January 16, 2002
Dear Everyone:
Last Monday, I got up as usual, got dressed as usual (which means watching The X Files on the VCR while getting ready) and left for work as usual. Only I didn’t go to work as usual. Instead, I parked at the nearby shopping center and walked back to my place.
Then I waited for the garbage truck to arrive. I figured, if the person who absconded with my garbage can was going to use it to “steal” collection service, they would have to put it out before the truck came. So, when the truck arrived around 8:30, I started canvassing the neighborhood.
Alas, my garbage can did not make an appearance. I have revised my theory to include the possibility that new sporting equipment, received for Christmas, needed a covered container and why buy one when you can steal a nice, clean garbage can? Serves me right for not mucking it up.
So I called the waste management company and they’re going to deliver a new garbage can just as soon as they get one. Seems they don’t have any in my size in stock at the moment. Probably because people keep stealing them. The soonest I can hope for is a week from next Monday. This will mean I will have gone a month without having my garbage picked up.
So what have I been doing in the meantime? Luckily, the office where I work has a nice, big dumpster out by the dock. And they don’t mind me contributing to its contents. In fact, last week one of the warehousemen offered to take the bag out to the dock for me. And that’s what I’ll do for the duration. (The waste management company said the truck driver would accept bags until the new can is delivered. But that means the driver having to get out of the truck, pick up the bag, etc., etc., etc. And guess who empties that dumpster anyway? The same waste management company, so it’s a wash.)
In other news…
In a teleconference meeting this morning, I heard my name mentioned in conjunction with a pilot project that’s going to be starting up soon. At another meeting this afternoon, I was informed by my new supervisor that I was going to be working on the project. So I may soon have a new project to work on. That’s as much as I know so far.
I expect to hear more soon as the pilot project is supposed to be completed by the middle of February (short project). In the meantime, I’m keeping busy with the Records Management conversion project and the Move/Add/Change project. And with trying to learn all the bells and whistles that came with my new cell phone.
It’s official: I have a cell phone. Held out as long as I could, but they finally got to me. You may recall that I already had a cell phone, but that was a personal one. And the main reason for getting it was so “Jeannie” could get in on the great deal offered to CompanyAnotherCompany employees (less than $27/month). Now that I have an official phone (and actually have to tell people what the number is), I’ll contact the company and see about getting my part of the account deactivated.
Finally, “Jeannie” and I did get out to a movie last weekend: Impostor. Gary Sinise plays Spence, a nice guy with a nice wife and a nice job in 2079. It’s based on a famous sci-fi short story written in 1953. Lots of Cold War allegory, but the basic story still works. It boils down to, “Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not all out to get you.” The producers took an hour-long story and added another half-hour of running, violence and state-of-the-art special effects. Probably worth the matinee price, although that’s gone up again, just like everything else.
Last, but not least, I finished the Christmas puzzle last night. This is good because it’s been occupying the center of the living room since the Holidays. I’ve just walked around all the little pieces, including dragging my suitcase around them when I went to “Hobby”. Now that it’s finished, I can break it apart, put it back in the container and maybe even take down the Christmas tree.
Not that there’s any hurry. It’s not even St. Valentine’s Day yet.
Love, as always,
Pete
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