Category: Uncategorized

Wow.

There has been overwhelming response to the post yesterday about, well, everything. Some expressing sadness, some expressing alarm that I would be such a knucklehead as to put something up about the general state of my workplace so early in my tenure, some worried that I had gone off the deep end.

Yes, yes, and yes. I agree, times three.

Yes, my friend’s loss is tragic. She buried her father today with full military honors and she seems to be holding up pretty well considering. I continue to be sad for her and her family, and I would recommend that you should be sad as well. I won’t go into the rest of the expanding story out of respect for the man and the family’s privacy.

The original article I posted yesterday has been edited to remove whatever might possibly in some bizarre and overly sensitive world be construed as work-related and potentially unfriendly. As I don’t run a j-school-approved operation, I get to do that. Considering that I also run a friendly joint around here, I thought I’d let you know about that too.

As for the deep end? Perhaps I have been a little too candid. But isn’t the truth—however obscured to protect identities—a powerful weapon? I’ve actually seen that posts here, entries that adhere to my rules of conduct for fairness and accuracy from my particular viewpoint, affect change. More often than not for the better.

I’m sure that countless individuals have taken a look here and decided that I am a troublemaker with an axe to grind. I can assure you that the only dull implement I see in need of sharpening is the one named “silence.”

Your impolitical pal,

bob

“I’ve Been Worried Sick…”

Oh, poor bloggy. So sad, so lonely, so dejected. Your master gets a job and you lie fallow, alone in your never-ending task to serve up jaunty goodness to the world-wide masses. ed doesn’t get anything to provide snarky comments on. And you poor bloggy, my poor dear sweet bloggy, you find yourself with nothing to do but serve up the same old tired reruns. “Tonight, a very special episode of The Stickley Table…” It’s no wonder you’re sad.

That’s about to change.

First, the first week at the new job has worn me out. Not physically, mind, but I’ve found myself in what you might call a dilly of a pickle. [We removed a lot of content here because some of the people on our side have said that it’s not “work-safe.” Apparently Bob can’t keep his mouth shut. -ed That’s why you’re on the payroll. Geez. -bob]

“May you live in interesting times” goes the Chinese curse. I think that rightly describes the workplace at this moment.

Second, I’m heading to the desert over the weekend through FIRE! See? I’m as dedicated as they come. Sure, it’s Mother’s Day, but I’ll also be working. Into the frying pan, indeed.

Third, I don’t know if I should be writing about this (Is that why it’s third? – ed Exactly. But if I get the word, I’ll strike it. You know, if it’s too personal. – bob), but my lovely writing partner and co-conspirator has suffered a great tragedy in the loss of her father over the weekend.

I met him briefly at her wedding and found him to be warm, charming, and generous with his affection. Despite the pain he was suffering at the time, I caught him at a moment—with a gleam in his eye—when he took my dear friend’s hand to walk her down the aisle. In those few steps, you saw the real man inside that man.

When I shook his hand after the ceremony, I realized after a while that I wasn’t letting go. And now we have to.

Your pal (wherever you are),

bob

It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Shatner

www.khaaan.com

You’re welcome.

– bob

State Of The The Alley Address: Presented Without Interruption By A Jaunty Little Blog

Readers, lurkers, search engine castaways, my fellow San Diegians, ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to pronounce that the state of our alleys today is strong.

[applause]

The alleys in our great city of San Diego—America’s Finest City—are in the best shape now than at any time during their storied history.

[applause]

We are in a time of rapid change, of great technological breakthroughs, of unprecedented prosperity, and we are unified in our goal to create the best alleys on the face of this planet…

…but there have been setbacks…

At 3:00 a.m. Wednesday morning we, as San Diegans, awoke to the product of a fevered mind. This evil man inflicted a wound on our community that will take faith, courage, and a good contractor to heal. But rest assured my friends, we will surely have our fences again, even if some drunken angry fool decides to careen out of control down our alleys, into our backyards.

And now I’m speaking to you, the ones who don’t find the question “When did you stop beating your wife?” to be a conundrum. I say this…

Just go away.

To jail, preferably.

– bob

Furniture Answers!

Remember this little post about this little table? I knew you might. In addition to asking you about its origins, I thought I’d ask the historians at Stickley about it as well and they had an answer I hadn’t expected:

Bob,

Your table was made in Grand Rapids, Michigan at the factory of Albert

Stickley who was one of the five Stickley brothers who were involved in

manufacturing mission style furniture at the turn of the 20th century.

However, it is not a Stickley table. Read on.

Albert began his operations in 1891, aided by his younger brother John

George who, after staying on a while, returned to Fayetteville, NY to work

with his other brother Leopold. The result of that long lasting

relationship is our present day L. & J. G. Stickley Co. Albert, Leopold

and John George also had two other brothers. Gustav, considered by many to

be the father of the Arts and Crafts Movement, [who] had his factory in Eastwood

N. Y. and Charles, whose factory was in Binghamton, N. Y.

However, your table was made in 1940 twenty years after the heyday of the

Arts and Crafts Movement brought Stickley’s mission oak furniture to

prominence. As a matter of fact, these tables were designed and built by

the Western Table Co. of Selma, Alabama who purchased Albert’s company in

the late 1930s. Albert died in 1928. Unfortunately I have no catalogs of

the items made during this period, only newspaper advertisements and

descriptions in trade journals. The trademark brand is well documented,

however, as being used illegally by that company.

Leopold Stickley, who sued them and won, hotly contested Western Table

Company’s use of the Stickley name in 1940. He argued that the use of the

Stickley name was a violation of his brothers’ rights and was not sold to

the Western Table Co. when they purchased the factory. However many pieces

had already been sold with the Stickley name branded into the bottom as

yours is.

There is no active collector interest in this particular line of furniture

because Albert Stickley did not design these tables nor are they actually

considered to be Stickley in the collector’s view. If a collector market

emerges only pieces in excellent original condition will be valuable. Value

on these items is arbitrary and I have no prior sale information to base an

accurate appraisal other than an occasional sale on internet web sites [sic]

indicating value [of] $20-$40 for end tables.

Sincerely,

Michael [withheld – ed]

Corporate Historian

I think that story is better than the boring “do you have any idea what it’s worth” Antiques Roadshow spiel if it was a “real” Stickley table. This one is a fascinating tale in my opinion, and one that I don’t think you hear very often. I certainly wasn’t looking for big bucks by selling, and I certainly enjoy the description of the making of this fine piece of furniture much more. I’d have to say that I’m a little richer today (just because I love this stuff).

Your pal,

bob

BTW, I used the contents of the gentleman’s email, and provided minor edits for clarity, without permission, but I found it interesting enough to post anyway. If you have a question about Stickley, they seem (mostly, but that’s another story) happy to oblige.

Day One (A Quick Note)

– or –

How To Feel Stupid

In a perfect world, I should have remembered everything I purged from the tiny nugget I call my mind when I restarted work for the local Omnipresent Charitable Organization. All of the server configuration bits, all of the names, indeed, even how to work Windows XP.

Sadly, that was not the case.

I found myself casting about for answers to the simplest questions, overwhelmed by the flurry of information. Sure I’m being a little overdramatic (gee, just a tad. – ed), but I had few other thoughts than “I should know this already.”

Of course, that’s not how the entire day went, but it’s getting late and I’d like to start tomorrow earlier, so I’ll be brief. My first day back at work went how your last first day at work went. Frenzied, chaotic, and satisfying.

Your relieved pal,

bob

Re: Big Interview This Morning Part IV

– or –

The Eagle Has Landed

I got it!

Your pal,

bob

P.S. I’ll update this post throughout the day with additions as they come to me (and if I can phrase them in a employment-sensitive way). – bob

UPDATE? HA! Well, the updates sure didn’t happen, did they? It’s Saturday and I originally posted this thing on Thursday. Guess I couldn’t think of anything “employment-sensitive” to say. I think I can describe the job though (because you’ve asked!). I’ll be responsible for maintaining fifty or so client computers, a hundred or so phones, some PDAs, a bunch of mobile phones, and other sundry gizmos.

Even though I’ll be working at the big Omnipresent Charitable Organization I don’t think that I’ll actually be helping people, but I’ll be helping the people who help people! That should count for something on my karmic balance sheet, shouldn’t it?

Oh yeah, I get an office too. Pretty neat, don’t you think?

Home Depot Parking Lot/Petri Dish

Lileks has Target, I have Home Depot. The one closest to The 1912 House may not be the best in the county (it was actually called the worst by the guy ahead of me in line for self-damn-checkout) but it’s ours and it’s convenient, and they’ve started to carry things to fix houses as old as ours in the neighborhood.

I go there nearly every day, sometimes multiple times a day. It’s not so uncommon for a lot of people, but if I can get a couple of bits out of it, what’s the harm?

Here’s the scary observation du jour; I was standing by the Jeep after loading up my purchases, and some guy comes marching out of Home Depot with his own purchase. What’s so odd about that? Well, he was wearing a Nike swimming cap (on his head? – ed That’s cute. – bob) and swim goggles.

So I’m thinking, was this guy doing laps, made the turn and suddenly thought “Gee! I need to pick something up at Home Depot! No, right now!” That’s the only scenario I could come up with. Except for the problem that if he had a sudden shopping urge while swimming, shouldn’t he have been wet? Is this merely an extension of the guys-wearing-bike-shorts-while-not-on-a-bike phenomenon?

Was he hoping that the gals would peer over the tops of their designer sunglasses and purr, “Look at the skull on that guy!”

Maybe he was simply a freak.

Your patient observer,

bob

INJURY UPDATE: As soon as I got done typing the final “b” above, I was stung in the neck by a wasp. I will take that as a sign from the Powers That Be to stop making fun of the retarded kids (or whatever that guy’s story is). Point taken.

INJURY UPDATE II: I don’t recall having ever been stung by a wasp before. I wonder if I’m allergic. The left side of my neck is kinda tingly. Does that mean anything?

Re: Big Interview This Morning Part III

– or –

An Open Letter To My Telephone

Why won’t you ring?

Your best friend ever,

bob

P.S. No, I’m not talking about the pre-recorded messages from “Account Executives” hoping beyond hope to lower my mortgage interest rates. It’s the other call I’m looking for. I think you know what I mean. – bob

News Alert! Administration Full Of Liars!

By now you’ve heard of Secretary Of State Colin Powell’s “Pottery Barn Rule” regarding Iraq. In Bob Woodward’s new book, he quotes Powell advising the President “you break it, you own it.”

Turns out though that Pottery Barn is plenty upset about the misrepresentation of their return policy. Actually, I’ve had good luck with Pottery Barn.

We ordered a couple mirrors from them for the bathroom remodel and one arrived with a little chip. The guy on the phone said “okay, just throw it away or donate it or something and we’ll send you a new one.” That was it. No extra charge, no grief, painless.

So hey! Cut Pottery Barn some slack. This is scandalous!

Your pal,

bob

(via Wonkette)

Think These Will Look Good On The Jeep?

Hello Kitty headlamps! Hooray!

(via the barking moonbats at Gizmodo)

I Can’t Drive 65.1!

Here in San Diego, there’s been a big push to crack down on speeding over the last few weeks. “Zero Tolerance,” they say. It’s to make us safer, right? The California Highway Patrol, the County Sheriff, and local police are every-freaking-where. I haven’t seen this level of police presence on the freeways since, well, never (not even during two Super Bowls, presidential visits, or after 9-11? -ed I guess by “never” I meant, well, never ever. – bob)

So what spurred the change? An inkling comes today from a new initiative from the state to crack down on cars registered out of state. Apparently, California is asking you to snitch on people because we’re losing “millions of dollars in revenue a year.”

Wasn’t the mission of the California Highway Patrol to be primarily responsible for keeping the highways safe, not revenue generation. We knew that this was bogus, but now the Highway Patrol has actually come out and said it. The state needs the cash and the CHP is going to collect it.

I can’t help but wonder if “Zero Tolerance” for speeders was undertaken along those same lines of thought. But that would be cynical of me, wouldn’t it? (maybe a secret war waged by the ninnies of the Anti-Destination League? – ed Or an evil fuel conservation cabal! Oh, wait, that’s a good thing. Crap. – bob)

Your conspiratorial pal,

bob

Furniture Blogging!

So, I have this table that I’d like to find out some information on. It’s a Stickley Model 3582 and was produced in Grand Rapids, MI. Beyond the leather faces on the top, I know nothing about it. I’ve posted a little album with more pictures here. If you know anything, I’d appreciate all the information you can send (including what this kind of table is called!). I may try to get rid of it, I may hold on to it. Who can really say?

Thanks for the help,

bob

UPDATE: Yes Virginia, those are actual pictures of the inside of my garage. And yes dear, Santa is real and has been bestowing all manner of toys, trinkets and tchochkes upon us. Yes sweetheart, we do put them all in the garage. What’s that? Oh, no… we hold on to all of those things forever. Good night dear.

Re: Big Interview This Morning Part II

– or –

Makin’ With The Pretty

I think aesthetics are important to emotional well-being and elegant engineering can almost seem like jewelry. From an “ideal cut” diamond to the perfect cupholder, I agree with many others that good design improves our society, sometimes imperceptibly, sometimes by greatly elevating our quality of life.

So as an example, I ask you which design makes you happier? This?

or this?

Discuss.

Your pal,

bob

UPDATE: Note the small children on the screen shots. I think this evens out the competition. Also note that I didn’t attempt to skew the results by adding puppies to one and not the other. You’re welcome.

UPDATE II: More discussion of aesthetics.

Re: Big Interview This Morning

Oh dear!

Your pal,

bob

(not much) More later. -bob