Today I miss those heady days when I had a sufficient reserve that I knew I could quit and find a new job if things got too stupid around here.
No, I’m not in trouble or anything.
I’m just losing all interest in working for a company that doesn’t give a shit about it’s employees below the level of managers – managers who are more interested in carving out their own territory than in getting the job done. I’m tired of watching good people get screwed by office politics, knowing it’s gonna be me if I ever get above peon level. I’m sick of doing shit work that adds no value to anything instead of creating solutions. I’ve had it with maintaining bogus legacy code that should be shot and left for the vultures. It’s high time I got out of BigHugeCo. But again, that fear of change sets in. Plus that fear of never again working somewhere that will pay for college. Speaking of which, UMUC looks interesting.
~~~
In positive news, Mycroft, my home PC, has now been up for two and a half days without crashing since I installed a stock Debian kernel. Maybe it was just my home-compiled kernel that was causing freeze-ups ::fingers crossed::.
~~~
I hate doing taxes. Besides the humiliation of being forced to assist an embezzler (the IRS) to steal the correct amount from me, it’s just incredibly tedious and frustrating, especially when your paperwork is just the slightest bit non-vanilla. But ever since getting fleeced for over $300 by H&R Block, I refuse to hire someone else to do it. What’s the point of getting a better a refund if the difference goes to your tax preparer?
Could you stay with your present employer long enough to get through college and then … well, or is that too long?
I am prepared to get a job and help hold down the home while you attend classes. I am capable of shifting into over-drive and pulling more than my weight to help you! Willing to do it, too!
I hate to see you frustrated.
I am fortunate enough to have a very simple tax situation, so it doesn’t even cross my mind to ask a preparer to do it for me, but it boggles my mind when I hear co-workers who are single, childless and renting apartments say they spent $75 to have *their* taxes done.
Maybe I should get the certificate that says I can do that too..what a racket…either that or working as an embalmer. Death and Taxes, no better job security….
Mycroft, my home PC
I love MiaHM! “Friday” was the first Heinlein I ever read, and its my favorite. In fact, Robert Heinlein is my favorite author. Its just very compelling to me that you name your computer after Mike. Now I definitely want to know you more!
I don’t know if you recall, but the first time I ever commented to you it was on the subject of Heinlein. I don’t recall the context.
Mycroft, the computer in my basement, is named after both Mike of Mistress, and after his namesake Mycroft Holmes, Sherlock’s smarter but more sedentary brother. Doyle is another of my favorite authors.
It’s always exciting to meet people for whom Heinlein occupies a special place in their hearts, rather than just being “one of the golden age pulp sci-fi writers”. The grandmaster has probably been more influential on my thinking than any other writer, not so much in specifics as in his overall outlook on humanity. His ideal of the human as infinitely resourceful, endlessly curious, self-reliant, and loving freely and generously has inspired my own romantic view of human potential.
I’ve been reading Heinlein ever since my dad brought home “The Star Beast” from the library, saying “here, I think you’ll like this author”. I haven’t read all of his works yet, but I’m working on it. I couldn’t say what my favorite is. I don’t really have a particular favorite era as some fans do. I get as much pleasure out of his early juveniles as I do out of his later material where he seems to be using the story more as a backdrop to hash out various ideas. Although come to think of it, “Tunnel in the Sky” does stand out in my memory, as well as a few of the other juveniles. One of the very special things about RAH was that he portrayed kids as being competent and strong in a pinch, something that’s all too rare in fiction these days. Or in reality, for that matter.
I don’t know if you recall, but the first time I ever commented to you it was on the subject of Heinlein. I don’t recall the context.
*am very ashamed to admit I do not…*
Heinlein (and specifically, “Friday”) is how my husband introduced me to the idea of Polyamory. And its because of his later works, and his destruction of most sexual mores I’ve held all my life, that I am say I’m not dreading the “Sex Talk with the Daughter”. I enjoy sex, I enjoy having sex with other people, male and female, and not just hubby.
But sex aside, he had some other really interesting points. I loved the idea that only people who served their country could be citizens. I haven’t, but it makes sense. Tunnel In the Sky made point of our backgrounds, and the basic ideas needed for a community.
Check out “Take Back Your Government” sometime. Most of the stuff is out-of-date, but a good portion of it is just building blocks for other ideas. It took Heinlein to get me to vote, because he shamed me into the process.
Sorry, I could talk about Heinlein all day…
Sorry, I could talk about Heinlein all day
Sounds like you and me could enjoyably kill a day together š
Heinlein’s ideas about love and sex always felt *right* to me, although it was difficult to explain to others without sounding like nothing more than a horndog. There’s a statement in Glory Road that always stuck with me – something about the earth being the only planet in the galaxy on which something which everyone has an endless supply of, sex, is sold as a commodity. Loveless promiscuity doesn’t appeal to me at all, but I tend to love a lot of people, and want to be affectionate with the people I love. I always felt hurt by the idea that I had to withhold my affection, something I had in abundance, from all but one. And to me there isn’t an obvious line between what is “friendly” and what is “romantic” – I just want to love on the people I care for, some to a greater degree and some to a lesser degree. “Stranger”, of course is the work that everyone refers to when polyamory comes up, but I think I found other books like “To Sail Beyond the Sunset” equally thought-provoking. I can’t say that I wouldn’t have felt the same without Heinlein, but it was reassuring to come upon someone who expressed the things I felt so well.
Say Wha???
Haven’t read Heinlein at all, but now that you threw in the word sex……
sounds quite interesting actually.
If only I could muster the willpower to focus on reading a whole book….willpower and Stackers……
Re: Say Wha???
If only I could muster the willpower to focus on reading a whole book….willpower and Stackers……
No worries my friend. You’re not in that boat alone. I started Heinlein’s _Stranger…_ many many moons ago and am only halfway through it (still).
OTOH, I am almost completely done reading _Settings of Silver, An Introduction to Judaism_ by Stephen Wylen. Three chapters left and probably not a soul reading this who’d be interested to hear about it.
Anyway, love & hugs! … bi!
Start your own company. Call it Elementary Software. Hire me.
What a hilarious way of putting it…being robbed by someone who asks you to count the correct amount. Now I know why tax time sucks the bamboo beam.