I am not one to usually get shaken while talking to people but there seems to be one person who seems to consistantly cause me to get all hot and sweaty (in bad way) and make me jumble my words and that is the Head of HR. It is like I am on a perpetual first date. I just came back from delivering two timesheets that a couple of my coworkers didnt send over friday. It should have been a quick breezy hello/good morning and gone.
How the conversation should have went: Me: Good Morning - Here are some time sheets that didn't make it in on friday HR: Thank you. Me: Have a good one! I Leave the Room
How it really happened: Me: Good morning! Here are some time sheets th- HR: Thanks. Me: -at didn't {-commence panic - Do I stop? Do I finish my sentence? say something else? Lets do all three! Brilliant!} mmmake itwa ina on freidayyy.
{Oh no ! I just totally had a jumble of words fall out! More panicking. Now what? FLEE!!!}
I Turn and leave as fast as possible While Fleeing the room As fast as I can -
Me: Have a gwood oneb. {Damn it man! Fleeing and More jumbles? Geesh now she thinks I'm at least socially awkward, perhaps have a speech impediment, and/or possibly just plain dumb}
Needless to say its the I am putting way to much pressure on my self to make a good impression and so instead falling flat on my face. I guess I just need to take a breath from now on before stepping into her office. That and play it cool and relax. Or practice by going on a bunch of first dates, though...I don't think Becky would approve of this last solution.
Well today was a beautiful day. Was 68 degrees when I left for work, perfect walking weather. It was in the 70s today with a slight breeze and some clouds. If only the office had windows that opened. Then to top things off I got paid for labor day.
There was much discussion between all of us who were around the the 1000 hours and 6 months mark between whether we qualified or not, as according to the guidelines in our handbook we were a bit short of the necessary hours in the allotted time frame to qualify for holiday pay. But apparently they lowered the requirements since our book was last revised or they made an exception for labor day as I got a separate check stub for 7 hours of holiday pay (at usual hour rate). (Not sure why they don't do the full 8 but who am I to complain?!) Nothing beats taking the day off and still getting paid!
Well I was feeling pretty good this afternoon then saw a few things in the news that kind of brought me down. Well all the September 11th remembrances and services definitely are somber way to start the day as I listened to NPR while getting ready. I didn't notice any extra security today in the metro system which is a bit surprising as some people seemed to think the city would be on edge or extra cautious. I though didn't see anything to suggest people were treating today unlike any other day.
The only local reminder we had was the warning to prepare extra time if your commute takes you near the pentagon, especially if using public transportation (which normally stops there, or in the case of the metro runs underneath it.) This wasn't necessarily because it was September 11th but because this morning the president and a number of other high ranking dignitaries spoke at the pentagon and dedicated, I believe, the first completed memorial to those who died at the pentagon. It will open to the public tonight. Sometime soon I would expect Becky and I to visit.
Here is a link to a picture of the memorial and an audio tour where the designers explains the symbolism.
What else is bringing me down? The fact that DC is about to become a laughing stock around the world....again.(and rightfully so) I am sure everyone remembers the 54 million dollar lawsuit brought by a then city judge against a local dry cleaners over a pair of lost pants.....that were found...but then the judge claimed they were not his even though they were an exact match....and refused offers by the dry cleaners to pay for an entirely new suit. He ended up having a full court case heard before being his case was judged for the defendants. At the time we all wished the DC courts would throw out the case but were thankful that at least by getting a full trial he wouldn't be able to appeal and the case would be sealed.
Well that now unemployed judge (thank goodness he was up for review when he brought the lawsuit - and how crazy must you be to to bring up this crazy lawsuit while being up for review - and he must have been one crazy judge, feel bad for the people who had him judge their cases.) Anyways the now unemployed Judge has actually continued his fight and has actually won the right to an appeal! Why DC courts, why? So looked forward to hearing more about pantsgate in your local media. Oh and on top of the 54 million (which started as 67 million before he reduced it) he is asking for half a million in legal fees even though he is representing himself.
Check out the sheer amount of paperwork that has been generated over one pair of pants in the video below. It is mind boggling, even for me, and I work in a room filled with legal work. Also you get to see the reporter break the news to the owners that they are going to have to fight this again. IE Needed to see video and more after the cut (click the title to see full post).
Finally the last thing is that Hurricane Ike is going to be a biggie. No not in sheer size but it is being described as a "freak" by meteorologists. It seems to be generating unusually high amounts waves and tidal surges for its wind speed. On top of this if its an area like Corpus Christi, people there haven't seen a hurricane hit since 1980 and may be unprepared for whats about to hit.
Look at the warning the National weather service has put out for the people on the coast of Texas.
LIFE THREATENING INUNDATION LIKELY!
ALL NEIGHBORHOODS...AND POSSIBLY ENTIRE COASTAL COMMUNITIES...WILL BE INUNDATED DURING THE PERIOD OF PEAK STORM TIDE. PERSONS NOT HEEDING EVACUATION ORDERS IN SINGLE FAMILY ONE OR TWO STORY HOMES WILL FACE CERTAIN DEATH (My emphasis). MANY RESIDENCES OF AVERAGE CONSTRUCTION DIRECTLY ON THE COAST WILL BE DESTROYED. WIDESPREAD AND DEVASTATING PERSONAL PROPERTY DAMAGE IS LIKELY ELSEWHERE. VEHICLES LEFT BEHIND WILL LIKELY BE SWEPT AWAY. NUMEROUS ROADS WILL BE SWAMPED...SOME MAY BE WASHED AWAY BY THE WATER. ENTIRE FLOOD PRONE COASTAL COMMUNITIES WILL BE CUTOFF. WATER LEVELS MAY EXCEED 9 FEET FOR MORE THAN A MILE INLAND. COASTAL RESIDENTS IN MULTI-STORY FACILITIES RISK BEING CUTOFF. CONDITIONS WILL BE WORSENED BY BATTERING WAVES. SUCH WAVES WILL EXACERBATE PROPERTY DAMAGE...WITH MASSIVE DESTRUCTION OF HOMES...INCLUDING THOSE OF BLOCK CONSTRUCTION. DAMAGE FROM BEACH EROSION COULD TAKE YEARS TO REPAIR.
If that isn't enough to show how bad this mere level 2 hurricane could be take a look at this chart showing the surge wave damage potential on a rating from 0 to 6, with the highest recording of Hurricane Katrina being a "5.1" at its peak when it hit the coast. Click to make bigger.
Yep Hurricane Ike is currently rated at a 5.2. If you look at the raw numbers that generate the ranking it is currently 10% percent stronger than Hurricane Katrina's peak Surge wave damage potential.
Also while not having the stronger winds it is freakishly large for a level 2 Hurricane. From this very detailed write up with lots more information:
Ike is larger than Katrina was, both in its radius of tropical storm force winds--275 miles--and in it radius of hurricane force winds--115 miles. For comparison, Katrina's tropical storm and hurricane force winds extended out 230 and 105 miles, respectively. Ike's surge will probably rival the massive storm surge of Hurricane Carla of 1961. Carla was a Category 4 hurricane with 145 mph winds at landfall, and drove a 10 foot or higher storm surge to a 180-mile stretch of Texas coast. A maximum storm surge of 22 feet was recorded at Port Lavaca, Texas. Despite the fact that the center of Carla hit over 120 miles southwest of Houston, the hurricane drove a 15-foot storm surge into the bays along the south side of the city. Ike's maximum surge is not likely to reach the extreme values above 20 feet seen in Hurricane Carla, though.
Oh speaking of hurricanes we weathered the remnants of Hurricane Hannah just fine. We got around 4 inches of rain in the city but it seemed just like a rainy day. Didn't even seem to get that much wind. Some areas near DC did see up to 11 inches though, thankfully not us.
