| Tuesday, February 9th, 2010 |
| 4:51 pm |
020910 Day 2 of Captivity Nasty Hellnight; through and through. One down, six to go.
Aside from working at home on Monday, I went in the datacenter to work with vendor on some fiber issues. They brought wrong equipment and re-scheduled for Wednesday.
Network maintenance and a VSM drive failure required Ops and auto pages to wake me often from 01:00 to 0:500. My morning report requested no calls before 08:00.
I caught a Salivdor Dali nap during a conference call around 13:10. Refreshing.
Now to bide my time until the machines call me to say they’re broken. Current Mood: moodyCurrent Music: Target - Dehumanization |
| Monday, February 8th, 2010 |
| 2:17 pm |
020810 Day 1 of Captivity: Into the Smoke and Wrath of Battle It begins again. Seven days of on-call servitude to InfiddlevestCorp and this looks to be an ugly go round.
It was way too quiet my last tour of duty and the past two people in the rotation dealt with many a hellnight.
And now it’s my turn...to bide my time until the machines call me to say they’re broken. Current Mood: Into the sCurrent Music: Steve Roach - Biogenesis |
| Sunday, February 7th, 2010 |
| 3:34 pm |
Asian Date Night Saturday BeerDiabla and I ate Chinese food [yes-chopsticks]; drank Japanese beer while watching a Kung-fu movie. These themed date nights are working out quite well.
Du bi Quan Wang da po Xue di Zi Master of the Flying Guillotine showcases most traits required of a so-bad-it’s-good Kung-fu flick:
1. Bad dubbing that inexplicably switches to subtitles from time to time 2. Horrible, garish costumes 3. Vile destructive weapon – you can’t beat a beheading 4. Storyline/Characters you don’t care about 5. Bootlegged electro soundtrack circa 1975 Current Mood: busyCurrent Music: Sororicide - Blind |
| Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010 |
| 10:48 pm |
Man-made: Hindenburg, Titanic, Etc... For the next seven days, Central Market is granting 20% off all beer. This weekend I'll go back for imports and probably a bit more lager. Current Mood: cheerfulCurrent Music: Cathedral - Serpent Eve |
| 4:36 pm |
FB: The End is Near for Thee Due to the Dallas 1759 Society moving it's site to a Facebook [FB] group, I'm now on FB. I resisted for years but no more. I don't plan to spend much time on there playing Mafia Wars, etc.
I'm "El BeerDiablo" in case you're in a friending mood while on FB.
As I explained to a friend, due to warrants, ex-wives and a fatwa, I refuse to use my real name. Now if all three are related to the same event is subject to interpretation. Current Mood: apatheticCurrent Music: Sacrifice - Possession |
| Sunday, January 31st, 2010 |
| 11:10 pm |
Captivity – Extended Servitude Call It What You Want Before laving the data center - early this morning, at 00:30 Ops reported the complete unavailability of tape drives on two sysplexes. It turned out that Varmit and The Wizard’s re-zoning attempts proved to be a minor disaster that could’ve been far worse.
Entering the data center at 8pm Saturday and leaving at 4am Sunday didn’t feel good. I got to sleep some then after getting some human contact in the afternoon, I checked in on what would be a comedy of errors that would run into the evening…
The Allow Prohibit Matrix Starting 3pm today, I was engaged and worked –more or less- until 10:30pm. Sure it’s talking on the phone and pressing keys on a keyboard but all this shouldn’t have happened.
Bad management, crap change control and poor project management lead to sad quality of life for the ground troops.
There’s metal to be listened to, beer to be drunk and sex to be had.
Please tell me that all this trouble is worth it. If not, lie to me. Current Mood: angryCurrent Music: Allman Brothers Band - Midnight Rider |
| Thursday, January 28th, 2010 |
| 11:36 pm |
Let’s Party Like It’s 1759 The madness begins again for the New Year at Trinity Hall. The end of 2009 the group lay dormant but the hardcore came out on this horribly rainy night to decimate Trinity’s taps.
Official Party Business February is the 4th anniversary – be there for nicely priced, pour-your-own pints as we celebrate drinking for drinking’s sake. There will even be prizes.
The website will be moved to Facebook so that administrators can be added. I hate that www and this will be the final straw causing me to join. The gatherings in the future look like they may be divided between bars over the year but Trinity Hall Dallas will always be the home base.
Spencer, a.k.a “A_King” will be here in the summer, rather than St.Pat’s day since his Bday is in August. He’s going to melt in the Texas heat. Euros don’t dig sweltering heat.
Ludicrous Meeting Statistics: Appetizer mooching: Massive grazing Asian chicks: 0 Euro chicks: 1. Working on this one. Marius: MIA Rainfall: Continuous Irish brass knuckles: 0 Tea pot: 1 Jameson shots: 0 Chivas Regal: FREE! Medelin Cartel Sandwich: 0. And no gunfire either. Riverdance Hoedown: 0 Ol' Gil Sighting: 0. It's early in the year. Drained keg: 0 Foot fetish camera tradition: no snake, no feet Irish Feng Shui: Minimalism -chairs only. Current Mood: Abita Mardi Gras BockCurrent Music: Krokus - Ballroom Blitz |
| Tuesday, January 26th, 2010 |
| 11:29 pm |
The Cat Buys The Drinks Around Here This is Quetzie posting for BeerDiablo, as he's drank too much beer and needs to sleep for work tomorrow.
This would be more funny with Chihuahuas but I think this is worthy of a view: Current Mood: amusedCurrent Music: Brujeria - Marijuana - Escobar Remix (DJ Juju) |
| 11:11 pm |
The [Cubicle] Walls of Silence I’ve figured a few things out apparently and have been able to get Ms.Ed to see the light on a few things:
1. A group instant demand conference call to use for ALL daily and weekly meetings chaired by our group. Previously, each meeting was a different number –randomly expiring, including using my manager’s conference number – and yes, there were conflicts. Now it’s all one easy to use, anytime number for group chaired meetings. Anything else is an individual's or a vendor's number.
2. Telephone headsets. I got tired of all the speakerphone noise two years ago and finally, I said “screw that cheap bitch” and ordered a headset and sent the how-to-order info to the whole group. Shortly...
Now we all have them and it’s quiet. Except when I have the iPhone cranking the Ambient…or Metal.
Meanwhile, Cannon, a director at InfiddlevestCorp is letting his hair grow out and looks like a skinny version of PHB from Dilbert. Current Mood: Abita Mardi Gras BockCurrent Music: Immolation - Those Left Behind |
| Sunday, January 24th, 2010 |
| 10:55 pm |
Middle Toe Gives Middle Finger IV Friday, DoctorDiabla's staff -not the doctor herself, called with the official results of the X-rays and stated there was no break. Stick with an anti-inflammitory and continue with the antibiotic. I wasn't impressed with the attention received.
Strained is what BeerDiabla says, who's broken toes due to dance classes. Since she seems to know me from head to toe reasonably well, I'll take her prognosis as the correct one. Current Mood: apatheticCurrent Music: Atrocity - Necropolis |
| Thursday, January 21st, 2010 |
| 9:18 pm |
Middle Toe Gives Middle Finger III DoctorDiabla's staff called with the preliminary results -verbal- of the X-rays that revealed nothing wrong. The report is to be reviewed tonight/tomorrow morning and the good [and caliente] doctor will call to review the prognosis. I'm a little cynical but the chat should help clarify things.
Real Ale's Phoenix Double ESB is now helping with the swelling. :> Current Mood: hopefulCurrent Music: Analog Pussy - Shperma Pornomatic |
| Wednesday, January 20th, 2010 |
| 9:55 pm |
Middle Toe Gives Middle Finger II "Breast-feeding not recommended while taking this drug..."
I, nor BeerDiabla's “girls” like the instructions of my new medication. The result of the X-rays will be revealed tomorrow and then I’ll know more as to what the hell is going on with the middle toe on my right foot.
Harpoon Brewery’s Leviathan IPA is helping with the swelling. :> Current Mood: frustratedCurrent Music: Sasha&Digweed - Geomantik |
| Tuesday, January 19th, 2010 |
| 10:13 pm |
Middle Toe Gives Middle Finger Whether inflamed or broken, the middle toe on my right foot isn't feeling or looking right. I think the beginning was the night of rollerskating but my workouts the next week pushed me to the edge. Somehow during the middle of last week, the toe started aching and isn't going away.
Doctor's appointment tomorrow morning to get a diagnosis. Current Mood: gloomyCurrent Music: Toxik - Machine Dream |
| Saturday, January 16th, 2010 |
| 4:12 pm |
Play Date #2 BeerDiabla is the business manager at the theater we attended opening night for a Neil Simon play. This was an interesting experience as high school was the last time I attended a play –plus I got the whole behind the scenes view and VIP access [free beer].
Thinking ahead at what I’d like to see in the future –plus she hints at going to plays later- and I explained the criteria of the “Three D’s”…
Deviance, Dysfunctional and Dystopia Now I don’t need to see all three of these elements but it usually will hold my interest by wielding a dark edge. There’s plenty of light, easy entertainment to be found but I prefer to support things that make us face unpleasantness.
Looking through the playbill was an advertisement for “Equus” at another theater in February. She can get us tickets –awesome. Current Mood: goodCurrent Music: Funebre -Walls That Held Screams |
| Monday, January 11th, 2010 |
| 10:44 pm |
011110 Release from Captivity No calls -again. This is a new record and everyone at work wondered what voodoo rituals protected me from the usual onslaught. I don’t give away my secrets but will mention here that it involves beer and sex.
I’m off this weekend and will take advantage of it since I go back into weekend work starting next week with some tech window/dark-thirty activities. This year is starting off weird but I don’t see InfiddlevestCorp spending a lot of money. I could go for a more relaxed pace compared to last year.
Tonight, I sleep as a free man, no longer on-call. Low chance of disturbing calls –work related anyways. I can move about without worry, my plans will not be squashed.
Now the machines call someone else to say they’re broken… Current Mood: sleepyCurrent Music: Space Tribe - Tantra Mantra |
| Sunday, January 10th, 2010 |
| 11:12 pm |
Roller-Mirrored Ball S-A-T-d.u.r.-D-A-Y…Night! Based upon the standards of rollerskating, if the amount of times one fell down is an indicator of quality, then I had the best time of all Saturday.
If you’ve laid off this kind of physical activity, the primary pain/muscle shock comes from those you’ve abused most in the past and for me that’s ankles/feet as I played a lot of speed/death metal in the 80/90’s [double bass]. Deer in the headlights shock of a flashback is how I’d describe this night but since I was on-call and driving Miss BeerDiabla, I kept things clean.
There are some brain cells marked for elimination by a beer firing squad in the days to come. :> Current Mood: happyCurrent Music: The Cars - Panorama |
| 9:51 pm |
011010 Day 7 of Captivity No calls. I slept as normal people do –once again BeerDiabla helped warm the bed enabling a solid block of sleep due to last night’s festivities.
Blinky-Blinky Delayed -AGAIN Management deferred the DASD repair again due to replication workload and recovery points for DR. The environment is so busy, time windows are hard to find but during the week after stock market close continues to be the best time.
All over a blinking light. Tis the way of the world.
Now to bide my time and drink beer until the machines call me to say they’re broken. Current Music: dwight yokam - guitars, cadillacs |
| Saturday, January 9th, 2010 |
| 4:46 pm |
010910 Day 6 of Captivity No calls. I slept as normal people do –when there’s a BeerDiabla in bed with them. Not a solid block of sleep but enjoyable nonetheless. ;>
Tonight is BeerDiabla’s roller-skating birthday party and I get to meet a large portion of her friends. No fun drinkie for me tonight since I'm on-call and driving. This should be interesting.
Now to bide my time until the machines call me to say they’re broken. Current Mood: relaxedCurrent Music: mos def and massive attack - i against i |
| Friday, January 8th, 2010 |
| 6:20 pm |
010810 Day 5 of Captivity No calls, I was up when Ops called on a B.S. issue. I slept as normal people do.
Blinky-Blinky Delayed Management deferred the DASD repair to Sunday, claiming IBM can’t get it right. This is partially true but more to the decision makers being ultra paranoid/chickenshit. Consider Sunday evening wrecked.
BeerDiabla is coming over with dinner in a bit. We’re going rollerskating tomorrow. There will be a report on this with pictures. ;>
Now to bide my time until the machines call me to say they’re broken. Current Mood: relaxedCurrent Music: Muslimgauze - Sheesh Mahal |
| Thursday, January 7th, 2010 |
| 4:59 pm |
010710 Day 4 of Captivity No calls. I slept as normal people do. I could get used to this but that’s not my lot in life. Suffer…
The State of Blinky-Blinky Tomorrow, IBM is going to repeat the DASD repair by replacing both power supplies in the I/O tower. I’ve spent two hours dealing with this today – the administrative part is a time waster but it justifies someone else’s existence somewhere else in the corporation.
Now to bide my time until the machines call me to say they’re broken. Current Mood: hyperCurrent Music: Norma Jean - Memphis Will Be Laid to Waste |