April 24
From my brain
Contents |
2010
Me 10:47, 24 April 2010 (EDT)
On the plus side, I managed to improve my GPA as planned. I managed to get an A- from Chef D in Fish & Seafood, an A in Purchasing II, and an A+ in Dining Room Management (/flex). I worked pretty damn hard in all three classes to push myself forward.
Chef D made a comment the other day that we shouldn't be so concerned about our grades -- at least in kitchen. In there, we need to be more concerned about our cooking and the skills we're picking up. Sure, our grades reflect some of that, but how we do on our tests shouldn't What he doesn't understand (at least with me) is that I'm trying to shrug off my old B Plus Philosophy. I can't live like that any more. That's what kept me in a crappy place like ThePit for all those years. If I want to improve my life, I have to be the best of what I can be. The B Plus Philosophy ain't gonna get me there.
Later on today, I have to muster the strength to go help FIL with the trailer that has our old shed on it. It's one of those Rubbermade ones that are a base, four walls and a roof, but while it's not heavy, it's bulk. We're just gonna plop it on the driveway until I can get someone to help me move it. I'm kinda glad I didn't organize anyone to really move it today as I'd be damn near useless to them.
I'm gonna go try to eat something. It's always the first one that hurts the most...
2009
Me 11:20, 24 April 2009 (EDT)
At first, I was continuously being told my call is important to them, but I just didn't believe the automated attendant at the Ohio Unemployment Board when it said that.
However, once a human came on, this lady was great. The best phrase was this: "First of all, you were not fired. They did not say your work was poor, and they were firing you. They said we don't have enough work, so we're eliminating your position. So, get that word 'fired' out of your head, it's just negative. Now, let's get your issues fixed."
So much for state workers all being jerks. :)
Mind, you, now I'm on hold and being transferred to another representative in Zanesville to fix all the myriad issues going on. It's a mess between my own screw ups and the medical stuff, so I'm getting a human rather than a website.
Now, if we can just get the doctors to fix me.
Me 11:47, 24 April 2009 (EDT)
Problems solved, now, if I can just keep Me from filling out the forms, we'll be fine.
Me 11:54, 24 April 2009 (EDT)
So, now the problem remains for the attorney: I need a copy of my employee manual. Do I even have it still? If I do, guess where it is? In my desk at the office. I swore they switched it over to being a purely electronic one.
Of course, when I called Pacer to ask for one, they disavowed any knowledge of me and having a copy available. Now, I gotta call friends to find if they have a copy of one. Ugh.
2008
Me 06:06, 24 April 2008 (EDT)
To the non-Orthodox, I'm fairly certain that Holy Wednesday services and Holy Unction is completely not what you're used to. Every Christian church has marriages. Many do baptisms (age being the only variant). Most do communion of some sort (whether actual wine or just juice). Some of them anoint with oil (and I have a vague recollection of my old AoG church doing it), but no where with this much reverence.
Of all the Holy Week services -- save for Pascha -- it's probably one of the more uplifting. It's a big wrap-up of the Bridegroom Matins firstly, but it's also about a bringing together of the church. The anointing tradition comes from James chapter 5: "...let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven", so it's about healing. It's about physical healing yes, but more so about spiritual healing.
One of the phrases used in some of the readings is that, "It is a great comfort to the faithful." When I see that, it comes off so that some people could interpret that to say that it's meaningless. As if somehow it's one of those things you "just do" to help "feel better" but it's not something required. I don't know about that that.
I do know that following last night's service, I did feel comforted. Everyone (and priest often included as Father has mentioned) sometimes has their mind wander through service. You think about your day, you think about your troubles, you think about this funny story your friend was telling you. After being anointed, I found myself far more there and in the church. I can't explain it much more than that I guess.
Tonight is Holy Thursday. Wednesday's services had seven gospel readings, with an epistle reading preceding each gospel, and a prayer following each gospel. The kids did a fairly good job making it through. Tonight there are twelve gospel readings. We're gonna go and see how far the kids can make it. If anything, it's a great preparation for the services to come this weekend.
Me 08:16, 24 April 2008 (EDT)
First of all, I did not have the gas this morning to be sitting in a traffic jam on the way to the office.
Second...it was a minor bit of humor to see the cop that was in front of me (preventing me from zipping around everyone turning left) to fail to signal as he turned right.
Third: Just because a cop is in the lane next to you on this street it does not mean you have to travel 5 miles BELOW the speed limit!
OK, I'm better now.
Me 11:38, 24 April 2008 (EDT)
I think I've done more in-guild this week WITHOUT playing the game than I have if I was there everyday for 4-6 hours.
Weird bits of drama have crept up from the tiniest incidents. Comments misinterpreted. And I'm whipping out policies for the future of the guild like nothing.
It was rather relaxing a few weeks ago to go in the game, not have guild night planned and...just play. I completely understand now why I have a host of guild leaders "taking a vacation" on our guest program. I guess the hard-core raider types burn out faster than the casual ones do.
It's a shame though...I took three Advil an hour ago. Too soon to take more.
Me 16:53, 24 April 2008 (EDT)
This day has all been about grasping at fistfuls of sand. I've said that too much already but it's accurate.
It started out with a post on a subject that came up last night. I took advisement from a few people and ran with it. I treated it like we have in the past to some extent, but then I took it too far.
This morning, I saw things in a different light. I still saw my original point, but the "too far" bit dawned on me. It changed some things, but not all.
I hate the fact that I see things at all possibilities at once. All things make perfect sense to me sometimes and it's hard to rationalize. My brain is a very weird place to hang out in. I don't even know how I survive it.
Before noon, I found both parties being very outspoken of their opinions and as they were both the two closets friends I have in management...my head split in two. I've had both of them independently at odds with me, but having them both go at a discussion and I was caught in the middle, I flaked out and jumped out of IM for a couple hours.
Ceraun and I went to lunch (yay for my sugar daddy). It was a longish lunch and while we left around noon, I didn't get back to my desk until 12:30. Good food. Shoulda bought margaritas.
Got back, and guild life is in turmoil.
- Husband of friend is calling out "Censorship!" and "witch hunt!" to the heavens on the other friend (and me, but the censorship is all mine).
- The explosive thread in the forums that set this all off is spiraling into the abyss.
- Later, one guildie quits
- At the same time, the second friend is shattered over this whole issue.
I'm a fixer. I fix things. I did not fix things by bailing out on the situation this morning, I was a chicken. I should have stood my ground and talking things out with both of them, but I did what I yell at both of them for doing: running.
I'm going to fix this. I swear it. I just hope there won't be any (more) casualties.
2007
Me 08:13, 24 April 2007 (EDT)
Took half the day off this morning to go to Doc Endo for the cortisol test(s). Not particularly looking forward to it because it's an "IV push" which brings all sorts of bad memories up from chemo.
Gotta go get ready...
Me 15:12, 24 April 2007 (EDT)
Turns out there was nothing to fear. All they were doing was giving me the same injection as last time, but in an IV rather than into my shoulder.
The doc was concerned that the medicine didn't have enough time to circulate. So, they put it in an IV to make sure it was in my bloodstream and then did the same test as they did before. It was only this little 1cc dosage of clear fluid. No evil red stuff like I was envisioning from chemo. :)
His reasoning for this step? If my levels are as low as the first one was, I get to go on steroid therapy. So, let's see, I'll be on thyroid meds, testosterone, AND steroids. RAWK!
I have another week to wait before they get the results back. Yay.
2006
Me 09:30, 24, April 2006 (EDT)
Christ is Risen!
Indeed he has risen!
<%image(20060424-Resurrection.jpg|404|279|Ressurection Icon)%>
So many services, so little sleep...but it was worth it. Easter -- or Pascha (paska) as Orthodoxy calls it -- is a special time. I really don't remember that much emphasis being put on Easter growing up...even when I was Catholic. It's truly a refocusing time for Orthodox Christians, and there is a genuine joy shared by all by the end of the Holy Saturday evening Pascha service...and it isn't just about knowing we'll be able to eat meat again. (That reminds me: Heading to Skyline Chili for lunch today.)
While I'm at it, when I grabbed the above icon, I figured I'd also share an article about The Gospel of Judas.
I will admit that I watched a LOT of Disovery Channel/Learning Channel shows growing up about a myriad of topics, not the least of which were about religion. After watching the National Geographic Channel show on The Gospel of Judas, I wonder how much of what I gleaned from them is accurate.
I've done even more reading on religon -- Christianity and otherwise -- since being Orthodox than I had ever before. I've read Orthodox specific writings and those by non-Orthodox Christian authors. While watching that show on National Geographic, I found so many issues with it, I had to dig again further afterward.
My first problem was the complete interchangeability with "early Church" and "Roman Catholic Church" that the show used. The "Roman Catholic Church" didn't occur until 1054 A.D., but the "early Church" would have been around in the first century after Christ's death (that whole "A.D." thing). The entire show was an abstraction from that point because they didn't pay attention to what a lot of Orthodox Christians know: Why were some books excluded?
As the article above states, The Gospel of Judas (like the Gospel of Thomas) is a really Gnostic work. The Gnostics were all about "secret knowledge" outside of the norm, and often outside of biblical teachings. You could "know God" without having anything to do with the Bible or especially the Church. Basically, te Gnostics fit REALLY well into modern "New Age" thinking...which is why the "discovery" has garnered so much attention. (Another good article is on Baptist Press News.)
So, it just goes to show: don't believe everything ya see on TV...especially on basic cable.
