For whatever reason, music has become a HUGE part of my day lately. I listen to it constantly and it's really nice to be able to listen to music at work...I have headphones and turn it up loud...drowns out all the background noise....
Check it out....if you want access to my playlists (or you can create your own...with ANY songs you want)...just ask me...i'll give you the email address I use in there.
The word "downsizing"....it really is not a nice word....especially in todays economy. Over the last 6-8 months, I have listened to all the news stories about the economy and the tough shape we are in and thought...it just really sucks that CEO's and the likes are getting their bonuses (extreme bonues I might add) for driving companies into the ground...that hardly seems fair. I have felt really bad for people loosing their jobs and their homes and their vehicles ... all because these people running those companies had to have those big bonuses and go on very expensive retreats.
Over the past 8 months or so, the company I work for has brought in a new CEO, a new COO and a new lawyer and several other new big players. They really are trying to make the company some money...after all, that's what it is all about...right? Well, yesterday, the slumping economy finally hit closer to home. The company I work for went through a major "downsizing". We lost 40 people in game development, 15 in system dev, 2 in operations and a butt load in QA and while nobody in the New York offices got let go, many of those that did get laid off, worked closely with our offices and we knew many of them. It really wreaks havoc on you heart, mind and soul to see people get laid off...especially right after Christmas. My heart goes out to everyone that is now in the unemployment line....and I thank god that I still have my job. It sure does make me appreciate the fact that I have a good job.
After I thought about it for a while, I realized that the "reason I didn't move to Austin by the end of November" was not because they were being mean to me but rather because it wasn't the right time....and I thank god that I didn't go. Not because I think I would have been laid off...because honestly, I don't think that they would have paid for my transfer and given me a promotion if they were going to lay me off a month later...but because it would have been really hard to be there watching all those people loose their jobs.
Sad day...thankful day and now I have to go to work...blah!!!
So...it looks like we will have a white Christmas after all. It's not even officially winter yet but you wouldn't know it by looking outside.
More pictures of the storm...these are from my yard and in front of my house.
Yea.....so I guess I am thankful that nobody was hurt and that there wasn't worse damage...but I can say....flooded basements really suck. The water was about 2 feet deep (you can see the line where the water was)...thank god for the fire department....they pumped out my basement both Saturday and Sunday...both days had about the same amount of water. I had luckily put most of my stuff in plastic tubs and those faired pretty well in the water. Only 2 of them actually tipped over..and the stuff in those will need to be tossed out. Most of my sons tools were submerged...will defnitely turn rusty. The water heater is fine...works just fine...not that I would have to worry about that...that's the landlords responsibility...but the washer, dryer and dehumidifier weren't so lucky...yea...they don't work anymore....ugh. Thank god I actually had renters insurance...something I never had before moving into this apartment...I'm so glad I have it now.
The other pictures are just to show you how beautiful disaster can be....it was totally amazing how pretty the devistation was. We are alive and not hurt and "stuff" can be replaced...I don't know how those people in hurricane hit areas manage to stay mentally stable...I was without power for 4 days and I thought I was loosing my mind. Oh how we take such things for granted. Gives a whole new meaning to appreciating what you have...LIVE FOR THE MOMENT!!!!
http://estore.vzwshop.com/storm/
Normally I'm not a consumeristic whore who has to have the latest and greatest new gadget, but this phone looks really nice. One of the vendors we work with regularly had one of these the other day and he said that it was pretty cool, but he uses it for stuff I wouldn't - the features I like (texting, interneting, etc etc) work like a champ.
OMG...I laughed soooo hard at this....enjoy.
http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/car/8dde/
I saw this on a car the other day and nearly crapped ... Yea ... I want one!
UPDATE: Unfortunately these are not necessarily legal in NYS .... wtf - I lose!
http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/travelpower/9260/
ThinkGeek is one of those places that I could probably link to every item and be pleased, but this item in particular is totally sweet -- I mean, it looks like a lightsaber ... how awesome?!?!
