The reason...

Tim, is there a reason there is a lot of suckage within these confineds?

Probably, because the way I see my life there tends to be a lot of suckage which I can change but I choose not to.

But I hope that there really is some deeper meaning to it. Riding on a Ghost Train.

edit - I really don't believe this to be true. I just like using the word 'suckage'

finished -

4:35am - it's getting lighter outside.

also up at four

the plan continued, some more...

It's past two o'clock, I'm not finished.

I have everything printed and cut and laminated. I just have to put the tabs on the index pages. I have one set done, nine to go.

I think there is a chance I'll be done at three.

the plan continued...

I have all the stuff in hand. It's 11:51pm. I still think I am screwed. If I get done by 2:00AM I'll be happy.

I've finished hand embossing the covers, I have to do the cutout (window), and the covers will be done. The cutouts are easy.

The tabbed index pages will take some doing. The tabs are riveted onto a clear page with unique pictures on each tab page. There are seven tabs. There are ten presentations. There are two rivets to each tab. If my math is correct that's 140 rivets. Who was the jackass that suggested rivets?

The riveted tab does look sweet, though.

The Plan...

The plan was to have stuff in hand when I arrived after the day job about 5:15pm. The plan when awry when after the day job I didn't have stuff in hand. But I had things I could do, like sent the mortgage payment overnight and get something from the store I needed for the project. I had those things completed at about 6:30pm. Still nothing in hand. But someone else dear to my heart starts talking to me about some layout that Alice wants by tomorrow. I'm thinking folks best get to cracking. Also thinking I'm glad I don't have to worry about it. Then I get so and so said you could help.

There was this pause that seemed to go on for days.

I have until 7:00am tomorrow to get all the stuff done. I have nothing in hand and now I have a new half page ad layout with five photos that need to be placed along with 1500 words for text.

I did a mock layout which will last until I can do a better job.

I get a call to meet somewhere to get stuff in hand. I go there and get just a little bit of stuff. The rest will follow. It is now 10:11PM.

I think I am screwed. I tell someone "I'm screwed. You know that don't ya".

I'll let you know how it goes.

Oh, also someone needs a check so I have to do that as well.

seven bucks, big deal...

The bar is slow today ...hmmm, maybe I do have a problem, anyway it's slow. I'm there with thee other guys, solo, solo, pair. I'm a solo. I don't feel like eating, I don't really feel like drinking, so the tip will be huge (relatively, proportionally). 233 percent - sounds impressive but it only costs me seven bucks.

The barkeep is commenting about a rush of people that she wishes would come in, I say I just increased your customers by 33 percent. She didn't seem too impressed.

Hamming Cheese...

I know fantastical isn't a word. I first coined it when I was talking about the author Dean Koontz. I forget the book title but I enjoyed his character development and his writing style but then at the end, I just thought it was too fantastic to be true. Fantastic as 'based on or existing only in fantasy; unreal'. But fantastic didn't seem to instill that too unbelievable feel that I had of the ending, I didn't want fantastic to be confused with 'wonderful or superb; remarkable', so I said fantastical. Too science fictional type stuff.

But maybe that's just me, so sue me.

Unless your Mr. Koontz, then I loved everything and please don't sue me.

I read another book of his which had similar characters, the main character even had a dog just like the other main character. I thought I was reading the same book.

The first book was "Seize the Night", now that I remember. I forget the second book.
.....

The second book was "Midnight", now that I checked Amazon.

....

I found the pens I like, again. I've been using the same type of pen for the past eleven years. I was having trouble finding them but I found them over the weekend while doing something else.

So now I'm happy.

....

This morning I got this message in an email

THE MAYONNAISE JAR AND COFFEE
When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar...and the coffee...

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "yes."

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, " I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things-your God, family, your children, your health, your friends, and your favorite passions-things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, and your car. The sand is everything else-the small stuff.

"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal."

Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented.

The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."


All profound, cutesy and stuff right?

So later I sent this reply:

"So, are you saying I have no balls?"

....well, I thought I was funny.

....

Did I mention Dick Blick dot com.

I got my stuff on Saturday, all of it save one item. The packing slip says I got it, the way I count things I did not.

I ordered two pairs of hinges, I got one box with two hinges which, if you are keeping score, equals one pair. I called on Saturday and I was told their system was down. I told them I could call Monday. I called Monday and explained the problem. I said possibly that there was some confusion that the hinges are sold in pairs and not as individual items. I was told that another pair would be shipped today.

Right as rain.

....

I had this urge today to threaten "to ham someone's cheese", as in "I gonna ham your cheese!" (said while shaking my fist in the air). I don't know what that is all about.

I don't even think it's all that threatening.

Sounds rather helpful/generous/tasty.

"You're gonna ham my cheese? Oh, thank you."

I don't think I'm getting enough sleep.

....Maybe I'm not getting enough ham and cheese.

Fantastical...

I've taken to saying that "I'm fantastic" when folks ask me how I'm doing.

I was asked the other day and I said "Fantastic! How you doing?" and the reply was "Fine". I said "Sorry to hear that, I wish you were fantastic, too". She said "Maybe my fine is your fantastic".

Maybe my fantastic isn't too fantastical and that's fine with me.

It is out of my hands, I spoke my piece...

Saturday little g was with me. We had just gotten back from the supermarket, we bought a lot of fruit. She points at the blender and asks if we can make smoothies. "Hell No!" was what I heard in my head but what came out my mouth was "Why not". I'm not a big smoothie fan, especially the homemade kind but it did turn out pretty good. I was probably just happy that little g went home with all her fingers because she was cutting the fruit

...

Sunday, I'm doing preliminary work on a presentation to make a school independant and private. I do the design elements, the cover, index pages, all the fluff. I used to do everything but others can do the report writing and the chart making. I'm usually never satisfied with what I produce. I always think I could have done better, it's usually good but not as good as I would like. But lately I'm happy with what I've been producing.

I've probably lowered my standards.

They changed the color of the school from blue and white to beige/tan and red/maroon. I'm not a fan of the new colors. The new color scheme will make ever thing harder than it has to be. What about letterhead how costly will that be?

It is out of my hands, I spoke my piece.

untitled...

I was talking to a friend the other day. A friend who I met during a time in my life where I cannot recall being happy about the situation I was in. This friend said when choosing a name for his firstborn son he considered those he knew with the same name as mine and he concluded that the name was a good one.

I asked him "wasn't I a miserable prick most of the time back then?" He said "Maybe, but not to me, and despite of what was going on whenever you saw anyone of us, you always greeted us with a smile. There were times you looked super pissed but if anyone needed something, your attitude would change, you would stop what you were doing and help."

The point? The way I remember that time is that I was a prick but the way some remember it is a bit different. Which is most accurate?

Most likely both.

But I often forget the good.

will today ever end?...Don't I have work to do?...

On the second job I get a flat rate so if I screw around I just have to stay later to get stuff done.

today, I was working late covering someone else's shift. One of the higher ups came by he looked troubled. I asked him how he was doing. His reply was that he is worried all the effort will be in vain if this event doesn't take place.

The event is in danger because of a picket line. A picket line which other unions will not cross. A line that if not crossed will prevent work from happening. Work that is most necessary.

Build it and they will come, don't build it and they won't.

My first reply was "When don't we work in vain?" but being a smartass wasn't a course to be taken today, so that went unspoken. This guy is usually unflappable and here he is all flapped like. I said I think what might help a bit is that the paper's are turning from the picketing union. He agreed and said that the union is looking like a collective ass (my words not his). He left, still with his worry, I stayed still without them.

I think things will work out but there will be damage. ...But things will have to happen in less than five days. Or so me thinks.

My favorite book?

My favorite book is "A Spy In The Ointment" by Donald E. Westlake.

It's my favorite because it made me want to read books.

It's out of print. I found my paperback copy of it awhile ago. It's in good condition and has the orignal price tag on it. $3.95 I think. I checked ebay and I think some guy bid $25 for a copy.

I like the scene when the FBI approaches the main character of the book who is a small time activist. They say "We like you because you don't tear up notes into little pieces that say screw the FBI and throw them into your trash" so once the feds leave he gets a small piece of paper and writes screw the FBI on it, then tears it into little pieces and then throws it away.

And another, Oh...

I may have had a couple.

Oh...

Did I mention Dick Blick dot com?

I'm avoiding work, so here's another...

"Is that a kid's book" I asked (I'm being an ass for the fun of it)
"Don't worry about it"
"But I do worry about it"
"Why?"
"Because I worry about you"
"Why?"
"Because I care about you"
"Why?"
"Because I'm a caring fellow. ...So, is it a kid's book?"
"No, it's not"
"What are you going to tell me it's a young adult's book"
"No"
"Is it a novella?"
"A what?!"
"A novella" (she is actually has a hearing problem, so I don't know if she faking or not. I sometimes tell her it's more of a listen problem)
"A who?"
"A NO-VEL-LA, you know a short novel"
"No, it's not"
"What how many pages are there? 96?" I asked
"No, there is more than 96"
"Oh, yeah? Can you check it for me?"
"What?! No"
"Come on, I want to know how close I was"
she thumbs to the back of the book, there are four blank pages so finding the 'last' page takes longer than either of us likes"
"One hundred and thirty-three"
"Oh, I guess I was wrong. Thanks"
A client comes in and I have to go to work.
"I'll be back later" I assured her.