trinacriabob

Gummy bears

Whoa...whoa...whoa...she is a pain in the ass, period. The fact that she is ultra chunky, because she is a DB, is something else to harp on...because it's on her. We have another young lady who is a CAD drafter who is similarly large but because she has a good attitude and never gets into tiffs with people, the employees never bring up her weight.Bottom line: it's when the person's an a-hole all the way around that it would come up.

M & Ms

Me and a couple of others refer to her as "Pillsbury," as in flour (what one of her husbands would have had to roll her in prior to looking for the wet spot) --- did I just say that? I don't think my equipment would work in light of all the folds of flesh. We also refer to her as "Los Tres Culos" which, in Spanish, means "The Three Butts." At any rate, she is of the latter variety...a petty high school girl that, at 40+, has not resolved her issues. Keep in mind, she is our receptionist. We have one of the angry butch types, she is an intern in the professional area that goes to school. Right now, we are so short handed that our company turns a blind eye to people that should be fired. There are 3 that I can think of and, unfortunately, all of them are women...they create animosity out of excitement because their scope of work is smaller than that of the professionals who have "bigger fish to fry."

See post immediately above. Everytime I walk behind her into the building, I try to estimate how many of my rumps (in width) would fit into hers. The factor is 3. A really cool guy I work with whose wife is also very cool (she works in an accounting firm) said they both decided it is this kind of behavior that gives women in the work place a bad name. I would say that men have power struggles and turf wars while women seem to dwell on the petty stuff, creating problems where there never were any to begin with. I'd really like to work all by my lonesome.

Well, to a mild degree. The one that was more of a "problem" in this way was when I worked in Bellevue WA prior to moving back down to warmer weather.Unfortunately, it has the firm name in the c/o so they use this as an excuse. She is quite pathetic.

So sad about what happened in Montreal today. However, a few more, Mustang: Le Commensal - it's a chain, but it's a vegetarian buffet -- now, I'm NOT vegetarian, but their stuff is GOOD. Go to the one near McGill College - you can sit by the windows upstairs and look out on this downtown street. Arahova Souvlaki - also near McGill - Good Greek food - Rue Crescent? Rue Peel? I don't remember...but it's near there. Schwartz's Deli - Jewish deli with meat/beef/pastrami sandos in big portions. Oh, yeah, as TYD said, the Casino - the architecture is funky, but interesting. Go to a lunch or dinner buffet there. Lots and lots of food and of very high quality preparation. More Greek restaurants - on Rue Prince Arthur - La Maison Grecque or La Caverne Grecque...I forget which. Good combo type plates with a side of stuffed grape leaves in the lemon sauce. Beer? What's that? (I can throw up thinking about it). Greek food? Where...where...where. Also, architectural/religious - go to the Oratory of Saint Joseph - 2nd or 3rd largest domed church in the world...very inspiring....also, ride to the top of the inclined tower at the Olympic Stadium...go on a clear day so you take pix of Montreal....also, "the postcard" view of Montreal is from the Chalet Overlook on Parc Mont-Royal ...don't miss that...also, Ile St Helene is kind of cool to spend a few hours walking around looking back at Montreal. The Center for Canadian Architecture is the biggest POS ever. No exhibits. WTF? Please don't go. Montreal...one of the loveliest and most interesting cities on the planet. Have fun.

No fat chicks

Update: I was told by our business manager, that, because it comes to the office, it is open game for opening unless she is told ahead of time. He was just in my office and this came from the president of the firm. That's because the president has a wife at home who can sign for stuff and not have to spend 1/2 hour going to UPS when it could just as easily come here. I had sent her a list saying not to open: 1) packages from obvious e-shopping, 2) letters from attorneys or others like doctors addressed to me, and 3) anything hand written. There are a lot of things about my company that are effed up. I think it's pretty clear. "Fat Ass" up front wants carte blanche to get into our personal stuff and I don't think I would like to run up there every time I shop at Barnes and Noble and have it sent to the office to warn her. I might forget.

Ocnblu

I've got an issue going on at work. Our receptionist who has NO life has, for the 3rd time, opened my mail. Sometimes, I have stuff sent to the office (care of) because I don't want to run to the UPS or FedEx station when I can't be reached at home during the day. The first time it was a private letter from an attorney. (She once opened this lady's divorce papers from an attorney that were sent to the office). The second time was a locker bag I had ordered on line. (It was obvious it was luggage I ordered). The third time was last week when school books arrived from Barnes and Noble for which I don't want people to know I am taking classes at night. She has 2 divorces under her belt (having been married to bad men), has 3 loser kids, now weighs 300 pounds and is a lonely mess. I have complained to the business manager. This receptionist feels that this slight measure of extra care makes her job so much harder. Have you got invasion of privacy stories from home, school, the dorm or the work place? Let' s hear it.

Is that it? This guy uses large planes in his fleet as phallic extensions?

I will get back to you with lots of detail but I will make one comment (they do not drive on the left, they drive on the right side). Another thing, one can have Italian heritage, but if you are assimilated to the states (and you more so being in the Midwest) you will be treated like an American. With me, I speak the language but I look "American" to them and any slight hint that the Italian is tarnished with the slightest Anglo inflection will cause them to treat you like an American. No, they have no problem with Americans. I know you will have fun...it will be a blast and make for memories of a lifetime. I know that U of Ill. exchanged with Versailles (Paris) and nobody regretted going. All reports were great (I didn't go because I wanted to finish early). Let me get back to you on all this stuff.

Lake Placid (hey, P, nice coral colored shirt in that Av)

Correct about Asian carriers....I am sure San Francisco - Hong Kong or LA - Tokyo can benefit from it. Maybe a NY-London route, as well. Actually, I have heard that ORD and ATL don't want the plane. They don't expect as many A380 flights as the others and don't want to gear up for it. Cool. No Americans are buying the A380. In fact, even Air Canada has ordered Boeing wide-bodies for their fleet upgrades. Still, that makes me wonder how 747 upgrades would fare if domestic purchasers were the limited audience.

mouthwash

Yep - too much work can lead to depression. I really feel great when I get 7 to 8 hours of good sleep, which is rare.Yep - not interested in kids ... don't dislike them, just don't want them. I like DOGS. Yep - suburbia is fine....very fine. Square footage, newer construction that doesn't smell musty and a lower decibel level. If being cool means living in-town, then I'd rather not be cool.

Bianca

You are obviously Canadian from the kilometers thing. Well, my 92 Regal 3800 Series I has almost 375,000 kms which is 231,000 miles (I have 228,000 miles). I don't know the condition of that one you refere to...if there's no rust, then that's cool...however, what's the point of adding engines, trannies, etc...you don't know what kind of shape they are in. Now, Mr. Goodwrench offers the remanufactured engines/transmissions for the old cars. However, I have priced it and it is expensive. That's why I say that we need to baby cars, making them last a long time and getting to the stage where they become throw-aways.

The Sears Tower, at 1,454 ft., is taller than either of the WTC towers which rose to 1,350 ft.

I think it looks like crap. It's neither cohesive nor well-proportioned. I respect leaving the footprints of the previous towers alone. It will look like a jumbled p.o.s. as you approach the city from the Staten Island ferry or an ocean liner returning to NY.Whatever. As far as the event, we can NEVER let our guard down. It was never in our psyche before. Now, I think we live with this in the back of our heads. I am hoping that there is enough in place to keep this from happening on our soil. I hope that others take the steps to keep it from happening on their soil. These are the ultimate cowards...they probably couldn't accomplish anything else of value. Killing people going to work and minding their own business (who aren't even of the demographic you are angry at) is indicative of how weak they really are.

disbelief

I prefer to be called Bob or Robert...but that's cool. I'll PM you on this, since it's a little more involved.

SOBE drink

Sometimes we're bitter at the past...but the saying "today is the first day of the rest of your life" really is true. Glad to hear she's ok...and I suppose driving a Volvo mitigated the potential problems.