Yes, I’m finally back. Sorry to all my readers that have gone so long without my inane diatribes (both of you).

Much has happened in IA land. Long story short, it seems that I will soon be joining the ranks of Comrade Chairman Obama’s army of the unemployed.

And due to this stupendous economy we’re basking in at the moment, I have no idea where I’m going to find a job. So I’ve decided to embark upon a little adventure of sorts. And hopefully one that we can all relate to.

My friends, I now present you with the IA cubicle dweller’s guide to office life. Yes, I shall be your oracle of meaninglessness, grand poobah of pessimism, sultan of sarcasm, etc, etc, etc.

So here goes:

The Cubicle Dweller’s office life rules learned the hard way:

# 6: Intelligence is NOT a corporate value.

Admittedly, this is more than a bit silly.  However,  with the current economic turmoil, endless junque at work, and a recent decade changing birthday I have been asking that age old question; “What else is out there?”  And that thought somehow led me to this song.  And that led me to this…

…by someone that has never seen it.  And thanks go to Nik for sending me this one.

I’ve just read that Ricardo Montalban passed away.  Very sad.  He was quite the ’70s TV icon on Fantasy Island, and certainly had my full attention as Kahn, in Star Trek on both the small and big screen.  I can’t even begin to tally up how many times I’ve uttered that famous line from the beginning of Fantasy Island, “My dear guests, I’m Mr. Roarke your host .  Welcome… to Fantasy Island”.  And to this day I can’t look at a ’70s Chrysler automobile and not ponder the question, does that car come equipped with  fine, Corinthian Leather?

Wow, where has my childhood gone?

This is amazing.  My friend Chris sent this to me, and I’m very grateful.  This is one of those rare moments where someone on television actually said things that I not only agree with, but identify with and perhaps even share the same exact sentiment! At any rate, if I close my eyes and listen to this, I can almost see myself saying the words…

Yes, it’s been one of those weeks alright.  Wheels fallling off the bus, fingers pointing at you attached to people sporting faces of dissatisfaction and discontent, techno-conflagurations at every turn, and lil’ ol’ me right in the middle.  And wouldn’t you know it, Scotty won’t beam me up, Calgon won’t take me away, my life raft has a hole in it, the Coast Guard is on vacation, and I traded my life vest to some guy for a new weemaflatchit for one of my trucks.

So I guess there’s only one thing left that can even begin to help me out…

HOCKEY FIGHT!!!

Yeah, that’s a little better.

As the Holidays inevetably come rolling around again, folks start getting that warm glow inside.  You know the one I mean.  No, not the Jack Daniels or egg nog one.  I mean the one that comes from thinking about Christmas time from when you were growing up.  Everything was magic, everything was exciting, everything was just the way it should be.  You know, cold days and colder nights, making that list for Santa, putting antlers and a Santa hat on the dog, decorating the tree, enduring the inhumane torture that you came to know as fruitcake, being with people you love, that sort of thing.

And, unfortunately it would seem, times change and we grow up.  Those classic Christmas Holidays from the past just aren’t coming back, no matter how hard we try to recreate them.   The other day I was down at the Tractor Supply, and somehow I got to thinking about that.  Maybe it was the kind of toys and decorations they had there, or maybe it was the tools, or maybe it was the 3 point hitches and engine parts for tractors, but whatever the reason was, I got to thinking about times gone by.  You know, the “good old days”.

Now frankly, I’m not entirely sure I’m old enough to know which ones the “good old days” were yet.  But I know some folks have a grip on which days they were.  And amongst the hydraulic oil and logging chains at Tractor Supply, something kind of clicked.  Something from my past.  I come from hearty farming stock, and while I’ve never personally lived on a farm, I’ve been raised by many that have, and that sense of the old school seems to live on with me.

At any rate, that got me thinking about old tractors.  And old tractors got me thinking about this…

Wow.  The places my mind goes wandering off to sometimes!

There’s nothing I can say that will add to this… or make it any less painful.

Okay everyone, we need each and every one of you to pitch in and get this place cleaned up!  And I mean everyone!

Thanks to Cindy for bringing this one to my attention!

Yup, Thanksgiving is a week away, and we’re still doing wildfires in Southern California.  My heart goes out to those that have lost their homes, and to my brother and sister firefighters called upon yet again to control and stop something that is largely uncontrollable.