I found out last night via an email that was sent from the building manager to the homeowners.
I swear I saw Marilyn only a few days ago... up and around and looking old and frail but not unhealthy.
Her daughter Jill is actually good friends with my ex. They became friendly after he and I broke up. I've seen Jill more than a few times at his old house (when he still lived there) for parties and stuff. I learned that Marilyn was going to be my neighbor at one of those parties. She and I compared notes about the building and such... when we finally got to our unit numbers were were shocked to find that we'd be right next to each other!
We weren't socially close or anything at all... said hello in the hallway and talked at building functions about Jill. Marilyn and I really only knew each other at all because of Jill's association with my ex which always seemed to linger just beneath the surface of any conversation we had.
I'll be attending a small ceremony Jill is hosting this Saturday.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Monday, November 12, 2007
November 12 of 12
12 pictures all taken on the 12th of the month. It's Chad Darnell's idea and if you'd like to play along you can find out how at his blog (which is pretty interesting right now because he is one of the writers who are on strike, and he's really got a neat insider's view of the whole thing up).
When one door closes another door opens.
My 12 were inspired by that oft used quote, attributed to many, including Helen Keller and Alexander Graham Bell... November has been a month of pretty extreme change for me, professionally & personally & pharmaceutically. So I got to thinking about how many literal and figurative doors had opened and closed for me over the past few weeks and came up with these 12 shots:
About to head out my front door:
Exiting the building via my super secret back staircase exit:
The super sleek doors of a newly refurbished MARTA train. My transportation to work:
Exiting the train station at work via another super secret back exit:
About to head in to the office:
'Nuff said:
Leaving the office:
The proper entrance to the MARTA station at work (as opposed to my super secret exit):
Nearly home now. This is outside the shop across the street from me. I stopped to get something frozen for dinner:
I left via my super secret exit, but I'm coming home via the grand front entry:
Check the mail (nothing by the way, which I should have known since it was a holiday... duh):
Home again, home again, giggity gig:
So those are most of the literal doors I go through on a daily basis... the figurative ones have been much more interesting, but WAY harder to photograph.
When one door closes another door opens.
My 12 were inspired by that oft used quote, attributed to many, including Helen Keller and Alexander Graham Bell... November has been a month of pretty extreme change for me, professionally & personally & pharmaceutically. So I got to thinking about how many literal and figurative doors had opened and closed for me over the past few weeks and came up with these 12 shots:
About to head out my front door:
Exiting the building via my super secret back staircase exit:
The super sleek doors of a newly refurbished MARTA train. My transportation to work:
Exiting the train station at work via another super secret back exit:
About to head in to the office:
'Nuff said:
Leaving the office:
The proper entrance to the MARTA station at work (as opposed to my super secret exit):
Nearly home now. This is outside the shop across the street from me. I stopped to get something frozen for dinner:
I left via my super secret exit, but I'm coming home via the grand front entry:
Check the mail (nothing by the way, which I should have known since it was a holiday... duh):
Home again, home again, giggity gig:
So those are most of the literal doors I go through on a daily basis... the figurative ones have been much more interesting, but WAY harder to photograph.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Has it really been a week?
Wow... so THIS is what it's like to work like a normal person! Interesting.
For well over 10 years now I have worked weird hours. VERY early mornings or very late at night. In fact, for the past 8 years I rarely left work before 2am. Worse still prior to 2007 I was a "floater" so when someone called in sick or went on vacation, I covered for them, no matter what their shift was or what shift I'd worked the day before... so my "body clock" never really got a chance to find a syncopation... my waking and sleeping hours never corolated to the sunlight or the darkness. For the past 12 months I've been working 6p - 3a. A constant schedule, but certainly not one that many would consider "normal."
On Monday I started a new job... the hours get me into work around 10am and see me heading home around 6pm... SWEET right? I mean... these are DREAM hours as far as I am concerned. The job is a little frustrating right now, but that's typical I think for starting something new. It will get better and easier, I'm not nervous.
Thing is, that these "normal" hours are really cutting into my blogging and blog reading time! I can't believe I haven't posted anything since MONDAY! It seems like I wrote the window dressing post just a day or so ago.
OK... well I am off to catch up on some of y'all's blogs, see if any of my favorite (shall we say) ribald bloggers have anything new to say, and then see if I can't find a marathon of A Shot of Love with Teela Tequila or something as equally trashy on TV.
Caio.
For well over 10 years now I have worked weird hours. VERY early mornings or very late at night. In fact, for the past 8 years I rarely left work before 2am. Worse still prior to 2007 I was a "floater" so when someone called in sick or went on vacation, I covered for them, no matter what their shift was or what shift I'd worked the day before... so my "body clock" never really got a chance to find a syncopation... my waking and sleeping hours never corolated to the sunlight or the darkness. For the past 12 months I've been working 6p - 3a. A constant schedule, but certainly not one that many would consider "normal."
On Monday I started a new job... the hours get me into work around 10am and see me heading home around 6pm... SWEET right? I mean... these are DREAM hours as far as I am concerned. The job is a little frustrating right now, but that's typical I think for starting something new. It will get better and easier, I'm not nervous.
Thing is, that these "normal" hours are really cutting into my blogging and blog reading time! I can't believe I haven't posted anything since MONDAY! It seems like I wrote the window dressing post just a day or so ago.
OK... well I am off to catch up on some of y'all's blogs, see if any of my favorite (shall we say) ribald bloggers have anything new to say, and then see if I can't find a marathon of A Shot of Love with Teela Tequila or something as equally trashy on TV.
Caio.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Cartoon Curtains
It's time, my friends, for you to play designer!
I cannot afford the talents of such an expert (although I have consulted with one of the best) nor can I actually afford the materials needed in order to accomplish this project, but I CAN turn it into a blog post...
Here is a view of my living room:
Pathetic... I know... but I didn't get the design part of the gay gene... I DID get appreciation of musical theater, HGTV and the attraction to men, but not the decorating or dressing parts.
So... as you can see there are no window treatments up there. Well there is one, a pull down shade that I bought at Lowes about 4 days after I moved in. This needs to be dressed up. "P" and I have different opinions on how to go about doing this.
As you look at these next images, disregard the colors, and the stripes and all... those are just there to get my point across (not that I am opposed to these colors or these patterns, but neither am I especially attracted to them either).
Option 1:
Curtains... floor to ceiling. In the photo above they are pulled over the window but left open at the door, but the could be pulled completely closed. I'm thinking curtains like these with the big grommets and thick pole (quit it).
Option 2:
Roman shades. A large upholstered box valance at the top of the window (to give the illusion of height... thank you Candice) and a smaller shade that covers the glass in the door. When I was drawing this I thought about putting a shelf over the door and putting stuff on it, but more than one person has already pointed out that tall things over a door might not be a good idea... so picture maybe a photo or mirror or moosehead there.
So what do you think? Option 1 or Option 2? So far the only professional designer to take a look at my rudimentary plans and I are in agreement. "P" likes the other option... I'll tell you which is which after you tell me what you like best!
Feel free by the way, to mock up your own mockup... I'll take all the free design advice I can get!
P.S. disregard the TV... that will magically be transforming into something thin and wall mounted in the coming months.
I cannot afford the talents of such an expert (although I have consulted with one of the best) nor can I actually afford the materials needed in order to accomplish this project, but I CAN turn it into a blog post...
Here is a view of my living room:
Pathetic... I know... but I didn't get the design part of the gay gene... I DID get appreciation of musical theater, HGTV and the attraction to men, but not the decorating or dressing parts.
So... as you can see there are no window treatments up there. Well there is one, a pull down shade that I bought at Lowes about 4 days after I moved in. This needs to be dressed up. "P" and I have different opinions on how to go about doing this.
As you look at these next images, disregard the colors, and the stripes and all... those are just there to get my point across (not that I am opposed to these colors or these patterns, but neither am I especially attracted to them either).
Option 1:
Curtains... floor to ceiling. In the photo above they are pulled over the window but left open at the door, but the could be pulled completely closed. I'm thinking curtains like these with the big grommets and thick pole (quit it).
Option 2:
Roman shades. A large upholstered box valance at the top of the window (to give the illusion of height... thank you Candice) and a smaller shade that covers the glass in the door. When I was drawing this I thought about putting a shelf over the door and putting stuff on it, but more than one person has already pointed out that tall things over a door might not be a good idea... so picture maybe a photo or mirror or moosehead there.
So what do you think? Option 1 or Option 2? So far the only professional designer to take a look at my rudimentary plans and I are in agreement. "P" likes the other option... I'll tell you which is which after you tell me what you like best!
Feel free by the way, to mock up your own mockup... I'll take all the free design advice I can get!
P.S. disregard the TV... that will magically be transforming into something thin and wall mounted in the coming months.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
It feels just like starting over
Monday (tomorrow) the next phase in my career begins.
Two weeks ago I was informed that the main show I have been working on had been cancelled. There would be 10 more episodes and then it would be done. Almost exactly 4 months ago I was blogging about my move from "operations" to "editorial" and how nervous I was about it. This was one of the very scenarios I was concerned about. The show was a "next day replay" of a show on one of our sister networks. In this DVR day and age having a few replays is not a bad idea. If you miss Law and Order SVU on NBC Tuesday at 9pm, you can catch the replay on USA later in the week. I mean the first run stuff. New shows, different networks (same parent company), different nights. Makes a lot of sense. "My" replay just wasn't getting the numbers it needed. This was always an experiment, and I knew that going in.
There were other problems too... it was a topical interview/news program. Sometimes that kind of information just doesn't "keep" well overnight, and in the case of a Friday show, that I wouldn't get to air until the following Monday... well.. it just didn't always make for the most topical hour on TV.
The show in question, by the way, will live on in it's current form on it's home network. It's only "my" replay that's been axed.
So starting Monday a "next day replay" of a different show is taking "my" show's place. The new show is formatted around a topic that addresses less "vital" (but NO LESS INTERESTING) matters which will be easier to replay. It also already runs on my network's schedule, and as such matches the existing break structure so there'll be only a minimum amount (if any) of editing involved in order to turn it around. "My" show originally aired with 6 breaks and had to be chopped up to fit into an 8 break structure.
So, where does all this leave me?
It seems that while I was overseeing my replay, I made a good impression on some of the muckity mucks in the newsroom and instead of throwing this baby out with the bathwater, they've reassigned me. On Monday I'll be joining a new show team. A GOOD show I think too. Two hours of mostly live news Monday through Friday, anchored by a person I like and respect and helmed by a team of people who I think "get it." The hours (frankly) KICK ASS and I finally get a DESK with my own computer and phone (after 8 years) too! Do I have any idea how to DO this new job? Not really. I have some of the tools but nowhere near the full toolbox. With just months to go till my 40th birthday, this is definitely a big change, and I'll definitely be the oldest dude in this position... but I'm up for it.
A nice thing is that I have been on vacation this past week. So I've had some time off to refresh and reset my brain (in more ways than one... oooooh cryptic).
OH... the best part... I can take the train to work again! That was one of the reasons I bought THIS NEW CONDO to begin with! Woo Hoo!
P.S. - This is another reason why it's not a bad thing that the Holiday Help deal didn't work out.
Two weeks ago I was informed that the main show I have been working on had been cancelled. There would be 10 more episodes and then it would be done. Almost exactly 4 months ago I was blogging about my move from "operations" to "editorial" and how nervous I was about it. This was one of the very scenarios I was concerned about. The show was a "next day replay" of a show on one of our sister networks. In this DVR day and age having a few replays is not a bad idea. If you miss Law and Order SVU on NBC Tuesday at 9pm, you can catch the replay on USA later in the week. I mean the first run stuff. New shows, different networks (same parent company), different nights. Makes a lot of sense. "My" replay just wasn't getting the numbers it needed. This was always an experiment, and I knew that going in.
There were other problems too... it was a topical interview/news program. Sometimes that kind of information just doesn't "keep" well overnight, and in the case of a Friday show, that I wouldn't get to air until the following Monday... well.. it just didn't always make for the most topical hour on TV.
The show in question, by the way, will live on in it's current form on it's home network. It's only "my" replay that's been axed.
So starting Monday a "next day replay" of a different show is taking "my" show's place. The new show is formatted around a topic that addresses less "vital" (but NO LESS INTERESTING) matters which will be easier to replay. It also already runs on my network's schedule, and as such matches the existing break structure so there'll be only a minimum amount (if any) of editing involved in order to turn it around. "My" show originally aired with 6 breaks and had to be chopped up to fit into an 8 break structure.
So, where does all this leave me?
It seems that while I was overseeing my replay, I made a good impression on some of the muckity mucks in the newsroom and instead of throwing this baby out with the bathwater, they've reassigned me. On Monday I'll be joining a new show team. A GOOD show I think too. Two hours of mostly live news Monday through Friday, anchored by a person I like and respect and helmed by a team of people who I think "get it." The hours (frankly) KICK ASS and I finally get a DESK with my own computer and phone (after 8 years) too! Do I have any idea how to DO this new job? Not really. I have some of the tools but nowhere near the full toolbox. With just months to go till my 40th birthday, this is definitely a big change, and I'll definitely be the oldest dude in this position... but I'm up for it.
A nice thing is that I have been on vacation this past week. So I've had some time off to refresh and reset my brain (in more ways than one... oooooh cryptic).
OH... the best part... I can take the train to work again! That was one of the reasons I bought THIS NEW CONDO to begin with! Woo Hoo!
P.S. - This is another reason why it's not a bad thing that the Holiday Help deal didn't work out.
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Astro-Hot
Was watching some of the coverage of the Space Station repair going on in orbit right now. At one point they put up a picture of the astronaut doing the actual work of repairing a solar array.
Hot, right? I was shocked! I mean, yeah, astronauts have kind of an automatic hotness about them but wow. Then I read his bio... which I wont post here, but the guy grew up all over the world, is a medical doctor, mountain climber, Olympic luge coach... the list goes on and on and on! You can read it for yourself here.
Not sure why I am posting this...
Hot, right? I was shocked! I mean, yeah, astronauts have kind of an automatic hotness about them but wow. Then I read his bio... which I wont post here, but the guy grew up all over the world, is a medical doctor, mountain climber, Olympic luge coach... the list goes on and on and on! You can read it for yourself here.
Not sure why I am posting this...
Thursday, November 1, 2007
The Northside Ballet
Here in Atlanta we have an establishment that caters to ladies and gentlemen who appreciate masculine physical fitness and rhythmic ability. The venue is colloquially referred to as "The Northside Ballet."
That's where I could be found last night... giving dollars to a young man mostly dressed as Indiana Jones.
Paying for it a little this morning... figuratively and literally. Between the cabs and the cover and the $5.50 beers and the tipping (OH THE TIPPING) I definitely spent some coin. Sooooo worth it though. Indiana Jones was SO worth it.
So yeah... I went to a strip club... it was Halloween, I'm on vacation and even had "P's" blessing. I had a great time, hung out with friends I haven't been able to spend much time with lately, played it totally safe by not driving...
Why then do I feel so stupid this morning?
That's where I could be found last night... giving dollars to a young man mostly dressed as Indiana Jones.
Paying for it a little this morning... figuratively and literally. Between the cabs and the cover and the $5.50 beers and the tipping (OH THE TIPPING) I definitely spent some coin. Sooooo worth it though. Indiana Jones was SO worth it.
So yeah... I went to a strip club... it was Halloween, I'm on vacation and even had "P's" blessing. I had a great time, hung out with friends I haven't been able to spend much time with lately, played it totally safe by not driving...
Why then do I feel so stupid this morning?
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