2.109

I'm not quite sure how to approach my write-up of Anime Weekend Atlanta (AWA) because I did not actually get to do anything at the convention aside from assigned responsibilities as a volunteer.  I did not attend any panels (aside from the panels in which I had badge check duty), watch any concerts, or browse the dealers room (aside for the final half-hour before the convention ended).  In fact, all I did during the convention was check for badges and organize lines for autographs or events.  If one were to look at my time at AWA from an outside perspective, then one could easily be led to believe that I had a miserable time and they would be wrong.  Yes, my feet hurt at the end of each shift and I was wary of the drive from the convention center to my hotel and the persistent rain showers put a massive damper upon the vibe of the convention (I'm speaking from an environmental perspective not a participatory perspective), but I do sincerely enjoy working at a convention that has given me so much joy over the years.  Of course, this isn't to say that there are not negative aspects to my overall experience, but the positives certainly outnumber the negatives. 

For example, the feeling one gets from being recognized by peers that you may only see less than a handful of times a year.  Sure, there are fellow staffers that have been in Panda Ops/Support for as long (if not longer than) as myself that I am unable to recall their names (and that is more than understandable given the infrequency with which we socialize), but when a fellow staffer does remember you; it gives me great joy.  Like on Friday when I first arrived at the convention, I had just retrieved my badge and upon arriving at our departmental office (which we had to share with Public Safety); I was warmly greeted and immediately assigned to the autograph lines despite having not undergone any of the "necessary" training.  But, the supervisors remembered me from my previous years of volunteering and knew that I was capable of helping (also, the line was severely understaffed and there was nothing else to do).  So, I spent my first five hours of the convention working the autograph lines.  Now, I could go into a few of the things that I perceived as could have been handled better in terms of man management and organization, but I'm going to maintain a positive tone for this post (at least in regards to AWA). 

Beyond the confines of the convention, I found myself staying at hotel about five miles away in a rather interesting neighborhood.  I would not say that it was bad neighborhood, but the hotel was roads leading toward the hotel were not well-maintained and there was a club located across the street.  But, the room was reasonably priced and considering I waited until the day of the convention to book the room, what right do I have to complain?  The commute back and forth between the convention center and hotel was made miserable by the consistent rain that fell throughout the course of the weekend--if it had been a dry weekend, then it might have been a more pleasant experience. 

My initial stay at my hotel did not last long as I was soon back at AWA to meet with a friend of mine that was volunteering for the first time and to work another shift since I did not work the day before during AWA's now official first day: Thursday.  When I arrived back at AWA, my friend and I were separated--it happens--and I was off to work the line for Totally Lame Anime, which had built up due to the previous event running behind by about an hour.  Despite the negative perceptions held about line control, it's not that bad--the attendees are generally very cooperative and understanding.  Though I am still slightly confused as to why such a line would exist anyways given the fact that rooms are rarely cleared at AWA--those waiting could have simply entered the room, listened to some Japanese musicians and been seated for Totally Lame Anime. Eventually, the line was dispersed into the room and I was onto my next assignment, which was organizing the line for yet another autograph session, but this time I was joined by my friend and this helped passed the time. 

I'm beginning to realize that this may be longer than I had initially anticipated.  So, I'm going to stop here for now since all I did after the evening Heidi and Universe autograph line was go off duty and walk around for a few minutes before calling it a night because I was exhausted.  I will hopefully be back tomorrow with another post about AWA.  Until then, take care and DFTBA!

2.108

So, I was going to publish a post about my experience at Anime Weekend Atlanta, but I changed my mind because today was Staff Development Day at the library.  In years past, Staff Development Day featured a theme--at the last Staff Development Day, the theme was country (it was originally going to by "Duck Dynasty", but the idea of celebrating a group of homophobic bumpkins turned out to be a rather terrible idea)--but this Staff Development Day did not have an official theme assigned to it.  But, if one were to observe the events of the day from an outside perspective, then one could easily make the assumption that the unofficial theme of this year's Staff Development Day was:  "Screw the rules, we're here to appease everyone!"

In the months since the library system's leadership transition and in the weeks leading toward today, I had started to feel this vibe about an ongoing shift in attitude toward patron service, but today confirmed it.  From here on, whenever a situation becomes to burdensome and difficult to handle, staff within the system will simply give up on enforcing policy and just appease the ill-behaved and unruly patron without concern about any potential ramifications in the future.  Of course, I find this to be complete and utter rubbish (or to put it more bluntly, it's bullshit) because such actions further complicate an already, at-times difficult position.  I'm of the simple belief that creating exceptions or gray areas only creates difficulties for personnel down the line and rewards negative behavior.

Providing good customer service does not have to come at the expense of subverting set policies or procedures.  If the primary concern of the board of trustees and administrative personnel is increasing patronage, then there are far better and more effective methods of encouraging library usage rather than bending the rules to appease patrons.  This approach to customer service is not beneficial to anyone aside from those individuals who have purposeful malice intent toward the system and its mission.  Sure, this bending-over-backwards approach my encourage this disingenuous patron to return to the system, but is this the sort of patronage one really wants?  By taking this approach, you are rewarding negative behavior and spitting in the face of patrons that abide by policy and take personal responsibility for their errors.  Rather than reward the negative behavior, the system should look for ways to reward the positive behavior and to encourage those negative patrons to become positive patrons.

Of course, the catalyst for today's "customer service" training is because these negative patrons tend to also be the most vocal patrons--why voice an opinion when thing are done correctly--and their complaints (as one-sided as they most likely were) fell upon the ears of a brand new system director and board of library trustees chairman that are looking to make their mark on the system.  Now, I will be the first to admit that we, as staffer, aren't at times at fault, but we own our errors and we take responsibility for our errors.  My job as a responsible employee of the library system is work with patrons to create the best possible experience within the groundwork laid forth by the policies set by the Georgia Public Library Service and the Board of Library Trustees and I take this responsibility seriously, but I will admit that there are moments of frustration and irritation and I work as best I can to remain calm and respectful toward the patron.

Another point of contention I had with today's training was the notion that because a policy is deemed to be "pointless" or "silly" that means we should subvert it and deviate in enforcing the policy and to me, that is absurd.  A policy is typically created in response to some action deemed inappropriate by a governing entity.  Now, I'm not saying that all policies are created with sound logic behind them and in those cases it's not our job to merely reject the policy, but to work to change the policy so that it comes in tune with a more reasonable rationale.

Honestly, all of this is insanity and more cause for lost faith in this system.  I used to want this system to succeed, but given the recent decision making; I've become numb to it and am simply biding my time until I can finally escape.

2.107

I may have cheated on my previous post.  Yes, I may have written the post earlier in the day, but I did not actually publish the post until slightly past midnight despite the 23:30 time stamp.  So, because of this deception, I decided I would go ahead and draft another post now (approximately 00:10)--here I go:

(1) Gutted.  I am simply gutted by the result of the CONCACAF Cup match between the United States and Mexico.  Conceding the match-winning goal in the 118th minute of the match is a truly gut-wrenching manner to lose a match, especially a match where the United States had come from a goal down twice.

(2) Satisfied.  The Martian is a fantastic film.  Sure, there were several details that were left out of the film from the book that inspired the film, but Ridley Scott managed to capture the essence of the book within a 141-minute time frame.  I may write up a more detailed review of the film at another date (though probably not), but I highly recommend the film.

(3) It's coming!  I promise that I will draft a post (or series of posts) about this year's Anime Weekend Atlanta outing.  Unfortunately, there will be no photographs included since I did not take any photographs, but it should still be a solid write up though it may not be that good of a read.

Anyways, that's all I have for now.  Until next time, take care and DFTBA!

2.106

I like working on Saturdays.  The atmosphere at the library is much more relaxed (as I draft this post, I'm wearing my convention staff tee shirt from Anime Weekend Atlanta as oppose to a collared shirt), the pace is slower (the average number of patrons on Saturdays is far smaller than compared to regular workdays), and our responsibilities are greatly limited in comparison to other days in the week due to the limited number of staff available.  Another positive about working on Saturdays is that I don't have to work one day during the regular work week and that means I'm not surrounded by individuals that cause me stress. 

Perhaps, the lone negative to working on Saturdays is if Manchester United has a match scheduled for Saturday.  Fortunately, there is no Manchester United match scheduled today because of the FIFA international break.  But, if I'm being honest, working Saturdays isn't as great an obstacle to viewing Manchester United matches as one would think since NBC Sports offers free online streaming of Barclays Premier League matches.  Aside from this minor issue, Saturdays are the best, especially since the vast majority of our patrons are still clueless to the fact that we have extended our hours until 4 PM. 

[tangent] I know that I tend to ramble on about mundane things in my posts and that's typically because I'm incapable of forming coherent thoughts about a particular subject for long durations of time.  Of course, this doesn't mean that I'm entirely void of meaningful thought--it's just rare that I'm capable of putting the thoughts into a readable written format.[/tangent] 

2.105

So, I thought that I'd try something a bit different today. Rather than wait until the end of the day to post an update or draft a post and schedule it to post early the next day, I thought I'd draft a post now, a few minutes after having awakened, and see how it goes.  I'm able to do this because (1) no one else is at home and (2) I managed to work my way into being able to arriving at work later.  The obvious downside to posting so early in the morning (so early for me) is that I haven't done anything aside from sleep, but to be truthful, it's not as though I do anything particularly exciting during the course of the day anyways.  I suppose I could write about things that happened the day before or on subjects of interest to me, but I haven't quite figured it out yet and because of this; you get this--a single-sided, internal exposition on what I should discuss and how I'm going out of my way to post this update despite my already sporadic posting schedule.

This is how I work.  I do enjoy hearing myself speak and reading the words I type though I typically delete the words after I find them to be unsatisfactory to my own standards, but not in this particular scenario because I'm streaming my consciousness for the next few minutes until I begin preparing for the day.

I know I say this time and time again, but I really want to become more consistent in my posting schedule as well as come up with interesting things to post about on here.  Sadly, I'm an incredibly lazy person that has ridiculous standard for how a quality post should read and what a quality post should look like (I often struggle with simple things like whether to use the word "post" or "update").

On one hand, the purpose of this journal (or blog or site--again, the internal First World struggles are real) is to be a daily chronicle of my life--what I did, who I saw, how I felt, why I did, see and felt the way I did, etc.)--like an actual journal (or diary).  Yet, I want to do other things like write reviews despite have little to no knowledge on the technical aspects of producing a film (or movie), writing a book (though most likely it will be a graphic novel), or composing music (okay, I really don't listen to much music and I've only been to a handful of actual concerts outside of the ones held at conventions).  I would also love to write about politics because I have a background in it, but I have never been particularly verbal about my political beliefs because I'm terrible at public discourse--I lose my train of thought, I forget important points, and I tend to become too emotional thus losing the objective, logical perspective with which I strive to achieve.)

Well, I've rambled right up to my self-imposed time limit.  Until next time, take care and DFTBA!

2.104

I'm tired--I'm always tired.  Perhaps, it is because I am dehydrated. Or, it is because I overexert myself throughout the course of the day.  But, if I'm honest with myself, I believe it is because I have to deal with so much bullshit throughout the day.  I wanted to post something about my time at Anime Weekend Atlanta, but I feel as though I could not do it justice if I wrote while being in this position.  Instead, I wanted to briefly say that all of my major events and outings for the year are finished.  I may from time to time participate in some exciting adventures between now and the close of the year, but I am done and I am trying to regain my footing.  Here's hoping for peaceful and inexpensive close to this year.

2.90: Prepping for Closure

I find it funny that whenever I sit down to compose an update, I start to become tired.  And what makes the situation even more humorous is that it is just 7:30 PM.  Regardless, I am going to work my way through this sudden sluggishness to draft a post before I leave for Anime Weekend Atlanta tomorrow.

As I just stated, this weekend is AWA and for me, this will be my ninth year of attending the Southeast’s largest anime convention.  This weekend also marks to close of an extraordinary month that started with Labor Day weekend at North America’s largest science-fiction/fantasy convention, Dragon Con.

On one hand, the end of this month will relieve a significant strain on my wallet because spending hundreds of dollars on hotel rooms, food, and travel is incredibly damaging on my salary.  But, on the other hand, the close of September means that I am left with only my meager existence to look towards.

I know that I said I wanted to make a change for the better, but I understand that it is going to take some time and the path to personal happiness is cluttered with various obstructions.  Now, this does not mean that I will not make the effort; it simply means that I am going to have to be patient with myself.

Of course, the end of September/summer does not mean I will simply go into hibernation for the remainder of the year; there is still much to be done.  What it does mean is that I have begin planning for next September.  There are individuals that like to say that they prefer to live in the present and are unable to plan ahead.

Well, I do not work in this way.  I have to plan ahead to properly prepare myself because (1) I need some semblance of control of the situation and (2) it means that I will actually be able to go through with my plans.  Of course, in choosing this manner of living, I have slowly learned that nothing will go according to plan and to accept that randomness is a part of our lives regardless.

Anyways, I still have much to prepare in order to ensure that AWA goes as smoothly as possible and that I close out this period of the year with something entertaining and fun.

2.89: Autumn's Arrival

Fall is here and with its arrival, comes change.  Throughout the area, the once lush green hilltops and mountainsides have been overtaken by a sea of orange, red, and yellow.  And personally, the changing of seasons will, hopefully, signify changes within my own reality.  The upcoming weekend marks the conclusion of whirlwind month of activities that have depleted my financial coffers and left me with an increased sense of urgency about ascertaining a new position that pays better than my current position.  Of course, all of this will need to wait until the end of the weekend as I have plans for one final blowout to close out one of the few good months of the past nine months.

Now, I realize that there has been some time since my previous post, but I’m hoping to become more engaged and productive.  If one were to check out one of my other projects, one would notice that I have more productive in comparison.  Regardless, the homestretch of 2015 is upon us and I want to do my best to ensure that I close it out on a positive note.  I also realize that the past few months of posts have carried a generally pessimistic outlook and perspective, but that is because I have struggled through the first nine months of this year.  From terrible coworkers to fiscal issues, the year has not been kind to me.

But, I am working to change this.

2.67

So, De Gea to Real Madrid fell through because Madrid failed to submit the proper paperwork before the Spanish league transfer deadline.  That is FUCKING HILARIOUS!  So, De Gea remains at Old Trafford for the remainder the season and then he is off to Madrid on a free transfer--well, that sucks.  But, I stand by my position from a few weeks ago:  let him rot in the stands.  Now, I have heard a number of pundits say that this is terrible for United and that they need to play De Gea (especially, given Romero's performance against Swansea this past weekend), but the reality of the matter is this:  United don't have to do shit!  No, single player is greater than the club and that is especially the case with a club as great as United.  Let De Gea rot or force him to sign an extension with a massive release clause--now, that would be fucking genius.  I saw it suggested on Republik of Mancunia's Twitter feed and I think it's bloody brilliant.  If De Gea wishes to see any playing time this campaign, especially, considering the upcoming EURO 2016 tournament, then force him to sign a new extension and include a massive release clause.  Seriously stick it to Real Madrid and their smug we can buy any player we wish to buy attitude--oh, they can buy De Gea next summer for a price of United's choosing or they can sign De Gea on a free transfer (assuming that they have not received a transfer ban similar to Barcelona) after he has rotted in the stands for an entire season.  Sure, a goalkeeper of his standard should be able to regain his footing eventually, but watching him regain his footing should make for a good time.  And for the pundits that say that United can't simply keep paying De Gea his wages while having him not play, I ask:  Why the fuck not?  We paid Falcao, we paid Di Maria, and we just paid $70+ million for a 19 year old--so, what would keep United from doing the same with De Gea?

I'm bitter about this whole situation, but it is nice to think about what should happen know that it will not happen.

2.65

A couple of weeks have past since my last update and thought I would share with you, my nonexistent readers, some of what has been (or is) happening since the last time I posted:

I am a powerless Hulk!

I have all of the angst and rage of the Hulk, but none of the power to actually do anything about it.  I am an angry person--I have always been short-tempered and ill-willed, but the last few months have tested my restraint in ways not before experienced.  Initially, all of my animosity was geared toward a handful of ignorant motherfuckers that I know are ruining the library system with which I am currently employed.  And, for a while, I felt that I could be someone that could represent the voices of the employees being fucked over by an incompetent administration, but then I realized that I was a single voice among cowardly silence.  Oh, people talk a lot of shit and people will tell you that they have your back, but then, when it is time to act; they are nowhere to be seen or heard.  I honestly do not care if I am on an island on my own because I have always been a bit of a loner, but I refuse to fight for those that do not wish to fight for themselves and would rather have bullshit shoved into their rectum time and time again.  As of now, I am pissed at just about everyone at the branch I work at because the vast majority of them are two-faced, yellow-bellied pieces of worthless manure and it is come to a point where I have to actually remind myself on a nearly daily basis to:  GIVE ZERO FUCKS and worry about no one in the library system except my boys (Billy and Brian).

I have to find a way out of here!

It is a difficult truth that if I am ever going to be happy again working in a library then it will need to be in another system because this system is heading toward an iceberg (assuming global warming doesn't melt it first) and it is the Titanic.  I'll admit it, I love being a librarian, excuse me, a library staffer, but I hate where I work.  There are a number of interesting employment opportunities that have arisen over the past couple of months and I would be a fool not to pursue them despite my personal reservations and discomforts.

Dragon Con is upon us!

One reason (aside personal laziness) that I haven't been posting as frequently on here is that I have been posting more often at a blog that I set up for a couple of coworkers and I chronicling our preparations for Dragon Con.  It's called Librarians Versus Dragon Con and you can find it at: librariansvsdragoncon.blogspot.com.

Well, that's it for now.  I have plenty of other items to vent about, but I'll hold off since I've rambled on long enough.  Till next time, DFTBA!

2.51

I honestly do not know what day this is, but I'll figure it out. Anyways, I'm ill and I've reached a tipping point. And all this stems from rumored actions of Real Madrid in regards to David De Gea. First, if you want him, then pony up the cash. United asks for £35 million and Real Madrid act surprised when the Red Devils reject their bid of £25 million. And now, Madrid are reported to be offering De Gea a £12 million signing bonus if he plays out the last year of his contract at Old Trafford and leaves for free at the end of the season.  That is fucking bullshit! Look, United aren't entirely blame free in this instance--they really fucked up De Gea's contract situation when they failed to offer him a proper extension following his first breakout season under Moyes--but they shouldn't stand by and get shafted by Madrid. We don't want another Paul Pogba situation. If I were United, I'd stand firm and if Madrid failed to meet the club's valuation of De Gea; I'd sit him and relegate him to the reserves. Personally, I'd ruin a career before I got shafted by a club like Mardrid. No player is bigger than the club, especially, an ungrateful one. And if De Gea were to have an about face about wanting to play, then I'd force him to sign a new long-term deal with a ridiculous buyout clause of no less than £50 million. And if that didn't work, then I'd play him in one Champions League match and offer him to Barça or PSG or some other big name European side at a fee of £20 million and have De Gea be their problem.

2.35

I worry--a lot.

In fact, there may not be an adjective that could satisfactorily describe how much I worry.

I worry about Kiya, my car, because she has been having issues with her ignition. My financial situation does not account for automotive issues, especially, for a vehicle that is just over three years old.

I worry about whether or not I am going to be prepared for Dragon Con, which is a needless worry because one can never truly be ready for Dragon Con.

I worry about AWA, but I'm very close to making a decision on it; I'm just going to give it a week.

Yes, I worry about a lot of things--things of little consequence--but there is one thing that I could give little to zero fucks about and that's the opinions of my coworkers--in particular, the admins at my library. Why? Because they clearly give zero fucks about their employees and I have been witness to too many of those instances in which stupid decisions are made with little consideration of things like common sense or rational thought--everyone is so fucking territorial and everyone in admin is on a fucking power trip. Admittedly, I'm somewhat on that level, but the major difference is that I can more often enough rationalize my decisions and I'm open to the opinions of others (to a certain extent).

Anyways, it's late and I'm rambling. I really don't want this site to become a constant stream of bitterness, but it's just how things are in my life at the moment.

2.33

So, I saw the United States men's national [soccer] team in person for the first time ever last week and let's just say that it did not go to plan.  I originally had a long and thought out post drafted about this special moment, but I decided to scrap that post in favor of this one.  Therefore, I present:  The good, the bad and the ugly of my first USMNT match.

The Good

Brian McBride - I had the opportunity to have a photograph with USMNT and Fulham legend Brian McBride (I would post the photograph, but I like my anonymity).

Hanging with my BFF - No, I'm not a teenage girl, but I do have a best friend that I have known for years and that I still hang out with despite him being married with two children (though I have never seen the youngest--so they may have just made her up).  But seriously, it is cool because life tends to get in the way of us getting to hang out and kick it like when we were younger.

USMNT - I finally--FINALLY--got to see the USMNT play in person because for one reason (U.S. Soccer refuses to have their senior men's team play in cities with stadiums featuring artificial surfaces--unless you are Seattle or Portland--and the Georgia Dome and the new stadium feature [and will feature] artificial turf).

Panama - Damn it if the Panamanians did not play their hearts out during their match against Mexico.  Sure, there were moments in which they reacted out of line, but considering the circumstances they endured; they earned a new level of respect with me.  Also, they had the balls to call out CONCACAF officials as being corrupt crooks and that is okay to me.

The Bad

USMNT - They lost to Jamaica.  Seriously? The only I may ever see the men play in Atlanta and first time they have played in Georgia in about four decades and they lose to a side that at the start of the match was given an 11% percent chance of advancing to the finals.

U.S. Supporters - I know that Atlanta is an El Tri supporters city, but the lack of butts in the seat during the USMNT match and the less than vibrant atmosphere conjured by the American Outlaws was not surprising but still disappointing (I wanted to be wrong).

The Ugly

CONCACAF - I'm not a conspiracy theorist, but the events surrounding Mexico's berth into the semifinal and eventually final match of the tournament reeked of something foul and this was made even more evident by the horrendous officiating decisions toward the conclusion of the Mexico/Panama match.

At some point, CONCACAF officials must have realized that a Jamaica/Panama Gold Cup final match was not going to sell tickets to Lincoln Financial Field and that is when Mexico was handed a bullshit penalty call in the 89th minute of the match that allowed them to draw level with a 10-man Panama and force extra time.

Of course, the initial straight red that dropped a man from the Panama side was rather suspicious too and include the harsh second penalty decision during extra time to hand Mexico the victory and one could see that something appeared particularly peculiar about it all.

El Tri Supporters - It really pains me to say it because the supporters of the Mexican national teams are passionate and create an incredible environment, but they (not all, but more than sizable contingent of their support) are terrible, poorly behaved supporters.  For starters, one should NEVER insert oneself physically into the game (i.e. - quit throwing shit onto the pitch).  Honestly, it was disgraceful and embarrassing to see that sort of behavior and the fact that this is hardly an isolated incident is what makes it incredibly frustrating.  Why so mad?

Because the Atlanta soccer scene is very rarely the center of the American soccer landscape, but on the one night in which it is in the spotlight; it completely screws it up because Mexican supporters do not know how to keep their shit to themselves.  In my opinion, CONCACAF must punish El Tri by forcing them to play World Cup qualification matches in an empty Azteca Stadium and perhaps, further penalize El Tri by handing a point deduction at the start of qualifying.  Of course, this will never happen because El Tri generate too much money for the confederation and its own football association.

Overall, my first USMNT experience was disappointing, but I am happy to finally earn my first USMNT supporter's CAP.

2.11

I have come to learn that positivity and I do not mix. Trust me, I have tried and I have failed. For example: Monday. High off the United States’ Women’s World Cup win I thought I could overcome the negative vibes associated with Mondays; I was wrong. For starters, Monday marked the first day at work following a three-day holiday weekend, which means increased patron traffic and items circulated. Then on top of the large volume of items returned and checked out, the credit card machines at all of the system’s branches were out of order and that meant, obviously, no credit transactions. Now, all of this was manageable and Monday would have been fine if not for the elephant in the bedroom next to mine at home. Of course, there was a slight glimmer of hope in that he had to be taken to the ER during the early evening (I know, I am a terrible person).

Today was a slight improvement from Monday in that patron traffic at the library was significantly lower and the unwelcomed nuisance was still at the hospital—also, the United States men’s national soccer team won their opening match of the Gold Cup tournament. Anyways, I’m just going to try and keep my head above water and finish out the week. I’m behind on a number of personal projects, but things should be squared away by the end of the week…maybe.

2.9

How about the United States women’s national soccer team? They wanted their third star and they got it in incredible fashion; defeating Japan 5:2. Carli Lloyd was an absolute beast—earning a hat trick in sixteen minutes! Honestly, this team looked as though they were struggling to put it together early on in the tournament, but as we drew closer towards the finale of the tournament; they found their stride and put together their two best performances in the semifinal against Germany and the final versus Japan. Perhaps, the best part of this achievement—at least to me—is that Abby Wambach finally won a World Cup. She is undoubtedly one of the greatest women’s players in American soccer history.

Shifting gears to more personal matters, I have spent the past couple of days finding excuses to get out of the house. Yesterday was Independence Day and I did nothing. No cookouts, no fireworks and no ridiculous displays of patriotism—just me hanging around the house doing the same thing as usual though I did leave for a bit to drive around north Georgia.

Today, I went down to Athens and visited their library—it was stifling because (and I’m only guessing) the A/C had been off for two days and the library had only been opened for about an hour prior to my arrival. I picked up two graphic novels, Avengers: The Enemy Within (it finishes off the Captain Marvel arc from Kelly Sue DeConnick’s initial volumes of the series) and the fifth volume of Brian Azzarello’s run on Wonder Woman, and an audio copy of Hillary Clinton’s Hard Choices. I like the Athens library and I think it would be incredible to work there, but they have got to do something about their A/C timer. On the way down, I stopped by the Starbucks in Banks Crossing and tried their Frappucino Flav-Off winning flavor: Caramel Cocoa Cluster. It was actually pretty good—something that I would definitely have again. From Athens, I swung over to Gainesville in hopes of having some boneless wings and some of Gainesville “best fried rice” but it turns out they were closed; I settled for some terrible Chinese buffet.

Anyways, I spent much of my day driving, eating, and watching the Women’s World Cup final. I also read a few books from the Marvel Secret Wars event: Secret War #2-4, Old Man Logan 1-2, Red Skull #1, and Spider-man: Renew Your Vows #1.

2.7

Today has been good. It feels at times as though I am imposing myself on others because that is often the case, but I like to think that people go along with my schemes willingly. Anyway, my ongoing issues with my parents’ decision to house my mother’s brother continue to create a hostile environment in which I wish to have no part. So, to register my personal disapproval, I made the conscious decision to remove myself from the equation while verbally communicating that I had rather be anywhere than under the same roof as this being that I see as being nothing more than a petulant drain on society. I understand fully the consequences of my actions and comments, but my parents are fully aware of my intense disdain toward this nuisance and they still permitted him entry into our home under the auspices of family and health issues. My parents, especially, my mother, likes to say that I am selfish and that I don’t care about family, but I don't consider an individual that exists for no other reason than to create animosity and division amongst others to be “family.”

Wow, I have gotten totally sidetracked from the original intent of this post, which was to discuss my pleasant day out with my good colleague and coworker, Billy. First, we had lunch at Moonie’s Texas Barbecue:

The brisket—moist and tender, you could tear through it with a plastic fork and spoon—and the macaroni and cheese were superb as usual, but the brisket chili was a bit too acidic—too heavy on the tomato—though it did carry a nice underlying heat that could catch one off guard. Regardless, I do enjoy eating Moonie’s and if I could, I would make it a weekly dining destination. In terms of Hall County barbecue, it is my favorite by far though there are still a handful of joints I have yet to visit.

After lunch, we headed over to Braselton to check out an antiques flea market that another coworker had suggested. Personally, it cool to see some older knick-knacks, but in reality, I couldn’t afford anything and (you may call me a bit of a pervert) the lack of vintage pornography was disappointing. I understand that it may sound strange, but old Playboys have an oddly shaped place in my heart. Of course, given the environment—small, rural Georgia town—I would have been more surprised to see that they actually carried any at all. Billy picked up three die cast cars so it was a productive stop and I did see some items that piqued my interest (at least, until I saw the price tags).

From Braselton, we found ourselves in our usual routine of visiting local comic shops and our first stop was Galactic Quest in Buford. I picked up: Bob’s Burger #1 from Dynamite, The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #7 from Marvel, and The Wicked + The Divine, Volume 2 from Image. After Galactic Quest, we stopped Toys ‘r’ Us (Billy picked up two more die cast cars for his collection), Ross Dress for Less and Marshalls before heading over to the Mall of Georgia and Rock Shop in search of the elusive second volume of Jason Aaron’s Southern Bastards (no luck).

Of course, no trip Buford is complete without a stop by the Krispy Kreme Doughnut shop, especially when the light is on. To be honest, the two original glazed doughnuts were freshest, warmest, and most delicious doughnuts I have had in a long time. And, the Peach Pie doughnut is simply one of my favorites. Typically, a stop at the Krispy Kreme will mark the end of a road trip for us and in truth, it was for Billy. But, I stopped by Uncle Maddio’s and grabbed an individual pie and started drafting this post—I finished at home.

2.5

Tired. Plenty to discuss, but it's not going go happen tonight. Maybe at a later date? Bowling, Cook Out, and bantering amount peers

2.4

Personally, today was a clusterfuck and would rather not discuss it (at least, not yet).

On the bright side, the United States women’s national team advanced to the final of the Women’s World Cup by defeating number one-ranked Germany, 2-0, with one of the goals being scored by Georgia native Kelley O’Hara. They will play either England, playing in their first Women’s World Cup semifinal, or Japan, the defending Women’s World Cup winner.

2.3

The first day after an extended break is always difficult because it requires a return to a routine that you have deliberately broken. It is even more difficult when a goat-faced prick on a power trip switches out a working system with a broken system of their design while you are away on break. Here’s the thing: I will never reconcile the fact that an unqualified, inept dote is being paid $50K-plus while a multitude of highly qualified librarians that have given years to the system continue to struggle to make ends meet with some forced to hold two jobs—NEVER! Anyways, it’ll be a good day when the little bastard is either terminated or contracts some venereal disease (if he doesn’t already have a few).

So, what have I done today? I went to work. We had a departmental meeting in which we discussed the illogical plans of the system’s likely next director (shift full-time staff, replace full-time staff with part-time staff, add more hours, and continue to pay deserving staff poorly with little sign of improvement). By the way, we are losing one of the department’s most productive members to a branch in which they struggle to get over 100 patron visits on a daily basis.

Honestly, the work day is a constant struggle for me. It used to be the case that you could not get me to stop working, but now, the less I do; the better. I’m really tired of this situation and I’m tired of wasting my time writing about it. I don’t think this will be a usual thing, but here’s a video of Jack Ü’s “Where Are Ü Now” featuring Justin Bieber, enjoy!

2.2

It was another lazy Sunday in which I did little more than play Minecraft (I mined 40+ diamonds in a strip mining outing), eat junk food (Taco Bell, Dairy Queen, corn dogs and a frozen pizza), and watch some soccer while splitting my attention on my social media feeds.

Speaking of social media, I reaffirmed my personal disdain for Facebook. On one hand, I enjoy being to see what’s happening in the lives of previous acquaintances while on the other hand; those acquaintances are idiots and that explains why I limit my interactions with them to Facebook.

One more thing I did was watch a few YouTube videos of Kanye West’s performance at the Glastonbury Festival and this served to only reinforce the idea that I really need to see the man perform live. Sure, he’s an arrogant, cocky individual, but his music is phenomenal and stage presence is immense. Anyway, here’s Kanye opening from the festival (assuming it hasn’t been taken down due to copyright claims):

2.1

I made a major move today and joined MLS Atlanta’s Founder’s Club.  For $50, I reserved priority season tickets for the inaugural season of Atlanta United FC (yes, that is the name of the club).  Of course, the initial deposit is only a drop in the bucket for the overall cost of season tickets, but I am hoping that I will have that sorted out by 2017.

Aside from making the decision to support an Arthur Blank venture (I am not a fan of Blank and his American football club), I found myself being incredibly unproductive (as usual).  I played video games, watched YouTube videos, and ate.  I did drive down to Gainesville to pick up my aunt from Northeast Georgia Medical Center (she had accompanied her brother to the emergency room).

I think in year two of this journal I am going to be more reflective while throwing in commentary from time to time though most of my future posts will be of this nature.

To close this post, I thought I’d share this amazing video from the Nigahiga YouTube channel, enjoy!

Year 2

Here we go (again)!

1.364

On my final day as a thirty-one year old person, I thought I’d take a moment to reflect upon the past year focusing primarily on the positive aspects.

During this past year, I maintained close relationship with old acquaintances, discovered new acquaintances and realized that there are times when one must move on.

In my first full year as a thirty-something, I rekindled my passion for comic books, discovered and visited local comic shops (Area 52 in Oakwood, Kapow! in Cumming and Oxford in Atlanta) and attended multiple Atlanta Comic Conventions.

Aside from ACCs, I attended Dragon Con for the fourth time, the Georgia Renaissance Festival for the first time and I volunteered for the second year in a row at Anime Weekend Atlanta.

Plenty of positive things have occurred during the past year and for the sake of this post, I plan on focusing on just those things.

Overall, 31 has been better than more recent years, but I’m looking forward to what thirty-two has in store—a new job maybe? 

1.362

I have been aggravated and annoyed for a long time, but the levels of my aggravation and annoyance have reached new heights. I wish it was as simple as simply “turning it off” but I have no “off” switch apparently and for better or (most likely) worse I am going to have to persevere through it. I know that the tone of this site in regards to recent posts has been negative, but it is a true reflection of my current situation and mindset.

It has been said that if you find a job you love that you will never work a day your life and for awhile; I believed that I had found such a job. But, things change, idiotic and illogical decisions are made and the ones that have the least suffer the most. For me, my job has become a burden that wears on me heavily.

I will not get into the specifics (again) but know that this will most likely not be the last time you hear about this from me. It is consuming my life and I am struggling to identify a way to defend myself from the ongoing slaughter. 

1.361

I suppose posting daily was a task too great. So, I will post when I want and hope it resembles some form of routine.  In the meanwhile, I am heading into Year 2 of John Past 30 and I find myself bewildered as to what the next year will hold.  As of now, I know a couple of things I would want to do as soon as possible:

1. Find my way back to my base in Minecraft. At present, I am stuck in a massive cave system underneath an ocean and while I would normally relish the possibility of locating diamonds and other valuables; I am not in a good position to proceed deeper into the cave system.
2. Find a new job. I mentioned this previously, but I am simply unhappy with my situation at my current position.  I need to get more applications and resumes sent into other systems as soon as possible.
3. I need to determine whether or not I will be attending Anime Weekend Atlanta this year and if I plan on attending—whether or not I plan on volunteering and in which department.

That’s all for now—I have other matters that need my attention. 

1.328

I am a man filled with anger and bitterness, but I am also a man that is too lazy to do much about it. Everyday I wake and I wonder if today is the day that I snap and I lose this job. I know that this is post is going to be short, but it’s all I can bear for tonight.

1.327: Bucket List

Last Friday I rode in an El Camino—it was the first time I had ever been in an El Camino and to be frank; it was nothing special.  But, it was something I had never done previously and that occurrence led to the quip that would lead to this post.  Basically, it was a quip about being able to mark “ride in an El Camino” off of my bucket list.  And this got me thinking about whether or not I have an actual bucket list or whether or not I need a bucket list.

First, I have no bucket list—I may have one at some point in my life, but at present; I do not.  (This was the simple inquiry to answer.)  Now, I need to know whether or not I should have a bucket list and after some brief introspection; I concluded that I do not need a bucket list.  Here’s my rationale:  bucket lists while a potential source of inspiration could just as easily be a source of significant regret and I have more than my fair share of regrets already.

Now, I’m not saying that we shouldn’t have goals—I’m simply saying that overtly wishful thinking can become more of negative than a positive.  I believe that I’m a rather pragmatic individual and that objectives can be achieved incrementally by reaching specific benchmarks because it really is more about the journey as opposed to destination.  For me, setting BIG goals is different from creating a bucket list in that goals are based in reality whereas bucket lists are rooted in the infeasible.

Goals can be worked towards by utilizing benchmarks while bucket list items are either accomplished or not accomplished.  One can learn from the increment successes one achieves while working towards the end goal while nothing is really learned when one’s primary choices are succeeded or did not succeed.

Word Count:  315 (+ 741) = 1056 (of 3500)

1.326: Writing Challenge

I know that I have not been consistent in my postings, but I have my reasons—everyone has their reasons—my just happens to be laziness.  Anyways, I am going to try and become a better more consistent writer and to aid in this goal, I am initiating a personal challenge to myself to:  (1) post at least once day for every day this week and (2) to write either 500 words per day or 3500 words total for the week.  Now, I understand that no challenge should be without consequences or rewards, but I have yet to come up with anything as this was really a spur of the moment type of challenge (by the way, I am counting all of these words toward my daily and weekly tally).  Of course, I may or may not come up with something during the course of this week and if I do figure it out, then I will be certain to post it here to serve as some sort of visible benchmark for which I can hold myself accountable.

I suppose the biggest obstacle for me (aside from laziness) is coming up with topics to discuss (though this is more of a one-way lecture rather than an actual discussion because no one visits this site and because I have turned off comments).  Fortunately, I have something from which I can work from—an update that I posted on my Tumblr account recently—and the best part is that it is something familiar to this site (I think I’m going to start referring to this “site” as a “journal” since this is this site’s actual purpose): graphic novel reviews.

Over the past four days, I have had the opportunity to make a small dent to my graphic novels queue by reading the following:  Captain Marvel (2012), Southern Bastards, Batgirl, and Batman.  Let’s get these thoughts out of the way!

Captain Marvel, Volumes 1 and 2 (2012)

I have seen and read a lot about the hype surrounding this series and I finally decided to take the plunge and read it.  First, the artwork takes some serious getting used to because it is far sharper (or perhaps, “jaggier”) and “sloppier” than what I prefer, but as I just alluded to:  one gets used to the style and during the course of reading the two volumes—I accepted it and moved on.  As for the actual story, I did enjoy it though I wish the arc could have finished within Captain Marvel’s own series rather than reaching into the Avengers series.

Southern Bastards, Volume 1

Now, here was something completely unexpected.  This series was recommended to me by a coworker and it did not disappoint (I guess the guy knows what he’s talking about).  I’m not sure if it was the overt bastardization of Southern culture or the grizzled protagonist that allows his big stick do the talking (i.e. – he beats the hell out of a lot of high school football crazed rednecks and gets the hell beat out of him by said stick), but I thoroughly enjoyed this first volume and I cannot wait to see what is coming.

The New 52 Batgirl, Volume 4

It is rather surprising just how much I have come to love the Batgirl character.  Initially, it started with a simple yet modern costume redesign, but that eventually led to actually learning more about the character through her adventures in crime fighting and her journey to regain the confidence that she lost as a result of the events of The Killing Joke.  I enjoyed this volume of the Batgirl series—seeing her cope with the apparent death of her younger brother, James Jr., at her hands as well as dealing with the fact that she is now public enemy number one in the eyes of her father, Commission Jim Gordon just gave more to enjoy about a previously little known about character from a line of books in which I was familiar.  In truth, the Year Zero story arc looks like it was a good one (if they carry on from the final chapter included in this volume) and I look forward to reading it soon.

Now, I did also read the fourth volume of the Batman (non-Detective Comics) series, but I will save my thoughts on that volume for another update later this week. (I can’t go spending all of my writing topics in one post, can I?)

Word Count:  741 (of 3500)

1.312

Much time has passed since my last post and plenty has happened during the past six-plus weeks.  I cannot remember everything that has occurred, but I am able to share some of the major events.

1. I am back on the job market.  No, I have not left my job at the library, but the work environment has become too toxic for me to want to prolong my stay within this particular system.  At present, I have only one application entered—a library position at my alma mater—but I am more mindful of other opportunities that may become available.

2. I have become addicted to Minecraft.  To be frank, I am still clueless about the game, but I find myself spending countless hours playing.  I initially picked up Minecraft as a joke in regards to a comment I made to one of my coworkers about YouTube gaming channels and how I could (and should) create a channel of my own.

Honestly, my pending escape from my toxic work environment and Minecraft are what my life is at present.  Yes, there have been a few excursions I could discuss, but these outings primarily revolved around comics; which is another post to be written.  Also, the decision to begin drafting a post after 11 PM was a poor decision that has led to this abridged edition of the original post I had in mind.

1.220

I know that I have been slow with the posts, but I promise that I will continue to work toward posting more regularly.

With the first month of 2015 in the books, I thought I would take this moment to see how my goals for the year are panning out:

Read 52 Books:  One month into 2015 and I have read four books (which can be found in my “Shite Book Review” posts).  So, I guess I am on pace though my reading (like my posting) has slowed significantly over these past two weeks.

Attend Dragon Con and AWA:  I happen to come into a bit of extra cash during Christmas, but in truth, all that has afforded me is the ability to keep pace with what I will need to attend Dragon Con only.  The volunteer renewal forms for AWA were just sent out last week and I am no surer of whether I will be able to attend now then I was at the start of the year.

Be More Active Online:  I believe the first line of this post should be an indicator of where I stand in relations to this goal.  And sadly, I wish I could say that it was only on this site that I am slacking, but my overall social media game (Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter) is lacking.

As for my minor goals, here is where I stand:

Watch More Soccer:  NOPE.  The first two weekends were good, but these past three weekends—not so much.  I still catch Manchester United matches when I am able, but I neglected the first USMNT friendly of the year and I have been able to get myself to watch any other league aside from the Premier League.

Watch Less Wrestling:  I am actually doing okay with this goal though I did slip last week when I watched some of the Royal Rumble replay on Monday (it was on in place Monday Night Raw, which had been cancelled due to the winter storm in the Northeast). Aside from that minor slip, my only actual interaction with wrestling is CM Punk’s Twitter feed (though he is technically a MMA fighter now) and WWE Diva Paige’s Instagram account (I think she the best looking Diva at present—something about goth-looking girls with pale skin complexion really works for me).

Watch More Anime:  NOPE.  I was good for the first week, but after that week, it was all downhill. To be frank, it doesn’t require much effort to watch anime, but I often find myself sidetracked with YouTube videos.

Reduce Carbonated Drink Intake:  NOPE.  I’m a slave to sugary carbonated drinks and I’m powerless to resist their sweet goodness/badness.

Enter My Coke Rewards Points:  NOPE.

Organize My Schedule to Accommodate Goals:  NOPE.  I tried the first week of the year, but it is so difficult to stick to any set schedule aside from my work schedule.  I know that if I can this goal in order, then a number of my other goals will fall into place too.

Anyway, there is my quick update on the status of my goals for the year.  I may make this monthly post in order to keep myself aware of what’s up.  As for other posts, I have a number of things I want to post about, but I just haven’t been able to put my thoughts down as of now; I’m trying.

1.214

It is a half-hour past midnight and I AM PISSED!  And what I'm pissed at is the Tech Services department at work and their arrogance and their lack of responsiveness.  Honestly, I knew that I would reach a tipping point sooner rather than later, but I did not expect it to be this soon.  First, they removed my friend from his post and replaced him with another friend of mine as if to create some schism between the two. Fortunately, my displaced friend can roll with the punches much better than I can and their friendship remains intact (on the surface).  Second, is the manner in which they continue to deny my simple request of adding the new centralized Staff Council Gmail address into our global address book that would allow for simple access to users wishing to contact their representatives.  Third, is an extension of my second issue in that someone apparently did attempt to contact Staff Council, but rather than their message coming to our centralized Gmail account--it went into some group conversation that can only be seen by accessing one's e-mail account through a web browser.  Honestly, the aggravation that they have caused me over the past month is greater than at any point of my time in the system and I am PISSED!

I also hear that they are in the process of further making our work in Circulation more difficult by forcing us to not only log into Evergreen, but into our workstations so that they can track our activity...yeah, excuse me?  But, how does this actually improve the patron experience?  It doesn't, but I would like to hear them attempt to explain how it does because the monitoring of staff computer usage serves no other purpose than to create hostile workplace environment in which staffers become overly paranoid that a slip up could create some sort of issue pertaining to their job security.  Quite frankly, all of this is serving no other purpose than to rile me up and in truth, I'm more than game at this point.  Initially, when all of this came about, I kept my head down attempted to plant the seeds of rebellion quietly, but now; they've lit a fire under my ass and where I originally thought I should just leave this damned system--I must now save it for those that I consider my peers.  The first step is to gather intelligence--I'll lay low, but I'll be subverting them at every opportunity.  The game is afoot!

1.208: #Controversial 3

This might be controversial, but I believe that Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea is the second best goalkeeper in the world behind Manuel Neuer.  Forget Iker Casilla, who is past his prime, and Thibaut Courtois, who, despite having John Terry immediately in front of him, is protected by a superb defensive backline, David De Gea is the second best keeper in the world and will be the best keeper in the world much sooner rather than later.  And because this is the case, Manchester United must make every effort to keep him at Old Trafford and out of the clutches of Real Madrid.

Over the past couple of months, there have been rumors being passed about how Manchester United would gladly exchange De Gea and a sizeable amount of cash (£50 million) for Gareth Bale and all I can think is WHY?!  Look, I realize that Bale is a world class talent with ridiculous pace and skill, but De Gea has proven himself time and time again as the savior of the Red Devils with countless saves despite having a porous and unproven backline ahead of him.  In my opinion, speedy wingers come and go, but top-class goalkeepers are few and far in between much less goalkeepers that have carried the weight of a club the size of Manchester United for extended periods of time.

Plus, do Manchester United really need Gareth Bale?  And are Real Madrid actually going to send off a player that they just shattered transfer fee records for just two seasons ago?  It is clear that Manchester United has needs, but it is even clearer that Bale is not one of them.

1.206: Shite Book Review #4

All New X-Men, Volume 2: Here to Stay
Brian Michael Bendis | David Marquez | Stuart Immonen

To be frank, I have enjoyed this particular iteration of the X-Men franchise.  The idea of two (actually, three) X-Men squads, one from the past (the “original” X-Men) and two from the “current” timeline (one led by Storm, Shadowcat and Wolverine, the other by Cyclops, Emma Frost and Magneto), is intriguing and somewhat confusion—I am reading the All-New series, but I have yet to read any of the Uncanny series.  Anyway, in this particular volume, Marvel Girl (or Jean Gray) and the rest of the originals find themselves still coping with their new existence in a world in which the leader of the “rogue” mutant cause is Cyclops and Professor Charles Xavier is dead; killed at the hands of Cyclops.  Anyway, as I read through the book, I’m reminded of a few things as well as learn a couple of new things like: (1) Cyclops, current and original, is still an annoying, arrogant and self-righteous prick, (2) Kitty Pryde is pretty awesome and (3) Jean Gray, despite her angst, is a powerful heroine.  I’ve never really read an “X” book, but I’m thoroughly enjoying this series (as I have already stated) and I’m interested in seeing where this leads.

Goodreads Rating:  4 Stars

1.201

In my place of employment, loyalty is not rewarded—it is exploited.

In my place of employment, common sense is not heeded—it is subverted.

In my place of employment, I have become disillusioned with the blatant bullsh-t that is shoveled down our throats on a daily basis.

I work in a library where our director refuses to “play ball” with our county commissioners, our administration are conniving individuals that carry personal agendas, and our employees are screwed over routinely.

There was a time when I felt that this could be my career and it still may be my carry, but I know that it cannot be here.  It cannot be here until things change and things are not going to change until every collapses in upon itself.

In my short time at the library, I have made some close companions and now, those companions find themselves in the midst of one of the system’s “brilliant” reorganization plans.

Now, to better understand the situation, one must know what has happened within the course of the previous half-year (actually, past seven months).  In May of 2014, the system hired a new Information Technology (IT) director and during his brief tenure, this director found himself at odds with his department staff and attempted to force change by creating a toxic environment in which he mistreated his staff in a number of ways.  But, of all his methods, the one with the longest lasting effect would be the introduction of his interns:  one was a brash and loud woman with a poor social skills (she would be paired with the department’s longest tenured staffer—my companion), another was a stuttering, mentally-impaired individual that was more a charity case than an actual intern (he was paired with the department staffer with which this director had the most issues with), and the final intern was the most competent of the trio (which is not saying much as the other two were quite incompetent) and he was paired with the director.

Anyway, fast forward a few months—let’s say four—to September of 2014 when the incompetent IT director, after a number of miscues and mistakes, is terminated, but prior to his departure; the ignorant bastard decides he should write up my companion THREE times.  Of course, one should give little credence to the actions of a vengeful, vindictive and terminated individual—at least, common sense would dictate that response (but bear in mind my second statement and we will return to this point later).

After the termination of the previous IT director, the three interns were left in limbo:  the female intern was rather sporadic to begin with so her eventual phasing out was easy and non-eventful, the stuttering intern served out the remainder of his “internship” being passed around various individuals within the library to aid in the completion of menial tasks, and the third intern was handed a contract to continue working for the library in a limited basis (one may ask “huh?”, but the department was in the middle of a major network transfer and the department was even more understaffed than usual).

Eventually, the position of IT Director is once again posted and the hiring process begins anew.  During this hiring cycle, it is stated that the system would be much more methodical in its approach and would slow down the hiring process to avoid a repeat of the previous incident.  Also, during this period, the process of transitioning the system onto a new ISP network as well as the installation of a new e-mail service provider were completed under the direction of the “intern” (which was a clear omen of things to come).  Anyway, four individuals threw their names into the ring—three received interviews.  Of the three interviews, one was a black male that I knew or learned nothing about, another was a former employee of PINES and was involved in the implementation of the Evergreen system (this was the one that our previous IT Director—twice removed—recommended), and the third was the “intern”.

Now, I know that I have said this before in previous updates, but I cannot repeat it enough:  common sense would dictate that one does not hire the individual brought into the system by the individual that your system just fired.  There are too many volatile elements in taking such actions, but again, remember the second statement I made in this update.  So, despite statements that they would be more cautious and pragmatic in their hiring approach, the system handed the position to the devil that they knew best they could pay less.  Here’s the thing about the position:  it was advertised with a pay range of $30,000 - $70,000.  Now, I know that $70,000 isn’t much for an IT position, but I would think that it would still be enough to pique the interest of the candidate that helped designed the single most important piece of software in the system (the administration claimed that the candidate’s requested pay rate was too high).  So, because the system, which I am well aware of their financial woes, was too cheap to offer a decent pay rate for a position in a highly competitive field, they hired the intern with no library experience and no graduate-level college degree a position that will at the minimum pay him $10,000+ more than me.

But, this is not about me, this is about my companion who learned this week that he was being transferred into another department and would be receiving a pay rate decrease because the system no longer felt he warranted his pay rate because he spent much of his shift working courier, a position that pays the minimum rate the system pays.  Of course, he was only running courier because (1) the system never hired an individual to replace the courier that left in the summer and (2) they asked him to work that position knowing that his loyalties would not permit him to say no.  Now, the system line for explaining this decision was that it was based on the system’s ever-tightening budget and that reducing his pay would help alleviate the some of the strain, but how does that explain the fact that the person replacing him in IT—my other companion who worked in Reference—will receive a pay increase?  Anyway, that is the system’s official line, but the “unofficial line” revolves around my companion’s inability to learn new skills and fulfill his job responsibilities, which (and the irony is clearly lost on the administration) is the result of the fact that he is filling in for a position that was never replaced or will ever be replaced.  To which I shout:  BULLSH-T!  All of this is suddenly going down as the result of a series of actions that occurred nearly four months ago and has only now been given the legs to go forward.  The system’s new IT director just suddenly realized that my companion was not capable of able to fulfill his responsibilities in IT, really?  And yet, according to my supervisor (via the administration’s “unofficial” line), this is an issue that has been festering since prior to the hiring of incompetent bloke that was hired seven months ago and subsequently terminated four months ago.

I find the logic behind this statement to be rather befuddling because if the issue was primarily my companion’s inability to quickly adapt and learn new job responsibilities, then would it not stand to reason that the most logical response would be to remove his non-job related responsibilities and permit him the opportunity to actually try and learn.  Does this not speak more to the inability of his supervisor rather than him that the supervisor is unable to learn how to work with his limited resources?  Quite frankly, I am running around in circles and banging my head up against a brick wall trying to contemplate why such incompetence is not only permitted but promoted.  And this does not even go into the whole issue of my Reference companion deciding to throw loyalty aside and going along with these actions.

After I learned of this news, I had a long and drawn out “think session” and I came to the conclusion that regardless of how ridiculously naïve it may be to others, I would never screw over someone I considered to be a friend and while friends will come and friends will go; my conscious and loyalty will always remain with me.

1.200: Shite Book Review #3

Now that I have gotten my days corrected.

Batman: The Killing Joke (The Deluxe Edition)
Alan Moore, Brian Bolland

I’m beginning to think that the writing of Alan Moore and I are simply not meant to coexist because (1) I did not care much for Watchmen and (2) I found The Killing Joke to be rather lacking.  Perhaps, the latter could be contributed to the book’s reputation as the definitive Batman/Joker story or the greatest Batman story, period.  Personally, I’m fond of Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns, but that is another subject all its own.  Look, I understand The Killing Joke’s significance in the Batman mythology, but in my opinion; the story fell short and its ending was less than enjoyable for a person that loathes such blatant ambiguity at the conclusion of stories.  In my opinion, utilizing such an abrupt and vague ending signifies to me that the writer was either too lazy or simply could not be bothered to create a conclusion.

Of course, not all was bad—I did enjoy the “origin” story of the Joker and the artwork was appealing and I finally read the infamous tale that ended Barbara Gordon’s “pre-New 52” tenure as Batgirl and started her character on the path toward Oracle.  But, it is my opinion that The Killing Joke was crushed under the weight of its own hype.  Perhaps, had I read this at an earlier date, I may have actually enjoyed it but we will never know.

Goodreads Rating:  2 Stars (Out of 5 Stars)