3.10.2010
Hidden treasures
My mother-in-law wants to create a family room in the basement, and she's been doing a lot of cleaning and clearing down there recently. She's brought a few things she's found to our attention, and April and I found some really cool things when we were down there doing laundry tonight.
No vinyl inside, but the covers are pretty bitchin'...and yes, that is the original US album printing of "In The Court of the Crimson King.":
The in-laws were early adopters of Macs...I think April's uncle still has this one:
I figure this is from sometime in the 70s...it's a bag:
More cool stuff as it comes...
No vinyl inside, but the covers are pretty bitchin'...and yes, that is the original US album printing of "In The Court of the Crimson King.":
The in-laws were early adopters of Macs...I think April's uncle still has this one:
I figure this is from sometime in the 70s...it's a bag:
More cool stuff as it comes...
3.09.2010
I love mystery injuries!
I actually tried to post a blog using my iPhone last night. Unfortunately, iPhone and Java don't get along, so I couldn't post it. Oh well...
Anyway, so I'm gonna be sidelined for a day or two with Achilles tendinitis in my left foot. I don't know how I hurt it, but it's been killing me for two days and I walk as part of my job and I could barely do that anymore. Then I hurt my back trying to overcompensate for my left foot...fun times! So I spent part of my afternoon at an urgent care center, got a few x-rays, got a pain med Rx and went on my way. Can't wait to see the bill for that!
Maybe this is God telling me to slow down and get myself together...I've been working so hard recently and not taking good care of myself. But it's hard...I spent so much time doing nothing that now it feels weird to be doing nothing again.
Incidentally, my broken foot 10 years ago was a mystery injury...no clue how I did that, either.
Anyway, so I'm gonna be sidelined for a day or two with Achilles tendinitis in my left foot. I don't know how I hurt it, but it's been killing me for two days and I walk as part of my job and I could barely do that anymore. Then I hurt my back trying to overcompensate for my left foot...fun times! So I spent part of my afternoon at an urgent care center, got a few x-rays, got a pain med Rx and went on my way. Can't wait to see the bill for that!
Maybe this is God telling me to slow down and get myself together...I've been working so hard recently and not taking good care of myself. But it's hard...I spent so much time doing nothing that now it feels weird to be doing nothing again.
Incidentally, my broken foot 10 years ago was a mystery injury...no clue how I did that, either.
3.07.2010
Why Fontbonne University will no longer get my support, time or money
April was elected to serve as President of the Fontbonne University Alumni Association in May 2008...she ran unopposed, and was voted in by the 25-member board. When elected, the person serves 2 years as incoming president, 2 years as president and 2 years as outgoing president. I don't quite understand that, but...
April was scheduled to take office as president in May 2010. However, she was advised just before Christmas that she was being removed from her position. As it was originally explained to her by the current president, the Advancement department (which oversees the alumni board) decided to replace her with someone that would be good with fund-raising. April has extensive fund-raising experience, having done it at both the YMCA and St. Louis Children's Hospital...but no one from Advancement bothered to ask her about it.
After April exchanged some e-mails with the Director of Alumni Relations, the director wanted to meet with her to clarify the reasons she was removed from the board. This meeting took place January 4 at the St. Louis Bread Company on Clayton Rd. in Clayton. I was in attendance, along with April and the director.
During the meeting, April was told that she is just not the right fit, that some folks found her too negative and that she should take a break from volunteering, based on her recent career and life changes. This decision was ultimately made by Marilyn Sheperd (the Vice President of Institutional Advancement). She was offered the opportunity to say it was a resignation, but April refused.
I think that April was booted out because she does not have "good credentials" right now, and because she's very honest (though tactful). She was fairly elected by a 25-member alumni board, and had never been told that she was doing anything wrong or acting improperly. Only one specific example was used regarding her negative behavior, and it was a situation that I would say is subjective. Never mind the hard work she put in...never mind that she really believed in getting more alumni involved with the school...never mind that my wife is the one of the sweetest people you will ever meet. She pissed off the wrong person...the alumni board had no say-so, and no one in Advancement was willing to push to retain her.
In the end, it's all good...we will donate our support, time and money to causes that want it. I assume that Marilyn Sheperd is within her rights to make this removal, and if so, I respect her decision. But as long as she is involved with the University, I will not be.
April was scheduled to take office as president in May 2010. However, she was advised just before Christmas that she was being removed from her position. As it was originally explained to her by the current president, the Advancement department (which oversees the alumni board) decided to replace her with someone that would be good with fund-raising. April has extensive fund-raising experience, having done it at both the YMCA and St. Louis Children's Hospital...but no one from Advancement bothered to ask her about it.
After April exchanged some e-mails with the Director of Alumni Relations, the director wanted to meet with her to clarify the reasons she was removed from the board. This meeting took place January 4 at the St. Louis Bread Company on Clayton Rd. in Clayton. I was in attendance, along with April and the director.
During the meeting, April was told that she is just not the right fit, that some folks found her too negative and that she should take a break from volunteering, based on her recent career and life changes. This decision was ultimately made by Marilyn Sheperd (the Vice President of Institutional Advancement). She was offered the opportunity to say it was a resignation, but April refused.
I think that April was booted out because she does not have "good credentials" right now, and because she's very honest (though tactful). She was fairly elected by a 25-member alumni board, and had never been told that she was doing anything wrong or acting improperly. Only one specific example was used regarding her negative behavior, and it was a situation that I would say is subjective. Never mind the hard work she put in...never mind that she really believed in getting more alumni involved with the school...never mind that my wife is the one of the sweetest people you will ever meet. She pissed off the wrong person...the alumni board had no say-so, and no one in Advancement was willing to push to retain her.
In the end, it's all good...we will donate our support, time and money to causes that want it. I assume that Marilyn Sheperd is within her rights to make this removal, and if so, I respect her decision. But as long as she is involved with the University, I will not be.
3.06.2010
Stopgap measure
So you might have noticed by now that the "new" address for The Bosque is http://blog.thebosque.us. I'm not the biggest tech guy, so I don't quite understand it all...and I'm not gonna go into a super-big explanation. Here goes...
Blogger (whose blogging software I use) is no longer supporting FTP publishing (which is how I used to publish The Bosque) as of May 1. They want everything to switch over to either their own publishing or what they call custom domain...I am on custom domain now, as you probably noticed.
It was a pain in the ass to do it, and I still don't think it all transitioned. But it's working for now, and it'll have to work until I can finally learn WordPress.
I hate when people fuck my shit up...but all you can do is adapt quickly and shine like a diamond.
Blogger (whose blogging software I use) is no longer supporting FTP publishing (which is how I used to publish The Bosque) as of May 1. They want everything to switch over to either their own publishing or what they call custom domain...I am on custom domain now, as you probably noticed.
It was a pain in the ass to do it, and I still don't think it all transitioned. But it's working for now, and it'll have to work until I can finally learn WordPress.
I hate when people fuck my shit up...but all you can do is adapt quickly and shine like a diamond.
3.05.2010
An endangered species
Wednesday night, I was on a delivery run out in St. Charles County when I noticed an old pay phone stand. The phone was gone...probably hadn't been there for a while. I don't even think AT&T does pay phones anymore.
Seeing the stand made me think about how rare pay phones are these days. When I was a kid, a lot of them still had rotary dials and cost 20 cents to use. And I walked to school 10 miles uphill both ways...
But last night, as I was walking into a Walgreens in Bridgeton, I saw one!
I wonder how much it costs to use one these days...I didn't look...
Seeing the stand made me think about how rare pay phones are these days. When I was a kid, a lot of them still had rotary dials and cost 20 cents to use. And I walked to school 10 miles uphill both ways...
But last night, as I was walking into a Walgreens in Bridgeton, I saw one!
I wonder how much it costs to use one these days...I didn't look...
3.04.2010
Ohhhh...THAT'S how you know!
As part of my work uniform, I wear a badge with my photo and full name on it. Which is perfectly fine with me...it easily identifies who I am and makes my job easier. But sometimes, it causes me confusion...
One day last week, I was ordering lunch at a restaurant where you give your name. When it came to the point where the order taker would normally ask my name, she said, "Okay, Terry." And I was like, "What the fuck?! Do I know this person?" Then it dawned on me...name badge.
The other day, I picked up a package from an office...and it's not one I go to regularly. As I was leaving, the receptionist said, "Thank you, Terry." And I was like, "How does she know my...ohhhh!"
Tonight, I stopped to pick up a soda on the way home. As I was pulling out my money, I heard the cashier quietly try to say my last name. I quickly raised my head, but then remembered...name badge!
One of these days, I will finally remember that I wear my name around my neck 9-12 hours a day.
One day last week, I was ordering lunch at a restaurant where you give your name. When it came to the point where the order taker would normally ask my name, she said, "Okay, Terry." And I was like, "What the fuck?! Do I know this person?" Then it dawned on me...name badge.
The other day, I picked up a package from an office...and it's not one I go to regularly. As I was leaving, the receptionist said, "Thank you, Terry." And I was like, "How does she know my...ohhhh!"
Tonight, I stopped to pick up a soda on the way home. As I was pulling out my money, I heard the cashier quietly try to say my last name. I quickly raised my head, but then remembered...name badge!
One of these days, I will finally remember that I wear my name around my neck 9-12 hours a day.
3.03.2010
180°
Where I was eight months ago and where I'm at now are two totally different worlds...
I used to call myself a "merchant of death" on the old forum...for 4 years, I delivered unhealthy food to people. I did deliver a lot of salads...covered in cheese, drenched in full-fat full-flavor dressing. I probably shortened people's lives several years on average.
Today, I regularly deliver lab specimens, blood and platelets to hospitals; architect plans to construction firms and home care products to the sick, some of them 100 miles away from St. Louis. I even delivered an orchid to someone from the Missouri Botanical Garden. And while I did witness death up close and personal a couple weeks ago, I mostly bring life to people and places. I make people happy in a way that lasts longer and doesn't kill them in the end. And I provide a good living for April and me.
I am now a merchant of life...and it feels pretty damn good!
I used to call myself a "merchant of death" on the old forum...for 4 years, I delivered unhealthy food to people. I did deliver a lot of salads...covered in cheese, drenched in full-fat full-flavor dressing. I probably shortened people's lives several years on average.
Today, I regularly deliver lab specimens, blood and platelets to hospitals; architect plans to construction firms and home care products to the sick, some of them 100 miles away from St. Louis. I even delivered an orchid to someone from the Missouri Botanical Garden. And while I did witness death up close and personal a couple weeks ago, I mostly bring life to people and places. I make people happy in a way that lasts longer and doesn't kill them in the end. And I provide a good living for April and me.
I am now a merchant of life...and it feels pretty damn good!
