Friday lunch.

Tomorrow is Friday, and we always try to do a lab lunch. Basically everyone who normally works in the lab (7 of us) try to go to lunch together, and we often invite Coworker C from my old lab among others. It's nice to just get out for a while, and to talk to people away from work.

Our biggest issue has been deciding where to eat. I swear I work with a bunch of candy asses. Okay, I'm just as picky and indecisive but you all don't know that about me. It's all good though because our problem has been solved, and so can yours. Check it out!

Wanna run?

I was riding home from work the other day sitting at a light. After a minute or so an F4 pulled up next to me and started talking to me. I had to turn off my ipod and finally realized he wanted to know if I had a radar detector. This fool wanted to race. I told him "No" and when the light changed he took off anyway. At the next light I mentioned I not only was without a radar detector, I was also working on a deferral for a previous ticket. (Green light, go!) At the next light he tells me, "I know a really good lawyer" and commences to verbally giving me his email address. I was supposed to email him for the lawyer's information.

Now I noticed when he was pulling away, he didn't even have a license plate. I noticed some guys around here will bend their plate up so it can't be read very easily. But no, this fool did not have a license plate at all. So when I got home, thinking of my ticket track record as it is, I decided it was not in my best interest to email this guy. It would not be smart for me to start hanging around with a guy who wants to race every stranger, and does not have a license plate at all. But at least he was ready to hand out his lawyers info (which was pretty nice of him).

Powerless.

Thursday night we were watching TV and the power flickered, then went out. Woo hoo! After about 15 minutes when it didn't come back on, W1 went to bed, and I went out to investigate the damage. You know, just to see if it was our building, or the whole complex. I had planned on going to the parking garage thinking it'd be the perfect vantage point to see the whole area. I was almost to the garage when I saw the red, yellow, orange, and blue lights. Fire trucks, police cars, construction workers, you name it. I went and joined the crowd by the fence. On the other side was a car, upside down, and a power pole, on the ground in pieces. There was all kinds of commotion. I immediately called W1 and told her to get dressed. I met her at the door and we walked back to the fence. There was a fireman on all fours by the window talking to the lady. It was crazy to see. After about 20 minutes a bunch of workers surrounded the car and pulled her out. She was put on a stretcher and taken away. It was a good hour before the car was flipped and we were informed it would be 3 more hours before the hole was dug, pole replaced, and power restored. Must have been waiting on a crew from Dallas?

I hung out for a while watching the craziness. People coming up the opposite side of the road, flying. Now given this is a dark, windy area of road, right at a curve. The people coming the opposite direction probably never saw what was going on until they got there. But it was funny to hear tires screech when they see the cops across the street and slam the brakes. And the people who stayed around with me (usually the drunk ones who stay behind) had all sorts of silliness to talk about. Politics, bad mouth the complex, war, the bitch who took out the power... When the cop was telling us we would be without power for a few hours people asked what happened. Basically a lady speeding hit a curb, flipped the car, and took out a power pole. So a lady asks very politely "Do you know what hospital she was taken to?", like she was ready to send flowers. Then follows up angrily "Because I wanna punch that bitch in the face for knocking my power out!" To which her old man, who was bald with a moustache like Snidely Whiplash, tells her "Don't bring bad karma with the negative talk baby."

The next morning the power was still out but I had my fond memories.

Happy Birthday Ian.

I hope you have a great day man! (I'm pretty sure that's what she said.)

Facebook status.

I wanted to make my status "Michael is What the f**k is wrong with you people?". Just to do it. I won't, but I want to.

At the entrance to the parking garage at work we have what I call the cheese grater. You have to scan your badge and push through this contraption. On the outside is a poster that says "Tailgating is everyones problem..." It had a picture of a crocodile under water with the eyes and snout poking out. Then is goes on to say how we should report people scanning their badge and walking 2 people through at once.

So I was walking down the stairs in the parking garage at work and overheard an obvious rocket scientist. She says "Oh my god, is tailgating really such a problem here? I didn't realize there were so many people partying here at work, that you have to put up posters." Like people at grillin in the garage. Dumbass!

Last weekend we went to Wally World. What a high class of people we run into there. Literally. We are in an isle, and I'm stopped to the right. (Because this is America! Okay?) A lady is walking towards me on the right side, and out of nowhere she switches sides and stops leaving her cart directly in front of me with her kid in the basket area. Like maybe a foot away, tops. And I'm thinking "What the Hell is wrong with this idiot?". Once she grabs a few items she goes to keep moving around me, but rams the front of my cart. I guess I was supposed to get out of her way while she was gone or something. So I'm like "Um, what am I a mirage? What is wrong with this idiot?"

A few isles over I see her again. This time she leaves her cart in the middle of the isle where you can't pass on either side, and walks off to grab more crap. Well damnit I had to get past, so I made sure to return the favor and I rammed her cart out of the way. Hard! And her kid was like "Ow!" which made me laugh hysterically. And probably look like a psycho asshole to the other patrons who did not see our earlier interaction. But I don't care, it made me happy.

Tonight I finally decided to blog. I was going, I was in the flow, then suddenly the power went out. Must have been the terrible clear skies we've been experiencing. It flickered back on once or twice, just to make sure it takes out every piece of electronic equipment in the house, then it's down for the count. Luckily I can type on the laptop battery. Unfortunately I was at about 5% charge when it happened.

The worst part is, W1 was in the process of making cookies. They were on the baking sheet ready to go.

(Note: This was ready to be posted Thursday Night.)

If it's a father and son company ask for the father.*

When we last spoke it was before my departmental party. We were put on teams, we played games, I rode a tricycle, and I was a teddy bear wrangler. Correct, a teddy bear wrangler. There were sheets, and teddy bears, and teams, and tossing, and a whole mess of nonsense. Including tug of war.

I was on the losing, er, I mean, red team. My team consisted of mainly marketing personnel. What a bunch of tenderfeet. Yours truly was the Anchor Man. Except these jerks all let go of the rope. Like on Revenge of the Nerds. Except I was inside the loop of rope at the end. No bueno.

But things got better. We got a 4th of July visit from the S-clan. It was a great time to see everyone again. The St. Arnold Brewery was sweet. Love ya sis! Well, before that was a week with Ian. Good times at Suck Willies. Even though the waitress was worthless.

I also forgot to mention, before that was the convalidation. It was really great to see everyone again. Thank you Mom and Pop for all the work you put into it. Everything was wonderful. And I really loved the red velvet cake.

Okay you guys, quit interrupting. You're breaking my train of thought. Where was I? Oh yeah. Sometimes when I'm picking out my work clothes I notice they don't match. And then I think to myself "I don't really care if my clothes match."

Speaking of work, not a lot of fun lately. It pays the bills and I am thankful to be where I am but damn, does every day have to suck? Okay, it's not that bad but it has been busy, and a bit stressful. I've had missing shipments, and insane amounts of equipment arriving. Everyone needs everything, yesterday. And it takes me hours to sort through email. Every morning. No, really.

Thank you and good day. :)

* Hank Hill