Kingfisher Cove

Busy Days!

I’m taking a break between cleaning tasks (gah!) and I need a little A/C blowing on me. Today it’s working OK, probably because it’s not having to pump too terribly hard. It’s not an overly warm day, but it’s sunny out, therefore it’s necessary to tamp down the heat streaming in through all these windows. I think I’ve mentioned before that this is pretty much a greenhouse, inclined to be much warmer inside than outside.

So, let’s see. Oh yeah! I had my job interview Friday. I think it went well! I went in very prepared. In a nutshell, it would be the same type of stressful job I’ve always had. With more travel.  o_O  It’s a new job — not a replacement — as the company is growing.

A couple of red flags…

As I was waiting in the reception area, I overheard the receptionist talking on the phone. Her side of the conversation:

“We were all so shocked that they let MaryAnn go. No one said a word about it, there was no announcement, nothing. We’re all shaken up, because, you know, if they can let MaryAnn go, they could certainly let me go!”

{{Gulp.}}

 

Towards the end of the interview, I had a few questions to ask them. (I’ve always heard this is a good thing to do). I asked, “What do you like about working here at [this company]?”

And I was met with silence. In fact, one of the interviewers actually flushed. After some hems and haws, I got a rather lame answer about “opportunity.”

{{Hmmm…}}

 

But hey. In this economy, opportunity is something that absolutely must be seized. And appreciated. And stuff.

At any rate, it’ll be a couple of weeks before I hear if I’m called back for a second interview.

John and I spent Saturday afternoon at a patio get-together/picnic put on and attended by some rather upper management at Da Airplane Company. It was actually very pleasant (as well as probably career-smart for John to attend), and it’s fun for me to now have faces to match with some of the names he mentions to me. It was at a lovely house and I loved their patio! It was huge and simply gorgeous. Complete with rock fountain and a nice stone fire pit (pumped in with propane, which I thought would never appeal to me, but it did).

They even had a pet turkey! (Yes, really!) And she actually had quite a personality. I would have never believed in a million years that a turkey could possibly have a personality. But she came right up to us and “talked.” And strutted. Puffed out her feathers. Talked some more. (Not “gobbled,” just…talked!)

She actually had quite a lot to say to us. Plus? She’s friends with a cat. And some ducks. Oh, and some chickens, too.

Yesterday (Sunday) we drove up to Camano Island to visit my dad. (I’m concerned about him. I just really am). He seemed to feel OK, and his hearing is quite a lot improved after having them “cleared” not too long ago. But he has zero energy. None. Nada. He has more doctors’ appointments this week, but so far no real determination of what all is happening with him. I know it’s complex; he has many health issues.

While we were there, John and my brother went to check out a boat for sale on the island. My brother ended up getting it! It’s a crab-pot-go-getter! A 12’ Livingston with a 25HP Yamaha motor — perfectly utilitarian for checking crab pots or tooling around the bay. We took rides!

(It definitely gets up and goes!)

 

My brother with the wind in his face! (He actually looks a lot like our maternal grandfather who died at the age of 60 — just 10 years older than Dave is. And Dave probably hardly remembers him as he was about only 6 years old when Grandpa died).

 

                                            I think it’s uncanny.

 

Here was John on the beach with the two weenies and the pug waiting for us to come ashore. (That’s Dad’s house in the background).

 

 

But unfortunately, the crab pots sat unused because crabbing is closed on Sundays. I was sooooo bummed. I haven’t had any crab all summer long. That’s unheard of!

Well! I do think I’ve taken a long enough break and it’s time to get back to some cleaning. Oh joy.

~~~~~

del.icio.us Tags: job interview,Camano Island,Livingston,cleaning

A Turning Point in a Godawful Week

First thing’s first: my dad is doing OK. They gave him a blood transfusion — I don’t know much about these, except that they are sometimes necessary and that Jehovah’s Witnesses forbid them. (WTF?) And since his blood transfusion, he is feeling much, much better. (Bad blood? vs. Good Blood? I dunno). I do know that they’ve run a bunch of tests, they’re giving him iron for the anemia — and there is concern about possible internal bleeding, and with his heart. I’m just hoping they can zero in on the multiple issues he has and come up with a good collaborative solution. Outside of a hospital, he has several different specialists as well as his general practitioner, and I have to wonder if they ever talk to each other. Our health care system REALLY NEEDS a national database. (e.g., when I have mammograms at different imaging centers, they have no clue about previous mammograms! Or the fact that I had a biopsy a couple of years ago. Unless I tell them).

At any rate, Dad is due to be released (probably) from the hospital tomorrow. We’d planned to head up to Camano Is. on Sunday some time ago and we’re still planning to do so. It’ll be good to see him.

AND THEN. I took my car into the shop this morning for them to figure out what the hell the issue is with my “check engine” light. I went to a local mechanic in lieu of the dealership, and I was very impressed. One of the guys even dropped me off a few blocks away at a very nifty coffee shop to wait for their diagnosis. (I had the Very Best Latte I’ve Ever Had, Ever!) The result was rather odd and unexpected. They said, “The computer scan indicates a leak in your air system, but since VW New Beetles are notorious for ‘check engine’ light issues, get your emissions test and fail it. Then get the $150 waiver. Bring your car back and we’ll do some minor but necessary repairs that’ll be about $150, take it back to emissions and possibly fail again because that gull derned ‘check engine’ light will likely come back on — but with the waiver and proof you’ve had it checked out, they’ll still allow you to get your tabs.” The thing is, if the shop got down to the nitty gritty of trying to solve the problem, it could cost up to $800 and there would still be no guarantee that the "check engine’ light would go off!! It took me a bit to get my head wrapped around this, but John told me it made total sense. (So thankful to have John!) So, he took my car down this afternoon for the emissions test and you’re not going to believe this. IT PASSED. Turns out the code on the car’s computer is one that is well-known as a manufacturer’s error, and they even said to John, “These VW New Beetles are notorious for their ‘check engine’ light issues.” He even went and got the tabs for me! I’m all set! I’m so happy! I’m so relieved!

And now, as of TODAY, his car has a “check engine” light issue….  Gah!

Also? The temperature has moderated a whole bunch and so it’s actually comfortable in the house today. wOOt! I even have some glass cooking in my kiln.

And yes. I’m rather nervous about tomorrow’s job interview.

~~~~~

Technorati Tags: health,blood transfusion,car repair,emissions

And the Crap Continues…

I don’t remember the last time I had such a lousy week. (Back when I was working, I’m sure, and that’s been a while ago now).

• The A/C in the house is (still) kaput and it is currently 86 deg. inside and climbing. Stifling.
• Even after replacing my car’s air pump (the supposed culprit of my “check engine” light issue), yup, my “check engine” light is still on. To the shop it goes tomorrow morning. And it had BEST be good to drive by the end of the day because my job interview is FRIDAY MORNING.
• And then I need to get my emissions test AND my tabs. (Drop-dead deadline August 31st).
• Did I mention that this house is HOT-HOT-HOT? I’m wilting.
• Major disaster with a glass project that ended up breaking the mold. And yes, those molds are pricey.
• There is a moratorium on any kiln work now since the small window A/C unit is on the same circuit — and besides a fan blowing full-tilt, it’s the only source of relief, even if miniscule.
• Oh. And just now (this instant) got word that my dad is at the ER…

~~~~~

Update: Dad has kidney issues (he’s diabetic) and his doc wasn’t happy about his blood results. Appears he’s very anemic, so he’s been admitted to the hospital for more tests. Jeeze. Poor guy. I just want him to feel good.

~~~~~

I took a reconnaissance mission today — drove to downtown Seattle to check out where I need to go for my job interview Friday. I’ve always avoided downtown Seattle as much as possible. It’s a stressful place, with LOTS of traffic, LOTS of pedestrians, narrow one-way-streets out of the blue, horrendous parking, buses blocking lanes, and hidden street signs and traffic lights. I don’t understand the appeal of businesses having their office downtown. It has to be an exorbitant expense for a company, inconvenient for clients to visit the office or attend meetings, and certainly a pain in the ass for employees — especially if they have to pay for parking.  I parked in a garage about 4 blocks away (w-a-y up high, in an itty bitty spot that later was a bitch to get out of thanks to a huge SUV crammed in beside me and a structural column behind me, and it cost me $9 for about an hour).  But the walk felt good and it was pretty. Downtown Seattle is beautiful on a sunny day, there’s no doubt about that. It’s a very upscale part of the city with the 5th Avenue Theater nearby, lots of financial high-rises, and unique boutiques and eateries. I took the elevator of the (gigantic) building to the floor where this company resides and took a peek at their door (it was very quiet up there). The building itself has a Starbucks and several other shops and lunch-faire places. I scoped out other potential parking garages (there is one right across from the building that I’ll be hoping to get a spot in on Friday). And THEN, I got me an iced latte at the Starbucks and sat down to relax for a spell. And people watch. Oh my. Thoroughly entertaining.

~~~~~

Technorati Tags: high anxiety,godawful week,downtown Seattle

The American Taliban

This. This clearly describes exactly how I feel. This says it all. Bottom line? There was damned good reason our founding fathers insisted on separating church and state. I honestly believe our greatest threat within our own borders is the right’s attempt to control our country’s people under the auspices of religion.

(by Markos Moulitas) (emphasis in text is mine)

For the past nine years, I've been told that I want the terrorists to win.

That's funny. Why would I want the radical jihadists to win? Indeed, on issue after issue, there is no daylight between the views of radical jihadists and the American radical right. Fact is, I loathe jihadists for the exact same reasons I hate the modern conservative movement -- because whether it's their violent outlook, or their views on women and gays, or their hostility to knowledge and science, or their fear of pop culture, they are essentially cut from the same controlling, ideological cloth.

As obvious as this comparison might be, the accusation that liberals and jihadists share common cause has persisted, which is why I wrote my new book, American Taliban: How Sex, Sin and Power Bind Jihadists to the Radical Right.

Conservatives haven't reacted well to the book. Actually, they haven't reacted well to the title of the book, because none of them have read it. (Not that they've ever let ignorance get in the way of declaring something evil before.) But to the rational among us, the comparison is incontrovertible:

1. Theocracy

Mixing missionary zeal with government is always combustible, threatening freedom of thought, of religion, and of association. Such repression is obvious and deplorable in much of the Islamic world, where centuries-old Buddha statutes get razed by the Taliban because it offends their sensibilities. Yet such intolerance is also a hallmark of the American Taliban, whether it's their opposition to a Islamic community center two blocks from Ground Zero in Manhattan, or Glenn Beck asking Rep. Keith Ellison, one of just two Muslims in Congress, "I have been nervous about this interview with you, because what I feel like saying is, 'Sir, prove to me that you are not working with our enemies.'"

2. Violence

Remember Psalm 109? Conservatives would cite the first sentence with mock seriousness: "Let his days be few, and let another take his office." Then they'd snicker at the unspoken follow-up line: "May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow."

Even their "humor" is couched in violence. Indeed, both the American and Islamic Talibans believe they are doing their god's work, thus all means are justified in their mad pursuit of power. President Barack Obama's election in 2008 generated a spurt of violent acts, from xenophobic border-patrolling "Minutemen" in Arizona, to Glenn Beck-listening, gun-toting, cop-killing skinheads in Pittsburgh. Both groups worship their weapons, whether they are AK-47s or AR-15s. Both see violence and war as solutions to their problems.

Meanwhile, responding to a Department of Homeland Security report cautioning against the rise in right-wing violence, conservatives rushed out t-shirts that proudly proclaimed, "I am a right-wing extremist." Rather than distance themselves from the violent cranks on their side of the ideological divide, they embraced them.

3. Sex

There's enough sexual repression here to cover a whole book, with both the American and Islamic Taliban's hang ups over homosexuality, teen sex, premarital sex, extramarital sex, and even birth control (scratch that -- the Islamic fanatics don't much care about that last one).

It's not that the American Taliban aren't having gay sex, or teen sex, or premarital sex, or extramarital sex, mind you -- it's that they think it's important to judge you for doing the same things they are doing. As Newt Gingrich told one of his ex-wives while campaigning on family values while cheating on her, "It doesn't matter what I do. People need to hear what I have to say. There's no one else who can say what I can say. It doesn't matter what I live."

That's clearly the American Taliban motto, from David Vitter to Larry Craig to George Allen Reker. In fact, the Bible Belt leads the nation in teen pregnancies, divorces, and gay online subscriptions. You know those creepy purity balls were teen girls pledge their virginity to their fathers? Turns out that 82 percent of them deny ever having made those pledges five years later. Moralizing might make for great sound bytes, but it leaves their audience ill-prepared to deal with our natural sexuality.

4. Women

The American Taliban may not slap burkas on our women, but they sure like to tell them how to dress ... and behave. As Jerry Falwell once said, "I listen to feminists and all these radical gals -- most of them are failures. They've blown it. Some of them have been married, but they married some Caspar Milquetoast who asked permission to go to the bathroom. These women just need a man in the house. That's all they need. Most of the feminists need a man to tell them what time of day it is and to lead them home."

You get the point.

5. Culture

Conservative writer Dinesh D'Souza said out loud what conservatives think: "The cultural left in this country is responsible for causing 9/11. I am saying that the cultural left and its allies in Congress, the media, Hollywood, the nonprofit sector and the university are the primary cause of the volcano of anger toward America that is erupting from the Islamic world ... thus without the cultural left, 9/11 would not have happened."

D'Souza is right, of course. If we were just like the American and Islamic Talibans wanted -- repressed, pious, and unrelentingly sexist, blind to science, then we'd all be friends and get along. Thankfully, the American Taliban isn't in power. And thankfully, the culture is progressing much faster than our political system, from gay and women equality, to greater openness on sexual matters, despite the best efforts from the Right to stifle that progress.

6. Truth

What's the difference between Islamic madrasas and Jerry Falwell's Liberty University or Pat Robertson's Regent University? What about the Creation Museum, with its statues of people and dinosaurs, side by side? Both types of ideologues are quick to substitute their rigid theology over scientific fact and inquiry -- a tendency that might be merely quaint if they weren't fighting to impose their will on the broader populace. Thus we have a homegrown movement in the United States that rejects global warming and evolution, for example, out of sheer ideological rigidity. Both Talibans consider learning, universities, and the educated elite as unwelcome challenges to their holy writs.

Ultimately, the regressive American Taliban are little different in their social beliefs from the Islamic fundamentalists they claim to hate. Any differences between them are a matter of degree -- Islamic jihadists are guilty of far worse abuses, but that's only because just one of those Talibans is in power. Thankfully, the other, for now, is not.

~~~~~

Technorati Tags: American Taliban

There Are Just Some Days…

…when it’s best to stay in bed! Yesterday was one of them. If something could possibly go wrong, it did. In spades.

First, my 2001 New Beetle has (forever) had issues with its emissions components and the “check engine” light is perpetually on. I’ve taken it to the dealership numerous times and they’d make some kind of adjustment and within days (sometimes hours), that damned light would be on again. The last time I took it to the dealership, they determined that the air pump (an emissions component tied to the computer) was kaput and it would cost $800 to replace. John thought that was bullpuckey — he is very skeptical of auto dealership service centers — and so I’ve just been living with this check engine light ever since. In all other respects, it’s been running fine. Fast-forward to this month when my tabs are due, and it’s the year I also need an emissions test in order to get those tabs. John has this handy dandy gadget I got him for Christmas last year that you plug into the vehicle’s computer and it provides all kinds of readings and diagnostics, plus you can actually “reset” the computer with it. Which is what he did just prior to taking my car to the emissions station yesterday — so that the “check engine” light went off. WELL! It cleared the computer, all right! And because of that, they couldn’t pass the test! (I absolutely MUST have my tabs by Friday — that’s the last business day of the month to avoid a huge ticket AND my job interview!) SO…John scurried and found a perfectly fine air pump at a junk yard — for $75!!! And within about 15 minutes, he had it installed. (15 minutes worth of labor and a $75 part vs. $800? Think about it.) So I need to drive my car around some to create some “history” on the computer, then try for the emissions test again and THEN go get my tabs! Argh.

The second thing that happened yesterday was that the house A/C unit froze up (as it is wont to do) and this house was sultry. It’s all windows and it felt like being inside a greenhouse. It wasn’t a super-warm day outside, but sunny enough to bake inside the windows and make it miserable in here. I turned on the small supplemental window A/C unit to provide a teensy bit of relief…

…Which directly lead to the third awful thing that happened yesterday! I was firing a glass piece in my kiln — another one of those draping candle holder projects that require a super careful firing program — and the circuit breaker tripped in the midst of it, right during a critical phase. I was really at a loss as to how to resume my session, so I just had to guess! In the meantime, the temperature had dropped quite a bit — so not good! AND THEN IT DID IT AGAIN. Finally made the connection that the small A/C unit (far away from where the kiln is located) is on the same circuit! I scrambled again to reset it, once again guessing and having to recover lost temperature. I had no idea what to expect, but mostly I was afraid of breakage due to thermal shock.

The result wasn’t super great, but it could have been a lot worse:

It just didn’t quite drape enough so it’s too “open” and wieldy. But at least it didn’t break.

Sure would prefer to not have days like that! Argh.

~~~~~

Update (Monday): The CRAP continues. Took the car out today and that #%[email protected]!&!!! check engine light is back on, and John can’t figure out why. And the house A/C is completely kaput. I am so frustrated I could scream.

Calling a shop tomorrow to take my car…

However. This turned out OK.

Can’t be running my kiln if the A/C isn’t working, though, since I’ll need to turn on the little window unit (that’s on the same circuit as the kiln) in order to not suffocate tomorrow when it’s supposed to be even warmer.

I AM SO SICK OF THIS CRAP.

~~~~~

Technorati Tags: bad day,kiln,emissions,grumpy

Silly Weenies and NEWS!

 

Hey!

I have a job interview next Friday! (First one since I was laid off over a year ago…) It’s for a large environmental/engineering firm in downtown Seattle. Gulp! They have over 10,000 employees and 280 offices worldwide.

No Harstine for us until Labor Day weekend. The weather is supposed to be icky this coming weekend, and next weekend we have a picnic to attend at the house of one of Da Airplane Company’s managers, and we’re also planning to visit my dad at Camano Island that Sunday (it’s been a while!) Hey, brother Dave, are you planning to be there? (August 29th). Haven’t had any Dungeness crab all summer long and I’m really feeling the need.

Aaaand…I noticed that Nate posted this on Facebook this morning: “wOOt! I scored a 100% on my test! Feels good to be smart!” (I love those kinds of posts. Many of his others between he and his buddies make me face:palm).

~~~~~

Technorati Tags: weenie dogs,dachshunds,job interview,Harstine Island,Camano Island

Pretty Pleased

 

 

Technorati Tags: It's a candle holder!

Pins & Needles

I have a project currently cooking in my glass kiln and I’m beside myself in excitement and curiosity. With this type of project, though, patience is KEY. I have to keep telling myself that!

It’s a “draping” project, which is basically the opposite of “slumping.” Instead of softening the glass with heat to slump into a mold (to create a bowl), this is softening the glass to drape over a mold.

This is what the mold looks like (it’s little):

I placed a flat round piece of glass on top of it that I had already decorated and fused. It looked like this after fusing:

In a nutshell, with slow heat it will drape down over the mold rather unevenly, creating a “fluted” look that will hold a votive candle. I’ve been watching it as it’s progressed and I *think* it’s working successfully (so far. knock on wood. cross fingers and toes). It has to ramp up in temperature v-e-r-y slowly, and then ramp down in temperature v-e-r-y slowly so all the molecules rattle around evenly and then gradually stabilize.

What makes this project unique (and also caused me no small amount of nervousness and intimidation) was that none of the preset programming options on my kiln allowed for this uber-careful kiln firing. So it meant I had to manually program a custom firing program, and I just knew it wasn’t going to be easy. The controller on this thing is (I swear) 1960s technology. We are NOT talking user-friendliness when it comes to manual programming. Ugh. And the kiln instruction manual sucks barn animals. (Er, sorry). There is nothing I hate worse than feeling stupid, and I knew this was going to sorely test my brain matter. And it did. For a while.

But I did it! Finally! I was proud! (Whew!)

But now I wait…

(on pins and needles)

~~~~~

Technorati Tags: warm glass,kiln,slumped glass,fused glass,draping

Potpourri

I don’t want to go another WEEK without blogging (as I’ve been doing lately), so here I am! Oh, woohoo. So…what have I been up to?

I’ve been reading. Over the weekend I finished the first two books of a British YA series by Alan Bradley (“The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie” and “The Weed That Strings the Hangman’s Bag”). They were pretty good. Veddy British, which can kind of grind on me after a while. I can’t imagine very many youngsters (or at least American youngsters) getting a big kick out of them. British literature is quite a lot more sophisticated, and it occurs to me that our country’s kids just don’t have the vocabulary to stay “plugged in” nor the understanding of English life to relate much. When I think about it, the Harry Potter books were also quite sophisticated, but that subject matter was so intriguing that it was easy for kids (and adults!) of all ages to be swept away into the magic of it all. And I never once felt bogged down by the British-ness of the Harry Potter books. They just shined. These were more heavy-duty literature with lots of references to art and literature and English history, although they were whimsical with the precocious young female main character. (Sometimes I just felt that the author worked too hard to make her particularly precocious). Anyway. Enjoyable reads, but somewhat flawed.

Speaking of flaws, I’ve also been grinding away on some glass projects, still “experimenting.” I have yet to break through with any sort of brilliance (Ha! Will I ever?) I’ve been disappointed with ugly bubbles, uneven slumping, and lackluster designs (that started out to be potentially exciting but ended up being meh). I keep plugging away, though, and my next focus will be on some Christmas ideas. (Yes, I know, it’s AUGUST). If anything worthy transpires, I’ll post a picture.

Otherwise? Just mundane crap. Trying to roll over 401(k)s and former employers are being totally uncooperative with providing the required paperwork. Need to get my emissions test and car tabs, which is an ordeal because neither the emissions testing station or licensing office are nearby or handy, plus I have a chronic “check engine” issue that relates to emissions components that John needs to address. Like, soon. (Can’t pass the emissions test otherwise). Keep applying for jobs and never hearing a word.

Quite frankly? I’m totally pissed off at the world right now. And especially republicans. But that’s for another post.

But hey! President Obama visited Seattle yesterday, and a seaplane crossed into restricted air space which prompted F-15s to launch from Portland, Oregon and head to Seattle within 12 minutes — resulting in the most goddamned sonic booms heard/felt throughout the entire western part of the state! Scared the absolute crap out of me. I had no idea what those

                             KA-BOOMS!!!

were when they happened; I thought something in the vicinity of the house exploded. The A/C unit? My car? The house violently shook and rattled and me and the weenie dogs’ nerves were rattled, too! A pilot guy on Twitter that I follow said, “Ladies and Gentlemen of Seattle, this is why we don’t have commercial super sonic air transport.” Yeah, I get that! Jeesh.

So…that was a little exciting.

Also had a Facebook chat session with Nate; he’s doing fine. I think his heart is broken over a young lady (he really liked her but she ended up going back to her old boyfriend). So he’s got his head to the grindstone of school, learning all about the troubleshooting of the sonar systems. He won’t be done with this training until October, but there IS a possibility that he’ll be able to come home on leave in November! Thanksgiving? Maybe. Never know anything for sure in the military.

~~~~~

Technorati Tags: unemployment,sonic booms,Navy Nate,warm glass,books

Punditry

I follow a number of political pundits on Twitter, Facebook, and on television, and yes they are all left-of-center. That’s where my head and heart lay, that’s how I roll, and I’m constantly enlightened and often amused with their amazing intellect and sharp wit. Some of these include Rachel Maddow (my favorite!) and Keith Olbermann of MSNBC; Chris Hayes, Washington, D.C. editor for “The Nation;” and Markos Moulitas, founder of the “Daily Kos.” These are arguably some of the brightest brains in the world and my admiration of them is just *this* side of geeky.

So today, I got to experience a weeeee bit of geek-squeak! Chris Hayes — whom I think is adorable; he’s been sitting in for Rachel Maddow while she’s on vacation [update: she was actually secretly in Iraq to report on the final combat troops leaving!!] and earlier this year she dubbed him “Lamb Chop” which totally fits him — had just “tweeted” that he’d posted an article to his site, so I clicked to go read it. The first thing I noticed — in the very first sentence — were two glaring typos. The content was excellent, as it always is, but those typos bugged me.

So….this happened:

 

I think this counts as a job-seeking effort.

Here’s an excellent segment from last night’s Rachel Maddow Show with Chris Hayes (Lamb Chop) guest-hosting (with another favorite pundit, Melissa Harris-Lacewell, professor at Princeton University).

If *this* is “elite,” I’ll take it.

 

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

~~~~~

Technorati Tags: pundit geekness,job hunting