So there I was walking down the hallway at work, when some guy that almost looks familiar (he didn't LOOK familiar, but had a face like he ought to) smiles at me and says, "Hi, Mr. Wilson." Since we were walking opposite directions at a pretty good clip, I didn't have time to do a double take or even realize that NOBODY at work should recognize me as "Mr. Wilson." For the life of me, I can't imagine who would possibly refer to me as Mr. Wilson - or where I would even know someone who would refer to me as such.
Strange things are afoot at the Circle K...
So anyhow, I'm now kickin' back listening to Enya, watching the christmas tree lights, sipping egg nog, and enjoying a quiet house (kids are in bed). I'm actually feeling pretty relaxed. I played for a little bit with my new miniatures (a boy and his toy soldiers...I know...), successfully debugged a program called OpenRPG that I've been trying to get working on my macintosh for some time now, got a reimbursement check for some scouting supplies I had bought, and had a relatively mellow time with the Webelos tonight.
Work is going well, except for usually being finished with my work for the day a few hours too early. It makes the last part of the day really drag - especially when my cubical faces a large windowed conference room where the managers have their daily meetings and where the company hosts prospective clients. And people wonder why I wear a tie...
However, I finally have a set of my own clients that I work regularly with. They include Lowe's Home Improvement, Hard Rock Cafe, Red Wing Shoes, Metromedia Restaurants (Steak & Ale, Bennigan's, etc.), Weatherford International (oil drilling company), and Interstate (Starplex) Theatres. Yup, I'm the guy who sets up/terminates all the utility accounts nationwide for these big boys. Exciting stuff, I know. I spend my day talking to big and little people at big and little utility companies (like the City of Lower Frog Jump, Tennessee) across the continent. I find it amazing how territorial some of these people can get when you don't do things EXACTLY the way they want - and that usually comes from the smaller places (City of..., County of..., etc.). No, I am NOT going to send you a copy of MY driver's license and MY social security number to set up electric/gas/water service for a new 120,000+ square foot Lowe's Home Center! A $35,000 deposit?!? Come on...you have GOT to be kidding me. I have a federal tax id number and a letter of authorization - that is all you're getting from me besides my name and phone number.
Sounds like there should be something in the Geneva Convention about that...
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Not Much to Report
Everyone is still alive. I'm getting a hair cut in a few minutes. Made some homemade bean and ham soup that was too salty. Making a half-hearted attempt at some freelance writing. Bought some new blue jeans for $10 yesterday.
Okay, I'm up for my haircut. Excitement runs amok.
Okay, I'm up for my haircut. Excitement runs amok.
Friday, December 01, 2006
Blah, Humbug!
Had a case of the "blahs" this week.
So what's the problem? I could probably point to a number of things...the none of them alone can explain it. And if you put all of them together, it still just sounds like whining.
Speaking of whining, am I expecting too much from a job? I'm serious. I've been there barely over a month (most of that in a training class) and I already find myself not really interested. In most of the other jobs I have had, that feeling didn't come around until MUCH later. But I'm getting paid a lot more and it's not like this stuff is hard. I just don't enjoy it. Have I been spoiled on "college jobs" for too long? Is there some job out there that I could enjoy AND make a decent living wage?
I've thought of going back to school, but for what kind of degree? I've dropped the librarianship thing because, in spite of my years in customer service type jobs, I have to honestly say that I don't like working with the public. I think a MBA is out as well. I don't think I would be happy in a business environment for the rest of my life. Why? Maybe it's the focus on money and the "bottom line" that bothers me. Teaching? Meh...I've learned from personal experience that if they don't want to be there, I don't want them in my class. Besides, what would I teach? No matter what I'd pick, it'd be another 10 years before I got out of school myself...and then have to jump through all the stupid governmental hoops that are required to be a teacher. And that still doesn't solve the main problem with teaching that I mentioned above.
So what does that leave me? Not much. Politics? Between my goofy lisping, short stature, and completely non-confrontational attitude, I'd just get run over...assuming I ever got elected in the first place. Writing? I like a roof over my head and food on my table too much for that. Farming? Sure! Oh wait...I'd need a farm. Dang.
Oh well. To end on a positive note, here are two good things that have happened this week:
So what's the problem? I could probably point to a number of things...the none of them alone can explain it. And if you put all of them together, it still just sounds like whining.
Speaking of whining, am I expecting too much from a job? I'm serious. I've been there barely over a month (most of that in a training class) and I already find myself not really interested. In most of the other jobs I have had, that feeling didn't come around until MUCH later. But I'm getting paid a lot more and it's not like this stuff is hard. I just don't enjoy it. Have I been spoiled on "college jobs" for too long? Is there some job out there that I could enjoy AND make a decent living wage?
I've thought of going back to school, but for what kind of degree? I've dropped the librarianship thing because, in spite of my years in customer service type jobs, I have to honestly say that I don't like working with the public. I think a MBA is out as well. I don't think I would be happy in a business environment for the rest of my life. Why? Maybe it's the focus on money and the "bottom line" that bothers me. Teaching? Meh...I've learned from personal experience that if they don't want to be there, I don't want them in my class. Besides, what would I teach? No matter what I'd pick, it'd be another 10 years before I got out of school myself...and then have to jump through all the stupid governmental hoops that are required to be a teacher. And that still doesn't solve the main problem with teaching that I mentioned above.
So what does that leave me? Not much. Politics? Between my goofy lisping, short stature, and completely non-confrontational attitude, I'd just get run over...assuming I ever got elected in the first place. Writing? I like a roof over my head and food on my table too much for that. Farming? Sure! Oh wait...I'd need a farm. Dang.
Oh well. To end on a positive note, here are two good things that have happened this week:
Sunday, November 26, 2006
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
There's a Grumpy Frog in my Gene Pool!
Not really. Or maybe there is. It would explain a lot.
Anyhow, I've decided to dedicate this particular blog entry to some non-ranting topic. I just don't know what that topic will be yet. Oh, how about the Diplomacy game I'm in.
Diplomacy is a board game that came out sometime in the 1960s (yeah, ancient history, I know). However, it has really come to shine with the rise of the Internet. The game, as the name suggests, is all about building and ruining diplomatic relations with the other players. It is set in pre-World War One Europe and each player controls one of the major nations: England, France, Germany, Italy, Austria-Hungry, Russia, or Turkey (although there are a huge number of variations nowadays). The majority of each turn is writing letters to the other players, trying to convince them to help your cause...or at least not hinder you.
The next part is writing orders for your military units on the board (of which you have one for each supply center you control). A game moderator collects the orders, reveals them simultaneously and adjudicates the results. The goal is to control 18 of the 34 supply centers.
As you are never sure what the other players are going to do or what deals they may have with other players, the game is full of intrigue, lying, pleading, threatening, misinforming, guessing, convincing, and just about everything else that could conceivably go on in Real World political manipulations.
Turns happen once a week - it can't be considered a fast-paced game by any means, but that time is not spent idle. The emails are furiously flying the whole time (or should be anyways).
The board for the game I am currently in looks like this:
Perhaps in a bit of irony, I drew Russia as my nation. They are the white pieces in the upper right corner in and around the Scandinavian nations, and the white pieces in and around the Black Sea in the lower right. I currently control 6 supply centers (the areas that have the little white dot patterns), but things will change shortly. As you can see, I have a fleet in Norway (that used to belong to England...heh), but Germany, a former ally, has moved an army into Sweden - despite his claims of neutrality in those northern countries. Retribution will be swift...if only I can convince England to agree to some sort of peace treaty...which means I might have to give back Norway. Yuck.
Russia has the unenviable position of having its forces split between a northern and a southern front. Of my southern neighbors, I am in a (hopefully) strong alliance with Austria (red), while Turkey and I are pretty much in a stalemate until Austria can deal with those pesky Italians and Germans on his west flank. Once that is done (easier said...) we will be able to crack Turkey open fairly easily.
So my take on the other nations positions:
England (dark blue): Weak. Unless I can convince him to stop being a lackey of the Germans, I don't see him as gaining much ground.
France (light blue): Fair. A screw-up in his last set of orders left a fleet stranded in Portugal. It could have been so much more useful out in the Atlantic somewhere. Oh well.
Austria (red): Fair. A staunch ally, but threatened by the Italian-German alliance. I'm trying to do what I can to break that up.
Turkey (yellow): Fair to Good. I rate his position above the previous ones, not because he is in any position to gain much ground, but because he is strong defensively. However, that will change over time now that I have a fleet in the Black Sea.
Italy (green): Good. Bit of a pompous player and a wild card in the game. His early attack on Austria would have failed spectacularly if it wasn't for Germany meddling in areas that should be none of his concern. Poses a threat to my ally, Austria.
Germany (black): Strong. If things go well for him this next turn, he will have the strongest position on the board by far. We mutually agreed on a demilitarized zone in our centers, but if he gains the two supply centers that I think he will, he can march right into the heartland of Russia and there would be little I could do about it. My only hope is to convince the others of his imminent superior position.
Where would I rate Russia? Prior to this turn, I felt I was on top of the pack. Unfortunately, Germany's stab and Turkey's unexpected moves (which stalemated us) have drastically stalled my world domination. Therefore, I put myself somewhere between Italy and Turkey. I only put myself below Italy because it seems the Italian-German alliance is still going strong, while my alliance with Germany is...um...not.
In any case, this is not a game for those who have their feelings hurt easily and often. It is brutal at times. The rules of Diplomacy are really quite simple. It's the human factor that makes the game what it is.
Anyhow, I've decided to dedicate this particular blog entry to some non-ranting topic. I just don't know what that topic will be yet. Oh, how about the Diplomacy game I'm in.
Diplomacy is a board game that came out sometime in the 1960s (yeah, ancient history, I know). However, it has really come to shine with the rise of the Internet. The game, as the name suggests, is all about building and ruining diplomatic relations with the other players. It is set in pre-World War One Europe and each player controls one of the major nations: England, France, Germany, Italy, Austria-Hungry, Russia, or Turkey (although there are a huge number of variations nowadays). The majority of each turn is writing letters to the other players, trying to convince them to help your cause...or at least not hinder you.
The next part is writing orders for your military units on the board (of which you have one for each supply center you control). A game moderator collects the orders, reveals them simultaneously and adjudicates the results. The goal is to control 18 of the 34 supply centers.
As you are never sure what the other players are going to do or what deals they may have with other players, the game is full of intrigue, lying, pleading, threatening, misinforming, guessing, convincing, and just about everything else that could conceivably go on in Real World political manipulations.
Turns happen once a week - it can't be considered a fast-paced game by any means, but that time is not spent idle. The emails are furiously flying the whole time (or should be anyways).
The board for the game I am currently in looks like this:
Perhaps in a bit of irony, I drew Russia as my nation. They are the white pieces in the upper right corner in and around the Scandinavian nations, and the white pieces in and around the Black Sea in the lower right. I currently control 6 supply centers (the areas that have the little white dot patterns), but things will change shortly. As you can see, I have a fleet in Norway (that used to belong to England...heh), but Germany, a former ally, has moved an army into Sweden - despite his claims of neutrality in those northern countries. Retribution will be swift...if only I can convince England to agree to some sort of peace treaty...which means I might have to give back Norway. Yuck.
Russia has the unenviable position of having its forces split between a northern and a southern front. Of my southern neighbors, I am in a (hopefully) strong alliance with Austria (red), while Turkey and I are pretty much in a stalemate until Austria can deal with those pesky Italians and Germans on his west flank. Once that is done (easier said...) we will be able to crack Turkey open fairly easily.
So my take on the other nations positions:
England (dark blue): Weak. Unless I can convince him to stop being a lackey of the Germans, I don't see him as gaining much ground.
France (light blue): Fair. A screw-up in his last set of orders left a fleet stranded in Portugal. It could have been so much more useful out in the Atlantic somewhere. Oh well.
Austria (red): Fair. A staunch ally, but threatened by the Italian-German alliance. I'm trying to do what I can to break that up.
Turkey (yellow): Fair to Good. I rate his position above the previous ones, not because he is in any position to gain much ground, but because he is strong defensively. However, that will change over time now that I have a fleet in the Black Sea.
Italy (green): Good. Bit of a pompous player and a wild card in the game. His early attack on Austria would have failed spectacularly if it wasn't for Germany meddling in areas that should be none of his concern. Poses a threat to my ally, Austria.
Germany (black): Strong. If things go well for him this next turn, he will have the strongest position on the board by far. We mutually agreed on a demilitarized zone in our centers, but if he gains the two supply centers that I think he will, he can march right into the heartland of Russia and there would be little I could do about it. My only hope is to convince the others of his imminent superior position.
Where would I rate Russia? Prior to this turn, I felt I was on top of the pack. Unfortunately, Germany's stab and Turkey's unexpected moves (which stalemated us) have drastically stalled my world domination. Therefore, I put myself somewhere between Italy and Turkey. I only put myself below Italy because it seems the Italian-German alliance is still going strong, while my alliance with Germany is...um...not.
In any case, this is not a game for those who have their feelings hurt easily and often. It is brutal at times. The rules of Diplomacy are really quite simple. It's the human factor that makes the game what it is.
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