New Music Tuesday

I received this one as a freebee from Amazon. The band is called Thrice and hails from California. Until I heard this song I had never heard of this band, but so far I do like what I hear. A few weeks back they released the first album of two called The Alchemy Index. Each album will have two discs with each disk having to do with the four natural elements - fire, water, earth and air. Fire and water are represented on the first set and the remaining set will be released around April 2008. I'll definitely be looking into this band as time (and money) allow.

From the album Digital Sea

One Year Later

I was able to spend some time on the phone with Chris the other day. Come next week it will be one year since he's been home. When I spoke to him he was on a bus heading out to some more field training. Only this time they will be living in tents and, as he said, "it's getting freaking cold". He'll be out of touch for about 4 weeks.

His trip home for Christmas may be on hold. It seems he has become quite the marksman and the Army may send him to school for sniper training. That training would start around December 1st and goes for 5 weeks. Even though the training would be at Fort Benning in Georgia he would not be able to make a side trip home. So if this happens the earliest he could make it back would be in February.

It looks like deployment to Iraq is a given. He said it would most likely happen in March and would be a 15 month tour. If he takes this training he would become part of a hunter patrol. That's a 4 man patrol that would go out on their own to an area of insurgent problems, like the laying of IED's, and lie in ambush waiting for them. Ot them for him. Not exactly the job I would be hoping he would get but we'll take it as it comes.

Career Change?

In my so far futile search for gainful employment I'm looking through as many sources I can - newspapers, monster and other online sources, employment agencies - anything that can help in finding the right situation. One of the online sources I have been looking through is Craigs List. You can find just about anything on Craigs List, especially the weirdness that is this world.

In going through employment ads I came upon an ad from this guy. It doesn't seem like a bad deal, advice from someone who has extensive experience in my field for a reasonable consulting cost.

But in doing my due diligence I find out that in addition to being a credit porfessional he is also this guy. (NSFW) I wonder how much he charges for advice on changing my career.

New Music Tuesday (-1)

Neil Young is back at it again. The original grunge guitarist and master of the two chord jam releases a new album tomorrow called Chrome Dreams II. Don't go looking for volume I, it was never released. This collection is typical Neil Young fare, a mix of rock and folk tunes. He even wrote a song about me (Dirty Old Man).

From this album this is Spirit Road (not a great video, more a collection of pics to the music).

Prayers Answered

Last August I posted a request that people pray for Joe. For those of you that have been keeping up the prayers have been answered. Joe is in the process of moving back to the staging area in Kuwait for return to his base in Germany. 15 months done in the heat, sand and fighting that is going on in Iraq. I know this is a great relief for his family, my friends, and all those who know him. He should be home here in the states by Christmas. For good. Can't wait to see him.

Price Wars?

Back here I posted the Amazon was starting to sell mp3 music the was digital rights management (DRM) free for $.89 per song. I wondered what Apple was going to do about this incursion into their territory.

Today Apple answered. In an email from them they are now offering their DRM free catalog for $.99 per song. Competition is good (but this still doesn't mean your getting free music, Joe).

Yes, I am

(Note, this has nothing to do with a Melissa Etheridge album title of the same name because No, I'm not).

But yes, I have been making it to the gym. And I'm keeping track of it here. Don't make fun of my puny weights, I will be getting stronger. And then when I taunt you from a distance you'll know I can back up those taunts with even stronger ones.

And I'm going to try to keep track of everything that goes down my piehole here. I have to do something about this weight issue so Tony will stop calling me "Fatty". And then I can taunt him a second time. Maybe with a good diet I can change some of this fat to muscle (blasphemer, it can't be done). Yeah, yeah.

Don't be worried that I'm talking to myself now.

I called the employment agency today. The guy there told me "The client was still considering about the position but we'll keep looking for other opportunities for you". That's telling me this is a no go. So my experience and skills get me in the door but it seems I keep screwing up the interview. So thats something that needs fixing but since I think they go OK I can't figure what to fix. I wonder if they are running a sale over at personality.com.

Just venting. Sorry.

New Music Tuesday

Lots of older bands and musicians are coming out with new music, or at least new albums, at this time of year. The holidays must be coming up! Joining that list today is R.E.M. with the release of R.E.M. Live. Recorded live in Dublin in 2005 it contains 22 songs spanning their musical career.

From the companion DVD Orange Crush.



Live also has a live album which can be downloaded from their site.

Next week - a Canadian.

Too Soon to Tell

Another interview today. Another waiting period starts. I wonder how long this time. I thought the interview went well, but I thought the last 3 went well and nothing panned out. We shall see. The job seems interesting, in my general area of experience but it will also allow me to expand to other areas. And it will pay what I'm looking for so that's always a plus. Only one more interview set up at this time for next Tuesday. That job would be in New Jersey but that one is seriously good money. Longer commute times but it might be worth it. Both companies, the one today and the one next week, are pretty large companies that everyone would know.

Lifted again. Almost there on a plan. Right now I'm just enjoying it.

I'm sore

I lifted. 'Nuff said (or so I've been told).

Well, Whadya Know

I remembered where the gym was. It's only been n months (where n= none of your business). But after a good friend told me so nicely that I had "let myself go" I figured it was time to get back in. They raised the price of a bottle of water to $1.50. For 100% natural Carolina spring water. I kept the bottle so I can fill it with (relatively) free New York tap water (filtered, of course). I'm not cheap, I'm thrifty.

I did a very light, higher rep workout just to get moving again. I also didn't want to get any debilitating DOMS, although I do expect some soreness. But even at the light weights I can tell I have become pathetically weaker. I'm working on coming up with a plan (I can see the heads shaking - "Yeah, like he'll stick to a plan") but in the meantime I'll keep the higher rep stuff going until I figure it out. The bigger thing will be to make sure I get back in there at least every other day. If you're going to call me out on anything call me on that. I'm not sure if I'm going to log it, it's hard for me to see any value in that. I am going to shoot hard for the consistency in making it to every planned workout.

New Music Tuesday

Annie Lennox became known as the voice and face of Eurythmics in the early 80's. She posseses a very distinctive voice and a great stage presence which really drew fans to the band. She's been releasing solo work since the early 90's and alltold, she has sold over 80 million albums throughtout her career. She has a new album released a few weeks back titled Songs of Mass Destruction. The first single from the album is Dark Road.

New Music Tuesday

The Boss is back! Bruce Springsteen's new album, Magic, is being released today. And once again he is back playing with the E Street Band, the band he became famous with. I wasn't a real fan back in the early days, not until a friend had tickets to a show at MSG in support of The River album. "Once you see him you'll change your mind" he said. And he was right. They blew the rook off the place that night and I've been hooked ever since. Yeah, he's had a few bombs over ther years (don't they all) but he's always at his best when playing with the E Street boys. From what I have sampled this one sounds pretty good, good straight up rock n roll.

Radio Nowhere, from the album.

Reasons to be Cheerful

Ah, those Mets. They can break your heart. After 45 years you think I would be used to this. Oh well, next year.

The employment agency called me. No, not good news. They wanted to get the names and contact information of the people I met so they can find out what is going on. They spoke to the people at the local office and the position has still not been filled. In fact the people here in NY don't seem to have any idea what is going on.

And to me that's the weirdest part. I went through all their processes - interviews and testing - with no issues. There is no doubt I have the experience for the job. Maybe too much experience but I think the job they had required that kind of experience. From the data and metrics they quoted me their credit department in NY was in a shambles. And my experience, I felt, would allow me to turn the department around in short order, something someone with lesser time spent would not be able to do. I'm not bragging but I have 21 years spent with companies at the top of their industries and I was near the top of the management team. I couldn't have done that without knowing my job.

While some may think this would be a step down the allure of the job to me was that chance to make the difference, to turn that department around. I thought it would be a good showcase for my abilities, which could have lead to other opportunities. I could have made them a lot of money.

The strange part is that they have gone so silent. Up until the Chicago meeting everything seemed fine, there was interest from both parties about getting this job filled. I thought I answered all their questions properly, was polite and well-mannered. I thought I was able to show them I could do this job. But since that meeting there's been nothing. No responses to voice mails or emails from either myself or the agency. So there's something between that meeting and now that I don't know about that caused them to drop off the face of the earth. It's somewhat frustrating not knowing.

I'll let the agency see if they can come up with some reason for this reaction. I'd just like to know so I can learn from what must be an apparent mistake. But I'll let them handle it from here on, I don't want to spend too much time on a lost cause.