I bought 3 hypnocubes for work ... but I haven't decided what to use them for yet. They're in boxes on a shelf in my workspace, which people walk through regularly on their way to and from meetings. Evidently, curiosity about them has been driving people to distraction because today while I was out running errands for hackathon, one of my guys broke into one and plugged it in on my desk, with a note "There goes your afternoon".
I returned to find a cluster of people in my workspace, with the light off, staring at hypnocube, going "ooOOOoh".
I returned to find a cluster of people in my workspace, with the light off, staring at hypnocube, going "ooOOOoh".
people are funny
Jan. 25th, 2012 12:35 pmPart of the reason people at my job love me is that I'm awesome at making their lives awesome. But part of it is just that I get to be the person who gives them awesome news.
For example, my boss wrote into the budget for this year a "personal accessories" budget, so people can purchase, for example, fancy headphones, or seat cushion or lamp or whatever, for use at work. This is an item that people in my department have been talking about provisioning for a couple of years, and this just happens to be the year that it got instituted (yes, in part because I reminded us to include it, but it probably would have happened, anyway.)
But then I get to deliver the news, and through that, it seems like this is all my doing, even though I gave my boss the credit in the announcement.
Interestingly, I also wind up delivering bad news from time to time, but at this point, I think everyone's so primed to like me that they don't put that on me, AND they take the bad news better when it comes from me.
For example, my boss wrote into the budget for this year a "personal accessories" budget, so people can purchase, for example, fancy headphones, or seat cushion or lamp or whatever, for use at work. This is an item that people in my department have been talking about provisioning for a couple of years, and this just happens to be the year that it got instituted (yes, in part because I reminded us to include it, but it probably would have happened, anyway.)
But then I get to deliver the news, and through that, it seems like this is all my doing, even though I gave my boss the credit in the announcement.
Interestingly, I also wind up delivering bad news from time to time, but at this point, I think everyone's so primed to like me that they don't put that on me, AND they take the bad news better when it comes from me.
buy a big knife
Jan. 19th, 2012 09:34 pmI keep wanting to post stuff here, but it basically can all be summed up with: My new job continues to be ridiculously great and they love me and it's all hearts and flowers and bluebirds and the goddamn beer fridge that I have instituted. People who work for other departments know who I am and want to know how they can get me on their side. It is great.
I think about this blessedly awesome job a lot, of course, since I'm there most workdays, but especially in a bigger picture kind of way right now, because about a year ago, I had my last day at WalkBoston. I was out of work for almost exactly 6 months; I've been at the new gig for almost exactly 6 months. It's a good place to be.
Today's ASW was so spot on for me:

It makes me think about what other happiness I'm missing because of my avoidance of inconvenience.
And you?
I think about this blessedly awesome job a lot, of course, since I'm there most workdays, but especially in a bigger picture kind of way right now, because about a year ago, I had my last day at WalkBoston. I was out of work for almost exactly 6 months; I've been at the new gig for almost exactly 6 months. It's a good place to be.
Today's ASW was so spot on for me:

It makes me think about what other happiness I'm missing because of my avoidance of inconvenience.
And you?
job awesomeness
Dec. 9th, 2011 12:06 pmOne of my colleagues just stopped by my desk for the following exchange:
Coworker: Hey, random question.
Me: Shoot!
C: You are legitimately and hands down better at your job than anyone else in this building. Does that make you happy?
M: It does, in fact! Thank you very much.
C: I was just talking to someone who was comparing himself to another coworker, and I realized, you know, you never do that.
M: Well, my job isn't like anyone else's here, so. But it's nice to have that recognized, thank you!
C: Oh, I think we all recognize it. Have a good day!
Coworker: Hey, random question.
Me: Shoot!
C: You are legitimately and hands down better at your job than anyone else in this building. Does that make you happy?
M: It does, in fact! Thank you very much.
C: I was just talking to someone who was comparing himself to another coworker, and I realized, you know, you never do that.
M: Well, my job isn't like anyone else's here, so. But it's nice to have that recognized, thank you!
C: Oh, I think we all recognize it. Have a good day!
money and being a grown up
Mar. 24th, 2011 01:24 pmI'm always happier for (day-to-day) money matters between friends to be very hand-wavey -- I pay more this week, and you pay more next week, and it all comes out in the wash over months or years of friendship, so that we can come together and share food and experiences without making money be a hurdle or a test or a competition.
So, it's not surprising that one of my favorite things about being a grown up is going out to dinner with a group of friends and instead of, at the end of the meal, everyone scrimping down to the last penny and figuring the measliest tip they feel they can get away with, a general sense of generosity, both in terms of what "my share" was for each person, and a real understanding that the tip is part of the meal, and that servers are people who work for a living, too, and etc, etc.
I really like it that instead of getting to the end of the meal and everyone's pitched in and the person counting has to say, "Hey, guys, we're a few dollars short ...", now that person says, "Gosh, we sure are leaving a huge tip." And no one has to point to Joe over there and be like, "Dude, you ordered way more than everyone else and you didn't include a reasonable tip in what you put in," or whatever.
What's a little thing that you like about being a grown up?
So, it's not surprising that one of my favorite things about being a grown up is going out to dinner with a group of friends and instead of, at the end of the meal, everyone scrimping down to the last penny and figuring the measliest tip they feel they can get away with, a general sense of generosity, both in terms of what "my share" was for each person, and a real understanding that the tip is part of the meal, and that servers are people who work for a living, too, and etc, etc.
I really like it that instead of getting to the end of the meal and everyone's pitched in and the person counting has to say, "Hey, guys, we're a few dollars short ...", now that person says, "Gosh, we sure are leaving a huge tip." And no one has to point to Joe over there and be like, "Dude, you ordered way more than everyone else and you didn't include a reasonable tip in what you put in," or whatever.
What's a little thing that you like about being a grown up?
temporary move to SF
Feb. 22nd, 2011 03:09 pmHello, lovely people of the internet!
I am planning an extended visit to the SFBay area from March 15-April 20(ish). While I'm there, I'd love to do find some temp work, odd jobs, or other gigs that will help pay for beer and cookies during my visit.
If you happen to know of anything, please let me know!
I am planning an extended visit to the SFBay area from March 15-April 20(ish). While I'm there, I'd love to do find some temp work, odd jobs, or other gigs that will help pay for beer and cookies during my visit.
If you happen to know of anything, please let me know!
Old photos!
Feb. 16th, 2011 10:46 amLast night, a bunch of us wound up looking at old photos of each other, and having a blast. I love old photos! I want to see some old photos of all of my friends! Here are some of me:
Here, you can see I was destined to love Burning Man:

I love this one because I think that expression is one I still make a lot:

And when I was 14, I climbed the Grand Teton!

Awesome. Now your turn!
Here, you can see I was destined to love Burning Man:

I love this one because I think that expression is one I still make a lot:

And when I was 14, I climbed the Grand Teton!

Awesome. Now your turn!
Why I love Miss Manners, #134 in a series
Feb. 9th, 2011 02:13 pmSeriously, I love Miss Manners. She's so sly and snarky!
Dear Miss Manners:
I seem to be at the very beginning of what might be a romance, having gone on two fun and innocent dates. I know that you encourage a period of "friendship" before plunging in. Would it ruin the illusion of just being friends to give a handmade valentine card? ... [the advisee goes on with a little more detail]
Miss Manners responds:
Leaving aside the notion of "plunging in," which Miss Manners would prefer not to think about, she may well have suggested the friendship approach to romance. Not that she really expected anyone to listen. ... [etc]
Dear Miss Manners:
I seem to be at the very beginning of what might be a romance, having gone on two fun and innocent dates. I know that you encourage a period of "friendship" before plunging in. Would it ruin the illusion of just being friends to give a handmade valentine card? ... [the advisee goes on with a little more detail]
Miss Manners responds:
Leaving aside the notion of "plunging in," which Miss Manners would prefer not to think about, she may well have suggested the friendship approach to romance. Not that she really expected anyone to listen. ... [etc]
music can't be rushed
Jan. 12th, 2011 11:06 pmMy music library is a mess, and I'm trying, slowly, to make some sense of it. Tonight, my goal is to get rid of all (obvious) duplicates.
Along the way, I'm listening to a bunch of my music, some of which I haven't listened to in a while, and some of which I just downloaded, and some of which I listen to regularly because it's awesome, and I'm having that experience where ... well, I assume everyone has this experience sometimes, where you're listening to this song, and you see the next one that's coming up and you can hardly wait for it, but the one you're listening to right now is so so so good that you don't want to rush it, and the one you just finished was ALSO great and you're sad it's over, and you wish you could listen to ALL of it at once in an orgy of auditory gluttony. That happens to you, right?
Unlike so many sensory experiences, music can't be rushed. I both love and hate that about it.
Along the way, I'm listening to a bunch of my music, some of which I haven't listened to in a while, and some of which I just downloaded, and some of which I listen to regularly because it's awesome, and I'm having that experience where ... well, I assume everyone has this experience sometimes, where you're listening to this song, and you see the next one that's coming up and you can hardly wait for it, but the one you're listening to right now is so so so good that you don't want to rush it, and the one you just finished was ALSO great and you're sad it's over, and you wish you could listen to ALL of it at once in an orgy of auditory gluttony. That happens to you, right?
Unlike so many sensory experiences, music can't be rushed. I both love and hate that about it.