R.I.P. - Hank and Nancy

Missoula, MT - I'm writing this from a friend's house. Two dear family members, Hank, my first cousin once removed, and his wife Nancy, died last week and I travelled here to their hometown for their funeral. They died of hypothermia after a freak accident that has left the family and their friends at a loss to understand such an unexpected, abrupt, and puzzling end to the lives of two people who were enjoying and embracing life as they approached retirement. They were well known, respected, and loved for the kindness and generosity they showed to the students at the University of Montana, as well as to the community they'd lived in for almost 40 years. It was a sad day, but it was good to see their friends and to be with my cousins and support them as they figure out a new chapter of their lives. The pews and aisles of the church were filled to the back, the line went out the door, and others waited and listened in the hall adjacent to the church.

This is the first part of an obituary that their daughters (my second cousins) Sarah and Emily wrote:
Henry "Hank" Harrington, 64, and Ann "Nancy" Harrington, 62, husband and wife and our parents, died Sunday, Jan. 6, 2008, on Flathead Lake as a result of a canoeing accident. They were on their way to our family cabin on Wildhorse Island. They had been married for 39 years.

If you want to read the full version: www.missoulian.com/articles...jan13.txt

Living out of a suitcase

We've been nomads the last few days, and about to hit the road again. We had some work done finishing the floors and the dust/fumes drove us out of the house - first to inlaws, then to a hotel. So we've been all discombobulated, I've been off line, and the kids are just loving the little hotel soaps and shampoos. Whee! I will be home, in my own bed Sunday.

Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

xxoo
moi

It's over! New job!

YESSSS!

I am finally seeing light at the end of the tunnel. After some brief negotiations, I have accepted a job starting 11/26. It's a good fit professionally, involves more of the Fabulous Moolah (RIP to her), and it's only 4.5 mi straight west of here, an easy commute by bike or car.

My boss is hot too ... heh heh. Gotta be careful not to let on. :-)

I hurt someone today

I hurt someone today and I am filled with sorrow. I feel bent and trying to accommodate that difference into a relationship backfired. Life happens while you are making other plans. I want to run, to fly, to do something to work this out or release the tension and pain, but something really good happened at home today and I have to try to put on a happy face and celebrate. Fark. It hurts and I wish I could be numb. Scheist.

I'm okay ... so's my family

www.wcco.com; www.mpr.org for news

Towards the end of rush hour (6:05 PM) the entire Interstate 35W bridge collapsed and fell into the Mississippi River. We're still getting info but it sounds like 50+ cars were on the span at the time. An unknown number went into the river and are not visible from the air.

I'm hoping for the best, but there is a confirmed fatality and traumatic injuries by the dozens from the cars hitting the bridge deck and other structural supports.

Out of work - or not??

FUCK.

Pardon my français folks. Today was supposed to be my last day - 12 years at da big kahuna tech company. Won't say the name here, but think of HAL from 2001. Except maybe it's not my last day. In a month of weirdness, I got a big ol slice of weird with a grande scoop of vanilla on the side.

I'm using my work laptop to write this, for example. And I still have all my paperwork. I work in Minneapolis. My boss is in Atlanta. I was operating on the honor system with most of this stuff but since I wanted to get my PAYCHECK tomorrow, I overnighted my signed copies of the forms to him yesterday so he could release the checks (the regular paycheck + the severance) and I would have them tomorrow so I can pay the farking mortgage. Here's an excerpt of chats with him today ....

Andy (9:58 AM) - Good morning S. I overnighted the forms yesterday and postdated them to today. If it all looks in order, I'd sure love to get the checks back overnight tomorrow. I've got the laptop return set up. Last thing I'll do is pop this thing in a box and send it back to Endicott.
S G (9:59 AM) - Ok, thanks, I've got some meetings still to complete, so we can talk after lunch about final logistics
.
. I don't hear from him ALL DAY
.
S G (4:07 PM) - Andy, how are things there?
Andy (4:07 PM) - Good. We are all done with the exit interviews. Just hung up with Scott & Dave about 5 min ago.
Andy (4:07 PM) - I'm preparing to pack up my laptop.
S G (4:08 PM) - well, hang on to everything for a bit longer....trying to work on something, not sure how it will work
>> No activity for the past 40 min
Andy (4:49 PM) - I need to step away for a few minutes - should be back in about 5.
Andy (4:57 PM) - ok - back.
S G (5:01 PM) - ok, can you call me for a min?
Andy (5:01 PM) - sure

What ensues is a strange conversation where he doesn't say exactly what's going to happen, but hints that maybe there's another position for me. But he doesn't know yet. And it's not about any of the internal jobs I posted for. So WTF is it??

On top of that - do I even WANT to keep working there after this happens, and after they announced another 1,700 people getting laid off yesterday?? This is not feeling like a stable place to work. Add on that the job market here is booming and I'm feeling like chucking the whole GD thang.

Shit. Okay, soapbox mode OFF.

Bleh!!

The One Word Gig

This was lifted from Ms. Mary's blog ... here's a link to hers: people.tribe.net/msmary/bl...5b9879878e

Use one word to describe me. Then copy and paste into your blog and I'll do the same for you.

Happy 420 Day y'all!!

Tho I am (sadly) 420-less, I still remember the herb and the days infused with it. Concerts, from Grateful Dead, to Clapton, to Young Neil, and all kinds of blissful outdoor activities and raucous parties both large and small. Ahhh, good times!

America at a Crossroads

First off, this is not for kids and PBS is upfront about this. There's explicit language and the images can be disturbing. This is a week-long expose (finally!) - a factual, in-depth analysis of war's cost the toll we're inflicting both on ourselves as well as on the innocents caught between the troops and the al qaeda. It goes beyond the conflict to understand the history here and in the middle east, the religious conflict that gave rise to it, and the arguments behind the current and proposed plans. This is something to stop and pay attention to.

Here's the home page for the whole show: www.pbs.org/weta/crossroads/index.html

Here is a link to some poignant writing from tonight: www.pbs.org/weta/crossro...writings.html