Most Excellent Day

Wow. I had forgotten what a blessing & generally good experience it is to be at home & able to work on our home. I had all the day, until late evening, to do physical work to improve the security & appearance of our home, & I was very successful, & enjoyed doing the work, & feel good about the results *:-)

I leave tomorrow on a business trip, and so I will spend the time I have here at home in getting everything ready, so in reality my mind is already on the trip. I will be home on Tuesday afternoon. Have Fun *:-)

"New Post?" Yes. Several, Actually...

I was able to use my lunch time and after work time today to get new fencing put up to replace the fencing knocked down by the 85 foot extension crane that was here a couple months ago to take out some of our older, larger, unsafe trees (BIG ones). When they were putting the crane away, actually, "folding it up", they accidentally swiped our fence and the wooden fence could not withstand the force of the big wrecking ball that hit it, and so came tumbling down. The busted fence has just been leaning up in place since then, but on Wednesday morning, as I tried to drive down the driveway to get going to work, I was blocked because the fence had fallen over again. I struggled with it (in my work clothes) and finally got it propped up again, but I knew it would just be a matter of time before it came down again and perhaps I would not be around to help move it, which could cause problems for my wife. We now have a bright, shiny, new fence that is quite acceptable in quality and in appearance for the neighborhood we live in.

On Thursday evening, on my way home from work, I got to snag some time with our 17 month old granddaughter, which is a rare and wonderful experience for me. I was acting as a messenger boy to pick up something from our granddaughter's home, to take to my wife. My daughter in law answered the door, and although I could not see my granddaughter right away, my daughter in law pointed to the rocking chair and said she was behind it *:-) Smart kid, to hide from me *:-) I paid no attention to her trying to hide and went right over and picked her up and took her to her mom, but of course she was not happy about me picking her up and so was crying. No big deal, and I pretty much ignored it, and we ended up having a pretty good time for the short period I was there. She got lots of kisses from me and we exchanged eye contact several times, so it was a fun time for me. She is pretty neat *:-)

My nightly Epsom Salts foot soak is beginning to become a habit, and it is helping. I don't know why I get pain in my heels these days, no matter what shoes I wear. My wife just mentioned this evening that as we get older the fatty tissue in our feet goes away, so maybe that has something to do with it. I will try thicker socks too, and see what happens.

I am happy about the fence, and my wife tells me that it makes her feel quite a bit more secure, so it was very well worth it.

Death Watch Continued

First day back in the HQ office for a while, and a friend/colleague tells me that he now feels as though we are working in an all-volunteer organization. Nobody seems to be at work, and when they are at work, they aren't working *:-) Dangerous times. I shall focus on the hardware I am responsible for, and in keeping emails current, etc. I also am interested in Sakai, and am going to see if any online tutorials are available. Onward *:-)

It Is Done. The Worst Of Times, The Best Of Times.

The training I delivered today was for and to the most local group of faculty that I am asked to train, and hence the session could have been very difficult, since "a poet is rarely respected in his own land". Also, I was concerned because many of those in the session are ex-employees of Dark Nebula and could have verbalized difficult questions for me to answer. My strategy was to go to the training site a day early to make sure the set-up was configured, and at the same time make a point of chatting with the ex-employees, so I could get all the discussions and dirt-digging out of the way. It worked. The ex-employees actually ended up being very good students and were complementary toward my efforts in the session. Also, the IT student assistant they assigned to me was the most helpful SA I have ever worked with. He even taught me where to park my car to avoid the $25 tickets that are vigorously handed out by the local cops, and he even gave me $1.25 in quarters to get the meter started in the all day parking area he sent me to. Unbelievably enough, he also worked harder than I did, which is rare.

Because this training is done, I feel both a large sense of relief, and a large feeling of exhaustion. I did not realize I was so worried about it. When I got home, and took the aspirin I had forgotten to take with me but which I needed much, and got my feet into the epsom salts bath, while sitting next to my wife in the computer area of our home, I crashed into a deep sleep and was snoring so loudly that I woke myself up *:-)

I am glad to be home and will not be on the road again until this Sunday.

Death Watch At Dark Nebula

Returning from my assignments at remote outposts and entering the HQ building, I am struck dumb by the level of depression and distance that pervades the office space. Those unable to do anything different are choosing to remain depressed as they contemplate the cloud of uncertainty that hangs heavy over us. The Directors remain in their offices, staring intently at their computer screens, and are beginning to move like automatons, not animated in a human way, but as though in shock. The good news: my expense check actually cleared *:-) So, all is not lost.

I have been listening to XM channel 82 recently and today when I drove into the HQ parking lot two of the Directors must have been in the parking lot because on my way into the building they joked with me about the type of music and the volume level (high). I told them I was doing research on the student populations that I prepare trainings for *:-)

I have promised myself that I will use the new expense report form that is posted online, so I am off to search it out and begin filling in the info for the most recent travel.

Phoooooo....

A jammin' week just finished. Last couple days with my wife were very nice too. Tonna travel last week, then local travel this week, then on the road again next week. Gotta get new tires sometime soon, but t-mater is running really good and helps me a lot. New GPS tracking device is absolutely fab, and I am still learning Google Earth, which seems fab too. I love this stuff *:-) Lotsa fun finding out what my travels look like from space & stuff. I like seeing all the twisty turny roads, and seeing where I stopped to take a whizz under a bridge, n stuff like that *:-) XM Radio channel 82 is now my fave, and I am pickin' up on lotsa new stuff. I like it *:-) Can you believe I didn't even know that the "trance & dance" stuff I have been listening too is the core sound for raves, which I have never been too. Probably good I don't go, 'cause I might never come back *:-)

Good Trainings, Good People...Now To Go Home

I am greatful that I can travel home tomorrow. Missions accomplished. I will be happy to be with my wife again. She had a very cool time with our granddaughter and got to go shopping with her for the very first time. We love our granddaughter and are looking forward to the birth of our grandson in June, and then another little one from our other son and his wife soon after. "May God bless us all" - from an album of spiritual music. Have Fun *:-)

Run!...Run Away!...As Fast As You Can!

Officius Horribilus was loose in the workplace today and the only way to survive was to run as fast and as far away as possible. What a mess! Just a sample: Our staff is depressed; very depressed. We don't have a plan. We don't have management. We keep stepping on our extremities when we try to move forward. People are giving up and accepting that they are probably going to be laid off. So what does the Acting Interim Executive Director do today? Without telling anyone, she loaned our biggest and newest conference room to the HR department for their lunchtime party and meeting! Can you imagine how depressing it is to come out of a departmental staff meeting where for 2 hours only bad news has been discussed, and then to see merry-makers, with excellent food, good conversation, and obvious conviviality overflowing "our" conference room? It is very depressing, in case you did not guess. What a jerk the Acting Interim Executive Director is.

Enough of that. I am on the road for 4 days starting tomorrow.

Dark Nebula Grasps At Straws, Mouths Wide Open

Heh. Eleven director level managers in a conference room continuously from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. I know only a very few CEO types who have the power and capability to keep a meeting going in a productive manner for that length of time, and there certainly was not anybody like that in the meeting. It became quieter and quieter, and at one point the Acting Interim Executive Director came out and asked me to move the electric stapler that I was using because the repetitive sound of the stapler was really bothering the people in the conference room and they couldn't concentrate *:-0

For a very brief moment, about one half hour, the energy level raised to the point of actual being conscious, because the Big Biggie called in on the speaker phone and was offering his "input" to the process that the directors were going through. I didn't see a lot of enlightened faces when they finally came out of the room, so I suspect the Big Biggies "input" was just more of the incompetent gesturing that he has been doing since his original plan fell on its face.

Sadly, staff are beginning to assume that they will be laid off, and are openly talking about it, which of course will cause the morale to spiral further down. Can't be helped. We are where we are.

I travel Wednesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday this week, then again Monday & Tuesday of the following week, so it will be a bit tough for my wife and I. We shall do our best *:-)

12 Hours Straight...And The Mistakes Begin...

Since 9:45 this morning I have worked straight through. It is now just a bit after 9:45 p.m. A distant colleague just mentioned via email that I am beginning to make mistakes, such as calling Friday Thursday, so I must stop now.

Good news from my son's family, because only he became ill for a few days, and our granddaughter and daughter in law did not get sick. Yea!

A friend who lives across the country called our home phone (which is rare, since we both use Skype and Googletalk), and left a message about how he and his new wife are selling their house and getting ready to buy a new one. A bit mysterious, that. I will check in with him shortly and get more info, because he sounded a little nervous.

I must enter Dark Nebula tomorrow morning, so I shall rest now.

Lovely Fire In The Fireplace On A Lovely Rainy Day

A very pleasant gentle rain nearly all day today, and up here in the mountains it is a wonderful experience to be gently serenaded by the rain drops colliding with the various surfaces producing many sounds to sooth the soul. During a very brief respite, I did some essentials shopping while my wife had a fellow artist in the home, and they had a fun time with their creative energies. I ate a little too much peppermint sweet stuff while in the grocery store, so I was a bit flushed and hot once I got back in the home. I want to cut down on that stuff.

My wife suggested that it would be good to have a fire this evening, and it has been very nice to be toasty while the rain and cold surround us. I love wood fires *:-)

Dark Nebula Adrift

Due to the abrupt and unexplained shut down of all communication about the future of Dark Nebula, and the refusal of the Super Big Biggies and the Big Biggies to tell local management even the slightest bit of information about the organization changes that must happen, all staff are turning inward, are listless, are becoming hopeless, and are losing faith that Dark Nebula will be a place to work successfully in the future. Too bad. And sad. And too much for me to handle. So, I shall work hard to complete my assigned tasks, and search for appropriate motivations from higher powers than those that pretend to the throne of leadership.

We hear that our son and his family have become ill, and this is making their life more difficult, but we don't know what we can do. We wish them a safe and speedy recovery.

I am confident that I will get the guidance I need tomorrow so that I can focus on the tasks that are most appropriate for me to be working on.

Good fortune and excellent fun today using a new GPS gadget that is used to track the personal walks & runs that I do. Very good device so far, this Garmin Forerunner 205. More to come.

Dark Nebula S l o w l y Begins Retrograde

After yesterday's disastrous and embarrassing sudden halt to what had been trumpeted as a "Great New Beginning" , a highly placed inside source quietly informed me today that it would be a good idea for me not to get rid of any of the program or project materials from the current period and the last year, because rumor has it that Dark Nebula will be slowly returning to its previous mission before the incompetent Big Biggie was given the opportunity to redirect the organization, which he failed to do effectively.

No one knows for sure, and no one knows what mistakes will be made in the intervening period, but something seems to have changed. I will stay tuned.

Incompetence Looms Large, Upclose & Personal

Dark Nebula was scheduled to make many public announcements today at 10 a.m. sharp; fully public, web, print, email blast, phone, personal messages. All the announcements were constructed carefully over the last four months by a small team of local Directors with the leadership, oversight, and heavy-handed management of a Big Biggie from the parent company that owns the company I work for. The announcements said that an Exciting New Direction had been mapped out for the company I work for, which would be fully implemented by fall 2008 and would begin immediately, through contract termination for a certain class of employee (about 50 people) who worked as contractors. Many of our local employees came in to work very early today to help prepare to disburse the announcements, and all of us, me included, made changes to our public information just before 10 a.m. so that we would all be in alignment with the planned announcements. Our web guy had been working very hard to meet the deadline, and had just gotten a completely new and re-configured site ready to cut over at 10 a.m. sharp.

Through the arrogant and incompetent methods used by the Big Biggie over the last 4 months, insufficient approvals above his level had been obtained, because his ego structure is such that he believed his strategic plan and his crafted announcements would be a slam dunk and all he had to do was run them by his superiors at the last minute and they would just sign off. Wrong. At 9:45 this morning, the Super Big Biggies over the Big Biggie said that his plan and statements were disastrous, and would result in legislative action against the parent company, so all activity around the planned announcements was to immediately halt. At the earliest, some sort of announcement may be made sometime next week. On top of that, a brief and tersely worded message told the local management that they needed to reword all the announcement documentation to show a position 180 degrees out from what had been planned to be stated. Incompetence, personified. Getting more than a bit boring, this incompetence. I think I will have a bite of chocolate to get through the depressing moment *:-)

Dark Nebula Inmates Hungry, Confused, Angry & Beginning To Turn On One Another

First day back inside Dark Nebula today after two weeks traveling in other parts of the galaxy. I did ok, but the hunger among the inmates is reaching levels that are becoming difficult to deal with. I was probed by everyone sooner or later, and it was a long, somewhat intense, and somewhat bitter-sweet day, because I also was able to open up to true colleagues, which was good. The havoc wreaked by last week's managerial insistence on lying to clients had subsided, but was still being discussed in quiet corners of the main building. Sad, but resigned faces did the discussing. Nothing too loud, of course. Whenever a group of us would gather to have a brief exchange, those who feel left out of the info stream would show up on the fringe of the group, including Directors. BTW, I found out late today that all Directors have been forced to give up their titles as of June 1st, and will be thrown into the pile of "staff" along with the rest of us, although they may be given the temporary title of Manager for a while.

Our departmental staff meeting happened as planned today, and I was a major contributor, and later in the day my boss (a truly good manager) thanked me for my input. All members of my team said they missed me and are glad I am back *:-)

Trepidation Entering Dark Nebula

My travels have kept me away from the diseased atmosphere inside Dark Nebula, where the decaying body of the Former Executive Director still has to be put to rest, and where the slowly dying bodies of the remaining staff have yet to reach the end of their journey to death. None of us know which has the terminal disease and which are merely temporarily sickened. Just the thought of entering Dark Nebula makes my stomach queasy and I am preparing to be stoic, and yet flexible, so that if it turns out that something good is offered to me, that I can truly accept it with enthusiasm. Otherwise I will keep my head down and concentrate on the very real work that I have ahead of me. Still, the queasiness is also real. Have fun *:-)

Invisible Tomorrow, But Still Here *:-)

I shall be invisible to my colleagues tomorrow because I need to be in my home office but will be taking a sick day because the environment at work is making me sick. I will go in on Tuesday when my boss, a very fine fellow, is in the office.

See, it is possible to be invisible *:-)

Dark Nebula Enforcing A Policy Of Lying To Customers

I returned safely from my business trip to the southern most extent of the galaxy, in the heavy pollution and heat, and am back in the headquarters area catching up on emails. One of the first to catch my eye was one where one of the student assistants complained of abuse received from management because the student assistant refused to "withhold the full truth" from customers, who are being asked to commit to purchase products that the company already knows will never be delivered. Good for the student, who is a least learning to tell the truth and maintain a position of integrity as a result of the college education her parents are paying for. As I predicted, the desperation being felt by the Directors at their coming demise is causing imprudent behavior.

Also, in a listing of meeting minutes from a staff meeting held today (I was on the road and did not attend), I notice two items that seem to me to be fully contradictory:
1. The statement is made by the Interim Acting Executive Director that no organization chart is available for the reorganized company, and it won't be available for some time, which means nobody knows who is being kept and who isn't.
2. Plans have been approved to have a full day off-site "team building" exercise consisting of a cookout.
Guess what? There is no way I will be participating in a team building cookout because I don't even know if I will be invited to remain with the company. This lack of professionalism disappoints me.

I have now made the decision to begin applying for jobs elsewhere. I believe the company will not survive in a form that I can participate with. Perhaps I am wrong, but I will feel more comfortable taking action.

May the force be with us *:-)

Dark Nebula Crumbles Upon Itself

Although silence & depression continue to be broadcast from the Dark Nebula HQ, the only broadcast I can get out here on the edge of the galaxy, one document was leaked that described the vision of the invaders: DISRUPTION. That is the key word in their proclamation, and some of the former Dark Nebula leaders have already disappeared underground to plot their escape. The invaders have not posted an occupying army as yet, but it is coming soon, IMHO. Some of the inhabitants of Dark Nebula, those who continuously wear rose colored (or dope colored) glasses, continue to send plaintive missives to the invaders asking for consideration and for a more "positive" vision for the inhabitants of Dark Nebula. Sound like a movie script? I would not be surprised of the invaders were following a script copied from a movie, because their actions seem devoid of any human emotional content, which makes me suspect that droids may have been assigned to DISRUPT Dark Nebula. The droids are not especially intelligent, but they don't need to be since they have been given all the power by the previous Dark Nebula leaders.

It is very hot here on the edge of the galaxy, and I am busy plotting my own escape back to the region of the Dark Nebula HQ, where my vibascope will be more accurate.

I am happy because tomorrow my wife gets to hang with our granddaughter, which is always a good thing *:-)

Wish me luck on my sometimes perilous journey from the edge of the galaxy to the home territory.

Dark Nebula Silent, Dark, Foreboding

Nothing. No News. No Email. No IM. No phone calls. Just Silence. All IM icons just sit there on "idle". The world was predicted to change today, at least a little. Can a world change without me noticing? I guess it can if I am far enough away. I am in South Galaxy, and only one other member of our ship's company is anywhere near me. Perhaps tomorrow some news will come.

Hot here. Wears me out. I know how to survive in the desert though, so no worries as long as the water holds out. IMHO throughout the entire galaxy water shall soon become the most important, and therefore valuable, commodity.

One more day in the desert, then on the following morning, I can try to escape. Wish me luck.

On The Road Again...I'm On The Road Again...

Warp speed to the southern most tip of our galaxy tomorrow morning, or at least as close to warp as my Toyota pick-up will go *:-) Fully loaded with digital learning devices, and tools to mine for digital gold. Best to keep busy in these confusing times, I believe. Dark Nebula will be in a state of frozen time until 10 a.m. Tuesday, and then some sort of thaw will begin, but we don't know how painful it will be yet.

My wife and I have been seeing some very good movies lately, and are grateful for that. Maybe the industry is being successfully infiltrated by the independents because they make money for everybody.

We wish our granddaughter a very good week *:-) Also fulfilling is the new knowledge that our youngest son and his wife are expecting a child later this year too, which along with the second child now gestating in our daughter-in-law (wife of our oldest son), means that a week ago when the whole family was here to celebrate a birthday, that 3 grandchildren were in the house! How cool is that? *:-)