Weekend Folly

So I just got back into the office after a nice weekend spent mostly at home. Over the weekend the custodial staff apparently came in and waxed my office floor. Unfortunately they left my refrigerator unplugged, causing it to spontaneously defrost.

So I came into the office today to find that I was now sporting a small lake on my office floor. Had I known, I would have brought fishing tackle. Thankfully my fridge was not too frosted over to begin with, nor did it have a lot of food left over the weekend. So the puddle wasn't too bad, nor was the smell of rotting food.

After spending a little while on my hands and knees mopping up with paper towels (we aren't trusted with things like mops - those are only entrusted to folks who don't believe in plugging in refrigerators...), order has been restored, and I can now continue with my regularly scheduled office work.

But, should I trust the yogurt that was left warming in my fridge over the weekend??

Shape Up

So yesterday we did the unthinkable. We joined....a gym. Yes, it is true. We live right down the street from a new California Family Fitness, literally just a 5 minute walk away. We had actually been considering joining for awhile, but had yet to even step foot in the place. You know how it goes; the typical stereotype is that once you join one you never go. And hence you just end up throwing money away.

So last night we stepped foot inside and took a tour, then got the sales pitch, then talked over the sales pitch, then finally decided to go for it. It wasn't really a bad deal; we're on a month to month plan which for the both of us is $87 per month. No registration fees. No processing fees. That's it.

The facility, being a newer one, is actually quite nice. Two stories of equipment, three racketball courts, a full size basketball court, a rock climbing wall, and indoor pool and spa, two outdoor pools, and numerous additional rooms where special classes are held. All included in the membership.

So today, a Wednesday at 5pm, we walked over to - and here I sound more like a yuppie - 'hit the gym'. The girl we had signed up with was there, and she admitted that it was just about their busiest hour. But it wasn't that crowded really, or at least the vastness of space helped spread the people out so it didn't seem crowded.

I spent 10 minutes on the stationary cycle while watching a half inning of baseball and cycling 3 miles, then did some reps on the various apparatus, before hitting the pool and spa areas. All in all it was quite a pleasant experience. Now let's see if we can keep it up from day to day...

And....Layoffs

So last week was a historic one for the CSU. For the first time ever - layoffs were announced. Granted, on the staff side of things, it's not as bad as it could of been. Their plan for 12% reduction calls for only 8 staff members campus wide to be layed off. Beyond that, many positions which have been vacated - really all of the positions that have been vacated - will not be rehired. This will amount to a staffing reduction of over 90 at our campus.

Guess the rest of us will just have to work a little harder...

I'm not sure, but I think by this point those special 8 individuals have been notified. At least, we are seeing anti-establishment graffiti right now on campus. Reminds me a little of the Hate Week portrayed in the novel 1984 (my current 'leisurely' summer reading...)

The card readers to the faculty/staff garage entrance were spray painted over, rendering them virtually useless (good thing I took the bus in today...). And, graffiti appeared both on the garage wall ("I was raped by Sac State!") and on the back of a state pickup truck, something "my life and job" sucking. I didn't get a real good look. Nor did I stick around to see what else there likely was.

In the words of Vonnegut...and so it goes.

Today I am leaving work early to go to the doctor's office - my first visit in over a decade if you don't count to one to get new prescription glasses a few years back. I sprained something in my knee fairly badly on Saturday evening, and now, although I can walk just fine, I can't bend my leg well enough to sit down without experiencing sharp pain. Nor can I get in and out of a car very well. Or put on my own shoes and socks.

And so it goes.

A Chorus Line

So we went and saw A Chorus Line last night, at the Community Center Theatre. It's not one of my favorite musicals really, to be honest. Nothing against dancing per se, I just don't find the storyline to be particularly engaging. You get some brief snippets about most of the 16 or 20 or however many characters are on stage, but not quite enough to really care about most of them, nor to care whether or not they actually make the cut at the end. I couldn't even say which ones made it at the end - 4 guys and 4 girls - but really who makes it is fairly irrelevant.

But anyways, it was a fabulous production. The cast was exceptionally talented; not the best singers I've heard, but certainly remarkable dancers and great actors as well. The music itself, was of course, great. You couldn't see the musicians, they had a black drape drawn over the top of the pit. BUt you could hear them, and they sounded great. All in all it was a very worthwhile time.

So now I'm back at work, on a Wednesday but really a Friday since I'm furloughed the next couple of days. And with Memorial Day next Monday - well that means a 5 day weekend for me! What should I do?? Ah heck, I'll probably just be lazy and lie around at home. That that in itself is a nice treat after the hustle and bustle of the end of the semester.

If the weather would clear up I could go sailing...I finally went last Friday with Anyssa after over a year absence. What a great day it was for it! Sustained winds at 24 knots or better most of the time. We sailed under the Bay Bridge, which I had never done, and saw up close and personal the current construction underway as a new bridge is being built. I won't mention that I almost got us run into the pillars of the bridge...just got a little TOO close, and the strong current certainly did its part in trying to send us to our doom. Good thing the boat has a motor, that's all I can say. Maybe Friday we can go again...

Welcome to Summer - Sort Of...

Well this week begins the long summer, finals having been finished at Sac State last week. You wouldn't think it looking at the weather. It's been abnormally cold and cloudy, really bizarre for late May. Don't get me wrong, I rather like it. The weather forecast calls for rain actually from Tuesday - Thursday and temperatures in the mid-60s. And it's May 24! Crazy.

Other than that, the signs of summer being upon us are certainly here at the university - it's been suddenly transformed from what was a bustling hectic environment to a virtual ghost town. And the squirrels are all out in force wondering where there food source disappeared to. But it's such a relaxing campus when it's quiet. Almost like you have a private park all to yourself. Too bad it can't be like this year round!

Wait - Where Did April Go?

It's May already? How did that happen?? I was sure that it was only yesterday that I was lamenting about how rough April was going to be, how we have 23 concerts in a two week period. And now it's over.

Well, April turned out to be not so bad after all, I guess. What I remember of it anyway.

Now we have just two weeks left before finals, so it's time for the final push of the semester. April had several concert cancellations, which really freed up chunks of time for me. This week - 12 concerts. Well 11 more I should say, since one was yesterday. I guess I will have to be resolved to driving in almost everyday these next two weeks, as I'll likely be here later than the bus runs.

We got through tech week and opening weekend of The Wedding Singer at Oakmont High School without many hitches. There's spots here or there where the singers aren't anywhere near the tempo (or location in the music) as the band, but all in all I think it went pretty well. It's actually a rather entertaining show, and has some good fun music to boot. One more weekend to go...

And then another week of school...

I suppose I should seriously start working on my final paper for my grad class. This is the last grad class I'll have in I don't know how long. Next semester I'm not enrolling in any classes, simply because there aren't any offered that I actually need for my Masters. Maybe there will be something in the spring of 2011 again, who knows. Wait and see, wait and see.

Other than that, things are well and moving along. Welcome to May!