November cannot come soon enough!

The news this weekend is grim for proponents of democracy. Thank you, Dr Momentum for Twittering about this.

Apparently the GOP can't stomach the idea of protesters spoiling their party in St Paul by highlighting the failures of the current administration. This weekend, St Paul Police raided homes of potential RNC protesters. Police surrounded one house for two hours while they waited for a warrant, informing residents that anyone who attempted to leave would be arrested

This shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone, really. According to MN Blue, a site which follows Minnesota politics, at recent Republican national conventions, police have been overstepping boundaries, using violent crowd tactics on peaceful protesters resulting in rightfully huge damage judgments. An update to the story on MN Blue describes items confiscated from raided homes. MN Blue questions whether there was just cause in these cases. And, also questions if those who were harassed really are the individuals they should be worried about.

At least we'll have less GOP posturing to put up with as the result of Gustav barreling into the Gulf Coast. Bush and Cheney are passing on the convention because of the impending hurricane. Maybe we'll get lucky and the two of them will go down there to witness the potential destruction first hand? Doubtful, but I can dream can't I?

A little something about meme

I'm carrying this on from Barbie2be.

Maybe I should - go cold turkey on all my consumption vices so I can drop all the weight I've gained back over the past two years.
I love the smell of - a warm chlorinated pool.
People would say that I - am exceptionally impatient.
I don’t understand why - people seem compelled to talk on their cell phones in public constantly for mundane reasons.
I lost - fifty pounds and then gained thirty of it back.
Life is - too short to spend it doing so many pointless and unimportant things.
My past - got me where I am; I'm not proud of some of it. However, some of it taught me valuable lessons, and some of it I'll always cherish.
I get annoyed - with stupid people (and sadly there are a lot of them out there)
My idea of a good time is - spending time with good friends and making each other laugh until tears roll down our faces.
I wish - my chronic pain issues would just be gone one day so I could get on with my life with fresh eyes.
Twins are - scary.
Dust bunnies - are everywhere.
Tomorrow I’m going to - work on my son's computer, do some crafting, exercise, and generally have a very mellow Sunday.
I have low tolerance for - stupid people.
I’m totally terrified of - public speaking.
I wonder why - shopping makes me happy, even though I know that having stuff does not make me happy.
Never in my life have I - ridden a horse.
High school was - a wasted opportunity. I would love to have a "Peggy Sue Got Married" chance to go back and do it all over knowing that none of the petty stuff really mattered.
When I’m nervous - I chew on my cuticles.
One time at a family gathering - I hid out in the bedroom for an hour.
Take my advice: Smile when you really don't feel like it. Sometimes, it helps you feel like it!
Taking a good picture - makes me feel like I've done something creative.
I’m almost always - in some kind of pain.
I’m addicted to - way, way, too many things to list comfortably. It's scary.
I want someone to - take care of me for just a little while. (Stolen from someone else's list, because it really is the perfect sentiment.)

And then there is Hope

I think this piece embodies what the majority of Obama supporters see when they look at him.


I am a bit jaded. I believe that he still is a politician, with all the requisite flaws. However, I have some Hope based on this movement. Whether or not Obama is the man that his followers think that HE is, his followers may be the voices that spur that change.

I think that Barack Obama's campaign is less about him than about the ideals that it embodies and attracts. May this movement bring out the best in each of us. Then, may each of us do our part to bring the envisioned changes into being.

Mixed days

I am all things to all people at work. Plus we've seen a massive spike in systems exposed to malware this week. My boss has been great. He's terribly overburdened himself, but he totally realizes that I'm wearing too many hats. So, today I told him about 'the interview'. He totally gets my need for an environment that is supportive to professional development. He said that he's trying to get his management to drink that Kool Aid. He also has put in for at least one new person on our team, and possibly two.

He asked me what role I would least mind giving up primary responsibility for if we got another senior level person. Today, I said that I really didn't care, but to please take something! I like all the things that I do. There really is just too much to do and not enough hours in the day. And, no one with enough experience to delegate things to.

In theory, I had off on Monday as a comp day for last weekend. And then, I was supposed to take leave yesterday afternoon. When I added up my hours this morning for my weekly status report, I realized that I didn't have to take vacation time. I had worked enough hours last weekend and half of Monday and a few hours extra each day. So, I'd gone way over 40 already. Someday, I'll have a massive vacation available? (Right? HA!)

I've put on fifteen pounds since Xmas due to self-indulgence in response to stress. I want it gone by this Xmas. Somehow, I need to get enough control of my life overall so that I can exert some control over my caloric weaknesses. When you're a foody who is stressing, you really cannot fathom a low-carb, low-fat, life style (nor a low alchohol one).

Best interview ever

So, the key to having a great interview is not caring if you get the job but to look at the encounter as an opportunity to network. What a liberating experience!

After I met with several different people from the department I'd be working in (assuming I got the job), the manager asked me if the job sounded like a good fit. I asked her a few questions and then said, "Probably not." I then explained that I felt that I was a bit more experienced than the level one vacant position needed. She jotted a bunch of notes, and then asked me if a level two position were available if that would be a better fit, and I said that it probably would be. I reminded her of my years of experience and my current level of responsibility. She wrote a bunch of notes. We continued to talk. I said that I really enjoyed learning about their organization and that maybe we could help each other out in the near future. She seemed genuinely glad to have spoken to me, and passed me off to another person to talk to.

Two people later, I got to meet with the assistant department head. We had a wonderful conversation. Lots of similar experiences and viewpoints. She seemed to have gotten the word that I wasn't all that interested in the vacant position, so she started feeling me out for what I was interested in doing. She describe the other responsibilities of her department, and we talked about potential fits. As we ended our meeting she shook my hand and warmly said, "We'll be talking to you soon."

The Fates are very strange, indeed. I have never had such a positive interview experience. Everyone seemed very interested in my experience. I spoke their language. I understood their problems. I was totally comfortable with everyone and everyone seemed totally comfortable with me (had lunch with one guy, and had humorous and intelligent conversations with two other gentlemen). I'm not terribly anxious to change jobs at the moment. The place I interviewed at has a lot to offer. They also are just as dysfunctional (if not more) than the place that I currently work. If they offer me an interesting sounding position for a significant pile of cash, I will have some hard thinking to do.

So, when you are desperately looking for a job, you are screwed. When you don't care, you get people practically falling over themselves to figure out how they can get you in their organization.

The universe is a very interesting place.