Coming closer to the big 1-0-0!

I'm looking at the counter for the number of posts I have on here. It's currently in the 90's! Soon, I will be putting the 100th post up. Hard to believe.

To all of you who have been following my ranting and raving about nothing of import, thank you.

Now, on to the meat of this entry:

My new computer should be here soon. I didn't really need one, but some things came up and here's how the story goes. Mom and Dad have an older system that until now, suited their needs. It was a touch slow, but they weren't doing any power gaming or anything. BUT, over the last couple months it's failed in some way or another two or three times. I'm brought it back from the dead each time, but I feel like I'm playing Jenga. Every time it's brought back up, it's less stable.

Finally, I decided to give them this computer, and I will get a new one using the computer purchase program through my workplace. Nicely enough, I can get a top of the line system that will serve me for a couple years before I need to look at upgrades. To top it all off, I have a beta copy of Windows 7 that I want to try.

So when the computer gets here (hopefully today!) I can put it together, and then install the beta windows for a test run. Mom and Dad will have a more modern computer that is dependable, and we both won't have to worry about when the tower will crash.

On a side note, Mom should be home soon, probably today. The hospital she's staying in has a bad Norwalk epidemic running through it. They are shutting down the cardiac unit and want her to leave before she gets it. So does she. It's a little early for discharge, but the other option is a very, very sick person with recent heart surgery. Not much of a choice.

Day of Sleepwalking

The past couple weeks have been tough. I'm just finishing up my month of evening shifts, and now I'm trying to move my sleep schedule back a bit in preperation of going to a day shift. I feel like crap.

All I want to do is go back to sleep, but I can't do that because it will screw up my sleeping schedule tonight. I feel awful because I can't think straight for more than a few minutes at a time, and that pretty much rules out any of the hobbies and things I like to do in my spare time.

Just now I caught myself staring at the computer screen and floating around in La-La land.

Ever since they changed a couple of the priorities at work, the schedules have been screwy. I really hope they figure it out soon. To top it all off, haven't really had more than a single day off at a time for months, aside from Christmas.

We just had some Full time positions come up at work. Seems I wasn't high enough on the seniority pole to get one of them. Now I seem to be the ONLY part time business queue worker in our department. That means I get called for all the crappy shifts too. Yay. I swear if any of the full time workers complain to the manager about a weekend shift they have to work, I'm going to send a blast of shit their way that will make Armageddon look like a play date. What would they prefer? I already work all weekends and evenings. Perhaps another 40 hours a week of overtime so they can sit at home with their family?

I haven't been able to go and see my mother in the hospital for several days now and won't get to for a few more because of this crappy schedule. I'm in a rotten mood, and I almost want one of them to say something so I can unload...

Introspection

Things are going well. My loved one came through the surgery ok. I'm off to visit later today as I was unable to talk to them yesterday. Sorry that I don't expand on this, but I don't feel comfortable discussing it right now.

On another topic, I've been thinking about where things are going in my life. I enjoy my job, I have good friends, and no wife or kids. Hmm... Something missing there... I'm not sure why I don't really enjoy social outings. I'm uncomfortable, feel detached from the other people who are enjoying the time, and often are thinking about how soon I can escape. Some of it comes form being shy, but I know I can function in situations like that. My last job and current one requires me to speak to people I don't know and interact with them on a personal level. I get along fine, and have few problems.

What is it that make me feel more comfortable in the quiet of my house? I'm not agoraphobic. Actually I am claustrophobic to a degree (mostly things like going into small caves and culverts give me the willies) so it's not that. I enjoy the company of friends. I also enjoy quiet time. Some people need to have a tv or radio on in the background because the quiete bothers them. Not me. If I'm not watching or listening to it, I turn it off. Kind of annoys me actually.

I recently did a Myers-Briggs personality test and the reults was the same as one I took several years ago. I'm a Mastermind (INTJ) personality type. If you're interested in finding out your personality, check out this link. (Just a warning: this is a simple online test. It may not be very accurate. If you are truly serious about it, go to the Myers Brigg Foundation website and pay for one of their intensive tests. Well worth the time and money if you want to learn more about yourself and why you make the decisions you do.)

Masterminds are notorious for having poor love lives. It seems I'm living proof of it. As you read through the link I pasted in above, remember that this person is relating almost exactly how I think. It gave me shivers when I first read it. I could associate a lot of things I had done and why I had done them both in my personal life and work life.

Some of the things that jump out at me:

• "Masterminds do not feel bound by established rules and procedures, and traditional authority does not impress them, nor do slogans or catchwords." I've always had a thing against people who are in authority who are poorly suited to the job. And trust me, I've met lots. On the other side of the coin, the people who are good quickly earn my respect and cooperation.
• "Although they are highly capable leaders, Masterminds are not at all eager to take command, preferring to stay in the background until others demonstrate their inability to lead. Once they take charge, however, they are thoroughgoing pragmatists." Yup, done that a few times also.
• "Personal relationships, particularly romantic ones, can be the INTJ's Achilles heel. While they are capable of caring deeply for others (usually a select few), and are willing to spend a great deal of time and effort on a relationship, the knowledge and self-confidence that make them so successful in other areas can suddenly abandon or mislead them in interpersonal situations.
  This happens in part because many INTJs do not readily grasp the social rituals; for instance, they tend to have little patience and less understanding of such things as small talk and flirtation (which most types consider half the fun of a relationship). To complicate matters, INTJs are usually extremely private people, and can often be naturally impassive as well, which makes them easy to misread and misunderstand."

That last point is hitting a little close to home. Pretty much explains the stuff I said about leaving social situations when I can. I'll have to work at it some more. I like who I am, but there are a few things I would like to change, just a little bit.

What's Happening...

Just a quick note....

Got a lot on my mind right now. New manager at work, tons of things that need to be done at home, a deluge of computers to repair, a website to build, and last but most important: A loved one is going for major surgery.

Everything else drops from my mind when I think about that. I'm worried. A lot.

I'll post again when I can keep my mind straight.

Review: Dr. Horrible's Sing-along Blog

Wow. Two posts in one day?! What's going on?

I just had to put something up about this web show I saw today. A coworker was telling me about it on Tuesday. He's put me on to a few good shows, so I went ahead and downloaded it. Amazing. All I can say is it was one of the most entertaining things I have seen for a while now.

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog was produced during the 2008 writer's strike. Written and Directed by Joss Whedon, it portrays the video blog of an aspiring Evil Genius. Free to watch in the United States on the website, we Canadians can view the videos on YouTube with a bit of searching:


Act I, Part I

Act I, Part II

Act II

Act III, Part I

Act III, Part II


I definitely suggest purchasing this video. We need to support stuff like this. I would love to see some more of the series, specifically as a web release. Show people the content, and they will pay for DVD's. I will be getting this one with my next Amazon order!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

Out with 2008, and in with 2009. While most people like to make resolutions about what they will do in the new year, I prefer to look back at what I managed to complete over the past year. Seeing as only 12% of resolutions actually are completed, this makes more sense to me...

1. I put a new roof on the house. The roof has needed some attention for a few years, but I had to keep putting it off as I couldn't afford it.

2. A new furnace was installed. The old furnace was almost 30 years old, and sucked gas as fast as it could. With rising prices, and the risk of killing all of us in the house with Carbon Monoxide, I made sure to get this done.

3. The basement bathroom and office was completed. This opened up a few hundred feet of living space for us to use. While they need a few last touches (I'm procrastinating), they are usable, and comfortable.

4. I've completely assimilated into the new workplace. My job is enjoyable, and the people I work with are amazing. I only wish I had applied there a couple years ago when the stress levels were peaking at the old job.

5. I had a vacation in Mexico. This is the absolute furthest away from home I have ever been. It was a great time, and whetted my appetite for more travel. Actually, we are currently trying to figure out somewhere to go in the upcoming year. Dominican Republic? Cuba?

6. And finally, but not least: I've managed to keep this blog updated. If anyone knows me, they know I will start a project, get three quarters finished, and lose interest in it. I've been able to keep my interest in this blog going without it feeling like a chore. Hopefully, without making myself any promises, I can get more readers in the new year!