Ultramundane.com -- It's Just Not Natural.

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United States, California, San Francisco, The Mission, English, Spanish, Casey, Male, 31-35.

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Saturday, April 5, 2003

Who Are You, Baby Buddha?

When I heard the thunder, my first thought was that The Roommate would be excited by it, but he was asleep in his bed with the lights all on and his glasses still on his face. I turned off his overhead light and went back to my room and opened the blinds. I looked up at the storm, at the beautiful yet violent wash of water battering the city, and somewhere in my head I heard, "Please don't end quite yet, World. There's still too much left to do."

I think my Inner Child was up past his bedtime.

03:55 PM PST (link)

Thursday, April 3, 2003

Don't You Know Yet Who I Am?

Is it raining out or sunny? The weather out my window is the same as always; 68 degrees, white plaster, with a fire extinguisher hanging on it.

I did some really good design work on a project recently, and everyone involved was surprised how well it turned out. Now, I realize they were being complimentary, but I'd like to get to the point in my career where it's no longer surprising when I do excellent work.

I'm always hesitant to write about work. Really, it's not that interesting to anyone but me and the people who work here. I certainly don't write about clients or specifics or trade secrets. Heh, as if I knew any. I know that the company I work for is aware of Weblogs and has, theoretically, instituted a couple on our site. (I believe they're misusing the term, but that's another topic altogether.) But I am also aware that people lose jobs over their personal Web sites, and by even writing this at work it stands as a liability to me.

I know I'm prone to overreaction. My footprint on the Internet is pretty large, and it's nothing more than a Google search that keeps people who know my workplace from finding my personal sites, and vice versa. If it were going to happen, it'd have happened by now. And I'd more likely be fired for reading blogs on company time than anything that I'd actually put in mine.

But I'm reminded because it's Bingo night. Last month I made a mix CD and was pleased with how the labels and title card turned out, so I was showing them to a friend here at work. He asked for a copy, and I was happy to make one for him. It wasn't until after I'd given it to him and he turned around and pointed out this URL on the back. "Oh, that's your Web site," he correctly assumed. Suddenly I froze with panic. Someone at work knows my URL. What was on the front page of my blog right now? Complaints about work? Porn? Kittens wearing hats? (Link via PK.)

Did he read my site? Does he still? Do other people in the company? If I write about the hottie freelancer we have in for the week, will I get comments about it next week? Will I get in trouble for it? (Coincidentally, that's also how I'll be able to tell if the Boyfriend's keeping current with the site. Yep, there's the phone....)

I'm also reminded because one of the Bingo volunteers last month was wearing a Dirty Power tshirt, a band name I recognize from the employee mailing lists here, as one of their band members works here too and promotes their shows. I chatted with him about it and he offered the URL to the band member's LiveJournal. So bored at home, I read some—I even bookmarked it. Now, I read all sorts of sites by people I've never met, but somehow this felt different. I'm not sure this man even knows who I am, yet I can read about his lunch, his band life, his love life. But the difference between this and my other "imaginary friends" is that I could point at him outside at lunch. Suddenly there was a blinding flash of the obvious: Other people at my workplace can see my Web site too, and might be refraining from pointing at me just the same.

I'm not sure if I have an ethical problem about this or not. Is it wrong to know of someone in person and read their public site but not say anything about it? Maybe not. I mean, the rule of thumb is never to publish anything on the Web that you wouldn't be comfortable having broadcast on the evening news. And at least we're not recognized by the people at my company as that guy who auditioned for the sex movie.

OK, back to work.

04:08 PM PST (link)

Tuesday, April 1, 2003

I'm With Stupid. (Points At Self.)

April Fish! As Jon Sullivan points out, the holiday has French origins, so I guess all those good Americans will be celebrating April Freedom Day.

To commemorate St. Stupid's Day 2003, I am dressed in my usual black. I have a dour expression on my face. And a bright yellow cheesy smiley-face button from 1985. The hardest part is not grinning like a fool when, for example, that man on the train this morning did a classic double-take. It's such a small prank, but it still makes me smirk whenever I see it in the bathroom mirror. (Side note: Jeez, the subway at 8:45 AM is so serious! The 9:30 train with all of us waltz-into-work types is too bleary-eyed to be that serious.)

Google, who normally has some sort of joke posted on their homepage, has nothing of the sort. In fact I've seen very few April Fools sites posted on the Web, presumably because either the poor economy has left site managers humorless (or staffless,) or as a nation at War we must be serious and support our troops and that sort of levity isn't appropriate at this juncture, harrumph. I haven't even seen many Weblog pranks yet besides Brad and Geno. Which is too bad; personally I think it takes great strength and mental health to find humor wherever you can, even and especially about the most serious of subjects.

Wonder if I should wear my clown nose on the train home tonight.

05:10 PM PST (link)

Monday, March 31, 2003

Doest Thou Do Inn-Calls?

Bachelorette Parties: Sorry, ladies, we don't strip—but we can provide two (or more) knights or barbarian warriors to greet your guests, serve the food, or fight to death for the hand of the guest of honor! Give the bride-to-be an unforgettable experience!

Personally, I think the non-stripping part is probably a shame, but then again a tunic and poet shirt (not to mention full armor) can hide quite a few flaws. Knight-4-Hire. (Link because JonJon said so.)

10:15 PM PST (link)