I can’t speak for the device itself. All I can say is that, after multiple attempts at installing the current verions of Zune software (version 3.0 is a nightmare - had to remove file bits at the registry level), we never got the Zune software to install on my laptop. Zune won’t sync with the PC without the software. Zune can’t even sync with Microsoft’s Media Player using the Sync function if the Zune software is not installed. Leave it to Microsoft to create a device whose software won’t install on a machine with Microsoft OS or even sync with Microsoft media software.

My husband is on his way to the store. The Zune will be returned and another mp3 player will replace it.

Ugh. What nonsense!

A very short time later, the woman commented that she had dropped one of the beans. In the next breath, she stated, “I like the little ones the best”. I looked up to make a comment and saw her with her hand down the front of her blouse.

Too funny!

I have gone from enjoying my job, to outright loathing, and on to tolerance. Management has made some very interesting decisions - some are ok, others were poor and we’re seeing the consequences of those decisions now. My client is a nightmare of the spoiled-rotten-temper-tantrum-throwing-3-year-old variety. The demands were ridiculous and our team was forced to comply with everything - even requests that were clearly against the contracted agreements (why bother with a contract then?). Of course, management finally decides to examine our complaints 9 months after the nonsense began and is realizing that their injunctions to “keep the client happy” were just a corporate cave-in to the tantrums. Trying to undo 9 months of spoiling is not going to be easy.

On the up side, management has noticed one of my stronger abilities (writing) and plans to use me across multiple teams. On one hand, I’m thankful that I can stand out from the crowd (not be another cog in a very large machine). However, it destroys my attempts at flying under management’s radar. Management is extremely fickle and you can go from being the golden child to being the bastard child in a matter of minutes. So much for incognito…

Hubby got a job offer from a very large, recognizable company. It was a “spur of the moment” decision to apply to a job posting that he saw - he wasn’t actively seeking a different job. This came through (there’s a funny story in here I will have to tell another time) and he should be starting with them in the beginning of July. The salary offer was amazing. He is nearly doubling his current pay! (Finally, a company that is willing to pay him what he is actually worth.) God is sooo good! If things get really ugly where I am, we can afford to have me quit and search until I find something I really like instead of a) staying where I am until I find something or b)settling for something I may not like just to get out of a bad situation.

This is my second full week at the new office and, as I’ve commented to several people, I hope that my husband’s health insurance covers traumatic brain injuries because my brain is going to explode.  Processing a lot of new information quickly is one problem but, of course, there are others.  There are three major systems I need to know in order to do my job effectively (and a handful of minor systems).  One is pretty self-explanatory.  I’ve been struggling with the second one for two weeks and I think I’m getting the hang of the basics and some of the intermediate stuff.  We haven’t even touched the third yet.  From what I’ve seen, they’ll need to send out a search party to find me when I get lost in the bowels of a mainframe.

Today, we just skimmed the surface of another mess.  It seems that my predecessor chose not to do much work and, when she did, it was done rather haphazardly.  I spent the bulk of the day today trying to figure out:

• the specifics of a project
• where she left off on the project
• where she left the pieces I would need to complete the project
• what to do with the leftover pieces (did I miss something or did she grab something unnecessary?)

This ongoing project, depending on constant incoming volume, needs to be done at least twice a month, if not more.  Finishing the piece of the project today was all well and good but it doesn’t bring us up to date.  There is still 6 weeks of catch-up work to do before we are current. Ick.

Overall, though, I think I’m pleased.  I was worried that some of the rote-ness might bore me.  While this isn’t the job that I’ve lived my life to get, I don’t loathe it either.  It’s not a bad way to spend my day.  The people at the company, for the most part, are friendly and willing to help.  While the basics of the job are on the boring side, enough nonsense comes through the pipeline that force me to use creative measures to get things done. I like that.

Now, if only someone would assign me my own network ID.  And get me my own desk. And computer. And phone…

:)

Besides the heart blip, I ended up with another physical issue.  Without going into details, I’m hoping and praying that my body will resolve the problem on its own.  If not, I’ll be in the doctor’s office in about two weeks for an interventionary procedure. **sigh**

Now, on to the good stuff.  Of course, none of it is simple - God doesn’t want me to get bored.

A week ago, my husband IM’d me, saying that one of the women in his office had given her two week’s notice.  He gave me the email address of the appropriate person and told me to get my resume to her, pronto.  She called me and we set up an interview for this past Monday.  I went in at 2 PM, had the interview, left and went back to work.  She called me at home around 6PM with an offer - definitely more than I’m making now.  I accepted.

During that interview, I was asked about a starting date.  My current office closes May 31.  The two week’s notice given by their current employee gave them coverage through May 25, leaving the week of Memorial Day without anyone to cover the position.  I told them that, if they absolutely had to have me, I’d have to work something out with my current boss.  However, I explained that I’m loyal to the core, that I had been with this company for over 2 years and everyone here is like family.  Things already were beginning to get crazy with everyone trying to get all of their ducks into a row before moving to the new office. That last week was going to be crazier yet and I was not comfortable leaving them “high and dry” when they would need me the most.  The people I interviewed with said that they understood and agreed to let me start on June 4th.

On Wednesday, 2 days later, I had to run to their office before going to work so that paperwork could be filled out and they could administer a “whizz quiz” (translation: drug test via urinalysis).  Once I was on my way to work, my husband called with a question: “How quickly can you start here?”.  A little confused, I reiterated what the agreement had been and asked what was going on. 

Apparently, the woman that had given her notice decided to make up a cockamamie story (which, btw, no one believes) and called in, saying that she just wasn’t going to be able to finish out her two weeks, effective that morning. Now, instead of trying to hold things together for a one-week gap, the company had to come up with another solution- the accounts the woman had been working on weren’t going to wait almost three weeks until someone else (me) got there to do the job.

After much wrangling and a bunch of phone calls, I will be starting my new job while still working at my current office until it closes.  I’ll be splitting my days - mornings at the current office, afternoons at the new one - in an attempt to keep everyone’s heads above water.

I enjoy a good challenge and the opportunity to help others that find themselves in a sticky mess. While I like having things in some semblance of order, I like change even more.  This situation certainly fits both descriptions.  However, I covet your prayers. As much as I look forward to this type of thing, it could make my life very chaotic for the next two weeks. I want to thrive on the insanity, not be killed by it.

The other bit of news is that my job hunt intensity has increased.  We were just informed yesterday that, instead of closing the office on June 30 (as originally planned), plans have been stepped up.  The office will be closing on May 31.  I just lost a 4-week chunk of time to find a job.  I’m beginning to feel the heat.  While I have applied to several jobs in a variety of industries, I hoping that one of my two favorites comes through: production assistant in a multimedia department or tech support role for one of the local universities.

• After much running between a variety of medical offices, I have a definite diagnosis - it’s called supraventricular tachycardia (SVT). In a nutshell, the electric signal that is supposed start at the top, go down in, through and around the bottom of the heart to create the contraction gets screwy. Instead, it starts at the top, goes in and gets caught in a loop, causing the heart to beat faster and faster in an attempt to pump out the blood. Test results have shown that I can go from 80 beats per minute to 165 and not even be aware of the change. This is not good since the overly rapid heart beat causes the heart to pump inefficiently. Thankfully, I’m on a baby dose of medication and it’s completely under control now.
• My brother-in-law, Rick, and his family have finally moved into their home here in PA after a long and grueling search for a job and a place to live. We’ve been helping out on weekends, doing some minor repair work and helping set stuff up.
• Earlier this month, we managed to take a day off from work and went to the Philadelphia Flower Show with hubbie’s sister and her husband.  This year’s theme was Ireland.  I have a bunch of pictures from that - some really beautiful displays - but I haven’t had time yet to post it to my Flickr account.  Maybe I’ll get some down-time this afternoon…
• Our niece, Shannon, had a scary medical incident the other day. While at a friend’s house, she became incoherent, began mumbling strange things, broke into a cold sweat and started to drift in and out of consciousness. After a really long night (we’re still catching up on sleep) and a lot of nasty tests, the doctors came up with nothing. Fortunately, the tests ruled out a lot of very serious conditions that might bring on those symptoms but it isn’t very comforting when you still don’t know what caused it - or what might inadvertently bring it on again.
  Update (3/24/07): Got a phone call today around 11:30 AM - they’re taking her back to the hospital.  She quickly developed a horrible headache and is vomiting.  We’re praying that the doctor’s figure out the cause soon.
• I’ve been busy working on a website re-design for someone else. I’m not about to toot my own horn, so I’m not linking to it. If you know where/what the site is, enjoy it when it comes out (soon) - I’m really quite pleased with the way it has turned out. If you don’t know, oh well!
• The company I work for was sold and we merged another Local Company a few months ago. Prior to that event, the Local Company had become a partner of a Very Large Company, based south of here, that wanted to expand their territory into our area - a good business move. To consolidate things, Local Company let us know that our current office will be closing sometime around June or July and we were all going to move to their main office a few miles away. I would be moving out of my current position (receptionist/secretary) to a more tech-oriented position. However, Very Large Company has been downsizing in their region and now has asked Local Company, their partner, to consolidate the workflow and do the same. The responsibilities of the position I was supposed to take has been given to someone else at Very Large Company and the position was eliminated. I got that phone call yesterday.Now I have to start the great job hunt. While it is not likely that my current position will be cut prior to the office closing (someone has to answer the calls and keep things running smoothly), it always is a possibility. God has given me complete peace in this situation. I know that the right opportunity will turn up at the right time, as per His plan. One of God’s fingerprints is clearly visible : I have approximately 3 months to find a job instead of 3 days or weeks. This is a blessing that I know doesn’t happen very often - most times, you’ve got a couple of weeks at best - and it’s a blessing for which I am immensely thankful. He’s provided perfectly in the past and I know He will do so again. I just pray that my eyes will be open to see the door He’s opening rather than stubbornly staring in the opposite direction at a closed window, willing it to open itself.

It seems that James Cameron, Simcha Jacobovici and their cohorts have spent the last two years connecting the dots to a puzzle that revolves around the 27-year-old discovery of a tomb. They didn’t stop to make sure that their line segments were drawn according to the right sequences. Frankly, it appears that the dots they connected don’t even belong to the puzzle in question. The picture they have ended up with is not the right one.

 I once heard this “proof” for why fire engines were red:

• There are 4 wheels and 8 firemen on a fire truck
• 8 + 4 = 12
• There are 12 inches in a foot
• A foot is a ruler
• Queen Elizabeth was a ruler
• Queen Elizabeth was the name of a ship
• Ships sail on seas
• Seas have fish
• Fish have fins
• The Finns fought the Russians
• Russians are “Red”Therefore, fire engines are red.

While completely nonsensical and rather silly, the proof makes my point. It is possible to string together a series of truthful, factual statements to prove something that has little or no relation to the facts themselves. 

The press conference that was held this morning to introduce the documentary (airing on Discovery Channel this coming Sunday, March 4) was quite the exercise in connecting the wrong dots. After James Cameron made a series of initial remarks, Simcha Jacobovici began his thoughts.  He proclaimed himself to be an expert - an expert in investigative journalism.  He noted that, as an investigative journalist, it was his job to “connect the dots”, consult with experts and see what picture emerges. 

Too many things were said and I cannot recount them all (I was at work at the time, listening to the conference and trying to jot down notes in between all of the craziness known as my job responsibilities).  However, these are a few gems - not necessarily verbatim - along with my thoughts:

• Luke wrote that the beloved disciple leaned up against Jesus like a child leans against his father.  Why would anyone want to hide the identity of a disciple by leaving them unnamed unless the person in question was the child of a person condemned to the cross and, therefore, likely to be sent to the cross as well?

  Umm, yeah. This dot doesn’t even belong in the picture - frankly, it can hardly be classified as a dot.  Luke does not make any mention of a disciple leaning up against Jesus, much less like a child.  The book of Luke wasn’t written until some 30 years after the crucifixion.  By then, the “lad” in question would have been a man and could have easily gone off to live an obscure life elsewhere, away from any purported danger (remember Joseph’s & Mary’s flight to Egypt with young Jesus?) Also, Jesus’s crucifixion was performed by the Romans at the behest of the Jewish leaders.  Even if there was indisputable evidence of a son, his mere existence would most likely not have been enough to warrant a death sentence - he would have needed to anger the Jewish authorities by claiming diety as Jesus had done. Yep, not really a dot.

• Mariamne = Mary, Mara = Master

  I am not a linguist.  Yes, English is my third language and I am able to find common patterns in languages that give me an inkling of what is being said, but I am not a student of languages.  I have to rely on what experts say.  That Mariamne may very well mean Mary is no stretch.  However, I’m guessing that the Mara = Master is another linguistic form of hoop jumping to put on an entertaining show for the unsuspecting masses, much like the Aramaic “translation” in the DVC, indicating that Mary Magdalene was Jesus’s wife.  From what I’ve read today, experts seem to be in agreement on that point.  Dog and pony show, anyone?

• Mitochondrial DNA samples show that the individuals “identified” as Jesus and Mary are not related, therefore indicating that they most likely were married to each other.

  Hmmm.  Throw some more million dollar words around - words that people may have heard in the passing - add some facts to the mix and you can draw some interesting, though faulty conclusions that, hopefully, the general public won’t pick up on.  Mitochondrial DNA is used primarily to trace maternal lineage. I don’t have a problem with the finding that J & M were not related and could very well be married to each other. However, there is some really bad science in this conclusion.

  When performing any kind of experiment, one of the most crucial parts is what is called the “control”.  This is the norm, your valid/verified entity, the part that stays constant so you have something with which to compare your results.  Take, for instance, the testing of potential sleep medication.  There are at least three groups of people involved in the test, all of which have difficulty sleeping: the ones taking the actual pill, the ones taking a pill they believe to be the medication and the “control” group - they aren’t taking anything.  The test results are then tallied at the end of the testing period and compared to the control group.  In comparison, did the ones with the actual pill fall asleep and stay asleep more often?  Did the group taking the fake pill report any changes in their sleep patterns?  Without the control group, the results from the other two groups is useless, at best.

  This DNA experiment is missing its control group - DNA taken from a confirmed member of Jesus’s family.  I’m not talking about someone who is speculated to be a member of that family - I’m talking about a bona fide, paper trail, blood relative.  If you claimed to be a blood relative of Ernest Hemingway, a sample of your DNA would be compared to whatever is left of his DNA at this point.  We know that it is his body in that grave - there are records and family members with which to verify that information.  Other than the mention of names, we have no idea who Jesus’s blood relatives were, where they are buried or where their current descendants are.  That’s the missing control group.  Without the genetic material from a confirmed relative, DNA samples from the ossuaries can only indicate familial relationship of the people to each other but they cannot tell us if they are specifically from Jesus’s family since we don’t know what their mitochondrial DNA looks like. No scientist worth his salt would make that claim.

I could go on and on. This “discovery” is not only an example of bad history as well as bad translation and/or interpretation, but also that of bad science.  Dan Brown’s research may have been horribly shoddy.  In my opinion, however, this Jesus tomb story makes Brown look like a student of history. Cameron’s/Jacobovici’s dots don’t connect to reveal a picture of Jesus - it looks more like the portrait of a court jester.

The technical aspects of this movie do not disappoint. As noted in many reviews, the camera work is very different and contributes a great deal to the story. For many scenes, the camera was handheld, giving you the sense that you are walking/running along with the main characters. That effect could have potentially caused a theater full of motion-sick individuals, but it was handled carefully and does not detract from the scenes. Also in many of the scenes is the presence of spattered blood on the lens as you are trying to look through it but it is accomplished in such a way so as not to be a distraction. The one description of that world that keeps coming back to my mind is the word “grey”. Though the movie was filmed in color, you’re left with the distinct impression that it was devoid of it, which goes to underscore the bleakness and gives the movie a gritty feel to it.

The story starts in 2027 with the announcement that the world’s youngest human (18 years, 4 months and 12 days old) had just died from injuries sustained when he refused to give an autograph to a fan. As details emerge, you find out that, for an unknown reason, women have become infertile - no known cause and no cure in the foreseeable future. The world has collapsed into chaos with Britain as the only country left standing. Citizens of other countries abandoned their homes and their now uninhabitable countries to illegally immigrate to Britain. The increasing chaos causes Britain to become a police state, imprisoning the illegal aliens and abusing/torturing some of them before deportation - that is, the ones that survive the abuse.

In the midst of this very hopeless world, a woman named Kee is keeping a secret - she is eight months pregnant. She is also a refugee, destined for deportation. An activist group, fighting for proper treatment of the illegal aliens, wants to use her - and her soon-to-be-born child - for their own purposes. Theo, a disillusioned man and an ex-activist, agrees to help Kee to safety.

This movie is one of the best I have seen in a long time. The acting was superb (Michael Caine as Jasper, a pot-growing hippie in the woods, was particularly enjoyable), the story was believable and it produced more questions than it answered. I like and admire that - no one has all of the answers to all of life’s difficult questions. While the movie had a good ending, it did not take all of the ills displayed in that particular society, put it into a box, tie a pretty bow on it and say “see, everything works out in the end with a little bit of love”. The police state, the activists, the bombing, shooting, the infertility and the abuses remained.

One of the aspects I appreciated about the movie, as a Christian, was the portrayal of human depravity. I don’t know if it was intentional on Cuaron’s part or, for that matter, P.D. James’s when he wrote the novel (I’ll have to read the book). Too many times, movies (and books) have a tendency to gloss over the topic of depravity, either making it play such a tiny portion of the overall picture that it doesn’t seem worth mentioning or making it into an abnormal “illness” that the deviant suffers from. While the cause and effect were never explicitly delineated in the movie, it seems that once the hope of a future was gone, the populace began its descent into destruction. Depravity is the norm. The world in 2027 is clearly polluted, farm animals are heaped into pyres or lie dead in the fields and entire countries are uninhabitable due to terrorism or nuclear attacks. One scene shows that works of art are being defaced. The pervasive sentiment is this: if there will be no one left to appreciate it, it’s not worth anything so destruction doesn’t matter. This, then, begs the next question: does anything have inherent worth or is it only worth something because someone is present to give it worth? Depending on one’s beliefs, there are two very different answers to that question. And the answer to that question determines whether something (or someone) is treated with dignity or viewed as disposable.

Another point the movie makes is that not only do the ends not justify the means but the means can potentially destroy any chance of reaching the ends. The activists in the movie, The Fishes, claim that they are fighting for the rights of the illegal aliens who are being mistreated. But, as some extreme activists are wont to do, the manner in which they carry out their message is so damaging that they are viewed as terrorists rather than as advocates for the oppressed. Ironically, The Fishes are outraged at the abuse the illegal aliens are subjected to, yet they think nothing of killing off (or threatening to kill off) one of their own for breach of protocol.

“Children of Men” displayed elements that parallel the Biblical narrative. At the center of the story is an unwed, pregnant woman in a place far from home who is carrying the hope of the world in her womb. No woman had been pregnant in nearly 20 years. Though the mechanism was very different, I would venture to say that the reality of the pregnancy was as astounding to Kee as it was to Mary. Another example in the same vein is that of Theo. He made sacrifices - some with potentially fatal consequences - all along the way to ensure that a woman, who was not his wife, carrying a babe, who was not his child, would be able to deliver the hope that the world was so desperately grasping at. In one scene (and I’ll be careful not to divulge any spoilers), soldiers of the state cease fire when they realize that a miracle is before them. Some soldiers are even down on their knees in a near-worshipful stance - kind of like the band of shepherds who stopped what they were doing to demonstrate their reverence for the Christ-child. Minus the semi-automatic machine guns.

Despite the bleakness, hope shines through. Beauty emerges from the ugliness. Color pops out from the grey. Themes of hope and sacrifice are woven together throughout the story - without sacrifice, hope doesn’t stand a chance.