Where Do I Fit In?

San Francisco, Grant Ave, en route to Chinatown

In the Mission

Mission District, San Francisco

Barstool Anthropology

So there I was, there I was, at my neighborhood watering hole last night and while the barkeep was jabbering with some folks he glanced in my direction. Unfortunately he didn't notice my empty pint glass so while smiling I said, "Sir . . . " with an implied ellipses of "I'd like your attention please."

 

He sorta came to attention like his mom suddenly walked into the room and asked me what I needed and I ordered another. As he placed the full pint in front of me he asked if I was from the East Coast. When I asked what gave it away he replied that only younger people from the East Coast address peers with, "Sir or Ma'am" in social situations or business transactions.

 

Office Supplies

In the kitchen on my floor at work there's a table where people put various give away items: magazines they're done with, coffee mugs, sometimes sweets leftover from a meeting or an office birthday. Today there is a ginormous bottle of Mylanta.

Huntington Botanical Garden "Japanese Garden" 

Clydesdales, whales and bibles oh my!

Another update taking advantage of internet access, when I, er, have access to it. That's the editor's note on randomness.

A friend’s company recently sponsored an employee appreciation event at Sea World and since I’m new to San Diego he thought I might want to go. Sea World is now owned by Anheuser-Busch so before I saw a single aquarium or marine animal of any kind, I saw a Clydesdale. Isn’t it ironic, don’tcha think? They are beautiful creatures. BIG beautiful creatures.

Like many attraction parks each exhibit exit comes complete with a gift shop. I felt horrible for all the parents negotiating with kids about why a walrus stuffed animal is just another stuffed another, just like the Beluga whale stuffed animal they just bought ten minutes ago (yes they have Beluga whales there, funky looking creatures).

I was grumpy that for people that paid $60 to get into the park they charged $3 for the sky ride. I boycotted on principal.

We said hi to Shamu and left an hour and a half after arriving (that’s including our free lunch).

Yesterday saw my first real road trip to the City of Angels. As a bribe for a ride to LAX a friend said, “We can go to that library and see the Gutenberg Bible.” That’s all I needed. I cleaned out The Red Baron and we were off.

The Huntington was fantastic. It’s home to manuscripts dating back to the 1400’s and with written correspondence on display from Tennyson, Thoreau, a few Brontes and so much more. I wish they had printed out what many of the documents said because we the fading of the paper and the fancy handwriting and the over anxious people behind you, it was hard to get a long good look and really read anything.

There were some documents about the “absorption of the Mid-West.” Absorption? Was there a spill that the European settlers, soon to be called Americans, were nice enough to clean up with an extra-large Brawny paper towel? I left it alone (i.e., only talked about it for maybe ten minutes) but that phrase stayed with me a long time. I wonder how the discussion during the exhibit planning had played out.

While in the gift shop, and don't we just all LOVE museum gift shops, I saw a card with a man on a horse that looked a little bit like JFK. A jack, yes, but Jack London. I'm not a big fan (I hated Call of the Wild but what ninth grade high school freshman didn't?) but maybe that's changing. Printed on the card is his "credo" and it echoes one of my favorite Tennyson poems. Perhaps Mr. London had read it as well.

I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. The function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them. I shall use my time.

The galleries of Mr. Huntington were too stuffy for my taste but the gardens were gorgeous. They made for a perfect respite (yes, I napped there) before heading west towards the airport. I slowed down and my friend jumped out, with bags in hand.

With the setting sun behind me I drove home, without radio reception or a functioning cd player, I just sank into myself and headed south. Somewhere before Mexico was my turnoff.

Effective Management

Friday 7/30 4:40 pm Task Assigned:

Update documentation (three files, but one has priority if there is a time crunch) by COB Friday but really it’s sooner since it has to be reviewed, approved and shipped to HI for a training next week. Necessary support documentation would be forwarded.

 

Monday 8/1 3:00 pm:

 

No response received to emails or voicemails regarding promised support documentation.

 

Tuesday 8/2 10:00 am:

 

Support documentation emailed and brief meeting was held where loose, contradictory direction was given.

 

Tuesday 8/3 10:35 am:

 

After review of forwarded material it is clear that manager was in possession of support documentation for approximately five weeks before delegating it out for action one week before its due date.

 

Wednesday 8/4 11:00 am:

 

Email four questions that without answers would halt project progress.

 

11:30 am:

 

Phoned manager to confirm receipt of email. Instructed to print out .xls files that were emailed and to proceed to his office where banter ensued with two other employees where manager deflected all project related questions by playing Office Space sound bites. Learned that yesterday’s effort of five hours was a waste of time but eventually four necessary questions were answered and now I don’t plan on leaving office before 5:30 tonight.