Tanks, Thundercats and Teh - Yes, Teh.

The word of the week is perseverance.

Sept 13 – Spider-Man

It’s been getting harder to deal with things hereabouts of late, as I’m so very tired and not on an even keel emotionally – it takes all my strength of will to keep myself level at work and perform as best I can. That leaves little in the way of niceties for after work, so my relationship with my parents has been a little strained as a result – those of you who know me well know that this isn’t intentional, but it’s still been happening a bit. We’ve managed thus far to avoid any problems, thanks to all of us being fairly well-adjusted people and the fact that we’ve been through a lot together over the years. Maybe I should write a book on the subject? I've got a fair amount of material here...

But enough of that: how about a smile? Have a look at Spiders On Drugs...

Sept 14 – Freelancing Flat TV’s

As I wandered around the ‘net today after work, I found two articles dealing with the pitfalls and joys of freelance writing. It’s something that I’ve considered on and off over the years, along with being a writer of other things... have a look, they’re quite good and involve face punching: Here, and here – enjoy.

It’s been almost 3 years since I purchased my LG TV, and it’s going quite strong... definitely a great choice. I see a lot of ‘slimmer’ sets are on the market now, including ones that have LED backlights that last longer, use less power and yadda yadda... some things just don’t justify buying a new TV when the old one works very well. Like 3D, or ‘quattron’ technology that adds a 4^th colour... I mean, really now – is that reason enough to buy a new, MUCH more expensive TV? I think not – I’ll keep my money for now and keep watching C|Net’s Tech Reviews every so often when they talk about the best TV’s... all of which are flat-panel, have streaming ‘net capabilities and still cost a fair sum. I wonder about the profit margins on them, too.

Sept 15 – Word Performance

A positive day today – it was my day off, but I spent most of the day at work delivering two positive performance reviews, which are rare in our company. Goes to show that the people I work with are really special, which makes me try to drag my own performance out of its funk all the more... At this point I wonder some days if I can get more right than wrong, and also wonder if EI would be a better thing for my sanity, if not my pocketbook. I’ve been running budgets on that, and no final word - so far.

Ever wonder about the word ‘teh’ at all? It’s creeping into our language, and you heard it here first – insidious, really. It’s replacing the word ‘to’ in common conversation, and my ears have cottoned onto it these last few months. The phrase “I go to work in the morning” has become “I go teh work in the morning” – not a big shift, but a shift nonetheless. Very much like noticing one model of car in the pack around you on the road, then seeing that car model stand out again and again, you may start noticing ‘teh’ more often, now that you’ve been told. See if you don’t.

Sept 16 – Top Gear Cadets

The popularity of the BBC TV show Top Gear continues to gather new fans, myself among them – what’s better than 3 car critics having a go at driving the latest cars, while also holding strange contests amongst themselves? With guest stars all vying for the fastest time around the track? Well, not much comes to mind car-wise – I did like that they really took a shine to the Mazda 6, which I’ve eyed for a bit as a vehicle, should I decide I really need one. Not that I’d do much ‘real’ driving, like they do on the show.

Erk! I pulled another 13-hour day today, give or take – I was at the Millstream branch for five hours, quite early, to do an audit. Then a brief break taken at A&W where I overheard to a naval cadet telling someone quite loudly on the phone about her money troubles – apparently they were bad enough that she had to fill in the entire restaurant at full volume, so I left after I couldn’t take it anymore. Work after that was a trial, but at least I didn’t have the problems the cadet had, which involved kneecaps and suchlike. Yikes!

Sept 17 – Tanks for Nothing!

Yes, another workday... but it was a short day today, only 6 hours. I’ve been warned that I’m pulling too much overtime and now have to seek permission ahead of time. Which makes me shrug, as there’s still going to be a pile of tasks for me to do no matter what, so it’s just another test in prioritizing and delegating, as I see it. Surprisingly I managed an hour at the Bean today for lunch, where I stared out at the misty forest-covered hills and wondered at the shapes concealed there. Pretty scenery. No deer.

‘Tanks’ for the memories! A former co-worker of mine found the following in her driveway: I think I would have a conniption if I were one of her two sons and found this parked in front of my house when we got home....!

Sept 18 – Flash and Ogres?

Flash games aren’t my usual cup of tea, but one was introduced to me by a NWN gaming friend of mine that I really like – FantasticContraption.com is a ton of fun. I like it for a few reasons, one of which is that you have to think when you play... which is always tops in my books. Give it a try... it’s available for the iPhone and iPad too, from what I see of the site.

Today work-wise, I split my time between the two branches, trying to catch up and actually somewhat succeeding – I managed to cover a few major loose ends, which was a good feeling. It didn’t last though, as I contemplated all the other tasks that still await me like ogres in the woods, eyes glittering as my last torch gutters and burns low, singing my fingers. Nice image, that. Except for the unwashed ogres. Blegh!

Sept 19 -  Oil Storms

Well, it does storm occasionally here, and this morning was proof – rain rattled hard on the windows at 7am today to wake me, which was fine as I had to work anyway... in a few hours. By noon the storm was gone and the sun was shining, which again is typical Victoria weather – wait an hour and it will change, which certainly adds variety to one’s day. Be sure to dress in layers and bring an umbrella, just in case.

Some late-breaking news to include: looks like BP has finally, finally plugged the massive oil-well leak in the Gulf of Mexico today. After such a huge environmental disaster, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the race towards non-petroleum-based forms of fuel accelerate... if you’ll pardon the pun. How about: oil’s well that ends well?

Hmm... I can’t think of anything pithy to say here. I’ll just post the blog and watch Thundercats before bed, then.