that guy over there

Yay me!

I have gone off the grid.

"But, Rich, you've been off the grid for months.. we never see you anymore."

No, no, no.. I mean OFF. THE. GRID.

Well, at least during the day. My solar panels are installed, and churning. Just went outside as the sun crested over the horizon and the meter went from flying forward to slowing, slowing, stopping, then spinning back the other way.

I'm producing, people! And with 2 refridgerators, 4 computers, a Wii, two fishtanks, 2 ponds, electric water heater, TV's and TiVos on standby sucking up juice anyway and a dozen other things on...

I can't wait to get my next electric bill.

So, haven't been surfing all that much this year due to the job thing and all that, but suddenly in July and August, typically slow months, Posiedon has just up and gone hog wild.

But this past weekend, we're talking overhead surf - say, 10 foot to 12 foot faces with occassional 15 to 20. Of course by me, the 15 to 20 just closed out.. Needed a slightly different swell direction to form up properly to hold at that size, but the mack daddied those sizes out in Montauk and a number of places.

And y'know.. Aside from anything, it's just the pure exhiliration of the drop and ride more than anything else.

And having the swell line up for the exact 5 days the wife and kids were away on a trip, well, if that ain't a sign, dunno what is.

Danny this weekend, though it'll have to be fit in around aforementioned soccer, dinner with the rents, and household chores (week 2 1/2 of lawn needing mowing... Oops!) Amount other things.

Howdy.

So, I got nuthin. Though, I suppose being employed full time, getting solar, kids going back to school, coaching soccer, potentially taking over Cub Scouts as Cubmaster, middle son on travel soccer, surfing hurricanes and still looking for a job I'll feel better settling down at.

Ok, so I suppose I got a lot going on.

So, on the tail end of my dark, dire, self indulgent (I'm surprised I didn't mention my rapidly greying hair) post, all is not bleak doom and gloom looking forward.

To be sure, there is plenty of uncertainty, but life throws things your way in its karmatic gyrations and you just need to deal with it.

On the plus side, to even out my last post, I'm employed, the consulting company is picking me up full time, and my current gig is extending me.

Timing being what it is, murphy's bitch, of course means that I've had three interviews in the past month that remain in progress, four calls this week alone from both things I've put in for and out of the blue through friends alerting me to things where they work, and there has been a flurry of new job postings from some major institutions I'd be a good fit for.

Which, of course may leave me in an enviable yet somewhat sticky situation depending on how things go.

I'm not one to burn bridges or leave people in a bind, so given that I'm fulltiming it, if I get a wonderfully fabulous offer, I'd have to make that unwanted decision.

How's that for post to post contrast for ya?

Oh, look, it's HIM again.

Y'now, doing this from blackberry is somewhat, I dunno, just doesn't feel the same.

But, I have no work access to lj, and home life is busy and I might have tended to play Secondlife a little instead of updating here, but even then it's only a couple times a month because for some reason I'm busy.

The strangest thing, which I've mentioned before, is that when I was unemployed, you'd think I'd be an lj junkie, but nada.

After staring at website after website of job postings and typing why I was so fucking stellar I should be hired, well, I think it left me a bit spent.

I continuously said to myself to do the blog of the out of work guy and get tons of attention due to my insightful commentary, but at the end of the day, it was just fending off the depression.

That's the fucked thing... I consider myself someone who can control his emotions fairly well ( though the anger side is the tougher one). So, going into unemployment I knew depression was something I'd have to fight and I stole myself towards it.

But, at the end of the day, when things become bleak, I was fighting my own, making sure to reassure my wife there was hope and not really any problem, doing the same or more fore the kids (hey, 11, 9 and 7 year olds are very perceptive), plus managing my parents, friends, kids' friends' parents and all the while knowing that it was dire.

I don't wish this kind of stuff on many people. And even those I don't like - if they have a family, never.

But, back in the saddle, unlike many others out there. My life plan has been seriously interrupted, and I'm kinda out of sorts that I'm not really going to amount to much professionally and in a way to set up my family to be comfortable like I wanted, but, hey...

Kids, wife - healthy, happy. Making the mortgage and bills most of the time. Many people tons worse off than me.

So, gotta be humble and say I'm still spoiled and lucky.

Well, howdy do again.

Just managed to sleep past my ferry stop. How does one do that?

Anyway, surf has been great lately, and I'm closing in on a full time employment thing, so all good there.

Did I mention I'm getting solar power?

So, LJ tells me it's been 11 weeks without me. But, well, things have been going on. Plus I really do need to keep this on my bberry so I will update on the road.

If you asked me to update yesterday, it would have been a self pitying list of my job sucking dingleberry covered hairy balls to lamenting about me not having anything about me matter in terms of spending time on things I care about to a family life that is going through the paces.

Today, things are better, in that I'm not so self-involved and one of the items that has been nagging at me since March (being full time employed) has been fixed. Of a sort. Not the most optimal, but ok.

Family is good, everyone's healthy and happy, I'm putting solar power on my roof and sticking it to the electric company.

How YOU doin'?

Ok, so not once a week, but, hey, it's been only 2 weeks. Anyway, nothing much new. Though, it's stress time with my contract renewal coming up for this job. So either I have to find something new, get renewed or I'm out on the street again. Bah.

Otherwise, the pond is open again.. Fish are all happy. The kids are all good. They are getting big, though.. It really is amazing how they are as they approach teenage years.

Well, see ya'll soon. Heading up to the Poconos for the weekend.

My peeps! My people! How have you all been?

So, yes, you have figured with me being out of work for 4 months, I would have had the time to be on Livejournal every day, updating and delving into all the excitement. But, y'know, job searching is busy work. I would sit at the computer for about 5 hours straight, just going through job postings and applying and reworking the resume and replying and writing cover letters and so on and on.

And in the end, I end up getting a consulting gig through some random person I get connected to through another random meeting. Oh, sure I had interviews through applying online and calling and harrassing friends, but, just some random luck and there you go...

So, been working at a large international broker for the past 6 weeks, and I have to just say - this working thing is a real drag. I mean, c'mon! Busy busy busy, getting up and schlepping myself into the city, getting home late. And at the end of it all - I'm still just an independent consultant, so no job security.

But, ha - job security. Like anyone I know if feeling very secure with their permanent job at the moment. But, well, I have a steady, if not secure, paycheck coming in, and life in the household is chugging along.

And I've started regular job searching again, since after 5 weeks, I realized.. hey - I really need to have a fall back in case something happens. Not that I'm betting on it, because from what I see, the company needs me and actually values what I have. But, then, I sorta felt that way about my last gig.

So, wanted to check in, say hi, and promise to update a bit more now.. maybe not daily.. but maybe I'll commit to once a week.

Heh - I have to say, there's one guy at work that looks and acts just like Ben Affleck. Why do I emntion that? Because I want to say - How do you like THEM apples?!

Your result for test to see how much of a freak are you, anyways?...

freakalicious

Take test to see how much of a freak are you, anyways? at HelloQuizzy

Jennifer Gardner and Jessica Alba SITTING TOGETHER at the Democratic National Convention.

I kept the TiVo paused on them for the half hour it took for the cache to catch up.

*swoon*

Really. I made paella for the first time (I find the fact that I never made paella before quite amazing in itself), and I had a horde of guests who consumed it quite rapidly and with much gusto.

I do find, however, that it is somewhat labor-intensive to get everything cut up and prepped, although exceedingly easy to make in the end. Somewhat like my gazpacho experience. which I should have made this weekend as appetizer for the paella, but completely forgot about until it was too late.

Yes, I'm still here. Or, well, *here* (points to office where I am sitting). Last week I was on the Jersey Shore. Surf and family bonding was had.

Life has settled back into a routine that is neither annoying or fairly exciting. Which, I suppose, is a good thing.

There are many things I could be doing at work, but, well, nothing happens when I try to do the right thing, anyway, so I'm perusing job boards instead.

Atlanta in the beginning of September. Not too excited about that, but, ah well. But maybe London will be in my cards this year. I haven't been all year. It feels weird.

I really do love zombie movies, and this Endless Zombie Rampage game from yesterday is the total bomb.

I'm loaded up with an FN Scar assault rifle and it's cherry. I keep looking at the more expensive Pancor Jackhammer auto shotgun, or the GAU-8 minigun, but they can't match the less expensive Scar's reload rate. I'm into Day 2 sometime and I find the most difficult thing is that it is becoming increassingly hard to see the horde coming in at me because they are starting to blend in with the pile of corpses littered about my feet. And boy, are they starting to stream in now.

In a real-life zombie situation, I'm sure I would have the Jackhammer and GAU on hand in case anything went awry with my Scar. Plus, I figure I would be inside my bunker and would therefore be able to swap guns at a more sensible rate to fit the situation on the ground. Say a large group of slow moving zombies, I'd probably use the Jackhammer. For a massive horde, I'd start with the GAU and, instead of reloading when it ran dry, snatch up my Scar.

I would appreciate a couple of grenades, but I think I'm pretty set right now. We'll see what happens when we hit Day 3. I'll probably be dead by then. In the game, only, of course. Because I so totally could survive a zombie apocalypse.

After the Colbert report last night, and the subsequent pick-up by Maura over at Idolator, I decided to check out the O'Reilly response, and felt compelled to send them an email.

Of which nothing will come of, I'm sure, but..


Two points that I hope Mr. O'Reilly sees;

One - I'm not a MoveOn fan or supporter, but I'm amused at your protestations that they use the race card to vilify anyone who disagrees with them. Isn't that what the current administration has done for the past 7 years? Anyone who disagreed was accussed of not being a 'patriot.'. You yourself have used that attack on people.

Two - it would have been interesting to have included FOX as a choice on your website for 'the most biased media outlet.'. If you are so sure no one would consider you biased, it may have been more telling, and the poll wouldn't have smacked of being biased itself in its available choices.

I spent my day killing zombies. How about you?

I'm trying to figure out if it's worth the extra risk in the beginning to not use any experience points. I'm not sure I can hold off the horde with just the pistol.

How about you?

Is there anyone on your friends list you would ever consider having sex with?
Of course. And you know who you are.

Sex in the morning, afternoon or night?
Is this a trick question?

What side of the bed do you sleep on?
Lately, the left.

Have you ever had to pull over on the side of the road to puke?
No.

Have you ever taken your clothes off for money?
In a way, yes.

Do you want someone aggressive or passive in bed?
I like a bit of a tiger.

Do you love someone in your friends list?
All of them.

Do you know all the people in your friends list?
No, not carnally. Yet.

Love or money?
Money. I have love already.

Credit cards or cash?
Cash.

Have you ever had anyone in your family you wish wasn't?
It would create a paradox.

Would you rather go camping or to a 5 star hotel?
5 star hotel. Wait - naked camping?

Where is the weirdest place you have had sex?
That'd be in the butt, Bob. Wait, would a telephone booth count?

Would you shave your entire body (including your head) for money?
How much money are we talking?

Have you ever been to a strip club?
Yes.

Ever been to a bar?
Um, yes.

Ever been kicked out of a bar or a club?
Actually, the first time was last year.

Ever been so drunk you had to be carried out of somewhere?
No.

Kissed someone of the same sex?
No.

Ever had sex in the bathroom?
Yes.

Have you ever had sex at work?
Actual intercourse? No. But now it depends on your definition of sex.

Have you ever bought anything from an adult store?
Yes.

Ever been caught having sex?
Does it count if we were trying to get caught?

Does anyone have naughty pictures of YOU?
I sure hope so.

Have you ever had sex with someone and called them the wrong name?
Nope.

So, I need to recommend going away every now and then. It's refreshing, even if your first day back at work you feel like you haven't been away at all.

The misses and I took for for four nights in the Dominican Republic, staying at all all-inclusive, The Excellence, Punta Cana.

It was actually a very nice place to stay. A bit of a distance from the airport, but well worth it, I believe. We booked the cheapest room (garden/mountain view) and it was a good choice - private garden area, very quiet, feeling very secluded and very pretty. The room was decent, large bed, jacuzzi tub, standard amenities. And the resort was much fun.

I never actually stayed at an all-inclusive before, but I liked it. And for an island such as D.R., where it's not really a 'go explore the local life' sort of place, it worked.

We, of course, got taken in by the beach merchants and the on-site resort merchants, but, hey, it all supports the local economy in some way, right?

We also splurged on a couple's massage - hot rocks and all. It was very nice. I think the masseur intentionally ran her fingers a bit high on my legs, though. I'm just saying.

Scene: Co-worker in breakroom compalining about a morning meeting, we commiserate about stupid people and how meetings end up being suck time.

Co-worker: Well, on top of it, I'm not a morning person, so it just gets me off to a bad start to the day.

Me: Yeah. I have a similar problem. I'm not a people person.