Scrambling

And unfortunately I don’t mean eggs.

Yeesh, it’s only January 3rd and I feel as if I’ve taken a monumental leap backward with my productivity. This morning I remembered to check the new automatic mortgage payment — my first payment due since refinancing — only to find out that the system didn’t save my banking information as I expected it had when I added automatic payments to my new loan. Thus, my January 1st payment never went through. All attempts at paying my mortgage payment instantly online failed, and then I met with failure when I logged onto my bank’s website and the page never rendered. I’ve just run down stairs (read “took the elevator”) to drop a check (oh, how 1999!) into the mail in hopes that it reaches its destination prior to being penalized with a late fee. This is not the way I wanted to return back to the office…

Welcome New Readers!
I know that high on many people’s 2012 Resolution List is “Read more blogs, especially that cool one written by Paulie. Now what’s the domain for that again?”

Well, you’ve found it. Welcome!

If you are a new reader and leave a comment, do not be surprised that it doesn’t display immediately (this is also true for comments posted from different IP Addresses / Names as it is for readers leaving their first comment). The first time you leave a comment it winds up in my moderation queue, and if it’s not spammy spam I’ll approve it once I realize that there is a new comment in my moderation queue.

You’ll soon realize that the blog content itself is but a launching point for the real fun — commenting. In the biz that’s called “value added content,” or some sort of gibberish.

If you feel uncertain about posting your thoughts in public, let’s say you’d like for me to know that you are an “attractive, single female who has secretly admired me for some time, but your Porsche dealership had a firewall which previously blocked this website so you’ve been unable to contact me via the blog” (just a “for instance”) then you can send me that information directly at itpBlogBox@gmail.com — I promise to be discreet and not mention anything in personal emails. Just ask [REDACTED]. 🙂

Speaking Of The Office (Not The NBC Sitcom)
After much procrastination and deliberation I decided to take a day off from work yesterday, given that it was a paid holiday after all. The day was spent nearly entirely indoors, going out just twice — the first time to empty a garbage can, the second time to check for mail and investigate a noise. With the wind gusting all day the roof of the ITP Estate was bombarded with the pesky spiky balls from a Sweetgum tree. Those familiar with Liquidambar styraciflua know immediately of what I speak. All day the roof was pounded, at times sounding as if a freak clear-sky hail storm had erupted. So great was the noise that I wondered if I were hearing the traveling of an infestation of rodents in my attic, but alas I think I convinced myself otherwise.

I kept trying to get my head wrapped around the problems facing me, but after a few days of separation I just couldn’t muster the effort. Instead I ate a bunch of Tasty China leftovers, did the Monday LA Times crossword puzzle online, watched two episodes of an ancient sitcom called Rising Damp and finally watched The Incredibles (It’s a Pixar flick, how has it taken me over seven years to see this movie?)

ITP Flick Pic
One of the things that I associate these days with “January 1st” is fried cheese curds. Seriously, there needs to be a restaurant in town that makes these because they are ten times better than fried mozzarella sticks.

This is Mike (aka “Cluster F*ck”) making a batch of fried cheese curds. As the official Cheddarhead photographer I may have taken at least one liberty and cut in line for a fried cheese curd after snapping a photo. 😉

Leveling Up My Nerddome Tonight
Tonight’s impromptu meeting of the Atlanta iOS Developers Meetup is all about planning the 2012 Cocoa Camp (which I may now be able to attend) and not a normal meetup in which we discuss coding. I’ve yet to figure out what role I can play in the organization of this event (don’t worry gentle reader, I’ll spill all of the details of the event when they are in place) but I’ll go tonight to see if I possess the necessary skills to volunteer.

I’d considered treating myself to dinner and beverages afterward, but it’s 2012 and I have weight to lose, so I’ll probably head straight home after the meeting. I’ll have another busy day tomorrow, but I’ll save that for tomorrow.

Hey, Where Are Your Stats And Goals For 2012?
My goal is to have “Stats and Goals” return next Monday, a mere six days from today! There, that’s a bonus goal and stat for you.

Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]