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Goodbye Boss man :(
Submitted by todd on July 4, 2008 - 12:44pm. BlogMy boss's last day was yesterday. He managed to get a job at a hospital working as a manager over their non-medical helpdesk.
After he left yesterday it really hit that in 87 days, I won't have a job. I'll be living off severance for 4 months. I really hope I have a new job lined up at the end of the 90 days. The severance package is just too good to leave early. Especially considering the health care continues for 4 months after I get laid off...
I'm going to miss my casino job. :(
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Vacation
Submitted by todd on June 28, 2008 - 10:42pm. BlogSo my vacation started out devastating with the news of my pending lay off. Ralph did an excellent job of keeping my mind off things back in Memphis. I took a ton of pictures. More than I have during any other vacation ever.
I visited Wisconsin Dells, WI. Its a great place. Huge tourist trap, but if you can manage to get away from the tourist stuff and hit the nature part -- it's completely awesome. I *loved* Lake Mirror. There is no use in taking pictures of Lake Mirror. No picture could do it justice. It's surreal.
Lake Delton is one place I took plenty of pictures of. I'm sure you recall what happened there. The lake basically collapsed and spilled out into the Wisconsin River in between 2.5 and 4 hours (depending on who you talk too.).
To give you an idea of how bad the Lake Delton breach was, take a look at this Google Map. Now take the narrowest section between the lake and the Wisconsin River. Imagine all of that washing away.
Lake Delton
Some empty land for sale. Will it sell??
Famous Broken house.
Sandstone. Their is a dog that jumps across it for fun.
Wisconsin Sky.
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Written on the train
Submitted by todd on June 28, 2008 - 12:21pm. BlogThings have definitely been changing in the last week I have been in Milwaukee. On my way up here I had a lay over at the Chicago Union station. During that time I was asked to join a conference call that was work related. It was mandatory to join in. When I dialed in the folks on the call began referring to a power point presentation that I myself didnt have and couldnt see. Supposedly this showed the company savings and growth with the upcoming changing.
Growth! Hell yeah, thats what Im talking about. Ive been anticipating a time when Id be helping some english guy with his email, password, or what have you whenever London development come along.
Savings? Thats got to be a bad word. Especially when its being heard by an employee of a dept that for years has been considered a leech on the company. My dept doesnt bring in any “income” for the company. Savings was a bad word for me.
To get to the chance about 40 people will be “Negatively” impacted by the upcoming change that takes place in 90 days or less... maybe more, who knows.
They called it “co sourcing”. What it really means is it's a euphemism for outsourcing my job to the Philippines or Ohio.. depending on the way things fold out. There is a big cost savings by my company “co sourcing”. In other words, they keep the intelligence, but ship the actual work out to someone else. Yeah, thats cosourcing I suppose, but while they say cosourcing, they mean outsourcing. No intelligence is being retained at all. My entire dept. Gone.. 90 days. 90 days from whenever 90 days begins. I dont know. I have to get details on this later.
I learned this at the chicago union train station. I got onto the train to Milwaukee nearly half way through the conference. At the end we were told to speak to our director to determine if we were impacted... I called my boss (dont know my directors cell) and I told him I had just seen two deer – while the train was going, we had just passed two does just as he had answered. This had to be a good sign, eh ? I asked the question if I had a job. He didnt know anything than what he had just learned on the conference call just as I had. He said he had some ideas and I could hear some worry in his voice.
I got to the train station, gave Ralph a huge hug and a kiss. I love him. I cant recall our initial words, from the beginning of the end of that conference call to now my mind has been split in multiple directions not knowing where it belongs.
I got to the house and my director had called me. Yes, I was impacted. I have 90 days till the end of my job. Then I get a severance package. The package is quite nice, but just like I passed up a $28k buy out I would much rather have my job. Through all the mergers my company has taken good care of me. I was loyal to them. I thought they were loyal to me. Bean counters don't see loyalty as a line item though. Wish it was. Between that line item and infrastructure intelligence I think I'd still have a job. Neither are something they consider.
Im not sure what happens from here. Im on the train as I write this as I await more reality to set in. Ralph, Bobbie, and I had a great time. The mental time that was split between my thoughts of my vacation and the news of my job going overseas have been at ends with one another. As I write this, I believe it can clearly be seen which side of the split has more attention. My new family has done an excellent job of helping me from having a complete break down. I love Ralph and Bobbie.
My trip was great when the thoughts of my side lined breakdown is taken out of the factor. I stay well distracted from reality. Mirror lake continues to be a fabulous image in my head. I think I could sink to the bottom of that lake and be in ecstasy til the moment my last breath was utilized.
That lake deserves it's own posting. Bobbie realized how much I enjoyed sucking in the awesomeness of the lake. He took me to the lake a 2nd time.
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Goodbye cell phone number
Submitted by todd on June 27, 2008 - 12:20pm. BlogGoodbye 228-217-TODD. I'll miss you. You have served me good over the past ~7 years.
Anyone who wants my new cell #, gimme a shout.
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City of New Orleans
Submitted by todd on June 24, 2008 - 1:49pm. BlogI catch a train to go home in a bit. Im leaving Milwaukee and taking the city of new orleans at 8pm tonite.
This trip started out emotional. It is ending just as emotional.
Great views, odd stories, and more to come... when I have time.
I have to leave to head home, so Im being told. Love you guys. Ill be needing some support over the next few months as my emotions go wild.
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Matthew S. Albers
Submitted by todd on June 11, 2008 - 3:00am. BlogPlease give a few moments of silence to a friend of mine that really helped me out through some tough times and was really a true friend.
Today, June 11th, is 1 year after his death.
In a way, we should celebrate his death. Matt had asthma, depression, and severe headaches that no doctor ever figured out the cause. He was an awesome friend to many people, but his physical health was something that just wasn't up to par in the last bit of his life. The last time I saw him he was on oxygen. We had went to the Zoo and he had to take a break while walking up some steps.
I miss him. His soul was pure and he was most definitely one of the most caring people I have known in this life. The physical shell he was given while on this earth was poorly built. He's in a better place now that he had shed the body he was given while on Earth.
This is a picture of Matt back in 2003 when we first met. 
Matt. I'll see you again when my time comes. Love ya.
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No uTurn for you!
Submitted by todd on June 11, 2008 - 2:45am. BlogI went to court Monday, stood in line with all the other criminals and had good conversation with the others in line.
When it came my turn to plea my case. I pleaded guilty. I lady asked me if I wanted to discuss my guilty plea and I didn't have an answer. I figured, what is there to discuss? I'm pleading guilty. So while I stand there in disbelief that she wants me to speak to someone about my guilty plea she told me to go sit down.
About 15-20 minutes later I get called up again. I explain that Im pleading guilty to the new lady I was called to speak too. Further, I explained I didnt know it was against the law to make a uturn at traffic lights...
Anyhow. She told me she never wanted to see me there again with a uturn violation and dismissed my case.
No points, no fine. I just got inconvenienced with about 1 and a half hours of my time and paid $7 to park.
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Required gas price grip
Submitted by todd on June 6, 2008 - 3:24am. BlogFor the first time ever I spent over $50 in gas.
The pump stopped at $49.98. I figured, ok, 2 more cents and I'll have a straight $50 to be mourn over. So I tapped the handle, and the pump stopped at $50.01.
Gas is so expensive a tap on the nozzle handle runs $0.03.
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damn you mountain dew
Submitted by todd on June 5, 2008 - 5:31am. BlogI cant sleep.
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