Sometimes I like to pretend to be grumpy. I like to pretend to look down at the world over the top of my glasses, put a little scowl on my face, and "hurumph" quietly under my breath. This really isn't my full time attitude, but I certainly enjoy it.
I often tell my wife that I can't wait to be the grumpy old guy who sits in his front yard and looks unpleasant. While sitting and frowning at the world, I would probably sit in an old faded lawn chair and wear a wispy straw hat, a comfortable solid colored cotton t-shirt, loose fitting blue jeans, and some old man loafers covering my favorite pair of white socks. Even if I didn't need it, I'd like to carry a cane or a walking stick. It's possible that I would use it for pointing at things that annoy me. For my face, I'll still sport a pair of glasses, probably bi-focals or tri-focals at that point. I'd better be able to see... Lord knows I won't be able to hear.
This lifestyle appeals to me. It seems quiet, calm, and introspective; a lifestyle where I can get up in the morning, grumble at the paper over a cup of coffee, and have some toast and a bran muffin. During the day, I can slowly shuffle around the house, straighten out the end table I bumped yesterday on my way by, and sit down in my easy chair for a brief three hour nap. That would take care of the morning. Next up, a light lunch, and maybe a quick drive to the hardware store in my old pickup truck. After I get home, I'd have to sit in the front yard for awhile, doze in the shade, and then watch people walk by on the sidewalk. At some point, I'd do six or seven minutes worth of good hard work, like pickup of a stray twig and throwing it the garbage. Next I'd yawn, stretch, and call it an afternoon. Dinner and thereafter would be a wild-card. Cards? Book? Nap? Who knows!
Perfect Day? I hope so. I'm looking forward to it.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Stupid Game
For years I've watched members of my family play the game of 500. For those of you who don't know what 500 is, it's a game that uses most of a deck of cards, has four players, and you bid on taking tricks of cards. It doesn't look like much when you're watching... in fact, it looks downright boring.
Finally, I decided to try to learn the game. After having the rules explained to me and playing a couple of practice matches, I still had very little idea what I was doing, and why. Still, I was beginning to find an interest in the game.
Now I play with my family whenever I get a chance. I find it to be an engaging activity. I'm still not much of a player, and I frequently require advice from the other players at the table, but it's fun.
Today I had a great time playing cards with my dad, grandpa, and uncle. Grandpa was my partner, across the table from me, and we won three out of four matches. That short description doesn't do the afternoon justice, but it's a time I hope I won't soon forget.
Thanks guys. Let's play again sometime soon.
Finally, I decided to try to learn the game. After having the rules explained to me and playing a couple of practice matches, I still had very little idea what I was doing, and why. Still, I was beginning to find an interest in the game.
Now I play with my family whenever I get a chance. I find it to be an engaging activity. I'm still not much of a player, and I frequently require advice from the other players at the table, but it's fun.
Today I had a great time playing cards with my dad, grandpa, and uncle. Grandpa was my partner, across the table from me, and we won three out of four matches. That short description doesn't do the afternoon justice, but it's a time I hope I won't soon forget.
Thanks guys. Let's play again sometime soon.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
The Big Change
The last few of months of my life have been very interesting.
For most of the summer, I was constantly running around a neighborhood inspecting a street reconstruction project. I was constantly bartering with contractors, climbing into storm sewer structures, and helping angry residents get... well... less angry (usually).
A little over a month ago, my supervisor's supervisor called me on my cell phone around 8 o'clock in the morning. He asked to meet me at 3 o'clock that afternoon to go over some "IT stuff".
At 5 minutes to three, I walked into a conference room and sat down with my supervisor's supervisor, my supervisor's supervisor's supervisor, and my union representative. Now, you can clearly imagine what was going through my head... "I'm screwed." However, there was a wild-card... the IT Director.
It was explained to me that due to budget change, my position in the engineering department was going to be eliminated. However, I was offered a position in the IT Department as an IT Technician. To say the least, I was a little surprised at the sudden turn of events. I hadn't considered a career in IT for a very long time, and never seriously. I sat down with the IT Director the following day and had a long discussion regarding his expectations of me in my new role. Following this discussion, I formally accepted the transfer, and waited to hear when the big change was going to take place. The people at the top of the totem pole, who decide such things, settled on the 7th of November.
Over the next few weeks, I spent my days at work wrapping up my duties as a street reconstruction inspector, and began to self educate about computers.
Let's back up a little bit.
I've always been pretty good with computers, at least no worse than you average computer user. I grew up with Windows 98, had Windows XP in high-school and college, and used an Apple every once in awhile. One time, in the fifth grade, one of the teachers couldn't get her printer to work, and she asked me to help her. I don't remember if I got it to work or not... but it was pretty cool that she asked. I also set up a wireless network one time. So, besides using a computer for work every day, that's about the extent of my computer experience.
Naturally, I was a bit nervous about taking on a new responsibilities without having any formal training in the field. So, I stopped by the library and picked up as many books as I could find that seemed relevant to the work I was going to be doing. Quite honestly, I was really hoping to find a Windows 7 for Dummies book, but it wasn't there. Shucks. I did find a few good books and did my best to learn some of the lingo that those cool IT people use.
Finally, the big day arrived. Since then life has been a blur. I've had some really great days working in IT already... I can hardly describe all of the things that I've done and learned already. We're in the process of rolling out a new phone system, so I've been very busy adding phones and components to a database, assembling phones, and installing phones at workstations through-out the organization. It hasn't been all phones... I've learned a little bit about networking, power supplies, Windows operating systems, VPNs, and a whole bunch of other things. I'm hoping to pick up a few new things every day, eventually obtain some formal training and perhaps get some certifications in this field.
It seems as though things are working out. This is a chance that I never knew I wanted to have.
For most of the summer, I was constantly running around a neighborhood inspecting a street reconstruction project. I was constantly bartering with contractors, climbing into storm sewer structures, and helping angry residents get... well... less angry (usually).
A little over a month ago, my supervisor's supervisor called me on my cell phone around 8 o'clock in the morning. He asked to meet me at 3 o'clock that afternoon to go over some "IT stuff".
At 5 minutes to three, I walked into a conference room and sat down with my supervisor's supervisor, my supervisor's supervisor's supervisor, and my union representative. Now, you can clearly imagine what was going through my head... "I'm screwed." However, there was a wild-card... the IT Director.
It was explained to me that due to budget change, my position in the engineering department was going to be eliminated. However, I was offered a position in the IT Department as an IT Technician. To say the least, I was a little surprised at the sudden turn of events. I hadn't considered a career in IT for a very long time, and never seriously. I sat down with the IT Director the following day and had a long discussion regarding his expectations of me in my new role. Following this discussion, I formally accepted the transfer, and waited to hear when the big change was going to take place. The people at the top of the totem pole, who decide such things, settled on the 7th of November.
Over the next few weeks, I spent my days at work wrapping up my duties as a street reconstruction inspector, and began to self educate about computers.
Let's back up a little bit.
I've always been pretty good with computers, at least no worse than you average computer user. I grew up with Windows 98, had Windows XP in high-school and college, and used an Apple every once in awhile. One time, in the fifth grade, one of the teachers couldn't get her printer to work, and she asked me to help her. I don't remember if I got it to work or not... but it was pretty cool that she asked. I also set up a wireless network one time. So, besides using a computer for work every day, that's about the extent of my computer experience.
Naturally, I was a bit nervous about taking on a new responsibilities without having any formal training in the field. So, I stopped by the library and picked up as many books as I could find that seemed relevant to the work I was going to be doing. Quite honestly, I was really hoping to find a Windows 7 for Dummies book, but it wasn't there. Shucks. I did find a few good books and did my best to learn some of the lingo that those cool IT people use.
Finally, the big day arrived. Since then life has been a blur. I've had some really great days working in IT already... I can hardly describe all of the things that I've done and learned already. We're in the process of rolling out a new phone system, so I've been very busy adding phones and components to a database, assembling phones, and installing phones at workstations through-out the organization. It hasn't been all phones... I've learned a little bit about networking, power supplies, Windows operating systems, VPNs, and a whole bunch of other things. I'm hoping to pick up a few new things every day, eventually obtain some formal training and perhaps get some certifications in this field.
It seems as though things are working out. This is a chance that I never knew I wanted to have.
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