A Rambling, Incoherent Post about TV and Work

It's probably a good thing the Olympics don't last any longer than they do because I've been completely useless the last two weeks after 8 o'clock. But so what? I think we can all agree I'm not especially likely to ever compete in the Olympics, so I might as well watch them.

Did anybody see this girl from the U.S. who skiied the slalom tonight with tiger ears on her skiing helmet? Okay, this seems like it would really be bad for your aerodynamics. But still, tiger ears! How cool! She's probably not from Clemson, but I still think that's pretty cool.

And over on the other channel... well, four guys in, I haven't been that impressed. The first two guys, Patrick and David, I sort of felt like they deserve a second chance. The next two, Bucky and Will? Nah. I guess this just makes it easier for Taylor Hicks.

I should point out that the horrible exercise at work passed with nary a peep from the inspectors today. They did not come in to inspect our office at all--nor did they inspect anyone in the Ops Group. We've already been inspected enough, it seems. Thank God. It means I don't get to show off my airman, but I sent a few notes forward in an effort to get him recognized at the wing picnic next week. We'll see how it goes. Wish him luck (Rick Insley, by the way, that's his name).

I've been thinking a lot lately, of course, about the next job down the line for me, since I assume it will come to pass sooner or later. You know, I really don't want to work for anyone ever again. I guess none of us do. And I guess I don't really have that option. I doubt I'll ever have as good a boss as I do right now, and I'll certainly miss that. But I think I'll miss much more being a boss.

Don't get me wrong--I'm not exactly a great boss. I basically give my people jobs and leave them alone. This works great with someone like Rick, who works well on his own initiative and will do better work left to his own devices than he will with constant supervision. This is not so good with other people who need a little more oversight, and I'm uncomfortable being in that role.

So that settles it. I'm not going to work. I'm going to find something that doesn't feel like work. I wonder what it will be...

Three more performers have taken the stage. One of them was actually good. These dudes just aren't really getting it done tonight. The geeky looking kid, Kevin, (who by the way I really like; I think he's the most real of the contestants apart from Taylor) is clearly not the best singer here, but after seven performances he's easily in second place on my ranking. These last five guys have some work to do.

I'm watching freestyle aerials. This sport is absolutely incredible, and not just because the contestants will all need knee replacements by the age of 30. How high in the air are they going? And twisting and flipping around the whole time? And getting oriented and landing feet-first? How do you learn this?

This is one of the things that amazes me about some of these sports: moreso than with the Summer Olympics, so many of these sports look like they would be impossible to learn--how do you learn ski jumping, aerials, luge, or giant slalom without so badly injuring yourself the first time you try them that you can never try them again? Maybe that's how these athletes are chosen: they were the ones who survived the initial training.