Oh Sean. I texted you earlier. Mark Bate is available tonight.

Just got the counter-counter offer; they won't go up on the starting salary. The HR guy was very emphatic that there'll be regular reevaluations and that if things go well I'll bump right along; however, the salary they've offered is actually 1K a year more than their top admin asst salary, and since this position isn't officially an exec or research asst position (both of which start at about 5K above what they're offering), they can't go higher. For now, anyway; he did make lots of "future opportunities" noises and he cheerfully gave in on all the non-money issues I had.

Also, I think I waited too long to eat lunch and now it feels like my head is stuffed with taffy. Probably not the best mindspace from which to ponder big life issues.

I'm sorry, JZ. Did you hear back about the other possible job yet?

Mark Bate is available tonight.

Oh goodness. So many names to substitute for his first name. Dear me. Brain overload. Do people at least call him Master or Shark?

Glad the food trying process is going well so far, Sean.

Just got the counter-counter offer; they won't go up on the starting salary.

I'm sorry, JZ. But the rest of it sounds promising... Good decision ~ma.

Much decision~ma to you, JZ. How frustrating.

So, I picked Toto up tonight, only to pick up his bed and realize that it had...well, I won't gross you all out. So, he got a new bed: [link]

Maybe the upside-down hydra trees are a Los Angeles thing.

I guess they just aren't in my neighborhood. But LA is a very big city.

I saw the most hideous Christmas deocration EVER at TJ Maxx, I wish I'd had a camera.

Picture a fake palm tree with that garlandy fuzzy stuff. Now picture one with metallic silver palm fronds and an electric green trunk.

With twinkling lights.

Nothing was as hideous as that.

If I have a decorating pet peeve it has to be the half assed lights. The lights that are only on one branch or only go up part of the way.

Also, I'm posting this from my new laptop! He's name is McKay.

My decorating pet peeve is people who leave the decorations up for months after the holidays. Really annoys me.

Really annoys me.

and is devastatingly bad luck. Somewhere, I acquired the superstition that you're supposed to have your tree out of the house before New Year's. And that all of its minions are supposed to go with it.

I like lights. I hate blinky, strobe-ing, migraine inducing stuff. And roof setups that require their own power grid. Over top of a garage with a hybrid in it. Really, people.

eta: this: [link] and this: [link]

I acquired the superstition that you're supposed to have your tree out of the house before New Year's.

Ha! I have this, too. I think I got it from my Dad.