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Thursday, September 11, 2003

You just have to realize how busy life can get. Besides, we already have another web project that takes up any free time we have. I can't just spend all my time bullshittin' about going to the ___ or the ___. There's life to live, and life waits for no one. Life just keeps moving. So you better move your ass, too, or life will move on past you, and the next thing you know you're thinking of diving off cliffs and stuff--and not into the water.

No, this is not a cry for help. Help is beyond. We're already in the thick of it--we're in, we've gone way up the river, there's no turning back now--and we're strong and certain and going to do our best, even if it kills us. You may not hear from us for awhile, but we may check in now and again. Keep listening to the music, since that seems to be our focus at the moment (when it comes to free time). And yes, check back here--even as I type this, I realize how fun it is to blog here. So check back from time to time. And email, or comment (click the link below).

Monday, April 06, 2009

Just got back from Rocket City, USA. That's Huntsville, Alabama -- it's often referred to as Rocket City due to its role as a key player in NASA and the space program's history. Though the Saturn V rockets that carried the Apollo astronauts to the moon are no longer being built there, the city is still home to some government agencies and a few high tech businesses. The city also has the world's largest (and/or most-visited) space exploration museum.

Anyway, The Girl and I were flown out there by her employer; they want us to consider moving there. The office in Beverly Hills is closing down and some of the employees are being offered jobs in Huntsville.

posted by Harold  4/06/2009 12:55:00 AM
Comments:
Beverly Hills to Huntsville. That seems like a pretty big change. Never been to either, though. So, what do I know?
 
Huntsville seems like it could be a wonderful place to live, for many people. For me? I believe it could be. I could get along fine there, just as I could get along fine just about anywhere (except, perhaps, that hostel in that movie Hostel). I'm highly adaptable, you know? Hell, I lived in frat houses for more than a dozen years!

There are problems, though, and The Employer simply isn't providing the incentive to overcome them. For one, they're simply not offering The Girl enough money (or time) to consider this offer seriously. Though they flew us out to Rocket City for a day, they haven't exactly been generous (or even fair) in the past. I believe The Girl deserves an employee who recognizes her talents -- simply telling her she's doing a fine job would go a long way toward that, but perhaps that's too much to ask for. She should at least be paid better than she has. This company lays off employees, distributes their work to The Girl, then compensates themselves while expecting The Girl to take on much of the work of her former associates with hardly a pat on the back (and honestly, I don't know if she even gets that) -- and certainly without being paid more.

So I wonder: Does she really want to work for this employer any longer? And what about me? Ultimately, it's The Girl's decision, but the reality is that she won't be leaving without me, and I don't see how I could leave my mom here in the nursing home. I would have to know that we would have enough money to be able to import my mom once a suitable nursing home is located. I'm also starting to get a real relationship with my dad, too. And I have friendfamily (yes, I intended that to be one term) here in the Los Angeles area that I'd find it difficult to leave (even though I haven't visited them much recently, truth be told).

It'd be really difficult for me to leave, and She would need to receive some measure of due respect from her employer before seriously considering whether to Treating employees with respect year-round seems rare these days, but I don't think it's too much to ask for. And the fact is, The Girl likes (most of) her associates, including the HR rep who spends a great part of the day on a smoke break (and sends much of her own work The Girl's way). There are just some key individuals who really seem clueless about The Girl's value to the company, individuals who ultimately make those decisions regarding The Girl's compensation. Individuals who rarely work directly with her but who the most important decisions affecting her career (such as deciding whether she's valuable enough to be included in the group of employees invited to Huntsville)!
 
Her employer sounds pretty awful. What does she think about the offer? Seems like you'd be leaving a lot behind, Harold. That can't be easy. But yeah, if her employer actually offered her some real incentives for the move, it could make things a little easier. Just seem like with some companies, they never really appreciate the productive ones. But the people who manage to just skate by every day, they get everything.
 
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I don't know what to put here.

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I once posted, in this space (this right column), the following:

If I had friends they would be listed here

That particular bit o' text, that silly and idiotic phrase, was repeated a dozen or two dozen or so times and was intended to be temporary. I had been working on a project -- a new layout for this blog -- and had intended for that text to be placeholder content. That is, the text was supposed to temporarily replace the content that had previously occupied this column (which was a list of links to friends -- that is, other blogs and web sites I linked to). I didn't know what content I was going to place into that (this) space, so I placed a bunch of duplicate phrases here as a placeholder so that I would remember to fill in this space again later.

At the same time, I thought I was being cute with the heading:

NEW & IMPROVED FRIENDS!

The fact remains: I still don't know what content to put here, in this column. Links again? Pictures? Video? Audio? Ads? Oh, hell no! It hasn't come to me yet, but I'm sure it will eventually, and when it does it'll come quick and (as usual) with consequences.