Life in the fast lane--where's the on ramp?

By Pat_B - About Me - E-mail this page - Add to My Favorites - Add to Blog List - See other blogs in Journal

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Just a slight addition to yesterday's Merry-Go-Round thing...

Unwritten Rules of Bureaucracy: CYA: cover your ass at all times. Document everything. The rules are set up to protect the bureaucracy first, assist the clients second. Nothing received today shall be acted upon today. An empty in-box is an invitation to more work. What you do at your desk is only... Sign in to see full entry.

posted by Pat_B at 5:14 AM | add or view comments (3) | leave calling card | link to this | view only this entry

Saturday, December 4, 2010

The Bureaucratic Merry-Go-Round

Adnohr's blog this morning talks about the frustration of dealing with a government bureaucrat. It can be a diplomatic mission of the first order, and we need to take a patience pill before we start, because the person we're dealing with knows about this obscure rule and that unexplained exception... Sign in to see full entry.

posted by Pat_B at 6:19 AM | add or view comments (8) | leave calling card | link to this | view only this entry

Friday, December 3, 2010

Elegy to a young father hanging Christmas lights.

On the 29th of November, year two thousand seven a loving young father was snatched up to heaven as he strung Christmas lights in a tall pine tree for his kids, passers-by and the neighbors to see. When he tossed the long string to a branch so much higher the string touched the power line. Zap! came... Sign in to see full entry.

posted by Pat_B at 5:24 AM | add or view comments (10) | leave calling card | link to this | view only this entry

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Back to the Real World...

My glasses have been bugging me for a couple months. These are the latest prescription the doc gave me, and I hate them. I've hated them since I first got them, even went back to the previous prescription. The previous was a pair of frameless specs with flexible earpieces that was light as a... Sign in to see full entry.

posted by Pat_B at 6:38 AM | add or view comments (6) | leave calling card | link to this | view only this entry

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

49,999 -- what if the revision takes you to less than 50K

Naut asked if I revise and edit the story to 49,999 does that mean I have to give back the win, etc... Short answer: no. But not to worry. I couldn't resist going back to play with it a bit yesterday, even though it needs to cool. The new total at the end of the day was above 50,900. Right now I'm... Sign in to see full entry.

posted by Pat_B at 7:51 AM | add or view comments (8) | leave calling card | link to this | view only this entry

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Buyer Beware...

Remember that 50% off thing at Kohl's I was so happy about... Turns out there was fine print. It's not 50% of everything when you check out. It's 50% off on selected items -- which actually means some items in the store have been marked down as much as 50%. Among those extreme bargains: last... Sign in to see full entry.

posted by Pat_B at 3:05 PM | add or view comments (6) | leave calling card | link to this | view only this entry

The Fun Begins...

Yesterday as I was getting tired of the whole thing -- I'd been editing/writing for four hours or more, working on dialog between Isabel and her pitiful excuse, George. I decided she should turn a bit vindictive, and so she chanted the old nursery rhyme to him, "Georgie Porgie, puddin' and pie,... Sign in to see full entry.

posted by Pat_B at 5:40 AM | add or view comments (7) | leave calling card | link to this | view only this entry

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Good News! Meg-O called...

Meg's the volunteer coordinator for the Library Carnegie's shop. She said I should come in on Sunday, since the contractor has delayed the start of the project. Might as well keep selling those books, she says. We've got so many of them, and we need to get a head start on the time we're going to be... Sign in to see full entry.

posted by Pat_B at 5:54 AM | add or view comments (6) | leave calling card | link to this | view only this entry

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Research leads to inspiration

Three years ago I saw Bill Moyers on PBS interview a writer named Jeremy Scahill. He was a writer for "The Nation" -- which gives us a clue as to his interest in social science, politics, conspiracy theories, etc. Scahill talked about his book "Blackwater." I had to have it. It scared hell out of... Sign in to see full entry.

posted by Pat_B at 5:44 AM | add or view comments (7) | leave calling card | link to this | view only this entry

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Last Shift at the Library...

I'm going to miss the little used books & coffee shop. Sunday was my last day "for the duration." The duration in this case means until the remodeling project is finished. The reference section, the small computer lab, parts of the young people's area are set for a make over. They're doing an HGTV... Sign in to see full entry.

posted by Pat_B at 5:45 AM | add or view comments (4) | leave calling card | link to this | view only this entry

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Sometimes you have to write it down in order to learn what you really think about life, what it means, how to do what's best. Sometimes you need feedback from someone else to put things in perspective.

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