Duking it out in the parking lot
So I make my trip into the restaurant for a quick espresso, get the news.
G isn't there, his day off, there's new faces. Always new faces. And the bosses nephew catches me up on the gossip.
Franco has left - again - how many times is this? Apparently an escalating situation, the new and revised schedule wasn't enough, he wanted a raise, no, shares in the restaurant, he was responsible for bringing in the business, knowing the customers, he should be part owner....
And it got out of hand and ended up with G in the middle trying to keep the owner and Franco apart in the parking lot. Little five foot four eyed Franco versus the six foot owner. Not a sporting situation.
This restaurant, it's true, there's never a dull moment. And I wonder at the year I spent there, people coming and going but the core was the same; the core has been shaken and I laugh as the owner sheepishly explains his version of what happened.
My cover letter, I have to get it finished, get it out there, I can't come back to the circus or I'll destroy whatever good karma I've built up....
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- Category: Miscellany
Tomb of Caligula
And this is news - Police arrest man loading a statue into a truck and end up discovering the Tomb of Caligula (one of my favorite Roman Emperors).
Read more here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/17/caligula-tomb-found-police-statue
Mind you, it's breaking news and the verdict isn't yet certain...
CBS casts some doubt: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503543_162-20028786-503543.html
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- Category: Found
Boundoff & OpenCulture
2 Links today - the first - Boundoff - describes itself as "A monthly literary audio magazine" -short stories read by (usually) by their authors - note that you have to pay attention otherwise you'll just end up shaking your head and going "WTF??". Note that it's enjoyable, but as they are readings they sometimes lack the spontaneity and charm of The Moth Podcasts.
And the second - Open Culture - "The Best Cultural & Educational Media on the Web" - offers a variety of media from free movies, podcasts, ideas, etc.
Both will keep you busy for a while.
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- Category: Audio & Podcasts
Blocked Calls
It's a blocked call and I should know better but I answer it.
There's been a few the past few days and I've not been around to answer them, out getting groceries or hitting the thrift shops looking for treasures. But I get this one, I'm curious, if it's sales I can end it quickly enough.
It's the restaurant where I used to work. They do the blocked call thing because no one who's ever worked there, works there still, ever answers the phone when they ring. They know better. It's G and he chats for a minute - then asks if I'm interested in going back to work.
Now the fact is I've been working on my resume, polishing it, code scraps and portfolio, grueling cover letters, grueling only because to write a good cover letter might take an hour or two, writing an excellent one takes substantially longer. And so it's been open now on the computer for some 24 hours waiting for me to plug in the exact right phrase, the precise inflection - intonation - that will make it PERFECT.
It's that way with everything. TO make something good takes only 50% of the time, to make it perfect takes the other 50%. To make something lousy takes 75% of your time but it will sell really quick when you get it to Ikea. There's a bigger market for crap than there is for quality, regardless of the price.
Now I'm not keen, not keen at all to go back to the restaurant and I tell him, but I'm putting out resumes and I'm not sure of my prospects in the world of IT. So I'm stuck and he's asking the hard questions - "Can I.... come back to work...just theoretically....." and I have to answer yes. It's time. But hopefully not on the soul destroying schedule I had before, something a little more - well, varied, something that allows for a life outside the restaurant.
That's all he wanted to know. We'll talk next time I come in for coffee. And the circus resumes....
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- Category: Miscellany
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