I'm feeling really worn out today. I don't sleep well (haven't for the last 8 months or so - anyone know how to fix me?) and then I am also tired physically. I onyl ran 4 miles this morning (pretty normal 3 times a weeK), but my body just aches. Ugh.
blog
I have decided to sell my Dell laptop, it is a D600 (1.6Ghz, 1GB RAM, 40 Gig HD, 15" screen, Windows XP, Photoshop, etc). I am going to put it on Ebay, but I thought I would offer it to friends and family first. The price is $500.
blog
So who has New Years plans? We have decided to stay here in Raleigh, but we don't know of anything going on. Anyone and everyone are welcome to come up/over/around to hang out. Hopefully Trent will come through with news of a party or other random gathering that we can tag along to.
Speaking of Trent, he got me this rad Faint poster that I am using to decorate my desk here at work. That combined with this Interpol one, this Metric one, this Doves one, this print, these ISO50 prints (1, 2, 3), and some random show posters from Rustic Overtones, Cursive, and Bright Eyes = very covered walls.
blog
After a day spent doing a bunch of nothing other than running 5 miles and watching 3 or 4 movies, it is back to work today. The Christmas visit to Charlotte/Monroe/Wingate/Concord was great and it was nice to spend some time with all the family. The big news out of the weekend was Leigh's little sister got engaged, which wasn't really a shocker because we figured it was coming, but certaily something to be celebrated. Congratulations Connie and Derrick.
Now it is time to start thinking about the approaching New Year and what I would like to accomplish. I guess the most obvious thing is I would like to solidify the future of Silent Uproar next year. Whether that means change it so it is more manageable or put it to rest, something needs to be decided and the time to do that will be 2006. Beyond that, I am not really sure. I just got a new job so that is squared away, maybe work on some kind of certification like my Project Management cert, who knows. Definitely on the list will be finding a new house in Raleigh and finding some things for Leigh and I to do together. We need new hobies that we both enjoy.
blog
The roads were pretty bare this morning on the way to work, and there is no one here. Pretty boring.
The plan for Christmas is to go home tonight to stay with Leigh's parents. Then tomorrow we will get up and drive to South Park where the Ipapo family (+ Harkey brothers) are doing a family portrait. Then it is back to Wingate for Christmas with Leigh's family. Sunday we get up and hang out before heading to Mom and Virgil's for Christmas lunch. While there I will also be setting up their new iMac G5 and installing some software. Then it is off to Concord for Christmas with my Dad and his wife's family. Once we are stuffed and ready to go, we being the treck back to Raleigh so Leigh can rest up before going back to work on Monday.
blog
I ordered some cool posters last week that I am waiting to show up so I can decorate my cube at work some more. I figure I might as well cover all the walls.
Speaking of work, I am starting to feel more comfortable in my role here. Last Friday my manager told me that I was in a cool position because I could basically make my job be about whatever I want and as long as I was providing value back to the business, she would support me. How cool is that? My job has basically turned into the kind of job I learned in Grad school was out there and that appealed to me. I am here to make things better for my group, setup some processes, improve some processes, suggestion new ways of doing things, evaluate new technology that comes out and see if it will help us, etc. All of that and I am at a management level, but don't have to worry about managing anyone. The managers that are my peers have 30-40 people a piece and some team leads to manage. I have none of that mess, it's great.
So we will see how it plays out in 2-3 years, but right now I am really happy with things.
blog
This past weekend was weekend 2 of 4 that I will be in Charlotte during the 5 weeks of December. Next up...Christmas!
While in Charlotte/Monroe/Wingate this past weekend we went to my mom and step-dad's annual Christmas party. It is always cool when a lot of friends come and just hang out and enjoy the food, spirits, and company. One thing that is cool is now that Grant and Michelle are living in Wingate, I get to see them a lot more. Being around those two and Jeremy make me think about how much I really do have some great friends. Sorry you couldn't make it out this time Robbie and Amy.
Not a lot going on this week. Hopefully work won't be too bad as people start to take off.
blog
I spoke with the automated DMV machine today and it told me my license was re-instated. Thanks to some really quick leg work from my lawyer, I am back on the road (legally). So no more jokes Trent.
I've grown to enjoy New Castle quite a bit (not the town, the beer - no offense Michelle). If you want to buy me a beer while we are out sometime, make it a New Castle.
Still bearding after 45 days.
Who has New Years plans? What are they? Can Leigh and I come join you?
blog
We will be going to Monroe/Wingate this weekend to have lunch with Leigh's family and to go to my mom and step-dad's Christmas Party. I know Jeremy and lady friend along with Grant and Michelle, maybe Audrey and Mark, and who knows; maybe even Trent and Erin will stop by, so it should be a good time (surprise Mom!).
I have been really busy with work although I can't really spot what it is I have been doing. Unlike my old job, I don't have tangible things I can show for my work. This isn't necessarily bad, but is a change that takes some getting used to. Sometimes it just feels like I am floating.
I am working on my Top 10 albums of 2005 right now and have a list of about 25 that I need to whittle down to 10.
blog
I just called the DMV to geta duplicate of my license because the one I have is all faded and the nice lady told me she couldn't do that because my icense was suspended, and had been since July!!.
What the hell? It would have been nice if they had told me.
All because of that stupid wreck that happened OVER A YEAR AGO!
blog
It seems like every time I have to travel for work the weather is crappy. I drove to Charlotte last night and once again the weather sucks. Robbie and I did see Aeon Flux last night though and I thought it was pretty cool overall. You gotta keep in mind it is a big budget movie, but I like the story and think they did a decent job of portraying it. Needless to say I am sure all the hard movie critics will trash it. Oh well.
It looks like December is to be the month of Charlotte. I am here today and tomorrow and then we will be back for Mom and Step-Dad's Christmas party, then we will be back for Christmas weekend. That is 3 out of 4 weeks, friends. I think the one weekend we will be in Raleigh we are going to try and see The Capulets play again. Good band/show.
Anyone know of anything else going on this month?
blog
I know I'm slacking with posting when Robbie is posting more than me!
I discovered/remembered recently why I do not buy books. It isn't because I don't enjoy reading, but because I am impatient and do not like starting something I can't finish. For that reason, whenever I buy I book I want to read it in any spare moment i have so I can finish and know what happens. Recently I bought a recent book on Steve Jobs called iCon. Well it isn't like it is a thrilling novel with tist and turns, but yet I still couldn't resist staying up too late to read it and slacking on some of my other duties. Once I was done reading it I had this great sense of relief. plus, the book was good.
I recently put some posters up in my cube at work, which means I am offically settling in. In my last job about 3 months before I left I had moved into a new group and to a new desk and I refused to put up any of the posters that are normally all over my cube. I think deep down I knew one way or another I wasn't going to stay at that desk very long. So believe it or not, the fact that I am decoarting this one says something about my current level of happiness with my job.
blog
I was presented with an interesting situation at work today. I was in Winston-Salem for the day and this lady I was meeting with decided my name was Steve for some reason and kept calling me Steve. After correcting her twice, I decided to just let it go and so the rest of the day she introduced me to people as Steve, wrote my name down on tasks as Steve, etc. I didn't want to be rude and keep correcting her.
blog
I bought a new bike while in Pittsburgh for Grant's wedding and it finally arrived via the USPS yesterday. (Well technically I bought it on Ebay while in Pittsburg and it is slightly used, but still a 2005 and was about half of the retail price.) I celebrated it's arrival by taking a nice leisurly ride today of about 12 miles. I don't think I have ever ridden over 5 miles at one time on a bike other than when I was a kid and my friend Daniel and I would ride our bikes to Pageland for fireworks and snacks. I guess that goes to show you how much of a difference having a really nice bike makes. My goal now is to get comfortable with doing 25+ miles in about an hour so I can ride my bike to work now and then.
For those keeping track, yes I copied Jeremy once again with the transportation vehicle purchase. First he got a Mazda 3 and I really liked it so when I got a new car I got the very similiar Mazda 6. Then he got the awesome Bad Boy Ultra, so when I decided I wanted a bike I went with what I knew was a great ride and got the same bike. Sorry Jeremy, I don't mean to always copy you, but you have good taste.
blog
This picture sums up my Thanksgiving. It is the first year in the 25 years of my life that I didn't do anything with family on Thanksgiving and instead sat home by myself and watched TV while Leigh worked a 12 hour day.
blog
The last week has been pretty crazy, here is a run-down:
Thursday: Went to Winston-Salem for a Leadership meeting. In the meeting we went over our Personalysis results with all the managers so we would all know how to deal with each other. While describing my graph, the lady who was leading the discussion embarrassed me by saying I had a "sweet face". Now the managers on my team call me that.
Friday: Work was normal cold rainy Friday at work. That night Leigh and I stayed in and ordered pizza and watched a movie. Around 11 I took off and went and saw The Capulets play here in Raleigh with Trent, Margaret, Bernard and others. The show was good and the band is great….maybe SUR material.
Saturday: Spent the day laying around and just relaxing watching TV. That night Leigh and I went out with Trent and his (new) wife Erin to eat some good Mexican food and to try and see “Walk the Line”. The movie was sold out, so we ended up at Café Cyclo for caffeine, alcohol, and bubble drinks.
Sunday: The morning was spent running around doing errands about the house and online for SU. I left about mid-afternoon and drove to Monroe where I had a nice dinner with Mom and Virgil. After dinner and some chatting, I drove to Charlotte and checked into my hotel for the night.
Monday: I awoke to a day full of meetings and a nasty cold, so this day wasn’t too much fun. After work I went back to the hotel to rest and then Grant and Michelle showed up to hang out. We went over to Jeremy’s where the 4 of us and Robbie met to go get some food at dish. After that it was back to the hotel for some chatting with Michelle about how the complexity of the human body and a deeper scientific knowledge of the body can actually help confirm your belief in a higher power. Then it was off to bed.
Tuesday: This was another morning full of meetings and a general crappy/sick feeling. At lunch time I took off and drove across town to meet my Dad for a nice lunch. I hadn’t seen him since he left for Iraq, so it was good to see him and just spend some time hanging out. After lunch I headed back to Raleigh and crashed.
Wednesday: I still feel like crap and am trying to push through it. Today was a lot of catching up with people about all the things I learned while in Charlotte, and setting up some meetings for next week in Winston-Salem and the next week back in Charlotte. I also managed to update my website today and after a long day of work, went home to a nice relaxing…
blog
I don't really have an excuse for being gone so long. Just busy I guess, but excuses suck anyway.
I am breaking my silence because I am in Charlotte working today and tomorrow and this cart just went by with no one driving it. I have seen these before, but they have these carts that are programmed with the floor plan and you tell it where to go and it goes off on it's merry little way with no person. I am sure people are here are used to such things, but it is freaky to see this cart go cruising by. They also printed out the face of some dude and put it on the front of the cart to give it a little personality.
The weird thing about being in Charlotte is you see all these people who you know that you are suppoed to know, but can't remember. I got in the elivator and some lady was like "Hey Scott!!" (with enthusiasm) and I had no idea who she was. Silly stuff.
More soon, just wanted to break the silence.
blog
Coming at you live from PA, where we are camped out for Grant's wedding. We are trying to find something to do today and kind of eyeing a trip to the Andy Warhol Museum. I don't know if we want to mess with the hour trip back into town and find our way around. Then again, maybe we do?
blog
Does anyone know where I could get some cool art for my cubicle at work? I have lots of wall space and some show posters to put up, but could use some suggestions on where to get cool small pritns or art pieces on the cheap.
Tomorrow I have a meeting that is being catered. I feel like Leigh when she was in Vet school and the Pharma companies would always buy them lunch if they came and listened to a lecture about some new drug. Minus the drugs and the animals that is.
My new manager gave me this really nice leather protfolio yeserday. She handed me a box and said to open it, that is was a gift for me. I was really skeptical and thought she was playing a joke, but sure enough, it is a really nice gift.
My posts these days are more random thoughts than coherent posts about specific topics. Since I don't post a bunch of links, I don't always know what to say. Hence all the random thoughts.
blog
Where'd Scott go? Well unless you are talking about the long lost Padilla who is working away in DC towards his PHD in psychology, then I am right here.
Work has made the days fly by for some reason, which is both good and bad. The good part is the job is going well. This week should be good with a bunch of meetings lined up, and then an early end to the week when we jet off to Pittsburg on Thursday for Grant and Michelle's wedding. Holly crap, they are finally getting married!!! So awesome.
Robbie, Amy and Jeremy have been hanging out a lot lately. It is good to see we are all friends again.
blog
I wasn't planning on entering the Beard Contest this time around because of the new job and not really wanting to be "that hairy new guy" instead of just that new guy, but I changed my mind last minute and signed up last night. The people I work for/with are very cool and in fact I think it lets them see a little of my personality that might not come out otherwise because I am a pretty quiet person. The only challenge will be when I go for some of these meetings in Charlotte or here with high-level leaders. We will see if the man ends up getting me down after all.
So where you at Scott P and Trent? You two both should go enter the beard fun so we can all laugh at each other. Oddly enough, I met some really cool people from previous beard event, including people like Ryan who I plan to know for the rest of my life.
blog
As predicted, the weekend was busy and full of the items described in the previous post. The wedding was cool, and it was fun to hang out with some new people. Sunday ended up being pretty boring since I didn't feel well as a result of the previous night's festivities, and it felt later than the time said all day. We ended the weekend by going to the grocery store, and ordering pizza for the 2nd time in 3 nights.
Nothing big going on this week. If I am feeling healthy (I have been getting over a cold) then I am going to see the Shout Out Louds on Wednesday. If I'm not, well then I'm not going. Health before rock is what my mom always said.
This weekend we take a break from running around and then the nest weekend it is off to Gran't wedding.
blog
This weekend is going to be busy. After work today I am suppose to go to Mellow Mushroom for the farewell part for a guy from work. Then Leigh has some errands she needs us to run tonight because she has to work tomorrow, and when she gets off we are driving to Wrightsville Beach for Trent's wedding. We will stay at the beach tomorrow night, and then Sunday head back home. Hopefully Snday afternoon I can get a little work done before the weekend is over.
Work is starting to feel a little less weird. I still don't feel like I know anything, but I am learning and getting more and more involved in things. I stay pretty busy now with meetings, which makes the day go by really quick.
Friends, we need to plan a camping trip sometime befire it gets super cold. None of that in the woods in Marshville stuff, but a weekend trip to the NC mountains or somethig. Or how about a white water rafting trip with the Ipapo/Harkey family and friends?
blog
I am back in Raleigh at work today. Being in Charlotte and working was weird. The office building there is completely different and I felt out of place. Of course part of this is just because it wasn't my hood.
I met up for dinner/drinks with Jeremy, Robbie, Sara, and Audreyand it was good fun. One good thing about being in Charlotte is seeing friends.
Meetings, meetings, meetings all day today and tomorrow.
blog
Trent and I went and got Moe's today. That is some good stuff. Which brings up a good questions: Why did the fresh-mex chains like Moe's, Chipolte, Qudoba, etc just spring up in the last 5 years? It just seems weird that all of a sudden they are everywhere and they are all basically the same thing.
I have to go to Charlotte tomorrow and Wednesday for work. It will be good to meet some of the people I will be working with there, but traveling for work is always a little weird.
I think the beard contest will be starting up soon. I don't know yet if I am going to participate or not because of the new job situation. Since I am just meeting a lot of people for the first time, coming in all scraggle beard might not be the bext move. Corporate whore am I.
blog
They had a surprise wedding shower for Trent at work today. It is always fun to see someone caught off guard and surprised by a big group of people. I am just glad it wasn't me!!
I think I ate too much cake though, my head hurts.
blog
I am supposed to interview this band called We Are Scientist and apparently they are kinda silly, so the label asked that we did something fun with the interview. The result is I am scheduled to play mini-golf with the band sometime this weekend and conduct an interview. Should be fun/weird.
This new job is going to be pretty awesome. I mean I have a ton to learn and right now feel really out of place, but instead of the job I had before where I was having to basically support people (whether it be computer issues or creating databases and such), my job now is going to be to think. To think of better ways to do things, to think of ways to organize the technology group and processes better, to keep the people in line when requesting things from our group and making sure everyone is in the loop. My role is to know everything that is going on with the technology group and to them make it better. It is awesome, and I report directly to a high level manager so I get a good overview, will get brought in on things in the very early phases, and will make a lot of friends with the technology managers across the company. It is huge...and very awesome.
blog
Ahh, I finally have a PC at my desk. No more going into random conference rooms and labs to try and get on a computer. Granted, it is just a loaner, but at least I have something to occupy my time. It is weird because the laptops we use here are the same model as the Dell one I bought. I feel like I am on my own PC.
Anyone have any cool plans this week/weekend? Leigh and I are going to see The National and We Are Scienist this Friday night. Hopefully Trent and Erin will make it out, should be a good show. beyond that, we have no plans. Do you?
blog
Happy Birthday to two great friends, Jeremy and Amy. Jeremy, I am sorry you had such a crappy day, and Amy, I am glad you are out having a great trip. Two very opposite ways to spend your Birthday.
Hopefully we can come see you both sometime soon.
blog
See, there I go again...it is already Friday and I haven't posted in several days. I don't know what happens to me in the middle of the week.
News Flash! Silent Uproar Records will release our 3rd release, an EP from Bellaparker out of Austin, Texas on October 25th. The CD is available for pre-order over at the newly launched SU Records website. Real friends support their friends, so go order a CD or if you see me in person be like Trent and just slip $8 in my pocket. It wil be worth it.
Hey Scott, when you guys coming back to Raleigh? And Jeremy, any Birthday weekend plans? Wanna come see us?
blog
I decided to try out one of the 4-blade Razors from Schick the other day. While it did give a good shave, I was paranoid the whole time that I was going to move wrong and slash my throat open. It just seems like way too many razor blades in your hand. After hearing that Gillete was going to come out with a 5-blade razor soon, I can't imagine how scary that would be.
Moral of the story: Four blades is good, but be very, very careful.
blog
Those in Charlotte should go see Paranoid Social Club (old Rustic Overtones) on Wednesday at Amos' Southend. I am going to see Metric tonight. We can compare notes afterwards.
As I mentioned before, I had today off work. It was really a pretty boring day. I sat inside all day, typed up interviews I did two months ago, worked on answering email, packaged some albums, cleaned out a closet, watched some TV, ran 4 miles, took some CDs to storage, took some clothes to Goodwill, and now I am drive to Chapel Hill.
Note: The We Are Scientist CD is really freaking good and they are playing at Cat's Cradle next Friday with The National. Go see them, I'll be there. Also, the new Far-Less CD is really really good, and the upcoming Silent Uproar Records released Bellaparker CD is great as well. I am in a cocoon of good music.
blog
So where the heck did the week go? It's Friday already? I worked from home yesterday because I was trying to get some things done and people keep distracting me at work. It was nice, I think I will do it again next Thursday.
One of the good things about working for a bank is we get crazy Holidays off, like Columbo day. So hooray for a 3-day weekend!! The only bad part is the weather is so crappy.
blog
I don't know what came over me at lunch today, but Trent and I went out to buy some records and on the way we stopped at Arbys. I ate two roast beef sandwhiches, a hot ham and chees, and some pizza bites. I'm still not super full. I am starting to feel like Jeremy!
I've discovered at work that leaving is like going on vacation forever; everyone wants something before you go. This makes things really busy trying to get it all done and also having to document everything I do so someone can do it after I'm gone.
blog
As if all that driving Friday and Saturday wasn’t enough, Sunday Leigh and I took off to the beach! It was a beautiful day and Leigh really wanted to go, so I gave in and we made the trek down there. I am glad we did, because it was awesome.
This week is looking busy. I got a call asking if I wanted to go see Gang of Four on Thursday because they want me to interview the opening band: Men, Women, and Children. I wanted to go to the show anyway, just too cheap for the $20 tickets, so it is awesome!
I also interviewed Grandaddy and The Crimea last week. I have been doing a ton of those lately, which is both good and bad. Good for the site, but bad for me because it takes a ton of time to type them all up!! Rock stars don’t’ always talk very clear.
blog
Robozo is the personal blog of a pretty normal (boring) guy living in Concord, NC.
