I had a phone meeting today to “meet” my new manager. She works in Austin.
It never ceases to amaze me how the pendulum keeps swinging back and forth. “Remote management isn’t a good idea.” “Remote management can work.” “We want our employees to have local managers.” “Virtual teams are the way of the future.” Blah. Blah. Blah.
I like my new manager, at least, and I have always tended to do better with female managers.
When I was reviewing my “duties” with her, I got to the “Diversity” section, and I said, “I’m sure you know by now that I’m just a big ole queer.” She laughed heartily, and said she appreciated me just being right out there with it, though I could tell that there was no pun intended.
I had several “daily affirmations” in this AIM conversation with Courtney today:
nematome: i’ve “reached my monthly limit” so will have to upload the rest on the 1st of oct… here’s the ones so far: http://www.flickr.com/photos/89055752@N00/sets/978891/
SudnlyCord: fun – I’ll look now! I hope you had fun.
nematome: we had a BLAST
nematome: 🙂
SudnlyCord: One of my favorite memories is you and robert dancing to Neon Moon and then Ben joining in and then Louis joining in
nematome: yes. i loved that ben joined in
nematome: that made me feel so “included”
nematome: be sure to thank him for that for me.
SudnlyCord: Oh I will
SudnlyCord: I just IMed him that
nematome: thx.
SudnlyCord: Ben wrote this:
SudnlyCord: tell john he and his hot peppers were one of my favorite contributions
SudnlyCord: and I agree!
nematome: how sweet… i was so ambivalent about them.. i didn’t want to make it “silly” or a “mockery” but it so struck me as “us”
SudnlyCord: no – I loved them
nematome: well they did turn out to be a “hit” so glad i did it
SudnlyCord: oh yes
nematome: you were a JOY listening to laughing up there whenever someone gave you something that really meant something
SudnlyCord: oh good – I had flashed of “maybe this isn’t appropriate” but then “fuck that!”
nematome: and your parents BOTH were UNBELIEVABLE to me
nematome: they each took me aside separately
nematome: and said such nice things to me about my relationship with you.
SudnlyCord: oh great – they love you
nematome: your mom said, “you are such a generous person, but beyond that you have many other wonderful qualities, and i want to thank you for not only being such a good friend to courtney but for ENRICHING HER LIFE.”
nematome: that really moved me.
SudnlyCord: oh – it’s so true
nematome: awwww
nematome: it’s a mutual relationship
nematome: yours and mine
nematome: mutually enriching
nematome: and that friend ben of yours
nematome: what a gentleman
SudnlyCord: my Ben?
nematome: i spoke a lot with him as he sat next to me
nematome: ben of ben and carmen
SudnlyCord: oh Ben Homola?
SudnlyCord: yes
SudnlyCord: I thought you’d all get along
nematome: he asked me all kinds of questions about being married and coming out..
SudnlyCord: they are our favorite people in Baltimore
nematome: and then my fav movies, etc.
nematome: i asked them if they were going to have kids
nematome: and when they said eventually i said
SudnlyCord: He and Carmen have masters in divinity!
nematome: they are going to be beautiful children because you are both very beautiful people.
SudnlyCord: oh yes they are
nematome: when we departed.. i went to shake his hand and he bypassed it and hugged me
SudnlyCord: 🙂
SudnlyCord: I love my friends
nematome: i loved them too
nematome: we just loved how down to earth everyBODY was and everyTHING was.
SudnlyCord: Ben kept saying how wonderful it was to talk to you because you were so “real”
SudnlyCord: no superficiality
SudnlyCord: I cant remember how he put it but it was something like that
nematome: i felt an instant connection with him… and sense that he really liked me right away. how odd. (not to be conceited, but i really did)
SudnlyCord: He really did – he mentioned it a couple of times – and how he wanted me to spend my birthday in raleigh because he knows how important my friends are to me and now he really sees why
nematome: i really was very affirmed there… frankie made some comment about me like that, too
nematome: she was just staring at me as i was bantering (my table, your word) with your mom
nematome: and she said something like to your mom: I really really like him
nematome: 🙂
SudnlyCord: “my table your word” haha
SudnlyCord: good – so glad you were affirmed
nematome: 🙂
SudnlyCord: or so glad you FELT affirmed too
nematome: thank you for being you and for being my friend
SudnlyCord: oh John – Thank you for being you and being MY friend as well. You have brought me such joy.
I checked in by phone with mom and dad today. It’s their 52nd wedding anniversary. They’d had dinner at Golden Corral.
They confirmed receipt of their Braves tickets for the games Wednesday and Thursday against the Phillies, which I bought for them online, and mailed to them on Friday.
I met Joe for coffee at Helio’s at 7:00. We were greeted by a note on the door: “We will be closing at 8:00 tonight to accommodate a staff meeting.” In some ways, that place is starting to get on our nerves.
They had Ethiopian coffee tonight, which is one of our favorites.
We went to Hibernian’s for a bite to eat. We both had the BBQ Chicken and Coleslaw Wrap, which was out of this world.
I’m starting to wonder if everything on their menu is delicious. Certainly everything I’ve tried so far is. If so, I don’t understand why that place isn’t more popular as a restaurant. It seems to derive most of its business as a bar.
We went to Flex, where it was absolutely dead, and we played several games of pool. Only one of “the other two Joes” were there tonight, and he sat and watched us most of the time.
I left the Joes, and Flex, at about 10:30