Binkomonster!

The Great, The Bleah, and The 'Meh, Whatever..'

A small sampling of vignettes from an overall good last week:
1. Report card time. In other words, 'the Man' gets to assess what our superhero CTO has been doing this past year outside of Binkomonster. Good? For the bottom line yes. The overall process? Not so much. Left a 'hollow' feeling on the palate. Working through it, and the rock is easing off slowly but surely. Nothing like having 365 days worth of efforts compressed into less than a paragraph. Though perhaps there should be a feeling of being grateful. After all, it could have been '10 words or less people'.
2. Back to the fencing grind. Oh, deja-vu. How we missed you. After 2 trips in one night to the same fencing club (CEO forgot his sneakers, and then his knickers), a feeling of 'wow, back again, thought we left this just yesterday' that our CTO is still working through. The 'meeaaleeon' dollar question: will she go back or won't she? Remaining mum on the subject for now. All that will be admitted is that coaching sources and classes are being scoped for our new incoming VP.
3. House is back in shape after the initial plumbing job, and the RIGHT tiles finally came in. 4x8, ocean mist, glossy and undulated. What a relief. Two boxes ready to go, and the tile guy lined up for this week. We may actually have a completed bathroom with new and snazzy fixtures by the weekend!
4. No more wire hangers! Well, actually, no more paper shades at the Binkomonster castle. Anywhere. The CEO spent the better part of Sunday installing the new roller shade for the front entrance (you know, on the moat side). Subtly sparkly, elegant, and totally in keeping with the revamped entry-way color scheme  (matches the custom storage solution). Hard to believe this is the same space we've been living with for the past few years.
5. Paperwork? Labeled, filed, organized and put away. The ability to find something in less than 2 minutes is a wonderful thing. Now all that remains is to get through the tax filing and we cross that last nagging item off of our list.
6. Celebrations. A big four-oh for an extended staff member, a new job for another, and a visit by yet others that we don't see very often. The result? An impromptu celebration on Thursday evening complete with cake, candles, champagne, and most importantly? Petrus '83. We were not only lucky enough to be able to share a bottle with close friends/family, we were even luckier to make a lifelong ambition for someone (or to-do list item) complete. Very satisfying when things work out this way.
7. Getting to the gym. Hitting the upper band of frequency with 4 visits last week. Getting tougher for the CTO to get through some of the workouts, but swimming always seems to hit the spot. Hopefully with warmer weather, there will be more opportunities to convert practices to being hydro-only.
8. More Pratesi! Oh Bloomingdales, how we love you so! Especially your private sale that we've been waiting for the past few months. 20% + some $25 coupons AND $15 back for each hundred you spend on a planned (large) purchase? Yes please. Which then of course led to...
9. Linen culling and cleaning. End result? An armoire that fits ONLY the very nice linens we use, along with towels, quilts and comfy blankets. Everything nice, neat and orderly. And a second set of deliciously comfy, puffy, snuggly Egyptian cotton.
10. The laptop flu. For some unknown reason, the CTO's laptop stopped working Friday. Startup screen? Check. Cycling little thingy in the middle of the screen? Check. Desktop and files? Nope. Into the Genius Bar.  1 day later = new install of Leopard, no missing files, and everything back to normal apart from a couple of reinstalls that were needed. The problem? "Some random file system corruption". Um. Yea. That inspires a high level of confidence. This week = new BIG shiny hard drive,  and rigorous backup protocols going into effect.
Plans and goals? The hope is that the unionization by the tribe and subsequent food boycott is finally nearing an end. Long story short: the tribe had the fortune of feasting on tuna for 2 days. Which then apparently set some gears working in the wrong direction believing that by spurning the regular and tasty foods provided, this would see a change to a consistent diet of tuna. Bottom line? Fat chance.
On other fronts, there are the usual meltdowns and battles to be coping with at the domain of 'the Man (for the CTO anyway). There is the bathroom job that will be finished, and there are the taxes looming. But the hope is that by Sunday, all of these items are crossed off, and we start on our new fun project which is preparing the Castle for the new VP. (Yes, we're starting a list already......)
Happy Monday Internets.

Memorandum #2 for the New VeePee

Subject:     Touching base
Date:         March 20, 2008
Time:         6:01 am
From:         Binkomonster CTO
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Hi again Mr. As-Yet-Not-Decided-on-a-Name VeePee!
Since the time of your arrival here at Binkomonster headquarters creeps closer, I thought I'd just weigh in and ramble aimlessly for a few. Since it is 6 am and I can't sleep. Because my sinuses are congested with a combination of allergies and ahem, current state related rhinitis. But at least sitting up, and blogging, I can breathe some. Ill trade this relief for the discomfort of being insanely tired for the rest of the day. And the frequent bathroom visits? Oh, not so much. But as some would say "them's the breaks." The past week I've been noticing some fluttering (kicking) in the lower recesses. This tells me that you are active and up to some yoga or calisthenics and stretching. Nothing like getting a head start on fitness early. But the more important thing? Grow! While I approach your imminent arrival with some trepidation on how it will change all of the routines here at Binkomonster, I am also very excited. And so is the CEO. A new staff member to coach in all the Binkomonster mysteries. (And hopefully the absence of all these conditions I've grown not to like so much over the past few months). More importantly... a new member of 'our gang'. So many folks have told me that it's going to be a very interesting and intense journey, but probably one of the most rewarding that I've taken on so far. And I believe that. Some days I would do well to focus on this more instead of worrying about the latest insignificant happening in working for the man. But then, that's the CTO. Off ruminating on a tangent, unable to 'put the rock down'. Hopefully you are comfortable at present, and happy with the level of room service and whatnot. I'm trying my best to ensure good surroundings that will be beneficial for seeing you arrive at your designated target. And speaking of surroundings... we have some work to do the CEO and I. There's an office for you, but not quite ready with all the things you'll need.  We have yet to procure a nice nap space for you, some work uniforms, and various odds/ends for comfort and day to day operations. I've been dragging my feet, but this week I need to put together 'the List'. And then we can start to hunt and procure in earnest.
Your office mates are not quite grasping the imminence of your arrival. And our efforts to verbally prepare them go unheeded. They are busy most days with internecine warfare, chasing the flies that wander into the castle, and trolling for the next meal. Occasionally the very cute one, Booboo, will spend some quality time sitting next to you (so maybe you want to *bump* him a hello next time). But we're not worried. They are a hardy bunch, and we know they'll welcome you to the pack just fine.
Sigh, if I could just replace my nose with a functioning one (my kingdom for the ability to breathe clearly)!
Oh and it's Easter this Sunday. I'll make sure we eat some chocolate for you (a good helping at least).

I'm hoping that by the next memo, your CV will actually have a name attached to it. One that both the CEO and I agree upon.
Stay happy, little one.

Over the Finish Line, and more contemplation.

Another week, and another castle project. Thankfully this one is not as large in scope as previous. Translation: it shouldn't require the cleaning services of the entire Binkomonster staff for 2 days. No, this one, it is confined to the bath space. New fixtures (Hans Grohe). Replacement tile. And in a little bit, a new sink. And then we're done (well at least the CTO is). We've been lucky to see some sunshine this week, but it is cold this evening. And one of our tribe members (Booboo) seems to be nursing a stomach/digestive bug. Progress is being made in that things are not in bad shape for both ends, but he's still not at 100%. We'll be happy when the litter box deposits are a bit, ahem, more solid. More sleep is what he needs, and fresh water. As for the executive staff, we plod on. The CEO is busy with a packed squash schedule. Lessons on the weekend mean forced participation for the CTO (but it's all good, she's getting the exercise she needs). The CTO meanwhile has been completely slammed with work. Last week was spent in long hours working for the man. And this week is no different. A new opportunity came along, but not good enough to take off the golden handcuffs and walk away. So there was a very polite decline, and the search continues. There's some administrative items that need tending to: the sorting of Binkomonster paperwork, the filing of taxes, and the getting ready of the offices for the new VP. And on a happy note, the VP has finally cooperated and provided a glimpse of what we're getting. It will be a male member that joins the staff this summer. Which makes the overall Binkomonster ratio 5 gentlemen to 2 ladies. Which means that the CTO and Wooby should be sticking together more closely (but somehow, given the rampages of the past few weeks, that doesn't seem likely). Wooby, our female staff tribe member, is grappling with a combination of politics, chip-on-shoulder, and some vast amount of untapped anger at who-knows-what. In turn, this is causing anxiety among the other staff members. Unfortunately, we don't have the luxury of putting her on a performance plan. It's simply a matter of coping as best we can and making things as comfortable as possible for everyone else. But the tribe is smart. The gentlemen are learning to give her wide berth. The CEO and CTO meanwhile are looking for comfortable earplugs to staunch the blood-curdling yells that pierce the early morning.
Other updates and news include a new addition to the fish family. Fred the Betta joined us last week. Blue, cute, and small, he seems happy in his very clean tank complete with forest. And he has a voracious appetite. Thankfully, the tribe continue to be uninterested in the two sushi tanks we have.  Last but not least, the Binkomonster patio has gone through a vegetative remodel. Furniture is the same, but some replanting happened. We now have some jasmine vine bushes, and instead of the lonely/unproductive herb pot, two window boxes of thick shrubs. More green is never a bad thing (unless it's algae and well then...).  We'll get around to getting some snaps up (promise). But in the meantime, it is late, and cold, and there is a cute little fuzzy monster waiting for us to finish up (who needs more sleep to put the 'feline stomach virus' away for good). So we're heading off to the snooze zone with our wonderful little friend in tow (well, actually cradled on shoulder). Happy Wednesday.

Another Monday, All is Quiet on the Binko-Front

We're now heading into March. Well, actually we've arrived if the calendars on all Binkomonster devices are correct. And we're experiencing a lull. The weather has started to turn nice. No more cold that makes you pull the socks out of the bottom drawer first thing in the morning. The plants are actually harboring thoughts of growth and flowers. And of course, the increasing pollen count is making the CTO rather uncomfortable. But all these changes are welcome. After the home-improvement marathon of January/February, it's rather nice to just putter around the castle, and take the time to observe the textures of our street, read a book or two, or just luxuriate in the surroundings. The time is especially precious since the summer will see the arrival of our VP, and the disappearance of any 'down time' for the foreseeable and long term future. Not that we mind. The social calendar has been light as well. We unfortunately missed the Crushpad mashup, but we'll make up for that by this week's attendance at the Bark and Whine ball. And Petchitecture is right around the corner. Otherwise, it's just work and hanging with the other staff members that has occupied the past week. And yes, there are two more castle improvement projects to squeak in (replacing the shower fixtures with some swanky Hans-Grohe Axor hardware, and getting a new sink). But nothing in scale to what we've already dealt with. Which is a *very* good thing. As Martha would say. Opportunity has also paid a visit to the CTO and opened a fork in the highway of life known as work. But at present, it's looking like the CTO may not take that right turn, and instead continue to labor under 'the man' for present. Put another way, the restaurants and real estate down that street don't really look better than where she is currently at. And yes, that does mean slogging through the not so good which tends to outnumber the 'okay' these days. In larger perspective however, with the economy doing back-reverse flips (and the level of the US $ these days), the thought is that perhaps staying put may not be such a bad idea for the immediate present.  Time to shuffle off to the Binko-Bistro and rustle up some chow for the staff. And thank goodness we have Trader Joe's to the rescue. Happy Monday.