There is one clerk in our HR dept to take care of temporary contracts. She broke her arm and has been off for a couple of weeks. Therefore, yesterday, 20 people didn't get paid. Nobody else in HR took up the slack.
Whatta dump this place is.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Kids today and their real estate
My niece and her boyfriend bought a house today. She just texted me. I responded with an appropriate text "OMG!"
Permit me now to be my 51-year old-fart self and exclaim: "They are just kids!!!! Are they crazy???"
In fact they are not kids. They are both 26, but heck, anyone who I held as a one-day old baby will NEVER (in my brain) be old enough to have a mortgage. Let her mother's sleepless nights begin...
Friday, February 24, 2012
Je suis malade
I'm home sick today. I've had a cold most of the week, but being dedicated to my work on the Annual Report, I soldiered on. But with the AR out of the way for a few weeks, I can now rest and deflate, and blow my nose, and eat hot soup, and take a nap, etc. etc.
I am off to the Holy City of TO tomorrow for my birthday weekend.Sunday is also Oscar night, so all of Hollywood will be celebrating my 51st, or so that is what I will tell myself. I'll be back Monday evening.
Ms Mushrooms tells me that, so far, 51 is better than 50. Let us all hope so!
I am off to the Holy City of TO tomorrow for my birthday weekend.Sunday is also Oscar night, so all of Hollywood will be celebrating my 51st, or so that is what I will tell myself. I'll be back Monday evening.
Ms Mushrooms tells me that, so far, 51 is better than 50. Let us all hope so!
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Monday, February 20, 2012
The Ring of Fire
On Saturday, being a dedicated international civil servant facing a tight deadline, I went to the office. As my treat for my dedication, I stopped at Tim's and got a coffee and one of their new gourmet bagels: jalapeno flavour.
The bagel was so spicy it burnt my tongue. I had trouble sipping my coffee and had to wait for my coffee to cool off to be able to sip it. Hot, hot bagel but very tasty indeed.
However, the burning that occurred when the bagel went in was no comparison to the burning felt later. The last time I had anything this painful exiting was during the "spicy carrots episode" after Indian Cultural Night at my employer's some 20 years ago. Perhaps JAW Fan will care to share his remembrance of those sensations.
It has quite put me off having another one of those jalapeno babies.
The bagel was so spicy it burnt my tongue. I had trouble sipping my coffee and had to wait for my coffee to cool off to be able to sip it. Hot, hot bagel but very tasty indeed.
However, the burning that occurred when the bagel went in was no comparison to the burning felt later. The last time I had anything this painful exiting was during the "spicy carrots episode" after Indian Cultural Night at my employer's some 20 years ago. Perhaps JAW Fan will care to share his remembrance of those sensations.
It has quite put me off having another one of those jalapeno babies.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
It's a Double Birthday Weekend !!
Ms. Mushrooms enters her glorious 51st year today! Happy B-Day to you!
Mrs. Anon hits a mere 44 tomorrow. Happy B-Day to you! 44? That's getting up there, no?
Best wishes to both, may you have excellent years, and your husbands treat you right, and your kids don't make you mental. (Perhaps it is already too late for that last point.)
Monday, February 13, 2012
Vacaciones
Well, JAW Fan has been in Mexico for 10 days now, and I have yet to see reportage concerning any assault on his person by Mexican drug cartel bandits.
Nor have I heard any report of his being assaulted by sandpaper-skinned, overly bronzed, horny, portly, tiny-Speedo-sporting patrons of his hotel.
Let us all breathe a sigh of relief. On both counts.
Nor have I heard any report of his being assaulted by sandpaper-skinned, overly bronzed, horny, portly, tiny-Speedo-sporting patrons of his hotel.
Let us all breathe a sigh of relief. On both counts.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Grammys
Why have I developed such a visceral hatred of Paul McCartney? Could it be that because whenever he introduces a new song, I just know it's going to be lame and painful.
Yep, that's why.
In other news, Bruce Rocks! (But his new song is boring. Sad to say.)
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Whitney
Let me be the first to say it: She never should've hooked up with that Bobby Brown. He was a baaaad influence.
Tuesday, February 07, 2012
A Great Stupid Thing
Sometimes you see something that is so dumb, it's actually funny.
Today in my junk mail folder, I got an invitation. But it was not to join Facebook. It was for a site that is a "clever" play on the word Facebook. It was an invitation from F*ckbook.
(I'm leaving out the u so I don't come up in searches for F*ckbook.)
Really? Don't you want to meet the genius who came up with the name F*ckbook? It's effing brilliant.
Today in my junk mail folder, I got an invitation. But it was not to join Facebook. It was for a site that is a "clever" play on the word Facebook. It was an invitation from F*ckbook.
(I'm leaving out the u so I don't come up in searches for F*ckbook.)
Really? Don't you want to meet the genius who came up with the name F*ckbook? It's effing brilliant.
Monday, February 06, 2012
Happy Birthday to Mr. Anon
51 glorious years Up. And to share the day the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, no less.
The Queen may get all the attention elsewhere on the Internets world, but here it is Mr. A's day!
Enjoy! Let your kids make you feel old. Call up your old friend, Willy Y., and ask him what's new? How's his love life? LOL.
(Note to others: Willy Y. is the " Man from Huntingdon." This was revealed by accident last week. Thank you, Twitter.)
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Latest on Fancy Feast
It's almost a week since I last posted anything. Where does the time go? I guess we are due for some Fancy Feast news.
I got an email from him yesterday. He is miserable in Ottawa, hates his family, can't find a job, etc. etc. And he wants to move back to Montreal. So he writes: "I have a bit of money. Not much, but enough to do my own thing. What do you think if I came over for a week or so to apply for work and go to interviews? I'd want to use your address and home phone number for the job applications. When I use a Calgary number, they think it's too much hassle or something. I can pay you for the week that I'd be there."
If this was anyone else I know, I'd say yes. But we all know "a week or so" in FF-speak means he'd never leave. Last night I had a chat with A Man From Laval (AMFL) and I explained the FF situation. He zeroed in on the fact that I am in fact FF's "Enabler" and having FF in my environment prevents me from taking care of things that I need to do for myself (for example, decluttering and fixing my house).
So from now I have to quote AMFL: "You can't enable him to enable you to not do the shit you need to do." So there it is. Now I just have to tell Fancy. I can't enable him to enable me to not do the shit I need to do.
I got an email from him yesterday. He is miserable in Ottawa, hates his family, can't find a job, etc. etc. And he wants to move back to Montreal. So he writes: "I have a bit of money. Not much, but enough to do my own thing. What do you think if I came over for a week or so to apply for work and go to interviews? I'd want to use your address and home phone number for the job applications. When I use a Calgary number, they think it's too much hassle or something. I can pay you for the week that I'd be there."
If this was anyone else I know, I'd say yes. But we all know "a week or so" in FF-speak means he'd never leave. Last night I had a chat with A Man From Laval (AMFL) and I explained the FF situation. He zeroed in on the fact that I am in fact FF's "Enabler" and having FF in my environment prevents me from taking care of things that I need to do for myself (for example, decluttering and fixing my house).
So from now I have to quote AMFL: "You can't enable him to enable you to not do the shit you need to do." So there it is. Now I just have to tell Fancy. I can't enable him to enable me to not do the shit I need to do.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
The movie that never ended
Greek film director Theo Angelopoulos has died. I saw only one of his movies, Ulysses' Gaze, and somewhere in an alternate universe, JAW Fan and I are still sitting in that theatre, watching the movie that seemed like it would never, ever end. I swear it's still going on.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Cue Sinatra (or Anka): "Regrets, I've had a few...."
Women get sold this "bill of goods" all the time: that their 50s can be their most exciting, vibrant decade ever. What utter crap. When do you ever see an article written for men that tells them how wonderful their 50s are? Never. Basically with men it's, you'll probably die of heart attack in the next ten years, and if not, Congratulations! ...So start jogging.
There’s a difference between being “50” and being “in your 50s” because once you are in your 50s it doesn’t matter whether you are 51 or 57. You are over the hill, professionally at least. Back in December (I think) two Canadians drowned on vacation in Mexico (sorry, JAW FAN, it's Bad News Mexico again) and I remember the headline said “Two seniors drown” and when I checked the story they were 72 and 55 !! So 50s is “seniors” in newspaper-speak. That’s pretty darn depressing.
As I was griping about this the other day, one of my friends (age 56, and the type who believes the things Oprah says) told me, you'll see, it only gets better! All I wanted to say was: how can you believe that shit you are saying? This whole 50 is the new 30 crap comes from the wrinkle-cream manufacturing industry. If I have to see another product called "age defying" I'll throw it across Jean Coutu. Deny, defy, whatever. We're fucking old, accept it.
There’s a difference between being “50” and being “in your 50s” because once you are in your 50s it doesn’t matter whether you are 51 or 57. You are over the hill, professionally at least. Back in December (I think) two Canadians drowned on vacation in Mexico (sorry, JAW FAN, it's Bad News Mexico again) and I remember the headline said “Two seniors drown” and when I checked the story they were 72 and 55 !! So 50s is “seniors” in newspaper-speak. That’s pretty darn depressing.
As I was griping about this the other day, one of my friends (age 56, and the type who believes the things Oprah says) told me, you'll see, it only gets better! All I wanted to say was: how can you believe that shit you are saying? This whole 50 is the new 30 crap comes from the wrinkle-cream manufacturing industry. If I have to see another product called "age defying" I'll throw it across Jean Coutu. Deny, defy, whatever. We're fucking old, accept it.
Oscar Time
Very disappointed to read that Uggie the dog has not received a Best Supporting nomination. Will the Academy's blatant, shameless discrimination against canines ever end? I ask you!
Scorsese's movie Hugo has the most nominations. This is the first time in years that I have no interest whatsoever in the most nominated movie. When I first saw the trailer, I thought "meh" and I still think "meh". It's a Scorsese picture and there's no Joe Pesci? So why the f*** would I wanna see dat, eh? You tink I'm funny? You tink I am a clown? I make you laugh?
Also, re Best Actor: Go Gorgeous George!
Scorsese's movie Hugo has the most nominations. This is the first time in years that I have no interest whatsoever in the most nominated movie. When I first saw the trailer, I thought "meh" and I still think "meh". It's a Scorsese picture and there's no Joe Pesci? So why the f*** would I wanna see dat, eh? You tink I'm funny? You tink I am a clown? I make you laugh?
Also, re Best Actor: Go Gorgeous George!
Monday, January 23, 2012
Sunday, January 22, 2012
It's the Economy, Stupid
I received my driver's license renewal form last week. The cost for an annual renewal is $88.75. This is not a fortune.
But I noticed, for the first time, that you can pay your license on a monthly or bi-monthly installment, paying either $7.60 a month or $15.17 every two months. This payment plan can only exist because there is a significant need for it. It makes me sad to think there are enough people in this province who cannot pay $88.75 in one payment, that there is a need for payment plans for drivers licenses.
A lot of people are really hard up. This is not good. :(
Friday, January 20, 2012
We are Outlaws (?)
Last weekend, Smoothie emailed me frantically about some free preview movie passes, and I had to hurry, hurry to sign up for one. I did, not even knowing what the movie was. Turns out it was for Red Tails, and when I watched the trailer it looked like a giant yawn.
But we had our passes, so last night we met downtown. I really had no interest in seeing this movie. The big downtown theatre, however, has cut staff and there is no longer anyone checking tickets at the individual theatres (See my earlier post about Smoothie's griping about "overpaying" for IMAX Mission Impossible).
Anyway, once inside Smoothie said, well, we can always check what else is playing at this time and just duck in. So that is what we did. We saw The Artist, which I really enjoyed (as did Smoothie, who did not complain AT ALL at any point) and for free. Yes, we are thieves. Evil.
But we had our passes, so last night we met downtown. I really had no interest in seeing this movie. The big downtown theatre, however, has cut staff and there is no longer anyone checking tickets at the individual theatres (See my earlier post about Smoothie's griping about "overpaying" for IMAX Mission Impossible).
Anyway, once inside Smoothie said, well, we can always check what else is playing at this time and just duck in. So that is what we did. We saw The Artist, which I really enjoyed (as did Smoothie, who did not complain AT ALL at any point) and for free. Yes, we are thieves. Evil.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Jobs Report Update
I got a phone call yesterday from SOS about the job. It would be essentially a lateral because the tasks are so similar to what I already do. But it would be an escape!
Problem with this "escape" is that it would cost me about $20 grand a year. That's how much less it pays than my current pay-for-doing-nothing. Is it a sign of desperation that I'm still thinking about it even with $20 thou less? Oh yes, it is a sign of desperation.
Anyway, SOS said she would not expect me to apply officially for the job because taking a pay cut like that is insanity. I guess I have to agree. Far be it from me to argue with SOS.
Problem with this "escape" is that it would cost me about $20 grand a year. That's how much less it pays than my current pay-for-doing-nothing. Is it a sign of desperation that I'm still thinking about it even with $20 thou less? Oh yes, it is a sign of desperation.
Anyway, SOS said she would not expect me to apply officially for the job because taking a pay cut like that is insanity. I guess I have to agree. Far be it from me to argue with SOS.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
The Jobs Report
JAW Fan informs me that once again his job is on the chopping block. I think I should have a standard paragraph ready whenever this subject comes up so I can just cut-and-paste it annually. He could know as early as before his Mexican getaway whether he is a) chopped b) left alone or c) relocated. c) appears to be the ideal scenario as it could be to an office very close to his home. On the other hand, it is turns out a) is the answer, then he will be more than close to home, he will be at home. Let us await further developments...
In my job news, Smoothie contacted me yesterday because his sister works in recruitment in a big company that is in a similar field to my esteemed employer. And her big company needs an editor, and she wanted to receive my c.v. So, why the heck not, thought I. Sister-of-Smoothie (SOS) now has my life in her hands, or at least my work life story. I don't expect anything to come of this, but let us await further developments...
In my job news, Smoothie contacted me yesterday because his sister works in recruitment in a big company that is in a similar field to my esteemed employer. And her big company needs an editor, and she wanted to receive my c.v. So, why the heck not, thought I. Sister-of-Smoothie (SOS) now has my life in her hands, or at least my work life story. I don't expect anything to come of this, but let us await further developments...
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