The world is a beautiful place when you have a new laptop. The sea sparkles. The sun shines. And the Pacific washes up white on the beaches of northern California.
I've taken my new T42 ThinkPad down the coast to the Asilomar Conference Center in Pacific Grove for a night -- a kind of micro-vacation after a crazy three weeks of work. So far, so good.
I've got a room in a historic building designed in 1917 by Julia Morgan for the YWCA. It's got a view of the Pacific and the world's smallest bathroom. It's perfect. The grounds are gorgeous and everything smells good, like cypress and live oak. They've put boardwalks through the sand dunes, so you can walk around without squishing any native species, and trundle down to the beach to watch the sun set and dip your feet in the frigid water. There are a lot of seabirds, and people out walking with dogs of all sizes. The sand squeaks.
It's warm here, probably 70s. Kid were running around in swimsuits and shorts. Surfers were out; the swell was gianormous but breaking badly. At the end of the beach, there's a fabulous golf course -- could be Pebble Beach. With all the rain we've been getting, the hills are emerald green. That's winter in California, for you.
I'm pleased to report that the conference center has free wireless Web access, so I can surf by the fire in the lodge. Which is good because I apparently have to work tomorrow. ;-( A man has begun to play the piano. It's a very nice scene.
I'm calling this my first, and probably last, company off-site. The board is going to convene over dinner, I think, and discuss plans to get out of the freelance writing business. Sun Microsystems has a job for me, and I'm probably going to take it. I dig the company, I know I like the people, and the culture's right for me. Too bad $7 billion can't last forever. Still, it's stability, of a sort.
I haven't heard any news yet of my brother's return from Iraq, or how the elections went for him. He said in his blog that it's like preparing for a hurricane there; everything's closed down for voting day. Looks like it wasn't bloodless. Here's the CNN story -- 28 deaths, and a vote count underway.
Sunday, January 30, 2005
Thursday, January 27, 2005
confessions of a cable-jacker
OK, I steal cable. In a fit of remorse yesterday I detached the happy white line and watched (gasp) regular television. Seinfeld was on.
There are many rationalizations for receiving a service that you're not paying for, and remaining guilt-free about it. I didn't actually hook it up; a friend did. They're not losing any money on me because I wouldn't pay for it anyway. And the best one, it's not really stealing.
But is it? I put the question to five coworkers tonight and, with one exception, they said don't worry about it.* Few things in this life are free; better enjoy them when they come along. Besides, Comcast overcharges for things like hooking up each room, and they overcharge and don't live up to their special offers. 3 of 5 of us had received cable for free at some point, and none had remorse.
Maybe that's the right attitude. But there's something that doesn't feel so wholesome about it. And what's really been bugging me is how much TV I've been watching. In the last six months, I'd developed a fond relationship with season 4 of Sex in the City, Detroit Animal Cops, and Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. Sure, I don't have to go to friends houses anymore. The world just opens up right there through my television screen, with just the click of a button.
I can go home and hook up the cable again. I can call the company and find out how much basic cable costs. I can rejoin NetFlix, which is pretty fabulous, and rent all those documentaries I'd like to see, like 7 Up and all the other Ups.
Anyway, whether it's ethics or morality of just plain bad behavior, for now, the cable stay uncabled. So there. Maybe I'll sleep just a little better in my halo of goodness. At least, I'll sleep more, since there are no more bad movies to watch...
*Addendum: When I put the issue to the folks who were *working* late at the office (instead of *drinking* late) the data skewed very differently. One Good Guy even paid me a high compliment: "Well, I'm sure you meant to pay." I had to correct him. In his case, he had to convince the cable company to charge him. They came to his house, hooked up the cable, gave him the box, and left. No bill ever arrived. Every time he called to complain that he wasn't being charged, the service person told him that he wasn't a subscriber (so go away). "They made it really hard," Good Guy said. "To pay." So I dedicate this here blog entry to the folks who do the right thing, because it's the right thing to do. Last night, I surfed through all those channels of static -- and watched the local news.
There are many rationalizations for receiving a service that you're not paying for, and remaining guilt-free about it. I didn't actually hook it up; a friend did. They're not losing any money on me because I wouldn't pay for it anyway. And the best one, it's not really stealing.
But is it? I put the question to five coworkers tonight and, with one exception, they said don't worry about it.* Few things in this life are free; better enjoy them when they come along. Besides, Comcast overcharges for things like hooking up each room, and they overcharge and don't live up to their special offers. 3 of 5 of us had received cable for free at some point, and none had remorse.
Maybe that's the right attitude. But there's something that doesn't feel so wholesome about it. And what's really been bugging me is how much TV I've been watching. In the last six months, I'd developed a fond relationship with season 4 of Sex in the City, Detroit Animal Cops, and Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. Sure, I don't have to go to friends houses anymore. The world just opens up right there through my television screen, with just the click of a button.
I can go home and hook up the cable again. I can call the company and find out how much basic cable costs. I can rejoin NetFlix, which is pretty fabulous, and rent all those documentaries I'd like to see, like 7 Up and all the other Ups.
Anyway, whether it's ethics or morality of just plain bad behavior, for now, the cable stay uncabled. So there. Maybe I'll sleep just a little better in my halo of goodness. At least, I'll sleep more, since there are no more bad movies to watch...
*Addendum: When I put the issue to the folks who were *working* late at the office (instead of *drinking* late) the data skewed very differently. One Good Guy even paid me a high compliment: "Well, I'm sure you meant to pay." I had to correct him. In his case, he had to convince the cable company to charge him. They came to his house, hooked up the cable, gave him the box, and left. No bill ever arrived. Every time he called to complain that he wasn't being charged, the service person told him that he wasn't a subscriber (so go away). "They made it really hard," Good Guy said. "To pay." So I dedicate this here blog entry to the folks who do the right thing, because it's the right thing to do. Last night, I surfed through all those channels of static -- and watched the local news.
Monday, January 17, 2005
Mike in Iraq
My brother has arrived in Iraq. He's blogging and taking photos. There's a even a photo of him -- he looks a bit like an action hero in body armour. You can find all this by clicking around on the main NOLA site.
So, my employment situation is not going to change, after all. Dodged that bullet. Business is good. One of the excutives I wrote a script for last week hired me to write a white paper positioning the company's marketing plans for the next two years. It's due Thursday. They haven't sent anything yet. So it's going to be a busy week.
Turns out a guy I met through my Internet dating service is friends with someone I used to work with at WebWeek. Small world. We're all going out for a drink and to see a singer named Lhasa de Sela on Wednesday. This is the third time this has happened. Last time, a psychiatrist I met worked with my ex at SF General. It's like one degree of separation in this town. Maybe it's time to move, after all. (Kidding.)
I have begun to write fiction, thanks to new daily assignments from my life coach. More on this soon.
So, my employment situation is not going to change, after all. Dodged that bullet. Business is good. One of the excutives I wrote a script for last week hired me to write a white paper positioning the company's marketing plans for the next two years. It's due Thursday. They haven't sent anything yet. So it's going to be a busy week.
Turns out a guy I met through my Internet dating service is friends with someone I used to work with at WebWeek. Small world. We're all going out for a drink and to see a singer named Lhasa de Sela on Wednesday. This is the third time this has happened. Last time, a psychiatrist I met worked with my ex at SF General. It's like one degree of separation in this town. Maybe it's time to move, after all. (Kidding.)
I have begun to write fiction, thanks to new daily assignments from my life coach. More on this soon.
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
costa rica dreaming
My parents are going to Costa Rica in Feb. Lucky ducks. I have dreams of joining them, or at least meeting up with them for a day or two. (They're doing a resort thingie.)Flights are incredibly cheap -- less than $400 -- from SF to SJO. I could see the cloud forest, and practice my spanish. Hmmm.
It's looking less and less likely that I'll be taking a job, after all. First of all, the guy hasn't responded. Not a peep. And secondly, I'm feeling like I've dodged a bullet, which is not exactly the same feeling as disappointment. So the logical conclusion is to keep on keeping on. One of the executives I worked with yesterday is hiring me to write a brochure, so I start meeting with the big boys of solutions marketing on Friday. Should be good.
Another reason not to take a job: my client/manager/boss at Sun did something yesterday she really never does: she told me what to do. Specifically, to write another script by noon today. I was thinking about this, when I got up at 9am, lingered over coffee, and got in at 11am. I don't take direction well. Still, the script got done on time.
Lots of people are leaving SF. Three members of my book club headed to points east. For jobs, relationships. Today we had a going away lunch for S in the office, who's going to school in LA this spring. She wants to be an actress. I say, good on ya.
The rain has stopped for now, so SF is looking like a nice place to be. Chilly, but sunny, and blue sky and calm rippling bay and lots of good eats. There are worst places to be. Like Iraq.
It's looking less and less likely that I'll be taking a job, after all. First of all, the guy hasn't responded. Not a peep. And secondly, I'm feeling like I've dodged a bullet, which is not exactly the same feeling as disappointment. So the logical conclusion is to keep on keeping on. One of the executives I worked with yesterday is hiring me to write a brochure, so I start meeting with the big boys of solutions marketing on Friday. Should be good.
Another reason not to take a job: my client/manager/boss at Sun did something yesterday she really never does: she told me what to do. Specifically, to write another script by noon today. I was thinking about this, when I got up at 9am, lingered over coffee, and got in at 11am. I don't take direction well. Still, the script got done on time.
Lots of people are leaving SF. Three members of my book club headed to points east. For jobs, relationships. Today we had a going away lunch for S in the office, who's going to school in LA this spring. She wants to be an actress. I say, good on ya.
The rain has stopped for now, so SF is looking like a nice place to be. Chilly, but sunny, and blue sky and calm rippling bay and lots of good eats. There are worst places to be. Like Iraq.
Sunday, January 09, 2005
headed to the middle east
My brother M left for Iraq on Friday. He should have arrived by now. His photos will appear on this New Orleans
news site.
The last the family heard M was in a nice hotel in Kuwait, sleep-deprived and awaiting deployment with the Louisiana National Guard. So far, the only dangerous encounter has been with the Lufthansa stewardresses, who ran loaded beverage carts into his person. Poor M.
I have now had two evenings of drinking in 2005. Went to a fun party of older adults with my friends S and M on Saturday night. Someone told a story about putting Depends on their dog. Someone else talked about going through customs afraid their fake Rolex would land them in trouble. Strange, someone else told me the exact same story earlier in the day, about being accused of dealing drugs in Thailand. Oops.
Anyway the pate was good. Even though S won't eat it, and never has. ("Do you know what they do to those poor geese?") Mmm, liver.
My life is work. I am writing scripts again, which is actually pretty fun. Better if it weren't on a Sunday night. Then again, Friday afternoon was sortof like a whole day off.
I tried to accept the Autodesk job -- a chance to learn new skills and manage people and all that -- but the nice man hasn't taken the time to respond, so it's up in the air still. In the meantime, my office rent is due, so I think I'll see the month out, at least.
A super social weekend. Saw someone's fat new baby. Ate too much ice cream. Swam, made shrimp salad for the first time, and changed my sheets. Next stop: laundromat.
news site.
The last the family heard M was in a nice hotel in Kuwait, sleep-deprived and awaiting deployment with the Louisiana National Guard. So far, the only dangerous encounter has been with the Lufthansa stewardresses, who ran loaded beverage carts into his person. Poor M.
I have now had two evenings of drinking in 2005. Went to a fun party of older adults with my friends S and M on Saturday night. Someone told a story about putting Depends on their dog. Someone else talked about going through customs afraid their fake Rolex would land them in trouble. Strange, someone else told me the exact same story earlier in the day, about being accused of dealing drugs in Thailand. Oops.
Anyway the pate was good. Even though S won't eat it, and never has. ("Do you know what they do to those poor geese?") Mmm, liver.
My life is work. I am writing scripts again, which is actually pretty fun. Better if it weren't on a Sunday night. Then again, Friday afternoon was sortof like a whole day off.
I tried to accept the Autodesk job -- a chance to learn new skills and manage people and all that -- but the nice man hasn't taken the time to respond, so it's up in the air still. In the meantime, my office rent is due, so I think I'll see the month out, at least.
A super social weekend. Saw someone's fat new baby. Ate too much ice cream. Swam, made shrimp salad for the first time, and changed my sheets. Next stop: laundromat.
Friday, January 07, 2005
really a lot of whisky
It's Friday and folks here at Huntsman AG are celebrating with an Irish cultural appreciation Happy Hour. Read: 4 Irish coffees and I'm ready (sortof) to take the bus home.
My life is complicated. I emailed the nice man at Autodesk on Tuesday (TUESDAY!) that yes, please, I'd like to take a job with him, and heard back... nothing. It's very frustrating. I know he's wildly busy. But STILL.
Work at Sun is going great guns, so there's nothing to worry about there. OK, it's chaotic and nutty, but it's keeping me in cashmere sweaters and zippy new hair-dos. (Dang, do I ever look cute.) Hmm. Maybe I'll go shoe shopping.
Yet another wild Friday night in SF...
OO,
Judy
My life is complicated. I emailed the nice man at Autodesk on Tuesday (TUESDAY!) that yes, please, I'd like to take a job with him, and heard back... nothing. It's very frustrating. I know he's wildly busy. But STILL.
Work at Sun is going great guns, so there's nothing to worry about there. OK, it's chaotic and nutty, but it's keeping me in cashmere sweaters and zippy new hair-dos. (Dang, do I ever look cute.) Hmm. Maybe I'll go shoe shopping.
Yet another wild Friday night in SF...
OO,
Judy
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