A good day ain't got no rain

 One of the most creative musical icons of my lifetime turned 81 yesterday. And I’m struggling to pick just one of his songs for today’s earworms. But when someone I follow on Twitter mentioned Paul Simon, my mind immediately went to “Slip-slidin' Away”, so here we go.

 

Marks in the sky

On my walk yesterday morning, I saw some clouds that looked different from what I’m used to. They basically looked like some hotshot jet jockey had been out making contrails.

But I don’t think they actually were—because here’s an actual contrail for comparison.

Regardless, they were beautiful.

 

No; just no

I was taking a morning spin around the Beautiful Faux Downtown People’s Republic yesterday and noticed this in the window of one of the boutiques:

I’m not even OCD and this would drive me crazy every time I had to pee. Who thought it was a good design idea?

 

 

 

It's the berries

Here are some bushes that the cut-it-to-the-ground crowd missed along the W&OD Trail.

Dunno what they are, but their berries are changing color.

 

 

Gratitude Monday: beauty captured

I don’t know who has ordered it, or why, but workers over recent weeks have razed trees and shrubbery along the W&OD Trail in the People’s Republic.

So I’m very grateful that I got these shots of bees enjoying thistles one morning.

Because this is what that stretch along the trail looks like now.

 

 

 

October wanders by

Even though the leaves aren’t really turning color here in the District They Call Columbia, Autumn is definitely here.

I love snuggling into the dark, with candles on my dinner table, so I, for one, welcome the change.

And to help it in, how about a little Coltrane? “Autumn Serenade”, to be specific.

 

 

Nature's mysteries 10

Here’s a plant that appeals to me, although I do not have a sausage of an idea what it is. Help me out.

It’s a shrub; that’s all I know.

#IDme

 

 

Stepping into the new year

Yom Kippur began at sundown last night, and Jews all over the world are taking time today to consider the past year (5782, if you’re asking), fast to help their focus, acknowledge their mistakes and sincerely atone for them. Then they’re ready to set out into the new year with a metaphoric clean slate.

It’s the finale to the Days of Awe, which began with Rosh Hashanah 10 days ago.

I really like this concept: devoting serious time to reflect, measure, acknowledge transgressions and resolving to do better. We all need to be reminded of this, to go through the cycle at regular intervals and to take steps to maybe not keep doing the same things over and over again, expecting different results.

It’s also great that—after fasting for the day—you get together with loved ones and have a slap-up meal. (A guy I worked with at HBO once swore that you couldn’t get into a Chinese restaurant anywhere in Brooklyn after sundown on Yom Kippur.)

Well—whether you celebrate or not, I wish you an easy, meaningful fast and few causes for atonement. May your name be sealed in the Book of Life.

 

 

 

Good for the plants

We here in the District They Call Columbia have got off lightly WRT hurricane Ian. We’ve had light, but pretty steady rain since Friday evening. No floods, no high winds. So lucky.

Also—rain on leaves just turning for Autumn is lovely.

 

 

Gratitude Monday: an odd gift

Okay, here’s the deal. My employer has been acquired by a megalithic software company. Last Thursday we were all given offer letters by MSC, either FTE—full time, no time limit—or FTC—fixed time limit.

I got the latter.

It’s because I’m currently between assignments, really—neither here nor there. Big shaggy story, but I was meant to have transferred to a SVP to help with strategy and alliances, and also the women in cyber security initiative she runs. But budget, process freezes and the acquisition killed it. And there’s no place for me where I’ve been parked for the last 15 months.

So FTC.

That means I have until April to find another position within MSC and convert to FTE, or be laid off.

Not, as you might imagine, how I wanted to be spending my time, but here we are.

So here’s the plan: I’m going to allot about 70% to the SVP, making sure the initiative demonstrates value to MSC, getting the website above its current dire status, developing programs, measuring response, etc.; and finding out what actual strategy might constitute in this organization. The next 20% will be continuing my Voice of the Customer interviews, because even if the VP of PM doesn’t see the value, his PMs do, and so do others in our org. If they do, someone in MSC might, so I want them to know I’m doing this.

The final 10% will be networking around the company (and outside) to see what I can find.

I’m not looking forward to this, because it essentially means that for the next six months, I’ll be in an interview WRT everything I’m doing. I’ll probably have to wear mascara more than I want. But it’s got to be done, and what must be done can be done.

When I told my hiring manager about the offer, his response was, “Sorry if that’s frustrating. I hope it’s liberating instead.”

Frustrating was not one of the adjectives I’d have considered. Terrifying, gut-punched, shattering—yes; not frustrating. However, I choose to take on the liberating aspect. I’m grateful that I have six months to work towards my next job—either inside or outside MSC. I recognize this for the gift it is. And I’ll be grateful for any support you can give me in this.