Dear diary

[Potato]

Dear Diary,

Today was just...odd. I'm still recovering from this mystery illness of mine and so everything's a bit messed up. My hearing is shocking. Which really doesn't help when customers you deal with on a daily basis don't always speak the best English so you really need to listen hard just to communicate basic things. And speaking of work;
I'm sick. Very, very sick. And I didn't call in sick because I know full well, I'm the youngest staff member, I don't want to disturb someone elses night out. But I know no one else would ever do that for me. Ever. I had to tell work about attending GTM months before it happened. Months.

And then theres the problem with other people. Last night, someone from my past insisted on calling me, whilst they were drunk. I guess when I didn't answer they didn't quite get the message, so they persisted to text me. And then ring me. And then text me. And then ring me again. So then we move on to the next male. A charming young fellow who has, quite frankly, outworn his welcome with me. I have full well told him that I'm only interested in being friends and that this will never change with him, but he persists to treat me like his girlfriend. Every weekend, he wants to do something. I tell him that I work, and that I've got homework, (and remind him that he's in year 11 and he should bloody well have homework too) but he just doesn't get the message. If I say 'sorry, busy this weekend' it's; well, next weekend. come to my place yeah? and we'll watch skins? and cuddle?
NO. JUST NO.

Add to aaaaaaaaaaaaaaall this crap that my bestfriends parents broke up tonight. I don't even know what to say or do.

In conclusion, little diary of mine, this Potato isn't enjoying life very much at the moment.

[{mad_man}]

Dear drunk diary: Today I woke up at 9:00 and I went to my chinese/mandarin classes with my brother, we learned a lot today and I felt it was really good, we came back home and I had lunch with my family and after it my niece gave me a card she made herself saying "I love you uncle Michel" and I huged her strongly and I told her I love her so much. Then I played "Splinter Cell" (the first one) in my PS2 until I finished level 4, took a long nap and listened to Silverchair. After that I took a shower and went downtown and met up with my friend Bruno, we had some ice cream and met with our friends Akram and Joyce and had dinner in a café and chatted a lot about a lot of things, then I said bye to them and went to a nightclub called "Satolepe" (which is a great one around here) to party with my brother and cousin. We had a great time, we saw some friends there and had a lot beer, the band was performing songs from 60s and 70s and they asked a volunteer to sing "War Pigs" by Black Sabbath, guess who raised the hand?????? I did, and I was so drunk, I couldn't remember the lyrics of the last verse but I jammed something like "now in darkness world stops turning...and I need a hand to make me sing it..." and I screamed and said stuff "heeey motherfuckers, let's jump and have fun" and they all jumped and stuff it was really cool, after that a lot of people came to say "congrats man" and even bought me a beer, an old lady hitted on me but I didn't feel like making out tonight so I just drank a lot with my cousin and acted silly...making and having fun, then my dad picked me and my brother up and I had a hot dog and I am really drunk aaahaaha83558345475ahah I'm even using numbers to laugh hahaha356354

[Jazz-a-ma-tazz]

Dear Diary

Lionel Richie needs to hold off the plastic surgery, Walkers crisps are having a hard time attempting to dub him with his own voice in their adverts.

Love Jazz

[Reino]

Dear Diary:
Woke up at 7:00am today, 40 mins earlier than I usually go. Had a shower, ate eggs on toast. Went to the senior school, dressed in my costume for the production, got make up done, hair and microphones. We performed our practice show to the Primary school students, and to be honest it was very very good. even though some of the kids dont get the jokes, they still laughed at mine
Then we finish, I realise I have no money, I gotta take the bus home. Some people I wanted to say goodbye to had just left... I asked my friends if they had some spare money so I could buy them a bus ticket, knowing they have a job and eftpos is basically available in every store (debit card) What was the reply, no. OK I can deal with that they have no money for me, whats that your continuing your answer??? "No, im buying lunch." I got some kind people to give me money and im paying them back double tomorrow. Now i just feel empty like im here with no meaning.......

[{mad_man}]

Reino - No money means trouble ehhehe I'm glad I saved A LOT in my last job, how old are you by the way?

Dear Diary - Today I woke up at 6 PM, my parents screamed at me for being asleep until 6PM and for not having a job (and I'm pretty sure I know they fear that I become a "home bum"), but I had to tell them that I was in a bad job for over 3 years and hating my "professional" life, and I do have nearly 5 thousand in my bank account - But it didn't help it, they still got mad at me and somehow they're right...I'm just taking a long rest after a long time of hard and bad work. I had some traditional Rice & Beans for "breakfest" while I watched the Simpsons, I played Chrono Cross in my computer for long hours, then I watched some videos on youtube and I felt nostalgic with Chrono Trigger's (Video game) music and I downloaded its soundtrack and listened to whole thing (2 and a half hours), so I felt like composing and I sat by the piano and composed 2 small parts of music (it's actually a digital piano, the music I wrote tonight are actually for strings - pizzicato strings basically), now here I am. See ya, it's 3:30 AM and I have classes tomorrow morning and I CAN'T miss them.

[Reino]

Reino - No money means trouble ehhehe I'm glad I saved A LOT in my last job, how old are you by the way?

15
I have $180 left on my debit card from my last job, but I shouldnt spend it unless urgent

[{mad_man}]

15?? you're very young, when I was 15 my life was video games and school ahahha I had no money (but at that time I had bought my first electric guitar - an AriaProII - cos I saved money from allowance and I did some stuff like painting walls for the neighbours and gardening as well), I got my first real job when I was 17 as an accountant's assistant. Anyway, I hope you solve your money problem, it really annoys myself when I need to ask friends and parents for money.

[{mad_man}]

Dear Diary: Today I woke up at 7:30, had fruits for breakfest and went to university and I was supposed to present an assignment about how to conduct a study based on existing findings but I didn't know it was scheduled for today so I spent the whole class watching my classmates presenting their assignments. After class I came back home and had lunch while I was watching a BBC documentary about World War II, I took a nap and I woke up with pain all over my body and I was really weak. Since I was not fine I didn't go to swimming classes and I refused my friend's invitation to party at his COMMERCIAL apartment (it's funny cos he owns an IT company but he throws parties at the building sometimes cos it's huge and sound proof). I stayed home, played guitar, I composed some stuff but not good enough to keep, I watched the simpsons and two and a half men....used msn for a looong time, listened to some music from the "listen to my music" thread, and I phoned the drummer of my band and we spent more than one hour discussing about the band, I took a shower and watched Dissociatives videos on youtube. See ya, it's 3:30 AM

[{mad_man}]

I almost forgot, I talked in msn with an ex-girlfriend and she invited me to go to a concert this month, I accepted (she's hot, intelligent and funny...why the hell did I break up with her?? ahhh cos I fell for a girl that didn't care if I was alive or not )

[DonCarlos]

Dear Diary:

A few open questions and thoughts:

1) Why is the bad mood thread so much longer than the good mood thread?

2) How to find the proper balance between looking forward to the future and living in the present? Having two little guys is great, but I can't wait for them to be in school. Once they're in school and we get enough money put away, a move back to Toronto is in the cards. But I also like where I'm at right now. Bah.

3) How much is not enough? How much is too much?

Guess I'm struggling with finding the proper balance today.

[Reino]

Dear Diary:

A few open questions and thoughts:

1) Why is the bad mood thread so much longer than the good mood thread?

2) How to find the proper balance between looking forward to the future and living in the present? Having two little guys is great, but I can't wait for them to be in school. Once they're in school and we get enough money put away, a move back to Toronto is in the cards. But I also like where I'm at right now. Bah.

3) How much is not enough? How much is too much?

Guess I'm struggling with finding the proper balance today.

1) Because people dont think its necessary to post whats put them in a good mood, but they do find it comforting when they get help and sympathy in the bad mood thread, which is also venting thread.

[DonCarlos]

[color=#FFFFFF]Dear Diary:

A few open questions and thoughts:

1) Why is the bad mood thread so much longer than the good mood thread?

2) How to find the proper balance between looking forward to the future and living in the present? Having two little guys is great, but I can't wait for them to be in school. Once they're in school and we get enough money put away, a move back to Toronto is in the cards. But I also like where I'm at right now. Bah.

3) How much is not enough? How much is too much?

Guess I'm struggling with finding the proper balance today.

1) Because people dont think its necessary to post whats put them in a good mood, but they do find it comforting when they get help and sympathy in the bad mood thread, which is also venting thread.

You're right, of course. And I don't want to detract from anyone's bad moods, because God knows people around here have had ample reasons to be in bad moods.

Just want to promote a bit more celebrating of the good, is all.

Dear Diary,

I think I did some good things at work today. Had a few meetings, wrote a bit more on the report that I'm supposed to submit by the end of the month, made a few contacts in other organizations. I'm looking to be doing less planning and more DOING hopefully soon. Can't wait to see some of my projects come to fruition.

But now I'm tired, the boys are running around, my wife is sick, and I have a 75 minute yoga workout staring me in the face tonight.

Starting to see the results of my workouts, but having trouble with the portion control. Anytime I work out a lot, I crave protein (not necessarily a bad thing) but there are limits. Already nearly an inch off my waist isn't bad though.
[/color]

[interviewsover]

dear diary,

14 years ago i married the man of my dreams. now he's being a pissy ass about something and i'm ignoring him. ah, life is bliss.

[{mad_man}]

DonCarlos - What do you do? I mean, your job.


Dear Diary: Today I woke up at 5:40, I had a long shower and breakfast, I played Chrono Cross in my computer and I took the bus to university (listened to Coldplay with my headphones). Today the class was - initially - a discussion about institutions and how they "affect" our lives, I spent the whole break talking with a hot classmate and hitting on her ahahha after class some classmates presented their assignments which were analysis of reading activities for kids (my presentation is scheduled for next class), after class I hugged my classmate (the one I mentioned) romantically and she blinked and smiled to me . Then I came back home and I had lunch while I watched the movie "The Mask", I played my 12-string guitar and I composed some stuff that I NEED to keep, then I slept for a couple of hours. I woke up and I went to the gym and I had my swimming classes, today I did good (and the teacher turned the radio on and we listend to Elton John and Bob Dylan while swimming, it was VERY good). After class I took a shower and my dad picked me up and after 5 minutes at home my friend invited me to have pizzas with him and some of our friends. So my friend picked me up and we went to a terrible pizza place (or whatever is the right way of saying) and we ate and talked and made fun of each other, and the pizza was terrible and they charged us more than what we had consumed, we complained and they charged us with the right price. We went to a bar and had some vodka and talked. I came back home and used msn and I talked with friends while I was listening to the Dissociatives, then I read "The rime of the ancient mariner" (Samuel Coleridge) cos tomorrow my literature classes will be a discussion about it! Here I am, see ya! It's 3:55 AM and I am TIRED!

[DonCarlos]

DonCarlos - What do you do? I mean, your job.

Without going into too much detail, I'm responsible for professional development within my organization. It's sort of an HR-type job. We provide training services for our employees, as well as those in similar organizations on request.

We also do HR planning, do post-secondary recruitment, prepare coaching sessions for managers and a whole lot of other soft-skill type things.

Basically it's exactly the job that I want - I've seen firsthand the impact having good managers in place can have on an organization (I was a good manager), and I've developed certain philosophies that I've used in teams that I've managed to good results (teams that I've managed have averaged 20% more productivity with 10% fewer employees and increases to staff morale). Now I get to test these philosophies by acting as a mentor to managers in a 1700 person organization.