# Going home again, a traveling MMP **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Tags:** mmp\ **Created:** [March 9, 2009, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-home-again-a-traveling-mmp/488818 "2009-03-09T09:15:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-home-again-a-traveling-mmp/488818/101 "2009-03-11T13:11:55Z")
> [@dogbutler](#): > > **Spaz** , _Clerks_ is like my autobiography. At my last job, we even used to play warehouse Wiffle ball. [Dante]I’m not even supposed to be here today![/Dante] I got tired of the endless pointless conversations. I can have those in real life. > [@FarmerChick](#): > > Sorry, no time to read again! It was a rough day yesterday. I had a set of twin baby goats born, but it was -42 yesterday morning, and when I found them, their ears were frozen solid, and the little girl’s back legs were frozen too. And yes they were born in the barn. It was, still is cold. > > Here is a [video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H51ffD1oOk8) of their day. > > Last night I went to the garage for a smoke and saw [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOGR3zLHj0k). > > I have another goat that is going into labour any minute, so I have another busy day. I will try to catch up tonight. > > Have a great day everyone! Cute baby goats **Auntie Cold**! And a weasel! Squee! Happy birthday **Ivorykid**! ---
**Author:** ![Tupug\_Anachi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@Tupug\_Anachi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tupug_Anachi)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-home-again-a-traveling-mmp/488818/102 "2009-03-11T13:33:29Z")
> [@VunderBob](#): > > Now I’m gonna **really** show my age… > > Is anyone here a Turtle? You bet your sweet ass I am. Okay where’s my drink??? Thanks for all the good wishes, everybody. In answer to your question, **fcm** , yes, I am very stressed about it. There’s no telling who will be next. This industry (marketing and public relations for the tourism industry) is right up there with construction and banking when it comes to being hit hard. Went to see the doc this morning for a physical. I have been having memory issues that concerned me. Turns out the doc thinks it’s stress related. Gonna do all the lab tests but he’s pretty sure it’s not symptomatic of a physical ailment. I don’t know it that’s a relief or not. OMG! **chickie** , that’s an [ermine](http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.borealforest.org/zoo/ermine.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.borealforest.org/zoo/ermine.htm&usg=__i8Am-g25CX36FRg7JeE1E18v3bg=&h=229&w=400&sz=17&hl=en&start=4&tbnid=tj33SZtoOoLhnM:&tbnh=71&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dermine%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DG). How cool is that! ---
**Author:** ![Mahna\_Mahna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47c2d/32.png) [@Mahna\_Mahna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahna_Mahna)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-home-again-a-traveling-mmp/488818/103 "2009-03-11T14:37:02Z")
Awwww… lookit the wobbly widdle baby goats! Awwwwwwww. Good job, **FarmMa**. I love how they waggle their little tails when they’re happy. Happy birthday to **SoapyKid**! Just a couple more years to go before she’s a grumpy teenager. 🙂 It’s supposed to drop from 9C to -8C over the next twelve hours. I’m praying for no migraines, because I’ve got meetings all bloody afternoon and an almost two-hour trip home once it’s all done. That’s nowhere near as cold as out near **FarmMa** ’s place, thank Og… -42C isn’t freakin’ cold, it’s OMGWTFBBQ cold. Brrrrrr. ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-home-again-a-traveling-mmp/488818/104 "2009-03-11T15:14:18Z")
> [@Tupug\_Anachi](#): > > You bet your sweet ass I am. Okay where’s my drink??? So prove it. I have 3 challenge questions you need to answer: (spoilers, please) 1. What does a man do standing up that a woman does sitting down that a dog does on 3 legs? 2. What does a man have in his pants that a woman doesn’t? 3. What is old, wrinkled, and smells like ginger? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![taxi78cab](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47c2d/32.png) [@taxi78cab](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/taxi78cab)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-home-again-a-traveling-mmp/488818/105 "2009-03-11T15:38:20Z")
> [@Taters](#): > > The boss told me today I could say no to one of the things he handed off to me, but damn, the way he said it made me think I shouldn’t say no. It wasn’t that he was going to get upset about it, but I know he’s testing. I was very honest, though, and told him that I felt very overwhelmed at the moment because I feel the need to do everything well. He told me that wasn’t possible and that I needed to determine what was the most important in terms of hotness of project and to accept the fact that I couldn’t do everything he was asking at 100%. > > That doesn’t sit well with me. I am my own worst critic, and I know it. However, I cannot just say “good enough for government work”. My work ethic won’t let me. What a conundrum. Isn’t managing the priority of projects the, um… oh what’s the word? Oh, I know, the _manager’s_ job?? Perhaps HE should be telling you what to do first and which projects need 100%. Yeah, you don’t want micromanagement, but there should be some management! :rolleyes: Good luck with that… I can see why you’re stressed! Despite reassurances from the meteorologists around here yesterday that we’d either get rain or snow, no freezing rain, my car was coated in ice when I left yesterday. Thank goodness it was still light at almost 7 so I could see to scrape the car! The roads were a mess. I managed to stop at the end of our road ok, probably because the stop light’s at the top of a little hill. But getting going again was a bitch! Ice=BAD. Then overnight the wind picked up. I woke up thinking the roof was going to blow off our house! It was crazy. Although most of my concern was probably driven by that I’m-half-asleep-and-not-thinking-clearly thing that happens when you’re startled awake in the middle of the night and not a real threat, but it was still really windy. This morning there were some amazing [sun dogs](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_dog) out. All salmon pink and yellow and glowing white. Really cool. Cool ermine, **FarmMa**! Sorry about the frozen baby goats. ☹ It was about -2F/-19 C here this morning but no where near as bad as you’ve got it there! ---
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-home-again-a-traveling-mmp/488818/106 "2009-03-11T15:59:08Z")
Sorry about idiot managers and job stress. All sleepy. Stupidly went to bed way too late, and was tired and grumpy all morning. Am going to eat N.O.L and then nap. Everyone keep fingers crossed that Nat sleeps for two hour, okay? I asked Mr. Lissar if he would pick up fabric for me, in colours I’d like, and he stared at me incredulously. Come on. Purple. Red. Black. Dark teal. Not hard. Pthibbit. ---
**Author:** ![Tupug\_Anachi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@Tupug\_Anachi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tupug_Anachi)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-home-again-a-traveling-mmp/488818/107 "2009-03-11T16:03:47Z")
> [@VunderBob](#): > > So prove it. I have 3 challenge questions you need to answer: (spoilers, please) > > 1. What does a man do standing up that a woman does sitting down that a dog does on 3 legs? > > 2. What does a man have in his pants that a woman doesn’t? > > 3. What is old, wrinkled, and smells like ginger? > 😃 Hmmph, with the exception of the first one, those are different questions than I had to answer forty years ago. Anyway, I’d be violating the Turtle Code if I gave away the answers on Teh Web. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-home-again-a-traveling-mmp/488818/108 "2009-03-11T17:00:09Z")
[QUOTE=Lissla Lissar] I asked Mr. Lissar if he would pick up fabric for me, in colours I’d like, and he stared at me incredulously. Come on. Purple. Red. Black. Dark teal. Not hard. Pthibbit. [/QUOTE] Didn’t I warn you about that? 🙂 Cute goatlets! [QUOTE=VunderBob] 1. What does a man do standing up that a woman does sitting down that a dog does on 3 legs? 2. What does a man have in his pants that a woman doesn’t? 3. What is old, wrinkled, and smells like ginger? [/QUOTE] 1: Breathe 2: His legs 3: Old wrinkly ginger ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-home-again-a-traveling-mmp/488818/109 "2009-03-11T17:38:47Z")
> [@Noone\_Special](#): > > Yeah, OK, goats are fine and dandy, but what will she be sharing with the squid? > > **Won’t anybody think of the [del]children[/del] _squid_!?!?** 😃 > > (Happy Birthday, **Ivory Child**!! :)) I know who I won’t be asking to babysit any time soon… Yeah, **Lunch** – I’m looking at you! :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-home-again-a-traveling-mmp/488818/110 "2009-03-11T17:40:47Z")
> [@Alastair\_Moonsong](#): > > Exams. Lots of them. Unprepared. Should have paid attention in lecture. MUST STUDY! Ogod, not enough time, NOT ENOUGH TIME!!! _eye twitch_ > > Kill… me… The exams will do it for me. That or you’ll make it through. I am not a turtle. Do I look like I have a shell? I’m a kitty. And I want to be asleep. ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-home-again-a-traveling-mmp/488818/111 "2009-03-11T18:06:02Z")
**Gotti** , you are obviously not a Turtle. Since you didn’t profess to be, you don’t have to buy drinks. ---
**Author:** ![kaiwik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaiwik/32/3978_2.png) [@kaiwik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaiwik)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-home-again-a-traveling-mmp/488818/112 "2009-03-11T18:52:23Z")
Hey all, just another crazed day in Wendy World. Cute l’il goats! I love goats! And the ermine is cute too, in a weaselly kind of way! When I worked in the post office in the village one of them chased me up onto the desk, aggressive little things! Even with your snow (or because of it) I would love to come and live with you, I miss the farm life. Gotta run, more phone calls from doctors. ---
**Author:** ![taxi78cab](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47c2d/32.png) [@taxi78cab](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/taxi78cab)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-home-again-a-traveling-mmp/488818/113 "2009-03-11T19:03:52Z")
So tired. Is it nap time yet? ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-home-again-a-traveling-mmp/488818/114 "2009-03-11T19:26:02Z")
Well, I gave in and signed up for Facebook. PM me if you want to friend me or whatever. It’s annoying that I can’t remember people’s last names! ‘May… No, wait, that’s her parent’s last name. What the hell is her last name?!’ ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-home-again-a-traveling-mmp/488818/115 "2009-03-11T21:20:47Z")
It almost reached 80°F here today! Snow is forecast for tomorrow. The windows are open now, but not for long. Class went well last night. I finished my 2nd sculpture - once it’s dry, I can underglaze it. It’s a giant tape dispenser. I’m going to paint a duck on it. Duck Tape. 😃 Then I started my 3rd project. It’s supposed to be a 4-piece functional set - a big saucer and 3 planters - an herb garden. There’s a crab quiche in the oven - it smells yum. Hoping to go to bed early tonight - I’m exhausted. That’s all for now. Laterz… ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-home-again-a-traveling-mmp/488818/116 "2009-03-11T21:45:13Z")
Yahoo! My son got word that he got into the three high schools he applied to! Those of you who remember the long saga of getting my son’s ADD identified and dealing with his secondary depression (due to untreated ADD) will appreciate how important this is. We most likely will not be sending him to prep school anyway- the economy is one issue, but more importantly we think he needs a break from an intense academic environment (the public HS in our town has an excellent honors program, so his education will be fine). We want to give him some breathing space to get some emotional and social development caught up- the last year and half has been really hard on him. We don’t want him burnt out after (or during!) high school. Happily, our district just built a brand new school and has a strong academic program, so that made the decision easier. ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-home-again-a-traveling-mmp/488818/117 "2009-03-11T21:51:02Z")
Did somebody say [turtle?](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDiR7UxI8Ow&eurl=http://lj-toys.com/?journalid=1504934&moduleid=67&preview=&auth_token=sessionless:1236805200:embedcontentiurl=http://i3.ytimg.com/vi/zDiR7UxI8Ow/hqdefault.jpg&feature=player_embedded) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![gardentraveler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gardentraveler/32/3576_2.png) [@gardentraveler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gardentraveler)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-home-again-a-traveling-mmp/488818/118 "2009-03-11T22:39:50Z")
Oh, darling baby goats. I’ll bet it’s…interesting… having the goats indoors-ish. And the ermine is a hoot. > [@Lissla\_Lissar](#): > > …I asked Mr. Lissar if he would pick up fabric for me, in colours I’d like, and he stared at me incredulously. Come on. Purple. Red. Black. Dark teal. Not hard. Pthibbit. I want a video of this conversation. 😃 > [@SpazCat](#): > > Did somebody say [turtle?](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDiR7UxI8Ow&eurl=http://lj-toys.com/?journalid=1504934&moduleid=67&preview=&auth_token=sessionless:1236805200:embedcontentiurl=http://i3.ytimg.com/vi/zDiR7UxI8Ow/hqdefault.jpg&feature=player_embedded) > > 😃 Different turtle, I’m pretty sure. Sorry to everyone who has job stress. Good point about **Taters’s** manager, **taxi** , by the way. I’m pretty sure my job is OK, but it’s hard to firmly believe that when you know enough people who are having problems. Home after a not incredibly stressful day. Didn’t get a bunch of things done, but that’s par for the course. Hugs for all I’ve missed. Back later… GT ---
**Author:** ![Mahna\_Mahna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47c2d/32.png) [@Mahna\_Mahna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahna_Mahna)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-home-again-a-traveling-mmp/488818/119 "2009-03-11T23:52:00Z")
> [@Lissla\_Lissar](#): > > I asked Mr. Lissar if he would pick up fabric for me, in colours I’d like, and he stared at me incredulously. Come on. Purple. Red. Black. Dark teal. Not hard. Pthibbit. And you’ve been married for how long, exactly? Eeesh, even I knew about the purple and red and black Official LiLi Colour Palette. I didn’t know about dark teal, but then again, it’s not like we talk every day like I assume you and Mr Lissar do. 🙂 **Taters** , it sounds like your manager took the same course as New Boss Guy. I know being a manager has its difficult moments, but handling conversations like this should be Management 101. Hurray for **SoapySon**! That’s wonderful news… he must feel so proud to have done so well after all those challenges. The cats are wondering very noisily why I got to eat leftover roast chicken for dinner tonight, and they only got kibble. I’ve reminded them that until they’re able to prepare roast chicken without my assistance, this is the way it’s going to be. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Taters](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/taters/32/2845_2.png) [@Taters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taters)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2009, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-home-again-a-traveling-mmp/488818/120 "2009-03-12T00:45:08Z")
Ugh, another long day. I spent the entire day in briefings so I could learn about what our higher headquarters is looking for in our business plan. I get to do it again tomorrow. Of course, no real work got done. In regards to my boss: He’s a good guy, and he has said that if we want, he’ll prioritize our projects. However, he wants us to apply for the vacant branch position and, as the branch chief, I would have to prioritize the projects. Additonally, I am high enough up the food chain that I should know how to prioritize. I can and do prioritize. Unfortunately, we’re down 50% in our staffing, we’re undergoing a very steep learning curve, and the workload has grown. This is our busy time. Business Planning takes the big priority. But, there’s also the command R&A, and the Mid-Year Review. All of these rely on data pulls from my branch, along with recommendations and analysis. The R&A is a new requirement, and it’s been handed to me. These are all big deals. In addition to all that, we’ve still got all our daily, monthly and weekly work to do and all kinds of people coming at us with data pull requests. The three big projects are short suspensed. I’ll get through it…eventually, but I’m just frustrated as hell. I don’t want or expect hand-holding or micro-management. Our new division chief is a complete 180 from the old one. The old one did micro-manage to a very large degree. He was also likely to fly off the handle at the slightest misstep. The new boss is not like that all. It’s hard to get used to. Finally, I have high expectations of myself. The command has high expectations for the quality of work, analysis and recommendations from my office, and I’m genuinely worried I can’t meet them. I hate feeling like that. Hurray for **Soapy** son and belated birthday wishes to \*\*Soapy \*\*daughter! Sigh, I suppose I should get going. I have to call my mother. I had a voice mail from my mother with the “you never call” schtick. :rolleyes: She also asked in the voice mail if I knew that she was going in the hosptital. Uh…no…I didn’t. Because she didn’t call and tell me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-home-again-a-traveling-mmp/488818.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-home-again-a-traveling-mmp/488818.md?page=7)