Ramblings of a Twisted Mind [entries|friends|calendar] Xyala [ userinfo | livejournal userinfo ] [ calendar | livejournal calendar ]

Window office [01 Aug 2003|02:39pm] [ mood | amused ] [ music | C is for Cookie ] So, I've basically had my own office for a good part of the year. I share with Carol, but she's in Minnesota. Four of five weeks out of the year, I have a roomie for a week. No biggie. Now Karen's moving to a window office, and has decided to take me on as an office mate. I don't know how I feel about sharing an office with my immediate supervisor. On the one hand, Karen's my best friend at this company. We discuss Buffy and Angel, and the relative absurdities we deal with during our day. I have no idea how I would deal with her all day in the same office. On the otherside, WINDOW OFFICE. SCORE!!! Now, how do I move all of my office crap? 1 comment|post comment

LMAO [01 Aug 2003|08:07am] I nearly spit tea all over the monitor reading this! post comment

Uh...yeah.... [01 Aug 2003|07:34am] [ mood | amused ] [ music | Yesterday ] kobold had an excellent point this morning. It's really hard to read someone else's angst-filled post. Although you may have written several things of a similar nature in your own angst period, no self-respecting person wants to be reminded of those years. And here we have the initial split between the adult self and the teenage self. The teenage self believes fervently that 1) No one else has EVER felt this way before or 2) That working stiff adults have lost touch with the brilliant truth that is expressing and feeling all this angst. The adult self spends many margaritas, or in the case of non-drinkers like jsmitty_o many a creme brulee, trying to forget they wrote anything as bad as "I cut my hair and no one cares." Seriously, as dark and self righteous as I can get, I'm embarrassed to look in my old closet. Black sweater, black pants, jeans, black sweater, black dress, black t-shirt, red skit, black scarf... I'm also embarrassed to read some of the poetry I used to write. While there are no odes to my severed hair, but really. Still, I had a better since of fun then too. Even as teenagers, some teens are aware of angstophilia going on with their friends. Once I had a lot of fun with my Creative Writing magazine buddies. They kept rejecting "Love" poems, and even some rather sappy "Love sucks, but I still believe in love..." poems because well they deviated from their very brilliant, and highly original "Love SUCKS" theme. I'm not kidding. Even poems about death were put in the maybe pile as these guys lost the only two girls who would play D&D; with them that year. They had one thing on their minds--their diminished dating prospects. But instead of approving all of the stupid poems by cute girls who thought they could write, they went through one after another "People break your heart, just walking down the street. I would save my heart, but I can't feel it beat." So in my great annoyance that lines like this were taking up precious printing space, I wrote one of the worst poems of my life. It was a form of protest, but it had love, betrayal and a blonde guy getting his throat cut by a woman who was more in love with murder than the guy himself. And without seeing any mockery in my submission, my friends loved it and printed it. Ah the teenage years. However, Jeremy wouldn't sit next to me for weeks and I couldn't figure out why until I remembered that the cheating blonde guy gets it. D'oh. So, Jeremy, just so you know, it wasn't about you. Golden hair just sounded more poetic. I know it's been several years, but honestly, I have no intentions of harming you over a woman. Now your opnions on music maybe... post comment

Hallo [31 Jul 2003|07:18am] [ mood | amused ] [ music | Memory ] I have "Three Little Maids" going through my head and an image of the crew of Magnum PI in geisha drag. As this was an episode watched long ago in my childhood, it's interesting that it came back now. I've always had a good memory, just not for anything useful. For example. Once upon a time: High School locker combination: 0-6-24 Phone number when I was 8: 5**-1847 when I was 13: 839-8**7 Kids in my kindergarten class: Jeff M* Michelle F* Shannon P* Erin 0* Patrick Birthday of my second-grade best-friend: January 9 Birthday of my kindergarden best-friend: November 27 Color of the chair I was sitting in when they told me grandpa died: yellow * means I can give you the numbers or letters if you ask, but as it's a public entry I don't feel like letting anyone google them. But when it comes down to "Where in the hell did I leave my keys this morning?" I'm totally hosed. I don't know how this happens, but it reminds me of the X-files episode with the psychic. Does he get visions of something useful, like lottery numbers? Not on your life. He can see how people are going to die. See Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose for reference. Anyway, so I was looking for my keys today when it occurred to me that I'd never been able to call Nicole back. There was an accident near Jakob's daycare and I had to hang up fast. When did I remember? While looking for my keys. Anyway, binderbright I'm not dead, just exhausted. And then I realized that I put the keys on the sink. Maybe memory is real-time. You can't start one remembering process until the current one closes. And voila! I remember at the most inopportune time, that I need to call Nicole back. Yippee. Today's release supposed to be okay and on track. We'll see. non_seqvitvr's going to pick up Jake tonight so I can stay if the release delays. I really hope it doesn't. Collapsed twice yesterday trying to keep going post-work. Probably shouldn't have worked 11 hours and then tried to hike around the neighborhood with Jim and Jake. Something's got to give. Unfortunately my plot to lure elves into my house to keep the chores going has failed. I probably shouldn't have eaten my offering to them of chocolate chip cookies... Yeah. Gotta work on that... Editor's Note: I have replaced erroneous X-files title and linked to preview so that shogun_bob can worry about more important matters of geek cosmology. 7 comments|post comment

The importance of being Bean [30 Jul 2003|06:58am] Life sucks too much to discuss it, so instead I'll discuss Mr. Bean. binderbright and I go round and round about Mr. Bean. Now Rowan Atkinson himself is hilarious. I don't think I will ever attend another wedding without hearing the background, "Father, Son and Holy Spicket." But the turkey on the head gag? Anyway I was debating seeing Johnny English, when McGruder asked one of the fundamental questions of my friendship with Nicola, Was Mr. Bean THAT Popular in '78? Just a daily afirmation of culture... post comment

Quiz time [29 Jul 2003|04:12pm] =D Poll #162307: Questions Open to: all, results viewable to: all Did you know Livejournal has a theme song? View Answers Huh? What's a Livejournal? Oh you mean lj... 0 (0.0%) Uh...yeah, yeah, I knew 2 (25.0%) It's kind of cute. 0 (0.0%) I sing it at bathtime. 0 (0.0%) Frog. 7 (87.5%) Oprah is... View Answers Funny. 0 (0.0%) Okay, but it's not my thing, you know... 1 (12.5%) My goddess, I read every book she recommends. 0 (0.0%) A good way to kill an after school afternoon. 0 (0.0%) My nemesis. 2 (25.0%) Reading my email for signs of sedition. 4 (50.0%) On the cover of a lot of magazines. 1 (12.5%) Probably just a fad like that Charles Osgood guy. 0 (0.0%) A role model. 0 (0.0%) Frog. 0 (0.0%) Instead of writing this quiz, my time would have been better spent: View Answers Writing. 2 (25.0%) Relaxing at the beach. 4 (50.0%) Exposing my self to statues of Lord Admiral Nelson. 3 (37.5%) Eating good Italian food. 4 (50.0%) Frog. 3 (37.5%) Vincent VanGogh is: View Answers Short one ear. 6 (75.0%) My secret lover. 0 (0.0%) That guy with the one painting. 1 (12.5%) A genius. 1 (12.5%) Frog. 0 (0.0%) I regret that I have but one: View Answers car. 0 (0.0%) horse. 1 (12.5%) boyfriend/girlfriend. 0 (0.0%) life to give for my country! Geez! 0 (0.0%) child. 0 (0.0%) million dollars. Can I have two? 2 (25.0%) map of Gondor! 1 (12.5%) picture of James Marsters. 1 (12.5%) cigar. 1 (12.5%) house in the Hamptons. 0 (0.0%) toe ring. 0 (0.0%) tatoo. 1 (12.5%) minute left to take this stupid quiz! 0 (0.0%) chance to meet Oprah. It is my destiny. 0 (0.0%) frog. 1 (12.5%) Are you now or have you ever been: View Answers an arts patron 4 (50.0%) a computer geek 7 (87.5%) a total ass 7 (87.5%) a best friend 7 (87.5%) on a subway train 6 (75.0%) inside a castle 4 (50.0%) confronted by an angry bull 2 (25.0%) forced to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer 5 (62.5%) afraid of ET 1 (12.5%) frog 3 (37.5%) The best book to read on a summer vacation is: View Answers The Ultimate Reality TV show is: View Answers simply not for me 6 (75.0%) American Idol 0 (0.0%) Survivor 0 (0.0%) Joe Millionaire 2 (25.0%) Frog 2 (25.0%) When life gives you lemons: View Answers make lemonade 1 (12.5%) suck on a lemon 0 (0.0%) throw lemons around like a madman 2 (25.0%) pour lemon juice into the wounds of your enemies 4 (50.0%) frog 1 (12.5%) Orlando Bloom is: View Answers My hero! 0 (0.0%) gay 1 (12.5%) better as an elf 1 (12.5%) still the prettiest 5 (62.5%) frog 1 (12.5%) 3 comments|post comment

Chagall [29 Jul 2003|08:58am] [ mood | bouncy ] Wonders never cease. SF MOMA has an exhibition I might enjoy. Chagall paintings on display. Yippee. Of course, it's an extra $5 for something worth seeing. Why do I have to pay to gt into the general museum collection, though? ;) And something else I want to do is visit the puppets at the Asian Art museum. For anyone acquainted with Ernesto and Julia, you'd understand why I must go. 2 comments|post comment

#$&*()#*)#&*$ [29 Jul 2003|08:51am] [ mood | accomplished ] [ music | Cannon in D ] WTF? I just can't get a post out today either. Bah. Lost the last two. Happier mood earlier, stated the following: 1) Missed Jennie at Coldstone last night, but still had coffee chocolate ice cream with brownies. 2) Talked to Eugenia about vacation plans. Mentioned rafting with the LA gang, and she trumped me with a weekend stay at the Bellagio in mid-September. Must remember not to discuss vacation plans again with E until I have tickets to Monaco. 3) Continuing interviews with people for both contracting and perm, but worry about hiring someone. I don't know what they're going to be like. I don't usually fear new blood or ways of doing things. I just hate them for three or four weeks and then get over it. But who needs that kind of adjustment period right now. 4) Grandma's doing better. No more hunger strike. Maybe life will be okay for another few months. 5) Wearing new khaki skorts from Sunday's hunt. Feel very primal and triumphant. THE SKORT IS MINE! post comment

Livejournal Crash [28 Jul 2003|11:57am] Anyone else affected by Read-Only Status? post comment

Bob Hope [28 Jul 2003|08:10am] [ mood | quiet ] To be honest, I was really hoping he'd make it to 102 to show George Burns how it's done. But, Bob Hope is gone. Good night, Bob. post comment

Monday Grind [28 Jul 2003|07:07am] [ mood | rushed ] ( capris_and_a_busted_lip ) Other than the capris (which don't do as much for a short person, honestly), it was an okay weekend. Eric did indeed show up, but didn't get my MIL a present. He said he felt his presence was present enough. I should have had the presence of mind to say he was from all of us, but no such luck. When I got here this morning, our VP of support was standing outside. On one side, I was here seven minutes after six thirty. On the otherside, she didn't have her key card and was glad just to get in. Shrug. She spent her whole time talking about Munich and how the old Siemens buildings there do not have AC. I was surprised because a lot of Munich was destroyed in WWII, and rebuilt. But there are large parts of the city where builings persist, and...NO AC in them. Lucky Kristin. You could tell she was glad to be back in the Bay Area where our building and HER house have AC. Le sigh... What I remember about Munich is that there were too many wasps. Just like in Heidleberg. All you want to do is eat ice cream so that you can cool down and what happens? Wasp invasion. Bah. Stupid Munich. Stupid Heidleberg. Stupid wasps. post comment

Range Rover [27 Jul 2003|10:23am] [ mood | irate ] Note on rant for anyone who has not been keeping up with cable: There is a Range Rover commercial set somewhere in South East Asia that shows a potentate and his procession coming down the street. A Range Rover comes to an intersection with the procession and stops, as does the procession. The potentate lifts back the curtain and sees a Range Rover wants to cross before him, and HE WAVES IT ON. The screen fades to black with the word RESPECT and then RANGE ROVER. I have seen the new Range Rover commercial on and off for over a week now. And this being said, I have only one question to ask the Land Rover people, ARE YOU STUPID? Attention clueless people, this is why I always say "First up against the wall when the revolution comes" in your direction. When post colonial nations talk about imperialist bastards, they mean you. Simple explainations for those with more money than brains: You do not get to cut in front of foreign heads of state just because your car is cool. And it isn't all that cool now. It looks like every other boring SUV. Trust me, my neighbor has two old-style (let's see if we can ford this river) Rovers. They have seen some serious action. Althought I don't give my softy neighbors any repect for owning the Rovers, neither will I pull them out of it and smash the cars when the revolution comes. I might just do that to the Range Rover occupant in the commercial. Gone are the days when commercials show a dusty beat-up Rover out on safari, because, well hey, the people that buy these are probably never going to see Kenya. Still, the Rover used to stand for being so versitle you could use the grill to well, GRILL. Even my B-I-L said to me, "Have you seen that Range Rover commercial? What colonialist bullshit!" And this from a guy who's into TR. Gahh. post comment

The Rebels Are Massing Near Sallust [27 Jul 2003|07:27am] [ mood | cheerful ] Well, it looks like Clear Channel is facing competition and disatistfaction. Good. Media is one area where monopolies should not be formed. It makes for the crappiest radio. 2 comments|post comment

Stealing from Jmorton [26 Jul 2003|09:20am] [ mood | amused ] [ music | Beautiful Day ] Buwahahaaa! Beautiful Day - Your outlook in life is always positive. You could be dying of thirst and the glass would still be half full. Watch out though, many people might find your incessant positivity to be obnoxious. What U2 Song Are You? brought to you by Quizilla Okay, WTF? Would anyone who knows me come up with this? Bah. I need to stop taking these quizes in the morning after a night of sleep. Messes up the real results. post comment

Baby? Bathwater? What? [25 Jul 2003|02:40pm] Yeesh. The tone of this article distrubs me in that once you're a victim in this country, your whole life is laid bare. I'm glad the judge issued a gag order, but the media seems to be unaware of the concept. Moreover why should someone who attempted suicide be considered unstable to testify in a sexual assault case? Is it open season on women with depression? They're too addled to know a good time when they see it? The implications here are gross. At 25, the dark secrets in my life can be counted on one hand, but that doesn't mean if tomorrow I'm the vicitim of the crime I want my life laid bare. "Sources say she never had her appendix out, and had an aversion to spiders. A reckless driver, she constantly sped down this avenue in her rush to get to work. Neighbors said she barked back at dogs who annoyed her.." WTF? Why do we always try the victim in the media? 2 comments|post comment

Stealing Friday Five [25 Jul 2003|10:25am] [ mood | amused ] [ music | Superstar ] 1. If your life were a movie, what would the title be? The Lefthanded Rebellion 2. What songs would be on the soundtrack? Like any narcisistic OC gal of my generation, No Doubt would do the entire soundtrack. Well I take that back, my life wasn't cool enough for No Doubt all the time. For example, the times we used to drive in Gwen Cock's car to youth group events such as water balloon baseball. Then "Yellow Submarine" would have to be played. And probably "One" for dealing with my high school boyfriend. It isn't always about holding hands, Fred. 3. Would it be a live-action film or animated? Why? Uh, hmm...could we add lots of Matrixy-effects if I say live action? Animated, probably. My life is usually the stuff of comedy, not action-adventure. The near drowning of me in the American river, or Bryan at sea, would be about the only moments worthy of a summer block buster. 4. Casting: who would play you, members of your family, friends, etc? My Dad=Danny DiVito, the two were separated at birth I swear. My Mom=Judi Dench My Nicola=The love child of Genine Garafalo and Catherine Zeta Jones (biting wit and yet extremely sexual at the same time) My Jim=I can't think of a single American who handle the role. Colin Firth I guess becuause he could pick up Jim's sense of irony. And he's taller than most actors Julie=Drew Barrymore Crystal=Eliza Dusku Jenny=Cameron Diaz Neom=Jennifer Ehele Tammie=Susana Harker Scott=Peter Gibbons Caroline=Lucy Liu. Because they both have so much fun being a princess and a bitch to people. And they do it with style. Diaz=Robert Carlyle Vanderburg=Orlando Bloom Bryan=James Marsden Mick=Kevin Smith 5. Describe the movie preview/trailer. Some people are born normal...others struggle for it all their lives. Show scene of 8 year old me looking out at mom and rabbit on the lawn. Mom is down on all fours. "Mom, what are you doing?" "Sweetie, I'm teaching the rabbit to eat grass..." Cut to scene of my father, my mom and I sitting down at Christmas dinner and all reciting from Moonstruck: "And then there's copper, which is the only kind of pipe I use. It costs money, it costs money because it saves money..." 3 comments|post comment

Sunny Spain... [25 Jul 2003|08:46am] With this find of an article on a Friday, is it any wonder I'm having trouble working: June 15, 2003 TRAVEL ADVISORY; Mountaintop Hotel Reopens in Barcelona By BENJAMIN JONES During much of the last century, the hotel of choice for wealthy Spaniards and the international set visiting Barcelona was the Gran Hotel La Florida, set atop Mount Tibidabo with a 360-degree view of the Mediterranean and, on a clear day, the Pyrenees. Built in 1925 in an opulent Mediterranean style, the hotel was among the city's grandest until it fell into disrepair and eventually closed 30 years ago. In late April, the hotel reopened after a $47 million renovation by the Stein Group, a Barcelona-based chain of luxury hotels that also owns and operates properties in London, Amsterdam and Majorca. The views and the facade remain, but the interior has been redesigned from its interim use as offices and broadcast studios. There are now 52 rooms and 22 suites, many with balconies, ranging from $360 for a standard room to $2,725 for the presidential suite (at 0.86 euros to the dollar). They have flat-screen plasma televisions, broadband Internet connections and other high-tech amenities along with marbled bathrooms. The Orangerie Restaurant offers Mediterranean cuisine. There is a 100-foot stainless steel indoor-outdoor swimming pool as well as a spa, fitness center, sauna and Turkish bath. The Gran Hotel La Florida is at Carretera del Tibidabo s/n; (34-93) 259-3000, fax (34-93) 259-3001, www.hotellaflorida.com. BENJAMIN JONES post comment

Mt. Diablo [25 Jul 2003|07:13am] [ mood | happy ] [ music | Stacy's Mom Has Got It Going On ] Got the pictures back from Mt. Diablo, one of the first "family" vacation photo sets to include more than one picture of me. I'm not complaining about the past, mind you, it's just that normally, I hold the camera while non_seqvitvr wrangles the toddler into a photograph-ready state. But now that I've gone through the pictures I've noticed that while I target pictures from a particular vantage point, all pictures of me are dead center with my chest. Good lord? Who taught him how to take pictures? Is this typical of all men or what? ( bad_stuff_going_away ) In other news, one of my idiot friends, who doesn't have an lj, but will be properly embarrassed when the time is right, radio requested Stacy's Mom Has Got It Going On the other day. You know who you are and you know that was not right. My mother made you brownies for years and this is how you repay her? By torturing her daughter with that song? BAH! Anyway it's been stuck in my head and I can't get it out. 2 comments|post comment

Mini-Me [24 Jul 2003|07:43am] Interview went well with the contractor yesterday. Yahoo! Now, all we have to do is make her an offer she can't refuse...I mean make her an offer she will accept. Right. She's fun, well-adjusted, and has a kid my age, but doesn't feel the need to give me sage advice. I think like most people in the Bay, she takes one look at the fact I have a kid and ignores the star wars toys on my office wall. The assumption just becomes that kid=30 year old. And I go with that, no need to create additional work for yourself trying to earn someone's respect. But that doesn't seem to be an issue. She was with Openwave for a few years, a partner of my last company. All the ones I worked with were very nice people. And we have another contractor to interview soon. I'm more encouraged by finally finding someone that will work. It doesn't have to be all wackos! =D But in the spirit, Karen sent me some follow-up interview questions: 1. Do you like to burn things? 2. Does all work and no play make you dull? 3. Is it REALLY all about you? Which for one candidate it was. He wrote to us, after we rejected him, saying that we should reconsider as he had many other offers. Buddy, I'm happy for you. If they want you go! Now all I need to do is clone myself. Maybe just a small clone one-eighth my size. That way all of this can be done in a reasonable amount of time. post comment

[23 Jul 2003|06:59am] [ mood | musing ] [ music | Tiptoe through the Tulips ] Well, for anyone who is even slightly Italian and has serious concerns that the EU is has the monopoly on bland, this link is for you. Finally got cake batter ice cream from Coldstone. I mixed it with coffee and chocolate chips. Of course jsmitty_o and I had to circuit around the strip mall two or three times as penance. I wish I'd worn better shoes. I ran out the door in my flippies and well...if I wasn't lame before, I am now. Jennie brought up the interesting point that as you get older, it becomes harder and harder to confide in anyone besides your SO. Friends move away, work friends change, and it becomes difficult to find someone who will let you kvetch over coffee about work, marriage, or the disturbing thought that if Arnold Schwarzenegger can run for govenor, how far is Britney Spears from becoming president when I'm in my sunset years? Okay not the biggest crisis. Still between a bad economy, a faceless enemy, and the usual stresses of finding your shoes in the morning, I think we've all kind of lost touch with relaxing, bitching, and in general being people. Enough sermon. Kelson found the most hilarious booth at Comic Con: At the Comic Con last weekend I spotted a booth for “The Good Intentions Paving Co.” I never did stop to see what they were selling or promoting, but I got a good laugh out of the name. I wish they were selling shirts. I could really use one. post comment

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