Wednesday, December 31, 2003
La Cage au Courrier
On the back of most of my credit cards, I write "please ask for ID". Clerks check it maybe 1/5 of the time, but I figure if it ever gets stolen, at least that would reduce the damage.
However, there's this one woman who works at our local post office who always tells me my credit card is not valid because it is not signed. She is quite adamant that this has come down from the credit card companies themselves and that it's a security risk. I tried reasoning with her, asking only partially rhetorically, "don't you think showing an ID would make it more secure????" (actually, I only use one question mark. I'd like to know how to use more, y'know, verbally.)
Anyway she has none of it, so I try to avoid her when I go there. People look at me funny when I'm at the front of the line and I let them go ahead of me.
By the way, if you want short lines at the post office, the best time to go is-- I learned this when I was unemployed-- mid morning, before lunch time erranders start. 10-11:30 is good.
However, there's this one woman who works at our local post office who always tells me my credit card is not valid because it is not signed. She is quite adamant that this has come down from the credit card companies themselves and that it's a security risk. I tried reasoning with her, asking only partially rhetorically, "don't you think showing an ID would make it more secure????" (actually, I only use one question mark. I'd like to know how to use more, y'know, verbally.)
Anyway she has none of it, so I try to avoid her when I go there. People look at me funny when I'm at the front of the line and I let them go ahead of me.
By the way, if you want short lines at the post office, the best time to go is-- I learned this when I was unemployed-- mid morning, before lunch time erranders start. 10-11:30 is good.
Friday, December 26, 2003
Christmas
Last night we drove back from my parents' in LA. We had a great time visiting with them, Cory & Cyn, and longtime friends Ed, Sallie & Tad from Denver. There were no Pierogies or South Park Gingerbreads, and it rained too much for my Dad to play much golf, and yet a good time was had by all.
My Mom, Naomi and I went hiking in the rain. Slogging, really. The top of the soil was pretty liquidy, so we slid all over the place. There was a good view at the top, right.
Last night we drove back, and went through a blizzard on Tejon pass. But it was fast going after that so we made it home in time to get a good night's sleep, ready to head out for Boxing Day at the Devlins'.
Our cats left us a present, too. As I write this, Naomi is cleaning up the Christmas Poo (sometimes they are overly eager to exit the litter box). Lest you think I have it easy... I get the other end of the cat, so last week when Jake produced holiday projectile vomit at three in the morning, that was my job.
My Mom, Naomi and I went hiking in the rain. Slogging, really. The top of the soil was pretty liquidy, so we slid all over the place. There was a good view at the top, right.
Last night we drove back, and went through a blizzard on Tejon pass. But it was fast going after that so we made it home in time to get a good night's sleep, ready to head out for Boxing Day at the Devlins'.
Our cats left us a present, too. As I write this, Naomi is cleaning up the Christmas Poo (sometimes they are overly eager to exit the litter box). Lest you think I have it easy... I get the other end of the cat, so last week when Jake produced holiday projectile vomit at three in the morning, that was my job.
Thursday, December 25, 2003
Happy, Happy; Joy, Joy
To the four or five of you who read this, Merry Christmas and/or Happy Chanukah!
Friday, December 19, 2003
SLAC Gets Foamy Soap
Now, you don't have to go to Rock Bottom for the foamy soap. SLAC has it now, too. Wednesday, December 17, 2003
Fun With Plastic
Today, I spent the first 3 hours of my work day "double-bagging" a bunch of stuff. It was kinda fun, since it was kinda like using my Eurosealer. Whee!
Wednesday, December 10, 2003
Blogging to suffer
I accepted the job at Big Semiconductor Widgets, Inc. I decided not to call them by their true name so I can bitch about it all I want. If I ever have time to blog, that is. I'm going to be spending mornings at SLAC, and evenings at BSW. Pretty much, I'll be going from 8-11.
Day 2 is probably a little early to start bitching, but they started off on the wrong foot if you ask me. The salary offer was nigh-insulting, and they are definitely taking advantage of the job market (i.e. I talked to other people at orientation and it wasn't just me). I don't know how they think they are going to keep those people as the job market continues to warm up.
At any rate, I'm making the same salary I was making 5 years ago. Then I was nearly fresh out of grad school and it seemed like a lot of money.
I also don't really care for dressing up in a bunny suit all day. And the long days are ucky. And I think I wouldn't mind it as much if at least I felt like I was bringing home some serious bacon, but to invest all this time and barely tread water doesn't feel so good.
It will probably get better, but I'll probably also get more tired as time goes on. We'll see. Whichever way it goes, I may not have much time to blog for a while.
Day 2 is probably a little early to start bitching, but they started off on the wrong foot if you ask me. The salary offer was nigh-insulting, and they are definitely taking advantage of the job market (i.e. I talked to other people at orientation and it wasn't just me). I don't know how they think they are going to keep those people as the job market continues to warm up.
At any rate, I'm making the same salary I was making 5 years ago. Then I was nearly fresh out of grad school and it seemed like a lot of money.
I also don't really care for dressing up in a bunny suit all day. And the long days are ucky. And I think I wouldn't mind it as much if at least I felt like I was bringing home some serious bacon, but to invest all this time and barely tread water doesn't feel so good.
It will probably get better, but I'll probably also get more tired as time goes on. We'll see. Whichever way it goes, I may not have much time to blog for a while.
Thursday, December 04, 2003
What am I doing? I'm going crazy!
Hey, look at that, it's been a while since I've blogged anything. Bad me!
So, I'm mulling a job offer. It's kinda low... so I countered them. And if I take it, I'll be working mornings at SLAC and evenings at this new job. I should get home around 11. No more weeknight hockey for a while. So, all that would suck, but it would be nice to have a job again, and in 6 months I'd have a Master's and a job and more bargaining power, so I guess I'll have to do it.
The alternative is to devote all my time to school, keep working as a TA for TA money, and possibly get sucked into pursuing a Ph.D. Do I want a Ph.D. in particle physics? Or do I just want my Master's in order to finish it?
So, I'm mulling a job offer. It's kinda low... so I countered them. And if I take it, I'll be working mornings at SLAC and evenings at this new job. I should get home around 11. No more weeknight hockey for a while. So, all that would suck, but it would be nice to have a job again, and in 6 months I'd have a Master's and a job and more bargaining power, so I guess I'll have to do it.
The alternative is to devote all my time to school, keep working as a TA for TA money, and possibly get sucked into pursuing a Ph.D. Do I want a Ph.D. in particle physics? Or do I just want my Master's in order to finish it?
