John's Musings

A thought

John — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 12:51:47 +0000

It occurred to be a little bit ago, while dreading a meeting today, that one of the things that contributes to my general fustration level with certain people is that all I hear is complaints really. Todays meeting is another meeting for the yet to be launched new web site for the library and there is yet anothher list of questions and complaints…
It would be so nice to have people ocassionally come by my desk and say, “hey john, today I used ____ that you created for us and it helped me help this person with ____”. As it is, I can’t remember the last time that happened with our library staff. Other departments, yes. People from across the planet, yes. People I’ve never even met, yes. People I work with daily, constantly supporting, nope. All I get are complaints. Its no wonder I have no patience for it anymore.
Now that I recognise this as part of the problem what do I do about it? I used to keep an email folder with thank you messages from the librarians, but deleted it in a fit of depression/ fustration since it had no more than 10 messages in it over a five year period…
Its hard to be positive and upbeat to people when the first thing that comes to mind when you see or hear them coming towards you is, “what’s wrong now…”.
I guess maybee I’m just not cut out for this… Or perhaps I just need a change, although I can’t see a change making any difference in the long run really. People tend to be the same evreywhere.

When is the last time you have said thank you to people that keep your daily life functioning?

There’s secretarys day, bosses day, etc… Hell there is even “sysadmin appricieation day”… Did you know the last time anyone ever said anything to me on that day was years ago, probably the year it was created?

Ok its time to go to work… I’m sick, its storming out, and I’m tired, I guess I’m just feeling sorry for myself.

notes from crabby passenger in 20C

John — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 23:06:27 +0000

Guy in 20B get you leg off me… Seriously there’s barely enough room in my seat area for me, spreading your legs wide and then because you are bored bouncing you damn leg making it rub agaisnt mine for hours is going to get you punched. Your wife is in seat 20A play with her not me. Also, your seat space ends at the armrest not 6 inches over the edge. Your damn boney elbow in my gut or back is really uncomfortable.

Kid in 19B when your mother says “I think someone has to go to the bathroom” that means you… Stop trying to hold it and stinking up the area worse than a bristol privy on a 100 degree day… Planes have lavatories… Use it!!!
Mom in 19A… I don’t care how special you think little Shawn is, when he’s not getting the hint about his bowl movements… Just take him…

Steward dude, when you are dancing at the drink cart… Please don’t forget that you have passengers right behind you… I did not enjoy your rear end wiggling right in my face for a full 12 seconds…

To the woman sitting somewhere around row 14… Turing side to side past each row as you attempt to squeeze by doesn’t help make you less annoying. In fact it makes you more so because every time you turn you end up hitting someone else. Turn sideways, stay that way and walk like the rest of us…

To the woman who was at the lavatory before me, I’m waiting behind your husband in the isle so you can sit back down, you aren’t doing me any favors by turning back around and heading back to stand in front of the door I want in so we can then try to squeeze two people in the isle… Its not rocket science… Sit down and get out of the isle!!!

Sigh….

I’m sick, I’m crabby, and I’m tired of being on an airplane…

ive had all i can stand

John — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 23:05:27 +0000

Seriously, I am done with air travel for a while I swear to god every freaking person on this flight has shoved their posterior in my face. I know I’m grumpy cause I’m sick so I’m probably just more sensative but damn! It seems like they all choose my row to pass by each other too. I can’t tell you how many times I’m been pushed at prodded sat on or run into while trying to sit in my seat!!! 2+ hours to go… I may survive it…

Heading North

John — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 00:19:04 +0000

I’m in the air on my 3 hour flight to alaska from seattle. This plane has direct tv in every seat just swipe your card for $6 to use it. I’m not…
For the first time I can remember in years I have an open seat next to me. I have the armrest up and don’t feel cramped. The woman in the window seat and I have both clamed the middle seat for our possesions and therefor have decent legroom too.
The are bringing around the meal of a salad and a turkeydog now.

in seattle

John — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 18:34:13 +0000

I have landed safely in Seattle, now wandering the airport to get to my next gate. I have 2 hours or so to kill…

still flying…

John — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 18:31:19 +0000

“Up in the air” is over. I wasn’t horribly impressed. It was actually kind of depressing if you ask me. George Clooneys character may have learned a little bit about life I suppose but ultimatly he seemed worse off for the events in the movie. The other characters didn’t seem much better off either. I guess I am happy I don’t fly for a living but, whatever.

flight

John — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 18:29:50 +0000

Well, I’m in flight. The plane is pretty nice, multiple LCDs for the movie. (”Up in the air”) the one stewardass seems intent on running into me at every opportunity.
The seats are comfortable though, and so far so good.

on the road again

John — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 13:29:26 +0000

I am currently sitting in Ohare Airport, gate C11 awaiting the boarding call for my flight to Seattle, the 1st half of my trip to Alaska. So far I’ve not had any real problems getting through security or anything. I did once again forget to remove my cellphone before heading throught the metal detector… Oh well, these things happen.

going home

John — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 01:26:18 +0000

We are currently about mid flight on the flight home. What a wonderful trip.

Now at five hours into the flight Jon pointed out the window. I looked down and the cloud cover had parted and below us was a frozen landscape unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Greenland. Despite the desolation the ice revealed hills and valleys and windswept patters that from this distance just seemed so beautiful.

Just over two hours to go. Except it may be longer or worse. Just a few moments ago the flight attendants asked if there was a Dr on the plane. Seconds later a man passed is with two stewardesses. As I was writing this another stewardess ran past with the AED… This could get interesting. They just announced that they are distributing the customs forms. I suspect we may divert to newark… If that’s the case, this will be the second time I’m visiting Newark with Bounding Main. A member of the flight crew itself headed to the rear of the plane, presumably to assess the situation. Currently our heading is still on track for Chicago so we may still end at our correct destination.

Nope, 1:52 remaining and we have been informed we will be diverting to Toronto. After taking care of the sick passenger we will take off again and continue to Chicago.

It is now 7:04 chicago time and we have arrived in Toronto. We are taxiing into position to allow EMS to retrieve our sick passenger. After that the flight computer is projecting about a 40 minute flight to chicago.

stary port

John — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:04:17 +0000

I’m now at the final bounding main concert in poland this trip. The show is going well. Maggie even got cake from fans, despite asking for a cat! Christie got a coke… Somehow it doesn’t seem quite balanced awesome audience though.

We had a guy next to me that picked up on the chorus to “Toss and Roll”, David’s original song and began to sing it in broken english. He just had a look of joy on his face, when I saw that I joined in and he smiled ear to ear. Way to cool!

After “rolling up rolling down” the whole bar errupted into the polish version! Bounding main is definitly a hit!

As I write this line they are on the second encore!
The First was: Health to the Company
Second is Saltpeter Shanty
Third encore! Wow! Farewell to Tarwathee

Now after the show a shanty sing broke out! I have to thank Bounding Main for insisting that I come out from behind the camera and lead one! Holy crap was the the coolest moment ever! I lead, “Long time ago”. Bounding Main quickly joined in, and then before very long so did the whole room full of poles. It was quite cool!