Board meeting

I read about this company whose two big wigs are going at each other's throats.

Here's what's up. There's this one big wig who has recently just emerged from a bit of a rough patch (involving Congress and the IRS). And I mean, he's just on this side of the fence from all the rough water. During that time, he had several employees rally behind his character. This was nice because most of the morale was low during the time of his ordeal.

Now, there's this second big wig that is going through a similar rough patch, but he's not getting the rally cry this other executive got. Sure, he's not too popular because of some of the decisions he's made during this economic crisis.

But here's the dilemma. The former executive is trying to cause a split between the corporate board. It just seems to me like it's a double standard. When he was in a fix, he was all about getting some outside help. But now that he's fine sailing, and the other guy is in a fix, it seems like the first guy has forgotten all about his former state, and is capitalizing on the situation.

If I were on this board, this would agitate me. I'm no fan of double standards. And seeing as how this could hurt more than their CEO status (like killing the lives of thousands of employees), it just seems that the hoopla is blinding them to the fact that they're adults and not a reality show.

Gannett (the company that owns The Clarion Ledger) isn't the holiest of companies, but I'm at least glad that the negative things we're dealing with also doesn't involve two squabbling members of the board.

Training up to date

I've done a pretty good job this week of sticking to my schedule. Running season starts in a few weeks, and I want to be good and ready.

Last year, right around this time, I was a bit spent on running and training. Maybe it was the chilly, sticky wet Mississippi winter. I guess no one can really call it winter, seeing how it barely reaches freezing, but we have to label it something.

Monday, I missed spinning class due to work. I had to stay later than usual, but I did get some runs in. Tuesday I did 20 minutes and lifted. Wednesday I did 3 miles and lifted, and Thursday I hit up spin class. Today, I'm hoping to get something in.

I can't decide on whether to go to the HealthPlex or to run around here. It's about 45 degrees outside, so I'm sure I'll be going to HP. However, yesterday, I did find something pretty cool.

I think I've found a trail behind my neighborhood that I can ride my mountain bike down. Butts Park is just down the street, and I went and rode those trails this past Sunday.

Who knows? I guess I'll act on something or another. But first, I am going to get some breakfast.

Workin' in a coal mine?

I've been spending more time looking around the Internet at possible job openings than I have actually working. I know, it's not a good idea to do that, but what can I say? I'm weak.

I've been looking at what I have to consider my favorite magazine, Relevant Magazine. I'd love to work there. It has all the things I could want: It's in Florida (Orlando), it's a Christian based magazine, it's involved with great music and festivals, and the people there are laid back and use their talents.

Too bad there isn't anything like that around Jackson. Maybe that's why it's so unique, because it actually is unique - only one like it.

I hate having to be patient when I really could care less about being patient. In the words of Queen: I want it all. I want it all. And I want it now.

Too bad I know life just doesn't work that way.

I'll keep looking, praying and fighting the machine (just thought I'd throw in a bit of militant idealism in there).

* * * * *

I sometimes worry if I'm being horribly selfish. I have a job. The job market out there is crap. And yet, I want another one. Some people have actually had their job snatched from them. I even know some of these people personally. The unemployment rate is way too high right now, and I'm wanting another job.

I've thought about this for a while. Maybe it's the youngin' in me that just doesn't want to settle down. Heck, I got married, bought a house, got a dog. Now I'm expected to just sit and fell complacent? Nay!

Who knows?

Should we be hopeful?

There is a difference between historic and historical.

Historic means something that is important in history. Historical is relating to history (such as 'historical fiction').

No matter what color your voting record is, we experienced a historic event today in Washington D.C., and there will be many historical accounts of it as we progress.

A few million people decided to hike on down and witness (in person, not on TV like I did) Barack Obama being sworn in as our 44th president.

Every news station, Web site and whatnot has been following not just the speeches but each time the new president makes a right step, as well as a left step. In our information overkill days, this has been a bit much. Luckily, I'm a work and have a few things to do in between CNN and MSNBC.

I'm hopeful for the future. I'm hopeful the progress and the hope is not just wishful thinking. As a friend said to me yesterday, "When the honeymoon is over, I guess we'll find out where we stand." Jay, I agree.

But we still need to hope for the best. I'm all for Obama. The better he does, the better our nation will be. I've actually heard some of the talking heads wish him complete failure. Kind of stupid to do that, don't you think? You want the leader to fail. If someone leads me into a house or a building, I don't want that person to not be able to find his/her way around safely. Heck, they're leading. If they lead, we follow. If they fail, we fail.

But I hope we can get out of this war. I hope we can get out of this recession. I hope we can get the unemployment rate down. And I hope we can move forward. There's just one thing about moving forward that worries me.

Remember the '50s? I wasn't even alive, but I remember the idea of the '50s. Remember how that shifted into the '60s, then the free love of the '70s and the awkwardness of the '80s, and the technological boom of the '90s? I'm afraid that has died.

Here's what I mean. We can't have the "modern" decade anymore because technology shifts so quickly now, that if something is five or six years old, it's probably very, very outdated.

So, with that being said, the "change" we need in government is going to take a big, huge, large, massive shakeup. We can't try to compete in a 21st Century world with mid-20th Century ideas. But instead of saying our way of doing things is 60 years out of date, tying in the fact that the five year thing is outdated, how outdated can 60-year type policy be?

I don't think we're going to get that in four years. Maybe if we didn't have such a bad economy right now. But I am hopeful. I am.

update

The start of another week. Here at The Clarion Ledger, that's a good thing (at least we have a job . . . today).

I've noticed a few things this past week.

One: Mississippi road construction is a bit, how should I say, misleading. All last week, I've seen signs popping up mentioning road construction near the State Street exit on I-20 going east (over by where the Mitsubishi place used to be). I've yet to see any road construction crews, both in the morning or in the evening. No wonder it takes years to finish a road project.

Two: Met a guy that my dad has always talked about since I can remember. They were in the Navy together, and apparently used to cause trouble together. I told Megan meeting Ed Young was like having a fictional character pop out of a book. But since I've heard about him for nearly a quarter of a century, it was more like someone from Grimm's fairytales coming to life. It was a surreal experience.

Three: Having too many things on your mind is more than stressful. I've got so many things I need to do or want to do. During the time it takes me to check one item off the list, I'm thinking about five other things. Guess we call this "adulthood." Lucky me.

* * * * *

So it's back to work for me. I'll try to do a better blog later. But I've got two papers to finish (oh, plus I haven't started either one) today, and other plans tonight. That plus trying to KEEP a job in a business that's dying - you get the idea.

life, meet furlough

Like a yellow snowball smacking you across the face, those who own/run/ruin the company I work for surprised us with a doozy of a New Year's demand. They issued us to follow the leader. And that leader is Furlough.

I used to play soccer with a guy whose last name was Furlow. However, they share no common definition. I don't know what the kid's last name means (maybe it's bar owner - his dad owned a bar).

No, Furlough means time off. Though I work for "the man," I do get a pretty good amount of vacation days. I even signed up for the United Way thing and got an extra day of personal leave. However, this furlough is no personal leave. Rather, it's a personal pain in the rear.

Furlough: a leave of absence (according to my friend Webster). Oh, and there's no pay.

So by the end of March, I have to have five furlough days. Luckily, I'm technically paid by the hour, so I can split those five days up over the next 12 weeks (which I plan to do). Most of the salary people at The Clarion Ledger have to take a full week off, without pay.

I can trust you to assume no one is happy about any of this. As much as I'd like a day off, I'd like a paid day off. That's the preference. On the Gannett Blog, some one wrote that if the company feels they can do this, what's to stop them from sinking a bit lower?

I don't know the answer to that question. But I say we all find new jobs. Any one need a house sitter to the tune of $75,000 a year (hey, I can dream)?

the crescent city

Friday night, we had Megan's birthday party at my house. I've never thrown a birthday party before, and if I do say so myself, it went pretty well. We had cake, pizza and presents. I surprised Meg with a trip to New Orleans for her birthday.

We woke up, packed the rest of our duds and headed out around 11. The streets weren't too crowded, and the drive was fairly harmless. The city was beautiful, and the atmosphere was contagious.

It was nice to see the Crescent City back in full swing. After the hurricane, people were fairly skeptical about whether or not New Orleans would get back up on its feet. Let's just say, from what I saw, it's even better.

Any way, we arrived around 2-ish and parked. After we checked in our hotel, we walked a few blocks to the Aquarium of the Americas. My parents' gift to Meg was entry to the aquarium as well as some extra spending cash. It was nice.

We were told by my aunt to go see the IMAX movie about the hurricane and New Orleans. It was very education and impressive. The music was zydeco, and that always makes your foot start to tap.

After we saw the movie, we went to see the animals. That was great. Then, we wandered around downtown, heading to Jackson Square. There, Meg had her palm read by Lola. She pretty much freaked us out from the get go (that's how I figured she must be good). Meg had to have her palm read. It's like what they say, "When in Rome..." Well, we were in NOLA, so we had to give in.

That night, I gave Meg her real birthday surprise. I surprised her with tickets to the Sister Hazel concert at the House of Blues. We ate dinner and watched the show. But here's the kicker: In my ability to talk to a brick wall, I met Scott, the manager. We got to chatting and he found out it was Meg's birthday. He wished her a happy birthday and told us to enjoy the show.

After the show, he found us and asked if it was good enough to make her birthday worthwhile. He said to add icing to the cake to "go back upstairs. We're about to party." So we went back upstairs and had fun at the Sister Hazel after party with the band. There weren't too many people there, so it was kind of intimate. Plus, we got to talk to the band about Florida football and musical instruments (well, the latter part was just me and Jett, the bassist).

Sunday, we went to the zoo after we wandered around the uptown area. The zoo is beautifully laid out. The design is wonderful, kind of making you feel like you're in someone's giant backyard garden. However, this garden just happens to have elephants and two giant white tigers.

Then we headed home. We had a pretty good weekend. I was glad Meg had a great birthday and that New Orleans has found its rejuvenation.

(PHOTO: Here we are in Jackson Square. The lady behind us is Lola, the palm reader.)