Random Memorial for Monday 1/5/15

Gone but not forgotten:  any fears I had over my financial future.

As I've previously shared, today marks the first day of my unemployment.  Although I have plans which I'll be executing these next few weeks, my concerns over whether my future will consist of a strictly-ramen diet were alleviated once I opened up the mailbox today and found *this* unexpected item.  And now I don't even have to go play the mega-millions (aka ... my retirement strategy)!

Courtesy of AT&T, my financial future is clearly secure.  (And note ... were this not what it was, I most certainly would *not* have posted this to the interwebs.  Rest assured that I'm not that interwebs-naive.)

Nightmares about being homeless, now unreasonable courtesy of this financial windfall, you will NOT be missed.

OK OK ... RAMEN NOODLES ARE NOT A LAUGHING MATTER IN SOME PLACES:
http://borgenproject.org/ramen-noodles-from-college-dorms-to-impoverished-villages/

AKA ... MY RETIREMENT PLAN:
http://www.megamillions.com/

HOMELESS DREAMS EXPLAINED:
http://www.dreamsymbolism.info/ahomelessmum.php

Random Scandal Sheet for Sunday 1/4/15

What southern Florida is talking about this week:

The fact that, as a whole state, we've passed New York to become the 3rd most populous.

Turns out ... "I ... like ... big states and I cannot lie.  You other brothers can't deny ..."  Not counting a semester abroad way back in 1990, my home addresses have all been in PA (6th biggest), IL (5th biggest) and now FL (now 3rd biggest).  With a prediction that the last chapter of my life will take place in the California desert ... it looks like I'll be on trend to the end.

Mind you ... getting the statistics right ... it's not that Florida is growing the fastest (that's reserved for North Dakota, apparently on the strength of the job market there [so maybe, in my currently unemployed state, I should reconsider my short term domicile arrangements?]), it's just that where New York's population was once 5x that of Florida in 1950, now many of them move down here, drastically changing the dynamic.

So ... seeing as how me and mine contributed to those numbers during the time frame of this study (moving from IL not NY) ... you're welcome Florida!

BYE BYE NEW YORK ... WE'RE NUMBER 3 NOW!:
https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2014/cb14-232.html

LOOKING FOR WORK?  WHY NOT NORTH DAKOTA?:
http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2014/03/18/north-dakota-oil-skilled-labor-shortage/

NOT EVERYONE SHARES THE OPINION THAT FLORIDA SHOULD KEEP GROWING:
http://www.alternet.org/economy/10-reasons-you-should-not-move-florida-floridians-who-know

Random Soapbox for Saturday 1/3/15

I don't mean to go off on a rant, but ...

... our youth are not being serviced.  Society is clearly failing them.  It saddens me to no end.

The source of my disappointment?  This *actual* photo I took inside a department store changing room a few months ago (I found it anew cleaning out my phone of its pictures this new year).

[Separately, please know that I am not endorsing taking pictures in dressing rooms ... nor bathrooms, where I've also snapped a photo or two in my day -- purely for reasons to post on social media and then to add my commentary -- nothing else.  But it's a risky move ... especially if others are in either location with you at the time of the "click" of the taking of the photo.]

Lest you can't read that which was scratched into that little square on the wall, it says EAT A PIZZA.  Admittedly, it could be that the criminal defacing the property was proud of his heritage and was looking to convert others.  Or maybe this isn't piss poor graffiti at all, and maybe the scratcher worked or owned a pizza place in the mall, such that this is actually marketing ... in some way almost subliminal.

[Quick cautionary tale that is NSFW.  I did check the urban dictionary, and so I am aware that the act of eating pizza may refer to a very specifically timed sex act.  However, I have to think that it is SO obscure a call-to-action that this instance was NOT someone making *that* kind of suggestion.  Google it at your own risk.]

Are our youth not being taught the classic limericks of yore (you know, about guys from Nantucket and about sitting in a stall broken-hearted [and you know the rest])?  Are they no longer encouraged to promote the clever wordplay of the GodIsNowhere vs GodIsNowHere debate?  Is there no one in that generation whose phone number can be used for those seeking a good time?

*This* is the youth to whom we are trusting the future?!  So so sad ...

WARNING:  ADULT LANGUAGE AND IMAGES AHEAD:
http://www.ranker.com/list/the-50-best-bathroom-graffiti-pictures-in-internet-history/brian-gilmore

GOD IS NOWHERE, GOD IS NOW HERE GETS ALL SCHOLARLY:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17364482

THIS PIZZA SLANG *IS* SAFE FOR WORK:
http://blog.eat24hours.com/pizza-slang/

Bonus Post: From the Kap-files #1

From the Kap-files #1:

[ReKap:  As of today, my position was eliminated at my job, and so I'm CONCLUDING my countdown looking back through my files, mental or otherwise, representing nearly 11 years with the company ...]

#1:  And so it ends.   Contrary to what this photo might imply, my final selection in this series is NOT going to be about this branded sartorial selection ... exactly.

Instead, each is a stand in for all the people over the years who have worn similar shirts (and it's only a select special few who have that raincoat in the upper left hand corner).  Because if there's a common consistent answer whenever any employee is asked what is best about this job ... it's almost always "the people" as a response.

And that's what I'll take with me ... memories and insight and knowledge from all of the amazing, talented, focused, creative, dedicated and wonderful individuals with whom I had the pleasure to interact.  There are too many to mention by name ... but if you're one of the ex-Kaplan (or one of those still with the organization), then you know that I'm talking about YOU.  Thanks to each of YOU for the role you played in my professional development.

Now ... what's next?!?

Random Flashback for Friday 1/2/15

And *this* is how New Year's Eve 1995 started ... let's just call it my "thug life" phase.

The setting is indeed the Greentree townhouse, which was my first "home" of my own* (although, it was only ever partially my own, seeing as how I always had roommates during my stay there).  According to my notes (back then, I kept notes about my New Year's celebrations), this was just the pre-party (with me, Patty Hat, Dunn, Graby, Posey, Kelly and Stacey), because I then made my way to a Hills party (ain't no party like a HILLS party, yo!) at Dot K's house (with Joe G, Nancy H and my former prom date Jodi W).

You can check the weather records, but my notes say that 1.1.95 started with an ice storm, because I stumbled/slid my way to Mrs. Woodward's house, which was halfway between the after-party and work at Hills on New Year's Day.  And ... there's also a notation about a "White Russian" ... which I'm certain was NOT someone I met at either party, if you catch my drift.

And so begins the new year ... of 1995 ... to be told every Friday ... in the year ahead.

Bonus Post: From the Kap-files #2

From the Kap-files #2:

[ReKap:  In 2 calendar days, my position is being eliminated at my job, and so I'm looking back through my files, mental or otherwise, representing nearly 11 years with the company ...]

#2:  Seems only appropriate that I save one of my "prized" work-related possessions for last.  Gifted to me by a departing employee back in the last decade, it's an autographed copy of Stanley H. Kaplan's auto-biography.  I'm not saying that it's worth tons of money on the ebay ... or that it has much value to someone not in the business or the company ... but for me, it's a bittersweet reminder that, when given to me, the comment was made that she wanted to give it to someone who would value it and who would have longevity with the organization.  Now, it will take its place in the "Kaplan" box in my archives.

Random Thought for Thursday 1/1/15

It's not official until it's on the Facebook, no?  Without further ado ... in 2015, I resolve to:

1)  Volunteer somewhere doing something (vague, I recognize ... but I need to find somewhere local to spend some time).
2.)  Get to the ocean more (I mean, I live here in Florida with it a few blocks away ... and I've only been in the Atlantic once since the big move).
3.)  Present a more ocean-friendly body (everyone can stand to exercise a little more -- preferably accomplished by me riding a bike again).
4.)  Move to a new place (in case you missed it in my year's wrap-up post, the landlord wants this homestead back by May 1 ... so a new domicile is in the cards).
5.)  Find gainful employment (in case you also missed it, my position in my company wasn't funded in 2015, so, starting Saturday, my classification is officially "unemployed").
6.)  Watch Days-of-our-Lives again (I stopped on 4.10.12, but if ever there was a perfect combination, unemployment and the afternoon soaps seem like a great one).
7.)  Wrangle my finances (my quarter of a million dollar student loans can only be pushed off for so long).
8.)  Visit Chicago for the first time since leaving it (courtesy of a former colleague's wedding over the Fourth of July holiday).
9.)  Continue the "chasing the Super Bowl tradition" (which means spending Feb 1 in the place where the Super Bowl was held *last* year i.e.  Hello New York).
10.)  Do everything possible to dip my feet into the only Great Lake where I have yet to do so (which, for me, is the elusive Lake Ontario ... so it sounds like a trip to Toronto or Rochester is called for).
11.)  Eat more burgers in more places on my Burger Quest (I've been to 9 of 25 places ... but a west coast trip might be needed).
12.)  Reduce that thing I'm doing that's not bad for me but is just excessive (I might be talking about bacon ... but maybe not).
13.)  Organize my post 2008-photos (once I went digital, I lost the commitment to making them tangible).
14.)  Update my family research files (stories, photos, next generations ... all need to be documented).
15.)  Revive Lorem Ipsum (the short story I was writing one status update at a time on the Facebook).

Perfect.  That should keep me busy.  Lots of action words there.  Happy 2015 to you and yours!

YOUR GOVERNMENT WANTS TO HELP:
http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/New-Years-Resolutions.shtml

RUNNING THE NUMBERS WHEN IT COMES TO RESOLUTIONS:
http://www.statisticbrain.com/new-years-resolution-statistics/

DULY NOTED ... 66 DAYS TO MAKE A HABIT YOUR DEFAULT:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bernadette-farrell/5-ways-to-make-your-new-y_b_6395732.html