"OK Grover"

Let's try this again after losing the post the first time.

All of the 5 1/4" disks are gone. Another day of cleaning done, and I'm done for the week. Only 5 garbage bags today. Not bad. My co-draftswoman was taking pictures of me in action to have a record of the guy who did the cleaning of the office in 2005. I guess I don't really care for crap laying around the office. I'm just tired of old software that requires DOS 2.0 to run or even a previous version of AutoCAD that is out of date.

I feel bad for our surveyor, only been working for the city for year and a half, when he comes back from Vegas (well maybe I don't feel bad as were hoping he wins the millions and won't have top return). I think he'll get the blame for what our outside crews are doing. Two management were forced to go out and survey in the rain and mud to fix an error.

I'm tired of office politics. I almost went home and wrote my resignation letter after going to lunch half an hour late cause of co-workers discussing that our office, along with all others in city hall, need to sit down and work out the issues in the office and outside. We just need to put our personal issues aside and work together. I also feel held back when people say that they used to do it this way when they had to draft by hand or survey using only chains and levels (sorry for the technical jargon). I'm a person who likes to move forward. I just feel underused.

Marsha thinks I tend to look like Grover when I make an expression. I don't see it. First of all I'm not blue, I can be blue sometimes but not in colour. Although I used to continuously use the phrase "near............far"

Two Scots and an Irishman Walk into a Bar

I've been busy at work cleaning house. I can't remember the last time I cleaned so much, but it's about time. We are getting new carpets in City Hall, so this would require us to clean up the office so the movers can move all the stuff out of the office. We are also rearranging the office at the same time. We've been packed in with the hiring of two new staff and the fact that our temp was still with us till last week. I've been cleaning out drawer after drawer and it's been a mess. It's almost like organization has been put to the bottom of the list of things to do for years. I've recycled 5 bags of paper of old copies of plans that are now out of date and are useless.

I had at least one funny instance happen while cleaning. My boss gave me the ok to dispose of a couple of plan profiles that are no longer being used, thought this was a step forward, till he told me to save the one so that it could be turned back into linen. After he left the room, I quickly chucked the roll as I knew it would never get done and if we ever needed rags, I'm sure would could find some. We can only imaging my boss at home holding rolls of old copies of plans rocking himself to sleep saying "You're safe with me now, he won't be throwing you out."

My frustration peaked when it came to 3 1/4" and 5 1/4" disks and my boss insisted that we save them and go through them to make sure there is no important information, OK I understand the 3 1/4" seeing that some computer still have dick drives, but I can't remember when I last saw a computer with a 5 1/4" drive that worked. I was about to send one 5 1/4" through the office shredder to see if they could be destroyed when I was caught in the act. I'm sure if my boss had the time HE would be going through them to. I actually thought of keeping them around for him to go through, but I'm sure it'll end up like plans being checked, they'll never get done.

We have tons of crap in that office. Old programs, plans, copies and copies of outdated plans. I did find a letter in a drawer that I had to stop and read from a Mr. Bill Gates, a computer programmer, to the mayor of the time. The letter detailed the specifics of a program that the city spent tons of money on, over four years of developing and only to see it never leave the ground, and that some day the light at the end of the tunnel might be near and the program to run. That day is still to come.

I'm sure that in short time I'll be the employee my boss will be blaming for filing something somewhere, probably in a logical place or possible under "G" for garbage, and that he can't find it. I like how the other day he deliberately pulled a plan from on top of a cabinet to prove that he still uses some of this stuff. It was funny to see the layer of dust and dust trail that was left behind by this plan, proving it hadn't been moved in over 25 years. I really got to get out of that place.

I had the privilege to do lights for John McDermott after calling me on short notice. He is an Irish Tenor, pretty good and apparently sings the National Anthem for the leafs occasionally (thanks Kevin for the leafs trivia). Now I checked out his tour dates and was shocked to see that he didn't put Moose Jaw on it. The tickets were pricey, a fundraiser but I brought Marsha along to be my side kick (wow a date and I got paid for it, you don't get that very often) Anyways, a good show. I also did the Alexander Brothers, two Scots. I did their show last year for a fundraiser for a church here in town. They often are on cruise ships or on tours of Canada. Tom, who is pretty deaf, plays the accordion and Jack sings and plays a little piano. I'm pretty sure these guys were cut before they even got to the stage, needless to say that Jack stepped off stage and I'm sure took a couple swigs before returning.

Marsha is at work tonight so I took the night off to sit back and relax. I think I'll hit the sack early tonight, that meaning before midnight.

No Thanksgiving For You

So it looks like the Jago's aren't having a Thanksgiving dinner. Due to a lack of a kitchen and only three of us in town, we opted to not have a thanksgiving dinner. We are thinking of celebrating an American Thanksgiving. Mom and dad are out at the lake having burgers and canning tomatoes. Marsha is working a four hour shift and I will be picking her up in a short time to go to her aunts for a delayed dinner. They invited us then Marsha accepted a shift since she hasn't worked in a while.

Renovations are going well. I'm now in the mudding and taping stage of drywall, second coat. The kitchen is finally taking shape.

Happy Birthday mom. We celebrated mom's birthday at a table in the new great room yesterday. We finally got the feel of the openness of the room. Happy birthday also goes out to Evan, Marsha's youngest brother, who also celebrated it yesterday.

Here's Gordo

So here's a picture of dad. I think he looks younger, definitely different. There were three teachers that shaved their heads and moustache including one female, for a whopping $2800 for Terry Fox foundation. Way to go dad.

Showing Off some of Saskatchewan's Beauty

Last night Marsha's friends from Victoria wanted to go to the lake for supper and a fire. We had fun listening to some of my dad's old albums and playing a little Trivial Pursuit Pop Culture 2. Fun evening and got to show the girls that Sask isn't all that boring. We lounged around this morning till afternoon and again read some more Trivial Pursuit questions around the fireplace. Tonight we went to Regina to meet Shane & Amanda for supper and for the girls to go out dancing. After the lovely meal, Shane and I decided to come back to MJ to catch half of the Sask - BC game. Sask had a good game with many QB sacks and some good plays. All and all a good time. Shane has left and I'm waiting for the girls to arrive to make sure all is well.

I've got some drywall back on the walls at home and hope to have it all closed up tomorrow afternoon. Next week will hopefully be filled with mudding and taping so the ceiling guy can come in and finish the ceiling. Haven't heard the status on the cabinets but not really worried since I'm not really ready for them anyways.

Been debating career choice this week. I've got a few calls for some carpentry work to be done. It would also allow for me to get the jobs that need to be done for myself. The idea excites me, but leaving a steady income is kind of scary.

A picture of dad will be posted, as soon as I take on. I think he looks younger.