CNN v FoxNews

I am pretty particular about the news channels I watch. It may stem, ok it does stem, from my love for Tom Brokaw, but I am an NBC News junkie. If not NBC, CNN. So at work, near our little kitchen area and a high-traffic walkway, there's a nice LCD hanging on the wall, tuned in to a news channel.

Now, I don't know who does it or who on earth would actually trust FoxNews, but someone around the office, and mind you our office is pretty slim these days, must love FoxNews. When I come in at 7:00a, the TV is tuned to FoxNews. Picky about my news sources, I change it immediately to CNN. By noon, it's back to FoxNews. What the hell!? I change it back, of course. And by 7:00a the next day, it's back to FoxNews.

I'm sure someone around here gets a kick out of it and probably just likes to watch me get frustrated and change the channel, but come on people, FoxNews?!

Give me a break!

I am only one person, and while I am talented, I can only really have one conversation at a time if you want me to get all the information correctly and answer with the best information possible. Come on people!

A disaster is coming...

A control-freak boss is in power. This means disaster.

The Best Mac & Cheese Ever!

Don't get me wrong, I love Kraft Mac & Cheese just as much as everyone else, but this mac & cheese is so amazing... and a bit more sophisticated.

Try it... it's totally worth it.

The Best Mac & Cheese Ever

What you need:

Cheese Sauce

• 2 tbsp butter
• 8 tsp flour
• 1.5 c. milk
• 1 c. Monterey jack cheese, grated
• 1 c. smoked Gouda cheese, grated
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. chili powder
• 1/8 tsp. garlic powder

Mac & Cheese

• 6 oz. (1/2 box) penne pasta
• 2 c. cheese sauce
• ¼ c. Monterey jack cheese, grated
• ¼ c. smoked Gouda cheese, grated
• Sprinkle chili powder

How you do it:

Cheese Sauce

1. Melt butter in saucepan. Whisk in flour and cook 2 minutes until smooth. Slowly add milk, whisking continually.
2. Cook until sauce thickens, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Remove from heat. Add cheeses and seasonings. Stir until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth, about 3 minutes.

Mac & Cheese

1. While the sauce cooks, cook pasta 2 minutes less than packaging directions. Drain, rinse, and set aside.
2. Combine cooked pasta with 2 cups cheese sauce and stir to combine. Pour pasta and cheese mixture into 8-inch baking dish.
3. Sprinkle lightly with chili powder, top with mixture of cheeses.
4. Bake at 350*, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

YUM!

Just kidding?

In the last 24 hours:

• One of my bosses resigned.
• I got laid off.
• I got rehired.

It's nice to know I am valued enough that folks fought for me and caused a stink and got me my job back. That doesn't make it ok that I got laid off and it doesn't make me confident it couldn't happen again. It does make me confident that the work I do does not (always) go unnoticed and that I really work with some great people.

To those of you who fought for me last night, thank you SO much.

January 16, 2009

The job search is on and in full gear...

Any leads would be greatly appreciated.

Work Pet Peeve #18,796

Do not open a job if you do not have all the details lined out. It's a waste of everyone's time if you give us empty job jackets. If you don't have time to put the details together, don't open the job. We're just going to bug you later anyway. And, when you don't give us any details and we're late completing the job, do not get angry and blame us. You are the one that opened the job with no direction, were vague, if that, when giving any sort of direction when pestered, if you give any at all. We are not mind readers. In close, do not open a job if you don't have all the details lined out. Stop getting distracted, focus for five minutes on one thing, and open the job properly. Thank you.