Posted on January 26, 2012
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Today when I got home Deirdre ran over and gave me a hug. If I were a nice, normal older brother I would have hugged her back and that would have been that.
Instead I brushed her off and went upstairs and changed out of my work clothes. Then I went back downstairs and stood behind her and said “Dumplings.” And smiled.
That’s all I did. I stood behind her and smiled and occasionally said “Dumplings” wherever she went and whatever she did. I didn’t follow heel-stepping close. I didn’t do scary noisy feet or sneaky quiet feet. I didn’t breathe down her neck but stayed out of her way, behind and off to the side a bit, smiling and watching. I watched her set the table. I watched her stir the juice. I said nothing except, once in a while, “Dumplings.”
I didn’t answer her when she asked me why. I didn’t stop smiling when she slapped my face. How she fidgeted and squirmed!
When I sat down to eat, I ate just like normal and I didn’t say anything about dumplings or make any silly faces at Deirdre or anything. I didn’t follow her after supper. But when she wasn’t looking I snuck behind a corner and waited for her to come around and see me there, just looking.
Then when I was lounging innocently doing nothing she came by and announced she was going to kill me by blowing me up, and proceeded to harass me with pinches, pokes, explosives, and plastic toys.
Posted on January 25, 2012
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Today I was happy. Yesterday I was too. I think it’s because this latest Giant Annual Project (the third and hopefully the last) has been going quite smoothly now that I actually started it. For once my predecessor’s work is still valid, and I have only to be careful as I input data. This is so much less stressful than trying to figure out how to grab the right data and slice it the right way to get a result nobody’s ever seen before. Even when nobody’s seen the data that particular way before many of them can quickly tell you it’s wrong. Others will bide their time and torpedo you when you finally think you’ve made it to friendly waters.
There may be some snags further down the line with this Giant Project. But I am spending most of my time working on it, with few diversions so far, and I seem to be on track to get three quarters of the way through it this week, with next week also reserved for the same project. Maybe it will get more dicey tomorrow when the boss comes back from his travel and wants data pronto. It will have to get somewhat tougher. But Justin’s getting a bit of momentum now himself and may be able to run interference on a lot of that, too. He’s certainly willing to try.
With this burst of good feelings I have got myself to book my GMAT test in March, so now the clock is ticking on that one.
Posted on January 24, 2012
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Today I found out what I wish I had saved when I threw out a bunch of filed papers. I still have three file boxes after eliminating one a few months past. I went through the three several times trying to find the Strong’s Interest Inventory I took some time ago. I am sure I saw it while going through things, but I could not find it now.
Then I discovered why I got rid of so much stuff. That file is still floating around on a hard disk and in my webmail. I recovered the evaluation despite losing my hard copy. Haha!
These kinds of aptitude tests are handy when new managers say they want to get to know you or HR arranges a mentor for you. It won’t replace knowing person but at least it’s a talking point. Mine lists “Programming & Information Systems” as my top interest. I agree. My top area of Least Interest is “Marketing and Advertising.” I am currently working in Market Research and Intelligence. That could be awkward. A little later in the writeup it says, “keep in mind that you are likely to have little in common with people in those types of work and probably would contribute to such occupations in a unique way.” Let’s go with that.
I also called up my boss, Jon, from the old company. I’ve been meaning to. I was so excited to talk to him again I babbled. I still remembered to ask him for an evaluation for this mentoring program.
Posted on January 23, 2012
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Yesterday I only opened the topic I meant to address. Alan Knox mentioned on his blog some personal difficulty he is going through, commenting, “I’m just trying to share more of myself with you. You may not care, and you may not want to read this kind of post, and that’s fine. But, to me, sharing all of life is important – even the parts that aren’t necessarily pretty.” Yes indeed. Some of the bits I have written on this blog are perhaps too personal and need to be redacted. They are still up because the blogs I respect the most share very weighty personal matters. The honesty makes them precious.
Still, a website is not the best place to build a personal trust. Only I have found myself too free with newly sprouted friends, and too stingy with deeply rooted friends. There are so few outside of my own family who comfortably endure both my theological speculations and my tendency toward innuendo. The two talents attract opposite sorts, and sometimes the one sort of friend doesn’t realize I have the other sort of habit.
You may say that theology and ripe jokes do not belong together. If you say so you will get less of the ripe jokes. But you haven’t rid me of them, you have rid yourself of them; and part of me will always be careful when we are visiting. You will not find all of me to befriend. I have not yet visited a church that stretches far enough to fit.