Last one out - turn off the light.

My mind is a-wanderin' this morning. First, my husband and I watched this Bob Vila program on the DIY network last night that just left us disgusted about the housing market down here, as compared to a lot of other places in the lower 48's (almost the entire state of California being the the most glaring exception). And today I found out that one of the last of my department "old timers" who has been the last thread of a support system that I have left will be leaving for the greener (and wetter, colder) pastures of the Pacific Northwest later this summer. So I'm a little worried that as the ranks of rather ambitious and agressive new-comers close in around me that I'll have no wagons to circle as a defense and I'll be obliterated in their relentless onslaught. I've got the doldrums big time right now, too, so I'll keep my eyes on the horizon for a quick getaway, if one presents itself.

This was posted on Overheard in the Office this morning:

10AM ... Limiting Our Lunch Breaks, Not Stealing Supplies, Wearing Shoes...

Coworker #1 holding company's new tech use policy: It says we're not supposed to blog on company time.
Coworker #2: Whatever. It's not like we follow any of their other policies, like doing work and shit.

**Phoenix, Arizona

Urgent News Update!! The hiccup girl has gone missing! Her BFF Jill being sought for questioning. Threat Down - she's been found safe. But deemed an idiot. I know the nation was holding its collective breath for worry about her welfare. And news that she still had the hiccups.

(And yes - I did post this same image on Fark today. You'll get over it)

Here's the source video, just in case you just woke up from a 16 year coma. Or something.

Trashy treasures

It never ceases to amaze me what people are willing to just pick up on the side of the road. Now, I've done my fair share of curb-side shopping in my (not too distantly passed) day, so I can relate to the need to have somewhere to sit balanced with the complete lack of deiscretionary income. Plus, I'm rediculously tight with money sometimes, so I'm not averse to taking cast-offs or hand-me-over items from people I know. I'm in a position whereI could buy brand new things now, of I wanted to - but, really, if someone has something in decent condition that they're getting rid of and it's something I can use, I see no shame in taking things second hand. But just taking junk just because it's there? No.

My husband and I decided to clean up the back yard this week, and get rid of some things that have just been accumulating over time. Some of it was plain old garbage, but some of it was borderline junk. We put everything out at the edge of the curb for heavy trash to pick up later this week. Not five minutes after dragging a huge smoker that my husband got from a relative but had never used and some furniture that had been sitting out back exposed to the weather up to the front yard, and my very strange (and possibly crack-addled) neighbor wanders over - shirtless - and proceeds to wonder in amazement over the fact that we were throwing out such a useful thing. When we told him he was welcome to take it, he squealed with delight. Literally. Then he called his rednecky ol' lady (who he called "Mama") out to look at the wooden table. Which we promptly disclosed had a termite problem. It seemed like the neighborly thing to do. They took it anyway. Then, later they took the old kettle grill and a semi-functional vacuum cleaner that had probably sat in the rain at least once...so I hope it doesn't cause a fire or anything. But, hey. As the saying goes, garbage-picker beware. One man's trash is another man's entire suite of living room decore.

Apparently it's not stalking if no one objects

Okay. The IT guy's weird thing with my new co-worker is just getting annoying. The vague references and innuendo and constantly hanging around are verging on creepy territory. I mean, he just said to someone on the phone "Oh, I'm over here with so-and-so. Yeah. A shot of testosterone." - and he's sitting around trying lamely to flirt with her. It feels a little... inconsiderate. To those of us working in the shared common space. Because, you know, some of us have more going on than reading books at our desks. My husband doesn't even linger over here like this dude does. I know she's said she's nice to him in order to get stuff done, so it seems like she's stringing him along - but how long is this going to continue? Now they're gossiping about other IT people. Awesome. Did they just mention my husband's name? What the hell - I seriously hope they were talking about someone else! STFU and get back to work, people!!

Okay skeezy IT guy...once more with feeling - "Get ooouuuuuttt!"

You got paint on my bacon. You got bacon on my paint.

We're arteeeests!

[Abstract art is] a product of the untalented, sold by the unprincipled to the utterly bewildered. -- Al Capp(1909 - 1979)

While browsing open positions on a local job board, I came across this post:

*Company Name Witheld* corporate headquarters in *Location Redacted* has a temporary position available for 3-5 months (permanent possibility) due to STD.

Which STD, specifically?? I'm sure this means something other than what I'm thinking, but, still! As long as I'd get a new chair. And some desk sanitizer. Maybe some antibiotic.

I'm being pretty productive this morning, and getting some work done. I'm slowly feeling my motivation ebbing away, however. I have a meeting with the new boss tomorrow to give him the a breakdown of the good, the bad and the downright unspeakable, so I'll be running reports and compiling information for most of the rest of the day.

According to my Hoops & Yoyo calendar, today is "Festival of Popular Delusions" Day! Finally - we all have a whole day in which to labor under our own delusions. Wait. Don't people generally do that already?

Never despair...

...but if you do, work on in despair. (Edmund Burke)

"Sombody's got a case of the..."

"STFU before I cut you!!"

Today was the first day of the new regime. The work-place terrain is already riddled with potential land mines, and, in my mind at least, battle lines have been drawn. One of the first things he told the current co-worker in his meeting with her, in reference to remodeling part of our workspace (which we do not have the funds to do right now, but was one of the former boss's pet plans): "You design it, and make it happen, and we'll find the money later." He also wants us to pay for a personal laptop (we already have a work laptop that he can sign out) and a Blackberry.

There are rumblings in the school system for the county I live in that due to a precipitous drop in enrollment expected over the next few years, several older or less crowded elementary schools may be closed. Isn't that just great?! For years they've been bemoaning the population growth here that went hand in hand with congestion and overcrowded schools, and now because of the ridiculous cost of living people with school-age children are moving away, and more child-less residents are moving in to take their place. So there's a good chance my son's school, which he hasn't even gotten to attend yet, will close after this coming school year. Which means instead of a close neighborhood school, he'd have to adjust to going to one across town. Maybe his dream will come true and he'll actually get to be a bus rider. Except, I imagine the shine to wear off and the morning ritual to go something like this:

I need a bumper sticker that says: I Survived Tropical Storm Barry!

The very first storm of the season - delivering this county a direct hit in the very first days of Hurricane season, no less - did nothing more than blow a couple of plastic lawn chairs out of place and fill up my pool. We needed the rain. And the weather is beautiful right now. I just wish my state of mind could match Mother Nature's glorious attitude today.