Anthronical

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Criminey

I want to write a really long post, but I don't think I can. I haven't been able to for a while now.

I have this thought that I sort of started, but I can't articulate what I want. I start and lose my words.

I don't know.

Work is getting moving toward more frustrating. My job description changed a bit a couple of months ago so I focus on the DEU work for two month then I rotate with someone. Well, that someone told me today that she wasn't going to do it. That means the DEU position will probably be eliminated. The DEU stuff isn't fun, but it's better than the regular work and I'm usually left alone to do my job.

Christ, I hate my job.

A Thought

It occurred to me last night, while watching Nickelodeon (HA), that I am part of The Present, not The Future.

Shower

Heels sent me an e-mail the other day inviting me to her baby shower on the 8th. (Which I am going to be at.) And in the e-mail she wrote, "I know it's a long drive for you." Which it is, 3.5 to 4 hours is a long drive.

But last night I got to thinking, and I realized that for her (and Mr. Logic's) last baby shower I traveled over 2000 miles. Oh, sure, it happened to be a coincidence that the show was the same weekend I could visit them in Pittsburgh, but still, compared to that, this trip is nothing.

not sure it it's an appropriate comment to put on somone else's blog

He's sure going to love the internet, isn't he?

How's this for screwy?

Today's high is supposed to be 94. Tomorrow, 91. Wednesday 77. Thursday, 67. And Friday, 63.

Guess I'll be breaking out the box fans tonight and putting them away on Wednesday.

Jeez.

Long Term Plans

This weekend, go shopping because Easter threw me off a week.

Next weekend, do laundry and go shopping to get back on schedule.

Do laundry and go shopping every other weekend from there on out, when possible.

Memorial Day (USA), hopefully go and seen Spamalot in SF with Wings.

Early to mid-June, see Wicked in SF with parents

July 4th weekend, head up toward Cowtown for grandparents' 50th anniversary.

July 31st, drive to Oregon for brother's wedding the next day then drive back day after that.

Mid-September, "celebrate" finishing fourth fucking year of this job.

12AM Friday 9th, fly out of Cowcity for visit with brother and girlfriend in Baltimore. Do stuff there. Get back on 19th

Thanksgiving, go somewhere to eat turkey and mashed potatoes with people I like.

Christmas, see entry for Thanksgiving.

New Year's Eve, climb into bed by ten and fall asleep before eleven.

Tea Bagging!

I must thank Mr. Logic for this:

And if you watched it and didn't find the funny, check out the Urban Dictionary's definition.

Still, It's Upsetting

Once again, cross-posted from What's Distracting Us?

The Amazon thing I posted about was an error:

Amazon managers found that an employee who happened to work in France had filled out a field incorrectly and more than 50,000 items got flipped over to be flagged as "adult," the source said. (Technically, the flag for adult content was flipped from 'false' to 'true.')

"It's no big policy change, just some field that's been around forever filled out incorrectly," the source said.

Some questions were answered here:

Q: Was the problem with a French programmer? Can you illuminate what you think happened?

Daisey: Someone was editing the category systems inside of Amazon.fr, made an error, and that system is global, so it propagated everywhere. I have no insight as to anyone's nationality, or whether it was a language gap, or anything of that nature.

As one who helped to blow it more out of proportion, sorry. Still, to know that one employee making a mistake (or a "mistake") can effect thousands of titles is disturbing.

To Amazon or Not to Amazon

This is cross-posted from What's Distracting Us?

Looks like Amazon is discriminating against GLBT material when it comes to their ranking lists.

Authors such as Jaci Burton, Maya Banks, Larissa Ione and Stephanie Tyler have reported that since being stripped of their sales rankings, their titles are no longer found in searches on Amazon.com. MetaWriter is also compiling a list of titles that have been stripped of their sales rank.

When pressed for a reason, Amazon.com’s customer service department told YA author Mark Probst:

In consideration of our entire customer base, we exclude “adult” material from appearing in some searches and best seller lists. Since these lists are generated using sales ranks, adult materials must also be excluded from that feature.

There's an ever growing list of books at Meta Writer of books not listed.

BeaukoupKevin wrote a letter to Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon, on his blog.

Me, I'm seriously disappointed in Amazon, but I'm sure the paltry amount of money I spend there wouldn't even be missed. Still, I won't be ordering from them for a while.

EDIT 9:58AM: I read that Amazon is calling it a "glitch" in the system. Of course it's a "glitch" that's been around since February.

Leisurely

I tried to write about work, but it's a lot of the same things I've written before. When situations don't change, why should the stories about them?

We've been offered overtime on Saturday. (I know. I know it sounds crazy that we get overtime when there's a huge budget crunch going on.) I'm coming in for it. I could use the money. We're getting here at 7AM. I plan to push straight through to 3PM for my 8 hours then leave my apartment for my parents' place at four. Easter's on Sunday and I like Easter the way my family celebrates it.

So I don't have to rush back here, I'm taking one of my two mandatory, unpaid days off on Monday.

Yes, I am quite the man of leisure.

NewBones

So, the NewBones line that I was concerned about is much better in context:

Music, TV, Other Stuff

I put my headphones on and listened to myPod earlier this afternoon and caught myself thinking, "Damn, I have good taste in music." That led me to not be surprised because of course I'd like the music I've filled myPod with. (Although, I do find that the older I get the less I enjoy listening to Creedence Clearwater Revival, and The Cranberries, with the exception of a few songs from each of these bands.)

For the last several days I've been thinking about songs I'm missing, though. I don't have "Tainted Love" or "99 Luftballons" (in German or English) or "Tom's Diner" or so many other songs that I've enjoyed, and still enjoy.

In another part of my psyche, I have a history of enjoying TV shows that I'm both too old for and not the target gender, like Lizzie McGuire. Recently, I've really been enjoying iCarly. It's stupid, but it makes me laugh. So, there's the most recent TV show in that category.

During my working hours I am sometimes obsessed by a game called The Space Game. When I start, I find it hard to quit playing the game.

I keep thinking about mint chip ice cream cake. Those are so very tasty.

Fools'

Furlough days have become "self directed," but we still have to use them within the month, so I took my second one for March on Monday.

Tuesday was Caesar Chavez Day here in CA to annoy people who wanted to use state services. If we were really celebrating Mr. Chavez, shouldn't we all go and pick artichokes, or something, for the day? 'Course I wouldn't drive down to Monterey, but it's a thought.

I ain't gots nothin' else to write today. Jus' thought I'd 'splain where I was.