"Ashokan Farewell", better known as the theme song from Ken Burn's "The Civil War" has been playing in my head and on my stereo at work and in the car for a while now. The theme of the music kind of matches where I am in my head right now. If you have never heard it, go on Youtube and do a search, either on Ashokan Farewell or "The Civil War Music". It's an instrumental that's all violin and guitar. Slow, ploddingly slow, filled with regret, some sadness, and just a touch of backward looking thrown in for good measure.
I have to do something real soon that I am not looking forward to. It's necessary, at least in my mind, but "necessary" doesn't make it more pleasant. For me or anyone else involved. In some ways, the actions I will be taking will be decidedly unpleasant.
There are significant changes coming. Some of them soon, within hours. Others over a course of time. With these changes will come a mix of sadness and anger for some, relief for others.
Anger at me.
Regrets.
Wasted opportunities.
Change is in fact inevitable, but not necessarily good. No, these changes won't be good, not by a long shot.
I just hope that everyone involved understands that the actions I am about to take are both regrettable and necessary, at least where I am sitting. These decisions are ones that I have made and delayed, but the time has come to "get to the getting". To "piss on the fire and call the dogs".
The results of these changes will speak for themselves, in ways I probably cannot even fathom right now. I hope that the actions I am about to take work out well for all involved. Given that it's something I'm doing, probably not, but hope springs in the heart of a fairly young man.
Let's just see what happens.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Thursday, February 17, 2011
The Silent Treatment, Future Jobs, and Health Care
There are people that I know who believe that “the silent treatment” is a great tool for punishing people around them in a subtle but unmistakable way. They believe that if they say nothing or very little, the person who is the target for this will be sent a message that they are, in some way, not happy or angry. Their silence, they believe, is an indication that the person being targeted with the lack of noise is being punished by not hearing the words coming out of their mouth that they may be accustomed to hearing.
The problem with this approach is people like me. I don’t view “the silent treatment” as a punishment; that the person being quiet is causing me pain. No, kidlings, I look at it in the opposite way. When a coworker or someone else is being quiet, my first reaction is “Thank Christ he/she is not trying to talk to me.” In fact, most of the time I view the quietness as A Good Thing. This is especially true if it’s a person who has a tendency to bitch/moan/complain a lot, or has opinions about Every Subject Known to Man (most of which are stupid/boring/make no sense/all of the above). Silence is Golden, indeed.
+ + + + + + +
Here’s something to think about. Right now, in 2011, there are a lot of people employed in professions that did not exist 20 years ago. This is mostly due to the advancement of technology and changes in society in our world.
With that in mind, think about a job that you would love to do that doesn’t exist right now. Something that you would be good at and at the same time, enjoy immensely.
My personal choice would be Professional Masturbator. Job doesn’t exist, but maybe in the future it would, for whatever bizarre reason. Probably have to be done on a quota system, and, come to think of it (no pun intended) it probably already exists in the adult entertainment industry.
Still, it would be pretty cool to get paid for doing something we all already do for free. (Admit it, you masturbate. I know I do and have no problem with admitting it).
+ + + + + + +
Why do they call doctors and nurses “health care providers”? Do these people actually give you good health, or are they simply advisors to tell you ways to reach good health? “You look like shit. Here, I will provide you with some health”. Seems to me that they’re people who help you when your health really sucks.
+ + + + + + +
I find irony in a lot of things, especially here on Guam. For example, take American Grocery, which is a large very popular grocery store located in the heart of Dededo. It is staffed by a group who is 95% Filipino, and stocked with food that is 90% Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, and Korean. The store itself is owned by a Korean. Yet it’s called American Grocery. I find that a little weird.
+ + + + + + +
Getting older sucks, but, as I pointed out to my wife, it beats the hell out of the alternative, which is not getting older.
The problem with this approach is people like me. I don’t view “the silent treatment” as a punishment; that the person being quiet is causing me pain. No, kidlings, I look at it in the opposite way. When a coworker or someone else is being quiet, my first reaction is “Thank Christ he/she is not trying to talk to me.” In fact, most of the time I view the quietness as A Good Thing. This is especially true if it’s a person who has a tendency to bitch/moan/complain a lot, or has opinions about Every Subject Known to Man (most of which are stupid/boring/make no sense/all of the above). Silence is Golden, indeed.
+ + + + + + +
Here’s something to think about. Right now, in 2011, there are a lot of people employed in professions that did not exist 20 years ago. This is mostly due to the advancement of technology and changes in society in our world.
With that in mind, think about a job that you would love to do that doesn’t exist right now. Something that you would be good at and at the same time, enjoy immensely.
My personal choice would be Professional Masturbator. Job doesn’t exist, but maybe in the future it would, for whatever bizarre reason. Probably have to be done on a quota system, and, come to think of it (no pun intended) it probably already exists in the adult entertainment industry.
Still, it would be pretty cool to get paid for doing something we all already do for free. (Admit it, you masturbate. I know I do and have no problem with admitting it).
+ + + + + + +
Why do they call doctors and nurses “health care providers”? Do these people actually give you good health, or are they simply advisors to tell you ways to reach good health? “You look like shit. Here, I will provide you with some health”. Seems to me that they’re people who help you when your health really sucks.
+ + + + + + +
I find irony in a lot of things, especially here on Guam. For example, take American Grocery, which is a large very popular grocery store located in the heart of Dededo. It is staffed by a group who is 95% Filipino, and stocked with food that is 90% Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, and Korean. The store itself is owned by a Korean. Yet it’s called American Grocery. I find that a little weird.
+ + + + + + +
Getting older sucks, but, as I pointed out to my wife, it beats the hell out of the alternative, which is not getting older.
Plethora of the Inane
Good morning and Welcome to Thursday. A full-bore plethora of this and that for your reading edification, for that handful of people who actually take the time to read my insane gibberish.
An old Chamorro guy and I were chatting the other day while I was waiting on the laundry to do its thing. He told me that we’re in the dry season here on Guam. If that is in fact the case, then it’s starting out as an awfully wet dry season. It has done nothing but piss down rain most of this week. Yesterday I spent most of the day in rain, the good news being that I was indoors for most of it.
+ + + + + +
Did something last night that I rarely do. I’ve had the beard off now for the better part of 4 months, trying to give my skin a bit of a break from all the hair. Last night, the moustache finally left the face, which has only happened probably 5 times in the last 20 years or so. I must say, I look different, like looking at a stranger this morning when I was doing my early morning grooming.
+ + + + + +
In two separate attempts, it has become apparent that I suck at marriage or marital bliss. It should also be noted for the record that my present wife, The Gorgeous One, also suffers from the same affliction. I continually (but completely unintentionally) do things that piss her off. Try as I might, there is always something that I’ve either done or didn’t do or some personal quirk that I have that irks her.
By the same token, every time she opens her mouth, in general it’s going to be something bad. It’s not like it was before; far from it. We used to be one of the most lovey-dovey couples on the planet. Not so much anymore. Maybe it’s the fact that we’re both working our asses off, or that she’s had a couple of health problems lately. I love the woman to death and always will, but something’s gotta change and soon.
+ + + + + +
In three days time, I will once again attempt to stop smoking. It has been an ongoing struggle between me and Demon Tobacco for three decades. The problem is that I love to smoke, but it’s a relationship similar to being hopelessly in love/lust with a serial killer. Fingers (and maybe dicks) crossed that I will finally be able to kick the habit. Every other attempt has ended in Utter Failure.
+ + + + + +
I love to rock out, and always will. With that said though, lately I’ve been in kind of a country-bluegrass place musically. A lot of Ashokan Farewell (which is probably the most beautiful and horribly sad songs ever written). Plenty of Garth Brooks, Marshall Tucker Band (for the southern rockiness of it). Liberal doses of John Denver (Grandma’s Feather Bed is simply a fun song that I love to sing along to). Dunno why I’ve been getting my redneck on, but I think it has to do with finding comfort in something old and familiar when the world around you is doing it’s utmost to kick the living shit out of you.
As far as reading is concerned, I’ve started rereading a lot of old Hunter S. Thompson books, namely Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail ’72, and a couple of others. “The Vegas Book” as the Good Doctor referred to it, still holds up really well as one of the funniest books ever written. Death to the Weird, indeed. Hunter S. Thompson was the 20th Century’s Mark Twain, and so much more.
+ + + + + +
I have to give some training this morning on one of the little projects that I am working on, so that a larger number of people in my department can share the pain. To some people, this would be a pain in the ass, but in reality I like giving training. Always did, always will. There is something very satisfying about passing on knowledge that will make those you work with learn something new, and there is the potential that doing so will give me more time to work on other things once these guys are up to speed.
+ + + + + +
More later. Must have coffee and a cigarette.
An old Chamorro guy and I were chatting the other day while I was waiting on the laundry to do its thing. He told me that we’re in the dry season here on Guam. If that is in fact the case, then it’s starting out as an awfully wet dry season. It has done nothing but piss down rain most of this week. Yesterday I spent most of the day in rain, the good news being that I was indoors for most of it.
+ + + + + +
Did something last night that I rarely do. I’ve had the beard off now for the better part of 4 months, trying to give my skin a bit of a break from all the hair. Last night, the moustache finally left the face, which has only happened probably 5 times in the last 20 years or so. I must say, I look different, like looking at a stranger this morning when I was doing my early morning grooming.
+ + + + + +
In two separate attempts, it has become apparent that I suck at marriage or marital bliss. It should also be noted for the record that my present wife, The Gorgeous One, also suffers from the same affliction. I continually (but completely unintentionally) do things that piss her off. Try as I might, there is always something that I’ve either done or didn’t do or some personal quirk that I have that irks her.
By the same token, every time she opens her mouth, in general it’s going to be something bad. It’s not like it was before; far from it. We used to be one of the most lovey-dovey couples on the planet. Not so much anymore. Maybe it’s the fact that we’re both working our asses off, or that she’s had a couple of health problems lately. I love the woman to death and always will, but something’s gotta change and soon.
+ + + + + +
In three days time, I will once again attempt to stop smoking. It has been an ongoing struggle between me and Demon Tobacco for three decades. The problem is that I love to smoke, but it’s a relationship similar to being hopelessly in love/lust with a serial killer. Fingers (and maybe dicks) crossed that I will finally be able to kick the habit. Every other attempt has ended in Utter Failure.
+ + + + + +
I love to rock out, and always will. With that said though, lately I’ve been in kind of a country-bluegrass place musically. A lot of Ashokan Farewell (which is probably the most beautiful and horribly sad songs ever written). Plenty of Garth Brooks, Marshall Tucker Band (for the southern rockiness of it). Liberal doses of John Denver (Grandma’s Feather Bed is simply a fun song that I love to sing along to). Dunno why I’ve been getting my redneck on, but I think it has to do with finding comfort in something old and familiar when the world around you is doing it’s utmost to kick the living shit out of you.
As far as reading is concerned, I’ve started rereading a lot of old Hunter S. Thompson books, namely Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail ’72, and a couple of others. “The Vegas Book” as the Good Doctor referred to it, still holds up really well as one of the funniest books ever written. Death to the Weird, indeed. Hunter S. Thompson was the 20th Century’s Mark Twain, and so much more.
+ + + + + +
I have to give some training this morning on one of the little projects that I am working on, so that a larger number of people in my department can share the pain. To some people, this would be a pain in the ass, but in reality I like giving training. Always did, always will. There is something very satisfying about passing on knowledge that will make those you work with learn something new, and there is the potential that doing so will give me more time to work on other things once these guys are up to speed.
+ + + + + +
More later. Must have coffee and a cigarette.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Job Stuff, Head Space, and Bad Driving at Its Finest
A look at job stuff, head space, and bad driving on a near criminal level……
One of my friends turned in his resignation yesterday where I work. Well, the word “friend” doesn’t quite cover it. He’s more like a brother than a friend, someone I would happily commit misdemeanors for if he needed something. Anyway, I knew that the resignation was coming now for a couple of months, and knew it wouldn’t be long in coming. The Management Team supposedly refused his resignation, even refused to pick up the paper it was written on.
It changes nothing, because a week from this Friday is his last day with our company, and that’s sad. Sad that it had to come to that. Management is in a panic mode now, but it’s way, way too late for them to do anything to convince him to stay. Pieces are already in motion at the new company my brother will be working at, and the move is going to happen. I’m happy for him because it means a better quality of life for him and his family; sad that our company was so utterly blind as to not see it coming. Also sad that I won’t get the opportunity to work with this mischievous genius every day. I know that he will be the first of a large group who will be leaving the company in due order.
What really gripes my ass is the fact that our management thinks that everything is hunky-dory. They ignore the data gathered from their own employee surveys that show that morale is at an all-time low within the company in general and my department in particular. Something has to change and soon; otherwise the flood gates will open and there will be a mass exodus from what used to be a great place to work.
When I started with this company 4 years ago, I was excited about my job. Loved it, in fact, and couldn’t wait to see what the next day had in store for me. Now, it’s just a paycheck and nothing else. I’ll do what is expected of me, but won’t pour the energy and drive into what I am doing like I did before. As Alexander Hamilton once said, “it has come to that”.
That and the fact that, simply put, I don’t give a shit anymore.
+=+=+=+=
My head has been in a dark place now for the past couple of weeks, due to issues that I deem way to personal to get into in a blog or any other format. Personal and professional things have been weighing heavily on me, but I try not to dwell on any of it too much. These are things that are best kept to myself, and that I’m dealing with it. The only reason I mention it at all is so that everyone who interacts with me on a daily basis understands if I’m a bit moody. Since I’m sure someone will think of it, no, I do not feel like hurting myself or taking my own life, nothing like that. Let’s just say I’m going through some “dark times” and leave it at that.
+=+=+=+=
There is an old bad joke that says if you want to lower the IQ of (name a race or country of origin), simply put them behind the wheel of a car. That can also clearly be said of the locals here on Guam. In the past two days I have seen behavior on the road so bizarre that it defies description. Complete and utter stupidity on a level I have never witnessed before, to include the 14 combined years I lived in Korea.
Driving an automobile is not a complicated thing, but apparently to a lot of people here it’s something they struggle with pretty hard.
+=+=+=+=
That is all ye know and all ye need to know, at least for now.
One of my friends turned in his resignation yesterday where I work. Well, the word “friend” doesn’t quite cover it. He’s more like a brother than a friend, someone I would happily commit misdemeanors for if he needed something. Anyway, I knew that the resignation was coming now for a couple of months, and knew it wouldn’t be long in coming. The Management Team supposedly refused his resignation, even refused to pick up the paper it was written on.
It changes nothing, because a week from this Friday is his last day with our company, and that’s sad. Sad that it had to come to that. Management is in a panic mode now, but it’s way, way too late for them to do anything to convince him to stay. Pieces are already in motion at the new company my brother will be working at, and the move is going to happen. I’m happy for him because it means a better quality of life for him and his family; sad that our company was so utterly blind as to not see it coming. Also sad that I won’t get the opportunity to work with this mischievous genius every day. I know that he will be the first of a large group who will be leaving the company in due order.
What really gripes my ass is the fact that our management thinks that everything is hunky-dory. They ignore the data gathered from their own employee surveys that show that morale is at an all-time low within the company in general and my department in particular. Something has to change and soon; otherwise the flood gates will open and there will be a mass exodus from what used to be a great place to work.
When I started with this company 4 years ago, I was excited about my job. Loved it, in fact, and couldn’t wait to see what the next day had in store for me. Now, it’s just a paycheck and nothing else. I’ll do what is expected of me, but won’t pour the energy and drive into what I am doing like I did before. As Alexander Hamilton once said, “it has come to that”.
That and the fact that, simply put, I don’t give a shit anymore.
+=+=+=+=
My head has been in a dark place now for the past couple of weeks, due to issues that I deem way to personal to get into in a blog or any other format. Personal and professional things have been weighing heavily on me, but I try not to dwell on any of it too much. These are things that are best kept to myself, and that I’m dealing with it. The only reason I mention it at all is so that everyone who interacts with me on a daily basis understands if I’m a bit moody. Since I’m sure someone will think of it, no, I do not feel like hurting myself or taking my own life, nothing like that. Let’s just say I’m going through some “dark times” and leave it at that.
+=+=+=+=
There is an old bad joke that says if you want to lower the IQ of (name a race or country of origin), simply put them behind the wheel of a car. That can also clearly be said of the locals here on Guam. In the past two days I have seen behavior on the road so bizarre that it defies description. Complete and utter stupidity on a level I have never witnessed before, to include the 14 combined years I lived in Korea.
Driving an automobile is not a complicated thing, but apparently to a lot of people here it’s something they struggle with pretty hard.
+=+=+=+=
That is all ye know and all ye need to know, at least for now.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Questions Questions Questions
Some questions that I have pondered recently, in my going and coming………
Why is it that when a man does what his significant other (wife/girlfriend/friend with benefits) does exactly what the woman wants him to do, he sometimes still gets in trouble?
What, exactly, is a “worst case scenario”?
Why is it that if a woman sleeps around with a wide assortment of people, she is considered a slut or a whore, but when a man does it, it’s considered “part of being a man”? Seems a little unfair to me to those who just like to fuck, and there should be no prejudice towards a woman who happens to really like sex.
Why is suicide illegal? I think in some cases it should be encouraged.
Why is it that I can never marry into a family where my in-laws are sane or what would be considered by most people as “normal”? I am extraordinarily fond of many of my wife’s family members, especially those who live in Olongapo. With that said though, some of my in-laws can best be described as “out of their fucking minds”. Two marriages, two groups of people that are by and large borderline batshit crazy. Some of my ex-in-laws were also insane as well. Then again, my family isn’t exactly what anyone would consider as “normal”either.
Why does it seem that those who use the phrase “mind your own business” a lot are incapable of doing just that?
Why are used cars so insanely expensive on Guam?
Why does it seem that there are no thin or ‘height weight proportional” people in the Guam Police Department? Practically every cop I have ever seen on this island appears that they would drop dead of a heart attack if they had to do anything more strenuous than write tickets, beat up Chuukese, and overeat.
Why are so many of the locals so overly fascinated with Bob Marley? Everywhere you go, Bob Marley t-shirts, posters, and other memorabilia everywhere. Marley was Jamaican, not Chamorro. The only connection I can see is because both Jamaica and Guam are islands, and nothing else.
Not to sound racist, but when am I going to meet a cool person from Palau? Every person I have ever met who is proud of coming from Palau seems to be an asshole. Maybe I just haven’t met the really cool Palauans yet, and it’ll happen soon.
Speaking of race, here’s one for ya. Why is it that those who consider themselves dash Americans (Korean-American, Japanese-American, Afro-American, etc) encouraged to be proud of their heritage, but if a Caucasian male makes any noise about being proud of what they are, that white guy is considered a racist, even if he’s not. Granted, the slogans would sound kind of lame (“Proud to be Whitey” kind of doesn’t work), but there is a definite double standard there.
Why is it that there are an inordinate number of Caucasian idiots on this island? Granted there aren’t that many white people here, but a lot of times I see shit that just makes me ashamed to be associated with other white people. Per capita, I think the idiot quotient is a little higher with us white folks.
Maybe I didn’t get the memo, or I’m now officially old, but when did it start to be considered to be attractive for a woman to be covered from head to toe with tattoos? A few I can understand, but the whole body thing just doesn’t work for me. Detracts from the natural beauty of a woman if you ask me.
Why is it that when a man does what his significant other (wife/girlfriend/friend with benefits) does exactly what the woman wants him to do, he sometimes still gets in trouble?
What, exactly, is a “worst case scenario”?
Why is it that if a woman sleeps around with a wide assortment of people, she is considered a slut or a whore, but when a man does it, it’s considered “part of being a man”? Seems a little unfair to me to those who just like to fuck, and there should be no prejudice towards a woman who happens to really like sex.
Why is suicide illegal? I think in some cases it should be encouraged.
Why is it that I can never marry into a family where my in-laws are sane or what would be considered by most people as “normal”? I am extraordinarily fond of many of my wife’s family members, especially those who live in Olongapo. With that said though, some of my in-laws can best be described as “out of their fucking minds”. Two marriages, two groups of people that are by and large borderline batshit crazy. Some of my ex-in-laws were also insane as well. Then again, my family isn’t exactly what anyone would consider as “normal”either.
Why does it seem that those who use the phrase “mind your own business” a lot are incapable of doing just that?
Why are used cars so insanely expensive on Guam?
Why does it seem that there are no thin or ‘height weight proportional” people in the Guam Police Department? Practically every cop I have ever seen on this island appears that they would drop dead of a heart attack if they had to do anything more strenuous than write tickets, beat up Chuukese, and overeat.
Why are so many of the locals so overly fascinated with Bob Marley? Everywhere you go, Bob Marley t-shirts, posters, and other memorabilia everywhere. Marley was Jamaican, not Chamorro. The only connection I can see is because both Jamaica and Guam are islands, and nothing else.
Not to sound racist, but when am I going to meet a cool person from Palau? Every person I have ever met who is proud of coming from Palau seems to be an asshole. Maybe I just haven’t met the really cool Palauans yet, and it’ll happen soon.
Speaking of race, here’s one for ya. Why is it that those who consider themselves dash Americans (Korean-American, Japanese-American, Afro-American, etc) encouraged to be proud of their heritage, but if a Caucasian male makes any noise about being proud of what they are, that white guy is considered a racist, even if he’s not. Granted, the slogans would sound kind of lame (“Proud to be Whitey” kind of doesn’t work), but there is a definite double standard there.
Why is it that there are an inordinate number of Caucasian idiots on this island? Granted there aren’t that many white people here, but a lot of times I see shit that just makes me ashamed to be associated with other white people. Per capita, I think the idiot quotient is a little higher with us white folks.
Maybe I didn’t get the memo, or I’m now officially old, but when did it start to be considered to be attractive for a woman to be covered from head to toe with tattoos? A few I can understand, but the whole body thing just doesn’t work for me. Detracts from the natural beauty of a woman if you ask me.
Harder and Stranger: A Random Mishmash of Thoughts
“And when money talks for the very last time,
And no one walks a step behind,
When there’s only one race and that’s mankind,
We shall be free”
Garth Brooks
A mishmash of thoughts and observations, kinda thrown together in random order.
Getting Shown the Door
Another guy I work with got fired the other day from my department. Apparently the folks from HR thought he might get violent after getting the news because immediately outside the door of the room they were doing the firing in were three of the biggest dudes I have ever seen in my life. This was the first Chamorro I saw who was well over 6’6” and looked like he would not take any shit off of anyone. The firing went off without incident and no one got hurt, at least physically.
I feel for the guy who got fired, because I know him and his wife, and always thought him to be a pretty decent dude. I know some of the “behind the scenes” stuff as to why he got canned, but I’m sure that there is a whole lot more I don’t know. That’s why it sucks to work for a company that can fire you “at will”.
Driving With the Cham-Tards (Chamorro Retards)
Every time I think I have seen it all in regard to bizarre behavior from my fellow citizens when they get behind the wheel of a car, something always happens to make me scratch my head. WTF moments that cause a guy to pause for a minute and ponder if the person behind the wheel has any clue about what they are doing.
This happened to me today. Driving home from work, and a lady (I checked) could not make up her mind where she wanted to make a right turn. She looked like she was turning right, made indications that she was in fact going to turn and even started the turn, but changed her mind at the last minute and decided to go straight. This happened 4 times in the space of 100 meters of road.
BTW, if you happened to be that lady in Hagatna, and heard someone say something along the lines of “What the fuck are you doing?” – that was me.
Surviving Versus Living
Living a Life = squeezing every single bit out of life, making each and every day count for something. Doesn’t necessarily mean just your job, but everything in life. Trying to have as much fun as possible, constantly looking for new experiences, doing new things. Enjoying everything that comes your way, or at least making an effort to enjoy them and not focus in any way on the bad shit.
Surviving a Life = just trying to keep a roof over your head and food in your belly. No time for enjoying life; more like just trying to get through it with some semblance of sanity left intact. Being tired all the time. Bones hurt, body aches. Wife is always pissed off about something and is never “romantically inclined” (meaning “in the mood for love”), boss is not a happy camper. Zero chance for promotion at work, raises few and far between. No extra cash laying around for anything. Work your ass off, go home, and hope to get a little dinner and TV before jumping right back in the rat race.
I don’t know about anyone else, but right now I’m in survival mode. Trying to see the good and not focus on the bad, but right now it’s damn near impossible.
Getting Stuck
Currently at my job, I am the stuckee on a project that has everyone in a twitter over at The Death Star (my name for Corporate Headquarters) here at Totally Bogus Communications. It’s called Asset Tracking, and I’m the stuckee for my department because I was given the project 2 years ago to get it up and running. Two years have passed, and nothing else has been done on it, so guess who gets stuck with it again.
This is maddening to me, because I’m not a logistics person, but got stuck with it anyway. So I have been busting my ass getting shit organized and back up to speed, but because of that, have not been able to focus my attention on my primary job. This forced me to recently tell my three bosses to not get upset if shit starts breaking or falling through the cracks, because I can’t do both at the same time. Because the project takes a lot of highly tedious work to get done, I have also recommended to the bosses that they hire someone full time to do it. Because what I suggested meant actually spending money, this was of course rejected out of hand. Yep, it just keeps getting harder and stranger around here.
“When the Going Gets Weird, the Weird Turn Pro.” – Dr. Hunter S. Thompson
And no one walks a step behind,
When there’s only one race and that’s mankind,
We shall be free”
Garth Brooks
A mishmash of thoughts and observations, kinda thrown together in random order.
Getting Shown the Door
Another guy I work with got fired the other day from my department. Apparently the folks from HR thought he might get violent after getting the news because immediately outside the door of the room they were doing the firing in were three of the biggest dudes I have ever seen in my life. This was the first Chamorro I saw who was well over 6’6” and looked like he would not take any shit off of anyone. The firing went off without incident and no one got hurt, at least physically.
I feel for the guy who got fired, because I know him and his wife, and always thought him to be a pretty decent dude. I know some of the “behind the scenes” stuff as to why he got canned, but I’m sure that there is a whole lot more I don’t know. That’s why it sucks to work for a company that can fire you “at will”.
Driving With the Cham-Tards (Chamorro Retards)
Every time I think I have seen it all in regard to bizarre behavior from my fellow citizens when they get behind the wheel of a car, something always happens to make me scratch my head. WTF moments that cause a guy to pause for a minute and ponder if the person behind the wheel has any clue about what they are doing.
This happened to me today. Driving home from work, and a lady (I checked) could not make up her mind where she wanted to make a right turn. She looked like she was turning right, made indications that she was in fact going to turn and even started the turn, but changed her mind at the last minute and decided to go straight. This happened 4 times in the space of 100 meters of road.
BTW, if you happened to be that lady in Hagatna, and heard someone say something along the lines of “What the fuck are you doing?” – that was me.
Surviving Versus Living
Living a Life = squeezing every single bit out of life, making each and every day count for something. Doesn’t necessarily mean just your job, but everything in life. Trying to have as much fun as possible, constantly looking for new experiences, doing new things. Enjoying everything that comes your way, or at least making an effort to enjoy them and not focus in any way on the bad shit.
Surviving a Life = just trying to keep a roof over your head and food in your belly. No time for enjoying life; more like just trying to get through it with some semblance of sanity left intact. Being tired all the time. Bones hurt, body aches. Wife is always pissed off about something and is never “romantically inclined” (meaning “in the mood for love”), boss is not a happy camper. Zero chance for promotion at work, raises few and far between. No extra cash laying around for anything. Work your ass off, go home, and hope to get a little dinner and TV before jumping right back in the rat race.
I don’t know about anyone else, but right now I’m in survival mode. Trying to see the good and not focus on the bad, but right now it’s damn near impossible.
Getting Stuck
Currently at my job, I am the stuckee on a project that has everyone in a twitter over at The Death Star (my name for Corporate Headquarters) here at Totally Bogus Communications. It’s called Asset Tracking, and I’m the stuckee for my department because I was given the project 2 years ago to get it up and running. Two years have passed, and nothing else has been done on it, so guess who gets stuck with it again.
This is maddening to me, because I’m not a logistics person, but got stuck with it anyway. So I have been busting my ass getting shit organized and back up to speed, but because of that, have not been able to focus my attention on my primary job. This forced me to recently tell my three bosses to not get upset if shit starts breaking or falling through the cracks, because I can’t do both at the same time. Because the project takes a lot of highly tedious work to get done, I have also recommended to the bosses that they hire someone full time to do it. Because what I suggested meant actually spending money, this was of course rejected out of hand. Yep, it just keeps getting harder and stranger around here.
“When the Going Gets Weird, the Weird Turn Pro.” – Dr. Hunter S. Thompson
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Slanguage
It’s no secret that I have always been fascinated by language. Not just English, which is my native language and one that I’m somewhat fluent in, but all languages. Phrases, especially those that are considered slang or slanguage, interests me a lot.
Here are a few phrases that have crossed my frontal lobes recently.
QUIET DESPERATION
I love this phrase, because in two simple words, there is a lot of power. It means that things are so incredibly fucked up, the spoken word cannot possibly convey how fucked up the situation is. Whatever is going on is so horribly wrong, it defies description. I have “been there, done that” on more than one occasion.
I WOULDN’T PISS ON HIM IF HE WERE ON FIRE
A product of my Missouri/Colorado upbringing, heard many times from the males in my family. Contrary to popular belief, this doesn’t mean that the speaker has an urge to urinate on someone. What it means is that a person is so beneath contempt, so utterly worthless and assholish, that the speaker would rather watch the person burn to death rather than helping put out the fire in a vulgar fashion. I often use this phrase concerning nearly every member of the Executive Management Team of the company I work for.
TAKING A SHIT/PISS
Ok, if you’re taking it, exactly where are you taking it? For that matter, why are you taking it?
IT IS WHAT IT IS
This phrase is both annoying and amusing at the same time. Annoying when overused, amusing when it slid into a conversation every once in a while. It defines something without either sugarcoating it or making it sound worse than it actually is.
REFERRING TO SOMEONE AS “A DICK”
The use of the word dick as a description confuses me somewhat, even though I use it often. On one hand, a dick is something that is very personal to most men. Even if our dicks are small, they are a part of us, a part that sometimes shapes our masculinity. I don’t know one man who isn’t quite fond of his dick. I like my dick a lot, even though it has gotten me into a lot of trouble throughout my life.
With that said, calling someone a dick is a great way to express negative feelings towards another person or about another person. When someone tells you, “That guy is a dick”, you know for a fact that the person speaking holds the other person in a high level of distain.
These are just some of the things I think about when I’m overly tired, or my imagination starts running wild.
Here are a few phrases that have crossed my frontal lobes recently.
QUIET DESPERATION
I love this phrase, because in two simple words, there is a lot of power. It means that things are so incredibly fucked up, the spoken word cannot possibly convey how fucked up the situation is. Whatever is going on is so horribly wrong, it defies description. I have “been there, done that” on more than one occasion.
I WOULDN’T PISS ON HIM IF HE WERE ON FIRE
A product of my Missouri/Colorado upbringing, heard many times from the males in my family. Contrary to popular belief, this doesn’t mean that the speaker has an urge to urinate on someone. What it means is that a person is so beneath contempt, so utterly worthless and assholish, that the speaker would rather watch the person burn to death rather than helping put out the fire in a vulgar fashion. I often use this phrase concerning nearly every member of the Executive Management Team of the company I work for.
TAKING A SHIT/PISS
Ok, if you’re taking it, exactly where are you taking it? For that matter, why are you taking it?
IT IS WHAT IT IS
This phrase is both annoying and amusing at the same time. Annoying when overused, amusing when it slid into a conversation every once in a while. It defines something without either sugarcoating it or making it sound worse than it actually is.
REFERRING TO SOMEONE AS “A DICK”
The use of the word dick as a description confuses me somewhat, even though I use it often. On one hand, a dick is something that is very personal to most men. Even if our dicks are small, they are a part of us, a part that sometimes shapes our masculinity. I don’t know one man who isn’t quite fond of his dick. I like my dick a lot, even though it has gotten me into a lot of trouble throughout my life.
With that said, calling someone a dick is a great way to express negative feelings towards another person or about another person. When someone tells you, “That guy is a dick”, you know for a fact that the person speaking holds the other person in a high level of distain.
These are just some of the things I think about when I’m overly tired, or my imagination starts running wild.
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