deliverables

The reason it took me so long to conclude the weather event trilogy was because I’ve been very busy the rest of the week with meetings and a job interview. It is a fairly exciting prospect. It is too early for me to know whether I should get my hopes up or not. It is a very different place. A small planning firm in center city where I’d be the only white man working there (in great contrast to my wonder bread office here in quaint Media). Just during the interview, though, I’ve heard talk of billable hours and deliverables. We’ll see what comes of things.
To make things more complex, I’ve gotten a promotion and possible pay raise at work. I’ll soon be a Senior Planner. I knew this was coming, but as with everything here, it took and may still take months. I’m not going to stop applying at other places until I see the difference in my paycheck.

Day 3 - the anti-climax

The suspense some of you must feel for Day 3 will certainly be as much of a let down for you as it was for me. Indeed snow and sleet pounded my window at 10 PM. The storm was too quick. I got a call as I was on the trolley on my way to work that we had a one hour delay. I went to work anyway and got the comp time.
In the end, the 3 day weather event was disappointing. The climax peaked too early on Day 3 and so much of the day was spent tying up loose ends. Oh well, I can’t wait till the next one.

Day 2 - The Hysteria Continues

Day 2 of the weather drama was looking to be a dud. The proposed ice storm left negligible ice and the snow that was to happen in Day 3 was down to one inch (from 4-8 inches) in some weather reports (www.weather.com). Though generally the hopeful hysteria of the local news media continued to report on the coming snow emergency. I was beginning to think this saga of a three day weather event was going to fizzle out.

Then ---- suddenly ---- in the thrilling twist on Day 2, the office closed early in spite of the absolute lack of adverse weather conditions.

Shocking! Unexpected! I can’t wait to see the thrilling conclusion that comes with Day 3!

Weather Event - Day 1

Well, I am at work despite the weather freak out and I don’t mind telling you I’m more than a little disappointed. The meeting referred to on Friday did get cancelled, but alas I’m still at work. I forgot my lunch too, so I have to skip it.
On the bright side, though, the trolley ride was very scenic as it always is with snow.
Also, the news has started referring to it as a 3-day weather event. I feel like I am in the midst of a TV miniseries. This was only chapter one of the Event, the set up if you will. This is where we got to know our cast of characters and begin to care for them. The true mayhem is still to come. Are the true trials, tribulations, and days off come in Day 2 along with the forecasted Wintery Mix? Perhaps things will reach a climax in our thrilling conclusion on Day 3 of the Event? You’ll have to stay tuned to find out.

Online internet primary

Online voting for the first internet primary!
For those of us who like politics and voting this can be fun... too bad I didn't discover it until Carol Mosley-Braun dropped out. She had a great speaking voice.

Movin' on up

I’ve been fascinated with the building that keeps on growing in a relatively mid-rise part of town. I did some research and found out it will be the 7th tallest building in the city. I got on their mailing list and discovered how outrageously expensive it is, that they are having tours, and (my favorite part) that the tours require you to use the external construction elevator! I’m trying to gauge interest in going and then maybe make a night of it. Fancy dress and cocktails and external construction elevator to tour what I’m sure are very overpriced apartments. Let me know if you’re interested.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thank you for your interest in The St. James on Washington Square. We are excited to announce that our marketing suite and model apartments are now open. If you would like to schedule an appointment to see these spacious apartments with stunning views, we are available 7 days a week for your convenience. These tours are BY APPOINTMENT ONLY!
Occupancy will begin on April 1, 2004.

The square footage and starting prices are as follows:

Studios, 640 sq.ft., from $1,530/month
One Bedroom, One Bath, Balcony, 875 - 1000 sq.ft., from $1,865/month
Two Bedroom, Two Bath, Balcony, 1400 - 1600 sq.ft., from $2,895/month
Three Bedroom, Three Bath, Balcony, 2,050 sq.ft., from $4,895/month
*Penthouses - Square footage and pricing is not available at this time. Please ask to speak to an agent.

Please note that we will be using an exterior construction elevator to reach the model floor. The interior elevators are scheduled to be installed at the end of January.

For further information or to schedule a tour please call (215)574-8500. We look forward to hearing from you!



Kind regards,

The St. James Marketing Office

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here are some progress photos. See I thought they were capping it off in may of last year (which would have put it in line with the other building , but it just kept growing. Here’s some construction pics

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here’s an article about the building that I liked…

SNOW!!!!

Well the forecast says snow and everyone is freaking out again (see recopied e-mail below). It is pretty funny, especially when I know my friend in Indiana have 14+ inches. I must say, however, I’m starting to be disappointed by the lack of snow days. I got three last year and they were wonderful and unexpected surprises. Now I expect them when it snows and am very sad when I have to work on those days.

Hi All,
We plan to see you here at DVRPC on Monday morning, January 26, 10:00 am, for a PA Subcommittee meeting for the next PA TIP update work session.

Word is that we may have some snowy weather. If there is ANY snow, please feel free to come casually dressed for the day.

Obviously the meeting will be cancelled if DVRPC closes, and you can check for a recording at our main phone number if that is the case:
215-592-1800

Have a good weekend,
Elizabeth

Football!

I forgot to mention the football mania that has been plaguing my trolley ride home for the past few months. People around here really seem to like football. I don’t really know so much myself. Where to start?… Well this guy José who likes the cowboys (which is very bad I come to discover) started a feud with the trolley driver. Both sides formed coalitions and decided to sit on opposite sides of the trolley and shout at each other the whole ride home, severely interrupting my afternoon nap. The driver started using the loudspeaker to berate the cowboys and demand eagle loyalty from trolley riders. They both come up with third grade insults for each others’ teams, like calling the eagles the chickens. The trolley driver sometimes get out of his seat to go back and continue the argument face to face.
The Eagles won their play off game this weekend and the whole town is abuzz. They plan pep rallies at city hall. Everyone was wearing green yesterday and talking about the game. It is like I live in a giant high school and it is spirit day. Poor José, however, has been ostracized to the point where I saw him on the trolley after his usual trolley yesterday so he wouldn’t have to face the taunting of the trolley driver and his band of loyalists. His friends called him a chicken for not facing the music and walking around the corner when the trolley came. I would say poor guy, but when the Eagles lose, I’m sure he’ll be equally vicious and ruin my nap once more.

WPVI.com: The Pep Rally Begins

2004 - The Best Year EVER!

Well, it is a whole new year and my cubicle at work is completely different looking to mark the change. I have my snowman looking pez dispenser instead of my wild faced watermelon pez dispenser. I have some the 2004 list of holidays and the calendar up. I also have some lovely flowers that have lasted since x-mas.

Also, I am able to drink tea again at work thanks to the thoughtful gift of a hot pot and tea mug with lid. I’m pretty excited to have that habit back. When I was in NYC I used to use the hot water function at the water coolers to drink tea all the time, but alas my current job has no water cooler. Now I can have ready access to a supply of hot water once again thanks to the Rival™ Hot Pot Express®. Thanks to my friends at Rival™ I no longer have to go through the barbaric process of heating up water in the microwave, which often makes it taste metallic and requires me to walk all the way to the end of the hall, which is just un-American. Also the Hot Pot Express® heats water 60% faster than a microwave oven and is portable for use in the office! That is just one of the many features that I am looking forward to in the New Year, others include:
· The Adjustable Thermostat that lets ME select settings from Low to High!
· The “Special” Non-Stick Cooking Surface that makes clean up a snap!
· The Removable “Flip-Top” Lid for Easy Cleaning!

As much as the Rival ™ Hot Pot Express® has made this new year one of the brightest ever, it can’t get all the credit. Without my Laughing Buddha ® mug from Chinatown ™ my tea making experience would be all wet. This mug is made of pure Bone China and is decorated with an exquisite painting of the Laughing Buddha ® lounging in exquisite red silken robes and surrounded by opulent mounds of gold. The design isn’t the only reason you need the Laughing Buddha ® mug form Chinatown ™. Just look at some of these features!
· The “High Quality” Tea Strainer is great for loose-leaf teas!
· The Bonus Lid keeps tea warm longer and is decorated with the same golden mounds that surround the Buddha!
· The “Everlast” Handle keeps you from burning your hands!
· AND all of the above mentioned features are made of the same high quality Bone China that is found in ALL Laughing Buddha ® mugs that can be found in Chinatown™!

bureaucracy tirade

I do not expect my employer to be brave as it is too bogged down in bureaucracy. I am not allowed to download things onto my computer because the Information Technology guys across the street (where the Government Center building and County Council are located) forbid us to know anything about computers because it threatens their jobs. Any requests (including software update requests) have to go from me to my manager to his manager then they go across the street and lord knows what happens over there. One this the place that hired me in December for a job I interviewed for in July and is still “looking at” my promotion request I submitted in November. I have been forbidden from downloading my palm pilot software onto my computer because only department heads are allowed to use Palm Pilots because of County Policy. I am currently battling to get an oh so radical landscape layout for the County Bike Plan, which may or may not meet with County Criteria for written documents which no one has really made. Oddly enough, however, they didn’t flinch at allowing me to put it online in draft format (available soon!), which I was expecting to be the real battle. Also, they haven’t even had time to look at supplying us with a tax free transit use program that we are actively trying to sell to private employers throughout the county (http://www.dvrpc.org/transportation/transitchek.htm). I believe the Executive Director’s comment was, “Why don’t we just build more parking?”

Anyway… aside from this tirade, I also have positive things to say about my work experience which I will post on the Pleasant Times Blog (link for grandparents on the side or pleasanttimes.blogspot.com.