Spork of Destiny

Squee!

I finally got one! Behold my glorious "+3 Spork of pwning"!

For those uninitiated in such things, it is the unholy love child of a Spoon and Fork. (Spoon + Fork = Spork. Not to be confused with Knork.) This particular model is made out of titanium, the world's coolest metal. It's the ultimate utensil for the Geek on the Go.

It was a gift from my lovely J, whom I both adore and miss very much.

Oh, and if you don't get why it's cool, you probably never will.

Peace out, yo.


-iRob

"Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake."
-Napoleon Bonaparte

Mare hey add hey lid tell lam.

...Ids fleas were wide ass know.

If you can read this, you probably may note that each word is a properly spelled word in English, but is being used without it's meaning, rather purely phonetically. It's actually rather neat.

That line was from a FoxTrot comic where Jason was trying to outsmart his Apple spelling checker. According to the comic, he succeeded.

I was reminded of it when the 'Random' button on Wikipedia brought me to this article: Ladle Rat Rotten Hut. It was written in 1940 by a french professor at that time, Howard Chase.

I'm particularly fond of the line:

"Wail, wail, wail!" set disk wicket woof, "Evanescent Ladle Rat Rotten Hut! Wares are putty ladle gull goring wizard ladle basking?"

for

"Well, well, well!" said this wicked wolf. "If it isn't Little Red Riding Hood! Where's our pretty girl going with her little basket?"

I wonder if he is credited as the creative inspiration for 'Mad Gabs'?

-iRob

"Will yum air ream he?"
-Card from Mad Gabs

Tie died.

My tie died. I scratched it on a rough counter and pulled some threads out. And the pattern went with them, now it's unwearable. That was three weeks ago.

I liked that tie so much that I went back to the store in Edmonton to replace it last time I was there. This week the same thing has started happening to it, and I haven't scratched it on anything.

Two weeks ago I learned not to wear my new boots to my new job, as I managed to scuff the hell out of them just walking around the job site. They won't look 'new' again, no matter how much I polish them.

Three days ago my brand new (replacement) iPod developed 2 deep scratches right on the face, apparently on the soft fluffy lining of the coat pocket reserved solely for the safety of the aforementioned iPod.

On Wednesday I switched my Cell phone to a Calgary number. I couldn't get any of my choices for a custom number, and ever since then my wireless Internet doesn't work. Telus tech support doesn't know what's wrong or when it will be fixed, even after 90 minutes on the phone with me.

Today I caught my favorite dress shirt (the blue one with the french cuffs) on a rough piece of metal in a door frame, and tore a small hole in it. I can fix it, but it will always have a mark.

I have a miserable cold, and my sinuses are pounding. I've worked 24 hours out of the past 48, and I miss J with all my heart. My cheerful demeanour is faltering.

I need a hug.

-iRob.

"More than any other time in history, mankind faces a crossroads. One path leads to despair and utter hopelessness. The other, to total extinction. Let us pray we have the wisdom to choose correctly."
-Woody Allen

Settling in

Hey,

So I've been keeping more or less busy at my new job. The work is interesting and I'm learning a lot, but I don't have a permanent home just yet. I'm still being sent where they need me, which is fine.

I've invested some time and money in the Star Wars Starship Battles Miniature game, and it's really fun. It has a short learning curve and a huge range of possibilities for variation. I have enough pieces for two player games, so if anyone is interested in learning or playing, give me a ring.

Cheers,
iRob

"What if this weren't a hypothetical question?"
-Anonymous

Down Time

Hey,

I've been kickin' it with Dr.Haggis and Veritate, and working a lot. Have been learning a lot about facility management, and having some fun.

Today was the first day I was on my own. I'm covering for another person on leave, and the person who was originally covering and training me is now on vacation, so it's just me. It was a good day, as I more-or-less know what I'm supposed to be doing, but there are a few things I'm not sure of yet. That's O.K. as there are other managers at other sites I can call and they are always pretty helpful.

Been pretty tired lately and will try to start posting again soon.

iRob

"A committee is a cul-de-sac down which ideas are lured and then quietly strangled."
-Sir Barnett Cocks

iWork

Hey.

So I had my first day today, which went well. The job isn't exactly what I expected, but that's not totally bad. It's less people and more hands-on work, but that's fine at my stage in things.

It's pretty hectic, but considering what I'm used to that's not even a small concern. My office will be near my responsibilities, meaning my office is underground in the parkade, but that will be O.K. After all, between the fluorescent lights and the lack of windows, my old cube may as well have been underground anyway. The dust will take getting used to, but I will get an air filter or something.

More important is that it looks like the work will be interesting, and I like the people I'm going to be working with. I got to meet my boss today (previously had only spoken over the phone) and he seems to be a really good guy. I met my area manager in my interview, and today was paired up with one of my peers, the parking manager for a different building. All of these people are easy to talk to, accepting, and patient. I'm looking forward to my time with them.

All in all I'm still getting used to everything and it will be a learning curve, but it's going to work out fine. By the time I have an apartment down here I will be an old hat at this.

That's it for now, I'm exhausted and need a nap.

-iRob

Hope

So at this particular moment, in addition to being between jobs, I'm also of 'no fixed address'. Woke up early at Dr. Haggis & Veritate's, and have 2 hours 43 min before I'm due to start a job that I have no experience in.

I'm pretty nervous - If for *any* reason this job doesn't work out I'm hooped, but I guess I just have to make sure it works out. I'm usually fairly good at most things I try to do, and I'm going to give this one all I've got.

Wish me luck.

-iRob

"As far as the laws of mathematics refer to reality, they are not certain; and as far as they are certain, they do not refer to reality."
-Albert Einstein

Unemployed

Hi team,

So for anyone left unaware, I'm currently between jobs. Not in a worrisome way, as I have a new job in Calgary that I start on Monday, but since my last day at Dell was yesterday, it's a bit unnerving.

There is something surreal about leaving a job you've been at for a couple years. People crawl out of the woodwork to tell you how much you will be missed and how enjoyable you were to work with. I'm still getting used to the idea that I'm not going to see most of those people again. Oh - I'll try to keep in touch, but everyone always does. I will be very busy with my new job/apartment/life fairly soon, and it will be weirder and harder to email my old work friends. I know that and so do they. The people I see outside of work are different, and that will be much easier.

So since our apartment is ready in June and my new job starts tomorrow, I'm relying on the charity of many good friends, Dr.Haggis and Veritate, sith@heart and A., Petranef, Laughing Magpie and Dr. Smith, Kr and Sa, Chris, and J's mom, and many others who have all given me extremely generous offers for places to be while I wait and work. Without all of your support this would be a great deal more difficult and expensive.

It will be hard enough with living out of a suitcase and being away from J for these 8.5 weeks. The longest we've been apart was the 3 months when she first came to Edmonton. The idea was that I would stay in Calgary and work, but I (very fortunately) was laid off and came to be with her in Edmonton. She will join me in June when her job starts in Calgary and the apartment is ready.

So I guess I should consider myself fortunate at this point to be between jobs. After all, the new job is very exciting and a great deal more challenging. Besides, after tomorrow I will be of 'no fixed address' (Gah!)

-iRob

"When men are pure, laws are useless; when men are corrupt, laws are broken."
Benjamin Disraeli

And the winner is:

Dr. Haggis!

The answer to yesterday's post is....

Zest (r) Tangerine Mango Twist (tm) scent Moisturizing Body Wash, with Energizing Refreshment.

-iRob

"Lather up a clean, fresh feeling."
-Zest moisturizing body wash

Worlds scariest ingredients

Hey,

Let's play a game. What is this?:

Ingredients: Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Fragrance, Sodium Lauroamphoacetate, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Polyquaternium-10, Disodium EDTA, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Orange #4.

I don't really know what's scarier: The eleven sylable monstrosity 'Methylchloroisothiazolinone' or the simple-yet-ominous 'Orange #4'.

-iRob

"If this is coffee, please bring me some tea; but if this is tea, please bring me some coffee."
-Abraham Lincoln