May 31, 2006

Client Flintstone - not dead yet...

I have to keep this brief as I am just on a break. Client Flintsone isn't out of my life yet. I am still painfully involved with it. Today, Rep N. sent me 10 pages of changes/fixes, plus the same emails 2 more times. I am guessing it's to make sure I really take care of the issues. It's been four months - which is longer than some Hollywood marriages.

When will it end, you ask? NEVER. Even when we fix these issues, there will be more. And more. And more. Nobody except my boss and I are willing to work tonight to try to get this shit done. Shocker? No. I wouldn't either except that I am so desperate to get this done, if I have to work another 24 hour shift, I will. Lucky for me there are things that I can't fix, so I won't be here 24 hours. Maybe 18-20.

I had such a great weekend in Maine. I would love to blog about it, but can't as I really have to get back to Client Flintstone. I feel really sorry for me right now. There is a company picnic going on right now. Normally I would be such a cheerleader and meet all the new people, etc. but I am so bitter right now that I couldn't think of anything good to say about anything.

It will be over soon enough. Whether we launch them tomorrow or next month, it WILL be done soon.

Thank the stars - Brangelina's baby has arrived!

It's been a long time in coming, but finally Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have had their baby. It's a girl. From what I can gather, the name Shiloh Nouvel means something like "new Messiah". Though I can't put all the math together, does this mean she is the anti-Christ? Afterall, Shiloh and Nouvel are both six letters. But it's the last name that has me. Between Jolie-Pitt, it's only 9 letters.

The world can now continue to revolve now that the Cruises and Pitts have birthed their babies. Interesting that they are both girls. I guess girls are all the rage. Three people I know have had girls this year.

May 22, 2006

Robin Hood

From my Netflix queue, I saw that I had a movie I had never seen before but had wanted to for ages - Robin Hood. Now, this isn't the Errol Flynn version, nor the abominably dismal Kevin Costner version (where the best casting choice went to Alan Rickman as the Sherrif of Nottingham), nor was it the hilarious Men in Tights. This is a SILENT motion picture. Have you ever seen one of these? THEY DON'T SPEAK AT ALL! I have seen several silent films in my time. I appreciate the film history and there are lots of things I can find to appreciate in these films. This is no exception. Douglas Fairbanks (co-founder of United Artists) was one of the biggest stars during this period of early film. He produced and did his own stunts. The sets ranged from what seems to be an actual castle to very studio looking castle interiors with really fake looking backgrounds. His lovely co-star was Enid Bennet, who didn't seem to have much of a career beyond the silents. I wonder if her speaking voice was horrible or if she really turned out to be a bad actress with the talkies? Anyhow, I had to fast foward through many of the scenes because the music was horrible and it seemed that the action seems go really slow without the clang of metal and grunts or stabbing sound effects. Makes me appreciate sound engineers so much more. Nevertheless, I watched the whole thing. I was glad to have seen it. Also on the DVD was a clip from a short by humorist Will Rogers. That was worth the whole thing. It was a spoof of the Douglas Fairbanks Robin Hood character. There was one seen in the Robin Hood movie where Robin Hood struts his stuff showing off how talented he is in jumping out of trees, shooting arrows etc. In the Will Rogers parody, there are about 10 rocks in varying sizes in a row. "Robin Hood" (Will Rogers) jumps onto rock 1 and throws his hands up in a ta-da pose. It cuts to the Merry Men cheering him on. He jumps again and again. Slips on rock 3 and climbs back on again with the ta-da pose. Cut to the Merry Men cheering again. This continues across the rocks with "Robin Hood" falling off and stepping back on. In another scene, he is shooting at a target and hits the bullseye. Cheers from the Merry Men. He steps farther back and manages to shoot the arrow into the feathers of arrow 1. Cheers again. He jumps backwards and lands in the tree, shoots and - ta-da! Again the cheers of the crowd. He continues shooting arrows and the camera pans down to a man in present day (1922) attire shooting arrows as "Robin Hood's" arrows fall to the ground. The man on the ground is a stunt man. It was really funny. I guess you had to have been there to see it.

I am working my way through another silent film. This one is with Gloria Swanson, of Sunset Boulevard fame. So far, it is a bit of a yawner, but she's pretty good. Even for a silent film star.


May 11, 2006

Client Flintstone - when will it end?

I don't think this project will ever end. But now, I get to have daily meetings with a bunch of people to report where we are at. That is a good thing, but that also means I have to be on top of my shit, which I don't feel I am. This project is huge and there is not a whole lot of people available to help. I also have 7 other clients now to juggle. It doesn't matter how easy or difficult they are. The fact is that now I am dealing with about 56 websites. That's more than I have ever had at one time. I am experiencing major burn out. I did get away for the weekend (to post later) but now I am back into the swing of things. Sure, this week I will work 15 hours today and tomorrow. I will work after the gstore shift on Saturday and Sunday. And I will continue the long hours until Client Flinstone launches. But then, I am done. Getting my life and mental health back is important to me. Back to getting out while the sun is shining. Back to going outside for a lunch break. Ah - peace is coming!

Now, to get Client Flinstone to launch....

May 01, 2006

Funny things that make me think of other things

I just heard the following song on the web-radio I am listening to and "Somewhere Over the Rainbow". The latter song makes me cry. I freakin' love it. Call me sentimental, I don't care. Anyhow, I thought the following song lyrics were sweet and sappy.

As sung by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong...

Can Anyone Explain?

Can anyone explain the thrill of a kiss
No! No! No!
But when two eager lips are pressed against yours
You'll know, yes, you'll know

Can anyone explain the glow of romance
No! No! No!
But when you hear the phrase "It's you I adore"
You'll know, yes, you'll know

And you will find, to give love a start
Don't think with your mind, just feel with your heart
Can anyone explain the wonder of love
No! No! No!

But now that you and I are sharing a sigh
We know, yes, we know

(Orchestal Break)

And you will find, to give love a start
Don't think with your mind, just feel with your heart
Can anyone explain the wonder of love
No! No! No!

But now that you and I are sharing a sigh
We know, yes, we know

Saturday - The WEIGH IN

Saturday was the end of the fast. I feel it was a really good and important thing for me. I don't suggest it to everybody. You have to be in the right state of mind to do it and do it right.

I had no hunger issues.

I wasn't tired (except for working an 18 hour day here, a 30ish hour day there...)

I learned how to feel the "throat" hunger (which is really that I am thirsty, bored, stressed, need to chew something like gum...) and stomach hunger. Durning this process, I was tempted with food several times and didn't succumb. Nor did I feel cheated and left out.

Spiritually I am calmer about the whole eating and Client Flintstone thing. Though I think Rep N is wacked out of her head, I know everything will work out eventually. I worked hard and did make mistakes here and there, but tried to do the best I could.

Kick staring WW again was important to me with this fast. So, when I weighed in on Saturday morning I was informed that I had lost 14 lbs. I know it's not a shocker considering what my daily diet consisted of. But it was a great way to start my week. I also have written down in my journal what I am eating, which is an important WW thing to do. I couldn't be more pleased.

It is nice to eat food again, and I am trying to remember what I learned this past week about recognizing hunger. For those of you with more normal eating habits you already know this part. Those of us who have used emotions to guage our hunger have a hard course to chart out in order to learn how to be more like you.

The kiss

Does it count if a guy kisses you even though he is drunk and tells you how great you are? How beautiful you are?

Somehow, I don't think it does. Still... it was nice even though I was exhausted and delirious from lack of sleep and fasting. :-)

S. O., thanks for inviting me to the party.

Client Flintstone - still alive and kicking

Friday morning at around 9:15, I left the office to sleep for a couple of hours. It didn't go well, since I kept waking to kids playing out front. (Damn kids having fun.) I went back to the office around 1pm. Tried to concentrate but was very tired. Had a conference call with Big Enchiladas and Rep N and her lacky Darth Consultant. As with the calls prior, I don't think it went well. She was very insistant on certain things happening, and as she is out of her mind, there is no getting her to see our side. I think it's a very black and white issue for her. She's always right, we are the enemy and wrong. She feels she has done everything she could to make it right. If you belive that, I'm the Queen of England. Soooo, another long call. We are basically going to continue adding content, making fixes, revising pages until she says go. I don't expect that to happen before Mother's Day. I still had a shitload of work to do, so I didn't leave until 6pm.

This is deffinately the worst project I have ever worked on.