Fireworks

The Seattle Seahawks were playing in Monday Night Football this week.  I didn't watch the game, but I didn't hear any fireworks at any point during the evening so I knew that they lost.  With a 4-4 record, it doesn't seem as though they are going to repeat as Super Bowl champions.  American football is barely watchable now, since it seems to mainly consist of commercials for sports betting, alcohol and erectile dysfunction.  Says a lot about the audience.

PST

Our clocks turned back today - still not on the same date that they did in the UK.  Fun fact, British Columbia is staying on daylight time year-round.  So now there is a 1 hour time difference if I was to travel 100 miles north.  Bonkers.  I don't know what our neighbors to the north are up to - it seems like some provinces turned back their clocks but some didn't.  All I know is that this is the first time ever that Washington and BC are out of sync.    

Happy Halloween

I don't really celebrate Halloween - I don't have any Halloween decorations, I haven't been to a costume party for ages, and I live somewhere which fortunately doesn't get any trick and treaters.  I think Halloween is more of a thing for kids, so when you don't have any then it's a lot more difficult to get into the spirit of the day.  I think my only acknowledgement that it is Halloween is the fact that I've currently got a couple of Lego Halloween sets on display.  I hasten to add these are sets that I haven't paid for but have picked up over the years as free gifts.  I think the main horror show today was yet another Palace defeat.  We are so going down.

Company Stock

My company's stock price reached a new record high this morning.  As someone with a lot of company stock, this is obviously great news.  And, inevitably, the question comes up - when should I cash in and sell my stock?  While I'm still working, I doubt I will ever sell.  I don't really need to.  However, when I stop working - and particularly if I stop working before I reach retirement age, something which I think has a high probability of happening - then that is an entirely different situation.  This is when selling the stock becomes very important as it will be my only source of income.  And if the stock price continues to rise, then the earlier I can stop working - hooray!   

The Big Four

No, I'm not talking about the Big Four accounting firms.  I'm talking about the Big Four grunge bands from Seattle.  I've been living here long enough to come up with my definitive ranking of the bands.  So here goes:

1. Alice in Chains

2. Pearl Jam

3. Nirvana

4. Soundgarden

My only catch is that out of the four bands, I haven't heard nearly as much of Soundgarden as I have of the others.  That seems like something I need to rectify.

Work demoralization

Changes are afoot at work.  Organizational changes.  And I'm not thrilled about it.  I'm getting a new manager.  My current manager has been promoted, other people have been promoted, and I have - once again - been left behind.  I was asked today to provide a list of achievements since I was last promoted.  I couldn't even remember when I was last promoted.  Apparently it was 8 years ago.  Which is shocking.  It's not like I have had bad or even average performance reviews in all that time - they've all been good.  I think it's (a) a Chinese thing i.e. I'm not Chinese, and that will always hold me back working here (b) I just quietly get on with my job and don't have a big presence, and (c) I haven't, and haven't been given the opportunity, to work on anything high profile.  Anyway, what is the point of providing this list.  Nothing is going to change and I'm not going to get promoted anytime soon.  I'm not happy about it, but I have kind of accepted it.  And with that acceptance, comes a condition.  I am not prepared to take on more responsibilities than I currently have.  Perhaps that is also holding me back.  But I've taken on more responsibilities at times during the last 8 years, and not been awarded for it.  So why bother.  I don't need the additional hassle or stress.  They can suck it.    

Body Art

Should I get a tattoo?  I am certainly not averse to the idea.  It would have to be something meaningful, and I'd have to carefully consider the design.  I've already got several ideas.  But the permanency of it doesn't scare me.  I'd probably get it somewhere like my upper arm where it is not so visible.  But tattoos are so commonplace now, almost to the point of banality.  Yes, they might go somewhat against my natural conservatism - but I like the idea of self expression through the medium of tattoos.  I've got absolutely no idea how painful, how long, or how expensive it is to get a tattoo.  If I get one, I'd like to get a quality design - so I don't imagine it is going to be particularly cheap.  But my natural cowardice might be an obstacle.  We shall see.