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Saturday, July 26th, 2008
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1:35 pm - It's a dream come true...literally
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Soo...after a week of 12 hour days, my 3rd week in California is highlighted by one of my reoccurring nightmares coming true. My teeth have started coming apart. I'm now missing a vertical chunk of one molar, down to just below the gum-line. Of course it's on the outside, so the sharp edges are also slowly gouging a hole in my cheek. Hooray for no dental insurance for years on end!
And to round out my weekend, I have a nice life lesson ground into my face: The only thing more costly and damaging than the delusion that you have any legal rights or protection is if you make the mistake of actually trying to exercise them. My latest legal advice on the Mustang was essentially, "You're fucked, pay him what he wants and try to get your car back." So I guess I'm supposed to somehow come up with the $1300 in storage fees he's extorting from me as well as the $1900 he's overcharging me as a breech of contract, then, maybe, if I'm REALLY lucky, reporting him to the AZ attorney general and playing the lottery might, just MIGHT, win me enough money for a cup of coffee or a gallon of gas.
There's plenty of other things, but really, who gives a shit about my whining anyway. Even I don't anymore. Fuck it.
current mood: finished
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| Wednesday, July 16th, 2008
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8:52 pm - California Dreamin
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In Thousand Oaks again. I bit more relaxed than last time, and not quite as many disasters. I did manage to put a nice gash in my index finger with my Leatherman, though. It's been so long since I've really cut myself that I'd forgotten just how fake real blood actually looks. Doesn't look like it will need stitches or anything, fortunately.
Soooo...anyone hiring right now? :P
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| Monday, July 14th, 2008
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10:43 am - um...
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Holy shit. Make that 4 weeks in a row. I was just informed that I'll be out in Cali on Mon-Fri for the next TWO weeks after this one.
I may as well change my mailing address to the hotel at this rate.
current mood:  drained
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| Friday, July 11th, 2008
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3:16 pm - you have GOT to be kidding me
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OK, so I just got back from yet another Cali trip. Tues through Thurs. Rants about that one will follow shortly. On the last day, they send me an email informing me that I'm doing it all over again next week...Tuesday through Thursday yet again. Now I just got another email informing me that the week after that, I'm going back there AGAIN Monday through Fri. So I'm going to effectively spend 3 weeks at the same site in one month. This is, of course, the biggest, most overcomplicated, most jurry-rigged, most fucked up and incompetently built site of them all. Over 10,000 seperate items in the database to give you an idea of what I'm talking about. Yes, that's 10 THOUSAND seperate devices I have to deal with.
So this trip: Supposed to be simply installing 10 wander prevention systems for dementia patients in the newly built building. No biggie, right? 3 of them are even partially done already. First we're missing parts they have to mail overnight to us. Then they send us the wrong equipment. Then the wiring...beyond words. Not only is half the cable mislabeled, but one of them is stuffed up between the ac ducting and the wall, hidden like they didn't want us to find it. Another has the access hatch in the ceiling blocked off by a big door fan duct thing, so we can't even get IN to the ceiling to try to find the wiring. When we send one of the wiring contractors up there to find this shit, he calls our office to bitch about our supposed incompetence and how he's tired of hand-holding us.... !!!! The guy who takes the call starts talking to us as though he believes them over us despite my explanations of the situation. Then we get out to the courtyard area, and not only is the cable different (9 instead of 10 wire), it's not even routed where it's supposed to go!
Add to this the human trash they hired for construction workers who stole both our ladder and some of the mounting screws out of our keypads. WTF!?!
I don't think that a single thing at this place was done the same way twice, let alone correctly. And we're getting bitched at about things the entire time.
Now I have to go back to try to finish this nightmare plus whatever else they feel like dumping on me while I'm there for the next 2 weeks. It's like they don't want me home long enough to job hunt or interview or something.
current mood:  aggravated
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| Sunday, July 6th, 2008
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6:20 pm - another week of those and I might actually feel better.
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Friday night was absolutely wonderful. I got to see Eva, and Heather, and all the local friends I never get to hang out with. There was drinking and dancing and hugging and generally wonderful fun and friendship all around. I needed that. I need about 7 more of those in a row and I might feel rested and happy. My liver might not agree, but who needs it anyway.
Off to Cali for about a week, starting tomorrow. Supposedly, I get next Friday off as compensation. We'll see.
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| Thursday, July 3rd, 2008
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9:28 pm - Social time!
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I am NOT going anywhere out of town this weekend. I have lots of steam to blow off and the desire to be social. Friday night is Mardi Gras, but otherwise no plans. If there's something to do out there or you'd like my company, speak out or call. I need to get away from this whinging cat!
current mood:  restless
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| Tuesday, July 1st, 2008
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9:01 pm - Wow, talk about nostalga
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A coworker shared a website with me that has all your old favorite games ported over to PC.
I just downloaded Starflight, Systemshock 2, and even the Sega Genesis version of Shadowrun! I feel like I'm in high school again or something! :)
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| Friday, June 27th, 2008
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5:20 pm - Same as always
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The bad news is that the Chicago Trip is officially canceled. So no Vera and Eric and play time in the city.
The good news is that means I'll get to see Eva on her Phoenix visit.
The bad news is that lots of stuff at work is still FUBAR.
The good news is that there is a war on to fix that. The sides are: The entire company vs. the 2 owners. I'd say the odds are on our side, as well as the IQ points.
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| Wednesday, June 25th, 2008
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1:38 pm - Finally a break
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The trip to MD over the weekend was a pain in the ass, but fairly straightforward. Took longer than necessary due to some of the equipment being well hidden in unlikely places and no one remembered or documented where they were.
Marlboro, NJ...Yup, the ashtray of America. Village Inn was more like Village of the Damned. CDC needs to burn that place down. The site wasn't too bad. We tore through the upgrade in good time, but just as we were finishing up to leave, all the receivers went down and we had to waste 3 or 4 hours tracking down the gremlins.
TomTom is becoming determined in its homicidal attemtps. I think I'd be safer and happier wandering aimlessly rather than letting it navigate.
Chicago trip is on hold until the morons get around to signing their paperwork. Of course, that could merely mean that I won't know I'm going until the day I'm supposed to leave, knowing this place. I'm off for the rest of the week, and for the weekend if the Chi trip doesn't happen. My phone will be off most of the time so that they have no way of trying to get me to come in on some bullshit "emergency". If you need me, either leave a message or email. I'll find it eventually.
Assuming I actually am given the chance to recover some over the next couple days, I may actually be up to social interaction. If anything interesting is going on that you'd like me to join you for, let me know. I may even make it out of the house sometime this week.
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| Friday, June 20th, 2008
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8:49 am - It just never fucking ends
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You have GOT to be fucking kidding me! I work 24 hours over my weekend to get this site up and running again only to have them get fragged by ANOTHER lightening strike yesterday?!?!? So, of course, we're going to rush off to fix it again... on a Friday...and since I was just there and know the system best you just KNOW they're going to try to send me to fix it again. Fucking Lutherans. Obviously god hates them...and me.
I just can't take this shit anymore. This is just fucking rediculous. What did I do to offend the universe this badly?!?
EDIT: Yup, just as I hit Post, they walk in and tell me I'm going out there ASAP.
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| Wednesday, June 18th, 2008
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11:24 am - I'm goin to Chi Town!
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OK, the clusterfuck at work actually produced something good for once. I'm going to Chicago on the 28th. Scheduled for 2 sites at 2 days each, then I don't have to fly back until July 6th. Mini Vacation!!!
Soooo....from July 3rd to 6th I need to figure out room and transportation arrangements. Eric? Vera? Heather? Anyone? Suggestions, offers, hints? You're gonna come out to play with me right? RIGHT?!?
current mood:  excited
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| Tuesday, June 17th, 2008
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3:02 pm
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Spent most of yesterday sleeping. While I'm much improved, I feel mentally and emotionally hung-over. Still need more than 1 day off. Not that I'm getting one any time soon. Work today. Have to come in tomorrow. Might get Thursday off if I'm really lucky. We'll see.
About halfway through Day Watch by Sergi Lukyanenko. Major difference from the Night Watch and Day Watch movies. They took bits and pieces of the first book and jumbled them together to make both movies. The story is pretty good, but what I'm liking most is the "feel" I'm getting for the Russian mindset as compared to a more Western one. It also gives nice peeks into the little everyday differences in lifestyle, especially for the late 90's era.
I'm starting to feel really restless and unhappy with the stagnation that has become my life. Krav Maga has caught my eye, as well as learning Romanian. As much as I respect and love Eastern martial arts, the teaching methods they use here just don't fit my learning style. The deciding factor will end up being how badly all my business travel will interfere with classes. As for Romanian, it's the most beautiful and elegant-sounding of all the languages I've ever heard. I suppose it is to me what French is to most others. Yet another language of minimal practical use and no one to practice with. *shrug* Maybe I'll move to Bucharest or something.
current mood:  apathetic
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| Sunday, June 15th, 2008
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6:57 pm - Mail the charred husk home
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So the Big East Coast Tour is finally finished. I'm sitting on my ass at the airport waiting for my 8PM flight. Won't get home till after 11PM. *sigh*
Showed up in Philly, drove to Jersey. Slept through a major storm, apparently. Next day we went to New York near Yonkers. The storm had knocked over a huge tree that fell across the road and landed on the site's power lines. So we were off to a late start waiting for them to cut the tree down and fix the power lines. Despite that and constant interruptions, we tore through the place in a day. Would have been finished and on our way home that night if the staff had been available for training that evening.
Thursday, we head back, train. Check out. Head to Long Island for a quip parts swap at another site. And just as we're thinking we're on our way to the airport...We get one of the worst sites on the list dumped on our heads. Lightning strike took out most of their equipment. #(^(#*&@$&_#(%^#)$*&%@(* Back and forth the George Washington bridge 5 times in one day.
Off to Baltimore by myself. Hit the site on Friday morning. Determine that it's too screwed up for me to fix on my own and call in reinforcements. Forced to drive an hour back to the airpot to pick him up at 1AM. Back to the hotel around 2AM. Onsite at 9AM the next day. :P
Back and forth through 2 buildings trying to fix everything. Give up at nearly midnight. Sleep in a bit and pick up where we left off the next day. We finally call it quits at about 4PM today. I am so wiped out I don't even have the energy to look forward to going home.
My impressions: Jersey is dirty and people can't drive. I don't understand why New Yorkers mock New Jersey, as it's just as dirty, smelly, run down, and annoying there. No interest in ever going back there, and definitely none in living there or anywhere near it. TomTom wants to kill me and doesn't know the difference between a sidewalk and a road.
Auto body dumbass still hasn't bothered to return my lawyer's calls. Big suprise there. :P
I am quite ready for my nap now.
current mood: exhausted
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| Thursday, June 5th, 2008
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8:39 am - Sweet and sour
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Some very good things and some very bad things on this trip. As though the universe just wouldn't accept me having a good day and felt the need to fuck with me. Sometimes it's just so absurd I can't think of any other reason for it.
Went to Orange County on Monday. Wait, let me back up to before I left...
( it's just a little cut )
current mood:  cynical
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| Friday, May 30th, 2008
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4:26 pm - There are no words...
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for how I feel right now. I just got off the phone with Tom at Carriage Auto Body. Lilith is finished. He'll have her brought to the office and ready for pickup on Monday...
...and he said I owe him $1900 when I pick it up.
When I reminded him of the paper he signed saying I didn't owe him anything if it wasn't finished by April 15th, he claimed that meant "painted" by then, not finished. The paper actually says "refurb finished ...or no more money".
I can't believe after everything I've been through that I'm actually going to have to take this fucking asshole to court to get my car back!
There are no words.
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10:15 am - The sky is falling!
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OK, who broke the universe this time?!?!?!
I'm already juggling 2 techs at 2 different sites, trying to get a 3rd to yet another site, 5 other tech support issues on top of that, plus 3 others pending on replys. And more sites keep calling in to add to the freaking pile!!!
And did I mention I'm the only tech in the office this week, too?
WHAT THE FUCK ENOUGH ALREADY!!!
current mood: overwhelmed
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| Thursday, May 29th, 2008
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1:28 pm - Entropy?
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It's been said many times that I radiate entropy, especially when it comes to my place of employment. They keep going out of business, or laying people off, or whatever. Well, this is a new one even for me:
We had an afterwork meeting at TGI Friday's on, well, Friday. Apparently, sometime after we left, it burned to the ground. Gutted. No roof. No insides. Poof, gone.
Um...
current mood:  shocked
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10:03 am
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This is going to be interesting, in a death-camp sort of way. I'm already so burnt out I want to just walk out on my job. On Monday, I get to start my marathon tour with a trip to CA, followed by an east coast trip that will include NY, Maryland, and Connecticut, plus many hours of driving between them. I'll be gone for 2 weeks, including working weekends. I don't know where the hell I'll find the energy or motivation to manage this feat.
current mood: drained
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| Tuesday, May 27th, 2008
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10:42 am - Why do I always update on a Tuesday?
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"Any day now, possibly even tomorrow" from the auto body place. Uh, huh, I'll believe it when she's sitting in my driveway.
3 hours of my life and over $100 of company money for them to argue over $16 that they owed me, only to end up paying it anyway. All the competent people at work are fed up with this bullshit. Rats leaving a sinking ship at this point. I'm so sick of job hunting. I swear that's become my catchphrase.
Vera's visit was fun, as was most of my weekend. Tranz on friday was like a small Fyrae reunion.
House is still a mess, head is still a mess, car still needs work and parts, but I'm alive. It's a start I guess. As Suriel would say, "At least I'm not on fire."
current mood: apathetic
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| Tuesday, May 20th, 2008
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10:38 am - Stop the world, I want to get off
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Laser tag on Saturday is the only thing I can think of since I got back that I actually enjoyed. It's been pretty rough every day. Just as we thought we were getting things under control at work, a whole new series of fires erupted. Worse yet, some of them I caused. I screwed up some simple data entry at one sight that took me almost a month to catch. :(
Lilith is STILL not done. Latest report is that they're polishing the edges in the body work. Supposedly, that's the last of it. Wake me in another year when he claims that's finally done.
House is a mess. Brain is a mess. Life is a mess. Need money and a vacation. My phone is so being turned off after work when Vera gets here.
I say we burn it all down and start over.
current mood: overwhelmed
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