Saturday, November 30, 2019
The Beatles: Help! (1965)
Stupid, stupid bouncing but still interesting because it's an early Beatles video. (Paul, your peeping is making this more stupid!)
7 Weeks of Unemployed Reading
Unfortunately, I don't think any of these folks are a good example of what to do with yourself when you have some free time! :) (Workaholic Sylvia Plath the exception --- but then she tried to kill herself upon returning from her "New York Summer 1953"!)
Phew! One major chore DONE!
Back in August, my now-former boss said something that made my blood run cold (nothing THAT dramatic, just something like "I hope you have a long career here, BUT..."---I honestly can't remember what minor issue had come up, but something about her tone made me prepare to act). At that time, feeling extremely unappreciated, I immediately applied for another job (and got an interview but ultimately didn't get that job); and, obviously knowing that something wasn't right, I also immediately ordered a home printer. Why? Just for minor things like printing out an eBay sales slip, or a copy of a bill payment --- stuff I'd always just nonchalantly printed out at work.
I was thinking about the above because I'd also been wondering very recently if I'd been smart in quitting my job in late September after learning that a newly hired guy with 19 years' (!) less experience than me was making basically the same salary... Was the situation THAT bad? Couldn't I have just gone along with my $50K salary without complaining or worrying about what others around me made? Was quitting an unwise, snap decision?
Nah.
(1) I remember from an old Sociology class (my minor) in college: Studies have shown that workers are content with a lower salary within their own company in comparison with salaries at other outside companies---as long as their salary was in line with other pay among their own co-workers. Even despite the new guy's undeserved high salary, my salary was also at the low end---below almost everyone else with fewer responsibilities, fewer overtime hours, etc. Fairness has always been important to me; what I was being paid wasn't fair, especially in comparison to the new guy, but also in comparison to others who were doing less and responsible for less.
(2) An earlier inkling that something wasn't fair or right: Back in April of this year, I found out that the new guy had immediately been given the same job title as me --- Publications Editor--- despite the fact that I was at the job 2 years before I was allegedly "promoted" from "Technical Writer" to "Publications Editor." A minor note: He was, after only 3 months on the job, invited to the "Publications Dinner" held by the company in honor of in-house authors; I wasn't invited until my 2nd year on the job.
(3) Before 2019, I had already contemplated leaving---back in 2017, when I'd sent myself e-mails of my electronic editing samples and took home hard copies of the latest Annual Report and the 2016 book I'd edited, in anticipation of my departure. At that time, I had ongoing complaints about two of the graphics people and their negligence. For example, if I gave these two a text, any text, with 20 items to correct, it would come back with 10 edits still not made correctly. 50% is a horrible rate of errors. (In my 20 years of experience working at publishing companies, a mediocre error rate is usually about 10%. A very good graphics person will be at about 5%.) So, yes, I complained to my boss. And kept bringing up the same lack-of-quality issue with her over and over again. And she then labeled me as a "complainer" and "not a team player" rather than talking to those not doing their job right.
So, no, I didn't just quit haphazardly. The problems had been going on for a couple of years.
Once I DID quit, however, I've been amazingly lazy about getting myself back on track. Drinking a lot, sleeping a lot, lying on my ass a lot. For instance, the printer that I ordered back in August has been sitting in its box until this Thanksgiving weekend. When it comes to eBay sales, you get a discount when you print a mailing label via eBay rather than just going to the post office and paying full price. Not THAT big of a deal, but it bothered me, nonetheless, that I hadn't, in 3 months, set the sucker up! OK, tonight I DID set it up! Was 2 hours of being a complete pain in the ass, as I thought it would be. But at the end of it all: I DID IT! I now have a working wireless printer! (A side-note: I initially moved my laptop into the spare room, next to where I'd set up the printer. But I just now tested printing from another room---it works!)
Next task: Clean the goddamn toilet and shower. I don't think there's an app for that.
I was thinking about the above because I'd also been wondering very recently if I'd been smart in quitting my job in late September after learning that a newly hired guy with 19 years' (!) less experience than me was making basically the same salary... Was the situation THAT bad? Couldn't I have just gone along with my $50K salary without complaining or worrying about what others around me made? Was quitting an unwise, snap decision?
Nah.
(1) I remember from an old Sociology class (my minor) in college: Studies have shown that workers are content with a lower salary within their own company in comparison with salaries at other outside companies---as long as their salary was in line with other pay among their own co-workers. Even despite the new guy's undeserved high salary, my salary was also at the low end---below almost everyone else with fewer responsibilities, fewer overtime hours, etc. Fairness has always been important to me; what I was being paid wasn't fair, especially in comparison to the new guy, but also in comparison to others who were doing less and responsible for less.
(2) An earlier inkling that something wasn't fair or right: Back in April of this year, I found out that the new guy had immediately been given the same job title as me --- Publications Editor--- despite the fact that I was at the job 2 years before I was allegedly "promoted" from "Technical Writer" to "Publications Editor." A minor note: He was, after only 3 months on the job, invited to the "Publications Dinner" held by the company in honor of in-house authors; I wasn't invited until my 2nd year on the job.
(3) Before 2019, I had already contemplated leaving---back in 2017, when I'd sent myself e-mails of my electronic editing samples and took home hard copies of the latest Annual Report and the 2016 book I'd edited, in anticipation of my departure. At that time, I had ongoing complaints about two of the graphics people and their negligence. For example, if I gave these two a text, any text, with 20 items to correct, it would come back with 10 edits still not made correctly. 50% is a horrible rate of errors. (In my 20 years of experience working at publishing companies, a mediocre error rate is usually about 10%. A very good graphics person will be at about 5%.) So, yes, I complained to my boss. And kept bringing up the same lack-of-quality issue with her over and over again. And she then labeled me as a "complainer" and "not a team player" rather than talking to those not doing their job right.
So, no, I didn't just quit haphazardly. The problems had been going on for a couple of years.
Once I DID quit, however, I've been amazingly lazy about getting myself back on track. Drinking a lot, sleeping a lot, lying on my ass a lot. For instance, the printer that I ordered back in August has been sitting in its box until this Thanksgiving weekend. When it comes to eBay sales, you get a discount when you print a mailing label via eBay rather than just going to the post office and paying full price. Not THAT big of a deal, but it bothered me, nonetheless, that I hadn't, in 3 months, set the sucker up! OK, tonight I DID set it up! Was 2 hours of being a complete pain in the ass, as I thought it would be. But at the end of it all: I DID IT! I now have a working wireless printer! (A side-note: I initially moved my laptop into the spare room, next to where I'd set up the printer. But I just now tested printing from another room---it works!)
Next task: Clean the goddamn toilet and shower. I don't think there's an app for that.
Thursday, November 28, 2019
Happy Angst-Giving!
Wednesday, I got myself a roast chicken from the grocery store, and I already had a packet of flaked potatoes and a can of LeSueur peas set aside. Being my myself on Thanksgiving isn't a great big deal. The one constant throughout my life: The Dallas Cowboys game! :)
But still, to be honest, fantasy-wise, I was mildly hoping for an e-mail or call from my mother or brother, or a random e-mail from Sandra saying she had nowhere else to be and would be driving up...
Wow! Maggie Cheung in "In the Mood for Love" (2000)
Saw this film on TCM tonight for the first time.
#1: Cheung is a very beautiful and a very still/subtle actress. AND: She and her outfits in this movie are almost TOO distractingly, artistically beautiful. (The TCM film was part of their award-winning Cinematography feature for the evening. Camera angles when coming/going from restaurants and the apartment were great, yes, but half of the attention was aimed at this actress and what she was wearing. She, and outfits, were fantastic-looking!)
#2: The film is beautiful both artistically and emotionally... but a bit slow. At the beginning, not knowing what to expect, I laid down on my couch with a pillow, thinking I would be taking a nap, but... I ended up staying awake to see what would happen. (Turned out, nothing at all did! But it was very much worth watching.)
Tuesday, November 26, 2019
Fleetwood Mac: Hold Me (1982 from "Mirage")
Can you understand me
Baby, don't you hand me a line
Although it doesn't matter
You and me got plenty of time
There's nobody in the future
So baby let me hand you my love
There's no step for you to dance to
So slip your hand inside of my glove
Hold me, hold me, hold me
Hold me, hold me, hold me
I don't want no damage
But how'm I gonna manage with you
You hold the percentage
But I'm the fool payin' the dues
I'm just around the corner
If you got a minute to spare
I'll be waitin' for you
If you ever wanna be there
Hold me, hold me, hold me
Hold me, hold me, hold me
Fleetwood Mac: Can't Go Back (1982 from "Mirage")
Standing in the shadows
The man I used to be
I want to go back
(can't go back, can't go back)
Melodies awaken
Sorrows from their sleep
I want to go back
(can't go back, can't go back)
She was just a dream maker
Dreamer of sighs
Shadow on the one who used to cry
A face as soft as a tear in a clown's eye
I want to go back
(can't go back, can't go back)
Sunday, November 24, 2019
Whenever you're sad...
Salvation sometimes comes via a good movie that reveals some humanity that you hadn't been seeing recently. This past weekend for me, thanks to TCM for The Last Picture Show. Human kindness.
Martial Law
My US Air Force father was stationed briefly in the Philippines in the '70s, during Marcos's martial law. Upon his return to the States, he lauded the lack of crime on the streets there.
Later, I found out that, in an attempt to win my mother back, he claimed that he'd "gotten all of his meanness" out of him in the Philippines via abusing Philippine prostitutes. What an argument!
Number One: What sad males go to hookers?
Number Two: What awful males abuse the hookers who are desperate enough for money to have to sleep with them?
Number Three: What awful males then come home to their wives and say "I'm OK now --- I took all of my meanness out on the foreign hookers."
(And what sad wives think that's OK?)
This is the same man who said to me during the OJ Simpson trial, re Nicole Simpson: "She was bought and paid for."
Later, I found out that, in an attempt to win my mother back, he claimed that he'd "gotten all of his meanness" out of him in the Philippines via abusing Philippine prostitutes. What an argument!
Number One: What sad males go to hookers?
Number Two: What awful males abuse the hookers who are desperate enough for money to have to sleep with them?
Number Three: What awful males then come home to their wives and say "I'm OK now --- I took all of my meanness out on the foreign hookers."
(And what sad wives think that's OK?)
This is the same man who said to me during the OJ Simpson trial, re Nicole Simpson: "She was bought and paid for."
Get 'er done!
Friday, I saw a job posting for my old job. AND I got a job offer from the college temp agency. The latter was for 25 hours per week from December 10 through January 22 for $15 per hour, with no work/pay for the 2 weeks over Christmas.
On the surface, you'd think I'd be cursing myself for leaving my regular 50K+/year regular job with vacation benefits, etc., in favor of working piecemeal at a job that pays basically fast-food wages (and not even full time). Yeah, I thought about that... For a second.
At my old job, my boss disrespected my abilities (she came from a graphics background and had no idea what editing entailed or if I was doing a good job) and my work ethic (I worked more overtime than anyone else --- not because I couldn't get the job done during regular hours but because there was a lot of extra work to be done, and I was willing to do it). Aside from the new guy making nearly what I was making (which is why I quit), said boss was also paying two former editors $50 an hour (!) for freelancing... Just crazy, random payments to who she liked, not based on anything rational. She was also paying a friend of hers basically the same salary as me---and the friend was only working 30 hours per week.
So, yes, I'd rather work honestly for $15 per hour than work in the midst of the craziness where I used to work. I also plan on applying to Target during holiday hours. They also pay around $15 per hour. I'll get my rent done.
On the surface, you'd think I'd be cursing myself for leaving my regular 50K+/year regular job with vacation benefits, etc., in favor of working piecemeal at a job that pays basically fast-food wages (and not even full time). Yeah, I thought about that... For a second.
At my old job, my boss disrespected my abilities (she came from a graphics background and had no idea what editing entailed or if I was doing a good job) and my work ethic (I worked more overtime than anyone else --- not because I couldn't get the job done during regular hours but because there was a lot of extra work to be done, and I was willing to do it). Aside from the new guy making nearly what I was making (which is why I quit), said boss was also paying two former editors $50 an hour (!) for freelancing... Just crazy, random payments to who she liked, not based on anything rational. She was also paying a friend of hers basically the same salary as me---and the friend was only working 30 hours per week.
So, yes, I'd rather work honestly for $15 per hour than work in the midst of the craziness where I used to work. I also plan on applying to Target during holiday hours. They also pay around $15 per hour. I'll get my rent done.
Friday, November 22, 2019
Focus!
Last year, I had more than eight cockroaches in my apartment in every room --- kitchen, spare room, closet. This year, post babies in April, I've had maybe one. (Below, just a tiny bug that showed up tonight!)
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Sleeping Cats
Now that the weather's turned cool in Austin, my four cats are sleeping on top of me and my cozy comforter. No photo yet because I don't usually lie down on my couch with a camera, but apparently there's a history of being a slave to sleeping cats:
According to Islamic tradition, Muezza (or Muʿizza; Arabic: معزة) was Muhammad's favorite cat.[8][9] Muhammad awoke one day to the sounds of the adhan. Preparing to attend prayer, he began to dress himself; however, he soon discovered his cat Muezza sleeping on the sleeve of his prayer robe. Rather than wake her, he used a pair of scissors to cut the sleeve off, leaving the cat undisturbed.I'm comfortable with all cats on me for about a half-hour. It's warm, it's cozy, it's sweet. But then... I need to stretch my legs! Ergh, erghggggg. When I start twitching, Pete and Mama Hennessy usually get the hint and get off, but Sasha and especially Solomon STAY RIGHT THERE. I've contorted myself many times in a Muhammad-like fashion in order to accommodate the cats, but... sometimes... have I ever just kicked them off the couch? No... But I do sometimes wish they would GET OFF ME! :)
The grandest tail I've ever seen on a cat
Don't get too cocky, Pete (his beautiful big eyes not showing here) --- I knew you way back when.
Monday, November 18, 2019
Kiss - Alive II: Rockin' In The U.S.A. (1977)
I'm flyin' in a 747
I'm passing by the pearly gates
And I'm comin' real close to Heaven
And my guitar just can't wait... it just can't wait...
I'm passing by the pearly gates
And I'm comin' real close to Heaven
And my guitar just can't wait... it just can't wait...
KISS: Detroit Rock City (1976)
On the "Paul Lynde Halloween Special" 1976.
It's originally a serious/sad song about a fucked-up guy dying on the highway. Made into a TV joke. Clear that Paul Lynde and his cheesy ilk needed to go. Soon after, they did.
It's originally a serious/sad song about a fucked-up guy dying on the highway. Made into a TV joke. Clear that Paul Lynde and his cheesy ilk needed to go. Soon after, they did.
Saturday, November 16, 2019
In response to e-mail from former co-worker
Since leaving my job in October, have received mails from a few former co-workers wondering what I'm doing, which I appreciate. From my response tonight to one friend:
As for me: No new job yet. And sadly, I've barely even applied for anything (maybe 4 jobs total---in an entire month!). I can't seem to get motivated. One reason perhaps: My final check from UT for vacation hours not taken was a whopping $9,200!! What a cushion! I was expecting around $6,000. I know the money will disappear quickly, but I still can't seem to get off my lazy butt and hustle for a new job. I AM registered with UTemps but so far have had only a 1-day assignment, as a mock juror for law-school students---it was nice to get out of the house! ...
Going stir-crazy being home all the time! Too much maintenance guys hanging out loudly in their work-room right next door; too much neighbor playing stereo during the day; too much cats seeking attention constantly; too much ESPN-/Bravo-/crime show TV-watching! A couple of times, I've just hopped on a Rapid bus and ridden the whole line for hours, just to get out of the house and see people! :) (Although much of the "seeing people" on the bus consists of aggressive homeless guys... Still, it was interesting to travel around campus, downtown, and South Austin to see what had changed since the last time I was there years ago...)
Thursday, November 14, 2019
Monday, November 11, 2019
One of These Days: Tammy Wynette (1976)
I won't have to chop no wood I can be bad or I can be good
I can be any way that I feel one of these days
Won't have to answer to anyone I'll get up with the morning sun
But I'll be gone like the birds that fly one of these days
I might be a woman that's dressed in black be a hobo by the railroad track
Goin' any place that I want to go one of these days
Do anything that I want if I want to or if I don't
But I'll be gone like the wayward wind one of these days
One of these days it will soon be all over cut and dried
And I won't have this urge to go all bottled up inside
One of these days I'll look back and I'll say I left in time
Cause somewhere for me I know there's peace of mind
I might someday walk across this land and carry the Lord's Book in my hand
Goin' cross the country singin' loud as I can one of these days
But I won't have trouble on my back cuttin' like the devil with a choppin' axe
I got to shake it off of my back one of these days
One of these days it will soon be all over cut and dried
And I won't have this urge to go all bottled up inside
One of these days I'll look back and I'll say I left in time
Cause somewhere for me I know there's peace of mind
There's gotta be peace of mind for me one of these days
I can be any way that I feel one of these days
Won't have to answer to anyone I'll get up with the morning sun
But I'll be gone like the birds that fly one of these days
I might be a woman that's dressed in black be a hobo by the railroad track
Goin' any place that I want to go one of these days
Do anything that I want if I want to or if I don't
But I'll be gone like the wayward wind one of these days
One of these days it will soon be all over cut and dried
And I won't have this urge to go all bottled up inside
One of these days I'll look back and I'll say I left in time
Cause somewhere for me I know there's peace of mind
I might someday walk across this land and carry the Lord's Book in my hand
Goin' cross the country singin' loud as I can one of these days
But I won't have trouble on my back cuttin' like the devil with a choppin' axe
I got to shake it off of my back one of these days
One of these days it will soon be all over cut and dried
And I won't have this urge to go all bottled up inside
One of these days I'll look back and I'll say I left in time
Cause somewhere for me I know there's peace of mind
There's gotta be peace of mind for me one of these days
Tammy Wynette: Help Me Make It Through The Night
Not a desperate plea at 4am. Just happened to be listening to Tammy for the past 3 hours --- her version of this Kristofferson song is really beautiful.
Saturday, November 09, 2019
"I need to find a used dryer for sale."
"I need to find a used dryer for sale."
"Found some one who can change out the starter on my car. Yay!"
"I want someone to go to breakfast with me."
Plus multiple photos of her senile father sloppily trying to eat dinners at various places like Whataburger and Arby's. (Why in the world would you post such things? This reminded me of my brother's friend posting photos of his wife who was in a coma, right before she died after giving birth to their baby.)
Have a bit of decorum. A bit of respect. Had Ginny died in the Facebook age, this woman probably would have posted photos.
This woman is now married to another woman but wrote to me last year that Ginny was the love of her life. (I'm a bit more hard-core: If someone was the love of your life, then you don't get married again.)
Funny: What I'm feeling right now, I felt whenever I learned that Ginny had left me for her in 1983: "But, but... She's so stupid! I'm so superior in every way!" Obviously, Ginny didn't feel that way. Here's your girl with her new woman, Gin: "Live, Laugh, Love," et al.
I've got to stop doing this...
... Aaaaaaaaaaaaargh! :)
At my old job, I edited the weekly story for the main page of the company website. Since leaving in October, I've still been checking... Just now I discovered:
Main subhead on main web page: "...it's new state-of-the-art facility..." [its]
First paragraph: "..a airy covered rooftop..." [an airy...]
As I used to argue with my old boss: Mistakes like that make us look stupid. Now: Is anyone even going to say anything? What stickler of a reader is going to take the time to e-mail the company and point out grammar mistakes? No one.
Ugggghhhhhhhhhhhhh. (Yes, I know: I've got to move on!) :)
At my old job, I edited the weekly story for the main page of the company website. Since leaving in October, I've still been checking... Just now I discovered:
Main subhead on main web page: "...it's new state-of-the-art facility..." [its]
First paragraph: "..a airy covered rooftop..." [an airy...]
As I used to argue with my old boss: Mistakes like that make us look stupid. Now: Is anyone even going to say anything? What stickler of a reader is going to take the time to e-mail the company and point out grammar mistakes? No one.
Ugggghhhhhhhhhhhhh. (Yes, I know: I've got to move on!) :)
Thursday, November 07, 2019
Eric Clapton - Hello Old Friend (1976)
I saw a flower glowing in the dark
It looked so pretty and it was unique
I had to bend down just to have a peek
Hello, old friend
It is really good to see you once again
Hello, old friend
It is really good to see you once again
I saw you walking underneath the stars
I could not stop cause I was in a car
I am sure the distance would not be too far
If I got out and walked to where you are
Hello, old friend
It is really good to see you once again
Hello, old friend
It is really good to see you once again
An old man passed me on the street today
I thought I knew him but I could not say
I stopped to think if I could place his frame
When he tipped his hat I knew his name
Drive-thru freaky!
A good day Wednesday because I got out of my house!
Went to post office to mail off old pair of Vans sold on eBay; got my hair cut (my hairdresser and I bonding over "Vanderpump Rules" --- her dog is named "Stassi" after a girl on the show, and we both knew the East German "Stasi" reference!); on the way home, went through McDonald's drive-thru... Two cars ahead, I saw a woman's face in her rear-view mirror. I glanced, then kept looking. And she kept looking back at me... I could swear it was my first girlfriend (broken up back in 1989)! In case it wasn't, I stopped looking and concentrated on getting my debit card out to pay for the meal.
Was it her? If it wasn't her, odd how I have a fetish for that kind of sharp Black Irish face (and how the person two cars up couldn't stop looking at me, as well---some people, oddly, like soft blonde Germanic faces!)
Went to post office to mail off old pair of Vans sold on eBay; got my hair cut (my hairdresser and I bonding over "Vanderpump Rules" --- her dog is named "Stassi" after a girl on the show, and we both knew the East German "Stasi" reference!); on the way home, went through McDonald's drive-thru... Two cars ahead, I saw a woman's face in her rear-view mirror. I glanced, then kept looking. And she kept looking back at me... I could swear it was my first girlfriend (broken up back in 1989)! In case it wasn't, I stopped looking and concentrated on getting my debit card out to pay for the meal.
Was it her? If it wasn't her, odd how I have a fetish for that kind of sharp Black Irish face (and how the person two cars up couldn't stop looking at me, as well---some people, oddly, like soft blonde Germanic faces!)
Tuesday, November 05, 2019
Scott Van Pelt: Queer Coverage
Because I'm home all the
time now, I've been watching too much SportsCenter during the day on
ESPN. I'm old enough to remember how "radical" SportsCenter seemed in
its early days, full of fresh, smart-ass (but also smart) commentary
that went far beyond what we used to see for 5 minutes at the end of our
10pm half-hour local news broadcasts.
These days, though, I didn't see any Chris Bermans or Hannah Storms. Rather, lots of co-hosting women dressed up in night-club outfits. And tonight, in a discussion about the new college basketball season, commentator Jay Bilas said that the upcoming season was "going to be delicious." SportsCenter host Scott Van Pelt responded to Bilas: "Did you get better lookin' in the off-season? You keep getting better lookin'..."
These days, though, I didn't see any Chris Bermans or Hannah Storms. Rather, lots of co-hosting women dressed up in night-club outfits. And tonight, in a discussion about the new college basketball season, commentator Jay Bilas said that the upcoming season was "going to be delicious." SportsCenter host Scott Van Pelt responded to Bilas: "Did you get better lookin' in the off-season? You keep getting better lookin'..."
In my 54 years of experience of being around men, straight guys
good-naturedly rag each other about their weight, their baldness, their
"ugly" looks.... And there certainly aren't references to any season of
sports as being potentially "delicious." Can the feminine men go back to
discussing Broadway shows and leave the sports to the men who don't feel the need to tell each other how cute they look?
----------------------------------
An 11/17/19 post-script:
I'd forgotten about the above post. And was sitting at my computer with SportsCenter on TV in the background re the San Francisco game. Heard SF quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo referred to as "handsome as ever." Huh? Who refers to an athlete as "handsome as ever"? Oh... Scott Van Pelt.
----------------------------------
An 11/17/19 post-script:
I'd forgotten about the above post. And was sitting at my computer with SportsCenter on TV in the background re the San Francisco game. Heard SF quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo referred to as "handsome as ever." Huh? Who refers to an athlete as "handsome as ever"? Oh... Scott Van Pelt.
Sunday, November 03, 2019
Don't be like me
A friend just e-mailed me out of the blue last night re her "toxic" family members. I responded:
I was just thinking recently:
In
my life, I've known only about 7 people who were truly kind (i.e.,
completely understanding and forgiving of others' foibles; like Melanie
in "Gone With the Wind"). One high-school friend and one high-school
cheerleader. My boss at the library when I was at grad school in San
Francisco. My boss at the UT Austin library. A male writer friend (who shares my birthday) whom I
published a small Austin lit'rature magazine with in the early '90s. And
two people whom I re-discovered on Facebook in the past few years: My
cousin Lisa (whom I hadn't seen since the '70s) and my Austin friend
Jeff (whom I hadn't seen since the early '90s).
The
other 99.9% of people that I've known, including immediate family, are
more complicated and "troublesome." You can either withdraw from them,
as I've pretty much chosen to do with everyone (or they've already done with me), or you can join life and
put up with imperfect people.
Don't be like me! :)
Here's $10,000
Because I was such a good worker and never took any vacation at the former state job that I held for over 5 years, I've now got $10,000 in my bank account because, when you quit, the university pays you for vacation not taken.
I still have my tiny cell phone that I first got in 2007 when I moved to New York. I think I'll get a new phone. Other than that, I'll just hang on to the money, which will tide me over for the next 3 to 4 months until I find an editing job that I really like.
I'm sorry that I can't think of anything more exciting to do with the money. It's not every day that you have $10,000 in your hands.
I still have my tiny cell phone that I first got in 2007 when I moved to New York. I think I'll get a new phone. Other than that, I'll just hang on to the money, which will tide me over for the next 3 to 4 months until I find an editing job that I really like.
I'm sorry that I can't think of anything more exciting to do with the money. It's not every day that you have $10,000 in your hands.
Fear o' Fun
About 5 o'clock Saturday afternoon, some girls at a 2nd floor apartment above my backyard starting cutting up. By "cutting up," I mean that the windows of their apartment were wide open and music was blasting, and the girls were out front of the apartment ostentatiously singing at the top of their lungs to the music as they were putting up Halloween decorations like cobwebs and purple lights. Halloween decorations on November 2. But it's the Saturday of the time change; from my old party days, I remember that this used to be a big party night --- wooooo! an extra hour before the bars closed!
I immediately tensed up and prepared to be tense for the rest of the evening, thinking of the party and the noise to come. The decorations and singing continued until about 6pm. Then a bit of silence. Around 6:30, one girl again appeared outside in a long black gown talking loudly on her phone. (Her being dressed up so early gave me hope: Maybe it was a party that would start AND end early...) Around 8pm, the black-begowned girl left the apartment carrying out a bag of trash. I haven't seen her since, although she left the purple lights on and left the blinds to her apartment wide open.
It's now 1am, and she and her party buddies haven't come back yet, although all of the lights remain on in the apartment. What will happen? I anticipated a party starting around 10pm and lasting until about 3am, with me calling the police around 12...
I immediately tensed up and prepared to be tense for the rest of the evening, thinking of the party and the noise to come. The decorations and singing continued until about 6pm. Then a bit of silence. Around 6:30, one girl again appeared outside in a long black gown talking loudly on her phone. (Her being dressed up so early gave me hope: Maybe it was a party that would start AND end early...) Around 8pm, the black-begowned girl left the apartment carrying out a bag of trash. I haven't seen her since, although she left the purple lights on and left the blinds to her apartment wide open.
It's now 1am, and she and her party buddies haven't come back yet, although all of the lights remain on in the apartment. What will happen? I anticipated a party starting around 10pm and lasting until about 3am, with me calling the police around 12...
Friday, November 01, 2019
Supposed to look forward, but...
I quit my editing job last month because the newly hired editor was making $49.9K per year as opposed to my $51.6K. (As I discovered from the Texas Tribune salaries site.) A difference of only $1700 per year.
Me: 21 years of editing experience; 20 years at UT; 5 years at the company. The new guy: 4 months of editing experience.
I don't regret quitting.
I do, however, feel quite envious of the new guy. He's 32. He has no editing experience. Yet he's now making nearly $50K per year. When I was 32...
The guy is very, very, VERY lucky. I can't imagine what my life would have been like had someone handed me that kind of salary at that age, based on nothing.
Me: 21 years of editing experience; 20 years at UT; 5 years at the company. The new guy: 4 months of editing experience.
I don't regret quitting.
I do, however, feel quite envious of the new guy. He's 32. He has no editing experience. Yet he's now making nearly $50K per year. When I was 32...
The guy is very, very, VERY lucky. I can't imagine what my life would have been like had someone handed me that kind of salary at that age, based on nothing.
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