London calling-and I don't wanna shout
But when we were talking-I saw you nodding out
London calling, see we ain't got no highs
Except for that one with the yellowy eyes
"Ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of American Airlines, I'd like to welcome you to London, England."
With those words, I started the full-time chapter of my law school career. It had already been a long day, and it wasn't over yet.
I woke up about nine, thinking of all the things I seemingly had to do before my parents came to take me to the airport. My parents wound up coming at one-thirty, a full hour and a half earlier than originally planned, and half an hour earlier than they'd told me only hours before. Fortunately, although I'd gone out to lunch, I'd gotten home sooner than expected (which turned out to be good, although admitting to going out to lunch when your parents think they're taking you to lunch is a bad thing).
Despite it being a Holiday Friday, there was hardly any traffic, and we made it to the airport in record time. The flight from Chicago to London was uneventful, and although J had told me we were seated across the aisle from each other, it turned out we were next to each other (and I was the lucky one on the aisle). J was supremely disappointed that American was charging for alcoholic drinks, since he'd hoped to get plastered on the plane (a policy I've come to appreciate more in recent days). I was disappointed in the movie selections. While I'd read that the airlines, in a cost-cutting mood, were getting away from first-run features, I didn't realize that it meant that far away. Evelyn, starring Pierce Brosnan, was the only one I was familiar with, save Doctor Who, but that film little resembled the TV show I'd watched in high school with some fascination (and a healthy dose of detachment from reality, since the special effects were often lacking). Thank God for multiple Spin City episodes and a good book. I even tried to sleep, but found I still can't sleep on an airplane.
The time I like is the rush hour
'cause I like the rush
The pushing of the people
I like it oh so much
Such a mass of motion
Do not know where it goes
I move with the movement and
I have the touch
I love London - the smells, the sights, the sounds - the whole city has a cosmopolitan character unlike any other. Walk through Leicester Square on any given evening, and you'll think the whole world has stopped by. Pass by the Official Half Price Ticket Booth and listen to a woman from Germany babble on to her girlfriend while animatedly gesturing. Whatever she's talking about, it's certainly worked her up. Keep walking, passing the All-One bar, and marvel at the lengths and types of skirts (mostly short & leather) on the myriad of women waiting to get in. Close by, there's a couple arguing in French, and even though you don't understand one word of what's being said, he's losing. Ahead is a building marked 'Switzerland', and you tell your companion that when you first came to London, it was a glockenspiel store, with a gigantic glockenspiel outside which chimed on the hour. Leave out your disappointment when you'd noticed on a later trip that it had closed. Turn right, and two Americans debate whether or not they should see a movie, or head to a play. Further along, the Muslim couple walks - she covered head-to-toe in burka, and walking dutifully behind him - neither of them speaking, just looking around. You wonder what they think of the hustle & bustle. Around, in front and behind you are all sorts of hucksters, from the various buskers to the robot-man, from the shills handing out concert leaflets, to the guy informing everyone in a loud voice "Returns! Returns! We've just had some returns for this evening. We've just had some returns for this evening!" In between all this is a cacophony of languages of every kind, and manner of dress to match, from the formal right down to the informal. From rich to poor, everyone seems to have come out to Leicester Square.
And so it was this evening, as I dragged J out for dinner. We'd managed to waste the day shopping for SIM cards on Oxford street, and even though it was early by European standards for dinner (7 pm), we still had to wait at the pseudo-Mexican restaurant we chose. Forty-five minutes of standing around, beer in hand led J to conclude that no pretty women existed in London, save foreigners. I noticed two women near us, one cute, the other average, and just as I did, two blokes made a lame pickup attempt using the old "it's my mate's birthday, don't you 'ave a kiss for him, love?" line. It got them conversation, but no kiss. Later, after we'd been seated, the same two girls were seated next to us. I managed to strike up a conversation, and an unexciting evening turned out very enjoyable. As we went back to the hotel, I looked forward to finally getting some sleep.
Little did I know the fire alarm would go off three hours later.
Saturday, May 24, 2003
Friday, May 23, 2003
So much to do, so little time....
Ever notice how things don't seem all that daunting until half an hour before you're supposed to leave? I thought I'd done a decent job cleaning up. Turns out I should have taken all week to do it.......
Well, let's hope the flight across the pond is uneventful. Next stop: London.
Ever notice how things don't seem all that daunting until half an hour before you're supposed to leave? I thought I'd done a decent job cleaning up. Turns out I should have taken all week to do it.......
Well, let's hope the flight across the pond is uneventful. Next stop: London.
Thursday, May 22, 2003
Tuesday, May 20, 2003
I live on a chain
and you had the same last name
As a joke I sent a bottle of whiskey
As you choked, you said it made you feel dirty....
Bought two Pete Yorn CDs today. What a day. My first true day of being unemployed, though I have yet to talk to HR. Every time I call, I get voice mail. I am starting to get very annoyed.
The general consensus about the Civ Pro exam was that our professor was able, in only 11 questions, to be more comprehensive than our Contracts professor was in 23 questions. Amazing. I wrote like a banshee, winding up writing 16 double-spaced pages. Compare that with a mere five for Contracts, and you get what I meant. I was better organized for this exam, so hopefully I did better.
The exam mentioned 11 items, but I had written about four motions, and was about to start the fifth when I looked at the clock. It was 7:30, and I hadn't even written about half the questions. I panicked, and looked again at the test - and that's when things looked odd. I could only readily identify nine motions. So where were the other two? When I broke things down again, I realized my motion four was actually three items, so instead of being on number five, I was really on number seven. I was ahead of schedule. I relaxed - a bit.
My classroom normally holds about 110 people, but because of the every-other spacing of the finals, there was only about fifty people in the classroom, and, unlike last semester, the first person didn't leave until 8:50. In fact, a good ninety percent of us were still writing at nine. But the cool thing is that we got the honor of having our prof in the class as our proctor for both exams - fall and spring. Now if I could only swindle my way into his Business Org class.
After the exam we again went out. This time we only managed to close two bars, and never made the third. But I did have the honor of piling seven people into the Bravada, and chauffering them to bar number two (and no, I was not drunk). A good time was had by all, even though M and I didn't get to eat until 2am. I drove M, JM, and C home after bar number two, and when JM found M lived by one of his favorite burrito stands, he began incessantly cajoling me to stop. Personally, I didn't care, but I was wondering about C, and whether he wanted to stop. Eventually, we all went inside and ate, and I drove everyone home. Somehow, we managed to avoid all the heavy rain - every time we needed to go outside, the rain stopped. I finally crawled in at 3am.
Today was spent inside, cleaning up three months of mess. Most of the papers are gone, I've made headway into the shirts, and all that remains is some dusting, tax extensions, and packing. The highlight was when I went to the post office to have my mail forwarded while I'm gone. Most of the post offices I've been in have little stantions, and you know where the line is. Not in this place - they had a take-a-number. Even better, the couple at the front desk had brought six months of mail, loads of questions...and their dog. Who brings their terrier into the post office? Sheesh. Forty minutes later, I finally was able to mail my two envelopes, and turn in my change-of-address. Three more days, 'til we hop the pond.....
and you had the same last name
As a joke I sent a bottle of whiskey
As you choked, you said it made you feel dirty....
Bought two Pete Yorn CDs today. What a day. My first true day of being unemployed, though I have yet to talk to HR. Every time I call, I get voice mail. I am starting to get very annoyed.
The general consensus about the Civ Pro exam was that our professor was able, in only 11 questions, to be more comprehensive than our Contracts professor was in 23 questions. Amazing. I wrote like a banshee, winding up writing 16 double-spaced pages. Compare that with a mere five for Contracts, and you get what I meant. I was better organized for this exam, so hopefully I did better.
The exam mentioned 11 items, but I had written about four motions, and was about to start the fifth when I looked at the clock. It was 7:30, and I hadn't even written about half the questions. I panicked, and looked again at the test - and that's when things looked odd. I could only readily identify nine motions. So where were the other two? When I broke things down again, I realized my motion four was actually three items, so instead of being on number five, I was really on number seven. I was ahead of schedule. I relaxed - a bit.
My classroom normally holds about 110 people, but because of the every-other spacing of the finals, there was only about fifty people in the classroom, and, unlike last semester, the first person didn't leave until 8:50. In fact, a good ninety percent of us were still writing at nine. But the cool thing is that we got the honor of having our prof in the class as our proctor for both exams - fall and spring. Now if I could only swindle my way into his Business Org class.
After the exam we again went out. This time we only managed to close two bars, and never made the third. But I did have the honor of piling seven people into the Bravada, and chauffering them to bar number two (and no, I was not drunk). A good time was had by all, even though M and I didn't get to eat until 2am. I drove M, JM, and C home after bar number two, and when JM found M lived by one of his favorite burrito stands, he began incessantly cajoling me to stop. Personally, I didn't care, but I was wondering about C, and whether he wanted to stop. Eventually, we all went inside and ate, and I drove everyone home. Somehow, we managed to avoid all the heavy rain - every time we needed to go outside, the rain stopped. I finally crawled in at 3am.
Today was spent inside, cleaning up three months of mess. Most of the papers are gone, I've made headway into the shirts, and all that remains is some dusting, tax extensions, and packing. The highlight was when I went to the post office to have my mail forwarded while I'm gone. Most of the post offices I've been in have little stantions, and you know where the line is. Not in this place - they had a take-a-number. Even better, the couple at the front desk had brought six months of mail, loads of questions...and their dog. Who brings their terrier into the post office? Sheesh. Forty minutes later, I finally was able to mail my two envelopes, and turn in my change-of-address. Three more days, 'til we hop the pond.....
Sunday, May 18, 2003
I was just 34 years old
and I was still wandering in haze
I was wondering why everyone I met
seemed like they were lost in a maze
I don’t know why it seemed like I should have
some kind of divine right to the blues
It’s sympathy not tears people need
when they’re the front page sad news…
There is always a wind outside my apartment. All around me could be still, and there would still be a wind. It’s from the tollway. The movement of the passing cars pushes the air up and over the noise barrier fence (which should be fired for failing at its only purpose in life). The moving air then gets forced between the two apartment buildings, creating a wind vortex that is non-stop.
It’s always ten degrees colder, too. It could be 90 degrees on my balcony, but out the front door it’s 80. And windy.
Such were the conditions this morning when I stepped outside for my first outdoor run since March. And that run had been a disaster. Seeking to take advantage of a fifty-degree day in a string of below-thirty weather, I’d decided to run along the sidewalks on Washington Street instead of in Herrick Lake Forest Preserve, my usual outdoor running path. Mistake. Big mistake. I’d assumed that the sidewalks would be clear of snow, but they weren’t. And the warm weather just turned what snow was there to slush. The low sections of the sidewalk were either deep piles of slush, or deep puddles. Before long, my feet were soaked.
And then it happened. Tired of running through slush and puddles, I had seen what I thought was dry ground below me at street level. The only problem was navigating down a steep slope to get there. But since the ground on the slope seemed dry as well, it wouldn’t be a problem. You should take note of the word ‘seemed’ in that sentence – because although it seemed dry, it wasn’t, and I took a nice, public tumble down the slope. Covered in mud, I walked the rest of the way home, and spent a good hour trying to clean the mud out of the Sports Walkman and the stopwatch.
Wake up, stop dreaming
The sun is in the sky again
There’s a hole in the ocean
The water’s pouring through
Wake up, stop dreaming
Wipe the sleep from your eyes
Are you frightened of heights?
Are you falling?
Today, however, was different. Although it was cloudy, it hadn’t rained in a few days, so the ground was dry. The wind was still there, and still cool, but not as frigid as that day in March. I walked to the Herrick Lake entrance, and WXRT did me a favor by playing Pete Townshend’s Slit Skirts, a nice start to an early-morning run. It was followed up by Bruce Springsteen’s Brilliant Disguise, and when XRT went to commercial, I went to tape.
When I got to the entrance of the Herrick Lake Forest Preserve, I clicked the stopwatch and started running. My best time ever was around twenty-four minutes, but since I really had done little running the last five months, I had no illusion that I’d be approaching my personal best. Still, I hoped to clock in under thirty minutes.
I ran the short distance to where the entry path t-intersects the main path, and turned left. To me, this route is harder, since it requires you to climb three hills – one at the beginning, one near the middle, and one smaller one at the end – all of which are fairly steep. Go the other way, and the hills are more gentle and sloping. By going left, you also have to endure the tenth of a mile that is nothing but uncovered open space at the end of your run, instead of the beginning. This makes it harder, because there is no shade, and usually no breeze, depending on the time of day you choose to run. Or, conversely, there could be quite a stiff breeze. Today was a no-breeze day.
It’s also nice to run early; the trail can be heavily used by runners, walkers, bikers and horseback riders. Running early means that the only scenery you’re likely to see is that provided by nature, but it’s an even trade.
Wake up stop dreaming
There’s more than just two steps to heaven
Oh, if you want to go to heaven
You’d better wake up
I clocked in today at twenty-six minutes and twenty-eight seconds. After cooling down, I went to church, then to Bob Evans for breakfast. I sat where all the single people sit – at the counter – and read the Chicago Sun-Times. Rain clouds threatened to the south as I entered church, but by the time I left Bob Evans, they’d all but gone, replaced by a late morning sun. All around me, people were getting into the summer mood, driving with windows open and tops down, even though, at sixty-five degrees, it was still a bit cool. I thought briefly of hopping on the motorcycle for a ride, but decided to wait until I could actually get the license plates renewed, which is likely Tuesday or Wednesday. And that lingering thought of those tax returns on extension, my pig-sty of an apartment, and getting ready to leave for Europe means that this week is going to be one busy week.
I’d better get started.
Pretty little hairdo
Don’t look what it used to
Can’t disguise the living
All the miles you’ve been through
Looking like a train wreck
Wearing too much makeup
The burden that you carry
Is more than one soul could ever bear
So sad
Don’t look so sad Marina
There’s another part to play
Don’t look so sad Marina
Save it for a rainy day
and I was still wandering in haze
I was wondering why everyone I met
seemed like they were lost in a maze
I don’t know why it seemed like I should have
some kind of divine right to the blues
It’s sympathy not tears people need
when they’re the front page sad news…
There is always a wind outside my apartment. All around me could be still, and there would still be a wind. It’s from the tollway. The movement of the passing cars pushes the air up and over the noise barrier fence (which should be fired for failing at its only purpose in life). The moving air then gets forced between the two apartment buildings, creating a wind vortex that is non-stop.
It’s always ten degrees colder, too. It could be 90 degrees on my balcony, but out the front door it’s 80. And windy.
Such were the conditions this morning when I stepped outside for my first outdoor run since March. And that run had been a disaster. Seeking to take advantage of a fifty-degree day in a string of below-thirty weather, I’d decided to run along the sidewalks on Washington Street instead of in Herrick Lake Forest Preserve, my usual outdoor running path. Mistake. Big mistake. I’d assumed that the sidewalks would be clear of snow, but they weren’t. And the warm weather just turned what snow was there to slush. The low sections of the sidewalk were either deep piles of slush, or deep puddles. Before long, my feet were soaked.
And then it happened. Tired of running through slush and puddles, I had seen what I thought was dry ground below me at street level. The only problem was navigating down a steep slope to get there. But since the ground on the slope seemed dry as well, it wouldn’t be a problem. You should take note of the word ‘seemed’ in that sentence – because although it seemed dry, it wasn’t, and I took a nice, public tumble down the slope. Covered in mud, I walked the rest of the way home, and spent a good hour trying to clean the mud out of the Sports Walkman and the stopwatch.
Wake up, stop dreaming
The sun is in the sky again
There’s a hole in the ocean
The water’s pouring through
Wake up, stop dreaming
Wipe the sleep from your eyes
Are you frightened of heights?
Are you falling?
Today, however, was different. Although it was cloudy, it hadn’t rained in a few days, so the ground was dry. The wind was still there, and still cool, but not as frigid as that day in March. I walked to the Herrick Lake entrance, and WXRT did me a favor by playing Pete Townshend’s Slit Skirts, a nice start to an early-morning run. It was followed up by Bruce Springsteen’s Brilliant Disguise, and when XRT went to commercial, I went to tape.
When I got to the entrance of the Herrick Lake Forest Preserve, I clicked the stopwatch and started running. My best time ever was around twenty-four minutes, but since I really had done little running the last five months, I had no illusion that I’d be approaching my personal best. Still, I hoped to clock in under thirty minutes.
I ran the short distance to where the entry path t-intersects the main path, and turned left. To me, this route is harder, since it requires you to climb three hills – one at the beginning, one near the middle, and one smaller one at the end – all of which are fairly steep. Go the other way, and the hills are more gentle and sloping. By going left, you also have to endure the tenth of a mile that is nothing but uncovered open space at the end of your run, instead of the beginning. This makes it harder, because there is no shade, and usually no breeze, depending on the time of day you choose to run. Or, conversely, there could be quite a stiff breeze. Today was a no-breeze day.
It’s also nice to run early; the trail can be heavily used by runners, walkers, bikers and horseback riders. Running early means that the only scenery you’re likely to see is that provided by nature, but it’s an even trade.
Wake up stop dreaming
There’s more than just two steps to heaven
Oh, if you want to go to heaven
You’d better wake up
I clocked in today at twenty-six minutes and twenty-eight seconds. After cooling down, I went to church, then to Bob Evans for breakfast. I sat where all the single people sit – at the counter – and read the Chicago Sun-Times. Rain clouds threatened to the south as I entered church, but by the time I left Bob Evans, they’d all but gone, replaced by a late morning sun. All around me, people were getting into the summer mood, driving with windows open and tops down, even though, at sixty-five degrees, it was still a bit cool. I thought briefly of hopping on the motorcycle for a ride, but decided to wait until I could actually get the license plates renewed, which is likely Tuesday or Wednesday. And that lingering thought of those tax returns on extension, my pig-sty of an apartment, and getting ready to leave for Europe means that this week is going to be one busy week.
I’d better get started.
Pretty little hairdo
Don’t look what it used to
Can’t disguise the living
All the miles you’ve been through
Looking like a train wreck
Wearing too much makeup
The burden that you carry
Is more than one soul could ever bear
So sad
Don’t look so sad Marina
There’s another part to play
Don’t look so sad Marina
Save it for a rainy day
Saturday, May 17, 2003
I am now unemployed.
That just sounds weird. Actually, I don't think I am officially unemployed yet. I tried to quit, but no one was around to quit to. I felt like a general who wanted to surrender his army, but didn't know just who to surrender to. Part of this is my own fault - I wasn't really desirous of packing up my things with everyone watching, so I deliberately waited until the end of the day to take care of business. Of course, by this time, it was after 3:15, and the timekeeper had left for the day (she leaves promptly at 3:15 - the benefit of being union, I guess). Then I went upstairs to see the HR rep, only to find she'd been (and still was) in a meeting all afternoon, and not available. I certainly wasn't going to security or IT unless I'd been properly checked out, so I left her a note to call or come see me when she got out of her meeting. At 6:00, she still hadn't, and I'd heard zip by the time I left at 7:00.
So I don't think my resignation is effective yet. I'll have to call Monday, and try and track down some answers. All I know is, I'm not surrendering anything until I've gotten all my paperwork, including COBRA. And I don't think I need to point out the obvious flaws in our outprocessing system - I have to go to HR, Security, IT, and our department timekeeper before I'm out of the system. Forget (or deliberately ignore) to do something, and I still have access to building, network...and maybe even, like Milton in Office Space, still get paid.
Either way, it still doesn't change the fact that I have a Civ Pro exam on Monday to study for. Then I'll really be able to let all this sink in.
That just sounds weird. Actually, I don't think I am officially unemployed yet. I tried to quit, but no one was around to quit to. I felt like a general who wanted to surrender his army, but didn't know just who to surrender to. Part of this is my own fault - I wasn't really desirous of packing up my things with everyone watching, so I deliberately waited until the end of the day to take care of business. Of course, by this time, it was after 3:15, and the timekeeper had left for the day (she leaves promptly at 3:15 - the benefit of being union, I guess). Then I went upstairs to see the HR rep, only to find she'd been (and still was) in a meeting all afternoon, and not available. I certainly wasn't going to security or IT unless I'd been properly checked out, so I left her a note to call or come see me when she got out of her meeting. At 6:00, she still hadn't, and I'd heard zip by the time I left at 7:00.
So I don't think my resignation is effective yet. I'll have to call Monday, and try and track down some answers. All I know is, I'm not surrendering anything until I've gotten all my paperwork, including COBRA. And I don't think I need to point out the obvious flaws in our outprocessing system - I have to go to HR, Security, IT, and our department timekeeper before I'm out of the system. Forget (or deliberately ignore) to do something, and I still have access to building, network...and maybe even, like Milton in Office Space, still get paid.
Either way, it still doesn't change the fact that I have a Civ Pro exam on Monday to study for. Then I'll really be able to let all this sink in.
Thursday, May 15, 2003
Observation:
When you show up at 9:15 instead of 7:30 on your second-to-last day, no one notices. Except for your coworker, who politely thanks you for ‘dropping by.’
This doesn’t normally happen:
Part of my agreement to hang around for an extra week was that I got yesterday off for my Contracts final. I went downtown early, getting to school at 11. I had some administrative stuff to take care of, so I did that, and finished around 11:30. My choice at that point was to just eat, or study for a bit and then eat. Rather than have to pack up once I’d unpacked, I chose to eat.
So there I was sitting in Grillers at a long table, (which really was three tables for two put together) studying for my Contracts final. When I first got there, it was fairly empty, but then the crowd started to show up. There was a woman seated at a single table for two against the window to my left, her back to me. Presently, she asked if she could share, because she was right by a heater, and she was hot. Being the nice guy I am, I said sure. Within minutes, she’d engaged me in conversation. An hour later, she left, and I had a phone number in my notebook. This will be interesting.
The rest of the day was not nearly as interesting. The Contracts final was not as comprehensive or terrible as it could have been, and I was glad I’d devoted so much time to studying. The downside to sitting for six hours, though, is that my back is still killing me today. I feel…forty.
Afterward, we went out for a few drinks, which led to us closing one bar, then another, and we were well on our way to a third when I pulled the ripcord and bailed. It was 2 am, and I had to be at work in five hours to train my replacements. When I finally crawled into bed an hour and fifteen minutes later, I was wondering how or if I’d hear the alarm at 6:30. I didn’t.
I jumped out of bed, called M. and apologized for being late. I swore I’d be there shortly, and fell like crap for being late. As it turned out, it was all for naught, as M. didn’t make it in, and I spent the day just futzing around.
Tomorrow is my last day, and I’m not really up for packing up the desk. Maybe I’ll go in real early and do it.
When you show up at 9:15 instead of 7:30 on your second-to-last day, no one notices. Except for your coworker, who politely thanks you for ‘dropping by.’
This doesn’t normally happen:
Part of my agreement to hang around for an extra week was that I got yesterday off for my Contracts final. I went downtown early, getting to school at 11. I had some administrative stuff to take care of, so I did that, and finished around 11:30. My choice at that point was to just eat, or study for a bit and then eat. Rather than have to pack up once I’d unpacked, I chose to eat.
So there I was sitting in Grillers at a long table, (which really was three tables for two put together) studying for my Contracts final. When I first got there, it was fairly empty, but then the crowd started to show up. There was a woman seated at a single table for two against the window to my left, her back to me. Presently, she asked if she could share, because she was right by a heater, and she was hot. Being the nice guy I am, I said sure. Within minutes, she’d engaged me in conversation. An hour later, she left, and I had a phone number in my notebook. This will be interesting.
The rest of the day was not nearly as interesting. The Contracts final was not as comprehensive or terrible as it could have been, and I was glad I’d devoted so much time to studying. The downside to sitting for six hours, though, is that my back is still killing me today. I feel…forty.
Afterward, we went out for a few drinks, which led to us closing one bar, then another, and we were well on our way to a third when I pulled the ripcord and bailed. It was 2 am, and I had to be at work in five hours to train my replacements. When I finally crawled into bed an hour and fifteen minutes later, I was wondering how or if I’d hear the alarm at 6:30. I didn’t.
I jumped out of bed, called M. and apologized for being late. I swore I’d be there shortly, and fell like crap for being late. As it turned out, it was all for naught, as M. didn’t make it in, and I spent the day just futzing around.
Tomorrow is my last day, and I’m not really up for packing up the desk. Maybe I’ll go in real early and do it.
Tuesday, May 13, 2003
Responding to others blogs, part deux
First, read this. Then read this. Then read what follows.
"This is what happens when you let a bean counter run a creative company."
First of all, as a Certified Public Accountant, I hate, HATE, the term 'bean counter.' Nothing grates on my nerves more. But that's beside the point.
Michael Eisner is NOT a 'bean counter'. He graduated in 1964 from Denison University where he majored in theatre and literature.
Prior to joining Disney, he worked in the programming departments of CBS (1964?-66?) and ABC (1968-1976) in 1976, he became chairman of Paramount, and in 1984 he took over at Disney. When he took over, Disney was financially unhealthy, and mired in a creative slump.
I will agree that Eisner is an arrogant a-hole, whose best achievements have resulted in his ability to hire the brightest creative minds (Barry Diller at Paramount, Jeff Katzenberg at Disney). Of course, he, like Jerry Krause of the Chicago Bulls, believes that it is HIS genius that's responsible for the success of Disney the last 20 years, but it's not.
The reason that Disney is in a down period is simple - it's all about the money. And who do we blame for that? Eisner? Ok, to some extent. But what about Disney shareholders? I have worked for several large companies, and some good ideas have been flushed simply because they didn't offer the short-term, 'quick hit' to the bottom line that shareholders and stockbrokers love. What you can say, creatively, about Disney, you can say about Universal, Paramount, Columbia, and even MGM. Movies and TV today is profit driven, and until the movie-going public votes with ticket sales for quality movies, it always will be.
Like Moxie said, it's corporate hedging. What Disney is engaging in may be reprehensible to some, but it's financially smart - it wins either way, and actually, can win on both fronts. Chicken shit? Maybe. Two-faced? Definitely. Possible ramifications? Few, as most people wouldn't understand the complexity of it all, and a good spinmeister could make it work fairly well. Besides, other companies engage in seemingly contradictory behaviour, and we, the general public tolerate that, so why not this?
Please understand - I'm NOT condoning what Disney is doing. I'm just trying to balance out the discussion here. As a Chicagoan (read: Democrat) I'm not overly fond of a lot of George Bush's policies, but I don't believe Moore has a leg to stand on, either. His speech at the Academy Awards was inappropriate and incendiary, and made without factual basis. His film, Bowling for Columbine, has come under criticism for factual misrepresentations. And September 11th is a poor choice upon which to base critical analysis, since it was so unusual that it's hard to determine if Al Gore would have acted any differently in the same situation. Personally, Disney should stick to handing out the passes, and leave the asses elsewhere.
First, read this. Then read this. Then read what follows.
"This is what happens when you let a bean counter run a creative company."
First of all, as a Certified Public Accountant, I hate, HATE, the term 'bean counter.' Nothing grates on my nerves more. But that's beside the point.
Michael Eisner is NOT a 'bean counter'. He graduated in 1964 from Denison University where he majored in theatre and literature.
Prior to joining Disney, he worked in the programming departments of CBS (1964?-66?) and ABC (1968-1976) in 1976, he became chairman of Paramount, and in 1984 he took over at Disney. When he took over, Disney was financially unhealthy, and mired in a creative slump.
I will agree that Eisner is an arrogant a-hole, whose best achievements have resulted in his ability to hire the brightest creative minds (Barry Diller at Paramount, Jeff Katzenberg at Disney). Of course, he, like Jerry Krause of the Chicago Bulls, believes that it is HIS genius that's responsible for the success of Disney the last 20 years, but it's not.
The reason that Disney is in a down period is simple - it's all about the money. And who do we blame for that? Eisner? Ok, to some extent. But what about Disney shareholders? I have worked for several large companies, and some good ideas have been flushed simply because they didn't offer the short-term, 'quick hit' to the bottom line that shareholders and stockbrokers love. What you can say, creatively, about Disney, you can say about Universal, Paramount, Columbia, and even MGM. Movies and TV today is profit driven, and until the movie-going public votes with ticket sales for quality movies, it always will be.
Like Moxie said, it's corporate hedging. What Disney is engaging in may be reprehensible to some, but it's financially smart - it wins either way, and actually, can win on both fronts. Chicken shit? Maybe. Two-faced? Definitely. Possible ramifications? Few, as most people wouldn't understand the complexity of it all, and a good spinmeister could make it work fairly well. Besides, other companies engage in seemingly contradictory behaviour, and we, the general public tolerate that, so why not this?
Please understand - I'm NOT condoning what Disney is doing. I'm just trying to balance out the discussion here. As a Chicagoan (read: Democrat) I'm not overly fond of a lot of George Bush's policies, but I don't believe Moore has a leg to stand on, either. His speech at the Academy Awards was inappropriate and incendiary, and made without factual basis. His film, Bowling for Columbine, has come under criticism for factual misrepresentations. And September 11th is a poor choice upon which to base critical analysis, since it was so unusual that it's hard to determine if Al Gore would have acted any differently in the same situation. Personally, Disney should stick to handing out the passes, and leave the asses elsewhere.
Resignation
I’ve come to the conclusion that Internet dating sites are a waste of time and money. At least for me they are. I’ve belonged, at various times, to kiss.com, match.com, matchmaker.com, udate, and lavalife. Now, I’m not desperate. Far from it. And for most of these, I’ve only belonged during the free period, ditching it as soon as I had to start paying. Only if I’d gotten some positive feedback (read: dates) did I stick around long enough to shell out money.
My dating experience hasn’t been the best. Over the years (I think it’s been about 5 years since I joined the first dating site, matchmaker.com), I’ve had about 40 dates. Of those, about 5 have seemed promising, and only one really sticks out as having relationship potential. Unfortunately for her, I had my first date with Laura the very next day. Other than that, only about two or three made it past the first date – some my choice, some theirs.
Of the women I dated on the Internet, some were truly nice, but not attractive (to me, at least). Some had serious issues, some outright lied about what they looked like, some were obviously not serious, one actually had a boyfriend, and, (lucky for me) none were psycho. There was Julie in Evanston, who I liked, but who wasn’t attracted to me (a common theme). And there was Debbie the Teacher, who kept addressing me by name every time I asked her a question:
“How’s the food?”
“Good, Greg.”
“Were you able to find parking?”
“Yes, Greg, it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.”
This made for an odd dinner conversation. And no, there was no date two. But she’s still on match.com, if you’d like to give her a shot. She was pretty.
And that’s just it – nobody gets off of these sites. I tried to cancel my match.com account, and they told me I had to call them to do it. Why? Because I pay less - $16.95 a month – than you do. And I’m sure I’d get some pitch to stick around. After all, what’s $16.95 a month? Right? Well, when you get to live on $16,000 for the next year, it’s a lot. And if I’m spending money, it’s going to be on someone who has a genuine interest in me, and not on a gamble that maybe – just maybe – she’ll like me.
My guess (and it’s been shown in a number of articles) is that women are far outnumbered by men on these sites – and a large percentage of men on these sites are married or otherwise attached. Some of the women I’ve talked to, have told me that they’re bombarded by emails as soon as they sign up, while I can count on two hands the number of unsolicited emails I’ve gotten from women, in total, on all of the sites I’ve belonged to – combined.
It also seems like people on these sites are searching for the perfect mate – physically, emotionally, educationally, and on and on. But anyone who is or has been married knows that such a person doesn’t exist. At best, you get 60-70% of the attributes you seek, and many people fall in love with someone who doesn’t meet any of their so-called ‘criteria.’ Ok, I’ll admit to being picky. And I’ll allow you the right to ignore my email introducing myself. And I’ll even allow you to exchange emails with me, and then stop, for no apparent reason and without warning. But please – please – don’t insult my intelligence by telling me that I’m a nice guy, blah, blah, blah, but you’ve met someone that you’d like to see more of, and see where it goes, yada, yada, yada, and then sign on to the service the very next day. Because that means you are either a sleazebag of the first order, or thinking that I’m dumb enough to believe that bullshit. And I’m not.
I’ve come to the conclusion that Internet dating sites are a waste of time and money. At least for me they are. I’ve belonged, at various times, to kiss.com, match.com, matchmaker.com, udate, and lavalife. Now, I’m not desperate. Far from it. And for most of these, I’ve only belonged during the free period, ditching it as soon as I had to start paying. Only if I’d gotten some positive feedback (read: dates) did I stick around long enough to shell out money.
My dating experience hasn’t been the best. Over the years (I think it’s been about 5 years since I joined the first dating site, matchmaker.com), I’ve had about 40 dates. Of those, about 5 have seemed promising, and only one really sticks out as having relationship potential. Unfortunately for her, I had my first date with Laura the very next day. Other than that, only about two or three made it past the first date – some my choice, some theirs.
Of the women I dated on the Internet, some were truly nice, but not attractive (to me, at least). Some had serious issues, some outright lied about what they looked like, some were obviously not serious, one actually had a boyfriend, and, (lucky for me) none were psycho. There was Julie in Evanston, who I liked, but who wasn’t attracted to me (a common theme). And there was Debbie the Teacher, who kept addressing me by name every time I asked her a question:
“How’s the food?”
“Good, Greg.”
“Were you able to find parking?”
“Yes, Greg, it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.”
This made for an odd dinner conversation. And no, there was no date two. But she’s still on match.com, if you’d like to give her a shot. She was pretty.
And that’s just it – nobody gets off of these sites. I tried to cancel my match.com account, and they told me I had to call them to do it. Why? Because I pay less - $16.95 a month – than you do. And I’m sure I’d get some pitch to stick around. After all, what’s $16.95 a month? Right? Well, when you get to live on $16,000 for the next year, it’s a lot. And if I’m spending money, it’s going to be on someone who has a genuine interest in me, and not on a gamble that maybe – just maybe – she’ll like me.
My guess (and it’s been shown in a number of articles) is that women are far outnumbered by men on these sites – and a large percentage of men on these sites are married or otherwise attached. Some of the women I’ve talked to, have told me that they’re bombarded by emails as soon as they sign up, while I can count on two hands the number of unsolicited emails I’ve gotten from women, in total, on all of the sites I’ve belonged to – combined.
It also seems like people on these sites are searching for the perfect mate – physically, emotionally, educationally, and on and on. But anyone who is or has been married knows that such a person doesn’t exist. At best, you get 60-70% of the attributes you seek, and many people fall in love with someone who doesn’t meet any of their so-called ‘criteria.’ Ok, I’ll admit to being picky. And I’ll allow you the right to ignore my email introducing myself. And I’ll even allow you to exchange emails with me, and then stop, for no apparent reason and without warning. But please – please – don’t insult my intelligence by telling me that I’m a nice guy, blah, blah, blah, but you’ve met someone that you’d like to see more of, and see where it goes, yada, yada, yada, and then sign on to the service the very next day. Because that means you are either a sleazebag of the first order, or thinking that I’m dumb enough to believe that bullshit. And I’m not.
Monday, May 12, 2003
Missed opportunities.....
Someone Googled Jeanette Beauregard yesterday, and wound up on my site, where they spent quite a bit of time. This blew my mind.
Now I'm curious who this was, and why they didn't leave a comment. Was it the same Jeanette who went to NIU with me, and who I mentioned in my blog? (And yes, who I had a crush on a long time ago, and would love to know what she's up to today?) Or was it someone else?
So if you come back here, oh mystery person, identify yourself, and satisfy my aching curiousity.......
Maybe I should mention another old girlfriend, and see what happens. After all, just because I dumped Brenda Keller in 1983 doesn't mean I don't think about her every now and then. Usually, just to kick myself for losing every picture I had of her, but occasionally to wonder what's she's up to these days, and if she remembers me....
Someone Googled Jeanette Beauregard yesterday, and wound up on my site, where they spent quite a bit of time. This blew my mind.
Now I'm curious who this was, and why they didn't leave a comment. Was it the same Jeanette who went to NIU with me, and who I mentioned in my blog? (And yes, who I had a crush on a long time ago, and would love to know what she's up to today?) Or was it someone else?
So if you come back here, oh mystery person, identify yourself, and satisfy my aching curiousity.......
Maybe I should mention another old girlfriend, and see what happens. After all, just because I dumped Brenda Keller in 1983 doesn't mean I don't think about her every now and then. Usually, just to kick myself for losing every picture I had of her, but occasionally to wonder what's she's up to these days, and if she remembers me....
We'd like to take a moment and welcome those of you hooking into us from Moxie's blog. Welcome, and enjoy your stay. If there's anything we can do for you, just fill out the comment card, and we'll get right on it....
Went to lunch at the Sushi House in Naperville. On the way out, grabbed a fortune cookie. The fortune?
"Soon you will encounter a whole new world of opportunity."
I'm not kidding.
Went to lunch at the Sushi House in Naperville. On the way out, grabbed a fortune cookie. The fortune?
"Soon you will encounter a whole new world of opportunity."
I'm not kidding.
Training Day
Ok, so here’s the weekend score:
Saturday, sent three emails to three ladies (duh!) on match.com. Given match.com’s past performance, that should lead to – zero – replies. Of course, the alternative is one no-reply, one reply-by-email-never-to-be-heard-from-again, and one one-and-done (dates, that is) reply. Or my other favorite – that’s where I send an email to someone who’s been on in the last 24 hours, and they don’t reappear for the next five days, or five weeks, or – ever. Not that I’m negative or anything. Maybe Bridget was right, and somehow I come off too cynical.
Sunday was Mother’s day. Celebrated by taking Mom to the Center for Performing Arts in Munster, IN. While this sounds like we took her to a play, they actually have a pretty good buffet there every Sunday. And it was packed. The food was good, though, and I got to see my aunt and uncle who live in South Bend. Their son-in-law is finishing up law school down in Texas. Originally, the plan was to move closer to home and practice in Tennessee, but now there may be a job offer in Texas, so…hold the phone.
Of course, the big focus is Wednesday. Contracts Finals day. I feel like there’s SO much to know and so little time. I tried my best to study at the apartment, and for the most part I did well, but not as well as I could have. I kept looking around at the mess I live in, the shirts lining the doorways, waiting to be ironed, the dust piling up on the furniture, and well, I started to clean. Not a lot, just a little. Clean, read, laundry, read. Saturday was not as productive, study-wise, as I’d have liked. Maybe it was because I wasn’t supposed to be at work today, and I’d originally earmarked Saturday as recover-the-apartment-day. Or maybe it was because I tend to procrastinate, and need to work on that. Whatever the reason, I was able to really focus on Sunday and get a lot done. I’m now down to two days, and I don’t know where to focus my energy, since I missed the review session last Wednesday.
To top things off, I start training my replacements today. Miguel is pretty sharp, and so is Jose, so I don’t anticipate any real difficulty. It’s just trying to tell them what they need to know in the four workdays I have left, and not leaving anything out. I know, I know – you’re leaving, what do you care? But I do care. It’s my work, and I’m proud of what I’ve brought to the job. I’ve put a lot of myself into it, and I want to leave here on good terms, so that when the day comes that I need a reference, Rob, or Ken, or whomever. I want them to be able to say, “yeah, when he left, he hung around to help out when he didn’t have to” and not “yeah, he gave notice at the worst time of the month and left the company without doing any turnover.”
Ok, so here’s the weekend score:
Saturday, sent three emails to three ladies (duh!) on match.com. Given match.com’s past performance, that should lead to – zero – replies. Of course, the alternative is one no-reply, one reply-by-email-never-to-be-heard-from-again, and one one-and-done (dates, that is) reply. Or my other favorite – that’s where I send an email to someone who’s been on in the last 24 hours, and they don’t reappear for the next five days, or five weeks, or – ever. Not that I’m negative or anything. Maybe Bridget was right, and somehow I come off too cynical.
Sunday was Mother’s day. Celebrated by taking Mom to the Center for Performing Arts in Munster, IN. While this sounds like we took her to a play, they actually have a pretty good buffet there every Sunday. And it was packed. The food was good, though, and I got to see my aunt and uncle who live in South Bend. Their son-in-law is finishing up law school down in Texas. Originally, the plan was to move closer to home and practice in Tennessee, but now there may be a job offer in Texas, so…hold the phone.
Of course, the big focus is Wednesday. Contracts Finals day. I feel like there’s SO much to know and so little time. I tried my best to study at the apartment, and for the most part I did well, but not as well as I could have. I kept looking around at the mess I live in, the shirts lining the doorways, waiting to be ironed, the dust piling up on the furniture, and well, I started to clean. Not a lot, just a little. Clean, read, laundry, read. Saturday was not as productive, study-wise, as I’d have liked. Maybe it was because I wasn’t supposed to be at work today, and I’d originally earmarked Saturday as recover-the-apartment-day. Or maybe it was because I tend to procrastinate, and need to work on that. Whatever the reason, I was able to really focus on Sunday and get a lot done. I’m now down to two days, and I don’t know where to focus my energy, since I missed the review session last Wednesday.
To top things off, I start training my replacements today. Miguel is pretty sharp, and so is Jose, so I don’t anticipate any real difficulty. It’s just trying to tell them what they need to know in the four workdays I have left, and not leaving anything out. I know, I know – you’re leaving, what do you care? But I do care. It’s my work, and I’m proud of what I’ve brought to the job. I’ve put a lot of myself into it, and I want to leave here on good terms, so that when the day comes that I need a reference, Rob, or Ken, or whomever. I want them to be able to say, “yeah, when he left, he hung around to help out when he didn’t have to” and not “yeah, he gave notice at the worst time of the month and left the company without doing any turnover.”
Friday, May 09, 2003
Check this out.....
Ang has been nice enough to complement my writing, so I'm improving my blog by adding a link to her. Most of the people who drop in here come from Sua Sponte, or from The Paper Chase, or from liable, or from moxie. All of these blogs are great reads (check out liable's comments on today's post), and I think they deserve a thank you from me for their support.
But I would be remiss to ignore fish, whom several of my friends like, or a mad-tea party (listed as Alice on the links page), who was recently listed as one of the top 50 interesting newcomers on Technorati, and for good reason.
There's more good stuff.....just check out the links page.
Ang has been nice enough to complement my writing, so I'm improving my blog by adding a link to her. Most of the people who drop in here come from Sua Sponte, or from The Paper Chase, or from liable, or from moxie. All of these blogs are great reads (check out liable's comments on today's post), and I think they deserve a thank you from me for their support.
But I would be remiss to ignore fish, whom several of my friends like, or a mad-tea party (listed as Alice on the links page), who was recently listed as one of the top 50 interesting newcomers on Technorati, and for good reason.
There's more good stuff.....just check out the links page.
People are funny..
There's a lot going on around here in the Finance Department. Today is T's 50th birthday. Tomorrow is D's birthday.
T is rather nonchalant about the whole matter. Every day T goes to the company cafe for lunch, and buys a salad. But today is a big occasion - the big 5-0. So T is celebrating by taking a half day, and having a quiet dinner with the wife.
Not D. She had to let everyone know that tomorrow is her birthday, and they all must go out for it. God forbid anyone cancelled, because the full pouting mode would begin. In fact, her boss, P, was in a meeting with his boss, R, and she stood at the corner of P's cube, waiting for him to finish. Finally P looked over and said "go ahead, I'll catch up with you." After they were done, he told R that he was going to lunch, which prompted a wry, I-feel-sorry-for-you smile from R. D is one obnoxious person, who more than once has interrupted a co-worker's meeting with R for some issue that she just had to deal with at that moment. The funny thing is she makes numerous derogatory comments about me, but no one here really likes or respects her, for obvious reasons. I can't stand her, but it's mostly because of what went on between my ex-roommate and her, which I may blog about someday, but not today.
On another topic....
We are at T minus 5 for Contracts finals. I've resorted to pulling out my CPA review tape and listening to Harry talk about Contracts. It's from 1995, but remarkably, still accurate. Eight years hasn't changed much in the law. And Harry Wright is much more entertaining to listen to than Professor Contracts. Several of my classmates, who lack full-time jobs, went to a review course for the day students, and came back talking about how poorly Professor Contracts had done in instructing us. Of course, Professor Contracts has to compete with Professor Civ Pro (who would have been Professor Bus Org, had I not forgotten to register until 11 a.m. yesterday), who is one of the most dynamic professors I've had. He ranks up there with Harry in teaching style, engagement of students, and ability to make you remember even the most mundane details about filing a pleading. I'm still trying to change my Bus Org class, and if I can't get in legally, I may just go anyway...
There's a lot going on around here in the Finance Department. Today is T's 50th birthday. Tomorrow is D's birthday.
T is rather nonchalant about the whole matter. Every day T goes to the company cafe for lunch, and buys a salad. But today is a big occasion - the big 5-0. So T is celebrating by taking a half day, and having a quiet dinner with the wife.
Not D. She had to let everyone know that tomorrow is her birthday, and they all must go out for it. God forbid anyone cancelled, because the full pouting mode would begin. In fact, her boss, P, was in a meeting with his boss, R, and she stood at the corner of P's cube, waiting for him to finish. Finally P looked over and said "go ahead, I'll catch up with you." After they were done, he told R that he was going to lunch, which prompted a wry, I-feel-sorry-for-you smile from R. D is one obnoxious person, who more than once has interrupted a co-worker's meeting with R for some issue that she just had to deal with at that moment. The funny thing is she makes numerous derogatory comments about me, but no one here really likes or respects her, for obvious reasons. I can't stand her, but it's mostly because of what went on between my ex-roommate and her, which I may blog about someday, but not today.
On another topic....
We are at T minus 5 for Contracts finals. I've resorted to pulling out my CPA review tape and listening to Harry talk about Contracts. It's from 1995, but remarkably, still accurate. Eight years hasn't changed much in the law. And Harry Wright is much more entertaining to listen to than Professor Contracts. Several of my classmates, who lack full-time jobs, went to a review course for the day students, and came back talking about how poorly Professor Contracts had done in instructing us. Of course, Professor Contracts has to compete with Professor Civ Pro (who would have been Professor Bus Org, had I not forgotten to register until 11 a.m. yesterday), who is one of the most dynamic professors I've had. He ranks up there with Harry in teaching style, engagement of students, and ability to make you remember even the most mundane details about filing a pleading. I'm still trying to change my Bus Org class, and if I can't get in legally, I may just go anyway...
Thursday, May 08, 2003
Responding to others' blogs.......
Dawn argues that "[t]he safest family environment for a child is a home in which the biological parents are married. Contrary to current theory about the effects of marriage on children, recent research demonstrates that marriage provides a safe environment for all family members, one in which child abuse and fatality are lowered dramatically." Joanie counters that "90% of the children brought in to the hospital [where she works] suffering from child abuse are from homes where mom and dad are married and living together."
I have no experience in being a husband or a parent, but I'll still say this: You live what you know. I recently went out for drinks with a few classmates, and came to a realization: all four of us had parents who were involved in our lives cared about what we did, and encouraged us to pursue our dreams. And for the most part, we all turned out well.
No one is perfect, and we all have our flaws, but my guess is that both Dawn and Joanie are right. Where the biological parents are still married, and had happy childhoods, the children are well adjusted and happy. But those parents never wind up in divorce court, and are usually successful. Hence, no social issue.
But where there have been problems in the parents childhood, those problems will manifest themselves again when the parent has their own children (clear as mud?). If you're abusing your children, they'll abuse theirs. If you smoke in front of them, they'll smoke. I could go on and on. This is a subtle form of addiction, breakable only when someone makes the conscious decision to break the cycle. Until that happens, the behaviour will continue. We've all known children afraid to talk about sex, because that's "dirty". Usually, these people either meet enablers or become enablers themselves, so the cycle continues.
I agree with Dawn. There is a social problem out there. But there is no one cure-all panecea which will solve the problem, no metaphorical bomb we can drop to make it all go away. It has to start with the parents themselves - get involved in your children's lives, and don't be afraid to discipline them when they need it ("Honey, please don't do that" is NOT discipline - be firmer). But know when to back off, and know the difference between discipline and abuse. Teach them morals and values, and exhibit the behaviour you want them to exhibit. If you show respect for others, they'll learn to be respectful. And yes, you'll make mistakes; we all do. But if you feel the urge to punch your six-year-old, see a psychiatrist.
Dawn argues that "[t]he safest family environment for a child is a home in which the biological parents are married. Contrary to current theory about the effects of marriage on children, recent research demonstrates that marriage provides a safe environment for all family members, one in which child abuse and fatality are lowered dramatically." Joanie counters that "90% of the children brought in to the hospital [where she works] suffering from child abuse are from homes where mom and dad are married and living together."
I have no experience in being a husband or a parent, but I'll still say this: You live what you know. I recently went out for drinks with a few classmates, and came to a realization: all four of us had parents who were involved in our lives cared about what we did, and encouraged us to pursue our dreams. And for the most part, we all turned out well.
No one is perfect, and we all have our flaws, but my guess is that both Dawn and Joanie are right. Where the biological parents are still married, and had happy childhoods, the children are well adjusted and happy. But those parents never wind up in divorce court, and are usually successful. Hence, no social issue.
But where there have been problems in the parents childhood, those problems will manifest themselves again when the parent has their own children (clear as mud?). If you're abusing your children, they'll abuse theirs. If you smoke in front of them, they'll smoke. I could go on and on. This is a subtle form of addiction, breakable only when someone makes the conscious decision to break the cycle. Until that happens, the behaviour will continue. We've all known children afraid to talk about sex, because that's "dirty". Usually, these people either meet enablers or become enablers themselves, so the cycle continues.
I agree with Dawn. There is a social problem out there. But there is no one cure-all panecea which will solve the problem, no metaphorical bomb we can drop to make it all go away. It has to start with the parents themselves - get involved in your children's lives, and don't be afraid to discipline them when they need it ("Honey, please don't do that" is NOT discipline - be firmer). But know when to back off, and know the difference between discipline and abuse. Teach them morals and values, and exhibit the behaviour you want them to exhibit. If you show respect for others, they'll learn to be respectful. And yes, you'll make mistakes; we all do. But if you feel the urge to punch your six-year-old, see a psychiatrist.
Limited time offer......
Today H took me out for some drinks, because he's leaving tomorrow on vacation and can't join the drinkfest. His boss came too. I like them both, and have a lot of respect for both of them. I've kept in touch with someone from every job I've worked at, and hopefully they'll stay in touch.
Speaking of which, one of the eight Jens I know called me today - after a year of not hearing from her. She called to invite me to her wedding, but unfortunately, it's after I leave for Rome, so I won't be able to go. Too bad. I haven't seen her in a while, and it would be nice to see her.
Yesterday was the oldest nephew's confirmation. It went fairly well, and the bishop was actually entertaining. He was a Chicago boy through and through - right down to his mannerisms and the way he talked. The church is a new church, just built in the last year, but the pews were damn uncomfortable, and it was very stuffy inside - they obviously forgot ceiling fans to generate airflow. Afterward, they offered refreshments. I thought we'd get some, chit chat a bit then head back to my sisters, which we did, but not without my oldest nephew becoming Oscar the Grouch. Man, did he get pissy. It was embarrassing. I just wanted to leave. It was too bad. Mom wanted to get ice cream or rice pudding, but he spoiled the fun mood. Which made me sad and angry - sad because my Mom was just trying to make a nice evening, and angry because he had no good reason for this.
I start turnover tomorrow. Six more days.
Today H took me out for some drinks, because he's leaving tomorrow on vacation and can't join the drinkfest. His boss came too. I like them both, and have a lot of respect for both of them. I've kept in touch with someone from every job I've worked at, and hopefully they'll stay in touch.
Speaking of which, one of the eight Jens I know called me today - after a year of not hearing from her. She called to invite me to her wedding, but unfortunately, it's after I leave for Rome, so I won't be able to go. Too bad. I haven't seen her in a while, and it would be nice to see her.
Yesterday was the oldest nephew's confirmation. It went fairly well, and the bishop was actually entertaining. He was a Chicago boy through and through - right down to his mannerisms and the way he talked. The church is a new church, just built in the last year, but the pews were damn uncomfortable, and it was very stuffy inside - they obviously forgot ceiling fans to generate airflow. Afterward, they offered refreshments. I thought we'd get some, chit chat a bit then head back to my sisters, which we did, but not without my oldest nephew becoming Oscar the Grouch. Man, did he get pissy. It was embarrassing. I just wanted to leave. It was too bad. Mom wanted to get ice cream or rice pudding, but he spoiled the fun mood. Which made me sad and angry - sad because my Mom was just trying to make a nice evening, and angry because he had no good reason for this.
I start turnover tomorrow. Six more days.
Tuesday, May 06, 2003
Tick………tick………….tick…………..
Well, things are winding down. There are now eight (not counting today) days left in my career here (though I could wind up like Milton in Office Space if I don’t remember to tell HR I’m leaving). And school is all but over except for finals, which are the 14th and the 19th. Oh sure, there’s a Contracts review session tomorrow, but I won’t be there because it’s the oldest nephew’s confirmation.
When I was a teenager, I used to think that my parents didn’t understand me. But now that I’m older, I realize that it’s the other way around – teenagers don’t understand what it’s like to be an adult. And they never will, because it’s an understanding that you don’t get until you’re there, and then it’s too late to go back. Only then do you appreciate the benefits of ignorance.
My oldest nephew lacks motivation. He’s perfectly content to do nothing. One of his classmates, upon noticing the instructor had misspelled his confirmation name, asked my nephew to get the attention of the girl in charge fixing such errors. My nephew called this girl’s name out in a voice barely audible to me, sitting right next to him, much less someone three rows away, as she was. The classmate finally got help from someone two rows in front of us, who overheard him asking for help and called the girl over.
I feel sorry for him, because I think he’s greatly influenced by his father, who brags about his third grade education, and how well he’s done for himself. Let’s review that, shall we? He lives in a house he doesn’t own, drives an on-its-last-legs car because he (a) can’t afford and (b) can’t get a loan for a new one, has twice been cited by the city where he lives for having vehicles rusting away on the lawn in front of his house (and complained that they ‘have it in” for him as a result), has promised to by a car for both kids when they turn 16 (and told the oldest that the beat up, rusting deathtrap 1989 MR2 was for him, but then traded it for a tractor, and said he’d get that instead), and works as a maintenance man for a grocery chain, because he lost every other job he had and his own business ‘never took off’ (which it won’t when you make 8 a.m. appointments, and don’t show for them, or when you don’t answer your pager).
My nephew won’t hesitate to tell you his plans to play college and pro football, but apparently he missed the requirements that you (a) pass your classes, (b) stand taller than 5’9” and (c) actually make the teams. Kind of like the tax client I had this year who told me that she inspired her boyfriend to go back to college. When I asked her what he went back to do, she told me “he’s gonna be an NBA player.” Again, the fact that he was 5’8”, 28 years old, and playing on a juco team didn’t seem to be a deterrent, because “he’s got some real good moves.” Yeah, so does the 12th man on every NBA team.
Anyway………
It’s strange to be winding down. When you go to law school open houses, they tell you that you really bond with your classmates, and to an extent it’s true. But there are barriers. The suburban people (like me) are limited, since they have to drive back out to the suburbs, and can’t hang around like the city people do. Take last night, for example. John, Heather, Christine, Aaron, Mark and I all went for drinks. Heather left when her stalker showed up (according to her, they’re just friends, but from what she told me, she’d better be careful). I left when I realized (a) it was getting late (b) I’m still gainfully employed, and needed to be at work somewhat close to on time (c) I had a thirty-five minute drive home and (d) I was getting tired. The others were still there, rehashing their briefs, agonizing over trivial errors (I can’t imagine that in practice all briefs are perfectly written) and rationalizing that the Moot Court committee won’t notice that they didn’t underline a case name, or missed a period, or spelled behaviour with a ‘u’ as the British (and I) do.
Well, things are winding down. There are now eight (not counting today) days left in my career here (though I could wind up like Milton in Office Space if I don’t remember to tell HR I’m leaving). And school is all but over except for finals, which are the 14th and the 19th. Oh sure, there’s a Contracts review session tomorrow, but I won’t be there because it’s the oldest nephew’s confirmation.
When I was a teenager, I used to think that my parents didn’t understand me. But now that I’m older, I realize that it’s the other way around – teenagers don’t understand what it’s like to be an adult. And they never will, because it’s an understanding that you don’t get until you’re there, and then it’s too late to go back. Only then do you appreciate the benefits of ignorance.
My oldest nephew lacks motivation. He’s perfectly content to do nothing. One of his classmates, upon noticing the instructor had misspelled his confirmation name, asked my nephew to get the attention of the girl in charge fixing such errors. My nephew called this girl’s name out in a voice barely audible to me, sitting right next to him, much less someone three rows away, as she was. The classmate finally got help from someone two rows in front of us, who overheard him asking for help and called the girl over.
I feel sorry for him, because I think he’s greatly influenced by his father, who brags about his third grade education, and how well he’s done for himself. Let’s review that, shall we? He lives in a house he doesn’t own, drives an on-its-last-legs car because he (a) can’t afford and (b) can’t get a loan for a new one, has twice been cited by the city where he lives for having vehicles rusting away on the lawn in front of his house (and complained that they ‘have it in” for him as a result), has promised to by a car for both kids when they turn 16 (and told the oldest that the beat up, rusting deathtrap 1989 MR2 was for him, but then traded it for a tractor, and said he’d get that instead), and works as a maintenance man for a grocery chain, because he lost every other job he had and his own business ‘never took off’ (which it won’t when you make 8 a.m. appointments, and don’t show for them, or when you don’t answer your pager).
My nephew won’t hesitate to tell you his plans to play college and pro football, but apparently he missed the requirements that you (a) pass your classes, (b) stand taller than 5’9” and (c) actually make the teams. Kind of like the tax client I had this year who told me that she inspired her boyfriend to go back to college. When I asked her what he went back to do, she told me “he’s gonna be an NBA player.” Again, the fact that he was 5’8”, 28 years old, and playing on a juco team didn’t seem to be a deterrent, because “he’s got some real good moves.” Yeah, so does the 12th man on every NBA team.
Anyway………
It’s strange to be winding down. When you go to law school open houses, they tell you that you really bond with your classmates, and to an extent it’s true. But there are barriers. The suburban people (like me) are limited, since they have to drive back out to the suburbs, and can’t hang around like the city people do. Take last night, for example. John, Heather, Christine, Aaron, Mark and I all went for drinks. Heather left when her stalker showed up (according to her, they’re just friends, but from what she told me, she’d better be careful). I left when I realized (a) it was getting late (b) I’m still gainfully employed, and needed to be at work somewhat close to on time (c) I had a thirty-five minute drive home and (d) I was getting tired. The others were still there, rehashing their briefs, agonizing over trivial errors (I can’t imagine that in practice all briefs are perfectly written) and rationalizing that the Moot Court committee won’t notice that they didn’t underline a case name, or missed a period, or spelled behaviour with a ‘u’ as the British (and I) do.
Thursday, May 01, 2003
And then there was eleven.........
Or zero. Depends on if you're counting classes left, or workdays left. The first is zero. Tonight's it. The last Contracts class, ever (thank God!). We've all suffered enough.
Not that class was all that bad, but it could have been better. A little less emphasis on the minutiae of each case, and a little more emphasis on things to know when you practice.The most helpful comment came when Professor Contract's husband taught, and corrected a classmate who said the price of an item should be $76. "You'd never say that in practice," he chided, "because you'd be admitting the price was $76. The price is $44, and you don't know where $76 came from." An important insight easily overlooked by a new attorney. And if one were unfortunate enough to be matched with a saavy, older attorney - you'd be toast, and your client would be pissed. This is the kind of stuff we all wanted to know, but never really learned.
As for workdays, well, we're down to eleven. And today wasn't half bad. Hopefully, my journals will clear tomorrow, and I'll be able to book something. Otherwise, it will be a lousy weekend. But the promising thing is that I can now run reports and get information, which is a marked improvement over last night.
The downside to this quitting thing is that I know a lot of people around here. In fact, if they all come out next Friday (my original last day), there will be almost 80 people at my going-away party. That's not a bad turn-out. But I digress. I've gotten lots of emails and phone calls, not to mention people stopping me in the hall, in the coffee room and elsewhere to ask me about this.
I've learned there are three types of people:
The ones who wish you well superficially, while questioning your sanity.
The ones who wish you well sincerely, smile, shake your hand or pat you on the back and say keep in touch (and mean it).
The ones who wish you well with that look in their eye - the look that says they wish they were you, getting out and finding a new (and theoretically better) life, and not stuck in a job they are handcuffed by salary and/or benefit to. I feel sorry for these people. They feel trapped in their lives, and ultimately are miserable, punching the clock every day until retirement, when they hope to be able to do all they really wanted. But what if they're not able? What if arthritis robs them of the ability to walk? Or a heart condition confines them to limited activity? Or worse? What then?
The worst three words you can say consecutively are I should have. I know, because I've said them. I should have never broken up with Brenda Keller back in high school. I should have called Jeanette Beauregard that summer between my junior and senior year at NIU. Foolish me.....
I've said I should have enough in my life. I'm trying not to say it anymore, but I know I'll fail somewhere along the line. Right now, though, I can pursue my dream. I said I should have for ten years, between the first time I took the LSAT, and the second. That's long enough.
What are you saying I should have to?
Or zero. Depends on if you're counting classes left, or workdays left. The first is zero. Tonight's it. The last Contracts class, ever (thank God!). We've all suffered enough.
Not that class was all that bad, but it could have been better. A little less emphasis on the minutiae of each case, and a little more emphasis on things to know when you practice.The most helpful comment came when Professor Contract's husband taught, and corrected a classmate who said the price of an item should be $76. "You'd never say that in practice," he chided, "because you'd be admitting the price was $76. The price is $44, and you don't know where $76 came from." An important insight easily overlooked by a new attorney. And if one were unfortunate enough to be matched with a saavy, older attorney - you'd be toast, and your client would be pissed. This is the kind of stuff we all wanted to know, but never really learned.
As for workdays, well, we're down to eleven. And today wasn't half bad. Hopefully, my journals will clear tomorrow, and I'll be able to book something. Otherwise, it will be a lousy weekend. But the promising thing is that I can now run reports and get information, which is a marked improvement over last night.
The downside to this quitting thing is that I know a lot of people around here. In fact, if they all come out next Friday (my original last day), there will be almost 80 people at my going-away party. That's not a bad turn-out. But I digress. I've gotten lots of emails and phone calls, not to mention people stopping me in the hall, in the coffee room and elsewhere to ask me about this.
I've learned there are three types of people:
The ones who wish you well superficially, while questioning your sanity.
The ones who wish you well sincerely, smile, shake your hand or pat you on the back and say keep in touch (and mean it).
The ones who wish you well with that look in their eye - the look that says they wish they were you, getting out and finding a new (and theoretically better) life, and not stuck in a job they are handcuffed by salary and/or benefit to. I feel sorry for these people. They feel trapped in their lives, and ultimately are miserable, punching the clock every day until retirement, when they hope to be able to do all they really wanted. But what if they're not able? What if arthritis robs them of the ability to walk? Or a heart condition confines them to limited activity? Or worse? What then?
The worst three words you can say consecutively are I should have. I know, because I've said them. I should have never broken up with Brenda Keller back in high school. I should have called Jeanette Beauregard that summer between my junior and senior year at NIU. Foolish me.....
I've said I should have enough in my life. I'm trying not to say it anymore, but I know I'll fail somewhere along the line. Right now, though, I can pursue my dream. I said I should have for ten years, between the first time I took the LSAT, and the second. That's long enough.
What are you saying I should have to?
Wednesday, April 30, 2003
And the countdown continues…….
Things around work are getting frustrating. I keep running report after report, and get nothing that I can use for month end. I’m at the point of saying that I’m not doing any accruals, simply because I can’t find the info I need. I’m not alone on this, either. None of the other support accountants can get anything they need, either. And the level of annoyance just builds. This month end is going to be horrible.
As for the countdown, I should be on seven, as in seven days left. But it’s now twelve, after the Director of Accounting asked me to extend my stay here by a week to help in transitioning stuff over. Since I have no desire to burn bridges, and since I harbor no real ill will, I chucked the plans for finals study marathons and said ok. The one caveat is that I am taking the 14th off for my Contracts final. Besides, who am I to complain about getting an additional week’s pay?
The sad thing, really, is that I’m not being replaced. Miguel and Ron get more work, as does Jose, and no more thanks for the effort. When I told Lois who was replacing me, her first words were “what does he have?” And when I told her that Jose has Projects, she quickly mentioned that he’d never have time for her department. Probably true, which is too bad, because in the year I’ve been their accountant, they’ve gotten a good understanding for what’s going on.
In other news…..
Well, my lucky streak ran out. I’ve never been called on in Contracts, simply because I believed (correctly) my last name was a bit of a challenge for Professor Contracts. As it turns out, I was right, but she gave it a shot on Monday. Two other people have passed in her class (by saying “pass”, as a matter of fact) and have been the first people called on the next class period.
So on Monday, when the prof called on me, I wasn’t prepared. And I said so. Well, actually, when she asked me to give the facts of the case, I said, “I have no idea. I didn’t read that case.” After class, everyone was warning me that I’d better read up for tonight’s class. Too bad that it’s month end and that I’ll likely be late to class, if I go at all. Right now, leaving on a good note is much better than leaving on a bad one. Who knows when I might need a good word.
Putting in a good word…..
Speaking of putting in a good word, I’ve noticed a few other blogs have linked me, which is always appreciated. However, I’ve only noticed by tripping across them on my travels elsewhere. If you want to link to me, feel free. I won’t object. But send me an email so I can return the favor. Tomorrow, I’ll feature some of the fine people who’ve thought enough of what I write to include a link to my site. Don’t miss out – send me an email, or post a comment, and I’ll give you a plug too.
Things around work are getting frustrating. I keep running report after report, and get nothing that I can use for month end. I’m at the point of saying that I’m not doing any accruals, simply because I can’t find the info I need. I’m not alone on this, either. None of the other support accountants can get anything they need, either. And the level of annoyance just builds. This month end is going to be horrible.
As for the countdown, I should be on seven, as in seven days left. But it’s now twelve, after the Director of Accounting asked me to extend my stay here by a week to help in transitioning stuff over. Since I have no desire to burn bridges, and since I harbor no real ill will, I chucked the plans for finals study marathons and said ok. The one caveat is that I am taking the 14th off for my Contracts final. Besides, who am I to complain about getting an additional week’s pay?
The sad thing, really, is that I’m not being replaced. Miguel and Ron get more work, as does Jose, and no more thanks for the effort. When I told Lois who was replacing me, her first words were “what does he have?” And when I told her that Jose has Projects, she quickly mentioned that he’d never have time for her department. Probably true, which is too bad, because in the year I’ve been their accountant, they’ve gotten a good understanding for what’s going on.
In other news…..
Well, my lucky streak ran out. I’ve never been called on in Contracts, simply because I believed (correctly) my last name was a bit of a challenge for Professor Contracts. As it turns out, I was right, but she gave it a shot on Monday. Two other people have passed in her class (by saying “pass”, as a matter of fact) and have been the first people called on the next class period.
So on Monday, when the prof called on me, I wasn’t prepared. And I said so. Well, actually, when she asked me to give the facts of the case, I said, “I have no idea. I didn’t read that case.” After class, everyone was warning me that I’d better read up for tonight’s class. Too bad that it’s month end and that I’ll likely be late to class, if I go at all. Right now, leaving on a good note is much better than leaving on a bad one. Who knows when I might need a good word.
Putting in a good word…..
Speaking of putting in a good word, I’ve noticed a few other blogs have linked me, which is always appreciated. However, I’ve only noticed by tripping across them on my travels elsewhere. If you want to link to me, feel free. I won’t object. But send me an email so I can return the favor. Tomorrow, I’ll feature some of the fine people who’ve thought enough of what I write to include a link to my site. Don’t miss out – send me an email, or post a comment, and I’ll give you a plug too.
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