. Thanks for being concerned, ya’ll. You make me laugh…

Now to the juicy stuff:

One of the suggestions out of the several that were made regarding the work environment was to move out of the area I had lived in and take over Teh Intern’s Desk. There were 4 people in a tiny room, cell phones, regular phones, conversations, etc. The noise! It was ridiculous. It made it hard to concentrate on all the stuff I do. Stuff that really needs my full concentration. So I moved out over the weekend.

The silence is amazing. It’s not 100% quiet, but I’m distanced from the noise that had been driving me bonkers over the past few months. Sitting with the “cool kids” - the company I spend 99% of my time working for - was killing me. (There are other issues, of course, there are ALWAYS other issues, but the noise/proximity was a major headache. Literally.)  I miss the Boy Wonder, badly. I don’t miss the rest of it. It’s a fair trade, I guess. It’s just a desk at a job. It’s not my life, even though it tries hard to be…

We’re on Day One of this experiment, but already I feel better. LIke a huge weight is off my shoulders…

*happy sigh*

 

 

Interspecies erotica

pony and his special friend, moo :: da ‘brook, nh :: march 20, 2010

I gave someone one of my personal networking cards. It has this blog’s URL on it and it’s not really someone I’d want reading this.

*facepalm*

I keep this blog clean for a reason - for when I do stupid things like that.

—**—

We got Chinese for dinner tonight. Wouldn’t you know, my fortune had to say, “When things are getting you down, turn to work.” Uh, WTF?!? Work is what’s bringing me down. Seriously?

Well, a picture of Pony making new friends always lifts my spirits. How can you look at Pony humping Moo and NOT laugh?

I finally got my jacket and mask. With my glove and foil, I finally feel like a real fencer. I noticed on Thursday (my first day wearing them), that I fenced better. $215 for the fencing classes and $160 for the jacket and mask… this is getting expensive! It’s a good thing I really like it.

Tonight is part of Da ‘Brook’s “Old Home Days” celebration. At 9 PM, we get to watch fireworks from the comfort of our very own front yard. It feels like 4th of July in Connecticut when we used to watch the fireworks from either the front yard or the swimming pool.

OK… I guess I’m done stalling. I brought some work home and I should probably start it since I’ve done everything but all day.

Ecstasy is all you need…

johnny rzeznik :: goo goo dolls @ casino ballroom, hampton beach :: april 14, 2010

What a wild ride last weekend was!

For starters, we got free tickets to see the Goo Goo Dolls at the Meadowbrook Theatre. I couldn’t think of a better place to spend a Friday night, but I didn’t realize I was quite so spoiled - or so old - when I saw that we had lawn seats. I’ll admit, I missed the seats. Sitting on the ground a half mile from the stage is overrated. Also, WTF is up with concert goers today? Every one had those collapsable folding chairs and they sat in them the entire time. No one danced. There were no people playing frisbee. I didn’t even smell any pot. (Not that I condone that behavior, but really!)

Other than that, the show was good. They sounded great and I loved the new tunes. I can’t wait for the new album to come out.

The big news is that I am no longer a Ren Faire virgin!

Sunday, my friends and I journeyed to the NY Ren Faire. I got to meet The Ginger Pirate, “my friend” Kristine, visited with old friends and made some new ones. There’s so much to write about, but in an effort to protect the not-so-innocent, I’ll try the ol’ bullet list.

• Boobie roses!
• Puss and Boobs…
• Swords shoved into to bodices are probably even more uncomfortable than they look.
• Reunited with Pony and it feels so good.
• Random ex-boyfriend sighting resulted in a THANK JEEBUS! moment
• The gay man made me wet!
• Frozen chocolate covered bananas are good for hours of entertainment and VERY amusing photos. (Can you say password protected photo gallery, boys and girls? LOL)
• Discovering even more members of The Dead Parents Club
• Who knew I would have an addiction to swords? I’m on the hunt for the perfect rapier!
• ...and maybe a better bodice…

I just wish I wasn’t working 10 hour days again… Yeah. But. I have the ear of people that matter and they know how I feel about the situation. Things should change… maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow. But they will. I just have to remember to be patient. Which I’m really not good with.

Gah.

Of platypi and clock towers

big ben the clock tower at the british parliament building that houses the bell known as big ben :: london :: sept 1, 2008

All it took was one little line in an email:
BTW, when are you coming back to London? You really need to.

Some would say I’m a spoiled brat. I mean, I’ve been to London three times now and it’s just not enough for me.

I know, right? Poor baby’s only been to London three times! WAAAAAAH!

But damn, I want to go again.

My love affair with London started in high school when I got to go on a European tour over spring break. Out of all the cities, London spoke to me. Like Boston, it just feels like home. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Paris and Berlin, thought Amsterdam was odd, and kind of liked Brussels, but London? More, please!

Sometimes, I think about moving there. I wonder what becoming an ex-pat would require. Could I leave everyone and everything I love behind (again) for a fresh start in yet another new country? (Yes, Ohio counts as a country. Dude, have you ever been there?!?!) I just don’t have it in me… I don’t know if I ever could do it again, but I like to think about it from time to time.

Of course, it’s even more tempting when you have someone on the other side of the pond who wants you to visit them.

*sigh*

I guess I know what our big vacation in 2011 is!

PUDDING!

mmmmm. freckles. :: da brook :: april 1, 2010

Two completely random things before I get into the meat of the entry:

I do love me some Jensen Ackles.

Today is I Will Dare’s 10th birthday!!! Congrats, Jodi! Here’s to another 10.

——-

I’ve been in a buttload of meetings the past week with the CFO from Hong Kong. Trying to figure out the financial reporting they want to see for the two different companies I currently work for. Working, revising, pulling hair, revising, cussing, and revising The Budget From Hell. It’s hard to create a realistic budget off of unrealistic numbers. Unfortunately, we have two years of numbers we can’t really trust, and well, garbage in, garbage out. The Budget From Hell discussions actually caused me to say “Aaaaaand drink” in front of Big Boss # 2. I don’t think he got the joke, but it was definitely an “and drink” kind of moment. *sigh*

To put it mildly, it’s been a weird week at work. I’ve spent a lot of time this week trying to determine my place in their world, defining who my “real” bosses are, discussing my new space in the office, and thinking very hard about what I need vs what I want. (It’s very important to me to feel like I’m part of a team instead of “just” the bookkeeper, and I just don’t feel it… it doesn’t leave me feeling all warm and fuzzy about heading into the office, you know? I’m not quitting, but I’m doing a metric shit-ton of thinking. Things need to change.)  I had to break up with a software vendor whose software is like 10 years old and still shouldn’t be out of beta. He knew it was coming, but I was still upset. I hate breakups and after all we’d been through, he really had tried to make me happy. I respect that. His software is terrible, but he’s a decent guy. Then there’s been other stuff, too, but I can’t talk about it.

Let’s just say that I really shouldn’t have taken off for Saratoga last night. I ended up driving straight home and as I write this, I’ve only had an hour’s sleep. I’m about to take a nap so we can stop by the office on our way to dinner. The aim is to have some time tonight to look at one of the larger clusterfucks I’ve been dealing with for the last few weeks. Then maybe some office time tomorrow or at least some quality time with Excel and The Budget From Hell at home.

But, Saratoga was definitely worth it. I got some quality time with friends and made some new ones. Took lots of pictures. Shook my booty. Told every one who asked me about the band that they should buy CDs. (It was an outdoor show in a bar/restaurant’s outdoor patio area with a lot of people.) SO many people who’d never heard of BMS and were amazed that I knew all the words. It was the Cleveland R.E.M. show all over again.

Ah, Cleveland. The show where the guy tapped me on the shoulder and asked me if I knew all the words to all the songs. Um, yeah. I’ve only been a fan for my entire life.

But anywhoo, It wouldn’t be a night out at a bar for me if I didn’t get accosted at least once by a random drunk guy. Last night, this guy and his buddy didn’t like my Sox cap. I ended up putting my best Boston accent on, telling him it was just a hat and that I don’t like baseball. After he became a super-ass, I told him it belonged to my cousin who died. (The bar version of two truths and a half-lie? I did have a cousin who died, but that was in 1982… ) He let up after that, but we ran into each other again, and he still gave me a hard time. The bouncer was standing right next to me, so he was a little nicer and left me alone a little quicker.

The two rules of going to bars? Always tip your bartenders and (if you go alone like I always seem to) make friends with the bouncers. Bouncers good. Drunk guys bad.

I also ended up tripping over myself and had some guy tell me that I probably shouldn’t drink anymore. Um, yeah. I was dancing and I don’t know what exactly happened. Normally, to avoid looking like an ass when the bars are not crowded, I don’t really let loose, but since I was deep into the crowd during “We the People” (my new favorite song), I decided to just shake my rump, then I managed to trip over myself, bounced off two guys and was cut off. Which was funny, yes, but was made even better when I told him I don’t drink. At all. Then he told me I needed a beer. *sigh*

It was good to not think about anything but the music for four hours.

It was good to have an eight hour road trip (Yes. Eight hours. Round trip. Didn’t I tell you I was crazy?). I thought about a lot of things, and nothing at all. I managed to mentally outline this year’s NaNo. I even learned most of the words to The Maine’s new album. There was also some very loud singing along to “Whistling in the Dark” (which is all Rollz fault!).

Although I haven’t slept, I am feeling refreshed and am in a MUCH better state of mind than when I left work to head to Saratoga.

Still not looking forward to Monday, though.

Aaaaaaaaaaand drink!