Gauntlet…

As you might conclude from the frequency of posts I’m really not in the target market to become a Twit(terer).  Throughout the day I: see and hear hilarious examples of stupidity and incompetence; observe the results of luck, clear-thinking and planning; take care of personal tasks and projects; and am reminded to keep focused and breathe in and out. I don’t think it’s necessary to broadcast any of this in real time. Anyway, you have less to talk about later. The “new” social media/networking/interacting/instant communication is the latest example of the Emporer’s clothes.

If you haven’t heard from me and want to know more than the incredibly superficial posts presented, like this one, if you have my phone number call it, or send an email or letter. On the other hand, if you choose to continue the emotionally detatched, lurking “involvement” in my life then carry on. These comments are for a couple of important people from my past who look at the blog and pretend they are involved in my life but continue to leave matters unresolved. From the perspectives “You cannot lose what you do not have” and “Things change” I dare you to contact me.

I promise you will not get a Twit, you’ll get more than 140 characters and …

Mars out.

An update for friends and lurkers…

Here’s a shot of the Apache pepper patch, 9×12 with five varieties (all will be medium to hot from cross-pollination), rosemary, basil, tomatoes, yellow squash and marigolds. The shadow is the stair bulkhead for the tornado shelter.

From the ceramics studio I have 6 cups and bowls ready for the first firing. Two of several things learned: trim the bottom sooner than later and do not press hard on green or bisque cups. Because of the second lesson learned I do not have either of the cups thrown my first night of class. C’est la vie…

The tornado bowl was an accident but I liked it so it stays in the collection. My instructor says there are ceramists who try to achieve this twisted collapsed style/shape. Well, okay, I seem to be able to do this as there were two others I scrapped. Here’s how: bring more clay to the top third or so of your vessel wall than green wet clay will support at the lower two thirds. Add the dynamic of the rotating wheel and, voila, physics and gravity do the rest. You could actually (try to) plan for the number of folds you wish to achieve based on: clay type (plasticity, etc.), moisture content, diameter, thickness of wall, height of wall, speed of rotation, etc. Good luck with that.

I’m working on a small furnace design for silver pours (up to 10 oz) and should have that done by the time the studio is installed in the house (2 months, 1^st wall removed from kitchen this week). I’m really excited about production from two of my sketch books and need to get started.

As of today I understand, completely, why a certain investment gambling strategy is called a “strangle”. I watched it creep up, I watched and felt the rope go on, then “achhkkkkkk…..”  Ha!

Mars out.

Hey!…

Yes, unemployment lasted only 9 days. I decided to work at The Home Depot part-time and finish working on the property, take a class, and have time to do other short term projects or part-time work.

On the duplex and home remodel front. One unit is 95% done and I’m starting on the house this week. I’ll remove two walls – one in the kitchen and have a breakfast bar furr down for recessed lighting and an open area from the dining room and the other is between two 10×11 rooms which will become a large efficiency style living/bedroom with solar tubes.

The garden…

Well, June is not the ideal time to start a garden but the philosophies I choose to live by are “Start where you are”, “No one is coming” and “I’m laughing”. The garden project actually started three weeks ago when I began to work on my roto tiller which has not been used for more than 5 years and it’s not a spring chicken to begin with. It took a week and some encouraging words to get it going and I chose an area next to a tree for the 9×12 garden plot. So, radical pruning began on this tree which quickly led to pruning all of the trees on the property then the dirt work. Turn, dig, cook, rake, turn, cook, turn, add organics and gypsum, turn, repeat, typical stuff. I bought basil, rosemary, 5 varieties of peppers and three tomato plants. I staked an area for the rose  bushes next February. It will get the best morning sun and is partially shaded in the afternoon by the concrete bulk which is the staircase to my storm shelter.

Started a ceramics class last week and aim to do well enough to throw a set of coffee cups or rice bowls, we’ll see…

onward,

Mars out.

It begs the questions…

As reported by The WSJ and Bloomberg News if GMAC can identify ways to cut $1 BILLION from its overhead by year end why is there so much fat in this company? Why is the USA loaning them money?

A billion dollars. In less than 8 months. Cut. More efficient. Less wasteful. Better. More streamlined. On target.

Right.

This kind of makes sense when you know that Cerberus owns half of GMAC. Bob Nardelli, a Cerberus partner, was chosen by Cerberus to run Chrysler. In 2006 Toyota overtook Chrysler at #3 by selling small cars. At the same time Chrysler was losing market share Nardelli green lighted the idea to create a massive, less fuel efficient luxury RAM truck for 2008.

A luxury pickup.

I have never seen anyone arrive at the symphony in a loaded RAM pickup truck. Bob, does your wife drive the loaded RAM pickup? I didn’t think so.

Nardelli also said live on CNBC that FIAT would be assuming Chrysler debt in relative percentages to the value of their participation in the partnership. Within hours FIAT categorically denied agreeing to assume any Chrysler debt. Nardelli, as CEO, did not even know the specifics of a partnership which was the lifeblood of his company’s survival and let everyone know. Good job, Cerberus. Good job, Bob.

Aren’t some of the other Cerberus partners not active in the GMAC deal asking “There’s a BILLION dollars you guys can cut and you haven’t seen this before now??”

Adventure capital.

Mars out.

Unemployed, part 2…

I mentioned in an earlier post that collecting unemployment benefits is not a goal of mine. Since that entry I thought of the reality – the facts as they are, of the situation. 

Due to actions others may judge to be dysfunction, incompetence or simple passive management I was laid-off BEFORE my resignation could take effect.

 There it is. 

It stands by itself.

 The emails sent announcing my resignation were never acknowledged so I wondered if  CN took them seriously. I sent another email to two responsible parties. Neither one of these guys acknowledged the second email nor did they think it would be a good idea to walk less than 15 steps to MK’s office to share this information with the Senior Project Manager who was working on his own strategy to reduce the overhead on his project. So, on the appointed Thursday, the Sr. Project Manager gave me my lay-off counseling and the deed was done. I was asked to leave the jobsite – before my resignation took effect. I asked MK if anyone told him of my pending resignation and he said “No, this is the first I’ve heard about it”… Amazing. 6 people in an office and three don’t communicate on a matter of resignation involving 25% of field management. In 24 hours the lay-off would be moot. Timing and communication are everything.

 Like I said before, I have savings and other opportunities. A couple are in the fruitful stage. I have a part-time position starting next week and I started up my property maintenance business. I also have two or three weeks without employment so I filed a claim. On a related note I have sympathy for anyone who must depend solely on unemployment benefits to tide them over. The amounts are small.

 I expect a challenge based on excuses, rationalizations and pretzel logic from the company – we’ll see.

 Mars out.