Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Sqeak

Last weekend, while John and Stew were installing the satellite dish, they walked up to the back basement door and discovered a dead mouse lying in the middle of the stone area.  Why was it there?

·         Someone is trying to pull a Godfather on me, and is leaving me a sign

·         The mice are mobilizing and have gone from my office to my house

·         The mouse jumped from the retaining wall and didn’t make it

·         A cat left us a “present”

 

The last option sounds the most plausible.  We’ve been getting visits from a neighbourhood cat who has taken a liking to John (most cats love John).  She may have decided to leave us a present as thanks for the scratching.  Frankly, cat, I’d prefer a bottle of wine, even though I don’t drink.  Given the placement of the mouse, it seems odd for it to have just walked up and died right there.  We think it was either left there as a present, or an animal intended to come back and get it later.

 

I’m really glad I wasn’t the one to discover it; that would have been a bad scene.  I just hope this isn’t a recurring pattern.  I’ve been living mouse-free since I moved out of the apartment and the Great Mouse Invasion of ’04.  Having them at the office is bad enough, but that will end next month with our new office building.  I need to pay extra special attention when bringing the wood in this year that we don’t have any unexpected bonus gifts.

Monday, August 25, 2008

Small frustrations

  • A little bit of deli sliced meat from the counter at Sobeys shouldn't cost as much as it did
  • Where did the mild Genoa salami disappear to?
  • Why won't Sobeys realize that their lactose-free chocolate ice cream is a big seller and therefore stock more of it, or at least reorder more frequently?
  • Why do they always get rid of the flavour I like, leaving other flavours which are nowhere near as appealing? I liked the strawberry.
  • Why does a 6" pizza with two toppings cost over $6?
  • Why did they not drill holes in the bathroom cabinet for installation onto the wall and the knobs on the doors? Why didn't they include any instructions?
  • DirecTV. Enough said.

Monday, August 18, 2008

2 weeks and counting

I arrived back at my office this morning to see a scrape and chunk out of the top of my desk. "Holy shit, what happened to the desk?" I said. "Oh, that was the tape dispenser. I was boxing that [cartridge] up and it flew off and hit the desk."

For two years, I worked at a table or part of a cabinet with a keyboard tray clamped to it. I begged and pleaded for a proper desk, seeing as how I work in IT and sit in front of a PC all day. Finally, because someone else was moving into this office with me, I was able to get a very nice workstation for 2 people. It has remained in excellent shape through the 3 people who have shared it with me over the past 3 years, until last week.

Is the scrape and dent really that bad? No, I guess not. Was it intentional? No. But that doesn't make me feel any better.

I worked hard for this desk. I've kept it in good condition. To have someone come along and damage it, not even seeming to care enough to offer an apology, really pisses me off.

I didn't personally pay for this desk, obviously, but I treat it as if I had. It took me a lot of work to get it, and just because the company bought it doesn't mean it deserves to have the crap beaten out of it. How you treat your tools and equipment shows a lot about what kind of person you are. Apologizing for damage you personally caused also shows character. I had my answer before, but I now have more confirmation.

Thursday, August 07, 2008

Surprise present

I've been having a rough week at work, so today John surprised me with a present.


Another Snuffles for my collection. I had thought this one was sold out, but lo and behold it was sitting in St. Stephen, waiting to join my Snuffles community.

Thank you, dear, for your thoughtfulness, efforts, and love.