Friday, September 30, 2011

The End of a Kinda Short Week

Well, people, we've made it to Friday. Now, since I was at the Mayo Clinic Tuesday and Wednesday, it seems shorter to me, but I'll take it anyway. I gave you an overview of my results, but an exciting piece of news is that the medicine is definitely helping my cholesterol. The Total Cholesterol has dropped from 230 to 130, and the HDL went from something they could not measure to 40. I'll take it. The Doc said I am moving into a negative cholesterol situation where the HDL will help clean the LDL. He did say, however, that I will probably be on this medicine from now on. Meh. What's one more pill?

Today's CoV came to me while walking the dog last night.Yes, he did bark, and yes, it was dark, and those two ideas collided in my head and this is the result.

My buddy Pat leaves today for a 3-4 week FMLA to get her right knee replaced. Wow, I guess I'll take my sore knee over a replacement. BTW, my knee is better, but I tried to jog lightly last night and found it is not ready for that yet.

The AZ State Fair runs from 10/14-11/06. I remember that we always got a day off from school to attend the TX State Fair, and a bunch of friends would go and spend the day there. That's right. Without parents! Would anyone allow that nowadays? Probably not. That's a shame. I do think that the TX Fair provides more creative food choices. I see that the Best Taste Award for this year went to Buffalo Chicken in a Flapjack, and the Most Creative Award went to Fried Bubblegum. They also offer Deep Fried Texas Salsa, Deep Fried Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Fried Autumn Pie, and El Bananarito.

My calendar today is fairly open, so I hope to spend some time studying for the CAPM test next Tuesday. I did study a bit last night, but I am feeling a little nervous at how unprepared I feel.

So, let me knock out my items due today so I can study. Have a great weekend, my friends, and thanks for spending some time with me. Oh, hey, I added a couple of items to pinterest.com, so check 'em out.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Back After Medical Tests

It looks as if I will be around for a while. Well, assuming I make some changes to diet and exercise habits, as I mentioned yesterday. I suppose I can do that.

I just talked to a coworker about the Mediterranean Diet that the Mayo Clinic recommends for me. It is not that much different from what I do. I guess I need to research it further so I can see what to change. Maybe the key difference for me is just more discipline in my exercising?

Did you notice there was no cartoon attached to yesterday's post? No? Nobody noticed? Well, you get one today, anyway.

OK, so my next big thing is the CAPM test on Tuesday morning. Hopefully, I can use a little of my time at the office to do some reviews. I did spend about four hours reviewing some chapters on Monday in between tests. I'm feeling kinda ready.

Today, though, I've got to get caught up after two days out of the office. How about you? How long can you be out before the work starts piling up?

Hey, thanks for stopping by. We'll chat again soon after I get this pile of requests completed.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Day 1 Done

No CoV, so if you are looking for that, you'll have to wait until tomorrow.

Well, my first day of the annual physical was fairly uneventful. That's good, right? All my numbers looked good. OK, not really all. My cholesterol numbers looked very good, so that means my medicine is effective. My other blood chemistry numbers were fine. The only thing out of whack is... wait for it... my % body fat. It is too high. No, that is not the only number that is weird. They measured me at only 5'11". Have I started shrinking? Maybe those two numbers are linked, and if I get my body fat back down, I'll go back to 6'?

Anyway, the Mayo Clinic gave me an exercise program and information about a Mediterranean diet. The Doc said, "Maybe it is stress related. Do you know anyone who is a CPA? They should be good at handling stress." I said, "Yes, I do." The Doc said, "Do you know anyone who runs and participates in triathlons? They should be good following an exercise program." I said, "Yes, I do." The Doc said, "Do you know anyone in New Zealand? They might have a good diet suggestion." I said, "Yes, I do. Well, soon."

OK, the Doc said none of that. Come on. Look at the time I posted this. I am obviously asleep and must just be dreaming about LWW. I am taking some medicine in preparation for this morning's test. It starts at 7:15am. Thanks to Dad for getting up early and driving me.

Did you watch Terra Nova last night? Me neither, but Kathie said she thinks I will like it. Did you watch NTSF:SD:SUV:: last week? I thought that was really funny.

Monday, September 26, 2011

My 1007th Post

I'm fairly certain that at least 300 were read by somebody at some time, not including me, of course. And they are not going away, so don't even try to hold your breath until they do. However, they will not appear for the next two days. I will be out of the office for my annual physical.

Having a Mac doesn't mean I never have computer issues. However, it does mean I don't have BSOD. That must not be true for this guy.

I did some studying on Saturday for my CAPM test next Tuesday. I will also take the study guide with me during my physical exam tomorrow. I am sure much of my time will be spent waiting.

After an exciting ASU game Saturday, I was hopeful for a good Cardinals game yesterday. OK, that did not work out. Now, I am hopeful for a good Cowboys game tonight.

Not very exciting for #1007, is it? I never know what I am going to say until I start, but I do seem to be running out of things quickly. Well, it is a Monday, and those are always tougher. And I did get an email from my boss' boss asking for some data. Since I am out the next two days, I must understand her need and generate the report between the 3.5 hours of meetings I have today. So, I know I am already shifting into work mode. Whoop. There I went. I'll see you again Thursday.

Friday, September 23, 2011

No Brunch Tomorrow

Well, at least no brunch for the both of us. Kathie will be at a Women of Faith program all day. So, I plan to study for my CAPM certification test, which is now scheduled for Oct 4. So, I'll probably eat breakfast at home and save a little moolah.

There may not be blog entries next Tuesday or Wednesday. I have my physical up at the Mayo Clinic those days. And even if I decide to write a blog, I won't be at work, so I cannot create Clarity of Vision cartoons. Hmm, unless I create them ahead of time. No, you're right. Probably not. I did create one today, though.

Did y'all get a flu shot yet? We got them last night at Target. Yeah, they were laying on the shelf, listed at a discount because they were left over from last year. Maybe that's not true, but Target offers them at their pharmacy, and since we were there, we went ahead. You'd better get one if you don't want the flu.

I'm back. I had to send a file to my boss' boss. I know it is a bit early in SF where she is, but I wanted to demonstrate my responsiveness.

OK, so physical on Tues and Wed. CAPM the following Tues. I think that's all the stuff I have planned. How about y'all. Anything exciting going on?

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Autotuned PHX News

By the same people who brought you Antoine Dodson, now our local FOX affiliate is part of an autotune by the Gregory Brothers. We had actually seen this originally on the news and thought the guy was hilarious. So did these brothers. I guess reality hit them hard, bro (you'll understand that reference after watching the video). So, here is George Lindell.

Wait. You are feeling like we need a prayer after those two videos? OK, here is Nascar Prayer.

While we were watching YouTube, it seems Ninja PM made another appearance in today's Clarity of Vision.

Episode 2 of Fall 2011 Survivor is history. Yes, we did have the family Pizza/Wings night and enjoyed some of the characters such as Cochrane and Hantz. We did not have a problem with ??????? being voted off. I dare not say the name in case some of you recorded it and have not watched it yet. Then, we went home and watched the season premiere of Glee. Definitely some changes in story lines. Plus, one of the people from the summer Glee Project is already on the show. Cool. And we thought New Girl ended up being cute. At first, we weren't feeling it, but Zoey and the boys (more the boys) won us over.

I tried to sign up for my CAPM test yesterday, but the login failed and now, I don't know what is going on. I wrote to the company, but they said "Email is not a valid way to schedule." Yeah, I know. I was saying my account got locked up. I'll followup later today after they open.

Did I mention that the reason my boss is away is because his father died? So, keep him (a non-Christian) and his family in your prayers.

Only one meeting today. That's not bad.

OK, let's ease on down the road and get this party started. No, I guess we'd better finish the workday first. Thanks for reading.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Sooner Than You Think

I met with the company handling my retirement account yesterday. So, the title of today's post means that, even for you young whippersnappers, you need to start saving for retirement sooner than you think you need to, and the days when you will need it also seem to arrive sooner than you think. So, in no particular order, he said:
1. The company says gold is a good investment, but I say how much higher do you think it will go? Only buy it if you think its value will increase for three years or more.
2. If you have family members with kids, they should start their 529 college savings plan with $50 per month. AZ is very generous in how you use it, so there is no downside.
3. If you have a 401K plan with your company, check to see if a Roth IRA is an option. If so, I recommend you convert to that. At some point, the government will have to raise taxes to support the social programs, and if your retirement is built on current tax rates, higher rates in the future won't hit you as badly.
4. While probate in AZ is not as bad as some states, you don't need the state deciding how to disburse your assets. And it will cost 10X as much for your heirs compared to creating a will now. Go do that.
5. Yes, you can move your money between funds, but don't jump just because one fund lost and another gained. Everybody with stocks in their portfolio is losing right now. Do your homework and choose wisely, grasshopper. (OK, he didn't actually go into a Kung-Fu quote).

Now that I have mentioned kung-fu, let's read today's Clarity of Vision.

Still no news about which building our team will move to, nor when it might happen. However, they are filling up the room where we currently sit, so it needs to happen soon. Boo. I like it here because of traffic flows in the am and pm, and it has covered parking since I arrive at the crack o' dawn.

Well, I've got a call at 10am and a meeting at 11 for which I need to prepare. And I have some reports I need to generate that I normally create on Tuesdays, but since I was off yesterday afternoon, I am behind. Where is my ninja helper when I need him (unless he would sneak in and take credit for my work). Anyway, let's end with a quote from the TV series Kung-Fu...

If a man dwells on the past, then he robs the present. But if a man ignores the past, he may rob the future. The seeds of our destiny are nurtured by the roots of our past.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

The Future Is So Bright, I've Got To Wear Shades

Yep, I am meeting with my financial advisor this afternoon. I do still have quite a bit of my retirement funds in stocks, so the recent years have been less than kind to me. So, this afternoon, I am meeting with them to review how to best prepare for our future.

I am not meeting with my boss today, but speaking of boss...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Alison.

So, since I am off this afternoon, plus some people are already at my desk, I will sign off and leave you hanging. Maybe I'll have more to tell you tomorrow.

Monday, September 19, 2011

It Changed In a Day

Yeah, I noticed that the pool looked a little cloudy Saturday morning, so I checked the chemicals and swept the sides. Then, on Sunday morning, it looked really bad. Leslie's Pool Supply confirmed that all the chemicals looked OK except Phosphorus and they sold me $75 worth of stuff to fix it. Finally, this morning, it does look better. Pools are not cheap, are they? And the pool is just about too cool for swimming since our nighttime low temps are into the low 80s and upper 70s.

We had a discussion at lunch yesterday about the names parents are choosing for their kids nowadays. That led to this...

One benefit of evening temperatures falling is we can start walking the dog at night. We did it last night, but it was pretty warm. We have almost outlasted our summer discomfort and are reaching the seasons when this is a good place to live.

Whose birthday is it tomorrow? Well, probably, a lot of people, but I was thinking of Alison. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Ali!!

OK, we've had enough fun for now. Thanks for stopping by. Let's get this day started. As John Wayne would say, "We're burning daylight."

Friday, September 16, 2011

A Pretty Cool Week

Hmm, did I mean that because the weather was less hot or because good things happened during the week? You can decide.

Alison had to spend the night up here in PHX last night. Somehow, the utility company did not get their payment posted and turned off the water to their house. Yeah, you can't really stay in a house with no water. You could not even flush a toilet or brush your teeth. Morris and Chino were happy to see her. She had already planned to be here for the weekend, so that gives the homeowner more time to get this fixed.

I am less happy to see people spying around our building at work prior to moving here. More people taking away covered parking. More noise during the day. More people in the two bathrooms in the building. I wonder, who decides these things...

You may wonder why I only have five books on my Books Worth Reading board in pinterest.com? I only have logged those books that I finished since I created my account. The list does not reflect what I have read during the year and certainly not an exhaustive list of books I have ever read. I am sure that list must be over 50 books long. Ha ha. And the Clarity of Vision board is only updated when I think about it. Since today's cartoon is #578, you can tell not all cartoons are published in pinterest.com. They are not even all on my Clarity of Vision blog.

The GRANDS are not spending the weekend with us. What is up with that? I am not even sure I have spoken to them since they left on Monday.

OK, let's finish our workweek with a sprint to the exit when the closing bell sounds. I get a head start since I am older than you. So, Get Ready, SetGo. Ha ha. I beat you.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

What Happened to TV Scheduling?

There are TV show premieres happening from now through November. What happened to the old "start in September and end in May" seasons? Bones doesn't come back until November something. It's crazy.

Survivor started last night, though. So, we had our annual Survivor party that we hold every week during Survivor over at the folks' house. I did not have a problem with who was voted off the island. I would have picked her, too.

My knee continues to heal. It felt good this morning, so I decided to hurry up the stairs at a normal pace. Wrong idea. I see now that I am still healing and need to give the anti-inflammatory medicine a chance to finish its work. Ouch.

We are in a Yahoo group at work in our department to choose NFL winners each week. So far, after the first week, I am tied for third. That won't last long, though. This is about as far into Fantasy Football as I plan to venture.

Hey, I only show four meetings on my schedule today. It was six when I left last night. Cool. Two cancellations. I can live with that.

Speaking of cool nights, we are rapidly nearing the end of swim season. Cool nights really let the water temp drop. We can get in right now if we keep moving so we don't get too cold.

Two study group members have taken and passed their CAPM test. Another is scheduled for this morning. I need to take that final step and schedule my test. Maybe I can do that during those time slots that opened when people cancelled the meetings. I just need to get our admin on the phone (since she has the credit card that will pay for the test) while I enter the info into the payment screen.

OK, let's start getting everything ready for the meetings. Never mind. I'll do it. You can sit and watch or leave and come back tomorrow. See you soon.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Cheer, Cheer for Old Turner High

That was how our high school fight song began. Why am I even thinking of it? My high school, R.L.Turner, in Carrollton, TX, made the national news yesterday. They want to start paying kids $100 if they pass certain AP tests. Hmm, I might have taken a test if it made me money. No, probably not. Plus, I would have had to pass, making it even more challenging for me.

Also, yesterday, I had a doctor tell me that I am just getting old. Well, those weren't his exact words. No, he said, "It nothing unusual for someone your age." Ouch. It seems I simply have Patellar Tendonitis in my right knee. I need to take some prescription anti-inflammatory for 10 days, then start an exercise program. Maybe I should learn how to swim in a lake. Hey, anybody in the family know how to do that?

I suppose I shouldn't inflict my baggage on you. No, I will share it with everyone through my comic strip.

You know, there is good and bad with the new fall TV season starting this week. Good because there are some shows starting that I like, such as Survivor tonight. Bad because there are so many shows I like. Anyway, the Survivor premiere also kicks off the WaSP. The Walker Survivor Party. Pizza, anyone?

OK, let's get today over with so we can get to tonight and see Coach on Survivor. Yes, the Dragon Slayer is back. Well, he says he will the "The Zenslayer" this time. Will he win like Rob last year? I think not.

OK, I've said too much. I haven't said enough. Wow, R.E.M. lyrics this early in the morning. Y'all leave so I can get my mind into work.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Finally, Weather Cool Enough For A Surrey With the Fringe on Top

You remember that song, right? It is from the musical Oklahoma. Kyle and Alison were both in it during high school in Guadalajara, Mexico. I think I was in it during my college days. Yes, they had musicals back then. In high school, I was in Oliver! and The Music Man. Preacher Bro's wife was in the The Music Man with me. Hey, Kyle was in The Music Man when he was in high school, too.

But life is no musical. Oh no, my friends. We don't get to break into song as we walk down the street. Fights do not look like choreographed dances. Life is not even like Glee, where we decide to sing a popular song and suddenly, we have matching outfits and group dance moves. No, life is mean, dirty drama. Life is knees that suddenly start hurting one morning and you have to pay your copay to a doctor and take time away from work. Yeah, that's what life is.

Am I down on life? No, why do you ask? I was just contrasting the rosy simplicity of a musical against the gritty details of reality. I am actually quite a good mood today.

They are soon moving us to another (or maybe multiple) building(s). They are deciding now if colocating us with our customers is a good idea. What is colocating? Read this.

KLACK got back from Las Vegas last night. Yeah, Kyle, Lyndsay, Alison, Casey, Kelsey. They had a good time, but I don't think anyone made enough money to retire.

Oh, anyway, I forgot to explain the post title. Yeah, our average temperature drops below 100F by early next week. So, even though we may stay above it for a while longer, cool weather is coming (cool meaning down into the 90s). Yeah, baby.

Listen, I know you are tired of sitting and your attention is waning, so let's take 5. No, wait. I've got work stuff to do and my knee doctor appointment this afternoon. Let's take 24 and get back together tomorrow.

Monday, September 12, 2011

Parenting is For the Young

As you can imagine, Kathie and I slept quite soundly last night after watching the GRANDS for the weekend. In fact, it is not over even now. We have them until tonight. Still, their energy can only sustain us for so long.

Oh, yesterday was Grandparent's Day? No wonder KLIK gave us a cookie that said "Happy Grandparent's Day" on it. I get it now.

I have a Dr. appointment tomorrow for my right knee. That thing is still bugging me. It is better, but let's have it checked to prevent damage in case it is something bad or preventable.

Hope you had a great weekend. We had a great one, although I had to watch waaay too much Spongebob Squarepants and not enough NFL. I did see much of the Cardinals game and the end of the Cowboys last night. Oops. I meant the end of the Cowboys game, not the end of the Cowboys... I hope.

I saw a couple of inspiring specials about 9-11 on TV yesterday. Of course, being the ten-year anniversary, it prompted even more reflection and remembrance. So, I put my own spin on it in today's CoV.

The director of our multi-church Chorale has asked that I become the spokesman for selling the CDs for the East Valley Chorale. I did so last night, and felt like I was on one of those PBS fund-raisers. I started off just like that, saying "Don't you wish this concert did not have to end? Well, we do have a solution for that." He should know that, if he wants a more serious, sober-minded pitchman, he asked the wrong guy.

Listen, I have unloaded enough on you for today. I need to get my work done and get home to help Kathie with the girls until K and L get back. Stay thirsty, my friends. (No, that quote does not mean I think I am the most interesting man in the world...although I may well be).

Friday, September 09, 2011

T Minus Twelve

Yep, we'll drop off Ali and pick up the girls in about 12 hours. I know we'll have a good time. Hopefully, the GRANDS will, too. Oh yeah, I need to remember to put the car seats in the Jeep.

Did you watch the President's jobs speech last night? Yeah, me neither. I figure I'll hear enough about it in the coming days.

Did you read yesterday's blog entry? Yeah, me neither. However, I am sure you will hear nothing about it in the coming days.

Did you read today's Clarity of Vision? Probably not, since you have not seen it yet. Here it is.

I have some reporting to finish. I did send my boss the up-to-date version before I left last night, but I have six new emails from team members, so I know there are some changes I need to capture.

Have a really good weekend. I'll be back at work on Monday (if for no other reason than to rest after a weekend with a 6 and 4 year old). God knew what He was doing when he made us have children when we were young, didn't He? However, grandparenthood is THE way to go.

Thursday, September 08, 2011

T Minus 36 and Counting

Yup. The GRANDS will be here in less than 36 hours for the weekend. No, I don't know that we have anything planned yet, but I know Kathie is thinking about it. I believe a museum is on tap. Maybe a movie. Certainly swimming. Maybe FroYo. Oh, it'll be fun.

On the drive in today, I had no fresh ideas for a comic strip. Then, I was talking to a coworker and sneezed and that led to the idea you see in the CoV.

Did I mention that we've had another little reorg here at work? Our department now reports to a different executive staff member. The whole team moved over, so no other changes are expected... well, for now.

Listen, after talking to my coworker this morning, I am behind on my normal pre-call tasks. I still need to generate an agenda and send it out, which means I need to extract the data from our tool. All of this simply means I gotta go. Sorry for the abruptness, but I just glanced at the clock and realized it was going to be tight. L8r.

Wednesday, September 07, 2011

Already Mid-Week?

Cool. It's already hump day. Well, of course, there's still a few hours until it is mid-mid-week. I think I can hang on.

I think I will call a knee specialist later today and see about an appointment. I was hoping to wait until the Mayo checkup later in the month, but it is not getting better. Of course, it is also not getting worse. Still, it is inconvenient, and I want to be able to walk/hike during Fall Break.

Do you remember the Steve Martin routine about becoming a millionaire? See if you find hints of that in today's CoV. Yeah, I'm talking about the routine where he begins "First, get a million dollars."

One of the CAPM Study Group took her real test yesterday and passed. I have another practice test today and then, I need to see about scheduling my test. I'll probably not feel ready, but I don't think I ever will. Another member of our team took the PMP exam last week and she passed that one. That may or may not be my next goal.

It has been a while since I announced a reorg here at work. We found out yesterday that our department now reports to a person based in San Francisco. Yes, I did think this would happen at some point, but not so quickly after the last round of changes. Oh well.

OK, I need to get started on my practice test, so I will end with a final profound thought.

No, I got nothing. I'll just end with this sentence running on until I get tired of trying to think of anything really profound or you get too bored of waiting until I ... Never mind. See you tomorrow.

Tuesday, September 06, 2011

No Labor Last Weekend

Nope, we had the day off yesterday, and I did not even check my work email once. Yeah, it was nice. Plus, with the temperatures backing off a bit, it helps everything seem better. The experts think we may not hit 110+ anymore. Whoo hoo.

I didn't worry about anything. Well, Dad's back is out of sorts, but he'll be hitting the chiropractor this week. No, I actually mean hitting him. Why didn't he fix this before it happened? OK, maybe he won't hit him; just ask him to adjust his back.

Speaking of parents and retirement....

This weekend is a special time. We'll have the GRANDS all weekend. We are still discussing what activities we'll be doing. Certainly, swimming is on the list. Probably McDonald's playground. Maybe a museum or movie.

Hey, one of our team is getting rid of his games (no, I don't know why?). When I heard this, I told him I would take them. I am certain there will be at least one I don't already have. I'll let you know when it happens.

I thought for sure the 8:30am call for today was canceled, but, noooo. There it is on the calendar. That means I have to build the agenda and send it out. So, go get caught up after a three-day weekend and let's get together tomorrow and talk about how long this week already is, even with Monday being a Tuesday.

Friday, September 02, 2011

Fried What?

I read yesterday about the annual "Big Tex" Choice Awards at the TX State Fair. (I remember getting one day off from school per year for Fair Day. I think I probably went about half the time in High School) Anyway, the article noted that last year's winners were Fried Beer for most creative and Texas Fried FRITOS Pie for Best Taste. The finalists for this year are:
Buffalo Chicken in a Flapjack - A buffalo chicken strip is coated in flapjack batter, rolled in jalapeno bread crumbs, deep fried to a golden brown, skewed, and served with a side of syrup. Crowd pleasing appetizer or a meal in itself!

Deep Fried Pineapple Upside Down Cake - Fresh and sweet pineapple rings are delicately dipped in cake batter, fried, and coated with a caramel, sugar, and cinnamon glaze. What tropical treat is complete without a cherry on top?

Deep Fried Texas Salsa - This spicy medley of jalapenos, roasted garlic, onion, tomato, and pepper is rolled together, dipped in masa, and covered in crunchy tortilla chips. Into the fryer and served with warm, deliciously creamy queso.

El Bananarito - In case you are wondering, it's a deep fried banana rolled in a flour tortilla, topped with whipped cream, powdered sugar, a dusting of cinnamon, and a touch of vanilla extract. Top it off with your choice of smooth, hot caramel or decadent chocolate syrup. Concessionaire contact: Lydia Turner at the Funnel Cake stand on Fun Way near the intersection of Pike and Fun Way and in the Tower Building.

Fried Autumn Pie - Fairgoers will fall for this hard-to-resist puff pastry infused with a scrumptious combination of pumpkin, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and fall spices. Deep fried and rolled in ginger, cinnamon, and sugar.

Fried Bubblegum - You'll swear it's bubblegum! A light as a feather bubble gum flavored marshmallow is dipped in batter and lightly fried to perfection. Decorated with a swirl of icing. A final sprinkling of powdered sugar completes this treat! It will blow you away!

Hans' Kraut Ball - A conglomeration of taste: browned pork sausage, onion, garlic, a zing of sauerkraut, mustard, and tasty seasonings all rolled into a mouth-watering ball of delight. Covered with seasoned bread crumbs, deep fried, and served with your choice Spicy Mustard, Rasberry Chipotle, or Ranch.

Walking Taco - Stroll down the Midway with this concoction of seasoned hamburger meat, lettuce, onion, fresh tomato, grated cheese, sour cream, and tasty salsa. Inventively served up in a Nacho Cheese flavored Doritos bag!

To be able to afford the fair, though, you need a job to pay for it. So, let's cover the annual back-and-fort of a performance review in today's CoV.

Wow, I've already filled today's post with stuff and I did not even mention my normal things. No big plans for the holiday weekend (which reminds me. I won't blog on Monday, so don't get all bent out of shape about it). I have not yet set my date for the CAPM exam. Kathie is still in rehab for her pinkie. We will be meeting KLIK for dinner tonight. I watched The Price Is Right yesterday at work with the team and again last night at home with Kathie. Sorry we were not on screen more after hyping it for you.

Listen, I've bent your ear (or maybe your eye?) for long enough. Have a great Labor Day and we'll meet again Tuesday.

Thursday, September 01, 2011

It's Really Hot Here

Not only is it hot outside (August average 109F, over 105F 26 out of 31 days), but it's hot inside. Our A/C unit will not cool below 82F. They said it should be fixed by Friday and let Facilities know if it is not. I will.

I took one of those DISC personality tests online yesterday. The rest of the org took a class about it while we were in Ouray, so I missed it. Anyway, I came out as an Influencer for both work and home, with Compliance being my #2 in both. My lowest scores came on the Dominance category. So, I am a people person who builds relationships, and like structure and consistency.

I also consistently publish a comic strip born of the way my mind works. Here's an example for today.

Oh, hey. I added a new photo to Pinterest. Someone made a wall covering out of individual pages from a book. Check it out if you want.

I am working on a challenge at work to let the metrics demonstrate the efficacy of a particular process. It means that I need to pull and sort the data in ways that are not fully tracked within the system. It might imply I need to always maintain an external spreadsheet in parallel to the system. Gross. Still, it is a fun exercise.

Plus, I do still have the 8:30am call today, and I have not generated the agenda yet. So, I cannot stay for breakfast. I'll just finish this cup of coffee and head out. OK, I don't really drink coffee, so I'll have another sip of water and leave.