Oh, I'm having a braino -- what is the Iggy Pop song that quotes from Gershwin's "Summertime"? I can hear him breaking into it, but I can't remember which one it is!

Jon: thanks!

Theo: "Girls"

Thanks, Mr. Industries!

I was looking over the cowbell song list and thinking it was possible to put together an all-cowbell mix, though I'd have to purchase a few songs to do it with. (Naturally, I'd only use Theo-favored songs.) Though, if I don't get to use a few non-cowbell favorites in my mix I'll explode....

For those of you who don't frequent the other threads, I got fired yesterday.

They were very weasley and unpleasant. They lied and lied and lied to me. Denied it the day before when I asked them directly. They snuck in and cut off my computer access in the few minutes it took for them to hand me my measley severance. (Fortunately I had a lot of vacation to cash out.)

But as Kim taught me long ago, unemployment checks are really just a grant for the arts.

In music news, did I mention how much I like Fountain of Wayne's b-sides and rarities collection Out-of-State Plates? It's fab.

I'm sorry, David. I'm especially sorry that the supposedly nice boss turned out to be not-so-nice. Here's hoping they crash and burn without you.

Aw, christ, David. I'm echoing Jon's sentiments above, except my version goes "a miserable pigfucker" instead of "not-so-nice".

In the end, they really sucked ass. But, fuck it. I'm not my job. I've got money to pay the rent for many months to come. I've got a book to write, and maybe enough time to write another book too. Maybe start selling some articles.

It's a good time to think about being not-an-admin and doing something else with my life. I'm going to be 45 in June and the glamour of having somebody yell at me because I was behind in my filing had finally worn thin.

It may well play out that I'll have to suck it up and go back to that kind of office work, but right now I've got an opportunity to try other things.

It's a good time to think about being not-an-admin and doing something else with my life.

Amen, brother. I have not a single tiny moment of doubt that you will look back at the moment you were fired (miserable asshats, by the way) and think "thank.you.god." because it will have been what sparked you to do something that will end up making you a jillion times happier.

And how cool is it that you when people ask what you are doing you do NOT have to say "looking for a job" but instead "writing/finishing my book." (Even better that when they say "Oh, really, what are you writing about? You get to say "Tom Motherfucking Waits." I mean, you might drop the middle name depending on who you are talking to.)

The stink of having worked so hard for a bunch of lying liars will soon wash away, but the chance this gives you will undoubtedly change your life.

The last time I was let go from a job it started a chain of events that brought me to Chicago which has completely transformed my life in ways that I am so so happy about. But the night it happened? I cried as hard as I could and thought I was going to die and be poor and miserable forever.

I've been there too -- in my case it was laid off from Lotus. Seemed like my world was ending at the time, but it led to many good good things. Strangely enough, one of the best things about that was I had plenty of time to get my writing 'career' underway.

I wish to report that I now have a complete list of first and second choices for my mix. Except that I'm missing at least two CDs that have my first choices on them, damn it.

(If anybody has the Rhino Records Doo Wop Box III, Volume Four, could I ask a special favor?)

This kinda got run over in Natter so I'll repost here since it's pertinent.

Hec, I've posted my reaction to your situation before. It sucks. I think they fucked you over and I'm really sorry they did it and aim many psionic harpoons at them. However, I'm really happy you have the book deal lined up, have a little money socked away, and have the great attitude that allows you to view it as an "artistic grant". I think you're going to write a kick-ass book and have a great time interviewing all those luminaries including possibly Waits hisself.

I completely empathize on the not wanting to be an admin stuff. I'm 40 and even though I do so much more than office support work, people view me as beneath them because of doing admin work. Even worse because of my age. They figure I must be a moron if I'm still doing admin work at 40. Nothing like getting looked down on by a 24 year-old with a communications degree from CHICO STATE.

Today is my last day at work. As well as the last day for 7 other people who were hit in this round of layoffs. I'm oddly chipper. While my future is by no means secure (I have no savings and live from paycheck to paycheck), temporarily at least, I feel a great weight lifted from my shoulders. There were things about this workplace I really liked and I'll be lucky if I get those traits in my next job, but my position itself was dead end and completely disrespected. So I got bitter and began having trouble shifting myself out of bed each morning.

I was very resistant to taking anti-depressants again, but it's been a good thing so far. I'm much more positive. I can see the bad points but I don't let them overwhelm me the way they used to. Which is INVALUABLE in my current circumstances. So today I'm feeling a bit up, eager to get out and get on with my life. I have a lot of work ahead as this layoff comes right about the time construction is finishing on the house. I will have a SHITLOAD of cleanup work to do from 1.5 years of lead paint, wood, and other toxic dust as well as having my stuff tossed around the house more times than an irate Skycap could have accomplished. I have lost things I have to find. I have to consult a lawyer to negotiate the weird territory of having renters but being a landlord-on-premises. Then I have to start the always yucky process of looking for housemates. And pray I can find people I can get along with before my money runs out.

Then there’s trying to give my life structure so I don’t fall into depression. Thank god it’s spring. It’s a sunny day today and gorgeous. This will make it easier to go out and take walks and ride my bike. I need to get back into a regular exercise habit and unemployment is the perfect time to do it. I need to make time for my art and this will be a huge challenge because the voices my parents installed in me will be screaming that I’m too broke to afford such fripperies, that I should be looking for a job 24/7 and that I should take anything because everyone works at jobs they hate and why should I think I’m so special as to deserve a job that’s actually fulfilling?

Today, anyway, I feel up. And I feel like it’s possible to meet these challenges.