Even though the product touted in this video is not really suitable for the workplace, it may help any woman seeking employment. But you probably should not view this at work.

I’m surprised it didn’t flood more here after our four feet of snow. I guess we got lucky and had a dry spell after, just a nice warm dry spell. Raining today, I’ll probably run on the treadmill, not because I can’t run in rain (I have run in downpours), but because I now run with an iPhone.

Sort have been busy lately. We are in our 3rd day of rain, the snow is going fast, and the rivers are rising. Floods will be the top disaster stories on the Cable News Channels next week.

Remember, you read it here first.

Our phone rings.
Caller ID reads:
Revenue Assist
1-330-409-0368

Who Calls Me

If you read down, one person claims it is a Direct TV marketer. I don’t know, I have never answered.

Thank you for the tip, though. I will keep trying.

Okay, so I tried that. All I got was “Beep Beep Beep” and the phone hung up. Not sure how that is helping them or me.

Capital One is the worst.
Ready for a slice of hell?  You’ve got to stay on hold and then:
If they know your name, you have to tell them you are someone else (don’t give a fake name, refuse to give one) and that the person they are calling for no longer lives at this address.  Tell them you are tired of getting calls from creditors.  If they mention that this is a sales call, not a collections call, say you don’t care and reiterate that you are tired of getting calls from creditors.  They will write you off as a looney, but most importantly won’t call back.
If they don’t know your name, ask what company they work for.  They will repeat, “Capital One”.  Then state that you just got this number and are tired of getting calls from the previous owner’s creditors.  Ask to speak with someone in charge and refuse to believe it’s a sales call.  Keep coming back to how tired you are of receiving calls from creditors.
This works for Capital One.
Also the Nat’l Do Not Call registry (include every phone number you have) and the Direct Marketing Associations Opt Out process.  These last two take months to be effective. 
My phone never rings from telemarketers any more.

I can’t figure that out either. They call like four times a day. And if I answer I get put on hold. FOREVER. What’s the point? How do I get them to stop calling? How do I talk to a human? It’s really irritating. I have never gotten past the hold time, and have always given up.

Huh? How does a 20 minute hold help telesales? Or am I missing something?

Capital One keeps calling me (telesales, not because I owe them anything). So the phone rings and it’s an 800 number, and if I answer, I get put on hold for 20 minutes or more.

But still no call from the people I want to hear from. I guess this is bad news. I guess I should just accept that I will have to prepare for the GREs and learn calculus again. I like calculus, actually, but man oh man. Oh man. I wish life were easier, that’s what I wish.

I want to cry into a big bowl of party cake ice cream. GIANT BOWL. HUGE GIANT BOWL THE SIZE OF A TOILET. Not that would do any good.

Thanks for putting up with my rants. Remember, I’ve nothing to do all day but whine and whine and whine. I’ll shut up for the next minute or so before I resume.

I submit to you the worst actual song title ever:

“Boys Who Rape (Should All Be Destroyed)”

But who provided the little prick that ruptured the membrane?

One too many William Shatner priceline.com commercials and it was enough already.

\(Priceline.com actually one of the few notable survivors.)

Here is the best theory for the panic that day.

Rising interest rates in the US had gradually reduced consumer spending. This slow down pissed its way up the rope to leading technology companies including Intel, Dell, Cisco and IBM Projected earnings reports/projections and announced production slow downs/restractions triggered a profit taking sale in the market which in turn created a chain reaction of investors liquidating their shares in disparate but indirectly related technology stocks -> the dot coms. The advent of software determined stock sales exacerbated the sell off / panic.

Academics will tell you the initial sell orders for the leading technology companies (long established, well capitalized and with very substantive infrastructure and assets) was a coincidental event in relation to the speculative dot com (vapour) panic sale, but the fact is the panic it caused led to a drop in the NASDAQ that has to date not been recovered (nor should it have of course).

Ten years ago today the dot com bubble popped.

But who provided the little prick that ruptured the membrane?

Ten years ago today the dot com bubble popped. 

Dimmer, sorry to hear you were in the hangar again, but I’m glad to see you back. Hang in there.

Cool shoes, Tap.

Sorry I was not around yesterday, I was unexpectedly invited to a Food Network event by a close friend who works there. If you have ever seen one of those shows where they have a food competition and a bunch of guests milling around tasting the food and you’ve wondered what it’s like to be at one of those? Well, it takes about four or five hours, and precious little of that time is spent eating.

That said, the day was AWESOME, because I got to see one of my best friends in action, and we went to a great dinner that night at an upscale Afghani restaurant. Yum yum. Sooooo delicious. And such good company.

Still no word about job.

Well, I survived seizure #29. Woo hoo. Seems like a ten day hospital stay is becoming my annual holidaze.

Great to be back, great to see y’all again.

The image below is from blackandwtf which I believe we’ve linked to before.  Tumblr mosaic viewer is the best way to view said vintage B&W&WTF photos

http://tmv.proto.jp/#id=blackandwtf

This just in:

Tapestry of Passion, you submitted a link called, “here’s an add to add to your things to not do while driving list.” or some such.

Please resubmit, because I’m curious as to what the add is. I MUST KNOW.

This has been resubmitted. In fact this was submitted expressly with you in mind LP because:

1. You will be returning to work soon and may be operating a motor vehicle to commute to and fro;

2. I’m sure you always take care to look your best for your beloved Spaz ‘Mo;

3. You lived for some time in the State of Florida and therefore may be inflicted with the peculiarities of the Floridian.

Gloveshot knows that he submits links which sometimes have short lifespans. He also knows that sometimes his submitted links (or headlines) are way beyond good taste. Gloveshot understands.

(But he sometimes wonders if other Jerries are as left field as he is.)

Beautiful day today. Ran 6 or 7 miles, 2 at the gym, the rest outside in the sun. The snow is just about melted. The lake, which once was heavy and sluggish and still, now has a quickness to it. It could be my imagination, but I think this pleases the ducks.

But I am still waiting. Everytime the phone rings, my heart stops. Or races. Or both. Hard to be sure. I turn off the television/music/whatever’s playing, and then dejectedly realize, it’s not them.

By bowl of cereal, I mean with milk.

I saw somebody eating a bowl of cereal once. Also, reading a magazine. Like the New Yorker or something.

When people mess up submitted links, I rarely address it, because it could take up all my time doing that. Usually I just leave them closed.

But.

Tapestry of Passion, you submitted a link called, “here’s an add to add to your things to not do while driving list.” or some such.

Please resubmit, because I’m curious as to what the add is. I MUST KNOW.

I’ve probably hit about 30 random tracks, and all of them have been unique and quite amazing. I’m sure there are some tracks that may not be my exact cup of tea, but that is true in any form. I would suggest just picking at random, and if you like it put it into a playlist. If you think it sucks donkey balls, just delete it.

GS, I like that you’re a hunter of new music. I try to be the same, but even without a job, I occasionally get lazy, so I had not found the SXSW link yet. Thank you for posting. I will also explore.

Any good finds?

Lately, I’ve been listening to a band called Arms and Sleepers a lot. It is mostly dreamy mood music, probably not for everybody, and the reason I have been playing it so much is that it puts me in the mood to write. Working on Novel #2.

I spent last evening capturing some of the music from SXSW 2010. It is free and legally available but does require a bit torrent client. I only did “Part 1” last night. When I get done sorting that out, I’ll probably try the other one.

Still waiting. Looks like I won’t find out till next week. Or I didn’t get it. Gulp.

No, no. I’m waiting for a phone call to find out if I got my dream job.

Still my heart is racing. Not from running, either.

Is someone dressed in lame/spandex again?

Ran 6 or 7 miles or so. Still my heart is racing. Not from running, either.

Trying to keep my mind off things, to keep positive and not get my hopes up at the same time. An impossible task, to be sure.

Pretty impressive. I do wonder how any take they had to do to get it right.

Very cool!

OK Go’s video for ‘This Too Shall Pass’ featuring awesome Rube Goldberg Machine goodness:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qybUFnY7Y8w

Submitted without comment:

AXE COP!!!!!

Thank you. I do too, for a number of reasons. The job sounds really interesting. The manager seems just incredibly smart, warm, and likable. The office is awesome. The commute is doable. Great benefits. It’s a challenge, yet it’s something I can handle. It all seems to fall into place. It’s hard not to dream.

I will be able to adjust.

BTW, I hope the Gods of the Workaday World are smiling upon you.

Congrats on the weight loss, GS!

Agriope, that was Spazmo. He never. stops. farting. Seriously.

Just so y’all know, if I get this job, I will not be around during the day. At all.  Except maybe during lunch by phone in a cafe, which means I can only make comments, not update the site. I’ll post links either in the morning or at night, set to go off periodically while I’m away. If you submit a link, you’ll have to wait until I return home at night to open it. I apologize for that, but that’s the way things will be. Okay, buckaroos?

DImmer, I hear your complaint, but for now, things remain as they are.

Well that didn’t match the preview. Go to :
http://www.clutchtees.com/image.php?id=16170&type=P

&type

Crossing my fingers.

Much better than crossing your legs.

Had the yearly today. I’ve lost 27 lbs over the last year. Yay! Knee pain is age related arthritis, magnified by auto, bicycle, motorcycle, horseback riding accidents, etc. Boo! In the lab, the prospector hit the motherload vein on the first try, have to wait 7-10 days for results (lab work done in accordance with previous University of Minnesota agreement).

Sorry, I have been super busy visiting museums/preparing for job interview/going to job interview. Crossing my fingers.

Who farted?

It’s been a while since I was a Cooler Killer!

We could have gone without interruption if one of the founders who resigned in a fit of pique had had his pleas for reconciliation heard…

(I love using two words after another—you knew that, right?)

Thank you, GS, for the lovely poem. Links resume today, as promised.