(no subject)

Act as though you're living in the reality you want and it will (may) follow. The past couple of weeks I learned to appreciate someone about my age who consistently noted that they were exactly this many years old:


I've been on facebook a lot lately as the pics from Chile are popping up at random intervals, and to see what those folks are doing. I'm not enjoying facebook - it's more pokes, pics, and status comments than writing pieces - and I like writing. However, LJ isn't really much about writing anymore either, at least not much on my f-list. I guess that's the problem with everyday life - it's routine for long periods followed by unpredictable fascinating things. On LJ there is less writing, those that frequently write are more recording life (like a grocery list?) or posting links, pictures, or quizzes (comparable to facebook). Those that only post interesting thoughts don't write much.

Today's mini-resolution is that I'm going to, within reason, treat people as though they're acting the way I wish they acted. I'm going to try and feel as though things are as I want them - for a while this should be easy as I'm still very appreciative of the most basic things here. I'm going to stay prepared for the worst, but not act as though it's already in my lap, if that makes any sense.

Other mini-resolutions: less video game time, less tv, more reading, walk and metro more, make actual commitments to hang out with people instead of always letting it escape into the nebulous future, take more risks such as smiling or talking to people you don't know or don't know well. Stop scowling or being numb.

EDIT - work stuff, not good
So, before I left, our entire branch was under attack from a parallel branch and from above. The woman that made my life a living hell has been on a tear against many - I was only one. I reported for the record the incident where my old boss and she tore a new one into a coworker. A task force was started by the AA based on the high turnover and repeated accusations, so I risked all by making statements on the record of my experiences here. Well, we just got an announcement that the AA is now being reassigned as the head of a new "catfish division." The guy who was publicly berated has accepted a job at DHS (the 3rd or 4th of our group in the past year or so). It may seriously be time to move on - my hopes for this organization are all but quashed. I love this job, but how long will I be able to stand it here? In a meeting that took place in my absence, the dep admitted she was keeping records on employees with "performance concerns." When I asked her directly about the paper trail, she had said she wasn't keeping any such records - in public, when it was pointed out that the records were sitting on her desk, she admitted the inconsistent statements and responded nobody should be looking at her desk.

The catfish thing is funny. FDA covers all fish, is well experienced and equipped to do so, and there is no logical reason I am aware of to make a meat/poultry/egg division of USDA (FSIS) take over a particular type of fish. Sounds like a huge taxpayer waste based on a special interest to me, but hey, I just work here. Well, for now.

(no subject)

Wow - I think I've lost about a pound a week despite the trip to Chile (or because of it). It seems crappy food and tons of booze are no match for construction work. I'm only 7 lbs away from my goal "weight" (I don't care about weight, but at 135 my abs are really defined, if I stick with it and hit 133 my abs are all you can see).

Thanks to everyone adding stuff on facebook, I have more pics in the Chile gallery: http://pics.livejournal.com/vicar/gallery/00026bbe

One thing I forgot to mention was the assortment of odd trucks that drove by. I kept joking that this one truck was an ice-cream truck, though it appeared to be filled of propane tanks. It had a speaker that made a clanging sound as it drove down the street. It turned out it was a "propane truck," and the old trucks used to have a driver along with a guy who would bang on the propane tank with a piece of rebar (metal). I suppose he had the metal stick in one hand and a cigarette in the other - OSHA is not found in Chile. The more modern version is the guy in the truck with the electronic sound of some idiot banging on propane tanks with metal to get people's attention. Other trucks in the area included a vegetable truck (potatoes, onions), and periodicos (newspapers). There was ice cream in every tiny store, but no ice cream man (who can compete with propane man, anyway?)

Sat in murky but forgot the book I wanted to finish reading there (Geek Love). The upstairs is closed, boo, so it was crowded as hell. I thought about the fact even caffeine-free coffee is a diuretic, and wondered who there had to poop. No wonder I don't go out much.

Did sushi (not Sushi or even Susie) with a friend tonight - every weekend I think about that Asia techno night, every weekend I don't go.

Going to gingerly try weight soon, very low weights on the elbow. It's been about 10 weeks since I saw the doctor. It isn't as bad, but it still reacts when I do the tiniest fucking thing. I want my arm back.

To be honest I can't remember what I wanted to post about.