bipolarbearcub

I've moved

2006-01-06T08:38:00.000-08:00

I'm no longer here. I'm now over... here.

Happy ho, ho, ho.

2005-12-23T10:31:00.000-08:00

Happy holidays, everyone. I'm off to visit the 'rents

where i've been...

2005-12-16T09:40:00.000-08:00

Okay, so, like, I've been busy, all right?

The lovely Fredo is giving me some space on his website, and I have the design ready to go, but I don't quite have the appropriate software to put it up.

But I'm working on that.

I've also got a design ready to go for the uberfabulous D, and I have to say that I am glad my design mojo is back. I've created two designs that I don't feel insecure about.

Now, can my writing mojo be far behind? Let's hope so.

Aside from some design work, it seems like almost every evening is jam packed full of things to do. Last night was the first one in a while where I didn't really do a lot (but I got the cat litter done, so I guess I can say that was a success).

The weather is cold, the Shel needs a vacation somewhere warm, the cats are well, and it's almost xmas. It's been a crazy year, but I'm hoping that 2006 will be bringing me more of the good stuff that I've been seeing this year.

I'm going to go try to thaw myself. Stay cool, kids.

CBC News: Don't call 911 for directions or weather reports, police chastise

2005-12-07T10:22:00.000-08:00

See, now, for those of you who are used to my occasional rants about how dumb Americans can be...

Canadians can be just as stupid.

moving!!!!

2005-11-24T18:55:00.000-08:00

I'm moving off blogspot soon. stay tuned.

just because you can't have it on time...

2005-11-23T12:54:00.000-08:00

stop wishing me a happy thanksgiving. we've had ours already!

*eesh* amercians!

Hrm.

2005-11-22T15:51:00.000-08:00

I missed you more than I knew I did.

Maybe I should be so isolated anymore.

2005-11-22T10:18:00.000-08:00

I hate it when someone is eating when they call in to speak to me at work. My ear feels violated, and I want to wash it out with bleach. Eww.

But for those few of you who actually read this probably already know about how lack of telephone ettiquite pisses me off. Noisy chewing, heavy breathers, poor attitude (it still mystifies me how people think being rude to me is going to achieve anything...), calling up and not having the information you called to speak to me about in front of you... it goes on, and on, and on.

It makes me glad that my work duties don't solely revolve around the telephone. I can sit here for tens of minutes sometimes without a call!

But, as they say, busy busy busy...

But enough about me. What's up with you?

100 Greatest Books in Canadian History

2005-11-18T13:44:00.000-08:00

the Literary Review of Canada just published it's list of Canada's 100 Most Important Books.

I've read 3. I don't think I'm allowed to gloat about how much I read any more.

at least they gave me a flack jacket and a helmet..

2005-11-15T10:31:00.000-08:00

I suppose with the new job that there shall be the need for some new terminology to be coined.

I'm working now for a technology company that makes some really neat shit, and we'll call them Gizmo, Inc. And let me tell you, it is some super cool, super neat shit that they do - some very cutting edge stuff, and some days I get so excited to be here that I need to go home and take a cold shower.

I kid you not. This job KICKS all of the ass.

You'll note I'm not being specific about what Gizmo Inc makes. If I'm going to get anywhere on this planet, I need to draw a line in the sand about what I'm going to talk about, and what I'm not. And that, kids, is one of them.

I'm unsure about talking about my coworkers on here; so far they are all pretty good people - friendly, caring, willing to help me out when I'm confused (which is often). My team is pretty small - to date, I only have two co-workers, and two more will be coming on board (hopefully) before the new year. I think I'll hold off about any coworker bitching - mostly because I really don't have anything to bitch about.

Now, the callers, that's another story. I'm sure I can find the time to share a few sterilized anecdotes here and there. Because some days they make you laugh, and others make you want to tear your hair out. And if I couldn't share that, what fun would that be? Hmmm?

Today will be a wierd day - half of a particular deparment is out sick, and we're going to have to take their calls. Why? Because they are so far behind already that they can only do one of two things: take calls about thier work, or do thier work. I'm already hiding behind my desk, my toque pulled over my ears, ready for the barrage. Any whimpering you hear will be me, asking for my mommy, cuz I know nothing about what the other departments do yet. I barely know what mine does!

a month behind on things...

2005-11-13T22:17:00.000-08:00

goodbye.

i could say a hundred different things, but having found out a month after the fact (what kind of friend am I, don't I feel like hell now), i think i will light a candle and reflect on a lot of things, including the good person Todd was, and what he meant to me.

goodbye, and we'll see you again.

Gomery Inquiry | canada.com Network

2005-11-03T10:57:00.000-08:00

What irritates me about this story is that Harper keeps accusing Layton of waffling, and yet two days ago he wanted the government pulled down immediately, and yesterday he wanted to wait until after the holidays?

But what else do you expect from a pasty faced marionette that has LOST voter support, even when the party he is supposed to bring down from power is facing the largest scandal in Canadian history?

Weak, Harper, very weak.

one step closer to heaven with robbie

2005-10-24T21:10:00.000-07:00

i am one step closer to heaven. (SO NOT EVER WORK SAFE!)

calgary transit is ASS.

2005-10-24T17:47:00.000-07:00

I've had it. Up to here.

(insert visual of shel and his hand as high over his head as he can reach)

calgary transit sucks furry goat nuts. it is completely incapable of dealing with rush hour at all. i hate having to wait one, two, three trains before I can actually squeeze on. And this lack of personal space is quite annoying.

bastards.

mmmm. el robbie.

2005-10-18T17:15:00.000-07:00

I will love you.

I forgot until now that it is International Robbie Williams Day. Harken!

Love his new album. Love him. I command you to do so.

oy, vey. the training!

2005-10-06T18:56:00.000-07:00

Day 4, new job. Too mentally drained by the end of the day to notify the lone two people who read my site.

or is it three by now?

The new job seems great! There's so much I can say... and so much I can't. But it's tech related, and they have lots of fun toys there! The people seem pretty awesome, and I have a THREE walled cubicle, which i haven't had, like ever.

just like the jeffersons, i'm movin' on up.

2005-09-29T18:42:00.000-07:00

Danish Air Force admits to killing Rudolph, pays damages to Santa.

Seriously.

countdown

2005-09-25T18:17:00.000-07:00

five more days of old job! then new job!

signs you grew up in a small town somewhere in saskatchewan:

2005-09-24T18:38:00.000-07:00

albertans give you blank stares when you call a hoodie a 'bunnyhug'.

(it's a robbie williams fest tonight, i found his new single. after i'm done listening to it a few dozen times, i am going to indulge in self love while looking at his pictures on the internet.)

i'm gonna get a band

2005-09-23T18:06:00.000-07:00

and name it vanilla fist.

Go North, Young Man!

2005-09-21T16:13:00.000-07:00

The Canadian Tourism Commission is trying to lure American GLBT tourists to visit. Check it out.

sets countdown clock

2005-09-20T08:35:00.000-07:00

days left at job: 7.75

crankyassed mofo morning

2005-09-20T06:28:00.000-07:00

On a day like today, it's just better to start me off with a nicotine and caffiene IV drip.

idiot customer file, #1

2005-09-19T10:40:00.000-07:00

customer calls in. gets upset at me, because she doesn't know how to change a light bulb, threatens to move out. i ended up hanging up on her.

idiot.

yeah, like I can resist this...

2005-09-17T17:50:00.000-07:00

eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

2nd interview turns into new job!

2005-09-17T13:17:00.000-07:00

Yes, folks, I received a job offer yesterday that I accepted - the paperwork will arrive first thing Monday morning. Work knows that I've accepted, and now I'm leaving them a bit screwed, to be honest, as I fulfil a particular duty that is onerous and yet requires some skill with Excel and the ability to dissect spreadsheets for errors (tens of thousands of lines a day...).

I should feel bad, but I won't. Why? Because I got no particular benefit from performing that duty, no extra wages, no increase in status. This would typically be handled by senior staff who already had those extra considerations in place, but at a year and 3 months, I am senior staff, and frankly, it's not worth it.

When I started, the most senior staff had been there five years. In the time I have been here, there has been a swarm of senior staff and junior staff leaving for other departments, temps galore, and the core of part time university students finding full time post grad career jobs. The calls have become increasingly more hostile, and dealing with situations where the only answer is: I don't know. I can't help you. What kind of customer service is that?

A company dedicated to customer service invests in it's reps. A half hour lunch in an 8 hour shift with zero rest times is not a solid investment. I sit at my desk from 7 to noon (but not really - any chance to escape the phones or the desk, and I take it). I get yelled at. I abuse spreadsheets and torture them to an inch of thier lives. Where's the incentive to stay? Being broke all the time? My once a month meagre paycheque?

And so... I move on. One step up, another step forward, leaving the pit my life was in a bit further behind.

OFFER!

2005-09-15T16:03:00.000-07:00

I got an offer today. more details to follow.

2nd 2nd Interview.

2005-09-13T12:20:00.000-07:00

I think I did well. Really really well.

But I don't want to jinx it, ya know?

one down, one to go...

2005-09-12T19:34:00.000-07:00

the interview last week went well. too well, perhaps. is it wrong to be pessimistic when things go well? cuz usually when I think things went bad, i am wrong.

one more 2nd interview tomorrow. this one is doing reseller support for a company that makes an interactive technology for educational institutions and other types of institutions (even sports networks use it).

wish me luck.

t minus 1 hour, 9 minutes

2005-09-09T10:12:00.000-07:00

I have a 2nd interview for a position with an oil and gas software company today. wish me luck!

(first remote email post. this better work!)

comments, blah

2005-09-08T15:35:00.000-07:00

I was all excited over my first comments. boo comment spam.

oh, just in case you were wondering

2005-09-07T17:24:00.000-07:00

this is who i was. i'm not that person anymore, life has changed me too much. nor do i ever to expect to attain whatever it was I was back then.

but it's sorta nice to be back. if anyone misses me, that is. :D

keeping the bipolar at bay

2005-09-07T17:12:00.000-07:00

The blog name isn't randomly picked. I suffer from Type 2 Bipolar Disorder.

Medication is always the first step, because this is primarily a neurochemical disorder, however, all the literature I've seen mentions that therapy in addition to medication is more successful in preventing relapses. As the periods between my hypomanic stages grow, I feel more functional, but there are times when it's not so easy to get caught up in the mania. So to speak.

Last night, on my Google desktop sidebar (there's a nifty freebie), it mentioned a new study about social rhythm therapy and how it is more effective at keeping these relapses from recurring. It seems to make sense, however, for someone who is disorganized as I, getting routine going, well, seems rather intimidating.

But it's probably worth looking in to. I drive myself crazy by telling myself this, but one step at a time. One step at a time.

File under V, for Very Strange

2005-08-31T16:09:00.000-07:00

I thought I had heard it all, until I saw someone on WorldLeatherMen.com with a Parka fetish.

Words fail me.

2005-08-29T19:56:00.000-07:00

testing pics!

text

2005-08-29T18:47:00.000-07:00

text test!