Last Friday was my last day at my job of 5 1/2 years. It really began to sink in as I packed up my work computer and shipped it off to Austin where it would eventually find a new employee who will use it to maintain Web sites for the large non-profit that owns it. The machine is a Dell Optiplex G110 Pentium III 933 Mhz with 512 MB of RAM - a bit worn around the edges, but still chugging along, now on its third hard drive. I have to admit I got a little choked up as I put it in the box. Not so much out of sentimentality as out of physical exertion: I had forgotten how heavy the damn thing was! Computers, like everything else, have definitely gotten lighter over the past 5 years.

So I've come to the conclusion that the stars must be aligned for positive life changes. Aside from my recent move away from my full-time job to embark on a journey of self-employment and, in the process, re-discover my more literary side, a friend of mine here in DC just found out yesterday that his book will be published by Random House! And to add a little icing to an already sweet deal, Dreamworks also bought the movie rights. This is a definite inspiration to me as I get started writing again. It gives me hope that it really can be done, that some dreams come true. At the same time, it makes me feel a bit intimidated and defeated before I've even begun. I mean, published by Random House, with the possibility of a movie. It's kind of hard to stand tall in the shadow of that achievement! The odds of being published or knowing somebody that has been published are pretty slim as it is, so how bad do those odds get when you have a friend do it who lives within the same 5-mile radius? I'm trying not to think about it. Of course, I could look at it another way: success breeds more success. It's definitely going to be nice to have somebody to bounce ideas off of who has already been through the whole novel writing/publishing experience . . . and come out on top!

So things are going well for my friend on the literary front, and hopefully that will wear off on me a little bit. But even if it doesn't, I've got other things to get excited about on the musical front. This weekend, The Jones jammed for the second time with Mat, and for the second time, we were blown away at how great things sounded with him driving the rhythm. I really feel like we all just clicked, and the music reflected that. With Mat drumming, Mike's songs take on a much more groovy/funky sound and this whole new world of possibilities suddenly seems within reach. We weren't sure if Mat would be able to play with The Jones since he already plays with another great band - Communist Bakesale. But as it turns out, he said this weekend that he was definitely up for having a go at doing both. I am so excited that we'll be playing with him I can hardly stand it. Everybody needs to get ready for a very new Jones sound on July 6th at DC9!

Finally, another bit of good news: after almost having to reschedule my upcoming trip to Houston due to various conflicts, the biggest conflict was worked out today and I'll be able to go after all. There are still some things that turned out to be bad timing with this trip - such as missing the Old 97s at the 9:30 Club, which I had already bought tickets to go see. But I just learned today that Sarah and Oytun will be having a house warming during the weekend I'm in Dallas (the day of the Old 97s show, in fact) so I've traded one misfortune for a bit of happy times with friends. A pretty good trade, I think.

link to this | comments (2) | File:  Friends  Music  Work 

The other day I was in a Starbuck's and there were two Seattle police officers dressed in their 'formal' uniform in front of me in line. They looked very impressive all gussied up and I figured since they were such a far way from home they probably were on their way to some sort of award ceremony here in the Nation's Capital. Ah yes. Here were two true-blue cops, from the birth-place of Starbucks, indulging in that time-honored cop tradition of strong coffee and sweet pastries, Seattle style. Gotta love it! I smiled. This was how it was supposed to be. This jived with my 'universal order' of things.

Then my nice little vision was popped - when they got up to the counter here's what they ordered: a 'Strawberries and Creme' Frappuccino and a Non-fat Caramel Macchiato.

Pansy-assed west-coast cops!

link to this | comments (6) | File:  DC 

I've been doing some brainstorming on what to call my web consulting business. Here's what I've come up with so far. One of them is a little more 'creative' than the others, but I'm not really sure if creative is more important than just a good solid name that describes what I do and who I am. Let me know your impressions of these - like 'em, hate 'em - and feel free to add any others that come to mind. Thanks! Comment away!

link to this | comments (3) | File:  Work 

Nothing like a little emergency evacuation a couple of blocks away from your office to liven up your day a little bit.

link to this | comments (0) | File: 

Co-Worker: I wanted to talk to you about the online reporting tools we have for accessing profile information

Me: Okay. The ones I sent you detailed instructions for last month?

Co-Worker: Right. Those. I . . . wanted to see if we could streamline the process at all.

Me: (Pause.) Hmm . . . I'm not sure what you mean by . . . streamline.

(Aside to self: But I have a sneaking suspicion it means 'do it for me.')

Co-Worker: I mean, right now it seems kind of complicated.

Me: Have you tried running a report yet?

Co-Worker: Well, not exactly. I did get your instructions, though. I should have them somewhere. Remind me again: did you send them to my email?

Me: Um . . . yes.

Co-Worker: Okay, then I'm sure I have them. I'm just . . . well . . . I guess what I'm wondering . . . do you think running these reports . . . I mean do you feel this might be . . . I mean . . . something that you should do.

Me: (Pause, breathe) Hmm . . . let me think about that, (name withheld). I'd have to answer in the negative to that one. You see, the tools have been designed under the foolish assumption that it would be good to empower users to run their own reports so that we don't waste money having 'technical' people act as secretaries to those with a fear of technology. They enable you to pull whatever information you need and then download it as an Excel spreadsheet. Excel, just so you know, is this silly little program which has been used widely in offices since early in the last decade.

Co-Worker: Huh. Well, it just seems like a lot of work to do, having to go into the system and run these reports.

Me: Well, yes. I suppose it does involve some deliberate will to action and just a smidge of physical exertion, mainly in the wrist and fingers. But I wouldn't call it a lot of 'work.' It's pretty simple, actually, and, all kidding aside, I'm happy to walk you through it, but it sounds like you haven't even tried yet.

Co-Worker: Well, I uh . . . well, that should be good . . . I guess . . . I guess it would just be nice to not have to go in and . . .

Me: . . . run the report? I agree: that would be nice. It would also be 'nice' if I typed your emails for you and held the phone to your head while you spoke into it.

Co-Worker: (Silence.)

Me: (Silence.)

Co-Worker: Well, I'll go ahead and read through your instructions and let you know if I have any questions.

Me: Sounds like a good idea.

Co-Worker: Have a great afternoon.

Me: You too. Buh-bye.

I'm obviously a little 'on edge' today . . . two more weeks. That's it.

link to this | comments (4) | File:  Work 

Five years ago on this date in Montreal, Quebec, we said 'I do.'



Happy Anniversary, Baby!

link to this | comments (6) | File:  Cath 

If it's good luck to pick up a penny when you find one, does that mean it's bad luck if you don't pick it up? Yesterday I walked right by a penny on the sidewalk and didn't even think twice about. I saw it lying there near a 'Golden Triangle' trashcan and I just didn't feel like stopping to pick it up. Then, this afternoon, I saw two pennies lying on the floor of the elevator. Again, I just let them lie. Why not pick them up? I glanced at them. Twice. But I did not pick them up. Could it be I'm thumbing my nose at good luck? Could it be that I'm tempting ill fortune? Could these, in fact, be pennies from heaven?

link to this | comments (2) | File:  Chewing 

When I do photo galleries, I'm normally pretty good about cutting the 'fluff' and just including the most poignant ones - those that 'tell the story.' For the Costa Rica galleries, all editing skills went out the window. When in doubt, I put it in. As a result, there are two Costa Rica galleries, each with about 50 pictures in them. I feel a bit indulgent for including all those pics, but what they hell. You don't have to look at them if you don't want to. ;-)

Costa Rica Gallery One

Costa Rica Gallery Two

link to this | comments (3) | File:  Travel