to all the jobs i've had before

Someday, I will get a picture scanned of my job as a pioneer and post it.

Today, I had my elective class.  I think I mistakenly understood elective to mean easy which it doesn't.  I think I'll actually have more to write in my elective than I will in any other class.  However, the elective is also about supported employment which is close to my actual job experience so I feel that I have an upper hand in this.  It's also my teacher's first time teaching so I'm a little afraid of her inexperience in teaching and that she may a) screw it up or b) be overly critical in an effort to prove her mettle as an instructor.

For the first class, she had us review our work history.  She gave us 10 minutes to write down the jobs we have had, what jobs worked out better for us and why and what supports we feel that we needed in our jobs.  It was a simple exercise but it made me critically look at my prior job experience.  Around 1996-1997, I went through a period of holding down a job for less than two weeks at a time because if you don't work more than two weeks, you don't have to put in a two weeks notice.  It was mostly crappy jobs like fast food work or taking in-bound phone calls for a hunting catalog.  I have done a few restaurant jobs, a few retail jobs and a few supervisory jobs.  I always work better when given clear expectations but the freedom to get them done my way.

The class is about helping people with barriers to employment find jobs that work for them.  The purpose of the exercise was to understand that just because someone quits a job, it doesn't mean that they failed.  Very few of us can say that our first job was our only job.  However, for clients, we look at them leaving their first job as failing somehow whereas it can actually be a good learning experience to have a job, realize it sucks and quit, even if you don't know what you're gonna do next.

While it may be an unusual class, there is potential there for me to learn something.

spring quarter

Man, winter break was actually too long but spring break was too short.  I started classes again today.  Mondays are my class days now.  I had two new professors today and one different classroom with several new classmates.  I'm not so sure about this quarter.  My theory professor appears to be tough and assigns a lot but my my statistics (yes, I have to take f*ing statistics) professor seems easy and there's not a long paper.

With a new quarter, I decided to try out a new restaurant.  I went to Broadway Coffee and Tea and had an awesome crepe and lentil soup.  It was weird though afterwards because I realized that the protest was just kicking off then.  I would've had enough time to hear the speakers before my class would start and I would have to leave.  Still, it's weird to be eating crepes when friends are facing police danger.  I guess priorities take place and this is where I'm at in life.

After class got out, I checked indymedia quick and saw that the protest had turned into a jail support so I walked down that way and walked through the crowd.  Everyone was doing their thing and had the time invested then.  I had just got there and was not prepared to deal with the situation.  I was in my school clothes, my camera battery wasn't charged and I really didn't know what was going on right then.  As I was talking to someone who was there earlier on the phone, a cop came up to me and asked me what I was doing.  I realized that everyone else had moved on and I was by myself and not prepared.  I quickly left and decided that I would be no good to anyone there so I left.  It had been a long day.  I still plan to get involved but only when I have time to properly invest myself in it.  With the school work I got already, I don't plan on being free until June.

my friend moby

Today went just like I thought it should.

Moby, a musical artist I've admired for many many years now was speaking at Powells books today about veganism.  The name of the book is Gristle and some of you can plan to see it in the future because I'll be sending it to you.  It's not a "Go vegan or die" book.  It comes at it from more of a "Look at the consequences of the meat diet" approach.

After having good workout and an awesome breakfast burrito, I biked down to see him speak.  I got there two hours early in order to get a front row seat.  It was an easy Saturday so sitting around in a bookstore for a few hours seemed perfectly logical.

Normally, I don't like seeing people I idolize.  I was afraid that Moby would be a dick or something but he was quite cool.  During the Q&A session, I asked him about the Disco Lies video which is a favorite of mine.  He looked right at me when he answered the question like we were having a conversation.  :)  Plus I got him to sign my book, "DJ Topher."  That's right. Moby acknowledged me as a DJ.  I should have had it signed "Awesome DJ Topher" but I thought that would've been too egotistical.  Anyway, he thanked me for the question and said I could get a picture with him.  Finally, a personal hero that lived up to my expectations.

What else/
While waiting for Moby, I finished "The Art of Racing in the Rain," a book about a dog and his owner.  It was really touching and I had really work to not cry in Powells.

As if the day wasn't good enough, I went out that night.  First I stopped at Galaxy with my house, Dom, Emily, BHT, Justin, Jenn and Christina.  I sang "No Scrubs."  Then I headed off to Blowpony.  It has been far too long since I've been to a Pony and this one reminded me of the first one I went to.  Good times.

my little black box

My computer has been acting up since J128.  I think I screwed up the internet connection at Union Hall.  My computer will disconnect from the wireless router every three or four minutes and will start searching for the Union Hall wireless.  I finally deleted the Union Hall router from my list of wireless routers to locate but it still won't stay hooked up to the net.  Sigh.  I'm afraid I'm going to have to wipe my computer.  The problem is I have a lot of media on my computer and no place to put it so I drove to Fry's to buy a little black box.

The little black box pictured above has 500 GB of memory in it.  That's enough for maybe 400 movies.  Crazy.  However, I have mostly music and pictures that I needed to transfer over.  Since I was headed that way, I put the word out that I was going because I hate to waste gas going alone.  I ended up taking my friend's roommate Mary and her boyfriend as they bought a 50" flat screen that somehow fit into the back of Ashes' car.  I was expecting the drive to be bigger but it's so small and it was less than 70 bux.  Having the piece of mind that my computer can crash and I got everything important backed up is worth so much more to me.

What else?
When I got back, I was hungry so I went to the new Vita location with my roomies for supper.  I haven't eaten there since they moved.  They have the second best veggie chicken fried steak and mashed potatoes in Portland.  The best comes from my house. ;)

in the delta

 I spent yesterday home, not protesting.  Today, I wanted to get out of the house.  I also wanted southern food so I called some friends and ended up at the Delta with Jess, Arturo and BHT.  It wasn't exactly the plan to get everyone together but it worked out nicely.  We had good conversations and a whole lotta food.  I've only ordered the side dishes there before but this time I ordered a meal (crispy tofu and rice in a piquante sauce).  With the dinner came cornbread which was really good and filling.

I also had a morning star drink which was made with habanero-infused vodka.  Jess had a Morning Star which looked like a salad fell into a Bloody Mary.  Arturo had three.  And BHT had the chilled PBR 40 pictured above.  For desert, I had a Cozy Shack which was about perfect.  This was kind of my ideal dining experience for spring break.

four point ho

I did it.  I got all A's.  This was a trying quarter and that's probably the only reason it means something to me.  I'm not a smarty pants typically.  Well, maybe I'm a clever guy but I never have really had the desire to overachieve academically.  However, knowing that it can be done after five and a half years of college and four years of high school is pretty comforting. 

m23

So it turns out that the man a cop murdered yesterday was a homeless man who was self-injuring himself in a public restroom at a park.  "Hey, stop cutting yourself or I'll shoot."

I work with people with self-injurious behavior.  I have friends who work with people with self-injurious behavior.  Nobody has ever got shot and we've never even had to call the police.  I realize that I have more training at dealing with this behavior than your average beat cop would but then again, should they really have guns and be called to such situations if they can't disarm a drunk man with an exacto knife without shooting him three times?

So tonight, we marched again.  We took Hawthorne to try to spread the word of the cops' latest kill to the bystanders and we picked up some people along the way.  I was covering the cops with my camera which I think actually stopped one pig from clubbing a cyclist.  I yelled, "You're on camera, m*therf*cker!" which may seem harsh but it stopped him.

Anyway, I didn't get arrested and there's another plan to march next Monday.  Unfortunately, my spring break will be over by then and I again turn into a Masters student.  Here's hoping that summer break will be more peaceful.

must be spring in portland

It happens about once a year during Spring.  That's the scary thing. It's something that we can almost set our calendars to.

Earlier this year, the cops killed Aaron Campbell who wasn't doing anything but being black when confronted by the cops.  Earlier today, a cop shot someone in a park.  That's all that's being released at this time but I'd wager it was unjustified.

That may sound biased, given I've made such an assumption on so little information.  However, history is backing me up.  The cops here have shot and tazered people that have been on fire, handcuffed or just plain innocent of any wrong doing.  Hell, the cops pepper-sprayed one guy who had set himself on fire last year.  So yeah, I think that it was unwarranted.

Even if it wasn't, the police have a lot to answer for so we marched tonight.  There was a quick gathering at Colonel Summers Park to discuss the issue.  I thought this would be just talk which it was so I brought Dean to this park for the first time.  After they decided to march, we ran home, dropped him off, grabbed a camera and a megaphone and hit the streets.  This isn't my first march nor will it be my last but the circumstances were different.

The cops were caught off-guard and our outrage was expressed and our point was made.  We are mad and tired of this.  There's going to be another march tomorrow so I'll post more info then.

taking a spring break

Big parties mean big clean-up.

I spent the day today downtown, working on cleaning up the party from last night.  All the zip trucks were booked so we did a slow haul out of the venue.  While we were waiting to load stuff up, Bastard and I headed to Cool Moon Ice Cream by Jamison Square downtown.  Sitting outside in some deck chairs, watching the leaves blow while enjoying a small bowl of ice cream was perfect.

After ice cream, we walked over to Sip & Kranz because it's Bastard's favorite coffee place in town.  I wanted to sleep eventually so I just got a lemonade.  If I was downtown in Jamison Square a lot, I would definitely frequent there.

It's weird spending the whole day waiting for it to end.  All I wanted was to relax.  I'm glad I got a small break at the Cool Moon.

What else?
Surprisingly, I went to Farmer Kollibri's firepit party.  After an exhausting night like last night, I can't believe I headed back out but it turned out to be perfect.  Jesse, Bastard, Kollibri and a few others ended up just laying down in his greenhouse bed and talking while some chill music played.

j128

 It was a good night.

At our house, we've been counting down to the party like it's Christmas or something.  Every year, it's something different but always something to look forward to you.  There were no cops this year and there was no movie theater but there was a jazz band during dinner and dual projections in different parts of the party.

I had a lot of fun DJ'ing.  I was set to DJ with the Virtual DJ Hercules device but it wouldn't work so I just used the Virtual DJ on my computer and I have to say that I rocked it.  I also played Lady Gaga's telephone twice (LOVE IT) which I would normally never do.  It's like making a mixed tape.  You'd never put the same song on twice, usually not even put the same artist on twice.  It was requested though and I did an excellent job of fulfilling requests.

After my DJ set, exhaustion set in and I was pretty much cashed for the night.  I hung out, talked, got a t-shirt, didn't feel like DJ'ing again after the movie and decided to head home.  It was a satisfying night and I didn't want to end on a bad note or wear out the party so I left.  I never ever catch cabs and tonight wasn't going to be any different. 

I started walking back down roads the cabs would be cruising.  However, I stopped and got a bean and cheese burrito at a new food cart (I don't know the name of it).  I was a tad intoxicated and ended up with burrito in my beard and stache, looking tired and crazed.  By the time I got across the bridge, I was ready for a cab.  I was ready for a nap.  I just wanted to stop walking.  Fortunately, Comfrey answered my wishes and came by with a bike cart.  I didn't think twice about jumping in the back and catching a ride to his house.  It was a beautiful ride and a fun way to end a fun night.

couch hunt

And it's another zipcar post.  This time, my friend Jesse rented the Zipcar truck so Ashes and I could go with him to pick up various free couches from craigslist posts.  The J party is almost upon us and this year's venue lacks ample seating opportunities so we're bringing the sofas.  I did this three years ago with my friend Bastard for that J party but we used a U-Haul that time.

I'm so excited for the party.  I'm looking forward to DJ'ing but mostly I'm looking forward to dancing and just having fun!

What else?

LAST DAY OF THE QUARTER!  I was glad to see it go.  I got my big paper back for my Theory class.  I didn't do great but I should still pull an A out of the class.  Also, I sold back books from fall quarter today and made a sweet $85!

Also, I went to DC Vegetarian and got a deluxe Italian sub (with banana peppers, avocado and veggie bacon).  It was really good but I think the steak and cheese is still better.

little cars

My Lincoln is still in my driveway but I'm not using it.  At work, I drive the company minivan on my store visits.  After those big vehicles, a little thing like the Hybrid zipcar I drove today was just plain fun.  The clothing donations weren't great but driving the car was so enjoyable that I really didn't care.

doctoring the rug

I have a lousy sense of smell and that can be a good thing (farty dog) but it can also be a bad thing (cat urine in the room).  The cats in our house will pee on any piece of clothing that is left on the floor.  I'm not the most organized person when it comes to putting my clothes away so my room has ended up smelling like cat urine.

While my roomies were gone, an animal messed in the living room.  I'm assuming it was a cat since their track records are worse than the dog's but it didn't really matter.  I tried to clean it up but the odor hung around.  It got to be so bad that we decided to shampoo our rugs.

We've been living in the house for around 6 years now and it was way past time to clean them.  The cats used to go to the bathroom in my closet.  While I treated individual spots, the whole thing needed a good thorough cleaning.  One of my goals for spring break is cleaning my room up good.  I'm glad I got an early start!

tea time

We had an in-service at work today which meant I get to train.  In-services used to be times when I could sit back and just enjoy free coffee and donuts while listening to information that I was interested in and kind of already knew.  I guess it's only a matter of time before the student becomes the teacher.

After the in-service, I found out that one of the other case managers at work is taking a different position but still in the same department.  I'm glad I'll still get to see her around but I hate these transitions.  The high turnover in working with people with developmental disabilities really gets to me.  In my presentation last week, I noted that I have only worked at my job for seven years.  A classmate commented on how funny it was that I said "only."  My boss and her boss and my favorite co-worker have all been here for over 20 years.  I plan on being here for several more years but I do realize that all of my co-workers (with the exception of a select few) will have moved on by then.

To celebrate my co-worker's new position, a few of us went to Tao of Tea on Belmont.  It was refreshing not to go to a bar like we would typically do.  Some of my co-workers are in AA so it's only proper that we are inclusive and not go drinking.  We had a good time and it was a new thing!  Yay!

los gorditos

Los Gorditos is the latest 'hot spot' in Portland as far as restaurants go.  Last year, people wouldn't stop talking about Cartopia.  Now, I can't log onto facebook without hearing someone mention Los Gorditos.  All the attention to it really turns me off but I decided to check it out anyway today because I was hungry and needed to not be at work for a while.

It was good but not great.  The location works out nicely because it's really close to work.  It's awesome that they have a vegan menu along with a meat menu.  Afterwards, you could have rolled me out of there because I had the Tofu bowl and ate so much.  I'm sure I'll go back there.  I think there are some things on the menu that will blow me away...hopefully.

doesn't play well with others

Despite the success of my last group project, I think I can safely say that I work better alone.

I don't know when I developed a good work ethic or at least a lot of pride in my work but I think that it's a result of my OCD.  I like things organized or, more accurately, I like things organized my way.

At work, we have to do self-evals and one of the things I said I would work on is, "Respect the different styles of my co-workers."  I've become really specific about how I do things, how my paperwork is formatted, when it's turned in, etc.  When working on these group projects this quarter, I've been trying to keep that in mind.  I've got an anal-retentive nature and nobody can read my mind so they can't possibly live up to my standards.  However, the people in this last group project fell far below my standards.

I spent most of the weekend working on this assignment which included a powerpoint presentation and a paper.  One of my group members, the other guy, was supposed to write a 5-6 page section of the paper.  He had most of the quarter to get it to us so me and the girl in the group could work on our sections.  He didn't get it to us until late last week.  And it was only 4 pages.  And it wasn't formatted in the APA research paper style.  I fixed it up this weekend and did my part.  I passed it onto the other member who had to wrap it up and do a reference page.  Tonight, minutes before class, she got the reference page done and forgot to put in one reference.  ARGH!!!!  Topher ANGRY!

During the actual presentation, the guy got some of the info wrong and the girl read straight off her slides.  Damn, I was mad.  She left early and I told him at the end that we were missing a reference.  He told me to turn it in anyway.  Damn damn damn.  Today was the last day of class so we did eval for the teacher.  I suggested that he give us assignments that didn't rely on other people.

The only reason I'm not pacing and fuming right now is I rode back on the Holgate bus and was able to talk to two other classmates the whole way who were furious with their group partners too.  We agreed that it's just something that you have to deal with in the group process which is why I prefer to work alone.

What else?
I went into the "Natural" convenience store near campus.  A store with neon lights that advertise "Natural" reeks of hypocrisy.  It did have some organic food but then it also had PBR, Three Musketeers and Coke.  I don't think that I'll be going there again.

life after lincolns

Today I proved I could do it.  I held onto my car for a while now just so I can pick up the clothing donations and later just for the food donations.  However, for the past several weeks, I've been using my bike cart to do the food donations.  Yesterday was the first day that I rode with Erin (my food partner's friend) to deliver the first load of food in her car.  Today, I used a Zipcar to do the clothing donations.  And it worked.

The car I picked out wasn't very big.  It was my first Ford Focus though.  I thought it would be bigger.  Still, it did the job.  Afterwards I grabbed my clothes, dropped the car off and caught the bus back.  It took a little longer than I thought it would but I scored some nice clothes and didn't need my car to do it.

just me and the beasts

I find it hard to believe that I lived alone for so long.  From mid 2000 to mid 2004, it was just me and then me and Dean but I still consider that living on my own because it wasn't like there was anyone else to take care of the house or talk to.

They were formative years and they ultimately led me to where I am now.  In that respect, they could be considered positive changes.  However, my housemates are all gone for the next five days and I'm bored already.

While I would love more space and maybe a quiet room without a TV, I don't think that I can live on my own again.  I got lucky with the housemates that I have in that we get along.  There's a certain amount of give and take as there is with any functional relationship but more importantly, there's sharing.  We share stories, resources, responsibilities, company, dinners and ideas.  (I think I can hear my misanthrope card being revoked as I write this.)

I do hope for a bigger space one day though with a bit more room for all of us.  However, I don't relish the idea of moving.  I helped a friend Agni move today.  She was moving out of the apartments next door so I figured I'd lend myself to her.  I'm still a little depleted of energy but it felt really good to do something physical.  I've helped people move out of those apartments before but Agni had a LOT of stuff and we had to get creative with moving it (which was my new thing).  I was pretty sure that my picture for this post was going to be her entertainment center sinking to the bottom of the apartment's pool but fortunately (for Agni) it wasn't.

After helping her, I came back to my place and looked at the plethora of crap we have and imagined how long it would take us to move it all.  When that day comes, I'm going to be calling in a lot of favors!

What else?
I decided to watch "The Road" tonight by myself.  Bad idea.  It was a great movie but very hard to watch and terrifying at times.  It was really really hard to get to sleep afterwards!

30+++

This blog is now my online refrigerator door.  My professor that I had to do the presentation for last week returned our grades today and it was absolutely glowing!  I have never ever gotten such high praise from a teacher, especially not one that I respect so much.  I've got back good papers before but this is...wow!  I go all Lisa-Simpson when it comes to needing and receiving academic validation.  On the front, she stated, "This presentation was outstanding on every level."  I will definitely be holding onto this paper to look at in times when I am feeling less than capable of making it through school.

What else?
To counter my good academic day. I had a bad biking morning.  I got downtown early in attempt to get to the gym before class.  However, by the time I crossed the Hawthorne Bridge, I had to walk my bike and I was hacking and spitting like a camel on a bender.  I felt like absolute crap.  I may have what my housemates have or my allergies may be flaring up early.  Either way, it sucks and I can't move without coughing and going into a fit of sorts.  Yesterday wasn't like this and I've been taking meds since then.  I hope I get on the mend soon.

p.o.v.

I'm kinda proud of this picture too and it was real effortless.

While biking home from school tonight, I realized that the only new thing I did was try yet another new food cart (a mexican food cart this time) but I didn't even catch the name.  That's how much I don't care anymore.  There's a blog out there that focuses on critiquing eateries in Portland.  There's also LokiLoka which is where I should just post my food cart critiques instead of using space here.  Plus I didn't want to take pictures of my burrito during class.  That would have been akward and pointless.  It's a burrito.

This picture on the other hand is pretty if I do say so myself.  When I bike home on part of the Eastside Esplanade, I pass the dragon boat dock.  I've done this countless times but tonight I ventured out onto the dock.  It gave me a beautiful view of the city on a beautiful night.

I cop out a lot of times on my blog posts and I'd sworn off taking pictures of my food lots of times before this so I won't waste my time doing it again.  However, I think that I'll make more of effort to get a better picture.  Most of the purpose behind this blog is for me to tell a story but pictures add 1000 words and pictures can be oh so pretty.