BeerDiablo

010710 Day 4 of Captivity

2010-01-07T22:59:23Z

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.

010610 Day 3 of Captivity

2010-01-07T04:49:02Z

Last night was a hell-night. I knew Monday’s no calls would be paid for sooner or later. Such is the climate at
InfiddlevestCorp that no one wants to make a decision when it comes to dealing with a touchy break/fix and I
spent three hours on a conference call to defer a repair.

For nearly five hours today, we repeated a failed repair from last night that failed again and on third attempt,
took but the power supply still blinks to be replaced, just like a car that runs fine with the check engine light lit up.

Rumors are floating around about another massive drive to reduce IT costs and due to December’s layoffs there’s
bound to be a re-org coming. Chatter indicates a bloody year ahead.

Now to bide my time until the machines call me to say they’re broken.

Back In Action

2010-01-06T07:39:01Z

First beers since xmas eve. Plus, mucho problemos tonight.
It's been almost two months and I can faithfully say that being on-call still sucks.
At this point, no one wants to make decisions so it's escalation-a-rama.
Even the managers of managers at InfiddlevestCorp are scared.

Muy hilarioso.

Further Recovering from Trip to Tonsilvania

2010-01-03T02:25:10Z

A day and a half of meds left and I’m further along but am still keeping to a no cerveza policy for the time being.
Plenty of time for that in the coming weeks and it should be a glorious breaking of the fast.

Knowing Where One’s Mind Is At
After a laid-back New Year’s Eve at BockDiabla’s, things got frisky and we moved to the bedroom.

In bed, I expectedly and casually watched her getting ready in the bathroom from afar –dimly lit, when she faced
my direction with a white, phallic object in her hand, she said, “Get ready.”

I wickedly smirked as a loud, vibrating sound came from the object.

She then started brushing her teeth.

I haven’t laughed that hard in years…

86-ing the Year

2009-12-31T23:44:06Z

You didn’t buy enough drinks – fuck-off, 2009! Nobody liked you anyway.

2010: I’m letting you in but you better deliver the goods…

Best of luck and wishes to everyone. Those being excepted will have rusty pins stuck in their respective voodoo doll’s nether regions.

Tonsilmania Continues

2009-12-31T03:24:32Z

The fever stayed broken for twenty-four hours now. It doesn't hurt to swallow and I actually ate whole food in regular sized meals for lunch & dinner.

On the plus side, I've offered up my services as designated driver NYE since I'm still got five more days of medicine to finish.
I'm just going to pretend that the beer people are drinking isn't any good at all.

Saw this joint on the way to lunch at Ojeda's today. I think even Quetzie would pack some obsidian before heading into this place.

Healing Continues Day Two

2009-12-30T01:49:46Z

When DoctorDiabla said “strep throat”, I think she meant tonsillitis, because looking at my throat in the mirror this morning,
I can see why she recoiled in horror during the examination.

They look nazzz-teee.

The fever is lower probably due to the acetaminophen and I’ve gotten more rest but I’m only three doses into
a fourteen-pill regimen [2 a day].

Tomorrow, I hope will be easier to eat and have regular sized meals.

And yes…I already miss beer. It’s going to be a long week.

One of Many Symptoms

2009-12-29T03:27:46Z

Sunday I was still fatigued turning sick in the evening. This morning I was worse. The doctor appointment revealed
a 103 fever and bad strep throat.

This is the climax of an uneventful holiday season.

Sure, I’m thankful everyone’s healthy/well, it’s the thought that counts, etc. but
Xmas wasn’t as festive as it usually is for the Diablo’s.

I plan ahead for gifts but now I think I’m going to need to plan ahead for prodding the others to get involved.
Two presents under the tree doesn’t cut it.

No gag gifts? Shame.

Post Xmas Fatigue

2009-12-27T02:47:02Z

It's over and I'm back home - tired, despite taking a nap. The two beers I've drank tell me that I won't be staying up late
tonight unless someone sets off an air-raid siren in the parking lot.

New levels of family dysfunctionality require public and friends-only updates in the coming days.

The Tree Committed Suicide

2009-12-21T00:00:36Z

Saturday, I spent some quality time with a chainsaw, dismembering a large fallen oak and separating fireplace fodder in order
to enable its removal it from a creek bed. A backhoe will be employed for the large SUV-tire-sized trunk. This six-hour workout probably
can’t be duplicated in a gym.

Aside from being shocked at a drama-laden game, I hope the Cowboys left their field-goal kicker in NOLA as a blood offering
for enraged Saints fans.

Very nice, quick drive back to Dallas –I’m not sure how it happened but by starting it prior to lunch probably helped.
Laundry, more xmas shopping and planning out next week to follow.

It's Mariyln's 75th Bday

2009-12-19T03:32:53Z

Not much of a workday here at High Ridge Ranch with PadreDiablo taking off on a brief roadtrip but tomorrow's another day and there's one working chainsaw. [this is Texas]

We got MadreDiablo to come to the Albert Icehouse for a family friend's 75th birthday BBQ. Everyone always fawns over my mother -probably having to do more with her rare appearances than anything. Kind of like Norm's Vera from Cheers.

I chauffeured MadreDiablo back early and now am catching up on things online with a sixer of Lone Star talls and Incantation playing on the iphone. Not bad...

Well…You’re In Irving Texas

2009-12-16T04:21:15Z

Ms.Ed took the department out to a holiday dinner tonight, an Italian joint chosen for its price.
I hate restaurants where the food is equal or lesser than what you could do at home. The wine wasn’t the
wood-plank fest that was last year but I took it easy on that, as vino isn’t my thing.

I could've sworn the director's wife passed gas as she left the table. Maybe it was the chair?

Here’s what I graciously put on my manager’s xmas card:
Whether strategic or by random chance, may your lump of coal end up in someone else's stocking.

Man, do these memes just get worse...

On the twelfth day of Christmas, beerdiablo sent to me...

Twelve knives drumming

Eleven westerns piping

Ten mainframes a-boxing

Nine darts writing

Eight texas a-cooking

Seven computers a-running

Six books a-reading

Five gu-u-u-uns

Four weird westerns

Three drum machines

Two william burroughs

...and an industrial in a comedy.

Western Pimp Wear

2009-12-15T04:13:48Z

My group's present to Ms.Ed is a gift card to a Western wear store -a place I don't frequent.
One sees odd things but it appears there's a demand for country-western themed pimp gear.

Great First Date

2009-12-12T20:13:23Z

Last night, I met BockDiabla for what turned into a first date and it went really well. [no we didn’t…]

She works in “the arts” and is a musician too, which leads me to think she’s used to quirky people –and is one as well.

Date #2 next week, wait and see, wait and see…

Precautions Must Be Taken

2009-12-09T04:29:26Z

HermanoDiablo -in the corazon of battle with cerveza- doesn't always respect boundaries and though I asked him
not to touch beers he didn't recognize, that didn't last. Clearly, marked boundaries last. Stay away from my
Imperial Chocolate Pumpkin Pie Stout, d00d. Here's the current upper tier of the beer cellar, which is the more
vulnerable part of my tastebud's empire. He knows better than to touch the beers "kept in darkness".

Letter to the Implants

2009-12-08T03:37:40Z

Dear New Fitness Trainer;

While it’s nice to see a trainer at the gym that’s actually in shape and works out,
you’ve become a distraction by performing your exercises in the middle of the facility for all to see.

Sure the tightly trussed C-cups are cute, especially when it’s a low neckline leotard but the jump-rope routine today
was almost over the top. At least the zepplins stayed in the hanger during your five Richter performance.

Sincerely,

BeerDiablo

Potentially San Antonio's Coolest Bar Exterior

2009-12-07T00:00:18Z

Saw this while refueling in San Antonio during Thanksgiving. I've got a feeling that if you pop in for a drink after midnight,
you're going to have a story to tell. Maybe even revealing secrets of the universe...

Do Talk to Strangers

2009-12-05T05:52:14Z

“I’m Pablo blabba-blabba-gabba-ezquierda”, so said my fresh off the meds tablemate at The Libertine tonight as I sat
and introduced myself. [Not much room in the pub tonight]. Totally manic.

Is it an act? Is he tripping/tweeking besides insane?

Not sure but it’s worth a couple of beers for non-tangential conversation as I didn’t see this getting out of hand.

At one point I could see a bartender keeping an eye out surveying the table and I gave him a thumbs up that was returned.
It’s good to see insanity supported by the service industry.

Intergalactic Hey Zeus Kung-fu
No matter what I talked about or said, he always made the conversation about himself involving:
1. Alien Christ Kung-fu academy both separate and intertwined
2. Doing kata with the hands while seated - ravestyle

My Conversational Ploys:
1. Nanobots in cigarette filters, put there by “them”
2. Rob Halford of Judas Priest where, Rob tried to get through a U.S. airport checkpoint in his rough-trade gear while protesting in
his air-raid siren singing voice.
3. Counting in a non-Binary system, like Hex. Tens versus Sixteens but he tuned out. I could've really warped his mind on this one.

Pablo didn’t budge and dodged my attempts to fuck up his stream of consciousness but he seemed to dig on the Rob Halford riff.

FreeTail’s 1st Anniversary Party

2009-12-03T03:31:01Z

One of the top brewpubs in the state, San Antonio's Freetail Brewing Company, reached it’s first birthday last weekend and continues
to pile up beer cred as evidenced by selling out all 300 bottles of La Muerta –double last year’s bottling, by 6:30 pm.
[It went on sale at 12pm that day, $11 per 22oz bottle]

Freetail’s flagship big beer is La Muerta, an Imperial Stout that ranks the best of Texas’ darker, heavier brews.
Spending Día de los Muertos quaffing this isn’t a bad way to remember loved ones. Here’s this sexy beast’s measurements:

OG: 1.100/23.8P FG:1.025/6.2P
ABV: 10.2% ABW: 7.9%
IBU: 50 Hops: Palisade, Willamette.

For those inclined, here’s the beer list from that day, which isn’t everything they’ve ever brewed. Lots of experimentation as they’re “spreading their wings”.

Singing, Yes, Singing in The Rain

2009-12-02T03:11:28Z

The return day at InfiddlevestCorp isn’t surreal by standard but since my department’s “feed everyone” potluck was today, it couldn’t
be helped. It was the usual crappy side dishes but at least someone brought some decent rigatoni and meatballs.

Lay-offs are a rumor-fueled communiqué as the official policy is there are to be no postings or the cuts talked about. But it always
gets out and sure enough there was a small body count today. Xmas bonuses are due and numbers have to be made. I won’t miss
those laid-off that I knew.

Earlier this evening, while pulling out of CM’s parking lot with dinner, there was a black lady, dancing in the cold rain, praising Jesus.
I wiped my eyes –just to be sure- you can’t make this shit up.

Time to drink a pumpkin imperial stout and ruminate on things.

I'm Off Today and It's a Good Thing Because

2009-11-25T17:15:14Z

Damn you, keep the glass night at The Gingerman.

Thankskilling

2009-11-23T01:10:47Z

Looks like a turkey in more ways than one...

The Accordion Tolls for Thee

2009-11-21T19:49:44Z

Ludwig the Accordionist passed away last week. Dinner at Dallas German food restaurants will never be the same.
Not many 80+ year-olds are young at heart but Lou managed this with aplomb. I'll have a stein full of doppelbock tonight in his honor.

Freedom to the Third Power

2009-11-21T04:56:39Z

I have a three-day weekend due to working this past weekend and don’t have much planned due to the lack
of “happenings” in DFW and that’s fine by me because…

Not Dead…But Dreaming
Last night, I went to bed at 10:20pm and finally arose about 8:30am. Sure, I woke up a couple of times but I refuse to
get out of bed if there’s not deadline or start time looming. I needed some sleep and lots of it as evidenced
by the two-hour afternoon nap.

I’ll continue to recoup through the weekend and next week with the holiday. Normally, I’d be on-call but Ms.Ed assigned
Butch-the-Temp to this since he’s a temp brought in to relieve the regular staff from suffering during a holiday week.
Temps get paid by the hour so I don’t feel sorry for him.

Bonus: I hear the InfiddleVestCorp procurement group isn’t doing much end-of-the-year negotiating which means
that 2010 might provide a civilized for work life.

Kill With a Borrowed Lunch Tray

2009-11-19T00:59:26Z

For $4 you can get a mixed Thali at Subzi Mandi, an Indian grocery chain that recently opened a store near work.
Not bad for the price, it’s a home-style vegetarian meal that works to fill the hungry spot. Hopefully, they’ll get it together
for quicker service though it’s too early to tell. I’ll revisit in a month.

Check out this picture, it’s like Indian food night at Riker’s Island: