Antidote for Aggravation

OK....I've been watching the coverage of the Japan Disaster on ABC News against my better judgement. 
~

I actually like David Muir and Martha Radatz.... both former Boston protoges, but Diane Sawyer officially makes my teeth hurt.   Her feigned compassion and efforts to compell emotional response.... just tell us the freaking news, Diane.   It's not about how bad you feel, it's about what's happening to them.
~
Gag me with the proverbial spoon.

~
BTW, this is what came up when I googled for an image of Diane Sawyer.  It's most definitely not her, but I'm going with it anyway.
~
 Somehow I feel a lot less aggravated now.

TommyO said...
Hi Jay,
How about some local sports news.


Marblehead 3 vs Pembroke 2


Marblehead wins the D3 East Title and will play at TD Garden for the first time in many years on Sunday at 11:15. Let's bang the place out. This Blog has the power.


TommyO

Fragility of Life

The Japanese have a penchant for photography.   So there is no shortage of tsunami photos.   Such devastation.
~
And since Japan is so advanced technologically, the concern right now is if their nuclear power reactors will be damaged and spew radiation poisoning.
~
The resourcefulness of the Japanese people will ultimately prevail here, after a huge effort and cost. 
~
This is such a graphic example of the fragility of our human existance on the thin geological crust of this moving molten planet

London Loser

You know how I tend to stick my tongue in my cheek and call you Peeps "Losers" from time to time???
~
Well, some geek from London, England took it serious and sought to chastise me  for my arrogance.
~
Seriously.... how can anyone take this Blog serious.  
~
What a Loser.

Disaster Precaution

Now a Nuke is threatening to meltdown in Japan.  As a highly accomplished and competent nation, Japan will deal with this trauma, but it's still very heart rendering to see what is going on there.
~
This type of thing always makes people wonder how they would cope if it hit them at home.   Around Boston, even with stringent building codes, there are a lot of old dwellings that would be hard pressed to withstand an earthquake. 
~
But what worries me more, living near the harbor is the Tsunami.   We are pretty close to sea level here, and that would be a mess.
~
So, just in case, I'm going to unstrap the Herreshoff Columbia Tender on the trailer in the backyard.   That way, at least we can hop in and stay on top of the flow.

Blame for Tsunami

Japan has absorbed a massive earthquake and tsunami this morning.  The entire Pacific Rim, "Ring of Fire" has been behaving badly as this quake follows the recent ones in Chile and New Zealand. 

~

 With network coverage and extensive videos, the effects are readily observable, with the tsunami dramatically moving tons of water and debris on a march inland.

~

The only redeeming value regarding earthquakes is that the Democrats can't blame the Republicans for it.  Unlike the global warming debate, their seems to be no hook to hang the blame on for this.

Naming the Ax

Not to make a big thing out of it, but I got my Epiphone Les Paul Standard Electric Guitar delivered by UPS this week.  After a quick tuning, I was pounding out the Pentatonic Minor Scale in the key of E like it was yesterday.
~
I'm thinking of calling the guitar "Lucille".... but I don't want to piss off BB King.

Done with Sheen

OK, I've been sticking up for Charlie Sheen, but now he's starting to get on my nerves.  For one thing, put out the butt, Charlie.  Smoking is so passe.  Totally uncool.
~
I guess that's the main reason.

Philadelphia Freedom

I appreciate all of the emails and text messages asking how the Philadelphia meeting went today.
~
Really.... I do.
~
And that is said with no hint of sacasm.
~
Not even a little bit.
~
It's all part of the new, kinder, more tolerant me..... Regardless of the annoying, irritating and slightly neurotic attempts by some of you Peeps to track my every move, I've resolved myself to respond with a gentle retort to such inconveniences.
~
No more will I rant that you are freaking losers and need to seriously consider getting a semblance of a life of your own.   No... I now appreciate your freaking, assinine concern.
~
So if you want to know how good we did because you have nothing better to point the aimless direction of
your seemingly pointless life to.... I can simple tell you this....
~
We kicked ASS!  Scored BIGTIME!  Rocked the CASPAR!
~
I'm pretty sure that we nailed this deal.   
~
So we'll show a great deal of attention to the Phillies and the Eagles for the next year or so.

dougmaxfield said...

I'm pretty sure you mean gasbar.

Tuna Lips said...

If ise know my ole amigo Boomer, he was rockin' the azzzzbah, and you know that, you most certainly do. Azzz-bah. Sounds perty, don't it?!

Brian Butler said...

... or Casbah
Clash "Rock the Casbah" lyrics:
http://www.lyricsfreak.com/c/clash/rock+the+casbah_20031941.html

Anonymous said...


Why write a blog, why put yourself out there in the pubic domain, if you are then going to have the arrogance to call anyone who actually reads it a "freaking loser"? Seems like there's only one real loser on this site...

__________________________
Hey Anon.  -
Now that you've given your stiff ass opinion, you are right, there is only one real loser on this site... so keep the hell off.
With Kind Regards,
- John Nestor, aka Master J, Crusher, JJ

Telecom Success Mold

Tomorrow it's down to Philadelphia to profess the virtues of Nanepashemet Telecom to a very promising prospect..   If all goes well, we will crack a nice regional market of one of our biggest current customers.  Business development and capabilities briefings have always been one of my strong points, so I'm never nervous at these activities... but mainly curious as to the magnitude of the opportunity.
~
Since Nanepashemet Telecom is such a strong performer in this field, success usually revolves around the strength and staying power of the customer.  In this high tech, corporately financed environment, companies are constantly hitting the gas pedal, then slamming on the brakes when it comes to capital spending for infrastructure development.    You have to literally be at the right place at the right time, so if we are fortunate enough to have a relationship in place at the beginning of a capital project, we are usually highly successful in the implementation.
~
I'm hoping that the Philadelphia opportunity fits the mold.

FreshAyer and North End

Ryan was in high form, explaining the in's and out's of life at FreshAyer to Gail and Dale.   The day will come when we don't have to make the pilgimage to see him, but until then, his attitude and outlook makes the ordeal highly tolerable, even enjoyable.
~
Afterward, we detoured into the North End and had an early dinner at L'Osteria on Salem Street.  http://www.losteria.com/,
~

Dining Room at L'Osteria

The proprietor pull us in from the street, and the menu looked good, so we gave it a try.  An excellent happenstance as the food was as fine as can be found in one of Boston's North End Italian restaurants.  A stop over at Mike's Pasty  on Hanover Street capped a very satisfying afternoon.

Fresh Start

Heading out for some FreshAyer with Dale and Gail Johnson this morning.  Ryan will be fired up to see them.   Before that though, I hope to finish purging my files and throwing away the irrelevant ones.
~
Finished sorting through my books and clothes yesterday, and a fair amount went to the Book Bin or to the Salvation Army clothes container at the dump.   I can easily now fit my books into the bookcase, and my clothes into my closet.
~
With the essential files neatly filed in the file cabinets, we can easily organize the family room and the last bedroom, and then I can resume the wainscotting and trimwork for this house.  Then we can attack the backyard, which has been transformed into Appalachia during this move.
~
As soon as the weather improves, the deck and tool shed will start.

Alternative to Dumping

We've moved a number of times in my adult life, and everytime, all of the stuff from the old place doesn't fit into the new place.  In the past, we would end up junking stuff and we did a lot of that this time, but I also found an interesting phenomenon.  If I put unwanted furniture or TV sets out on the curb in the morning, they were gone by the afternoon.
~
Saving me the trouble and cost of bringing that stuff to the dump.  Today, before it starts to rain, I'm going to put a chest of drawers out there and see what happens.
~
Feels pretty good that some of my stuff will be of good use to others who need it.

Blues are Back

So I never told you that somebody stole my Epiphone LP Standard Les Paul Collection Electric Guitar, Ebony.  What an Asshole!

~

But I bought a new one.... same model.

~

I know I'm an Irish American White Man, but the Blues can't be denied.  

Guinness for Sheen





Charlie Sheen has been noted as having the "Fastest Time to Reach 1 Million Followers" for a Guinness World Record.  
~
He also holds the record as the  "Highest Paid TV Actor Per Episode -- Current" at $1.25 million.

~

This guy is money.  I predict some serious chewing on crow from CBS Executives before this outburst is over.

Trade Show

There is a lot of pressure on me from industry colleagues to attend the CTIA Wireless Trade Show at the end of this month in Orlando.  
~
When I was with General Dynamics, I would attend regularly and usually got a lot out of it... networking and stuff.   But that was when they picked up the tab.... and there was a bunch of staff to cover for me to be out of pocket for a couple of days.    
~
With Nanepashemet Telecom, none of the above applies.  Plus our focus is almost solely in the Northeast, and the show is national in scope.   So the cost -benefit ratio is a lot higher for Nanepashemet. 
~
It was actually the CTIA that dragged me back into Wireless after I left GD.  When I didn't show up that year, got a lot of contact from people wondering where I was.... and I realized that these relationships could not just be dropped.  I'm glad now that I jumped back in.
~
Maybe I'll show up in Orlando.

TommyO said...


Got to love the Trade Show scene.


I am going to attend the Boston International Seafood Show on 22 MAR. Love this show, lots of samples, cocktails and pretty girls serving up the goods. Oh yeah, not a bad way to meet new prospects and say howdy to our current clients.


TommyO

IPad Lust

New IPad upgrade is out.  Faster, higher resolution, better battery life,  two cameras for video phone, and a rumored chip that will work on GSM, CDMA and UMTS mobile phone networks.
~
I want it.   
~    
Don't need it, but I want it anyway.

Nothing to Say

If you have to think about what you want to Blog, then maybe you shouldn't.
~
Because a Blog should be a flowing,, free wheeling, spontaneous expression.... can't be forced or contrived.  When you can't think of anything to say, then don't say anything.
~
So....
~
I still can't think of anything.  Except the topic of not being able to think of stuff to say.  Maybe I'm topic free because I'm not pissed about anyone.   Even those phony  ABC Good Morning America Spindoctors didn't bother me today.
~
I got a lot of shitty little things done at work and felt pretty satisfied about the day's effort.  And not one Asshole made a run at me for their own Asshole reasons.
~
Have to quit before I say something stupid.  Suffice it to say, that I'm not going to say anything.

Charlie Sheen

Charlie Sheen, the highest paid actor on TV, is really under the spotlight these days.   As someone who enjoys his show, "2 and 1/2 Men", I've been holding back judgement, because it seems on the surface that his behavior is simple life imitating art. 

~

He plays a bad boy on TV and lives a fairly naughty lifestyle in his personal life as well.

~

Up to now, there is no indication that he was anything less than a professional in his business life, and his position at the top of the charts would seem to support this.  His success has seemed to develop an arrogance and a lead with his chin attitude that may be justified, but is doing him wrong.

~
The price of being the largest tree in the forest is that you tend to attract the axmen.  Especially if you boast that you can't be cut down.

Vegging

The day started out snowy and messy this morning, so I resolved to veg out until the weather cleared up, and then I could work on the laundry vent.   Lucky for me that the weather never cleared up, so this was a full bore, no holds barred, lazy bastard, couch potato day.
~
Maybe I got off the couch... to pee or microwave something... but for the most part I was an immovable lump of protoplasm, drifing in and out of slumber while watching aimless cable TV movies.   I did try to get into an auction for an IPad on http://www.quibids.com/, but outside of that, it was the first day in year's when absolutely nothing got done.
~
Felt pretty good about it.

Change in Plans

As is often the case, I didn't get a single thing done that I planned yesterday.... yet I was really happy with what I accomplished.
~
Instead of fitting out the laundry, I ended up finishing all of the base trim on the kitchen center island, and converted the unused kitchen cabinet stock into a nice seven foot long shelf in the living area.   This prompted Joanne and I to hang some of the framed artwork and photos that have been stacked against the walls.
~
Then Jim and Kathy Peabody as well as Reigning 2011 POTY Tommy O and Linda came over for some gourmet macaroni and cheese that Joanne whipped up.   Jim brought a bottle of Glenlivit Single Malt, which is not quite the King of Scotch, Lagavulin, but still was a world class gesture from a guy who never has gotten the taste for the fine Scottish libation.
~
Tommy and Linda brought a nice salad, and along with some pork and other great stuff, we had a fine meal and watched the series finale of Spartacus.   Tommy has a talent for picking out exposed Roman breasts in the Arena Crowd in the panned camera shots, so we let him have his way with the remote for pauses and fast forwards.  Too bad we're stuck waiting until 2012 for the next edition of the epic series, but we'll be there when Spartacus resumes.
~
BTW, the shelf is supposed to be temporary, because it is on the wall that I originally planned to blow out with a slider for the planned deck, but it came out so good that I'm starting to think that the deck might be more appropriate coming off of the existing kitchen entrance.   It would certainly be less expensive and substantially less disruptive, because going through the wall always takes a lot more time than planned.