The way leads ever on....

Involving the curious incident in El Segundo

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 21:19:24 GMT

Mainly because I'm a little tired of having to tell the story I'm going to relate why I suddenly find myself job hunting again. It all started on Wednesday when I came back from vacation. I was feeling very relaxed and quite magnanimous towards my fellow man. When around 4o'clock I was informed by someone using them that my training room sign ons had all stopped working. So I called IT and was told that my training program was moving to New Jersey. Needless to say I was quite shocked about it this not having heard a word about it from my boss the mostly absent VP of the Learning Center (who just happened to be in New Jersey). Now most of you know that I really hadn't heard from our talked to her more than 3 times since I was told I was reporting to her in July. As opposed to my former TL from Canada who was always keeping me in the loop and was a fantastic boss. But I digress, so I confronted the newly arrived Retail Leader, whom I had just met that day, as to what was going in regards to my job. Well we had a private chat where she did confirm that yes the had planned on moving the training and she was quite surprised to find out that no one had told me. We had a discussion about what position I could possibly fill but the only thing that was really an option would be for me to be a consultant again. Well that was not ideal for me or for the poor TL that I would be working under. Well she was going to look into some options and see what could be done about this. The next morning I received my first call from my boss (that's right she actually called me, it was a miracle) apologizing for the way things went down. She claimed that this was not how she normally did things. She didn't want to tell me until they had figured out what position I could move to. I am very skeptical that was her intention at all. Well I got a call from the poor Retail Leader who had been thrust in the middle of this without any just cause asking if we could meet the next morning and discuss our options. I readily agreed as I had some ideas I wanted to run by them as well. So the next morning comes and I sit down with my meeting and before anything else comes out she is explaining my termination papers to me. They decided I was redundant (their word not mine) and gave me a severance package to go away. So basically they decided the fact that I had been doing three peoples jobs myself without so much as a compliant was not worth keeping around. Never have I felt more betrayed by a company than I did right then. I can understand if they made a business decision to move the training program but to go about it in such a sneaky underhanded way is just despicable. I'm sure in the long run this will lead to better things but its hard to say goodbye to a job that I really loved. Not many people get to do their dream job so I should be grateful that I got to do it while I could. Is it better to have loved and lost or never to have loved at all....

The moment I've been waiting for...

Sun, 03 Feb 2008 18:47:33 GMT

For two years now I've been waiting to get out of the retail aspect of this job and get into the corporate part. That finally happened and I ended my career in retail on the 31st of Jan. It was a good send off. My employees got me chocolates, several cards, and a Patriots Mug (of which I'm very fond of). But with my three day weekend it's given me a lot of time to think. Maybe it wasn't so bad after all. I got to meet a lot of really good people, consultants and clients. I've made a lot of people happy, and some not so happy. I got to ensure that people's honeymoons went off without a hitch. I made dreams come true for a lot of people. I actually find I'm gonna miss sitting at my desk and laughing it up with some clients or getting little old ladies to like me. I never expected nostalgia to kick in so quickly. I'm still super excited about my new position, and about heading out to Toronto for a week (even though its the coldest month of the year). But I'll still miss all (ok maybe not all) my clients and the great consultants I've worked with over the years.

In other news my birthday was a great success. I got to have dinner at Claim Jumpers, which is a rare treat when Erin and I even get to go out to eat let alone somewhere like Claim Jumpers. The comedian was hilarious. And we had pretty decent seats for arriving about 10 minutes before the show. It was nice not having to stand in line for an hour. I have to thank my wife for making an amazing birthday happen for me. I'm so happy that I was surrounded by good friends, good food, good comedy, and of course good presents. My amazingly talented wife got me the new Stephen King novel! It was really good seeing Peck again. Every time we see each other, few and far between as that is, it makes me miss hanging out with him. I've got to get my golf clubs up to par and get some money for green fees, and maybe we'll hang out more. All in all it was one of the best birthday's I've had, all thanks to the super hero effort of my wife Erin.

Goodbye Retail! It's been swell

Wed, 12 Dec 2007 23:33:49 GMT

Well after a long three week interview process I can officially wave goodbye to retail. I've just been promoted to Recruiter/Novice Coach/HR Rep. Basically what that breaks down to is I do the hiring process then I do shop visits after they've been classroom trained to maintain the newies. Then of course answer any nonpay related HR questions. I'm back to a Monday - Friday 9-6 job. I get weekends off and once a quarter I get to spend a week in the Chicago shops. I'm very excited. I don't start until February so as to make sure I leave my new shop in good condition. I can't wait.

Library list thing

Thu, 04 Oct 2007 20:28:09 GMT

These are the top one-hundred-six books most often marked as “unread” by LibraryThing’s users. As usual, bold what you have read, italicize what you started but didn’t finish, and strike through what you couldn’t stand. Add an asterisk to those you’ve read more than once. Underline those on your to-read list.

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
Anna Karenina
Crime and Punishment
Catch-22
One Hundred Years of Solitude
Wuthering Heights
The Silmarillion
Life of Pi
The Name of the Rose
Don Quixote
Moby Dick
Madame Bovary
The Odyssey
Pride and Prejudice
Jane Eyre
A Tale of Two Cities
The Brothers Karamazov
Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies
War and Peace
Vanity Fair
The Time Traveler’s Wife
The Iliad
Emma
The Blind Assassin
The Kite Runner
Mrs. Dalloway
Great Expectations
American Gods*
Memoirs of a Geisha
Middlesex
Quicksilver
Wicked : the Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West
The Canterbury Tales
The Historian : A Novel
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
Love in the Time of Cholera
Brave New World
Foucault’s Pendulum
Middlemarch
Frankenstein, or, The Modern Prometheus
The Count of Monte Cristo
Dracula*
A Clockwork Orange
Anansi Boys
The Once and Future King *
The Grapes of Wrath
The Poisonwood Bible : A Novel
1984 *
Angels & Demons *
The Inferno
The Satanic Verses
Sense and Sensibility
The Picture of Dorian Gray*
Mansfield Park
One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest
To the Lighthouse
Tess of the D’Urbervilles
Oliver Twist
Gulliver’s Travels
Les Misérables
The Corrections
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time
Dune
The Prince
The Sound and the Fury
Angela’s Ashes : a Memoir
The God of Small Things
A People’s History of the United States : 1492-present
Cryptonomicon
Neverwhere *
A Confederacy of Dunces
A Short History of Nearly Everything
Dubliners
The Unbearable Lightness of Being
Beloved
Slaughterhouse Five
The Scarlet Letter
Eats, Shoots & Leaves
The Mists of Avalon
Oryx and Crake : A Novel
Collapse : How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed
Cloud Atlas
The Confusion
Lolita
Persuasion
Northanger Abbey
The Catcher in the Rye *
On the Road
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Freakonomics : A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance : An Inquiry into Values
The Aeneid
Watership Down *
Gravity’s Rainbow
The Hobbit *
In Cold Blood : A True Account of a Multiple Murder and Its Consequences
White Teeth
Treasure Island *
David Copperfield
The Three Musketeers

I didn't do the strikeout thing or the underline one. This is a very odd list. Why is a lot of Neil Gaiman's books on there. I know he has a bit of a cult following but those are some of his most popular books. It's just odd....

Quote of the month

Fri, 28 Sep 2007 17:46:17 GMT

The quote of the month is by Jay Leno: "With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, "Are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?"

Please help find a cure

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 19:38:47 GMT

I'm partcipating in the Walk for Autism on Nov 17th. Please help by sponsoring me. Every little bit helps. Thank you in advance for your generosity.

https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=214843&lis=0&kntae214843=FD39EB740EDD4F79BD6F83EE997CD1BA&supId=188036405

Check out the pictures from our Mexico trip

Thu, 26 Jul 2007 18:40:08 GMT

Puerto Vallarta

Mourning the loss of a wizard...

Thu, 26 Jul 2007 01:55:26 GMT

I finished the last Harry Potter book last night. It was was quite good but I find myself depressed. I feel like a good friend, who only recently appeared in my life, has moved to some far off country never to be had from again. It's odd, seeing as how I only started reading these books about two years ago and on a whim at that. I had a couple of weeks off for vacation with nothing to do and was understandably bored. I'm not even sure now where I got the first book but I read it in about two hours and was hooked. Over the next two days I went out and bought the remaining volumes and devoured them as well. What I perceived as just a kids book turned about to be a well written engrossing story. Thankfully I never fully succumbed to fandom. I've never dressed up as a character or stood in line for anything. Also I don't own a piece of merchandise other than the books nor have I ever attended any type of meeting. But even though I never fully immersed myself in Potter Nerdom, I find I'm missing him already. This is not to say that it was not a fitting goodbye. By all means it was an excellent read, one I managed to read in two days spaced between work and sleep. And now that I've finished it I'm left to wonder, now what? I've become so attached to these characters that I don't seem to know what to do with myself anymore. The ending was great although if I may make a suggestion don't read the epilogue, it seemed a little tacked on. But I'll let you make the final decision on that one. Either way this sad muggle is really gonna miss it. The magic and wonder that I somehow felt a part of....

Regarding our Monday night ritual

Fri, 25 May 2007 16:09:11 GMT

We do love to have you guys over on monday nights, and we'd love to keep the tradition going but I do have to make a disclaimer. The Ducks are now in the Stanly cup playoffs, and game 1 is Monday night. So while you are all welcome over, most of the evening will be devoted to the game. Usually its over by around 8:30, so I have no problem watching a movie late. If you want to reschedule for another day I'm more than willing to do so as well. Let me know what you guys would like to do.

If it ain't broke....

Sat, 05 May 2007 20:35:02 GMT

As usual we will be happy to host Heroe's monday night. I though we might want to organize it a little better and if you guys want to volunteer to bring stuff. Or if you want to go out to dinner before hand. Let me know. Also if you don't want to drive all the way home Erin will be home and I should be home around 6-7.

For all the South Park Fans

Tue, 17 Apr 2007 05:43:40 GMT

Gingerkids.org

Come one and all....

Thu, 15 Mar 2007 06:04:06 GMT

Here are some pics from our honeymoon down under...

Our Honeymoon in New Zealand

It's just a taste. More will be updated when available...

Sweet....

Mon, 26 Feb 2007 03:32:21 GMT

What Fantasy Archetype Are you?
The Seasoned Veteran Friend You are the Seasoned Veteran Friend! You resemble Aragorn (Lord of The Rings), Merlin (Arthurian Legend), Han Solo (Star Wars), The Marquis (Neverwhere), Sirius Black (Harry Potter) and Chase (Wizard's First Rule). You are exceedingly loyal, tricky and hardy. You regularly pull the Unlikely Hero, Mentor and Pillor-of-Strength Love Interest out of trouble and into safety. Beware The Traitor, who will make your job intensely difficult. And don't coddle the Unlikely Hero too much, he has to learn how to fend for himself. Anyway, everyone admires you and your resourcefullness / reliability - good going!
Take The Quiz Now!	Quizzes by myYearbook.com

I'll see you all sometime in March

Mon, 29 Jan 2007 06:17:19 GMT

I just wanted to take a moment to try and head off any hard feelings. I'm not gonna be the greatest friend for the next month or so. With all the wedding things and working, I have very little in the way of a social life. So what does that mean for all you wonderful people out there? Well I'm gonna be pretty hard to reach between now and when we get back from the honeymoon. It's not to say that we don't still love you but momnmy and daddy just need some time to ourselves. Once I get back I will most definitly regale you with stories and pictures until your ears and eyes bleed. But until then please understand.....

George Carlin's new rules for 2007

Thu, 18 Jan 2007 20:35:00 GMT

GEORGE CARLIN'S NEW RULES FOR 2007:

New Rule: Stop giving me that pop-up ad for classmates.com! There's a reason you don't talk to people for 25 years. Because you don't particularly like them! Besides, I already know what the captain of the football team is doing these days -- mowing my lawn.

New Rule: Don't eat anything that's served to you out a window unless you're a seagull. People are acting all shocked that a
human finger was found in a bowl of Wendy's chili. Hey, it cost less than a dollar. What did you expect to contain? Lobster?

New Rule: Stop saying that teenage boys who have sex with their hot, blonde teachers are permanently damaged. I have a better description for these kids: "Lucky bastards."

New Rule: Ladies, leave your eyebrows alone. Here's how much men care about your eyebrows: Do you have two of them? Okay,
we're done.

New Rule: There's no such thing as flavored water. There's a whole aisle of this crap at the supermarket, water, but without
that watery taste. Sorry, but flavored water is called a soft drink. You want flavored water? Pour some scotch over ice and let it melt. That's your flavored water.

New Rule: Stop screwing with old people. Target is introducing a redesigned pill bottle that's square, with a bigger label. And the top is now the bottom. And by the time grandpa figures out how to open it, his ass will be in the morgue. Congratulations, Target, you just solved the Social Security crisis

New Rule: The more complicated the Starbucks order, the bigger the asshole. If you walk into a Starbucks and order a "decaf grande, half-soy, half-low fat, iced vanilla, double-shot, gingerbread cappuccino, extra dry, light ice, with one Sweet-n'-Low, and one NutraSweet," ooh, you're a huge asshole.

New Rule: Just because your tattoo has Chinese characters in it doesn't make you spiritual. It's right above the crack of your ass. And it translates to "beef with broccoli." The last time you did anything spiritual, you were praying to God you weren't pregnant. You're not spiritual. You're just high.

New Rule: No more gift registries. You know, it used to be just for
weddings. Now it's for babies and new homes and graduations from rehab. Picking out the stuff you want and having other people buy it for you isn't gift giving, it's the white people version of looting.

New Rule: And this one is long overdue: No more bathroom attendants. After I zip up, some guy is offering me a towel and a mint like I just had sex with George Michael. I can't even tell if he's supposed to be there, or just some freak with a fetish. I don't want to be on your web cam, dude. just want to wash my hands.

New Rule: When I ask how old your toddler is, I don't need to hear "27 months." "He's two" will do just fine. He's not a cheese. And I didn't really care in the first place.

New Rule: If you ever hope to be a credible adult and want a job that pays better than minimum wage, then for God's sake
don't pierce or tattoo every available piece of flesh. If so, then plan your future around saying, "Do you want fries with that?"

On an evening such as this it's hard to tell if I exist

Wed, 17 Jan 2007 07:06:09 GMT

I'm really outa sorts here, and not knowing how to express myself I turn to the inspiration of others

"I'm going back there someday"
written by Kenny Ascher and Paul Williams

This looks familiar, vaguely familiar,
Almost unreal, yet, it's too soon to feel yet.
Close to my soul, and yet so far away.
I'm going to go back there someday.

Sun rises, night falls, sometimes the sky calls.
Is that a song there, and do I belong there?
I've never been there, but I know the way.
I'm going to go back there someday.

Come and go with me, it's more fun to share,
We'll both be completely at home in midair.
We're flyin', not walkin', on featherless wings.
We can hold onto love like invisible strings.

There's not a word yet for old friends who've just met.
Part heaven, part space, or have I found my place?
You can just visit, but I plan to stay.
I'm going to go back there someday.
I'm going to go back there someday.

"The Show Must Go On"
By Queen

Empty spaces - what are we living for
Abandoned places - I guess we know the score
On and on, does anybody know what we are looking for...
Another hero, another mindless crime
Behind the curtain, in the pantomime
Hold the line, does anybody want to take it anymore
The show must go on,
The show must go on
Inside my heart is breaking
My make-up may be flaking
But my smile still stays on.
Whatever happens, I'll leave it all to chance
Another heartache, another failed romance
On and on, does anybody know what we are living for?
I guess I'm learning, I must be warmer now
I'll soon be turning, round the corner now
Outside the dawn is breaking
But inside in the dark I'm aching to be free
The show must go on
The show must go on
Inside my heart is breaking
My make-up may be flaking
But my smile still stays on
My soul is painted like the wings of butterflies
Fairytales of yesterday will grow but never die
I can fly - my friends
The show must go on
The show must go on
I'll face it with a grin
I'm never giving in
On - with the show -
I'll top the bill, I'll overkill
I have to find the will to carry on
On with the -
On with the show -
The show must go on...

Mon, 08 Jan 2007 01:18:08 GMT

You paid attention during 97% of high school!

85-100% You must be an autodidact, because American high schools don't get scores that high! Good show, old chap!

Do you deserve your high school diploma?
Create a Quiz

I'm pretty sure I was only there like 40% of the time

This makes me supremely happy

Mon, 27 Nov 2006 02:20:42 GMT

Read me....

Stolen from two lovely Edwards'

Sat, 25 Nov 2006 00:58:24 GMT

RULES: Each player of this game starts off with 10 weird things/habits about yourself. And since I'm not going to "tag" anyone I deleted the last part of this.

1) Although my job requires me to talk to people on a daily basis for long amounts of time, I've never fully overcome my shyness.

2) The main reason I grew my mustache is I hate shaving my upper lip. I used to cut it all the time.

3) I still want to be an author but have never worked up the courage to start a full novel

4) I find myself liking cats more and more as I get older

5) I will put hotsauce on anything, yes I mean anything

6) I hate the dentist because of the feeling of metal on my teeth.

7) I cut my own hair (Not that's its hard)

8) I have high blood pressure

9) I love to cook, its a stress reliever for me (probably the reason for #8)

10) I've striven as long as I can remember to be considered "The funny one"

I apoligize for my phone

Thu, 26 Oct 2006 22:02:19 GMT

I'm hoping no one got any text messages or calls but my phone was stolen on Sunday. They were able to shut it down but before they could some people may have recieved some disturbing messages. I'm sure most of you know me by now to know that I wouldn't do it. Once the phone was shut off they were able to lock it so who ever has it can't access my phone book anymore. I have a new phone now but I don't have any of my numbers so please call me soon so I can begin filling up my phone book.

This is either very cool or really depresing

Fri, 20 Oct 2006 03:10:57 GMT

HowManyOfMe.com

There are:
0
people with my name
in the U.S.A.

How many have your name?

Rants and Ravings

Sun, 01 Oct 2006 17:49:50 GMT

I'm beginning to wonder what people think of me as a travel agent. My entire occupation is to book trips anywhere from little domestic trips to far off exotic middle of nowhere places. Yet my friends refuse to call me for any of their travel needs. I'm specifically trained to do this type of thing and yet I never hear from anyone about their travel needs. (Except of course the wonderful Sarah.) Maybe you don't realize that I get paid on how many bookings I make or that I can usually find it cheaper. Or you don't think I do my job very well. I'm always available at my work e-mail braddley_arruda.ca@flightcentre.us but I still sit around waiting and nobody ever lets me help them. This is getting very depressing...

This is very exciting

Sat, 30 Sep 2006 00:07:05 GMT

Why not

Sat, 23 Sep 2006 20:25:23 GMT

IF YOU'RE ON MY FRIENDS LIST,
I want to know things about you. I don't care if we've never talked, never liked each other, or if we already know everything about each other. I really don't. You are obviously on my list, so let me know with whom I am friends!

1. Your Middle Name:
2. Age:
3. Single or Taken:
4. Favorite Movie:
5. Favorite Song:
6. Favorite Band/Artist:
7. Dirty or Clean:
8. Tattoos and/or Piercings:

HERE COMES THE FUN ... ... ...
1. Do we know each other outside of Live Journal?
2. Whats your philosophy on life?
3. Would you have my back in a fight?
4. Would you keep a secret from me if you thought it was in my best interest?
5. What is your favorite memory of us?
6. Would you give me a kidney?
7. Tell me one odd/interesting fact about you:
8. Would you take care of me when I'm sick?
9. Can we get together and make a cake?
10. Have you heard any rumors of me lately? Were they interesting?
11. Do you/have you talk(ed) crap about me? Was it interesting?
12. Do you think I'm a good person?
13. Would you drive across country with me?
14. Do you think I'm attractive?
15. If you could change anything about me, would you?
16. What do you wear to sleep?
17. Would you come over for no reason just to hang out?
18. Would you go on a date with me if i asked you?
19. If I only had one day to spend just with you, what would we do together?
20. Will you post this so I can fill it out for you?

Lake Las Vegas

Sat, 23 Sep 2006 20:04:02 GMT

So we just came back from our wonderful trip out to Lake Las Vegas. I highly recommend it to anyone looking to get away and relax but still enjoy what Vegas has to offer. We drove out in our rented Chevy Impala (I love cruise control) on Sunday afternoon and checked into the amazingly beautiful Hyatt Regency Lake Las Vegas. The resort is a Moroccan themed lake front hotel, with amazing views of the lake and golf courses. We checked into our beautiful room and then went down to Cafe Tajine for an amazing steak dinner, although the bananas fosters wasn't great. The next day we went Montelago Village, this little shopping village with boutiques and some cool restaurants. We wandered through there and had lunch lakeside at a little cafe. After that we explored the Ritz-Carlton, which was pretty disappointing. After gambling a little in the casino we headed back to our hotel for a great diner at their lake side restaurant Japengo. The atomosphere was amazing and the sushi was fantastic. The following day we went into the strip to see the Bellagion atruim and what exhibit they had at the art musuem. It turned out they were still building the atruim and the exhibit was Ansel Adam which we had both seen so we passed. We wandered through the strip doing a little shopping then had an early dinner at the Grand Lux at the Venetian. Upon our return to the hotel we sat next the fireplace in the lakeside courtyard. It was such an amazing experience, we were at the top of a waterfall overlooking the serene lake next a roaring fire. Next day we played poolside (Erin enjoyed the waterslide a little to much) and then headed home, with a quick stop at Bob's Big Boy in Barstow. I will post some pictures later (if I ever figure out how)