Category: Crankypantsing

Crankypantsing

The Amazing Race

Shelly

Just when I didn’t think I could loathe Lance any more, he surprises me. Last place is too good for him. During the “take apart two VCRs” challenge, he started using his bare hands, instead of a screw driver. He made some sort of ubermacho comment that that’s how men do things. No, that’s how meatheads do things, ya’ big asstrumpet. I was really hoping his team would be eliminated this time, if for no other reason than that they spent the whole time screaming at each other. Maybe next week?

And what the hell is wrong with Maria? During the park challenge, each team had to choose a concrete animal, put it on a dolly, and pull/push it through the park. Maybe it was just crafty editing, but every shot of Maria and Tiffany showed Tiffany pushing or pulling the dolly by herself while Maria pulled her rolly suitcase along. She did nothing to help her teammate. And then, during one of the interviews, Tiffany commented that the park challenge was really difficult, because they were an all-girl team. Um, no, that challenge was difficult because you were doing all the work yourself.

I’m still really liking Zev and Justin and the Harlem Globetrotter team.

Crankypantsing

Rantypants Ahoy!

Shelly

We had the first of several mandatory training sessions at work today. They promised that there would be something for all skill levels, and that everyone would learn something. Okaythen! What I learned was that the IT guy teaching the class will insist that you cannot be correct, when you know damned well you are. This, of course, is not exactly confidence inspiring.

The other thing I learned is that if you say out loud that you prefer to work with a clean desktop, then people–including the IT guy teaching the class–will want to know what’s wrong with you. The head of your entire department might even tell you that you need medication.

I am so looking forward to the next class!

Crankypantsing

Colors

Shelly

I like to check out Apartment Therapy and its spin-off sites. The comments threads are usually interesting, though there are some regulars who seem to have no social skills or manners whatsoever. I find that a little difficult to deal with, but what really boggles my mind is the folks who seem to be devoid of reading comprehension or critical thinking skills.

One of the subjects that, unsurprisingly, comes up fairly often is color. What color should I paint my living room? or What is the brand and name of the paint you used in your kitchen?. Do these people not realize that the color they’re seeing on their monitors is likely not the same as the color the decorator or photographer saw on hers? And even assuming that the camera and everyone’s monitors were calibrated correctly, do they not realize that lighting and environmental factors can and do affect color? So a color that looks a certain way on the viewer’s monitor, even if it’s fairly representative of what that color looks like on the author’s walls, is not going to look the same in your home.

Most of the people reading Apartment Therapy seem to be designers or at least interested in design. They should know all that, but apparently they don’t. It’s enough to make the baby jeebus weep.

Another thing that amuses me is people arguing over what color something is. Today there was a scavenger post with a little desk that was ostensibly painted “teal.” Now, it looks more like seafoam green on my screen, but since my monitor and the post author’s monitor may not be calibrated the same way, I’m not about to argue it. Who knows, and more importantly, who cares? Apparently someone does cares. A lot. Because someone couldn’t help themselves from correcting the author: “That’s not teal!

Poor baby jeebus.

Crankypantsing, Photography

Rain on the Rooftop

Shelly

DSCN0342

The roofers left the stairwell window open today, so I was able to get a clearer photo than I could have if I’d taken it through the glass

I’m going to blame my recently sporadic blogging on the rain. I know we need it, and I’m glad we’re getting it, but I really hate overcast days. If I were blogging every day, I’d spend the whole time complaining about the weather, and who wants to read that? Yuck!

Crankypantsing, Photography

Saftey: Ur Doin It Rong

Shelly

DSCN0340

My apologies for the super crappy photo, but I was so boggled that I wasn’t paying attention to whether or not the camera was properly focused. You may or not be able to see, but there is a human hidden in that cloud of stone dust. A human who, when he emerged, was not wearing any sort of air filter apparatus. Not even one of those cheap-o paper masks. WTF?! I am boggled. BOGGLED, I tell you!

In other news, I’m finished with my gigantic, big cat sitting job. I really like the cat, but I’m very glad to be done. Hopefully the owner will bring me the $219 she still owes me, to work with her tomorrow.

Crankypantsing, Pets, Photography

Praying Mantis

Shelly

IMG_3999

IMG_4011

The second one is an inverted lens macro.

And now, More Adventures in Driving:

I made three trips to Unionville today, and on each trip, I was behind someone going at least 10mph under the speed limit.

One guy was going 20mph under the limit. And it’s not like the speed limit is 70mph or anything. It’s only 45mph. And it’s not like he was driving an old beater that maybe was incapable of going faster. He was driving a beautiful, brand new Cadillac. Maybe he was out for a nice, relaxing, s-l-o-o-o-w drive in the country, but if so, then hopefully next time he won’t pick the 5pm “rush” hour to do so. There were so many cars backed up behind mine that I couldn’t even count them all.

Oh, and one of those trips was to take the cat I’m sitting for to the vet. While there, I saw two clueless dog owners let their obviously fixin’-to-snark dogs sniff each other. They managed to separate them before an actual fight broke out, but good grief, talk about oblivious.

I also saw a gorgeous Pit Bull puppy with a jerkass owner who kept yanking on on her leash, then telling her “Sit! Sit! Sit!” Way to go, bozo, punishing the dog before you’ve even given the command and given her a chance to obey it. Not to mention, she obviously had no idea what “sit” meant. How about actually teaching the dog the command before you start correcting her for not following it?

I was also entertained by a young girl who asked each of the cat owners if she could pet their cats. She asked each cat’s name, then explained that her cat is named Bells (which I think is a pretty cool name for a kid to come up with), but that her brother’s cat is named Maleboy (I guess he was afraid someone might mistake his cat for a girl?). She declared Maleboy a horrible name, and I had to agree.

Crankypantsing

Kill Me Now

Shelly

Things that pissed me off at work today:

1. When I came in, through the back conference room, I said to Coworker A that the roofers were working right above the conference room, so shutting the doors might help a little with the noise. She said, “NO! The noise doesn’t bother me.” That’s nice for her, but what about the rest of us?!!! Kind of assy, I think, and therefore she has advanced three rungs on my Ladder of Hate.

2. We got an email about the first session in the previously mentioned required computer training workshop series. Paper sign up forms have been posted. I repeat: Paper sign up forms have been posted. Part of the point of these sessions is to get folks to utilize the technology available to them, including using the Outlook Calendar scheduling capabilities. Of which many of us already attended a lengthy and obviously useless training session. Epic fail.

3. When I went to sign up for the aforementioned, Coworker B walked up, said “Sorry,” and barged in front of me. Again, with the assy behavior! Couldn’t she have waited two seconds for me to finish writing my name?! And then she hung around until I was finished–obviously she wasn’t in a hurry–to explain how she wanted to get the training session over with early. Lady, I’m too busy being pissed off at you for being rude to care which session you signed up for! Eff off, okay?!

4. This afternoon, Coworker C came over to my desk to ask me if I’d been able to look at what they were doing on the roof. Like I have a a crystal ball or something, I guess? There are no windows overlooking the section of roof they’re working on, so how on earth could I possibly know what’s going on? Why the hell would he think I had any more information than he did? I swear, sometimes I wonder if some people ever stop for two seconds to think before they open their mouths.

5. The Butterfinger I’ve been craving for three days? It’s still being held hostage by a disgusting granola bar. The vending machine person needs to get a clue. No one wants that horrible granola bar. If he’d remove the granola bar, maybe some of us would purchase Butterfingers. I, for one, am not buying anything out of that machine until the Butterfingers are set free. And I am unanimous in that!

Art, Crankypantsing, Doodles

Staff Meeting Doodle

Shelly

Staff Meeting Doodle
ballpoint and gel pen in steno pad
9 x 6 inches

We had another long meeting today, so I had a chance to do more doodling. The new stuff is in the right-hand third of the page.

I ended up changing my work schedule around this week. The roofers are working on the middle section of the library roof, which involves jack hammering right above our heads. The noise is absolutely unbearable. The good news is that they are supposed to finish tearing out the old roof (the noisy part) by 9-10 am each morning. I can stand an hour or so of the noise, but not much more than that. I can’t just get to work after 10:00, though, because it’s impossible to find parking after around 8:30. So, to compromise, I’m working 8-4 and making up time on Saturday, when the library will be blissfully quiet.

The roof work is supposed to be over mid-month. I hope they’re right about that, because I don’t know how much jack hammering I can stand to listen to.