"So how are things with my pookie?"
"Just fine. You know, Dayton hasn't turned out to be so bad this time."
"Oh that's so good to hear."
"I'm kinda surprised. I'm meeting a few people and... I really like my place."
"Well... your little rentals have ended up being a nice pasttime. Is your job still so awful?"
"Oh it's gotten better. It's okay for now."
"Hmmm. What about all your friends in Cincinnati -- don't you miss them?"
"I see them all the time."
"And your friends in Colorado? How's DJ?"
"DJ? He's fine."
"We never saw what you saw in him."
"He makes me laugh, mom. He's very funny."
"We thought he was a dud. Isn't he always getting fired?"
"But he always bounced back and had something lined up. He's good that way."
"Well, at least he wasn't like that other fellow -- the fellow you bought your Focus from."
"Oh. Now, he was a dud."
"I hope you at least got a good deal. Did you ever read the articles I sent you about the recall notices?"
"Yes mom. I never had problems; it not having air conditioning is what did me in."
"Well... it was very zippy looking. But they say you can't go wrong with a Honda."
"Well, you haven't had any problems with yours, now have you?"
"Did you get the ceiling for the Dining Room?"
"Yeah, I picked it up last week."
"I can't imagine a plastic ceiling."
"It's a reproduction pressed tin ceiling, like the kind they had in stores a hundred years ago. You can paint it."
"I know. But in a Dining Room?"
"It has the look of a garden trellice, I think it will look very nice."
"Hummh."
"You and dad should come down and see it. Did you know I'm going to be in the opera again? I'm going to be a soldier."
"Weren't you a soldier last summer?"
"Yeah I'm typecast. I got complementary tickets; you and Dad want to go?"
"We'll check. We're pretty busy the next few months. Your sister is going to be here in a few weeks; you're planning on coming up for that I hope."
"Yes, it will be cool to see her. But isn't she going to be rushing around?"
"Well, will it be so awful to spend some time with your poor old mother?"

This probably wouldn't be good.

Blogger updated its site this past weekend and, spurred by their start, I've begun tooling around with my template, which... I Designed All By Myself back around New Years'. I decided to add links to sites I like -- check them out!

Is there blog etiquette? Should I have asked for permission? For starters, I've chosen blogs I've already left comments on (which I rarely do), or blogs that seem to display a similar politico-socio-religio-culturo viewpoint as mine. I know, bo0o-oring.

There might be an anomaly or two: The author of Notes From A Small Curate writes on religion in addition to interesting pieces on politics, poetry, literature -- and english football. I don't know how he'd feel about being next to another of my faves, The Raving Atheist. Eeks.

I didn't add some sites -- like the blog of the "Patriot" (so-called) Somewhere in The Mountains of Colorado. It's interesting to get a different viewpoint, and there are some screwy ones out there.

More changes a-comin...

Located as we are so close to Kentucky, I'm surprised there isn't more news about the Derbies. If you don't follow The Horses, this year's Seabiscuit has been Smarty Jones. Despite his young age (3 years), Smarty Jones has defied the odds and has been taking all the races with over $5 million in winnings so far.

Away from the excitement of The Triple Crown, I'm feeling apprehensive here at BIPC. After months of postponements and numerous revisions, I am gearing up to present tomorrow the Super Secret Project. I want this mass of quicksand off my desk, but I'm dreading the actual presentation.

You see, the S S P is not a popular subject. Because of corporate indecision, an excel spreadsheet that could have been completed in a month or two has taken about two years. I have to communicate the results. Don't shoot the piano player!

The technical aspect won't help: I will be speaking "virtually" by calling into a conference room 2000 miles away filled with tiers of higher management. I will have no benefit of eye contact or an ability to read body language.

Last year, I spoke on a related topic, using a Powerpoint that froze on the first screen.

"What a crock of horseshit," snarled the speakerphone, as I struggled to reboot.
"Are you sure you've researched this? We've never done things this way," said a different voice. Error messages filled the screen.
"Hugshyhermit, can you check again and get back to us?" my boss' voice suggested.

These responses took me off-guard and I spluttered: "But this, this is what Corporate Legal approved," I whined. It was a low-point of many in this job. They shoot horses, don't they?

For tomorrow's presentation, I have prepared Speaking Points. This is not something Hugshyhermit usually does, I usually bolt out of the gate.

Post-script, Thursday, May 13
Hugshyhermit has his Report, Speaking Points, and folders containing all back-up information ready. At the appointed hour he pushes the multiple sequence of numbers that takes him into the BIPC conference call system.

"Hello?" The only person on the line is a Product Manager from Headquarters.
"I've never heard of the S S P." she tells me. That's because it's Double Extra super secret. "I didn't get the attachments for the meeting."
Great. "I'll send you a copy."

Silence. A dead air hiss becomes noticeable.
Hugshyhermit makes small talk. They discuss tree care. Hugshyhermit wasn't previously aware that the local soil is not properly pH-balanced for the optimal health of Pin Oaks.

The phone beeps. It's the site manager from Human Resources.

"I'm calling from my office, I didn't want to keep you hanging. We're having system difficulties. The IT people were here and they took the phone away. It doesn't look good."

Ha ha ha! A Mint Julip will taste mighty fine tomorrow night right now, I reckon.