Inconsequential ramblings of a member of both the San Diego and New Orleans diaspora. Also, a site named after my dog.
we all can't wait to hear it...
... I miss you both...
posted by sydmatt @ 1:39 PM
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Well, to start things out on a bum note, as of yesterday, I have been officially "downsized" from my company... As I posted earlier, it's a dubious business to get into in the first place, but you know what? Having gone through four positions in as many years, all without cause (and all saying, to one degree or another, "It's just the nature of the business," "it's nothing personal," "we'd love to keep you on, but...<"Insert bullshit here"> et.al.... it stings, and it honestly stings just a little bit more each time it happens...). I do intellectually know that it is indeed nothing personal... but that too wears a little thin.. it's one of those lexicons that is ingrained into any willing or unwilling member of the american psyche; From Sonny Corrlone/Tony Soprano/Tommy DeVito using it on a hapless victim to Donald Trump/Gordon Gekko/Karl Rove using it to justify the bottom line by thoroughly reaming and destroying those who stand in their way.. all of it in the name of "good business."Yeah, it's not personal, from the business' perspective, but it is for me, goddammit!.
By that logic, though, one would have to believe that a business is in and of itself to be a person to have either personal or impersonal perspective...
If you do, well ....(*edited by author*)...I'm pissed at all 'yall right now... come back in a few days when I have my shit together and we'll have a little discussion....
For all of you who don't however... thanks for being a real human being... you are who I am addressing right now...
Also happening this week... We had a real wicked little wind storm on Sunday, knocking out power to about ½ of Ohio's power... ours included... Fortunately, despite the power company's assertions that our power wouldn't be restored until next Sunday, we came home last night to beautiful 110 VAC service... It does sadly speak to our reliance on modern conveniences... though I think (we would have been alright... having said that, once the shelves are re-stocked w/ camping stoves, D-batteries, etc... I'm so stocking up...
This summer.... Well, it's been a busy one... consequently, I've had little time to keep up on my MySpace/Facebook/Blog duties, so sorry about that...I haven't really kept all of y'all up to date... I have been thinking about each and every one of you though, and all of you have a very special place in my heart...
First of all, I have a brand-new obsession: Bicycling!!!
For the past 2½ months or so, I've decided to take the leap and start cycle-commuting to work... It (was) about 8 miles each way, every day (that's 80 miles a week, folks... for some, not a big deal... for me though,... HUGE!). I've invested in a brand new steed (a Raleigh Detour 3.0 24-speed hybrid with 700cm tyres, full shock absorption, pedal-clips, racks, etc) as well as a full compliment of clothing, safety-stuff, accessories, and the like... 
I've always liked bicycling, but circumstances being what they are (what with gas prices, environmental concerns) coupled with both Jenny's job moving to the east side of town (she used to work downtown, not 2 miles from my job) and the example/encouragement/advice of my friend Amanda (this is her and her b/f's blog... she's a super "stud-ette"). I'm really diggin' it... Thanks, girl!...
Also, I have cultivated (as promised) a really big-assed garden this year, though results were mixed...
On the upside, I'd planted no fewer that 4 different varieties of tomatoes(9 plants total; Early-girl, Beefsteak, Roma, and Celebrity), all of which flourished... (the Romas and the Celebrities, in particular did GREAT!). Also, my herbs did phenomenally well (with the exception of my Caraway, which succumbed to insect attack). My list:
On the downside, I'd also planted 3 different types of cucumbers and some yellow crookneck squash... The 'cukes died early on, I think mostly due to the abnormal weather this year (i.e. April and May switched), and because I planted them in too hot of a location...
My squash, however, were viciously attacked by what I believe is known as a "Squash Bug" (or more accurately, millions of them!.. Creepiest little bastards EVER!!!). We were having a pretty good crop until about mid-July, when the little fuckers descended upon my rows and within a few days, laid thousands of eggs on the leaves of my six or so plants... I scraped and sprayed (with an organic pesticide,... I thought I'd got them all), but within about 3 weeks, the little fuck-tards killed every single leaf, stem, fruit and root...
All-in-all, it was a learning experience type of garden this year... I know next year will be even better!
Also, I took a little vacation up to the boundary Waters territory of Minnesota for a 6 day canoe excursion... We totally lived off the land man... fishing, camping the whole bit... We paddled through/portaged over about 40 miles of virgin wilderness, all-in-all maybe hearing only about 2 sea-planes worth of motor vehicles the whole friggin' time!. I even saw several bald eagles swooping down on and feasting upon some recently gutted fish (which I had only 15 minutes earlier laid my hands on!)... truly exciting!
Unfortunately, I was unable to join the Rausch family on their yearly white water rafting trip in West Virginia, on account of me nearly slicing the tip of my finger off of the middle finger of my left hand... I had to get 6 stitches that night... though I probably could have gone, the idea of me keeping that kind of wound clean in a camping/rafting environment (not to mention that it's a pretty important guitar fretting finger) forced me to cancel my plans the following day... I know... there's always next year, but MAN!!!! What great timing, huh?!?!
Anyway, I guess that about wraps it up.
Thanks to each and every one of you on all of my Myspace/facebook/email/blog lists... It is truly you who I am talking to, and I know
that you all care for me just as much as I care for you... Please write/call/whatever... I'd really love to hear from each and every one of you.....
=D
-m
posted by sydmatt @ 4:32 PM
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University of New Orleans Grad; history degree;European cultural/military history. Orgin: Chula Vista, Ca. (but being a Navy B.R.A.T., I have lived in every time zone). Wife (Jenny) Dog (for whom this blog is named) & 2 cats. I spend most of my hours reading and happily spending time with Jen, but often I am in the garage messing around with my VW bus.
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