Communication

Posted on May 6, 2008 by Asmiroth

Ok, this is maybe a bit out from left field but it’s something I think needs to be addressed in this day and age.

We are a communication rich society. Everything is at our fingertips – or we think it should be. Why is it then that management/direction has such a hard time disseminating information to it’s workers?

Think about it. Every night you go home, you can watch 2-3 news shows, read the internet, chat with your friends, heck even the grocery store has some new information. You go to work, do what you need to do, go home and hope that you did the right thing based on scraps of information you gathered weeks ago.

I am a document & process driven individual. If I know it can be done better and faster, I’ll test it out and then write it out so that others can follow and save time. What do we do with that extra time? Find other things that can be done faster and LEARN more! If I put together the amount of time I spend hunting on how to do the basics and policies of my job and had a single, accessible, intuitive resource to connect to in order to GET that information, I would save a day a week. As it is, I need to ask 3 people to find the right one who can point me in the right direction.

Solution? Monthly management information sessions. Like a news broadcast if you will. I am lucky that my current team works like this. I know a lot that do not. It’s like the telephone game. If the message is going to go through 10 people before getting to me, you can bet your coffee, I’m getting the wrong information. I need it from the horse’s mouth. And I need it frequently.

Then again, could just be me!

GTA IV & Co.

Posted on May 6, 2008 by Asmiroth

Last night was fun. Locked the keys in the car. Took a drive to Castle Heights (that’s the nice name for Overbrook). Picked up a cable splitter and GTA IV. Got home and the fun began.

An hour. A frikin’ hour to find the cable that lead to the living room. Why so hard? One, the coax cable was black and I’ve never seen construction grade coax be black before. Two, the end of it was snipped off by the cable guy when he put in my recent connection. I guess that’s their way to make sure you have to call them back to get it up and running again. Pshh, enough with that! I just stripped the wire, plugged it in and presto, cable. So now the GF can watch her show upstairs while I use the big screen downstairs. This is something I should have done a LONG time ago.

Now onto GTA IV. I had maybe an hour to try it out. It’s a bit like watching a CG movie really. It isn’t the large details anymore, I think we’re well past that point in gaming. It’s all about the small things. When Niko runs down stairs, he takes them sideways, one step at a time while running. You remember back in the day when stairs acted just like ramps. That’s done with. Also, facial expressions are amazing in this game. Eyes open, pupils change, faces twitch. The movement is just so smooth. There’s a beautiful flow. And I’m only an hour in!! Going to be a blast.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Posted on April 30, 2008 by Asmiroth

Trailer

So we had the choice between this and Baby Mama yesterday. I guess the first thing I should say is “Wow do movies ever suck today when my two choices are romcoms”. I love Tina Fey (she’s married 😦 ) but that one was more chick comedy. I wanted something with overall appeal. Yeah.

Cue the cinema! Tuesday are like they are giving away free crack. The place is just jammed packed and you have 14 year old working as fast as a 90 year old. It’s really something to watch. I think they put the keeners at the ticket ripping booth and the sloths behind the concession stand. We showed up 30 minutes before the show started and sat down just as the previews began; two rows from the front I might add. Honestly, the movie business wonders why we don’t want to go to the movies anymore? Maybe they should try going themselves without a limo.

Anyhow, on to the movie. Can I say it’s the funiest movie of the year? Is it too early yet? Warning, full frontal male nudity. Ever see 200 men all feel awkward at the same time? It’s a great comedy device though, original. The whole movie is about uncomfortable situations. The two ladies are quite easy on the eyes. The two leading men are something else altogether. One is subdued, dejected, confused. The other one is cool, pompous, assured. The 4 way conversation at dinner is simply amazing writing. I have BEEN in that conversation. Most men have!

The thing about these types of comedies (Superbad, 40 year old virgin, Knocked Up) is that every character is relatable. They could be a friend you knew, a family member, even you. This movie is no different. There are no single dimensions, every character is fleshed out appropriately, the jokes are well set up and naturally funny in their honesty.

The downside, and it’s a significant one in that it’s required, is the statutory ‘guy messes up and everyone is wondering why’. The entire scene is just shoved in there, like the writers wrote that scene backwards. I understand the need for this scene. I just don’t understand the context and it truly detracts from the entire film.

Overall however, a solid 4 out of 5.

Day 3

Posted on April 28, 2008 by Asmiroth

Well I guess not really day 3 but who’s counting? I did the chest and shoulders workout yesterday. Can you belive that it was the first day in 2 weeks I had an hour to spare for it? People who do this 6 days a week truly have nothing to do.

Anyhow back to the workout. Shoulders, biceps, triceps, repeat. 15 times. Based on past experience I knew I needed to take this one a little easier so I dropped the weight down 5 lbs for most of it. Big difference this morning. Only a slight tingle in the shoulders.

I will say this, the program is well paced. They give ample time to do each set and rest for 10-20s. After doing a set of curls ain’t no way I can do triceps right after.

Though I’ve only done 3, this is my least favorite. Maybe because I already have a lot of experience in it. Plyometrics, though by far the most pain inducing, was the best so far.