Lightbulb moment

The pool is up a small flight of stairs. After I finish swimming with my legs stretched out for more than an hour, getting down those stairs reminds me that I'm old. Also there are many other signs and new ones appear all the time. This morning, it's my eyes. Usually, because I had permanent lenses installed after my cataracts were removed several years ago, I get too much light but this morning I'm not getting enough. Great. Eye problems. Fuck.

Then I realized that I'd neglected to turn on the lights. DOH. Well, that problem has been fixed!

This morning, the woman who's lately been swimming at the same time, asked me my name. Her's is Terry. Another gym friend.

Today I plan to finish off my new Mariner jacket. I planned the finishings while I was swimming. I may also make a new bag. And I have a new hat on the knitting needles. I checked a bunch of sewing books out of the library and I want to spend some quality time with them. There is no Mariner game today.

My tweets

• Sun, 12:21: New jacket in the works @ The Florentine https://t.co/NGozaFWrtw
• Sun, 14:20: My make-it-up-as-you-go-along hat is coming along nicely. @ The Florentine https://t.co/txdYexBpAt
• Sun, 15:15: Printer security. On duty now. @ The Florentine https://t.co/sBgJc6jzy1

Continued

IBM sent everyone involved to visit Phoenix to check it out. The company culture was still in the Hire 'em Out of the Crib and Delivery 'em to the Undertaker. They went for many many years never ever laying off anyone. Finally, they did but in the IBM way. They bent the corporation into a pretzel to avoid it and when it was not avoidable, they threw cash and benefits at those departing. But, first they did everything they could to keep rather than hire new.

So, we all got one or two all expense paid 3-4 day trips to Phoenix. The first one was to demonstrate what a great place it was. The second one was to nail down housing. I did not have an open mind on my trip. I had once been interviewed by the New Times - a weekly shopper that was 'what's happening in Phoenix' this week paper. So I looked for that as soon as I got there.

The cover story was all about available cock fights. YES cock fights. I'm from the south, I know about cock fights. I know to stay as far away as possible.

And, then the guns. OMG. I saw them everywhere. In the produce section of the grocery store. On the street. In the movie theater. It creeped me out no end. I hate guns. I know that tons of people feel otherwise so I have a great appreciation of laws to at least conceal them.

And gold lame... everywhere. I'd never seen so much platinum hair and gold lame shoes, pants, tops, purses...

Phoenix had great Mexican food. And Spring Training. But, it was not enough. If I could get over the rest there was still the heat.

So I came home and told them no thank you. They wanted me to go back and look again - this time at houses but I told them it would be a waste of their money. It's one thing to do a job I'm not crazy about in a city I love. But to move to a place I didn't even remotely like and still hate the job? Nope.

The offered me a very lovely parting gift. A half a year's salary. One year of fully paid health benefits and 18 months of COBRA. And they wanted me to stay on for 3 months. But, I'd have little to do. So, 3 months, full salary, big IBM computers to play with and all the freedom I needed to job hunt. It was not a bad deal at all.

I found a new job in about a week and they were willing to wait the 3 months. So then I went to New Zealand.

To Be Continued

One of a kind

I finished my Mariners jacket and I'm massively pleased with myself.



It's exactly what I wanted it to be. Friday's game will be comfy.

Next up a new bag. The bag I made to take to the game has some design issues. I have a better idea now.

I had not heard a peep from the kitchen counter top guy so finally last week I sent him a note asking for an update. Of course, since it's me, he did not reply to my email but called me. With a terrible connection. And a lot of conversation and not any concrete info. He said maybe 2/3 weeks he could get to me. I said thanks but I'd find someone else. He said cool.

Finally this afternoon I got to digging around and found some other possibilities. One had a website with a contact form and a note 'call for quote'. Not a lot of Yelp reviews and no new ones but not bad. I filled out their web form and asked for an email address so I could send photographs and details of my request. Then I went looking for an alternative assuming it's going to take a bunch of inquiries. Before I could even find more, I got an email from the first one inviting me to send my photographs. Wait, what? Immediate response? And no phone call? So I wrote back with my specifics and photos and I'll just wait to look for more.

I'd like to get this done before my friends from New Zealand come to visit but I'm not hard over on that. Just really sooner than later.

I made very simple macaroni and cheese yesterday and it was inordinately delicious. I have leftovers for dinner tonight. Yum.