heslin.org

Less reliable than the post

heslin — Sun, 16 Feb 2010 17:16:56 -0500

So, I'm home early today. That would be nice if it wasn't because my project ended. That is the reason, though, so it's a trifle disappointing. I have some irons in the fire, though, so fear not. I will use this time off to clean and organize and throw things out and possibly travel. Let's hope there's travel.

What is up? I have a new chair. It is very nice and I am very grateful for it. I worry that it is too nice, however, in that I come home, sit in the chair, and get out of the chair when it's time for bed. That's time in chair = time spent awake at home. Until I have a seven foot couch, though, that'll work out just fine, I think.

HOWEVER! Gamburg's Furniture of Hatboro, PA, source of my nice chair, proves themselves worthless and weak in the area of customer service and basic common sense. If shopping at Gamburg's, impress upon your salesperson that they have schmucks and morons in their warehouse, and they should be monitored closely to prevent them from ruining the day and disposition of you, the customer. In fact, tell the salesperson that they themselves bear some of this burden, and unless they apologize immediately, walk out while giving them the finger over your shoulder. Do this in memory of me.

Aunt Patti came to visit, which she never does. It was great to see her.

Now that I have some time off, I'm going up to Long Island and see this Hofstra place. Let me know if you need anything.

--5:12 PM, EST, Hatboro, PA, this romantic ideal has a lonely appeal

Well I'm luck I don't have all the power in the world

heslin — Sun, 29 Jan 2010 19:38:06 -0500

This monthly updating stuff has got to stop.

Really, is it even a journal if you don't write in it?

Okay, so yeah, and then, stuff. Let me hit some items. In no particular.

1. I got a wireless keyboard, mouse, and speaker set for my laptop, which is now semi-permanently plugged into my TV. I believe doing so is killing my eyes, so I may switch back to simple monitor use at some point. You would think that having great big screen and big resolution would be easier on the eyes than sitting close and peering at a littler display. Maybe not.

2. Nothing I write lately stays. What I mean by that is that I write something on Facebook, on Twitter, or think of something to post here, and almost immediately decide not to. I quickly decide it's thoughtless or someone will take it the wrong way, or that there's no value to whatever it is I'm writing. I'm actively trying to reverse this, so if you see anything that's truly inappropriate or crosses lines, it's probably overcompensation and I apologize.

3. Work. I am working. However, shortly after I posted that last entry, we all got fired. In exactly the manner in which we were assured, earlier that week, that we would not be fired. I spent a few weeks unemployed, and then got called back on another project (same firm). Then that project failed to happen, and I spent a few more weeks unemployed. Then it eventually happened, and that where I am now.

4. There is no number 4.

5. Carrie and Mikey got engaged!

6. I main tanked Sapphiron. I am teh 1337 WoW pwnz04.

7. I will be taking the Foreign Service Officer Test in March. This is a standardized test designed to check you for a couple of different disciplines required of State Department employees serving in consulates abroad. If I pass, I'll be invited to interview in a complicated all-day test / simulation / argument thing. The pass rate for that section is under 30% or something. I've been doing a lot of preparatory reading on the process. Please cross your fingers for me in March, and I'll let you know if any additional finger-crossing will be required.

8. I'm watching "Space: Above and Beyond," which is pretty much as good as I remember.

--7:34 PM, EDT, Hatboro, PA, innocence and arrogance entwined

The Beatles and time travel

heslin — Sun, 16 Dec 2009 00:01:03 -0500

So, at my project, we've been expecting the axe to fall for some time now. We were told the project would last through X date, and X date had already passed. 24 of 34 people on the project were let go. The amount of available work has been dwindling. It would follow that we will soon be looking for work again.

Somehow, that didn't happen. There's some administrative tomfoolery happening, but it's not going affect us immediately. The associate in charge of our project met with us today, and instead of firing everyone, told us all that we could keep working regardless of all the above reasons to end the project. It'll end, but not for a few months, and probably with a break around Christmas, but at the moment our orders are to keep plugging away. The weird thing seems to be that the attorneys in charge might change, but our project staff (the temp attorneys) won't.

It was a nice surprise, and something that had never happened to anyone on our project. The possibility exists that we won't get picked back up when the project resumes, but it seems like it would be an outside chance. This could work out very nicely.

I should really get some Christmas shopping done.

--11:47 PM, EST, Hatboro, PA, garlic bread is bad for you!?

This minute, this last minute

heslin — Sun, 11 Dec 2009 14:38:58 -0500

I should have posted this a month ago, but I didn't.

If you don't know what I'd like for Christmas, it's okay. You don't have to get me anything. But if the prospect of that is more horrible to you than the alternative, here are some notions:

_The Years of Rice and Salt_, by Kim Stanley Robinson. Ideally, the oversized paperback edition.

_Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell_, by some author I can't think of right now.

Akira Kurosawa's _Seven Samurai_ on DVD. Or possibly the Kurosawa greatest hits boxed set if the price is reasonable. I think it's got Seven Samurai, Rashomon, Hidden Fortress and one other film. Ran?

Kevin Smith on DVD, most especially _Chasing Amy_. Mallrats and Dogma, sure. The three "Evenings With Kevin Smith." Probably not "Jersey Girl." I already own both Clerks and Clerks 2, and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.

_Things To Do In Denver When You're Dead_ on DVD.

The first trade paperback volume of "The Incredible Herc(ules)", "Agents of ATLAS", or "Captain Britain and MI13".

Feel free to consult me directly if none of the above suggestions holds any water with you. Feel free to share suggestions of your own for what you would like to receive this holiday season, or network same.

This has been a test of the Procrastinated Holiday Alert System. This is only a test.

--2:36 PM, EST, Philadelphia, PA, Christmas time is here

Broken on the wheel

heslin — Sun, 8 Dec 2009 10:27:29 -0500

I'm in the office. People are talking about how much money one should spend for Christmas on their children. There is a great deal of outrage and disdain regarding excess and overspending. As much as I agree with them, I can't really get down with judging others based on the dollar values they spend on their children.

And Lord have mercy it has been a long time since I added anything to this page. I apologize. There's been a lot of mean-spirited content that I've consciously not posted, so as to maintain my semi-angelic image with a number of you. The thing about stupid people on the train, John Gabriel's Greater Internet Dickwad Theory, the worthlessness of Facebook-based games... It's been negative, overall. Which is not to suggest that my attitude regarding these last weeks has been negative. Far from it.

It's been getting cold, which you must know by now, I enjoy. I had a month of wearing the Sam Spade / McGruff the Crime Dog tan trenchcoat, which is a good look and garnered lots of compliments from the ladies. But the first snow has fallen and the temperatures are near freezing on a regular basis, so it's time for the black winter coat - the coat that makes all the ladies come back screaming "IMP! IMP!" Wait. That's not right at all. It's a very nice coat, though. It was a gift.

I turned 35 in November. I tried to celebrate with all my friends in Atlantic City (I've been reading Azzarello and Risso's "100 Bullets" and there's a lot of AC in there) but only one showed up: Kristy, you're officially my favorite. As a reward, I worked it so you get a house. I promise to visit soon.

The work has kept up, so I'm still on the job; this is good and bad, in various points-of-view. It's good because I'm working, I have something to do, I have income, and that's all great. It's bad because they told us we would be working until late November, and since we've already exceeded that deadline, they could conceivably fire us at any time. And I can't really plan anything for "after the project" if I don't know when the project is ending. There are worse problems to have, I suppose.

Justin defeated the forces of bureaucracy and immigration and is now married. Gergana is a lovely young woman who I look forward to seeing again, maybe sometime when it isn't her wedding day. It was a good day, and it was nice to have the reception at stately Fraser Manor. Also nice to see all my friends, all together in one place.

I've begun raiding in WoW. This represents a small time commitment and a large nerd commitment. Let me know what kind of tank gear you think I should be chasing, or if the preceding statement made no sense at all, feel free to ignore it, confident in the knowledge that I am a bigger geek than you are.

Baking a pie next week. Taking required courses to keep my law license current. Talking about D&D and Exalted. I apologize in advance if there's another month long gap in correspondence.

--10:24 AM, EST, Philadelphia, PA, I see you come in here, drinking that cheap beer