THE GOOD OF 2008 (Professional/Personal)

-I still have a job despite the economy
-My relationship with my beloved just gets better and better
-We adopted Pixel
-I’ve made some awesome new friends

THE BAD OF 2008 (Professional/Personal)

-I’m still in the same job, with the same manager, and the same problems
-Lost my friend Amber in April

THE GOOD OF 2008 - (Media)

-‘Common Reaction‘, Uh Huh Her
-‘Modern Guilt‘, Beck
-‘Accelerate‘, REM
-‘Viva Pinata‘ for Xbox- not released in 2008, but new to me this year
‘Rock Band 2‘ for Xbox
‘Fringe’ on Tv
-The new Wordpress 2.7

THE BAD OF 2008 (Media)

-Britney’s comeback
-The cancellation of Pushing Daisies
-Reality TV (still, always, forever)

THE GOOD OF 2008 - (Tech)

-The Flip Mino Video Camera
-iPhone 3G
-The new Canon G10 camera

“Have your holiday office party in our restr. Call XXX-XXX-XXXX now.”

As we looked at it, Bayou uttered what we were both thinking:

“The way that’s written screams ‘restroom’ to me, not restaurant.” I laughed and agreed.

“What a place to have your holiday party, in the shitter. ‘Here, have your holiday party just like Larry Craig would have! Recreate the ambiance of the Minneapolis-St Paul airport bathroom here in Seattle!”

We were both cracking up by this point. I wasn’t even going to blog this until I saw this Fark tagline:

“Another sign of a bad economy: fewer tourists vacationing at the Sen. Craig bathroom in the Minneapolis airport”. Read the real article here.

This is day 1359943828423649836 (I have lost track- I think 9 out of 10 working days) of being at home. This time, not only did the elements conspire against us, but our trashy alleged ex-neighbor did, as well.

I thought I had posted about this, but my archives called shenanigans. Our neighbors immediately to the south were a family of four renting the house. They were “that family” on the block- broke, poor, loud fights. But they kept to themselves, and when interacting with us were pleasant enough.

And then while I was in India they stopped their trash service, or had it stopped for them. Either way, it was piling up. For months Bayou dogged the city about it, who sent useless letters and was preparing to fine the homeowner- until we found out the house foreclosed 9/29. Great.

They appeared to move out or be evicted in late October or early November. All I know is the trash stopped piling up next to their house and it got quieter.

This morning at about 5a I was woken up by the sound of someone desperately trying to get a vehicle unstuck from the snow. It seemed to go on forever; I figured it was the Asian teenager nextdoor who got his hot-rod jammed on the ice & snow lumps. Imagine my surprise when I got up to find that:

-It wasn’t the kid
-Our driveway is partially blocked
-It’s the ex-neighbor’s truck

I haven’t gone to check and see if anyone is next door, but I’m fairly certain he abandoned the vehicle. I called the Sheriff’s department but they can’t make any promises- even with the added bonus of the guy trespassing. Fabulous. Bus routes are still suspended and our streets are ice rinks.

So that’s the story of how I ended up working from home. Again.

Update: A sheriff just pulled up, inspected the property, and appears to be writing up a report/doing something. I hope a wrecker follows suit in short order.

Update 2: The tow truck just showed up!

Supporters of Proposition 8, the California initiative that eliminated the right of same-sex couples to marry last month, reacted with surprise and dismay this weekend to the announcement by the state’s attorney general that he had reversed his position and would ask California’s high court to invalidate the measure.

Jerry Brown, the state’s attorney general–and a leading candidate to replace Arnold Schwarzenegger as governor in two years–filed papers on Friday asking the state Supreme Court to overturn Proposition 8, which amends the state’s Constitution to define marriage as only between a man and a woman.

The decision is a major reversal for Brown, whose office argued against same-sex marriage in the spring, only to see the Supreme Court find a law banning gay marriage unconstitutional. After last month’s election, in which 52 percent of voters effectively reinstated that law by supporting Proposition 8, Brown again said he would support the will of the people.

In a brief filed on Friday, Brown abruptly changed sides, saying he had looked closely at state precedent and had concluded that he couldn’t defend the new law. “Proposition 8 must be invalidated because the amendment process cannot be used to extinguish fundamental constitutional rights without compelling justification,” Brown’s brief says. The state Supreme Court, in its decision earlier this year, found that gay couples enjoy the same fundamental right to marry that straight people do.

Brown’s brief acknowledged that the state is facing a constitutional crisis. Every branch of government–including the governor, a majority of state legislators, and the state’s highest court–approves the rights of same-sex couples to marry, while a slim majority of voters have eliminated those rights. “We have a conflict between the amendment power (through voter initiatives) and the duty of the Supreme Court to protect minorities and safeguard liberty,” Brown said.

I said when this happened that there was no way California could move on with three classes of people- straights who can marry, gays who did, and gays who can’t. I’m hoping this momentum will get the court case going to overturn this idiotic proposition.

No high winds, just a LOT of snow. Pictures -and quite possibly Sumi video- are forthcoming.

Worky-work, busy bee, that’s me… back to the grind.

Bayou and I headed out for the necessary supplies just before then- batteries and liquor. We bought:

• A bottle of dark rum
• A small sampler of three Scotches
• 8 D batteries (flashlights)
• 8 C batteries (flashlights & radio)
• Hand warmers
• Creosote log
• Lighters

We already had our candle box, flashlights, and camping stove/propane at Command Central.¹ Cell phones are charged, wood’s been brought to the back door for a fire if needed. Blankets, thick wool socks, and sweatshirts/fleece have been washed. Oh, and there was that $150 trip to the grocery on Wednesday. Food should not be an issue²

It amazes me how Seattle shuts down for snow, but after the photos I saw yesterday, I think it’s a hell of a lot safer. Seriously, people, STAY OFF THE ROADS. And don’t get on a bus going down a hill towards an overpass. Just don’t.³

Wish us luck. And we hope all of our friends, E&P, R&J, Amy, Cammie, and other West Seattleites are prepared and ready to weather the storm.

1. The dining room table
2. Especially after all that canning this fall!!
3. That is truly a nightmare scenario for me, dangling over a bridge that way

Bayou and I are iced in today, with about 2-3in of ice on our driveway, street, and surrounding neighborhood. Unless we get a Pineapple express through here, I don’t see us leaving anytime soon.

Thanks to the wonders of the Internet age, I can work from home.¹ However, this amazing ability to bust the bad guys anywhere I have my POS monstrosity Dell and and wifi is severely impacted by Pixelmania.

Pixelmania: Pik-sel may-nee-a; noun;

Condition in which said cat, Pixel, is possessed of super-feline speed and insanity. Pixelmania induced actions include, but are not limited to: 5 foot vertical jumps, knocking tv remotes, cd’s and other electronic accessories onto the floor; hurdling bags of food going to the food bank, ricocheting off Lachlan’s chest like a ninja cat from hell, and resisting any and all outside attempts to be restrained.

Do not treat with cat nip, laser pointers, or sweet talk. Responds well to bacon, sausage, and ice cream.

So today our little tuxedoed wonder bounced off every wall, shelf, table, stole food, harassed the dog, and pretty much made me want to scream. Still, she was effin’ cute the whole time. I think she finally passed out somewhere. Until the next bout of Pixelmania ensues, at least.

1. Yay…wtf ever.

But when I woke up it felt like someone had hit me with a ball-bat. Head, neck, shoulders - everything hurt. Being a desk jockey really needs to pay more. A lot more.

Work was busy and frantic and go-go-go. We were supposed to have lunch provided, but when noon rolled around I was nauseated and the idea of picked-over Quiznos turned my stomach. So I went to the market and got a can of stew. I know, I know, fat in a can… shaddup. It was the best I could do and it was familiar.

I heated it up in the microwave based on the can instructions- 3min. After 2:10 elapsed, I decided to check it. Well, when I pulled the bowl (which has a handle) out of the microwave hot grease sprayed everywhere- my face, below my left eye, in my hair, and a big spot on my right palm. I was next to the sink so I quickly rinsed my face and hand. My hand started to turn red and sting immediately.

Thankfully we have aloe-based burn cream, gauze, and tape. I taped my hand up and went back to work, my brand new shirt stew-sprayed. My head hurt like hell and I just wanted to crawl in a hole.

My boss, not normally the empathetic type, came up and asked me if I wanted to head home. She seemed concerned, and I know she understands the pain- she was burned badly almost two years ago in an accident. She wanted to know if I needed medical help. I told her there were no blisters but that I had applied cold immediately and bandaged in loosely. She told me to take the rest of the day and relax.

And so here I am, heating pad, laptop, and pet-love to ease my evening into a better place than my day began.

1. Conference calls SUCK
2. I miss my friends