Still Got Legs

 Vanessa Williams - Legs (Keep Dancing)

VERSE 1:

I'm still here, still standing, still kicking
In fact I'm the best I've ever been (Uh)
Who sets a limit when we all fall apart?
I'm about to give 'em hell again
So say what you say
Expect me to fade
I don't think about it
I don't think about it
Got work left to do
And I'm not close to through
Not while I still got these legs

CHORUS:

They say the legs are the last to go
I'ma keep dancing
I'm still putting on the show
I'ma keep dancing
Till I can't do it no more
I go where they take me
'Cause the legs are the last thing, so
I'ma keep dancing

VERSE 2:

My time is managed doing much better things
Than trying to prove myself to you
So time was standing
If I gotta sing, you're gonna find me dancing too
So I made up my mind
When the world is unkind
I don't think about it
I just don't think about it
So here's what I do
I step in these shoes

REPEAT REFRAIN

BRIDGE

They might take me to Paris, it's alright
If it's Atlanta, San Francisco same night
If it's New York down to LA
I found there's only one thing left to say
Watch these legs

REPEAT REFRAIN

I was just randomly perusing through Youtube and found out that my girl Vanessa L Williams released a new single in anticipation of her new musical called Devil Wears Prada based on the successful novel and movie by the same name.   She mentioned paying homage to the legendary actress Diahann Carroll.  Carroll was the inspiration behind the song title, having penned a biography titled "The Legs Are The Last To Go: Aging, Acting, Marrying, And Other Things I Learned The Hard Way".

I have to say it's so nice to see that Vanessa is still doing her thing in her 60's.   She's come a long way from her Ms. America days.    She got the last laugh in the end and from this video is showing that she's still here and a force to reckon with.

It's definitely my newest ear-gasm and is serving as inspiration to all of us as we get older.  I will say I have to pat myself in the back as well.   Here I am about to turn 52 and I recently got a promotion and today I officially got some new responsibilities in my role.   Not bad for a guy my age.   I'm still kicking.   

My legs are actually my nicest assets.  Even Mama used to compliment me on my calves back in the day.   My legs seem to ache a bit more these days.  It could be because of all the walking I've been doing with my office commute.   But I still have time left...God willing.   Like Vanessa sings, I'ma keep dancing.

Dom Strikes Again

 I've mentioned a couple times about Dom's spending habits.    He did cool off for a spell on his doll purchases in recent months.  Unfortunately his spending reared its ugly head again in the last couple weeks.   There have been boxes of doll stuff arriving almost daily since that time in our household.   It's been so frustrating seeing him regress back to old habits.

He keeps ordering more crap but isn't making any effort to sell any of the other crap that he no longer plays with.   Instead our house gets more and more hoard-ish with the shit that he has.   Seeing it sprawling in the hallways, bedrooms, and even in the dining room and living room has left me so disgusted.

One of the things I opened my eyes too was seeing how many things my parents accumulated by the time they were in their final years.   It was up to my sisters and I (well mostly Trina) to sort through and eventually get rid of all my parents' stuff after they died.   I told myself that I didn't want to have anyone having to weed through a lot of my shit when my time comes.   I do actually have some stuff I need to weed through as well but my stash is nothing compared to what Dom has and continues to accumulate.

It just boggles the mind that he continues to do so when he has so much debt.   One thing I was glad he did again this year was forego attending in person his biggest doll enabler's event where he would spend more money.   I have a work-related networking event (which is not sponsored by my job...LOL) that's happening in June (the trip once said and done will probably cost me between $1500- $2000 depending on whatever excursions we do.) that he'll be tagging along with me instead.   The enabler was not happy I imagine when Dom told her that and then had the gall to attack the current payment arrangement of $100 a month that I've been making to try and pay off his debt.   I was a bit pissed thinking she's lucky to get that since Dom hasn't been doing anything to try and pay it off.    Plus I don't know what he owes and he says he has an idea but won't tell me so I refuse to pay any more than I have to.   I've paid over $3000 of the $4000 that I know of.    Beyond that I don't know what he owes her.

But any progress he made there was lost when he decided to enter a lottery for the chance to pay for a trip to some other doll convention this coming October.   It's still weird for me thinking of lotteries that if you win, you have to pay for the prize.   Apparently that's a thing in the doll world.   I was praying he wouldn't win but "of course he did"...LOL.    He's trying to convince me to tag along but I'm not sure I want to go.   Though unlike the other event, I would not be included in any of his doll activities and would have to entertain myself (which may not be a bad thing).    Actually for my work-related thing, Dom would have to entertain himself as well.   Luckily one of his doll buddies lives in the area so at least he'll get to hang with him.

Instead of trying to pay down what he owes, he continues to spend what little money he earns as a teacher buying more crap. 

So of course for other discretionary fun things we do together, I have to pay for both of us.   It's not that I mind as it is nice to have someone in my life to enjoy things with, but it feels like he's having his cake and eating it too.   I have to be responsible for the mortgage, electric, gas, and other household stuff and any entertainment we do together and he spends most of his money on buying more crap and not thinking of paying any of his bills.   I wish we could switch roles for a month so he can see how it feels.

We actually do have quite a bit of things that we're doing in the next several months.   We're seeing two different shows in Chicago during the month of May, one of which he was dying to see (but of course wasn't making any effort to save for...LOL).   In June we have my networking trip which we will get to enjoy a day together before heading back home.   In July and August we're heading to Shipshewana, Indiana to see two different show (both of which he wanted to see).   All of it of course is being funded by me.

I hate that I'm sounding like a negative nelly though.   Dom has had a rough time of it in the last two years with his health issues and losing his Dad and younger sister less than a month from each other.   I do thankfully have a good paying job (for now) and I am able to pay off my credit card debt in full every month now.    So it does feel good to be able to do things that we both can enjoy.

But as I've learned during my last layoff, nothing lasts forever.   I have no illusions that I may wind up being let go again when it's in the company's best interest to do so.  So I'm continuing to try my best to try and be more financially independent.   Ultimately I do want to enjoy life more but I want to be prepared for those rainy days and to ride the storm.    Alas though it's been a lonely endeavor as I'm solely responsible for us both.   I do hope I continue to keep making strides.

Stupid Co-Workers

 From the title of this thread you already know I'm about to talk about work shenanigans.   Unfortunately when you have to work with different people there are times when you clash with them.   In my case I mostly interact with my team online and even when going to the office, I still interact online since the majority of my team works in the Indianapolis office.

So there are a couple folks that are struggling in the support role.   They let their cases drag out for weeks and months without updating their customers.   This of course results in customers being angry and then management usually has to reach out to other engineers such as myself to clean up the mess.

One of those folks I will call Jerry.   Jerry has a habit of sitting on his cases and continuously using stalling tactics.   He also would not reach out for assistance only taking action when the case got escalated and then management needed to step in.

My manager found a role with a team where he would not be required to think.   Pretty much the role would be resetting passwords for users or activating various features.   Since he was transitioning his remaining cases were handed off to various team members.   I was stuck with two of his cases.   Sadly both of these cases were simple cases that could've been resolved that same day.   Instead they were dragged for more than 30 days.   

One of those cases I got on a call with the customer and Jerry.   After I explained the solution the customer understandably was exasperated that it took almost two months to resolve.   I asked him to create a request so I could get credit for the assist.   He never did so and wound up closing the case before it could be done.   I debated if I should reach out to management to complain but decided it wasn't worth the hassle.

His other case I inherited I was able to resolve the issue and received the same exasperated reaction.   I've had a harder time closing the case as the customer is now stalling wanting to see if another person had any questions.   But I'm hoping I'll be able to close it finally sometime this week.

As bad as Jerry was, there's one other employee that is even worse.  Roni is one of those millennials that does the bare minimum but knows how to skirt the system to get by.   He's done such things as messaging teammates and saying that he's at the spa while he's supposed to be at work.   He's teased my manager mercilessly and even made an ignorant comment asking her if she bathes.

He reaches out to team members to ask questions but when you reply back he disappears.   He is always hiding himself from being seen online.  

When our area was hiring new engineers and they were looking for team members to act as mentors, he asked my manager if he could be a mentor.   She told him "hell no".   Why would she want new employees to emulate his behaviors?

There is a mandate that all senior employees must have the Advanced Admin cert as well as the AI Associate cert by the end of April or mid-May at the latest.   The assumption is if they're unable to get it then they may be terminated.   Roni does not have either.   I'm praying that he's unable to get them and maybe they'll finally be able to get rid of him.

He is so lazy and I hate that he was moved to my swarm team.   He's become quite the distraction to the channel and I dread having to assist him on his swarms as all he does is cut and paste any responses and sends them to the customer.   For example one of his cases that I helped him on, I asked him if he could "please ask the customer for clarification on their question".    I checked out his case and his response to the customer was "please ask the customer for clarification on their question".   What an idiot!   Surprisingly the customer did not blow up considering he talked to them in the third person.

Every job has their crazy, stupid people.   Those are just a couple of them that I've had to deal with or still have to deal with periodically.   I'll definitely have to keep things posted on Roni.   A Roni that's definitely not the one to make their daddy real proud or the kind of Roni that stands out in a crowd (well actually he does but for all the wrong reasons...LOL)  Bonus points if you know where that line came from.   Hint...it's a popular song from a 90's R&B bad boy.

It's A Solar Eclipse

 

Universal Appeal - The Misfits

VERSE:
It's a total eclipse, the moon's overtaking the sun
It's a total eclipse, you're coming to grips
You'll be left in the shadows when I get done
For I got...

REFRAIN:
Universal Appeal (Universal Appeal)
Universal Appeal (Universal Appeal)
Hailey's Comet has nothing on me
(Nothing Nothing)
I'm the brightest star in the galaxy

Universal Appeal (Universal Appeal)
Universal Appeal (Universal Appeal)
I keep growing bigger each day
Soon I'm gonna outshine the Milky Way

BRIDGE:
In My Own Mind's Eye
I am the Sky
So why should I be shy
When I've Got

OUTRO:

(I've Got) Universal Appeal
I've Got (Universal Appeal)
I've Got (Universal Appeal)
I've Got (Universal Appeal)
I've Got Universal Universal Appeal

The media has definitely made the biggest deal out of the Solar Eclipse that took place on 04/08.   The only story that was on repeat was the various outlets filming the moments live as the Solar Eclipse events played out throughout various parts of the country.   

It was crazy seeing people make their way to various paths where they were expected the path of totality to take place.   I was glad I didn't have to commute to Indianapolis since that was one of the spots of totality.

My neck of the woods was indirectly in the path but nonetheless we did experience a bit of darkness as the moon overtook the sun.   Dom decided to stay home since he anticipated the kids would be extra nutty as a lot of area schools were doing various things to encourage the kids to watch the eclipse.

I will say that it was a bit surreal to see the eclipse in action.   It does remind us that there are bigger things at play than all the crazy crap we deal with on a daily basis.    And perhaps that's the whole point.  Just like The Misfits song above, this post is short and sweet.   Till next time.