Friday, October 15, 2004
Things I have learned this week:
Things I have learned this week:squirrels are cute. They bite. I didn't get bitten, but I did get to pet one yesterday. How cool is that?
Beefeater Gin is not my friend. Especially when it is free and all you have to do is ask for another drink ticket to get another drink. Somehow I ended up with 8 tickets. I didn't drink 8 drinks, but I kept getting more tickets. Oh, it seemed like a good idea at the time...
Kickball can be really fun, especially if you are playing with a team from Evening Magazine and get to meet local celebrities. And then drink free gin. The gin part can be bad the next morning...
There's more I am sure... just in my slightly hungover and stupid feeling state I can't think very clearly.
Thursday, October 14, 2004
The Hilarity Continues…
The Hilarity Continues...I have mentioned the woman that sits across from me many times. She brings many hours of laughter and entertainment to me and surrounding cubemates. This morning was no exception.
Apparently it started while I was in a meeting... so I missed how it began. However, I arrived back at my desk to find her on a phone call to a helpdesk and cleaning her keyboard with that canned air stuff. I glanced at Lori on my way in and she was silently laughing so hard her eyes were glistening with tears. I knew I had missed something big. But I sat down to get back to work.
It continued. Whatever I missed - I still got all the entertainment I could handle!
She was on the phone with a helpdesk. I say "a" helpdesk because, as it turned out, this was not work related. Apparently she got a virus on her home computer and, instead of calling the helpdesk from home with her computer in front of her, she decided to wait until she got to work the next day to make the phone call. That's right. She called to see if they could fix her home computer while she was at work. I am assuming the conversation would have been even funnier if I had heard it from the beginning...
The conversation in itself would have been enough to push anyone over the edge, add to that the fact that Lori is sitting at her desk desperately singing to herself to try and block out some of the sound. I lost it myself when I heard the words, "Zippity do dah...Zippity Eh..." AND someone was playing some sort of opera music nearby, so every once in awhile the whole affair was punctuated with a high pitched trilling... Of course that would have pushed anyone over the edge, then Terry decides to IM Lori and I. He was making various comments on things the woman was saying:
Woman: Well, when I first got it and was installing the worm virus was infecting me
Terry via IM: Ewe she is infected with worms!
Lori via IM: EEEEWWWWWWEEEEE
Woman: You promise you will call me? Promise? tehehehe
Terry: He promises never to call her...
Elizabeth: "I was totally going to call, but I suddenly got ill and had to go home early..."
This went on and on for about a half hour, at which point we decided to call it quits and get back to work. We knew it was mean, but we just couldn't resist...
I think the woman is missing her other cubemates, she keeps trying to involve herself in our conversations. I am sitting with my headphones on trying to look VERY busy so she won't get the urge to talk to me. I know it is mean, but I am afraid that she is one of those people who take advantage of any kindness and suddenly become your best friend. I have a best friend. Actually I have more than one, but that isn't the point. I don't need another. Especially one that claims her cube is usually clean though I personally think there may be something growing over there...
Friday, October 08, 2004
Friday Re-Mix
Friday Re-MixIt's been a week... Here's the recap:
They Pyramid Lounge:
I went to the Pyramid Lounge for Belly dancing on Monday. It was very cool. There is something about the scent of hot leather, sweat and a touch of cigarette smoke that makes me feel nostalgic. Nostalgic for what you may ask... well many things. Many many things. There is just something distinct about the smell that hits a note with me.
shadows on the Wall:
I think my senses have picked up a bit, perhaps it is the coming of fall that causes me to notice things that I don't normally notice. On Wednesday night, during my dance class, I happened to be turning a circle and almost stopped. I found the shadows on the wall so intriguing. I wanted to stop and contemplate the movement and the effect. It helps that the studio is painted in yellow. A sunflower yellow that would drive me crazy in any other space, but fits my dance teacher so well that it's hard to argue with it. I continued to dance on, knowing that stopping to stare at the shadows would cause everyone else to stop too and then the shadows would stop the dance they were performing. It was beautiful none-the-less.
The Raspberry:
The crazy lady that sits across from me got some sort of promotion. There was another lady - we will call her B - that congratulated the Crazy Lady - it went something like this...
B: Congratulations on your new job
CL: Thankyou
B: Are you excited about it?
CL: I guess
B: Well, in the long run you know, that is all that matters. Being happy with what you do in life (turns and walks away from cube area)
CL: (Blows a raspberry at B's back as B is walking away, waiting just long enough so that B will not hear it)
Elizabeth: Trying REALLY REALLY hard not to break out in hysterical laughter at the fact that this just came from a grown adult. IMs Lori to see if she heard, she didn't hear but when told started shaking with her own barely contained laughter.
The Color Printer:
I am working on a Board Report. I think I can say that. I can't tell you what it's about or what is in it - but I am working on one. Well - to be totally honest - I myself am not working on the content. I am responsible for making sure the content is in the template and that the template and presentation look fabulous. The whole thing is in color. I have to print many MANY copies because every one and their brother's sister needs to see it, even though it is highly confidential and not supposed to be seen by anyone before the board sees it. What ever.
Regardless of who sees it, or what have you, the fact is I have to make LOTS of copies and they all have to be in color. Therefore I have spent a lot of time printing this sucker out. And, because it's so confidential, I have to stand by the printer and not let anyone else see what's coming out. This, combined with the massive amounts of printing I have to do, allows me to see behaviors that I would not see otherwise.
Standing at the printer...
RedHairedWoman (who is NOT nice): Whose print job is this? (Mine hadn't started yet)
SilverHairedGuy (who is VERY nice and lets me go in his office to look at the progress of construction any time I want): Well, it's so and so's...
RHW: They should not be printing to this printer!
SHG: Well, they have this report to do and it has to be in color
RHW: Well - they should get their own damn printer! I have important meeting materials printing for a meeting that is in 10 minutes and I can't get them printed because OTHER PEOPLE are using the printer!
SHG: Sorry (shrugs his shoulders. He is not taking the bait to start an argument)
RHW: Stomps back to her office in a huff mumbling to herself...
Elizabeth: Laughs silently to herself as her HUGE print job starts shooting out...
And Today...
I had to get 4 copies of the Board Report to Legal for a review. They were due at 1pm. The 1pm deadline is a "nice to have" that the lady who has to put it all together will gladly tell you. She doesn't believe for a second that the materials will be sent in on time. She's not that concerned about it.
So, at 12:30 I was again standing at the printer. I had the last of my 4 copies printing. I then had to print out 4 more for various people. That's just the way it works.
All of a sudden another woman on my floor comes running up to the color printer all in a huff.
Her: You're at the printer AGAIN?
Me: Yep
Her: Well - how long are you going to be?
Me: This should be the last one for a little bit
Her: Well it better be! I have to get 4 copies of a document up to Legal by 1pm and I JUST GOT THEM
Me: Yeah - I'm doing the same thing
Her: Well - you have HAD your documents - I JUST GOT MINE
Me: Actually I just got mine too
Her: Well... (walks away mumbling under her breath)
I finished my jobs, collated them, put them in a binder and delivered them. It was then nearing 2 pm and I figured I was all clear to start printing out the 4 other copies I needed. So I start up the printer again. The same lady is STILL trying to print out her 20 page power point. It's been almost an hour! What is she doing? I don't know, I didn't ask, but I tried to stay out of her way as much as possible as she threw fits at the printer - seeing that I was again printing out my document...
I won't be printing anymore today, but I don't thinks that today's the end of this issue. People were complaining all over the floor that I was hogging the printer. I just had to laugh. I mean really - who cares? They should be better prepared. The printer doesn't put me first just cause I'm me...
One more thing:
There is a lady pounding on the vending machine in the breakroom trying to get a snack. It finally worked - but she was banging for awhile...
Hope everyone has a good weekend!
Monday, October 04, 2004
Other…
Other...My workplace held a breakfast fund raiser awhile ago to raise money for the American Heart Association. In doing this, they put large amounts of salt and pepper into plastic cups for ease of use. Someone has sense labeled the cup of salt with "Lot's Wife."
Saturday I spent the day with Rick & Mom. It was a lot of fun - we went out for breakfast at this little cafe at a nursery. I think it's my mom's new favorite place. Not only is the food good, but there are so many plants near-by...
Yesterday I worked on my apartment. I had yet to dig out my feng shui book and take a good hard look at my surroundings. I am glad I finally took the time. There are so many things missing and I had so many infractions! There are still a lot of things I need to fix - but at least I got the process started. Now to manage my workspace... it needs help too!
I am bored out of my mind. I am waiting for the next steps from my boss, I can't really move ahead without her approval on stuff and her thumbs up - so I have been doing almost nothing all day. It's starting to drive me a bit nuts...I can't wait till the new guy starts. Yeah! New team member to torture!!!
Saturday Night at the
Saturday Night at the Jolly Roger Taproom...Ah, adventures in beer drinking. Not just any beer drinking though, beer drinking in Ballard. There is a little local taproom just down the street from where I live. They serve some really good beer there. Beer that I can appreciate and enjoy. They also have really good food, not JUST bar food, but other entrees that are pretty incredible considering it's a taproom. Ballard is kind of like that though. There is good food to be found.
Along with the good food, beer and closeness, Jolly Roger's serves up something that not every bar can, good entertainment. I'm not talking live music, kareoke, or stand comedy. I am talking Local Color. And Jolly's has that in spades.
We (because a night at Jolly's wouldn't really be complete without Freeman) started the night by walking to the taproom. It's important to note that we DO NOT drive when we are drinking. Driving drunk is bad. Okay, plug over...back to the story.
Upon entering the taproom, we thought it was going to be a somewhat quiet night. The place wasn't overly crowded, there were seats available at the bar. We sat down, placed our order and started to talk to those around us. Jim & Dave were both there. Jim & Dave are twins. They both work at the bar. Jim is the eldest by 2 minutes. Jim must have worked earlier in the day as he was having a beer when we arrived. Dave was just getting off, leaving the other bar tender, Dave, to handle the night crowd on his own. Not long after we arrived, Jim and his friend left thus freeing up two barstools next to me.
Interesting couple #1:
I look over to see a woman kneeling on a barstool attempting to turn down the speed on the overhead fan.
Freeman: Getting chilly for you?
Woman: I felt like I was at a shooting range, am I hot? Am I cold? Where's the target?
Interesting couple #2:
This couple chose to sit next to me, which was fine, the more the merrier. Except that this couple was not merry. The woman had the bitchiest look on her face I have ever seen. She proceeded to bitch constantly throughout their stay at the bar. The man was not much better.
After this couple's arrival a fairly large party of 6 arrived and sat directly behind them. The couple proceeded to bitch about the "cackling witch" that was sitting at the table. The couple decided to order some Lil' Jolly Royals (Yummy burgers with cheese & onions) they then argued about what sauce to get. He didn't want the Strawberry-Rhubard BBQ, they couldn't order the Habenero (it's REALLY hot) and they couldn't seem to figure out what to do. Dave made the decision for them and placed their order. When it arrived, with the Staw-rhubard BBQ sauce the man, who flatly refused to order the BBQ sauce, proceeded to eat all of it. The woman also requested extra sauce for her Lil' Jollies and proceeded to eat all her food before the sauce arrived. They were an interesting couple.
Bob & Bob:
After the angry couple left, a couple of old guys walked in. And I do mean old. They could have given my grandfather a run for his money. They both had canes and thick glasses. It was apparent that this was not their first stop on their night out. They came in and headed for the chairs next to me. They proceeded to knock one chair over and then stumble around till a guy from the large party sitting next to them reached out to help. The guy righted the chair and helped the old guys into their chairs. One of the buys then turned to me to introduce himself to me. I think his name was Bill and his buddy was Paul.
Bill proceeded to tell me all kinds of things I never wanted to know. I learned all about the "shoo shoo" dance and how Paul once danced it on a bar with no shoes and socks on. Paul apparently couldn't talk and grunted in agreement to what Bill was saying. Bill also told me how he could no longer do the shoo shoo dance as he has had several surgeries where they have filed down the bones in his feet and now he walks on his heels.
They kept asking where to go next, what was the next closest bar. Freeman and I gave then directions to the Bit Saloon, but we soon found out that they could no longer go there. I'm not exactly sure WHY they couldn't go there, something about a blonde with big hair and lots of mean things said on both sides. Huh.
Meanwhile, every couple of minutes Bill would pull a pack of Lucky Strikes from his pocket and try to light up. I continually told him that there was no smoking. He would put it away, only to reach for it a couple minutes later. What cracked me up about this particular habit was the fact that he would pull out a cigarette from the packet, when I told him he couldn't smoke he would put the cigarette into another pocket. He must wonder the next morning why his pack was empty, but various pockets in his coat and pants were full of cigarettes...
Whenever Bill would make a point, he would look over at Paul for confirmation. Paul was oblivious to just about everything and would simply hold up a hand and give a drunken sign of "Okay" for agreement. Then he would turn back to his beer or stare out at people at the bar.
Bill then started to serenade me.
Not long before they arrived, we had decided it was about time for us to leave. Dave was a little slow in getting us the bill, which isn't an issue, we are rarely in a hurry. As soon as Bill started singing, I stood up to go to the restroom. Thankfully, when I got back, the bill had arrived and we could leave. I didn't want to sit and be sung to... for one I couldn't understand, and for two I wasn't feeling overly polite.
As we left, we went to warn Dave about Bill's urge to smoke. He informed us that they were regulars and he wasn't aware what their real names were, but they called them Bob & Bob.
All in all it was a successful night at the Jolly Roger taproom, where the local color always comes to visit and entertain...
As you wake in the morning
What do you feel?
Does a rush of happiness
wash over you when,
Suddenly, you realize you are alive?
