Operation: Back on Up

2005… what a fucking year! Let’s review, shall we?
* It’s been interesting working for the slimiest, most evil-doing, condescending, 24 karat bitch-in-the-world Barbara Brooks. I’ve witnessed 3 firings, tears, screaming, and agony under her direction. Good riddens to that BITCH.
* Car troubles from January to August… undiagnosed stalling, trunk leaks and a freaky car alarm problem.
* Annoying coworkers who know how to push every single on of my Goddamn buttons.
* Lavish parties in the city with half-naked underwear models.
* Friends who don’t act like friends.
* The new boss who has the IQ of a toaster.
* Being told I’m not good enough by upper management. What a fuckin’ world I live in!! :)
* The ups and downs of living at home—no privacy, nosey parents, the death of my cat, Meiji, and the birth of the new one, Hiro.

With my fairly successful 2005 New Years resolution, “Don’t Givva Fuck,” I’ve established the new “Back on Up” campaign for 2006. “Back on Up” means exactly what it reads—stop, back up and turn around.

What does that mean for me?

People wanna come to work late and leave early, recklessly spend thousands of dollars and not do their jobs, I’m gonna BACK ON UP because it’s not my business.

People wanna disappear for 6 months and then try to talk to me, I’m gonna BACK ON UP because that’s their problem.

People wanna piss and moan, complain and whine, but ignore my advice and not do anything to help themselves, I’m gonna BACK ON UP… have your pity party by yourself.
You can get drunk and act all crazy on your own.
Go to the movies without me.
Spread my business all over town.
Talk to me only when you want something.
Don’t answer my phone calls.
Say I’m not working hard enough.
Say you can’t afford to pay Manji Designs.

Whatever, I’m not sticking around to watch you look like an idiot!

Happy New Year!

IZZ

I just finished designing a website for a Progressive rock band called IZZ. Check it out at www.izznet.com. My coworker is in the band, and asked me to design the CD packaging for them. It was definitely a great honor, so I am eternally thankful for the opportunity. He later asked me to design their website as well, so I busted my ass and put something together in a week.

Those of you who know me, will agree that I’m not a huge rock fan. Every once in a while, a top 20 rock song will fall in my list of favorites, but I have to tip my hat to IZZ. I’ve already listened to their latest released album, “My River Flows” at least 6 times—and that is HUGE!

Their latest release, “My River Flows”, along with their past albums “I Move”, and “Sliver of a Sun”, all have an awesome diversity of Irish-jig, classic rock, acoustic, jazz, percussive instrumentals and ambient music. There are probably a bunch of other genres I missed…

What attracts me to them is that they are very technical—forgive me if I’m talking out of my ass—but not over-produced. Electronic sounds are blended nicely with natural sounds from acoustic instruments and vocals. DEFINITELY check them out.

Friend or Foe

I normally keep my social life private, but I’m not going to do it anymore because I’m sick and tired of keeping it bottled up. I feel like I’ve tried to address and fix these issues many times in the past. Perhaps I failed, or maybe it just doesn’t sink in.

How would you feel if your so-called “friends” don’t talk to you for months on end, simply because they don’t care? What if you knew they’ve gossiped behind your back? I never could understand how a bunch of guys refused to put everything on the table. Or, what if they always went to the movies without you? How would you feel knowing they don’t accept anything that makes you hate the music you listen to, hate the stores you shop in, hate the things you like to do and don’t.

This is the shit that I’ve been putting up with the past several years and I’m just not going to do it anymore. I guess I shouldn’t hate the players, but hate the typical White Plains game.

I grew tired of having my opinion being subject to ridicule. I’m not going to argue anymore. I grew tired of going out every weekend and doing the same thing—over and over—and listening to the same conversations. I don’t care about “The Simpsons”, or “Seinfeld” or baseball and not even the lead-singer of the most underground indie-rock band—I never have. I’m tired of being a chauffeur and being stuck with having to pay for parking, every time. I’m not going to suffer from poorly planned and last minute birthday bashes; you don’t celebrate mine (probably because you don’t know when it is or do you even care), so why should I go nuts over yours? I’m tired of suggesting things for us to do and then being shot down.

But, all that is not what’s bothering me. It’s the fact that over 4 months have gone by since I’ve spoken to my old buddies—even longer for some other—and they’re acting like it’s a big mystery, a big surprise that we [all] haven’t hung out together. I’m just baffled by the out-of-the-blue “hello” I received last week (if they REALLY wanted to hang out, they should have called a long time ago).

I’m done with what I had to say, but it doesn’t matter.

Maybe it’s me who has done wrong? Maybe I’m the one who has taken a 180?

Fake

It amazes me how people can be so shameless and insensitive with their fake and phony bullshit. Almost as if others won't see it. From inside and outside of work, it abounds me. This is part one of what I have to say.

My new boss, who is clearly driven by ego and esteem, spends a good portion of her time fishing for comments and boasting her connections and networks. But, it’s her overly flaunted joy and enthusiasm that doesn’t ring true to me. Her shameless self-promotion—and what I call "fluff"—makes it obvious that she’s trying too hard to fit in and be liked.

Interrupting my meetings and conversations to let us all know how great she is, contradicting her words with her actions, stealing credit and spending tens of thousands of dollars without producing results, clearly indicate how insensitive, rude, and full of shit she truly is.

She basically lied to us during the interview process and I'm not seeing 1 Goddamn thing that woman said she'd do.

Why do people try to pull the wool over my eyes? Do they think I’m stupid? Do they think I won’t remember things? Or do they think I’ll fall for their ass-kissing tactics?