C Note(s)

I've started this blog entry several times, but still have difficulty posting it. You see, I have some bad news / good news to announce.  "Bad" news first so that the good news will help alleviate the bad news. As of Friday, 11/27/15, yes Black Friday, it will be my last day at Costco Travel. That'll be the end of 13 and a half years at the company. In this day and age of constant job change for one reason or another, this type of tenure is unheard of. I've been told it's quite an accomplishment. To me, though, it reinforces the type of person I am, and work ethic.  A pessimist would tell me that I simply tolerated what I couldn't change, and I couldn't find a way out.  An optimist would tell me that I am a loyal employee to a fault. I smirk - it's neither. I loved my work (still do), and loved the people and company I worked with / for. If you know anything about me whatsoever, you know this is simply the only acceptable explanation. Fri...

DJ Swarlos is simply my stage name in which I rarely use. If I’m the DJ / MC / hired entertainer I simply go by Carlos. Maybe when I have “arrived”, on a main stage somewhere or a regular fixture at a club, I’ll reference Swarlos. However, I digress. I wanted to announce that with enough gigs, and saving my cheddar from these gigs I finally have all the gear needed to be independent DJ. I don’t have the best in the business but it gets the job done. In the end, just like photography, it’s not the gear but the professional using it. There. I said it. Professional. My intent was to post about moving up from a novice / rookie / amateur but comparatively speaking … I’m a professional! I really do earn the money, and street cred that comes with my gigs. Despite any on-site challenges, or however chaotic the itinerary becomes, I get the job done with a high level of professionalism. My clients have given positive feedback, gratuities and requests to have me back next year. Only professio...

Several years ago, I was introduced to the world of $1 bets by my bro, Scott. BEST. THING. EVER. Especially since most $1 bet disputes can be easily answered with a smartphone or computer access to the itnerwebs. Besides, I coined it a level of confidence as an answer. "Are you sure?" It's a flimsy yes. "So are you $1 bet sure?" So I've recently introduced my work team to the wonderful world of $1 bets. At first my new teammate was not initially understanding. As we understand it, it's a nominal amount but enough to keep you accountable. Yesterday I proposed a $1 bet to the other ICS (teammate) I ended up losing the best so I attempted to pay but she wouldn't accept my outstretched arm with $1. She declined it! Flat denied it. I offered twice then put it away. Today? One of my managers proposed another dollar bet. And this time I won! But so did Taryne. I eagerly accepted my manager's dollar while Taryne was reluctant to accept. I wan...

Twas the night before Spartan, and all through the crib; Not a thing was stirring, not even the racer’s bib; Compression socks hung by the door with care, In hopes that the start time soon would be there; Us racers were nestled all snug in our beds While visions of obstacles danced in their heads; And baby in her pj’s, and I in my cap, Had just settled in for a short autumn’s nap, All of a sudden there was a clatter, out on the lawn, Sprang from my bed to see what the hell was going on. Away to the window I flew like a flash, Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash. The moon on the breast of the new-fallen rain, Gave a luster in the fog of my sleepy brain, When what to my wondering eyes did appear, But a Spartan Elite and all his race gear, With a spry young racer this year’s champion, I knew in a moment it was Robert Killian. More rapid than eagles his competition they came, And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name: "...

After 2 days, 2 phone calls per day, I was able to contact the WSDOT Good To Go Office. 1-3 record isn't bad right? You see I qualified for a free GTG Flex Pass on RideShareOnline . The red sticker on it states to activate it before use. Having been through the new debit card - credit card experience, this seem natural. Easy. Automated. Right? Not even close. I access my GTG account online in the hopes that the portal has been upgraded and enabled end-user to modify their accounts. Nope - what the hell was I thinking?! I call the toll free number on the sticker. And that's when I inadvertently relived the Friends episode called The One with the Screamer (Season 3, episode 22) Specifically, I'm speaking about the longest hold that Phoebe is on because her phone warranty is about to expire. I discover from the automated phone prompts, which is the same voice of the Comcast bitch, that the office hours are closed. I called on Wednesday. Twice. Each time I held on for 2...

I’m starting a new sub ‘blog, titled: Carpool Conversations with Charrina. Most days that we carpool into to work are mundane. Our conversations are run-of-the-mill what’s on the to-do list, etc. Every once in a while, at least in the past month, we can have some interesting convo. We were discussing the human condition, that people are crazy – both genders, all walks of life. WCP: “Aiight, Lamp. B**ches be cray.” ‘los [I refuse to refer to my moniker of Lamp]: “Correction. Everybody be crazy. Normal is only a setting a Whirlpool washing machine.” WCP: “I’m with that.” ‘los: “So we need a gamut, a range of cray.” WCP: She pauses, “Whatcha thinking?” ‘los: “On the Crazy-Hot Matrix it’s 2-10 but for our discussion purposes, let’s bookend it with 1-10 with 0 not being a possibility as we agreed everyone is crazy.” WCP: After a nod of acknowledgement, “Cool.” ‘los: “1 is your garden-variety, slightly zany, mostly dingy, fluffy bunny cupped in your hand crazy or cray...

In this day and age of mistrust, is compassion conditional? And if you live long enough, you've known the pain and experience of trusting the wrong person which you were rewarded with betrayal and hurt. Kinda doesn't incentify you to show compassion and/or present an olive branch to the next person when called upon. Recently I had spirited conversation with a good, and dear friend of mine about compassion. I was pro-compassion without condition. My parents taught me, especially my mother, that if I don't have a good reason not to help someone who's asked for it, then your answer should be yes. Easier said than done, though, right? Damn, right! I still helped in my way, and richly rewarded with more than I imagined. But that's how compassion / Karma / whatever you sow you reap pays you back. I smiled and retort, but you don't help with the thought of what's-in-it-for-me. Or do you? Or is it how much am I risking to lose? Or how much my trust in the...