The Rapist!

Okay, now that I have your attention, I can tell you about my first visit to a therapist (see what I did there?). All I ever knew of therapy was what I saw on TV and read in books. My Mom has been and I did a little 'proxy therapy' through her in the past, but that was it. In the ongoing struggle to control my depression and maintain a high JoyScore(tm), I have tried a few antidepressants. They did the job, but the side-effects were crippling for me (everyone reacts differently...they might work for you).

Well, my doctor and my family know how I feel about mind-altering pharmaceuticals. But after both my Mom and my doctor recommended the talking cure (or "therapy"), I figured I should at least give it a try. Today was my first visit with a therapist and it seemed to go well. Since this was the initial 'get to know you' session I crammed my entire life story into about 45 minutes. There was a lot of her taking the last thing I had said and turning into a question (like "...and your Father, what was he like?"). There was also quite a bit of laughing by both of us, which surprised me. But it was good. After I speed-talked everything for almost an hour she told me I was 'interesting' and 'gifted'. Not sure if those were just therapeutic image-building techniques for my benefit or if she really meant it, but it was nice to hear from someone besides my Mother or someone scripturally required to be encouraging.

I will be going every week for awhile and we will see how it goes. I am hoping to quite the constant noise inside my mind and maybe, just maybe, find out I am really a space alien like in that movie with Kevin Spacey....well probably not that last thing.

Be Seeing You

So I watched (time-shifted on the TiVo of course) the first two episodes of the new 'The Prisoner' this weekend. Having only vague memories of watching the original on PBS (I think it was reruns from BBC) back in the 1970s' I could not really determine if this new incarnation is better or worse. Though I do seem to remember the original version being far more 'groovy'.

Much like Firefly of modern times, The Prisoner only had something like 15 episodes yet maintained an loyal following for decades. One thing I remember of the original was 'Number Two' (no, not that kind of Number Two). It was a different actor every episode. From what I have read, Ian McKellan is signed to play Number Two for the entirety of this new mini-series. So at least we can watch Gandalf McGaymagneto on screen, which is always a pleasure.

I am hoping that The Prisoner does not become what Lost has become: an ambiguous story that grows more non sequitur with every episode for the sole purpose of delaying the inevitable conclusion and putting an end to the cash cow. Since The Prisoner is a miniseries and has a predetermined conclusion, I imagine it will wrap up nicely. But, if popular, it will certainly spawn an ongoing series. And that will most likely be like all the other 'big question' format shows....never answer the big question because then the show is over.

Auction Figure

I've been with Ebay since the turn of the century and about once a year I still get in an Ebay selling mood. Well, that time has come friends! Time for you to browse the early-adopter feeding frenzy that is my life. I buy a lot of whizbang gadgets as soon as they come out (much to my mates chagrin)....and usually end up selling them later. Like now.

I a few things up as I write this and more should be coming soon. If you go there and find nothing to your liking, as least save the bookmark and check back later. You never know...I might be selling iPhones for one penny each!*

Here's the link for all you folks who don't really trust the Interwebs.



*I will never be doing this.

Bill's Blueprint - Ah, Memories....

Just found out yesterday that my former employer, Bill's Blueprint, had to lay off several employees. As far as I know these were the first layoffs in Bill's Blueprint history....and they opened in 1969! Bill's is a small, family-owned & operated reprographics shop with only a dozen (or so) employees. I started there in 1997 and cut my IT teeth on their nickel. I like to think that I did all these great things for Bill's, but in truth I think I owe them more. Had it not been for their willingness to hire me, twice, (it's a long story) I doubt I would be working in IT at all today. Even though I left in 2007 to work for WSIPC, I still feel a sense of loyalty to them. As much as I hated it sometimes, it was a lot more like a family then I think I care to admit. I still remember setting up their ecommerce site. It's now defunct, but the server has been adorably left on all these years. But at its' peak they were selling thousands of dollars in hard-to-find drafting supplies to the whole country. Good times.

All this sentimentality got me to looking for my first blog. It was more of a photoblog as it consisted of mostly pictures with little text. But I took a lot of pictures of Bill's. I separated in  things I 'loved' about working there, and things that I 'hated'. I hope things improve (or at least bottom out) soon. I would hate for my dated pictures to be all that's left of Bill's Blueprint one day.

Google Voice - One Ring To Rule Them All

Times are tight, as you no doubt know. So I have decided to start doing some side-work again. Since I work in IT, 'side-work' means things like security hardening, Windows 7 upgrades, helping some kid get all that pr0n off his system before his Mom finds out...that kind of thing. I used to do this quite a bit some years ago, but stopped when I started making enough at my day job to get by.

But when I found out that no one at work would betting raises this year, I decided I should start looking for a few side-jobs to fill the gap. My dilemma came about when I realized I could not afford a dedicated cell phone for this purpose and that using my personal phone for business can be problematic. I had heard about Google voice so I asked them for an invitation (it's still an invitation only thing, like Gmail was back in the day), and got one!

So now I have a new number that forwards to my personal cell phone; but only when I say it's okay (in my case, evenings and weekends). My friends can still just call my old number and I will put the new number on my business cards. The funnest part was finding a new number.

Google let's you pick your own number, but it has to be in their database of 'availables'. They let you type a word in, as well as an area code or ZIP and they will return whatever they have. So I tried 'mike'...no good. Then 'geek'...nope. 'ITGuy'?....nadda. This went on for about an hour. I eventually found a cool number: 4747-FIX

So now I'm off to print business cards and distribute them at inappropriate places!

Hallowsipc

Gladly, I have been approved to work from home this Friday, the last work day before Halloween. As some may know already, I do not participate in holidays on religious grounds. Anytime a holiday comes along I just abstain from participation. Usually not a big deal at all. But from some reason, Halloween is the exception here at WSIPC. Last year, my experience went something like this:

Well Meaning Coworker(s):  Hey! Make sure you get some candy from the trick-or-treat stations so we can win the contest!

Me: Actually I don’t celebrate Hallow..

Well Meaning Coworker(s): Whatever! Just get some candy!

Me: But I don’t want to participate in...

Well Meaning Coworker(s): Pffft! That’s stupid. Here. Take this (gives me candy).

Me: sighs in frustration and wishes he had worked from home

So this year I will be indeed working from home on the 30th. This will also have the added benefit of not having to see the less-than-appropriate costumes that some of my female coworkers wear on Halloween.

What's Your JoyScore?(tm)

Here is a fun experiment that I developed. You can do at home. It was very educational for me and it might be for you too!

What you need:

1. A circle of people you consider friends
   
2. A functioning phone or email account

Purpose of the Experiment:

To determine if your enjoyment of your friends is equivalent of theirs for you. For the purposes of this experiment, joy (or the lack thereof) will be the assumed results of your friends interest in you.

Procedure:

Pick a day to start the experiment. Any day will do. On that day its easy....just don't initiate any association with your friends. Still do anything that was already arranged but don't call any of them to arrange anything new. After a week or so (especially on the weekends) you may feel an urge to call a friend and get together. But you must RESIST that urge! Failure to do so will taint the results of the experiment and you will have start over.

Take note of how much time passes before a friend initiates an activity with you. Also take note if that activity is obligatory (i.e. family function, workplace function) or recreational (i.e. going to a movie, playing a board game). Also take note if the activity initiated was for a group or just for you (and perhaps your family). If possible, also note the perceived spirit behind the initiation (this may not be possible, so assume the best unless proven otherwise).

The first day a friend does call you to initiate a recreational activity (even if you can't make it for some reason), end the experiment, note the results, and calculate your Joyscore!

(Number of Friends / Days Since Initiated Activity) - Number of People in Activity (including yourself) = Joyscore

This can be shortened this way: (N/D)-P=J

For example here's mine: (40/180)-4= -3.7

How do you know if your Joyscore is high or low? Well, in short, if it's below zero that's not good. If you cannot find an obvious reason for such a low score (i.e. no one know how to contact you, or you have been out of town for the duration of the experiment) then I recommend you find a good coping mechanism (pharmecutical or otherwise) for depression. For me, it's massive doses of vitamins B & D as well as writing songs.

But if your score is in the positive, congratulations! You have a least a measurable amount of interest from your friends and therefore a measurable amount of joy!