Not much...

Nothing terribly exciting personally speaking. Things have been quiet since the Chris Isaak concert really.

JP and I did go see District 9 and I can't recommend it high enough. The cast is amazing especially considering that the majority of the lines are improvised. Yeah it's not just an alien movie, it shows how horrible people can be to "the other" whatever that might be.

JP is off to possibly the last Austin golf weekend. The social dynamic has been changing for a couple of years now, but the last full year especially. It's not just people moving to other countries for their careers, but I think the loss of Ian from his fight with cancer sent some of the more... less emotionally strong/grown up/developed individuals down an A-hole spiral of Me-me-ness. Sad.

I also came across this link this morning. I don't have an opinion about Frank one way or the other, but it was nice to see an elected offical stand up to this. I wasn't the best student in high school, I tended not to pay attention and skate by but I'm pretty sure these people throwing around the word "nazi" to describe in a blanket statement a complicated policy is being used wrong. Obvs they paid less attention in history class than me, and they don't know where "nazi/facsim" falls on that political spectrum chart we had to learn back in the day or what their policies/ideaologies really stood for.

And don't get me started on the whole "Death Panel" scare tactic... if you ever have the difficult task of putting an elderly relative into a nursing home or any kind of assisted living facility, one of the many many forms the director throws at you during this very difficult and emotional time are DNR forms and the like. It's about counciling people, it's about knowing your options so what YOUR LOVED ONE wants is done. I have had several co-workers go through this over the years and it's not easy and they feel adrift because their elderly relative typically hasn't been all there to fully discuss their wishes. I'm lucky enough to have a very precise Father who many years ago drew up his own living will, which is 100% opposite from my Mother's so I know what they want and how they want it done.

I'm not saying that what's being proposed is the direction we should head in. I don't claim to be that smart to know all the possible fall outs. But I know enough that the system is failing to many people these days. The cost is growing faster than the average person can keep up with. But to leave it as is... that won't work either. When a child dies because his Mother can't afford to see a freakin' dentist there is something wrong... when 1/3 of bankrupcies come from catstrophic illness or accidents cleaning out a family there is some thing wrong (well that might be less after the housing collapse... d'oh). I think it's a multi-pronged problem that's going to require lots of changes and many of those might have to be us taking on more of a responsibility for ourselves not just the government, the insurance companies or "big pharma" we all have our changes to make... but to be a supposed wealthy idustrialized nation and to be so ignorant about the need for change is just scary.

And don't get me stared on the morons with the signs that say, "Keep the Government out of my Medicare" or the really scary people showing up with guns to Town Hall meetings... Yeah I get it that it's perfectly legal where they're doing it, but the message they are conveying is FRIGHTENING.

sheepels, please.

...if you've read this and think I'm some far left-liberal and you're gonna school me... don't bother. I'm not and you're not so just move along. I just think we should do right by each other. Agree to disagree and do so civilly without name calling or trying to scare people or throw out hate speech coming from knee-jerk reactions to fear of change, fear of something different, fear of whatever the heck it is they're so friggin' wigged out about.

Very sleepy... Like sleep under the desk sleepy...

I've been struggling with sleepiness for the last couple of weeks. I've never been a morning person, but this is beyond the norm for me.

I tried going to bed even earlier and ended up just waking up an hour earlier than my alarm. Ugh. Sleepy... I just want to nap all day long.

Good thing this is my Friday off coming up... I plan on sleeping as late as possible and napping after that. Call me Keiko.

More work stuff... I believe more Ops people are moving to our half floor. I'm not really jazzed about this as it means more than likly we'll get booted off the floor once they decide they need more room, not unlike what happened last time. This floor has less room, since it's a half, so I don't understand the "logic" in moving them slowly down here.

Too tired to think about it...

Office shenanigans... shenanigans I say!

There have been several creeping sorts of changes over the past couple of years here. Bit by bit, responsibilities that were in the domain of a Land Tech have been parcelled out... either to our two more clerical staff or to the DO Landman.

Some of the more recent changes were, to me, a bit odd because to some extent they should have always been dealt by the new rules. See, now if something is very complicated or requires a crazy amount of research it's supposed to go to the Landman, along with certain transfers that have a crazy number of recipeints and other type requirements.

Now, as far as I'm concerned really difficult issues should have already been going to the Landman. But researching regular issues... I mean that's how you learn, that's how you gain the experience to move up the ladder or at least demend a raise. Basically, the way it looks to me, the position is being stripped down to a clerical position of answering the phones if this keeps up.

I understand that we are beyond understaffed and pressed to do even more with every passing day... but I don't like the way that slope is sliding.

Wow...

I stumbled across this earlier this morning...


Wow...

I've read a few articles talking about Hughes movies and it got me thinking why, for me at least, his movies still hold up. Today the movies are really all about the snark... funny comes from cynical and snarky nowadays which is fine, but wearing. These movies weren't so tied up in being so ironic and not so mean as you see now. OR they're soooooo unbelievable cookie cutter that they drive you nuts.

I'm gonna be adding some movies to my Amazon wishlist...

Personal top 5, in no particular order: The Breakfast Club, Plains, Trains & Automobiles, Uncle Buck, Somekind of Wonderful, and 16 Candles. (noticed I only put down 4)

RIP John Hughes

How I loved your movies... I loved the pretty constant theme that being an "oddball" wasn't odd at all. We're all a bit weird and that's okay...

and he gave us some of the best line ever... I think I need to find my DVDs.

I can't be your woobie...

My co-worker, Y, the one who has been having the health issues since the beginning of July came in here recently... and I feel bad, I had to send her right out.

I'm going through something rather scary and difficult myself and I can't discuss it with people. Especially with people in the office. So right now, emotionally I can't be anyones security blanket for serious. I have to be selfish and think about my own health and emotional wellbeing.

People like this have often sought me out. I become the person they attach too whenever things are bad, and most of the time is is legitimate (just as often not)... but right now I can't do it.

I just can't.

And God forbid she asks me to take her to the emergency room. I can't do that for certain either.

If you're the praying sort, please think of my co-worker Y. and for me.

Monday, Monday... la laaaa la lalaaaa

Oh three day weekends how I wish you were every weekend. *sigh*

Friday was very low key, which was probably why it was the only day that didn't need a nap. I just ran a few errands and then did laundry.

We did go see Harry Potter that night, and really as usual the movie is so light. Of all the books HBP was probably my fav so that didn't help. The girl who played Lavender was hilarious though.

Saturday I went with my Mom & Aunt to the outlet. After a couple of hours I had to drop them off and head home for a nap before the plummer arrived. Had a great nap, but then the plummer was 4 hours late. D'oh!

Turned out it was something called the P-trap, or at least that's what JP called it, was dried out and so you were hearing the drips and echos from all over the house, not a leak somewhere. Was also why it smelled musky from the tub too, so we have to run some water through the pipes once a week or so. Not for long but just enough to keep things happy.

Sunday was Church, with Pastor Freddy coming for a visit. His niece & nephew from Florida were with him and I was so surprised to see how grown up they are. Sunday afternoon was another nice nap, me leaning on JP and Smudge leaning on me.

Ended up going to see Tony and Rosslyn briefly to check out the final sketch before she starts painting. Looks really good, she is amazing. I did ask her to "air brush" out my chicken pock scars. HA!

So today is Monday and at least there isn't a meeting. I was very good and made spaghetti last night so I have lunch for today. One less thing to deal with. I do have to run a kitty errand but I might do that later in the week.

I could so go for a nap already...