Greetings from Costa Mesa, California, USA!
Photo taken on Monday, November 17, 2008.
This week was a roller coaster ride with work providing both the high and the low. At a company meeting on Wednesday the big surprise was bonuses, in cash no less. With the current economic situation in the United States and worldwide, many companies are passing out pink slips, not greenbacks. The bigger surprise was that they were given to freelancers as well as permanent employees. To say the least I was stunned by this very magnanimous gesture but it was tempered by news that two of my fellow freelancers were let go on Friday. That decision was based on performance, not balance sheets, although the former can affect the latter. The entire experience left me with mixed emotions. I am far from secure in my job but, whatever may come, I choose to indulge in this moment.
Adding even more to the office bustle on Friday was a potluck in honor of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. I accidentally left my contribution to the lunch event at home but it was far from missed. We have plenty of food. I ate more than I should have but that did not stop me from snacking on leftovers throughout the afternoon. Even worse was bringing some of it home. I was practically the last one out of the office that evening and plenty of food was left unclaimed. The cleaning crew would dump it all so I took half of a cherry pie. I also took half of a chocolate cake but that should not even count. One of my roommates ate it all - within 24 hours no less - before I even had a slice. Fortunately I hid the pie in the back of the fridge.
The festivities continued with two birthday celebrations, the first on Friday, the other on the following night. The one on Saturday was at a couple’s house for the husband’s 40th. The place was covered in photos of the birthday boy from all ages of his life. Pictures were everywhere – from the front door to the bathroom and all points in between. I played poker with the couple many times before and we had another game that evening. In this round of Texas Hold’em, you could buy-in again if you lost all your chips and I had to do just that. The move paid off as I finished second out of seven. First place got $160 and the winner only had one $20 buy-in. I received $60 for second place less $40 for the two buy-ins, netting a $20 profit.
The holiday season is here. My weekly photo - a shower of lights and ornaments directly overhead – was a holiday decoration at South Coast Plaza shopping center. Wait, I hear someone in the kitchen. My roommate may have found the pie. I must stop him.
Angelo
Photo taken on Monday, November 17, 2008.
This week was a roller coaster ride with work providing both the high and the low. At a company meeting on Wednesday the big surprise was bonuses, in cash no less. With the current economic situation in the United States and worldwide, many companies are passing out pink slips, not greenbacks. The bigger surprise was that they were given to freelancers as well as permanent employees. To say the least I was stunned by this very magnanimous gesture but it was tempered by news that two of my fellow freelancers were let go on Friday. That decision was based on performance, not balance sheets, although the former can affect the latter. The entire experience left me with mixed emotions. I am far from secure in my job but, whatever may come, I choose to indulge in this moment.
Adding even more to the office bustle on Friday was a potluck in honor of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. I accidentally left my contribution to the lunch event at home but it was far from missed. We have plenty of food. I ate more than I should have but that did not stop me from snacking on leftovers throughout the afternoon. Even worse was bringing some of it home. I was practically the last one out of the office that evening and plenty of food was left unclaimed. The cleaning crew would dump it all so I took half of a cherry pie. I also took half of a chocolate cake but that should not even count. One of my roommates ate it all - within 24 hours no less - before I even had a slice. Fortunately I hid the pie in the back of the fridge.
The festivities continued with two birthday celebrations, the first on Friday, the other on the following night. The one on Saturday was at a couple’s house for the husband’s 40th. The place was covered in photos of the birthday boy from all ages of his life. Pictures were everywhere – from the front door to the bathroom and all points in between. I played poker with the couple many times before and we had another game that evening. In this round of Texas Hold’em, you could buy-in again if you lost all your chips and I had to do just that. The move paid off as I finished second out of seven. First place got $160 and the winner only had one $20 buy-in. I received $60 for second place less $40 for the two buy-ins, netting a $20 profit.
The holiday season is here. My weekly photo - a shower of lights and ornaments directly overhead – was a holiday decoration at South Coast Plaza shopping center. Wait, I hear someone in the kitchen. My roommate may have found the pie. I must stop him.
Angelo
