Tuesday, November 10, 2009

11.3%


That's today's unemployment number for Philadelphia. Unfortunately for me, not only is that the closest major city to me, but I am one of the many that comprise that statistic.

But I'm not bitter....much. Okay, a bit, maybe. Seriously, the company was not doing well at all (maybe it still isn't) and I was simply one of the many fingers it elected to sever in order to save its dying hand. A hand that I prehensiley thumbed for a decade, I might add.

And I don't consider myself "funemployed". I had never even heard of that until long after it would have been applicable. Admittedly, July and August were great. I made it a point to do absolutely nothing that could be mistaken for job hunting. It's been seven years since I took off two weeks in a row. This was something to be carefully savored as long as, well, as long as is appropriate...however long that is.

Loving life and living large, I lazed through the rest of the Summer, dipping into the severance package like a bag of chips -- you know, the ones you just can't stop munching because each one tastes like more.

So now that the party is over and the bag of chips is considerably lighter -- and the damn dip has gone sour -- I've begun the great machine that will propel me back into my chosen profession.

Unless, of course, I finally get the call that they really need me to play drums for the Led Zeppelin reunion tour.

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Adam's World

If you missed Adam Lambert performing Gary Jules' version of the Tears For Fears song "Mad World", you missed a musical moment. It was haunting and brilliant, and he made it look easy.

Unfortunately, it seems Freemantle Media is being very selfish with their Idols this year and removed all video clips of the performance from YouTube. However, a few enterprising music lovers have posted the audio portion with a still of Adam in place of the video.

Enjoy while it lasts.


Monday, March 9, 2009

Monday, March 2, 2009

No School

The Northeast is blanketed in snow today. How refreshing that my company, in its wisdom, has been declared closed due to the worsening conditions.

Not that it made a big difference to me, the official status of the office. It isn't worth risking life and limb to get to work through the teeth of inclimate weather.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Gympanzee

I've never liked the label "gym rat". It just seems a bit distasteful to be associated with some kind of rodentia because one spends a lot of time pumping iron.

I'm a primate, after all, and if I'm going to have a label applied to me for my exercise activity proclivities, I'd prefer something a bit more simian -- like "Gympanzee". I like the sound of that, although I'm not sure I'd actually say it out loud to describe myself.

So I've finally started back into a workout routine after taking an embarrassingly long break. I'm convinced health clubs love people like me -- the ones who pay their monthly dues but don't show up to put wear and tear on the equipment.

And they knew I wasn't going to cancel my membership. That would have been admitting that I wasn't going back (which wasn't the case). I wouldn't put out hundreds of dollars a year for nothing, now would I?

But it was worth it to be able to jump back into the routine as soon as I decided it was time. Now I just have to stick to it -- and I can be pretty sticky when I want to.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Farewell, Number Six

In Memoriam: Patrick Joseph McGoohan (March 19, 1928 - January 13, 2009)

Perhaps best known for his role as the nameless secret agent in the British series "The Prisoner" (in which he wrote, directed, and starred), Patrick McGoohan was a familiar face in film and television for five decades. One of his recent film credits include the role of King Edward Longshanks in 1995's "Braveheart".

He will be sorely missed. I leave you with the iconic opening sequence from "The Prisoner", which also stars one of my favorite automobiles, the Lotus Super Seven.

Thursday, January 1, 2009