Oh we are deep into 2017 now.  Here is the update for April.

Wed Mar 1, I had to work on the ads for the bookmark contest sponsor poster today.  The ads that we had last month were done quick and were the wrong size.  I could have played around trying to get them right, or I could just redo them.  I decided to redo them.  I put them in a press so that they would be nice and flat.  And yes, thanks to that they look MUCH better than the old ads.

After work I did my usual bolting out of work in order to get to TheGirl's for dinner.  We usually don't know where we are going to go until the last minute.  This time TheGirl knew that she wanted to go to Foreman's.  Well, when we got there the two tables that are outside were packed with people.  I don't know what celebration was going on, but the seats outside, which are usually empty.  Because of that we couldn't go to Foreman's.  We ended up going to the Counter.  We had wine and burgers, but TheGirl was a bit disappointed that we couldn't go to Foreman's.  Next week, we said.  At dinner I had two glasses of wine in addition to the whiskey I had while changing my shoes outside in my car.  I was still slightly buzzed when I went home.  Not good.

After getting home from TheGirl's I went straight to the bottle and drank some more.  Oh my, I really need to not drink on school nights.

Thu Mar 2, I overdid it with the drinking last night.  I woke up feeling dead, and because of that I couldn't wake up on time.  I wasn't too late, but at the same time I couldn't get anything going.  So, I decided that I would start work at 9am.  I told Jade that I was going to be a little late, due to the oversleeping.  More like over drinking.  But to be sure, I also wanted to start at 9am, like the other two drivers, because to not arouse suspicion since my buddy mentioned how Les said he would "Have to look into, " me starting at a different time.

When I got upstairs Jade asks me if I heard about someone trying to break into the server room.  Nope.  I did see that there was damage to the server room door, but I didn't know it was from someone breaking into that room.  Maleficent sent out an email that read, "It appears that someone tried to break into what we have called the server room which is next to the dock door.  A charger was also stolen from the same area.  Did anyone see anything unusual yesterday?"

I mentioned it to both Les and Jade that surly the library could just check the videos from the security cameras that are installed in the library.  Of course Les informs me that they aren't connected.  So typical.

I packed the van and then Jade tells me that we have to get some stuff from the storage in the parking structure.  Once we packed the van with a bunch of paper that I was to deliver Jade turns to me and says, "Let's get some burritos."  Meaning breakfast burritos.  I really didn't want to, but at the same time I don't want to get on Jade's bad side.  So, we went and had some yummy breakfast burritos.

My buddy told me that he hit a trash can with the van, hitting the passenger side mirror.  He asked me to look at it on Tuesday, but I was so busy that I kept on forgetting to check the damage.  That is until today.  Today I saw the damage (pictured above).  I have to say that the "damage" that was done was purely cosmetic.

I heard that new guy was talking shit about me through a couple of different sources.  So, to day I figured if I saw him I would butter him up and also disseminate some information so he understands that I'm not just coming in at 8am and leaving at 6pm because I want to.  There is actual work to be done, by me.  Well, new guy came out railing against Vagabundo for not sorting books on Friday.  He didn't like it, and I told him basically to welcome to my world.  No one does the sorting for me on my route days.  At least new guy was talking nice to me, unlike last week when he was all mopey.

I went to check out the state of construction.  I can't say that there hasn't been some progress made, but it still looks like their new tentative reopening date in April is still way too early.  More like late August.  At least they have cleaned circulation out a little bit since last week.

I really over did it with the booze last night.  Because of that my body was feeling horrible today.  I had little energy, and it was hard to get going this morning.  I think from now on I have to only drink a little bit at dinner with TheGirl, and not over do it like I did last night.  I'm getting too old for this stuff.

Fri Mar 3, Of course I didn't have work today, but I still had to ditch the house in order to not have my aunt bother me.  When I got to work I decided to be productive for once and clean out some of the relics that my predecessor left behind and I never cleaned up.  I threw out a bunch of junk, and basically made my desk much more open.

My buddy had news about Glendale today... big news.  The biggest news is that one of the administrators is leaving.  She's been a bit of an ally at the job, while others just sit there with their thumbs up their ass.  It's going to be bad when she goes, because she listened to me and my opinions.  It's going to suck losing that direct line to her and her influence there.  What's more, in practical way, she's about the only one I know there that could get this RFID thing going and done.  As it is feet have been dragged on this project.  Some of that not being her fault, but rather of the city who is negotiating with the vendor.  Her leaving is like an atom bomb there.  Again, because she isn't a dope, and they will now have to scramble to not only hire a new person, but to have them hit the ground running with this RFID project.

I knew there were going to be many changes before the opening of the library, and of course after, but I didn't expect this one administrator to leave.  I really thought she was going to stay, even after she went out for for didn't get the assistant library director job.  But I guess not getting that job caused her to open up her options.  Now, she's all but gone.  I have been saying since nearly the start of this renovation that I thought Maleficent would leave as soon as the ribbon was cut on the new library.  I think this even more than before.  There is no way she stays too long.

Sat Mar 4, What with everything going on I'm now seriously considering a trip up North during Thanksgiving.  I hate to say that I might just go back up to Carmel.  I love going there, even though I'm so bad at actually doing things when I'm up there.  I might have run out of things to do in Carmel and Monterey.  However, there is a part of me that just likes going up there because it's not home.  And I do like that area.  But, I do want to consider maybe going father up north.  Maybe San Francisco and such.  We shall see where I end up going.

My aunt wanted to take me out to breakfast before she went out to visit my Godmother today.  I can't object to being fed, that's for sure.  I ordered up a chicken fried steak, which really hit the spot.  We got lucky to get a seat outside and not have to wait so long.

I was trying to get some chores done today, and of course I started drinking a little booze while I worked.  I finished with the boozing, but not the chores and I felt sleepy.  I took a nap.  Day sleeping is nice sometimes.

My buddy and I haven't hung out in I don't know how long.  Tonight we went to dinner and then hung out at my place watching the Victoria's Secret fashion show from back in December, and watching food videos online.  It was good times, for sure.  No shop talk tonight either.  A good time.  I can't say I've missed hanging out with anyone, since I've been so antisocial lately.  But, it was good to hang out with my friend.

Mon Mar 6, I was a busy monkey at work today.  So busy that I didn't eat my lunch until past 3pm.  First I went out to the desk and ended up having to deal with the old people of Brain Aerobics.  Then it was helping out on the circulation desk.  I was going to lunch when they called me down to help on circulation, because they were swamped with passports.  I hate those passports so much.  As I said, I didn't get to have lunch until past 3pm.  By then my stomach was doing back flips.  I needed food, and to fart like... well, like a cow or some other animal that farts a lot.  The bus schedules are in the picture above, because I had to order some today.  But, I was so busy that when I called the office that handles this for the bus company was closed.  I'll have to call them on Wednesday.

I had a few interactions with TheLamp today.  Each time in the back of my mind I couldn't help but notice she's attractive.  I mean, it's neither here nor there, but she is attractive.  Before she started work and my boss told me she was single I thought hey, maybe I have a chance.  But then I came to find out that she was not single.  Oh well, I thought.  Of course, ever the optimist, I still wonder in the back of my mind if there's a chance.  I will always think that with any woman I like.  The answer is probably not, but I have to try.  Wait, what am I exactly saying that I will try?  I like TheWish and I want to get to know her.  So why think of TheLamp?  Because I'm a fool.

I went to visit TheGirl after work tonight, and her poor puppy is still having to wear a cone around her head.  Her eye is healing, but it's not 100% yet.  So she really needs to keep it on all the time.  Poor Cheyenne so tried to lick my face today, even with the cone on.  Have to say, she gave me a good lather despite having the cone around her head.  Poor puppy, has to wear the cone the rest of the week.  Last week TheGirl didn't keep it on, and it meant that the eye didn't heal as quickly as it should have.  So this week the cone stays on.

Tue Mar 7, For months now it seems that there has been constant construction, not only at the library but outside.  The alley, the side streets, and of course in front of the library on Harvard.  The pattern continues with the city tearing up the street to repave it.  It never ends.

Of course the street that I use to enter the dock area of the library being closed meant that I had to go around to a couple blocks down in order to circumvent the closure.  Of course when I get to the dock area it's packed and I can't find a parking spot.  When I do find a spot it's at the end of a line of vans from the city.  But then the Pasadena delivery guy leaves and I take his space.  Of course when he leaves I take his spot.  Well, someone couldn't take me parking in the dock and parked behind me.  It turned out to be the project manager for the city.  What a dope.

Les told me as I picked up the keys for the van, that new guy had sorted the bins and that they were in the van.  When I got to the van and found the contents of the route in van all sorted for the branches.  Of course Chevy was still in the van.  I don't know about this sorting in the van thing.  I wanted to do something like that to make sorting in the evening earlier, but this is different.  We shall see if he continues it.  I can't say that I hate it, but it's out of the norm.

I was nearly done with the route when I saw this woman with a big, but awesome looking, butt (pictured above).  While at that branch one of the more annoying women of the library asked me, "What about your education?"  Ah, what?  Not sure why she was asking.  I told her that library science isn't for me.  I would rather get an MFA, if I was going to do something like go back to school.  But that I would feel it was a waste since I wouldn't do anything with that MFA.  She said, "You would get a job."  Then I told her how if I made photography a job I would HATE it, because I know from experience that I would.  When I was studying it in school it felt like a job, and when I finished up with my classes I walked away, not even turning in my last assignment, and I didn't touch a camera for seven years.  I don't want that to happen now.  Whatever, I'm not going back to school.

And this brings us to one of the administrators leaving.  She was the only one that seemed to be able to get any job done.  I'm not going to say she didn't have her flaws, but in terms of that place this woman did good work.  Well, they made the news of her leaving official.  She's leaving at the end of March and these projects like RFID are no where done.  In short, they are fucked.  Their only hope is that the new assistant library director is some sort of dynamo.  But even if she is a dynamo, she would really have to hit the ground running.  And I mean really hit it running.  Every little delay adds days and weeks to the whole process.  This administrator isn't perfect, but she was head of this RFID project.  Having her leave right in a the middle is a disaster, and I love it.  These dummies have pissed away any good feelings I would have for them.  They can eat shit, and this is now the dinning hour.

Wed Mar 8, I spent some of my work day today in the basement with Pseudo supervisor.  She wants to clean out the part of the basement that the Foundation uses.  It's a bit of a mess, to say the least.  We didn't work that much, but pseudo supervisor says that we'll try and move more things next week.  Yay, basement fun!

When I took over for TheLamp her perfume scent was all over the place where she was sitting.  I lifted my hand after it was resting on the arm rest of the chair and it smelled like her perfume.  I told the boss that I was interested in volunteering for TheLamp's new ESL program.  Sure enough, she came down saying how thankful she was about that, and that she owed me any favor I could think of.  Oh, I could think of a few, but I digress.  I told her, in Mr. Burns style from The Simpsons that she, "Owed me a Coke."

TheGirl and I go to restaurants that allow dogs, because she feels bad about leaving her dog at home all alone the entire day, and then leaving her after we leave for dinner.  But, tonight she was OK leaving Cheyenne at home since TheGirl took her dog into work with her.  Also, Cheyenne is still wearing that protective cone on her head.  We went to a Mexican restaurant down the street where they have giant margaritas.  But after last week I didn't want to drink like a fiend.  The food was just OK.  My tostada didn't have that much chicken in it.  Oh well, the company is good.

Thu Mar 9, I had a hypothesis that something was said to Jade last week, because he went from not having any time to sort the book bins to now suddenly having them ready when I arrive in the morning and in the evening.  I told Vagabundo that if he had the bins ready this morning and this evening that it pretty much confirms that he was said something.  Well, check one for this morning.  The bins were all ready to go this morning when I arrived.  In the past I would arrive and have to start sorting and take a good two hours to sort all the books.  And then I had to stuff them in the van.  Not today, nor Tuesday, nor last Thursday.  Step one towards confirmation, check.

Just when I thought I would get away with having a nice regular route today Jade tells me that the dummies upstairs wants us to clear a bunch of cardboard that was left over from the unboxing of some of the library's new book trucks.  Sigh, I thought.  Jade and I filled the van full of cardboard, as you can see from the picture above.  Mind you, that's not how full it would become.  We basically filled the van up to the brim with cardboard.  OK, once filled we were going to take it to the recycling bin in the back of the library.  BUT!  Big but, I went back there before we started this to check if there was room in those bins and sure enough they were packed.  I mean packed.  Jade said we would figure out what to do once we packed the van.  Well, now the van was packed and we had to find a place to put all this cardboard.  We went to the senior center next door, to see if we could place the cardboard there.  But, they didn't have a recycling bin.  I told Jade that Casa had two bins that we could possibly use.  But, how to know if they were empty?  Jade called Bundy to check, and dummy Bundy tells us that the bins were full.  Jade and I said fuck it, and decided to go there anyway to see for ourselves how packed they were.  When we got there we saw that they were completely empty.  I mean come on, Bundy.  Fucking turd.  I'm sure he didn't even know, and he was too lazy to check for us.  Well, Jade and I made sure they were full when we left.  We even climbed into the bins to press down the boxes we stuffed in there.  We still had a few left when we found we couldn't place any more in the Casa bins.  We figured we could do the same at Central and maybe make some room for what we had.  And sure enough, I was able to press the cardboard that was in the Central bins down far enough to make room for what we had left after visiting Casa.  Mission get rid of cardboard now had been accomplished.  When we started I asked Jade why we couldn't wait until next week when the bins were empty.  He told me that dummy Maleficent insisted we do it today because the cardboard was, "In the way."  In the way of what I don't know.  I didn't take a picture of it when it was on the floor, but it was no more in the way than the desk that has been sitting there in the walkway for WEEKS that was meant to go when they had their super duper furniture sale.  Fucking idiots.

If you include lunch I finished the route in about five hours.  When you put that in perspective of how the new guy and Vagabundo start at 9am and finish the route at round 3pm I'm actually doing the route portion of the work day as fast if not faster than they are.  When you consider that for the last few weeks I have sorted, or done some special delivery before the route, only to then do the route and come back and sort again in the evening.  I think finishing up by 6pm is actually pretty good.  I do love that new guy says I'm "late" and that I play by my own rules.  He doesn't know what I do there.  He doesn't know that Thursdays are always special delivery day, because MicroManager designated me the "good driver."  Good meaning the dummy that won't complain about extra work.  It has afforded me more money in the long run, but it also means more work.  It's a shame people don't appreciate that.

I told my buddy that IF I came back from the route and I found that Jade did the sorting of the bins that it would confirm that Les said something to him about doing the sorting instead of the drivers.  Sure enough, as predicted, the Pasadena bins were all sorted when I got back from the route.  Jade's usual move is to tell me that he was "super busy" and didn't have time to sort them.  I notice that that since last week he has suddenly found time.  This cuts into what I can do there, but at the same time I don't fucking mind.  I would like to leave a little earlier and try to beat traffic home.  When I got back I only had a few bins to sort, so I did it and it didn't take that much time.  I was done by 5:30pm.  I figured it would be great to just clock out early and maybe beat some of the traffic.  I told Jade I was done and he kept on insisting that I just stay until 6pm.  He tells me, "Just check your email."  I decided to not stay and not tell him that I was going to still clock out at 5:30pm.  When I went down I wrote down 5:30pm on the sign out sheet.  No way I'm going to get caught on something like that.  Jade tells me new guy does this same thing and leaves early.  I'm not going to do the same while condemning new guy for doing it.  Sure, I basically stayed at work an extra half hour to make it look good, but I was still honest.

Fri Mar 10, Last night I jerked off to a myriad of videos, as per usual when I jerk off.  I stumbled upon this one video with this particular girl (pictured above).  As a wise sage once said, "I like big butts and I can not lie."  I put this up because I jokingly said to my buddy that 2017 would be the year of pussy.  Last year having been the year of food.  Well, no pussy for either of us this year.  It barely counts, but I did sleep with Talia in September.  Aside from that... nothing.  Which brings me to possibilities.  My buddy likes a girl at San Marino, and of course I'm trying to get something going with TheWish.

Work was work today, it was not too busy.  Thankfully.  I was off the clock when I went downstairs to laminate some signs for the outside of the library to direct the dummies that come in for a passport to the main entrance, and not the back patio.  And then, it happened.  An opening with TheWish.

As you know, I've been wanting to ask TheWish out on a "date" for a long time now.  Today was a classic day in the sense that it followed my usual drop the ball at the goal line history.  I was in the circulation office, and in a playful moment the clerks, all ladies, were bitching about the way the circulation manager is obsessed with passports.  Not to get too deep into this other subject, but they are tired of the bullshit.  During that playful moment TheWish says, "I need to sit down," and proceeds to start sitting on my lap.  Oh shit, I thought, THIS is going to be the highlight of my year (so far).  But, she stopped in mid squat and I was so close.  The conversation turned to food and tacos.  TheWish mentioned some new taco place that's on the westside.  I tell her, "Hey, I heard of that place... let's go together?"  She responded, "Just bring them to me."  ARGH!  Then she kinda thought about it, and said it was far.  I told her I could drive us, and nearly in a pleading voice said, "Come on."  She looked like she thought about it and didn't want to do it.  Just great.

Sat Mar 11, I stayed home today and just binge watched the show Superstore.  It was great.

Sun Mar 12, I left my house and started on my way to the freeway to get to work.  But the onramp was closed.  What followed was nearly twenty minutes of having to dodge obstacles.  First I had to double back on Sepulveda in order to get on the other freeway onramp that goes to the 101.  But when I got on Sepulveda it was backed up as well.  The reason was an accident right before the onramp.  I knew this was not a good sign of things to come.  I had to drive all the way down to Van Nuys to finally get on the freeway.  As I said, it took me nearly twenty minutes to get there.  Once on the freeway it took less time to go from Van Nuys to Glendale than it did to get from Sepulveda Blvd to Van Nuys blvd.

I would go into detail, but there were a lot of little things that contributed to it being a sucky day today.  One thing I can say is that the A/C chiller wouldn't reset.  And today was a hot day, but of course the A/C only breaks down on hot days.  This is such BS.  Today was such BS.

My buddy said we should go get some food after work tonight.  I picked a place in the valley for pizza.  The make a long story, the pizza was just OK.

When I got home I realized that there was no way I would want to eat the rest of the pizza.  As much as I hate wasting food, I could not in all good conscience take the pizza inside the house.  It was not that good.
Look above for my review and response to that review.

Mon Mar 13, Today was a really busy day for me at work.  I won't go into all the details, but I'll just say that I covered the desk in the afternoon and all I did the entire time was put out fires.  What happened first is that my coworker asked me to cover the desk in the morning for fifteen minutes while she was at a meeting.  Of course that meeting didn't last fifteen minutes, it lasted nearly an hour.  After that I went to lunch and then returned to the desk to cover the desk from 2pm to 5:30pm.  There was a moment when a woman that's a caretaker for a regular patron of the library came up to me and asked for help.  She had such a pretty face.  If my fucking phone was working I would have been able to take a picture of her and post it here.

Whatever, suffice to say I had a jammed packed turn at the reference desk today.  But, I will add that the theme the last few days has been, why hadn't I gone back to library school?  Know why they ask?  Because I run circles around those who already have their Masters degrees in this thing.  And that's because I taught myself how to do all this.  But truthfully I don't have the stomach to finish library school right now.  I don't think I'll ever have the stomach to go back and try again.  The last time was an unmitigated disaster.  I'm the first to admit that.  I'm not willing to repeat that.  My passion isn't library science, it's photography.  I told myself a few weeks ago that I need to really focus on that and hone those skills more than anything else.  I think I'm good, but I'm not great.  I need to be great.

I went over to TheGirl's for my traditional Monday night visit.  We watched a bit of the Bachelor, and I played with puppy.  Poor Cheyenne is still nursing a bad eye caused when TheGirl was playing with her and tossing her blanket on top of Cheyenne.  She will know more about how bad the eye is on Wednesday.  It was healing up pretty well on the days after the injury.  But, now it's not so much.  Poor puppy.

The Bachelor Finale made me think of what I said to my buddy this morning while texting about Shay and TheDesire.  I told him that all any of us look for is a partner through this journey.  Obviously that's too much to ask for the two of us.  I think I may still have some success with TheWish, but to what extent?  Are we going to be friends?  Are we going to be lovers?  More than that?  I don't know.  It would be nice to have something with her, but truthfully I'm still stuck in another place.  TheGirl is very important to me.  I can't let go of that friendship.  If that means I don't have a relationship with anyone else, then so be it.  For now.

Tue Mar 14, I was a little early for work today, so I decided to kill some time by going by the side of the library that used to be the front door.  They had all matter of plants out there, ready to be planted.  Hey, this renovation thing must be getting towards the end, what with them doing landscaping and all.  Oh if only the inside was this ready for opening day.

I went to "clock in" and there one of the reference librarians starts talking about an email that I don't get because I don't work reference.  He says that Maleficent wants, "100% compliance from the patrons using the self-checkout machines."  Ah, what?  I immediately chime in and ask the librarian, "Is she nuts?"  We went on to mention how there is NO WAY we can get anywhere near 100% compliance.  I told someone else, "You can't get 100% compliance on whether it's day or night outside."  I truly believe that Maleficent has lost her mind.  This is yet another bit of proof that she is being completely unrealistic on expectations.  Before we closed percentage that the patrons were using the self-checkout machines was probably 15%.  It was a low percentage.  But, Maleficent doesn't know that kind of stuff.  Mainly because she never leaves her ivory tower to see what actually happens in the library.  Whatever, I told the librarian that as so many things they will try to make it work, and three weeks later we'll just go back to the way things used to be.  Maleficent's actions border on the incompetent.  She is not right to expect this.

AND then I got on the route.  I started a little later than usual because I had to sort and I didn't have any energy.  Well, my first branch stop is Montrose and what do I have waiting for me when I arrive?  Water.  The same fucking water I delivered to Ru a couple of weeks back.  Junior tells me that it's going to Casa, where it originated two weeks ago.  I don't think I have to tell you that I was FUMING inside.  I texted my buddy to tell him about the water and told him that this was clearly a joke being played on us.  He responded that it was a joke without a punchline.  I added that it wasn't a very funny joke, to be sure.  But yes, this is a fucking joke.  I'm pretty sure that the water will not stay at Casa for long.  And then it needs to be tossed into the street.  Motherfucking idiots.

I have been having issues with my iPhone for a long time now.  Today was the worst.  I couldn't get it to do anything, since the touch screen doesn't work.  I've tried to live with this phone, but I couldn't do it any longer.

After returning to Central to sort the bins for tomorrow, Jade comes up to me and says, "Did you see the email?"  Not with a busted phone, I didn't.  He goes on to tell me that Maleficent sent out an email today saying that the new opening day is Monday, May 1st (read email above).  I just checked and May 1st is forty-eight days away.  There are eight Sundays and seven Saturdays between then and now.  I seriously doubt the contractor is going to work on weekends, so that means minus fifteen days.  That leaves thirty-three days to complete the work and have the library open for the public to use it.  I say bullshit!  Oh, they will have a lot of the library done, but the reality is what I've been saying for a long time.  Many elements will still not be finished.  The computer lab, for one.  But, as I predicted, they will cram it down everyone's throat, just to meet a deadline they can't possibly keep under normal circumstances.  They can all go fuck themselves.  It's no skin off my nose either way, at this point.  I think they will really force this May 1st date now.  No matter what.  And of course it will be up to the employees to figure things out, as we always are expected to do.  Fucking bullshit!  Their day of reckoning is here.  They will pay.

I've been having problems with my phone for over a year now.  I had learned to live with it.  But in the last couple of weeks the phone has gotten worse.  Today was the worst.  There were times when I tried every trick I have used in the past to make the screen respond.  Today none of the tricks worked for very long.  This is why I decided not to wait another day to get a new phone.  As soon as I got home tonight I went right to the computer and ordered the newest iPhone.  I did love this last iPhone, when it worked.  I'm sure I'll love the newest one, because it WILL WORK.  No more struggling.  I couldn't take it any longer.  Now I just need a name for the phone.  More on that later.

Wed Mar 15, Work was work today.  Last week pseudo supervisor said that she wanted me to focus my efforts on the foundation website.  The thing is, I have been working a little on the site, but it's not something I look forward to.  Still, I was able to avoid it today.  But the desk was busy in the afternoon.  I did a little more flirting with TheWish.  I went right up to her face and I think if I was brave enough I could have kissed her.  A regular patron came up to me and said he didn't like her, because she shushed him while he was using his phone in the lobby.  It's strange how whenever I like a girl a friend will always put that woman down.  They don't see what I see in them, I guess.

The other day I found a stick and I was able to use it to place the sign that directs people to the entrance of the library (see picture above).  I hope it works.  We have a lot of people coming in for passports, and they have never been to this library before.  They always seem to end up in what is the back of the building.  But from where they park I can kinda see why they would think that the back is actually the front.  I have this notion that the designers of the building wanted to make it like the community.  They wanted it to be an enclave.  The entrance to the library is through a patio and isn't easy to see even from the patio.  Like the city itself, if you belong here you will know how to find a way in.  That's what I think the building represents.

After work I went to TheGirl's for dinner.  Cheyenne had yet another cone on her head.  This one put on by the vet.  She has to wear it for two weeks, and have drops put in her eyes.  This along with pain medication and antibiotics.  TheGirl has been a little lax with keeping the cone on Cheyenne's head.  I get, it looks silly, and the dog can't maneuver.  But that's the point, Cheyenne needs her eye to heal.

Since Cheyenne had to stay home we were able to go to a restaurant that doesn't allow dogs.  We went to a pub that we hadn't gone in a long time.  I ordered up the Reuben, which was super tasty.  But before the food showed up we had booze.  And then we had a second round.  Just as I was feeling pretty damn good, and as we realized that we had been waiting for our food for a long time, a waiter comes up to us and says that someone wants to buy our side of the restaurant a round of drinks.  Ah, yes please.  The food finally arrived and we wolfed it down.  The Reuben tasted so great tonight.

Thu Mar 16, I posted a picture in an earlier entry about the street resurfacing project that's going on in front of the library.  After working for two days the task has stalled (as pictured above).  It's been over a week since the work crews have touched this street.  I just don't understand why the whole project wasn't finished within that week that they started.  It's not like they're paving from her to Timbuktu.  This is just so typical of this city.

Once again Jade tells me that there are boxes that we have to take down to the recycling bin.  Then he said he also wanted to go get breakfast burritos in Pasadena.  I don't want him to start thinking I'm not down for such things, since I'm trying to play on his good side.  I took it upon myself to get the boxes project done, since there weren't that many boxes to cut up and throw away.  Then I loaded up the van and we went to Pasadena for a couple of burritos from Lucky Boy on Fair Oaks.  We ordered up some pastrami and bacon burritos, which were different but REALLY good.  I couldn't even finish the whole thing.  I took about 1/3rd of it home.  It was so big I didn't even eat my lunch today.

I dropped off Jade at Central and went about getting the route done.  There wasn't too many books today, so I wasn't worried about the outgoing stuff.  But it was hot today, and I haven't been doing very well with the heat these days.  The heat saps my energy to no end these days.  Still, with lunch out of the way the entire rest of the route was non-stop.  I didn't even take a break, seeing as I pretty much took a long break by going to Pasadena.  I finished up fast.  Again, if not for these "special" deliveries and box cutting things I could finish faster than the other two drivers.

I got to Grandview on the route and Shay asks me if I wanted sign a condolence card for Snow.  Shay went on to inform me that Snow's friend had committed suicide.  They found her body somewhere, I didn't quite hear.  I think she said by the L.A. river.  Shay was telling me that Snow's friend was living with her.  I hate to say it, but my thought immediately went to how much of a friend was this girl?  Was she more than a friend?  My buddy and I often speculate how come Snow isn't attached.  She is attractive, so there's no problem with her being found attractive.  But we have often wondered if she's gay.  It's not a crime, but she certainly isn't "out" in the traditional sense.  But, it really is her business.  I signed the card for her and told Shay that I would give her the money next week that she requested to buy her some sort of a gift.

My new phone came in today and I took to it as soon as I got home.  It took some time to back-up my old phone.  But as soon as it was backed up I started to set up the new phone.  The whole process took about two hours, but afterward I had a working phone!  I have had to suffer with a busted phone for SO LONG that I nearly forgot how it was to have a working touch screen.  The picture above is the first picture taken with my new phone.  Of course it had to be Snoopy and Chandaka.

My mother died twenty years ago today.  There isn't much more I can add to that except that I miss her.  I obviously don't think of her every day.  I do kill her fancy urn just before going to sleep every night.  In a few years the time I've been alive will be double the time I knew her.  Twenty years is more that the time I've know a lot of people in my life.  I am sorry that my mother never got to see me the way I am now.  She never got to see me graduate college.  She never got to see me with a stead job (two in my case).  She never got to see me in love.  It's been twenty years, but if I let myself go those twenty years can feel like twenty seconds.  I will never forget that night.  I will never forget that I went to bed and that moments later my aunt was calling out to me.  I will never forget the look on my Mother's face, moments later.  I will never forget calling 911 and giving my mother CPR to try to save her life.  I will never forget that when I did the compressions fluid came out of her mouth.  I will never forget trying to give her the CPR breaths that the fluid coming out of her lungs tasted like the grapes she ate since she left the hospital, because some idiot patient in the cancer ward she was in told her that he ate grapes and THAT cured him.  I will never forget that the paramedics were in my house and tried to resuscitate her to no avail.  I'll never forget that the police had to step over her body in order to get to my room to get her doctor's information, because they had to check if her death was foul play.  I'll never forget that my Grandmother and Aunt slept through the whole thing, the frantic call to 911, the fire department coming to the house, the police questioning me.  I'll never forget her lifeless eyes, and how my aunt asked me to close them.  I'll never forget that my mother's eyes just wouldn't stay closed.  I'll never forget that I didn't sleep that night.  I'll never forget that my buddy Joe was the first person I called that morning.  I'll never forget that I had to break the news to my Grandmother and my aunt the next morning.  I'll never forget the sound of sorrow my Grandmother made when she found out her daughter was dead.  I'll never forget the feeling of extreme loss I felt that night.  I... will... never... forget.

Fri Mar 17, I went into work at Central today, since I had plans to go into San Marino to participate in the conversation class later in the day.  I had plans of staying for about three hours and then getting out of Dodge and getting some food before heading to San Marino.  I could not take the heat inside Central, and there wasn't really anything for me to do.  So I left after only working two hours.  Maybe in a fortnight I'll work some more time.  Today I just didn't have the energy to survive that heat.  Still, I got a couple of hours in and a couple of bucks.

While going up to the office with the ticket validation machine I noticed something on the wall there (pictured above).  The picture is a crop of a bigger poster where they have jotted down some ideas for what they call the "remembrance" room.  This room is such a waste of time, but not as much as the maker space.  I mean look at how they just repeat the same words over and over again.  But, a full poster of words makes it look like they've really been doing a lot of work on this project.  Fucking bullshit!  The crimes of those in administration are many, and this remembrance crap isn't high on the list of their worst crimes.  Still, it is just another example of how they can't do anything right.

Just before getting off work someone mentioned that there was another email from Maleficent.  The other day an email went out saying that they have set another opening day.  I really don't get why these idiots don't learn from their mistakes.  They still have egg in their faces from the March 23rd decree, which of course was rescinded a couple of weeks later.  Now they're saying May 1st.  I keep telling people that ask me if we are really going to open May 1st that they WILL force this opening.  Even if they aren't done.

After lunch I went to San Marino to participate in the conversation class that I "volunteered" to do.  TheLamp organized this thing, and she was there for the first one of these "classes."  (as pictured above) The "class" was fine.  But on a side note, a patron/friend was telling me today that this one patron has a crush on TheLamp.  He is thinking of asking her out.  This other patron told him that she was attached.  He seemed crestfallen, but then he told my friend/patron that he wondered if TheLamp would leave her boyfriend for him.  TheLamp has more than a couple of new fans there.  As I told this friend/patron guy, TheLamp is attractive in a way that makes her seem attainable.  Hell, even I thought I had a chance with her.  In the back of my mind I still think that.  She's pretty.  But the one I should be focusing on is TheWish.  She's pretty and I like her.  Also, I don't think she's attached.  But yeah, patrons are liking TheLamp.  Oh, but my friend/patron also mentioned that someone asked if T was single.  Nope, he told them.  T is engaged and is getting married soon.  Another crestfallen guy.

My aunt told me earlier in the week that she wanted me to buy the both of us some filet-o-fish today after work.  I drove home and passed by and picked up the sandwiches and fries.  I was starving to death, so naturally I inhaled the food.  After dinner I was ready to pass out.  I went to bed and passed out shortly after.  By the time Fridays come along all I want to do is pass out.

Sat Mar 18, Woke up today and I knew that I didn't want to do anything.  I was texting Emma later in the day and she asked me what I did today, and I told her that I did nothing.  I just don't have the energy these days to do anything on my days off.  I ended up updating this journal.  I also took a crack at fixing my old iPhone.  I had this notion that the phone had something loose inside.  Sure enough, I opened up the iPhone and I tried tightening all the screws I could see.  Sure enough, there were three that were slightly loose.  I tried the screen again, and sure enough the damn thing worked.  No more phantom touches.  As I write this I've been using the phone for hours without the previous problems.  Oh well, now I have a new phone and a working old phone.

With a now working iPhone I decided to test out some things and see if it would work as a media device that I could use to connect to a computer screen and I can watch it outside.  It partially worked.  Not all of the apps worked on the screen, but as I write this I'm sitting outside enjoying the nice cool air while watching some stuff (as pictured above).  Good times.

Sun Mar 19, A patron/friend brought in a script to Apocalypse Now today.  I immediately went to check on a few things in the script.  I know that Brando pretty much ad-libbed his part of the movie.  He took cues from Coppola on what general idea Coppola wanted him to focus on, but the lines from the script were not uttered by Brando.  So it's interesting to read the script and see what Brando's character, Kurtz, was supposed to say.  It's also interesting to see something like the lines above.

In the movie Willard isn't the one that says the line, "Charlie don't surf," it's said by Kilgore.  I'm not sure that line works if the Willard character ended up saying it in the movie.  But, as it is, Kilgore, played by Robert Duval, says it in the style that only Duval could say it.

Last thing that was neat to see was the ending of the movie.  Kurtz dies in a different way, and then there's an epilogue of sorts that is like that in the book, "Heart of Darkness."  The Willard character is back home and he talks about how he visits Kurtz's wife.  Much like the book the she asks if she knew what Kurtz said when he died.  And like in the book the Willard/Marlowe character lies to her.  I like that they didn't add this to the end of the movie.  It doesn't work in the movie, it works in the book though.  Because the overlying theme of lies is woven in the book, but not in the movie.  Such an encounter would be meaningless in the movie.

Mon Mar 20, I had a notion to take a picture of Chan in front of this Rosie the Riveter poster background.  Today I took his picture.  I asked a coworker to help me, but she didn't really get what I was trying to do with the picture.  So the one above is the one I took.  It turned out to be the best of the photos.  Chan is a photogenic monkey.

Of course Mondays means putting out a bunch of fires, because no one else will do it.  A patron came in wanting to use one of the machines that needs an account to use.  I don't know how to set someone up with an account.  Only one person at the library knows how to do that.  I thought that perhaps TheLamp would know how do this, since she's the one that took over for the librarian.

Cheyenne, as I said before, has to wear the cone on her head for at least another week and a half.  Tonight I made a joke about the cone being a salad bowl.  Because, tell me.  Doesn't she look like she has a salad bowl on her head in that picture above?  Poor puppy.  She so wanted to play roughhousing tonight.  But she can't, or she won't heal up properly.

Tue Mar 21, Oh I'm fucking tired of this early morning shit.  My cousin's husband brought the girls over at 6:56am this morning!  On Tuesdays I sometimes go into work at 8am, and I leave at a little after 7am for work.  These dummies showed up even before I left for work.  Think about how they start work the same time I start work... 8am.  Then why the fuck are they here at 7am?  I actually get to work and at around the time they are heading to school.  Why the holy fuck do they have to arrive SO fucking early!?  It's just not right.  I've bitched about this in the past.  What fucking sucks is that last week they didn't come so early.  Rather they arrived at around 7:30am, which is more like it.  For me that's still too early, but that's better than fucking 7am.

When I got the van today I once again found bings that new guy left.  He didn't do this last week, but he did it three weeks back.  I had a similar thought to this, but I didn't just leave the bins in the van.  There's the consideration of consolidation of the books in the van with those in circulation.  Also, he leaves the bins from one branch that I don't even visit today in the van.  Leaving me to take them up to circulation to consolidate with those that are already there for that branch.  This is some bullshit.  I later talked to Jade about this and he was mentioning that the big boss and one of the administration ladies that is my boss' boss now know about new guy clocking out later than the hours he works.  They can fire him on the spot if they find out he's been doing that.

I had lunch in the park today.  Thankfully it wasn't raining yet.  I ate, chilled out for a bit, and then I laid back on my towel.  A pair of dopes come out of a home across the street from the park and jaywalk to the park.  They walk me, and I think nothing of it.  That is until I notice that they didn't continue walking, they were sitting on the bench that must be twenty, maybe twenty-five, feet behind where I was.  I mean come on.  They have an ENTIRE park and they sit next to me.  Then, in about five minutes they cross back to the house (pictured above).  What the fuck?  I have no idea why they left their home to go to the park for five minutes.  Just wrong.

In a moment of weakness I sent TheDesire a text inviting her to tacos.  I SHOULD be asking TheWish out for tacos, not TheDesire.  TheDesire it played.  And it's dumb to keep going back to the well.  I'm an idiot.  I should have ignored my brain saying I should invite her.

Wed Mar 22, Today was about getting stuff done fast.  I had to print posters of recognition for the area in front of circulation.  Once pseudo supervisor gave me the names it was just a matter of putting them on the template I already had for this occasion.  The printing didn't take much time either since the only color was black.  Then I had to mount the posters into frames.  That would be easy if I wasn't doing it while also covering the desk.  And yes, I was able to do both at the same time.  Damn, I'm good.

I needed to get these things done today, for pseudo supervisor to see.  I wanted her to see that I'm not just dicking around most days.  Last week she said she wanted me to do the poster and get some stuff done on the website and yeah.  I wanted to get this done for her so that he knows I'm doing my work, because I am.

TheGirl suggested we leave Cheyenne at home tonight.  Especially since she was at TheGirl's office all day.  This meant we were able to go to a place that doesn't allow dogs.  TheGirl suggested going to a place she used to frequent a long time ago.  Which she still frequents once in a while.  They have good fish and chips, she told me.  She put the hook in me with that.  And sure enough, the fish and chips are good.  Not the best that I've had, but really good.  TheGirl told me a story tonight about a friend she used to have dinner with at this place, along with her family.  He was an older man, who was rich.  To cut a long story short, they had dinner one night and then two days later he was dead.  She was very saddened by this.  And then she comes to find out that his last will named her as the sole heir of his fortune.  BUT, he had not signed that will.  So the will where he didn't leave her anything was in effect.  She missed out on getting a few million dollars, along with property.  She doesn't lament that he didn't sign that will.  I later told her that if she had received all that money that it was very likely that she would not have been working at the library, and that we would not have met.  Then there would be no relationship, no Chan, no a lot of things.  She said the money didn't matter to her.  Still, would have been nice.  But things would not be the same.

I saw on social media that TheDesire was celebrating her birthday tonight with what looked like a nice spread her place.  It's funny, a while back I said I was walking away from this woman.  And here I am, still writing about her.  Still watching her social media feed.  I'm a damn fool, I know that.  But I'm a bigger fool that I thought I was.  I would think enough alcohol has gone down my gullet to help me forget this woman.  To help me remember that it's just not going to happen with her.  To finally make me move away from the very idea of her.  But I guess not.  I guess I'm just that dumb.

I know I'm a few days off on this, but I wanted to add my two cents.  Chuck Berry's memory will outlive ALL OF US thanks to the fact that eons from now there will be some alien species that will come across the Voyager spacecrafts and find the laserdiscs attached to them.  They will figure out our rudimentary encoding and will hear Johnny B. Goode, and WILL be blown away.  Because what other reaction could there be to a song that celebrates a music that comes from human suffering... from want and desire... from DEEP inside what it means to be human?  The Buddha said to humanity that existence is suffering.  And we suffer because we want.  And yeah, when I hear this song I suffer from wanting to fulfill the desires woven in the lyrics.  Life is too short to not have this song in the catalog of songs in my brain.  If you don't know this song, than you don't know what it means to be human.  And now, some alien species will know.

Thu Mar 23, It's taken the street crews two weeks to finally get back to Harvard and repave the fucking street.  I don't know why the wait.  Maybe the first layer needed to cure, but still.  Two weeks?  This is so stupid and inconvenient.  The dock area is a clusterfuck thanks to the street being closed.  I had to drive all the way down to Glendale ave in order to come all the way around to the open side of the alley.  Again, why couldn't this have all been done in a couple of days?

I was even donations from two branches today.  Both times I told them I would toss them into the trash.  And sure enough, I went straight to Central to take the donations and throw them into the recycling bin.  I didn't want to wait until the end of the route, because the gate would likely be closed by then.  The branches never learn.

After the route I came back and finished up sorting.  I noticed that the end the aisles had numbers on them.  Well, aisle one's sign fell partially on the floor.  One day and it's already falling apart.  And that's what this renovation has come to.  They have spent so much money that they are now having to cut corner on the details.  Well, as they say, the devil is in the details.  And they are failing at the details, in spades.

I went on a tour of the construction in the library tonight.  They have been cutting corners EVERYWHERE.  Just look at the pictures I took of the stand pipes that are EXPOSED.  Literally exposed.  I could go on, but why bother?  These pictures are self explanatory.

Pictured above is yet another dumb email sent out by Maleficent.  I just love that she says that they don't have enough money to pay part timers.  One month of her salary pays for my entire year.  She's a fucking liar to say that they don't have enough money to pay part timers that ONE fucking day's work.  Let's break down this whole thing into numbers.  Say that the average salary of a part timer is $25.  If say ten of us work eight hours that day (which we wouldn't), how much is that per person?  $200 per part timer for that one day.  If ten of us work that means $2,000 pay for the whole lot.  This is a very rough estimate, but it goes to show you just how little the part timers would cost them for ONE fucking day's work.  They're going to tell me they can't afford $2,000 for ten of us to work that day?  Idiots.  I hope they fail.  I know they will fail.  They can eat shit.

Fri Mar 24, I'll just say this, today was a tiring day.  First off, I didn't have to deal much with the passports on the circulation desk, but I did have some fires to put out before work started.  Once my shift started it was a little smoother, for me.  But circulation was jumping with people wanting to get their passports.  The picture above doesn't even come close to showing all the patrons waiting for passport services.

And then in the midst of all this the cash register stops working.  Just stopped.  We tried everything to get it to work, but with no luck.  The boss called the shop, and she asked me to take it over there.  There being just North of MacArthur Park.  I drove down there, and dropped off the old machine, and getting a loaner.  That took just over an hour, and when I got back I went to get something to eat.  I had a bacon burger from Jack-in-the-box and I hate to admit that it was good.  Maybe it was because it was bacon and bacon butter and that just hit the spot.  I returned to San Marino to volunteer for that ESL class that I hoped would win me some points with TheLamp.  It was cool.

But then just before I could just leave I was sucked back into helping out at the circulation desk.  That was cool, I got to be on the desk with TheWish.  She wore a cute skirt today with pink stalkings.  She looked nice.  There was a point where I was running around, and I stopped to talk to her.  We were on opposite sides of the circulation desk.  I walked up to the desk and said a couple of things.  Just then I heard a footfall behind me.  I knew someone wanted to check out some books.  I told TheWish, "Why is it every time I come to talk to you a patron immediately comes up to the desk?"  She smiled and pinched my cheeks.  Confirmed!  She likes me.  Now if I would just get my coward ass in gear I could take her out for some food and to get to know her.  ARGH!

Today was a tiring day.  I received an email from one of the administration guys asking me to write out what my duties are at the library when I'm not on the reference desk.  I think it's a bullshit move, but the boss assured me that I just had to write four things, and then she listed the four things.  The pressure is on them to justify their budgets.  It sucks, for everyone, not just me.  I'll write my duties out, but I am not happy with this shit.

Sat Mar 25, I hung out with my buddy Dane today, and as per his request we went to Long Beach.  I have to say, it was pretty good.  We started out going to around and then to the civic center, which is being transformed.  They are building a new city hall and central library.  I wanted to check out the Long Beach library, but it was closed despite the fact that it was 11am and the library supposedly opens at 10am.  We figured we could just come back later.

We continued walking into the more residential part of the downtown.  There's a nice quaint neighborhood just outside of the civic center.  Dane was saying how this part of the city hasn't changed much, as opposed to downtown.

We walked around and eventually turned around and walked back to the library.  By now it was open, and we were able to go in.  I think it's kinda a cool library, and it's pretty big in size.  The new library is said to open in 2019, so Dane commented that we should come back then and check it out.  I'm game.  We kept commenting how this library was so not like the one in Glendale.  I liked this library.

Dane bought some sandwiches for us to eat.  I was getting hungry, so I suggested we go back and have our lunch somewhere.  We explored farther into the shoreline area for a spot to eat, but by the time we got back to the car I was starving.  Dane pointed out that there were tables in front of the parking structure.  There's a little park dedicated to Harvey Milk, and that's where we had our lunch.

We continued to walk around, this time going deeper into the shoreline area, until we go to to a land bridge where we could go up and view the shoreline village from up high.  It was cool to rest my feet there.  We talked and just had a good time.

I was getting tired, so we decided to walk back to the car, the long way though.  Dane walks everywhere, so he's in good shape when it comes to that.  I don't do much walking, but thankfully I was able to keep up.  My feet were definitely tired, but we did a lot of exploring.  There are some nice things in downtown Long Beach.  And I would like to go back there again.

Sun Mar 26, I left work early today, because I knew that my coworker wasn't going to be there to get things ready like she does.  She got married yesterday.  The boss would be there, but I wanted to get a jump on things.  Of course things don't work out that way.  I did get to work early, but not before having to deal with a traffic jam right by my house.  Thankfully it wasn't too bad.

When I got to work the boss mentioned that the key to the bookdrop had broken off in the lock, and that they could not use the book drop.  I went out with her and did my best to get the broken part of the key out of the lock.  It took some wiggling, but I was able to get the broken part of the key out.  Another fire put out by yours truly.  Even the boss said, "You saved my ass again," and gave me a high five.  Woo!  Me good.

Today was pretty good at the library.  Not too many dummies, but the ones that were dummies were good and dumb.  One case in point a regular who is a little more than rough around the edges.  A patron comes up to me and says that there's someone's stuff on a computer that he wants to use, but he can't find the patron.  I go over and I ask, "Do you know who this belongs to," to the two patrons sitting at either side of this open computer with personal stuff all over it.  The guy in the picture above says, "Oh, that's mine.  No one was using this computer so I put my stuff there."  Ah, in what world do you think it's OK to do that, I wanted to ask him.  Sure, no one is using that computer NOW, but what if someone wants to, like the patron that came up to me.  What then?  They might suspect someone IS using the computer and walk away.  ARGH!  What a dopey man this guy is.  At the end of the night it was already past 5pm and he was still reading the paper.  I told him we were closed.  Then I went home.

Mon Mar 27, I took the above picture to illustrate the state of circulation work room.  Look at all those unsorted books.  This isn't a new thing, but it goes to show you just how messed up this place has gotten.  When my old coworker used to work here she would never let the work room get this way.  But today, the pages and clerks are more focused on passports than doing the actual library work that is necessary.

I have this concept that now that TheLamp has arrived that it's a good time to make some changes to how we do things at the library.  First, no one person should hold the keys to any kingdom.  What I mean is that how we've been doing things at the library is that one person has a thing they specialize in.  When that person is out for whatever reason no one else can do that thing.  Which means that thing doesn't get done.  It super sucks, and it could be easier on all of us to have some knowledge of that thing.  This is why I proposed to TheLamp that we both know how to get bus schedules.  It's something small, but when we saw we ran out a few weeks ago no one knew how to order more.  Now I do, and I shared that knowledge with TheLamp.  And today I found out how to sign people up for the Dakim machine.  Not every hard, actually.  Woo!

I was back in my office doing my thing when one of my coworker, LaFlor, calls me and asks if I can see her in the children's.  Could it be that she will finally kiss me?  Ha!  No, she found a lizard in the children's area, and she wanted me to get it and take it outside.  I did that, but not before I tried grabbing it by its tail and having said tail snap off.  It was still wiggling around when I came back after taking the rest of the lizard outside.  Kinda crazy how that tail continues to wiggle.  Ah, LaFlor, so nice.  My efforts are solid on asking TheWish out, but there was a time when I thought LaFlor was my best chance at some sort of romance in that place.  She's quite attractive, but also protected by P.  Oh well, it's still nice to just look at her.

Tue Mar 28, Today turned out to be quite a day in terms of new guy's possible demise.  First of, I went and checked what time he clocked in and out yesterday.  As you can see, it says 9am to 4pm.  I was talking to Jade later when I went upstairs and he mentioned how he was looking for him at 3:30pm and he was nowhere to be found.  He later told Les this, and a lot more.  I got at work at 8am and went up to Chevy to get those stupid chairs that Jade told me they wanted back at Central today.  That took just under an hour.  Then I came back and the fireworks started.

What you see in the picture above you is a flatbed with book donations from Brand.  Last week on Thursday I brought three of these boxes and tossed them straight into the recycling bin.  But, new guy decided to show off and bring every one of the rest of the boxes to Central (pictured above).  OK, that's fine, but he also brought them upstairs to the sorting area.  The donations belong downstairs in the basement.  That's where the donations go.  There was NO reason for him to bring these donations upstairs.  Jade said it was out of spite, and I believe him.  Meanwhile, I was the one that had to take them downstairs.  But Jade wasn't going to leave it at that.  He went ahead and told Les the laundry list of things new guy hasn't done.  And he threw in that yesterday at 3:30pm he was looking for him and that he was nowhere to be found.  Oh, and that despite the fact that he clearly left before 4pm he clocked out as if he left as 4pm (as shown previously).  I have to say, Jade made a good case to have this guy fired.  I even threw in that I could drive on Mondays while they find a new driver.  I need this guy to do his job, but since he's not then I need him gone.  He's no help to me.

To illustrate how new guy does things out of spite I give you the following picture (above).  These are the bins coming back from the branches that are going to Pasadena the next day.  I showed him to stack them at least four high so that the Pasadena driver can easily scoop them up with his dolly.  But, he lays them out one high because he doesn't like the Pasadena driver.  Just dumb.

In the latest version of they never learn we have the pamphlet I picked up from graphics this morning (see above).  Yes, we are back.  Or so they say.  I don't have to go through the multitude of reason they won't be ready on opening day.  But they WILL open the doors on May 1st, no matter what.  Half the library won't be ready, but they are now forced to open the doors.  Oh well, it's their funeral.  One thing this pamphlet shows is that they really do intend on staying open until 10pm, like before.  Oh no, I'm not going to work 8am to 10pm.  That's nuts, and I can't believe I did it for nearly a year.

And then I got to fucking Adams and I walk in to find these boxes sitting there with a note that says "Float to Pacific."  There are so many wrong things about this float business, but let me just point out a couple.  One, this artificially inflates numbers on books.  It shows them being checked out more often than they really are checked out.  Also, this inflates the size of the collection at Adams, which is like a pocket.  And lastly, it creates work for the clerks to do.  None of these reasons are good reasons to send five fucking boxes of books along with a bin to any other location.  This is yet another sign of their failure as a library.

Wed Mar 29, The A/C chiller won't work.  I had to do what I call a hard reset of the chiller.  Normally there is a switch inside the panel pictured above that I would switch on and then off.  Inside the panel there are two switches that also get switched on and off.  Well, this new hard reset involves the big switch outside in kinda in the middle of this picture.  It is the only way to reset the damn thing these days.  I told the boss.  She said the darn thing is busted.  Well, if you think about it, the unit is almost ten years old.

I went over to TheGirl's for dinner and look... no more salad bowl on Cheyenne!  Yay!  Her eye is all healed up and she is ready to go.  We had plans to go to Foreman's, but they only have two tables outside and both were already filled.  Our plan B was Riverside.  They made me a really great gimlet there.  TheGirl and I talked a little about our trip in May.  All systems are still go.  I do owe my taxes, but I'll figure something out to pay for this trip.

Thu Mar 30, The route was nothing special today.  And there was no news about new guy's fate.  Les didn't mention if he talked to the new assistant director, but Jade did say that he thought he saw in his notebook that he had a appointment with her.  We suspect he spoke to her about this new guy thing.  I don't expect much from Les, but I like to think that the new AD will act.  The reality is she will listen to what Les has to say and will then just tell him that it's his department and his decision to make.  I figure that he might put new guy on probation of sorts.  But really I rather we just get a new driver.  Jade has mentioned that I should be made the full time driver.  That's nuts, but I have to say it's not an idea I hate.  My buddy wants to stop driving anyway.  I could take over for both new guy and Vagabundo.  However, I do love San Marino, and wish THEY would make me full time.  But it's not likely at either job, if I was to pick I would pick staying at San Marino.  For now, we shall see what Les decides.

I took a small tour of the construction.  I wanted to see the "progress" on the new computer lab.  Sure enough, it looks exactly the same as the last time I came to check, and that was a month ago.  I grant you, a computer lab isn't much more than four walls and a bunch of plugs.  The furniture and the computers can be set up fairly quickly.  Still, it's indicative of how little progress has really been made in the last few weeks of construction.  They WILL open the doors, but it's clear that many elements will NOT be ready on opening day.  For sure they told us this week that the new sorting machine won't be installed in time for opening day.  Well, duh!  Anyone that said different is an idiot.  This whole project has been a pain.  I can't believe it's been nearly two years of this shit.  But the shit has yet to start.

I was uploading some pictures on to the cloud for back-up when the site I used popped up pictures of the past.  It's a feature that shows photos that were taken on this takes such and such years ago.  Well, the ones of my lunch with TheGirl at Pink's hot dog popped up today.  That was SEVEN years ago.  How the fuck have we known each other for seven years?  How has seven years passed already?  I honestly don't know.  For sure our friendship has lasted longer than our actual relationship.  But it's been a great ride.

Fri Mar 31, I had plans today to hang out with a friend I met at Crowell quite a few years ago.  The woman was cute back then, and I always gravitate towards women of course.  Well, she was married, naturally, so we became friends.  The long and the sort of it is that we have gone to the Huntington a few times.  We had plans on going to the tea room, but at the last minute she balked at the price of the affair.  Oh well, I guess I'll have to go by myself some day.  Or if I'm smart I ask TheWish to go with me.  There ya go.  Anyway, instead of going to tea we ended up walking around the grounds.  I did get some good pictures for my photo project.  And I finished up the roll of film I had in my makeshift pinhole camera.  Let's see how that comes out.

I must say that the camera on the new phone is incredible.  It is amazing how they improve the camera on each version of phones these days.  It's not like I don't expect them to get better, that's a given.  But it is truly amazing just how good they get over the previous generation.  About 2/3rds of the pictures in this month's journal have been taken with the new phone.  I can't wait to try it out up north when I go on my trip.  Woo!

I drove home half sleepy after eating some food.  Since I didn't have tea I was starving.  I had Tommy's for lunch, and then the "itis" hit.  I could barely stay away during my drive home.  I honestly don't know how I made it back to get a hair cut.  During said haircut I was falling asleep.  Not good.  I came home and slept for about two hours.

Here's a gif of the media feed from San Marino.  It features Chan and myself.

I was standing outside work waiting for someone to open the door for me to get in when I saw the scene in front of me.  A nice green and white split.

This tiny little spot in Pasadena still has some of the best burgers in town.

I went to CityWalk to watch a movie and photographed my favorite sign at CityWalk, "L.A. Angst."  I've taken many a picture of that sign.