Now that I am back to work it took all of one commute to get out of the Lovey Dovey New Dad Second-Time-Over phase and back to the cynical wanker I’ve always been.  I must say that it was a fine 6 days off and I didn’t miss work even though this job is hands down my most enjoyable one I’ve had yet. When I got to thinking about it, I think 6 straight work days off is my longest time off from work since my wedding/honeymoon.  Since that was in 1998, it’s been far too long to not have a break like that.

Today is Audience Participation Day (and also Listen To James Whine Day).  Most of you who know me are aware of my not-quite-hatred-but-we-definitely-don’t-kiss relationship with hot weather and this week surely makes me wonder the wisdom of moving south.  Career-wise it was the right thing to do at the time but when the town you live in defies the laws of physics and has humidity in the 1000-2000% range, it makes me wonder what others see attract ...

I hate to not have visual or audio confirmation for myself before I pass information along but I’ve gotten enough reports from other coworkers about something that confirms my initial thoughts about another company.  Our company shares a floor in this building with a company called Pay By Touch.  Read this entry before you continue.

While we are a Blame It On Everyone But Ourselves society, there’s a new marketing program at Turner Field where I believe there is a direct correlation to something else.  Even though we have an obesity problem here in the U.S., I can’t blame people for taking advantage of a new All You Can Eat program for certain sections of the ballpark.< ...

This really isn’t anything new or revelatory but I went to see a typical summer blockbuster movie last night and was underwhelmed as usual.  It doesn’t even matter which movie it was because you can insert this rant into a common boilerplate for any action movie made the past 20 years with a few exceptions (Die Hard, T2, Gladiator). 

With home theaters now making waiting for a movie to come out on DVD a better option for most, a “blockbuster” movie now has to entice me in one of two ways.&n ...

Do you ever have those days, whether it’s real or imagined where it seems as though you are invisible?  As you’re driving, people are cutting you off left and right as though your car isn't there.  Then you continue your day by walking in a common area such as a mall and people act as if you’re not right in front of them.  A family of six will walk SIDE BY SIDE and seem to be surprised and annoyed when you’re forced to plow through the middle of them as if it were a game of Red Rover.

Two Sundays ago, I was reading an article about the comedian Patton Oswalt in the NY Times Arts & Leisure section.  For those of you who don’t know who he is, he was the short friend on King of Queens who worked as a subway tollbooth operator.  His voice is the lead rat character in the new movie Ratatoullie and there was a smarmy note about his appearance that made me laugh out loud.  Whether or not the author wrote this in tongue in cheek or was just being vicious because that’s what critics do, I’ll never know.  While the article was act ...

I’m a bit baffled as to a certain category of spam that comes to my inbox.  Obviously there are the ones that pretend to be valid websites but you’re redirected to a sinister site.  Others are the result from being on a list from a web site you bought stuff from.  Some try to convince you that a Nigerian prince really does need your help, along with your bank account and routing number.  Some are links to good old fashioned porn.  Some want you to reply to the address so it knows that email account is used and then they bombard you with more spam. 

Is it some sort of secret code where most places have a sales bell by the area where the salespeople are?  While our tech people are kind of removed from where the sales area is, we still hear the damn gong of a bell whenever a big sale is made.  Maybe it’s good morale for those whose life depends on every sale, but for those of use who need to concentrate, it’s simply annoying.  Heck, I’d think that were I a salesguy and I was on the phone giving my sales pitch, I’d be distracted by someone clanging a bell as though it were dinner time on the farm.  Sales guys out there – is the bell truly necessary?