Objects in Motion. Heavy Objects.

Well the move is done, save the cleaning. The old place needs to be scrubbed a bit more, but I was too damned tired to finish. The new place needs a good scrub as well. The previous tenants went from "out a week before hand" to "we don't wanna go!". Still, my land-lady gave 'em the bum rush. I just have to clean up a bit.

Thanks great and large go to Capa, London Bridge and Medium Dave. They actually made the move fun. Food and drinks after was a blast as well.

It's so quiet here. Almost no street noise and no street "people". I don't know if I can get used to this. Wait, yes I do.

Anyways, short post as I'm am in rough shape. At least there was no snow this time around.

Prozac?

Okay yesterday's post is a bit harsh. I kind of figured out today that nobody where I work has done enterprise level software, including the architect (hoo-boy...). My assumption was they have had at least a taste of it.

I have my work cut out for me.

And of course, what did I say the other day? That the only thing that could go wrong would be my truck rental? Am I psychic or what?

I called U-haul to confirm my truck reservation. They still had my reservation and then told me that I can only have the truck until three in the afternoon. I can't move into my new place until 5:30 that day. I've called my new landlady to see if I could move up the time, but I haven't heard back.

Go Google "Uhaul sucks". I am not alone.

So for those who are helping me out, I'm not sure what time we'll be done. There may be a good 3 hour stretch where I'm guarding all of my belongings sitting on a sidewalk.

Love moving....

Update: My new land-lady, I mean building manager has allowed me to move in to the new place Friday afternoon. I'm not used to having a building manager who is sympathetic, kind and willing to out of her way to help.

Have I mentioned that she is cute? She is cute.

To Quote Han Solo...

... ahhhh, you know how it goes.

The new job is starting to be, well, annoying. Maybe that's not the right word.

As reported earlier, the guy who hired me quit about a month after I started. Which means he submitted his resignation two weeks after I started. Which means he was already thinking very, very hard about leaving when he hired me.

But with this market, it happens. So if everything else is okay, it's just a blip on the radar.

That's not the only contact on the screen though.

Since I started, most of my team has either been on vacation, away on training or both: so trying to implement team-wide changes tends to be difficult when you can't get them in the same room. As holiday season closes with the long weekend, this shouldn't be a problem anymore. But I've already seen that a healthy work ethic is ... I won't say absent, but it ain't doin' too hot.

When trying to implement the smallest of changes (say, for example, that I want a chance to review all service tickets before they are closed to get an idea on how much and what we do for maintenance) it took about three weeks before I was getting over 50% of them.

Don't get me started about trying to get them to report their time on a weekly basis.

Today raised a huge red flag: a big project I got dumped on me had to be architected, as the newly appointed architect was away on afore-mentioned training and holiday. It's pretty basic stuff: abstraction of the interfaces to a third party provider.

One of the developers (the one I know is going to be a continual source of resistance) didn't understand why I designed it this way. So I explained it.

When I got back from interviewing a guy who had no business calling himself a software developer, I found the member of my team with the questions asking the architect on why it's being done this way. After it was agreed that we were doing this way. And not just "agree-to-disagree". The developer did say that advice from the architect was needed, and I agreed to that. I had thought that it would happen when I was actually present.

At first, the architect defended the design, agreeing that a level of abstraction was required. The developer persisted and under an onslaught of pestering, the architect relented and said he'd think about it. The really annoying thing is that the developer is really good technically at a code level, but a severe lack of understanding of building enterprise-level applications is pretty much pervasive in the team.

Does not bode well. And something tells me I shouldn't be publishing this.

But then again the three-month probationary period works both way, and we're half way through. I don't particularly like the idea of starting the job hunt all over again. If I learned one thing from my last place of employment though, it's that you need to look after your own damn self.

A bit mercenary, but so was our dear captain of the Millennium Falcon.

Hate. Moving.

So I'm mostly packed up. Except for one each of: bowl, spoon, knife, fork, plate, frying pan, sauce pot, coffee mug, tiki mug in the kitchen and clothing for the week.

And some other stuff, like the bathroom in it's entirety. And my DvDs are in boxes, which I've dug through twice to find "The Beastmaster". And Akira Kurosawa collections.

Oh! And my computer of course.

One ray of sunshine: the landlord wants to do the walk through on Saturday evening, so i have a whole day to clean.

Now I just have to confirm my truck reservation; it's the only thing stopping me now! That and snow. Or getting hospitalized for some reason.

hate. moving.

Load 'Em Up, Move 'Em Out!

Little bro' is now in his dinky little rented room, which means I have the place to myself. But no wild parties: it's packing time!

For the past week I've been going though the accumulated detritus of the last year. I haven't accumulated all that much within that time, but the monstrous baggage of being an alpha-geek (okay, maybe a theta-geek) mounts up.

The famous Lego collection is still intact, with a few additions in the past little while. My DvD collection has doubled in the past few months due to some wonderful discoveries in the bargain bins. I've moved on to my third comic-book box (although I will be doing a purge of that in the new place). Surprisingly, my computer game collection has barely expanded at all. In fact after today it will shrink by quite a bit.

All in all, the "toys" will account for about half the boxes to be moved this Friday.

It's kind of odd though. I seem to have hit a kind of glass-ceiling when it comes to this stuff. I don't own a stereo, my TV is neither Hi-Def nor flat screened, and I have not acquired a "next-gen" console. All because of having little room to move. Or rather too much to move into a little space.

I'm not quite sure how I feel about that. On the one hand, having those things would be "nice to have" but I don't feel the drive or urge to get them now, now, now! On the other there's a part of me that wants to get stuff that may (despite evidence to the contrary) give the appearance of "grown-up". Nice furniture, dishes and cutlery that matches, knick-knacks that aren't half-naked characters from Japanese manga, that sort of thing.

But there's no real pressing need.

Maybe somewhere, deep in the cockles, I really believe the mantra from "Fight Club": that the things you own end up owning you. So I'm owned by books, Lego, comic books and computer games. Better than being owned by Ikea and Best Buy. Or gods forbid Walmart and Costco.

Today I'm packing up what I have, and Friday I'm moving it to a place where I will be (I'm hoping for over nine months this time). Inventories (physical and spiritual) will be taken at that time.

Anyone got any packing tape?

So it Goes

They say you shouldn't drink and email so drinking and blogging is probably a mortal sin. Or maybe just a venal sin, I'm kinda outta touch with being Catholic thing.

Got acosted by Mormons today. They asked me if I had found God and so I told him I didn't even know he was missing. Smoking a turd in hell for that one I'm sure, but it may have been worth the look on the self-rightous prigs face.

I have good friends. That's nice to know. they get you drunk, drive you home and then help you move! God (who is purely fictional) bless 'em.

I'm single. Sucks. I think I'll learn how to ride a motorcycle. That's probably a sign my miid-life crisis is kicking in. What the hell though.

Work, move, whine, whinge yadda yadda yadda. Typical blog stuff.

Dammit.

Hey, for all you out there who I've been friends with and have been a jerk, sorry.

Ah, apparently I have achieved "maudlin" in the inebriated stages. So it goes. Moving little bro' out tomorrow. then on Friday after a my on move I'll have my own place again. That's great but there's a little part of me that's going to be lonely again. But then I think of my Lego and I feel much better.

Right, may be why I'm single. I'm me as much as I can be and so life goes on and yadda yadda yadda once again.

Yes I miss Laroo. But so it goes. All the best and all that. It happens.

I have good friends, even though I may not appreciate them at times. Thanks again.

I dream of a quiet beach, a lover who can love my very soul and good food. anything else is just so much stuff.

Good night sweet internet! may have a slight headache and nausea on the morrow. What we partake of in the solarian descent rises as the sun, bright, shining and merciless. But the warmth goes deep and wakes the breath of hope.

Whoops, damn English degree.

Life is About Boxes

Since the move is still two weeks away, packing seems a bit premature. But what I have started is the purge. You know, where you go through your stuff, toss what you don't need, haven't used or can't identify.

So far, one defunct and stripped computer, one defunct Playstation 2, one defunct original Playstation, a bunch of game boxes (empty because they were expansions I managed to incorporate into the original game box) some programming books from 1991 and various junk.

Tomorrow, I start purging my desk (who really needs fifty pads of sticky notes?) and all the old wiring, computer cards a sundry electronics that I've accumulated in the past decade. And the old computer games I've been clinging on to for gods know how long. but the 5.25" disks are so retro!

Thursday? Old clothes. I did a pretty good purge last November but there's always more to go. Somewhere along the line I became a clothes horse. Obviously in terms of quantity not quality. I really don't need fifty pairs of white socks. Although that can be blamed on unoriginal parents when it comes to Christmas gifts.

So little bro' moves out this weekend. After that's done, I begin boxing everything up and putting into the vacant room. It shouldn't take me more than three nights. then cleaning.

I. hate. moving. Little bro' owes me big time.

Did I mention I had a job interview today? I had a job interview today. i didn't even apply for it: one of my old managers is pretty high up the chain at this place and my name came up as a Data Warehouse Architect. Not bad.

It's a pretty shitting thing to do though: start at a company and leave after two months. But this would be an upwardly mobile opportunity (i.e. mo' moolah) and I wouldn't consider it if it were just a lateral shift.

I think I did okay in the interview considering I've been out of the whole BI biz for a couple of years. The manager who interviewed me seemed to think I would be a good fit elsewhere. I know for a fact that there is an application data architect position open there as well. So we'll see how it goes.

Whalp, an hour before bed. Game time! not that there's anything to actually play lately...

Tiny Update

Not much going on: the job is progressing (wasn't a bad week) but I have another job interview set up for Monday. It came out of the blue, from an old associate of mine. May prove interesting. I normally wouldn't consider it, but it would be a helluva step up career-wise.

Going to friend's fortieth B-day bash tonight, so a hangover tomorrow is almost a certainly. At least if I have anything to say about.

After that, the packing begins! We got a pallet of boxes delivered yesterday, so books start going into boxes tomorrow. Probably be all I'm capable of.

Actually, I've been holding off on getting Guitar Hero Encore; Rocks the 80's because I know I wouldn't get anything done in the next couple of weeks. Besides, I started getting into the "hard" levels this week. My hand hurts. And not because I'm single.

Yes, I went there. Livin' the rock-and-roll lifestyle! Middle age version.

Laroo

A couple of days ago, Laroo broke up with me. Yeah.

The reasons are, well, her reasons. I can understand them but naturally, as the dumpee, you question what's behind them: what could I have done/not done? was it inevitable or is there something wrong with the way I'm wired? You know, typically sad self-pitying schtick.

Regardless, it's over.

Even though we only went out for eight months (or is it seven? neither of us are good at calendar math) it was the best time with a significant other I've had. She's smart, funny, honest, caring loves animals, hates morons and her smile made my heart leap every time I saw it.

So Laroo, if you're reading this, I really hope you find what you are looking for. Know that you are not just strong but have a lot to offer. I'm going to miss you a lot. And all that other stuff I said. I wish things could have worked out differently.

You made this geek happy. And I'll always remember that.

That's Interesting

The guy who hired me - my new boss - quit last week. He's done at the end of next week. To quote Han Solo (esq.): "I've got a bad feeling about this".

That's all really. Laroo is jet-lagged and has a summer cold, yet she managed to rip her upstairs bathroom apart all by her lonesome (except for some help with the sink from a neighbor. On purpose for redecorating. No I didn't do anything that bad. She's an unstoppable force when riled, whereas I'm an immovable object.

I also have been worrying about retirement. If I put away $10,000 per year, with a return rate of 5% I'll be able to retire when I'm 75. And that's not counting inflation. More reason to "spend it while you can".

Little Bro and mah-sel' is goin' ta Vegas fer Christmas!

Not much more than that I'm afraid. Updates as events warrant (and Ted Koppel is notified).

A Job Half Done

Well, I found a place.

About $200 a month more than I wanted to spend (actually, about $600, but rents have gone up). The location is good, it's a decent size and it's in a quiet neighborhood. And surprising it's one of two places I saw today that were tolerable. What won out was the aforementioned quietness, and also the layout of the apartment: There's a "dining room" that I can use as an office area. The kitchen is tiny but you don't need much room for Kraft Dinner.

So the next step is to actually figure out how to get from here to there. I'll find out Monday when the current residents will be gone: I hope it's before the 1st, maybe I can hire movers.

One (not surprising) came out of the various conversations with building managers: they're having a hard time renting out one-bedrooms. I heard that out of ten applications, only one or two qualify (something about not spending more than 1/3 of income on rent). And that was from more than one landlord. Can't say I feel much pity, but I can hope that rents will settle down a bit. What with what's happening with house prices down south, interest rates going up and the market actually slowing down (it may not seem like it, but those who can buy have bought).

I saw plenty of For Sale signs in the past few days. And it seems like they aren't going anywhere.

And joy of joys, Laroo (my sweet Laroo) will be back tomorrow. She'll be jetlagged, hungry and sorely missing her puppy (no, not me) but I don't care :)

Yay!

Now, I'm going to enjoy the rest of my day reading comics, watching 300 and playing games. After that, I need to pack.

And the Hits Just Keep On Coming...

I'll make this quick, as I am now seething with rage.

Yesterday had two odd moments. First I stop off at the grocery store across the street from my new place of employment and check some old lottery tickets. The guy behind the counter shows me a "result receipt" he obviously just pulled off the counter beside him, he didn't even run it through the machine. After I get him to try again (and yes, his ass has been reported, it gets better) it says my ticket is worth 20 bucks. So yay!

He doesn't believe I have a legit ticket. So he tries calling the local lottery office and is on hold for twenty minutes. During my 30 minute lunch break. He finally gets through, I get my $20, he gets reported.

Fuck-wad.

Second was an odd moment on the way home from work. A very good looking young woman is pouring out tears whilst sitting on the stoop of what I assume was her apartment building. She was dressed in a very nice outfit that looked formal (who goes to something formal in the middle of a Thursday?). Anyways, she's sobbing to her friend on her cell, quite loudly. She's pregnant, her boyfriend isn't home, and her friend, Angel, needs to tell her what to do.

Awkward walking by that.

Then there's the hunt for new apartment, which has made me want to hunt landlords with a rusty spear. $1650 per month for a "two bedroom". You couldn't fit a queen size in the master bedroom and the second was (and I have the floor plan to prove it) nine feet by seven feet. And they wanted to charge me a non-refundable deposit (which in layman's terms is a fee, but apparently not in the eyes of the law) of seventy-five buck to fill out the application form.

So I'm getting a cheap, tiny apartment for a year. If this stupid housing situation doesn't burst by then, I'm buying. In Toronto. Or Kelowna.

I'm beginning to hate this burg....


Job's okay, marketing people need to be kept on a short, tight leash and Laroo still ain't back.