Snow In The Northeast

As much as I hate winter in Wisconsin, it could be worse.  This is Friday in Hartford, Connecticut.
Reposted from Bits & Pieces!

Green Fairy Dreams

Last night we met our friends Bridget and Zubin at the Malt House for a few drinks.  Having the next day off, I eventually had some of the absinthe, Livid was the brand.  Bridget took photos, but it seems that uploading all those pictures from my Mom's retirement party to flickr has put me over the limit for the time being, so this is just a similar pic from the internet. 

I've had absinthe a couple times before, but never for an evening.  I had two last night and still drove home easily.  One of these days when I have the time - and extra cash - I think I would like to see what it is like to drink absinthe exclusively one night and see how I like it.  Maybe I won't write the next great american novel or even paint the latest greatest masterpiece, but it might be a nice drunk!

Lingering Cold, Vacation

Time to post something, even though I don't really feel like it.  Although I have been over the worst of it since about last Wednesday, this cold is still lingering in me.  Saturday I started a stretch of 8 out of 9 days off.  Just a little time off for myself to do something - or nothing, depending on the day.  Sleep is what I really want.  Good, long restful sleep is always hard to come by these days, but I shall try to achieve it.  Sigh, maybe tomorrow.  Oh, I did not jinx myself and passed the needed tests to take the other position at work.  That will not start for many months yet, though, so anything can happen.  Until then I plan on keeping my eye out for other positions that may better suit me.

It is hibernation season and I think that's pretty much all I plan to do this week so perhaps I shall post more, perhaps not.  PTFO

How I Caught My Cold

Tonight is the night we are going out with friends to celebrate my wife's birthday, except I won't be going out tonight due to a pretty nasty cold.  I had been fighting it since Monday, on Wednesday at work I felt it settle into my sinuses and I have been more than miserable ever since.  I was around my neices and nephews last weekend at my Mom's retirement party, so that would seem to confirm my 'all kids are disease carrying vermin' viewpoint, no matter how cute they are.  Or maybe not.

Here's how Heywood Banks caught his cold, reposted from Bits & Pieces:

Laid Off.... Wait, What?

Due to the loss of contracts, layoffs have been impending at my place of work.  It has been a tense, somber couple of weeks at work watching friends and co-workers get picked off one by one.  Many people in the company have been escorted out on the same day, some have a date when their position is eliminated and yet others have been offered lower positions and the lower pay that goes with it.

I had hoped I was safe, but I finally got the call into the office late yesterday.  My position will be eliminated this fall.  The surprise is that I will not be out of work, in fact, I will be getting a raise and a promotion to move to a different, if less desireable, department (pending two tests I have to take that I should pass easily - knock wood).  Well now, I certainly did not expect that!

Actually, I am not very pleased.  Oh, I'm happy that I'm not out the door and have to look for another job, but I was happier in my present department, with the work and the people, than I have been in a long time.  And now things will be different.  I must be doing very well for them to want to keep me, as my wife says, yet it is still upsetting for me.  I'm not just sad for myself losing the great situation that I'm in now, I'm sad for all these people that I know and care about losing their jobs or having to accept demotions.  I will still be with the company at a higher level and with more pay, and after being in the new job for six months I can start applying for other positions that open up that better suit me.  Meanwhile other good, hard working people will have to start all over again and I think that sucks.

PTFO

Get The Body You Always Wanted

1. Wait until at least April, when the ground softens.

2. Dress warmly (think layers), bring a shovel and a lantern on a stick.

3. Listen. Is someone coming?

4. Cover your lantern with a blanket, wait.

5. Continue. If you're not used to hard physical labor, wear weight-lifting gloves to avoid excess chafing.

6. You may need a wheelbarrow. You probably should have brought a wheelbarrow.

7. Come back with a wheelbarrow.

8. Try to have the body you've always wanted back to your house by dawn.

9. Get online, start shopping for outfits!

10. Your friends may treat you differently now, with your new body, but they are probably just jealous.


I thought this was funny enough to share.  Reposted from The Hairpin.

Birthday/Retirement

My wife and I attended my Mom's retirement party today, on my wife's birthday.  The big, ugly and rarely posted thing in the middle is me.  (-Well, what did you think I looked like?)

Happy Birthday, Kate!    Happy Retirement, Mom!

Layoff The Cats

Over a week since the last post?  What the heck have I been up to?  Well, it has been a busy, odd week here.  Ten hour days is my new norm, though there should be less of them per week.  We have had overtime on and off lately, and layoffs have been handed out to some while the rest of us watch and wait.  I should know better where I stand in a week's time, so keep your fingers crossed for me!

The cats seem like they are no longer kitties.  They are 9 months old on Monday, and I'm not sure if they are their full size yet, but they have certainly come a long way.  We weighed them about a month ago, Basil was 10 pounds and Hamish was 7, so I am afraid they may still be growing.  Time will tell...

A Moment With A Hawk

I just stepped outside for a moment just now.  The sky is overcast , the temperature is above freezing and I can hear the snow melting - falling off the trees and dripping everywhere - and I have thoughts of Spring.  Then I realize it is really not even halfway through January.

Just a Google Images photo, for effect. ;]

Just as I was about to come back in I saw some kind of hawk, flying high in this urban sky.  I delayed coming in for a few moments and watched this hawk come lower as it passed beyond to the west, then circled back even lower coming straight at me, and passed almost directly over me about 50 feet up.  Now this hawk obviously knew I was not prey, and yet it took a moment to look at me as I stayed and waited reflectively to look at it.


- - -

Not a lot going on here lately.  I have been working overtime and things have been pretty routine at home.  Work is a bit odd lately as we are changing some of our procedures in our department and face some possible layoffs.  My boss is stretched to her limit I think, but still puts on a brave, pleasant face every day.  But before I go on, this blog is not about work and I will keep it that way.  We can just say that work is still so much more fun for me in this department than my old position and I wouldn't trade it for anything right now.

The Badgers may have lost their third straight Rose Bowl, but at least they have gotten there three straight years which is not too shabby at all.  I am excited about the new head coach and our returning team next year.
The Packers play continues having won their wildcard playoff game last Saturday and will play at San Francisco this Saturday night.  I think we can do it, the Packers can go the distance, but I am almost afraid of the games now.  Lose and it's over - and it's a long time until next season.  I don't want football weekends to ever end!

PTFO

New Year's Eve, The Edited Karaoke Video

Using the YouTube Video Editor for the first time was a learning experience, yet helpful if I ever have a chance or reason to do it again.  Overall, it took too long and I didn't really know what I was doing at first, but on the second try I think I did okay enough.

It was all in good fun and many goofy Karaoke highlights are here.  The mood was loose and fun, all played it up somewhat with the camera a bit but it was Becky that kept the girls going - Go, Aunt Becky!

Happy New Year to Becky, Terry, Mike and Jerome (not in vid) and thanks for going out with Kate and me (also not in vid) on New Year's Eve!