New books have a distinctive smell. Paperbacks, especially. There’s the paper smell. Sometimes there’s little paper particles from when the paper’s cut. It’s an earthy smell. Then there’s the ink smell. It’s a tangy smell. Sharp. Even a little metallic. Then there’s the binding smell. Nothing smells like fresh glue. Yesterday was a great dayContinue reading “On the Smell of Ink”
Tag Archives: Work
On Word Macros
I’ve written my first Microsoft Word macro since, let me think, 1999. I’ve recorded macros to do repetitive tasks, but for work I needed something a little more… robust. Yeah, robust. That’s a good word. Robust. Wait. What was I saying? Oh, yes. There’s a process I have to run once a month. I ranContinue reading “On Word Macros”
On the Perils of PowerPoint
I can’t tell you how many presentations I’ve been to over the years–at work and elsewhere–that have been delivered via PowerPoint. Usually, when EB Games rolled out a new program, managers would come and watch/listen to a PowerPoint presentation for an hour or two. And while I’d be with it completely for the first fiveContinue reading “On the Perils of PowerPoint”
On Cubicle Fun
I work in a cubicle. I work for an HMO in their corporate office. I proof database data eight hours a day. Joy. Six feet away from, through a cube wall and across an aisle is the Appeals Department. If there’s anything that convinces me there’s a health care problem in this country, it’s listeningContinue reading “On Cubicle Fun”
On Rejection
Out of two hundred-plus resumes I’ve submitted, I have received all of two formal rejections. The vast majority of resumes and cover letters, unfortunately, go unanswered. The second rejection letter came today. I’d applied six weeks ago for a position with Daedalus Books to manage their outlet store in Columbia, Maryland. Though I wasn’t anxiousContinue reading “On Rejection”
On Revisiting a Previous Post
That potentially good news I mentioned. Yeah, didn’t come through. Quite frankly, I have no fucking clue what’s going on. And in other news. My bitchin’ computer speakers? Yeah, one died. Not quite as bitchin’ any more.
On Potentially Good News
Friday afternoon I moved into a new cubicle at work. I’d spent the past few months at a kind of walled off desk with barely enough room from myself, my CPU unit, my monitor, keyboard, and mouse. My phone? I didn’t really need it — who would call me? — so it was shoved behindContinue reading “On Potentially Good News”
On This and That
I’ve had something on my mind for a few days, and I wanted to air it. At work this week (well, really the last three or so) I’ve been going through databases and checking the data contained therein against other databases. And I’ve noticed something, and I wanted to ask. When was it okay toContinue reading “On This and That”
On Doctors and their Names
Last week the agency that placed me at where I worked called me — they wanted to know how the assignment was going, as I’d been there for three months and the company had told them it would be a three to four week work assignment. “What do you do there?” I tried to explain.Continue reading “On Doctors and their Names”
On Today's Necktie
Today’s necktie is a Christmas necktie. It is a Winnie-the-Pooh necktie. It is a Classic Pooh necktie, an E.H. Sheppard Pooh, not the Disney Pooh. I feel spiffy. I feel tres chic. The tie looks tres cool. Why am I using a French adjective? Winnie-the-Pooh and Christmas. A winning combination. 🙂