Raincharm’s Weblog

When I was working on my Master’s thesis, my professor told me it takes at least 7 re-writes to get a good product. That, and to not use the word “that” so much.

I am going through comments to my big project update. In response to requests for clarification of some points I am rereading parts of a chapter. Who decided this was fit to print?!? I understand why they are a bit confused. It looks like it might be at version 4.5. I know what it is trying to say, and can successfully read between the lines, and around the paragraphs. For others it probably appears to be a mind-map just splattered onto the page.

And then as the day wore on I started questioning the data in the tables in the chapter. Attempting to verify what I should say in the edited version I opened up multiple 2-3 year old databases and spreadsheets and thoroughly tied myself in knots. About to panic I suddenly realized the columns were discreet, not cumulative, and why some of the figures were higher than expected (by me). Like I said, the chapter description really needs some additional information.

A bit after 4 PM my boss stopped in to say he was leaving. He suggested I do the same as I looked intellectually spent.

So I did. Even had to put on my sunglasses, although the sun had dipped behind the Olympic Mountains before I really got headed west.

Time for a little something. The rewrite can wait for the morning.

🎶Get me to the work on time 🎶

I got to work just before 8 this morning. I wasn’t late, but right on time. I usually get to work around 7. And to top off my almost lateness, I am working from home today.

The occasion? I read late last night, finishing The Help.

It was a really good read, and I just didn’t want to stop as I neared the end. The events seem like they should be so long ago, but the story is set during my lifetime.

I don’t think I have seen the movie, at least not the entire movie. Perhaps a bit here and there on TV. But now I will look for it. Although this could be one where the book is just better. I feel that way about The Martian, but completely enjoy the movie as well.

Working from home I have been trying to manage without turning the thermostat up to my comfort zone. But I am a cold person, and it’s just a bit difficult.

At work, looking at capital budgets for the next 6 years, and realizing that I may not be here to work through some of the projects. Should I feel, “ha-ha, it’s somebody else’s problem”, or, “oh my, I won’t be able to see how it comes together.”

Non-work work event at lunch today. Happy New Year! The lanterns being assembled.

I spent almost all day today working on looking at comments on the big Plan. Answering the comments and in some cases making edits to the Plan. So far the comments have been reasonable and reasoned. And from agencies. One more set of Agency comments and then I get to deal with the non-agency comments. Generally I don’t mind these, but three of the five are written in a manner that is exhausting to decifer. I have to pick through to see if there is a comment, question or request, and then figure out whether to paraphrase or not. It will probably take as long as all of the agency comments put together.

So that was a bit of a rant.

Tomorrow will not be the day I can finish because I have about 1 hour free and the rest is back to back meetings. And lunch. We are finally having our “Holiday ” lunch. It may be tasty, but I am hoping to get a chance to chat with some of our newer folks.

And in the almost exciting category, the W2 has arrived! Let the tax season begin.

Happy MLK day. A day off for some, but I worked. From home, so I did not benefit from what must have been light traffic.

What I did get was the opportunity to walk with Carl at lunch. And again after work, before dinner. About 7,700 steps, and that’s pretty good for a work day.

And a reasonable amount of focused work.

Watching the second episode of River, a British show on PBS. It’s an interesting show.

Yesterday was a day. A walk, in the light rain. To the beauty parlor. Well, the discount haircut place. And got some hair cut, because that’s what you do at a discount haircut place.

Tomorrow I will see if the new guy at work still recognizes me.

The Exterminating Angel was the movie we saw a few days ago. Today we watched The Angel Levine on our TV. It’s from 1970, starring Zero Mostel and Harry Belafonte. It was produced by Harry Belafonte as well. It was quite different, but equally enjoyable in a completely different way.

I spent the morning trying to catch up on family arithmetic and bills. Getting ready to start on taxes soon as well. Year end tabulations and transitions. Call me strange, but I kind of enjoy the summarizing the year and comparing with others, looking for trends. This all started when we were first trying to understand how much we would need for retirement, and really didn’t know how we were spending our money. Now we can answer the question about how we spend it now, and at least hazard a guess about the future.

The weather was really nice, for a winter day. We thought it was supposed to be an atmospheric river day, but there was sun! And 40s. So we took a walk. Some of the sights follow.

We went to the last entry of the Dennis’ memorial film festival. Tonight was a film called The Exterminating Angel. It’s a Mexican film, in Spanish with subtitles. Reported to be Dennis’s favorite movie. It was worthwhile, and it required discussion afterwards.

We also met a film documentarian who had been hoping to interview Dennis, at least before he died. I was able to give him some contact information about the group that is currently working to gather and preserve Dennis’s collection.

Work, of course.

Night, back to the Grand Illusion for Through the Porthole, a Tribute to Dennis Nyback

Another big house. Busby Berklee. Count Bassie. Casey at the Bat. Laurel and Hardy. A pre Al Jolson soundie. A German movie predating the early French Lumiere movies.

It’s intermission, now for the adult fare. Which included, among others, Shirley Temple at 5 yrs old. The film was about a lady in a bar, with lots of soldiers, all vying for her attention before they were called back to work. Except they were all small kids, and “the lady,” took payment in lollipops. War Babies, her first speaking role. Check it out. Rather disturbing.

We didn’t get to any movies last night – the first one that we were going to go to was sold out, and the second one we have on DVD at home. And I was still working.

Today – did work again, but it is a work day. Actually accomplished finishing population for 2022 and doing some checking and clean-up of customer accounts. Basically a good, productive day.

In the background, Carl & I continued to discuss the movie we did see on Saturday – Gold Diggers of 1933. In particular, one of the opening scenes is Ginger Rogers singing We’re in the Money. And the best part of this, or at least the most interesting part is when she sings it in Pig Latin. I don’t have much more to talk about, because – work – but here is a link to the song. The accompanying video is from the movie, with the Pig Latin starting at about the 1:45 mark (of 4 to 5 minutes).

And I don’t think I mentioned the Seahawks game yesterday. It was do or die, and then needing other teams to do their part. I did not watch the entire game. A few moments here and there, including the “would be winning field goal” that bounced off the upright. And then in OT, where I saw a bit more – they were not able to win when they had the ball for the first drive. But neither was the other team, who actually turned it over before they could score (and win). This time the Seahawks managed to kick a field goal and secure a CHANCE at the Wild Card spot. AND THEN – Detroit had to beat Green Bay. I have always rooted for the Lions, since they were the team closest to my home town. But they have not had the greatest reputation over the last several years – and Green Bay had Aaron Rogers (I think). Because the Seahawks won, Detroit was out of the playoffs already, and if Green Bay won – they were in and the Seahawks were out. But Detroit did the cool thing and won, allowing the Seahawks to play for another week. Yeah for all of my Michigan friends have a good last game, and for all of my Seahawk diehards to get one more.

The plus is because it’s tomorrow morning from yesterday.

Yesterday was largely a work day. But after much wrangling I did manage to finish the metrics for December 2022. I hope to finish the 2022 EOY population today. Then it is cleaning up the duplicate accounts that caused me a few days of grief, checking through a new set of data for consistency and finally can get back to other work.

Carl had a conversation with a friend on the telephone on Friday or Saturday. There had been a picture around with Carl sporting a green Mariners knit hat, and the friend commented on the hat in particular. Carl remembered I had been given the hat as part of an appreciation bag once when I was a handler for Wayne Drop (District Mascot) at Mariners Kids Day. And he had never seen it elsewhere.

Then, on Saturday, as we were walking paste the Taste of India’s outdoor seating area, there was a person wearing the same hat!