Another Year, Another Business Trip!

Longtime readers of The Pond know that I'm the manager of The Duck U Bookstore.  Every summer, the company assembles all of its managers to pass along the game plan for the coming school year.  In odd-numbered years, this is at the National Conference in Orlando.  In the even-numbered years, regions of stores get together at where-ever is local for them.  Two years ago, my region (Wisconsin, Minnesota, NoDak and one single store from Illinois) met in LaCrosse for talking, grilled food, a surprise train, and a chainsaw sculpture.  This year was a regional meeting in the cosmopolitan city of... Milwaukee.

Actually, I was quite surprised by how attractive a city Milwaukee is, particularly downtown in the "Riverwalk" area.  An area, I might add, I experienced in detail as the Thursday dinner for the meeting was on a riverine cruise boat named the Brew City Queen II.  I neglected to ask what happened to the first of her name.  Anyway, a pleasant two hour cruise down, then up, the Milwaukee river, then out onto Lake Michigan for a short while, then back.  I will honestly say that sipping on a beverage of choice while gliding up the river listening to smooth jazz is quite a pleasant way of spending an evening.

But of course I was joined on the expedition by that inveterate traveler Wanderduck.  The first manager trip was via land.  The second, the airplane was our transport.  It only figures that the sea should be how we got around this time.

It was much more water than he'd ever seen at once... he was more than a little nervous when we cleared the breakwater off Milwaukee's harbor and the BCQII took on an unpleasant little corkscrewing roll.  I'd heard of times when ships would take on positive values in pitch, yaw and roll simultaneously, but never dreamed I'd experience it on a partyboat.  While I wasn't sick, nor even vaguely discomfited, it was a disconcerting feeling to say the least.  Wanderduck desperately wanted to be away from the edge, not wanting to end up too close to Lake Michigan.  Truth be told, I felt much the same way... I didn't want him to end up in Lake Michigan either.  No matter how cool Cap'n Bob was, I suspect he'd frown on my pleas to circle back and try to recover an overboard rubber duckie.

All in all, I'd recommend such a cruise to any group of people in a situation such as this.  Good times were had by most, the food and drink were tasty, and Wanderduck made a bunch of new fans... what's not to like?

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Into The Black

I was once asked by someone who really should have known better what it felt like when I was depressed.  I thought about it for a while, then described it as walking down a very long, very dark hallway, knowing I couldn't turn around, and there wasn't any light at the far end.

And there never was going to be.

When these things hit, I slowly lose interest in just about everything.  If I actually do anything, it's pretty much by rote.  I have clean laundry sitting in a bag, waiting to be dealt with... it's been there for three days.  The towels have been in another bag since last week.

It's been a while since I haven't felt this way.  You might know the feeling, where simply the thought of leaving your apartment/house/box/spot under the bridge/whatever is enough to make you whimper or tear up.  Deal with people?  Heck with that!

Unfortunately, most of us don't have the luxury of being able to crawl under the bed.  Damn shame, that.

So if you're wondering why The Pond has been... um... empty of late, there's why.  It's not even that I don't have stuff to write about; I do!  I just can't bring myself to care about it.  Any of it.  Hell, I even missed The Pond's 9th Anniversary.

So, um, yeah.  Got anything you want me to talk about?

Posted by: Wonderduck at 10:06 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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This Or That

On one hand, it's 1010pm and I've just gotten home.  That's not so good.

On the other hand, I now have a complete load of clean towels and washcloths.  That's very good.

On the gripping hand, The DuckMobile rolled a natural 1 and came to a halt on the side of the road.  That's not very good at all.

On the... um... second other hand, it was the road in my apartment complex, 20 yards short of the crest of a hill that leads down to Pond Central's parking lot, and Ph.Duck was nice enough to help me get it there, so that's about as good as I can hope for.

On the whole, however, crap on a stick.

UPDATE: Main Rear Seal leak.  Cost of fixing it and the exhaust system where it's been leaking (and chewing away at the pipe) is, and I quote, "more than the car is worth."  Sez you, buster.  Anyway, car works again, I just need to watch the oil levels... that's what happened.  Oil was so low that the engine was, essentially, cutting out to keep from grenading itself.  *sigh* 

Posted by: Wonderduck at 09:35 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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SUNUVABEECHMARTIN!!!, part whotheheckcares

I appear to be quite good at blowing my leg off disintegrating my entire body devastating whole counties shooting myself in the foot.  I hate days like this.

A lot.

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Might Be Back. Might Not Be. Not Sure Yet!

So I seem to have an internet connection again, for the first time since early Sunday morning.  I say "seem", because for all I know it's going to fade off into the sunset the first time I sneeze too hard.  We'll see.  There were a couple of benefits to not having interwebs, though... for one, I managed to watch Date A Live.  All I knew going into it was that Robert liked the show, and he never recommends things.  After having watched it, I understand why he liked it.  We also find out why young miss has such an awkward hairstyle.

So, yeah, Date A Live Season 1 gets a "recommended" from this here duck.  If Season 2, which apparently just ended airing, is as good, that'd be a helluva thing.  We'll see.

Oh, and apparently there was a F1 race this past Sunday, too.  I'll have words about that.  Oh yes, I will have words.

If I have an internet connection tomorrow.

Posted by: Wonderduck at 10:21 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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Excitement Over

It was exciting for a few hours there, but I made it through more-or-less unscathed.  I think this is good news.  Probably.  I think.

Lets go with that for the time being.

Posted by: Wonderduck at 07:18 PM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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So Very Exciting

Sorry there's been silence from this side of the screen this week.  Things have gotten quite exciting around the Duck U Bookstore recently, and potentially could be even moreso on Friday, when my boss visits.

On the other hand, my favorite car race is this weekend: the 24 Hours of LeMans!  Maybe I'll be able to catch some of it... the store is open this Saturday, y'see, and the race starts around 7am Pond Central Time.

So, more to come as soon as I can get some time.  I promise!  For sure!  Yeah!

Posted by: Wonderduck at 08:05 PM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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Furiously Napping. I Mean "Typing." Furiously Typing.

Has the world come to this?

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No Excuse, Just Sharknose

I'm not exactly dawdling on the Ben-To! writeup, but there's only so much you can do when you're spending 12 hours/day at work.  So here's some Sharknose instead.

Weekend is here... writing will follow!

Posted by: Wonderduck at 08:30 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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INCOMING!!!

Now that things have slowed down a teeny little bit at work, I've been able to get rolling on the next episodic writeup for Ben-To!  I almost think it's gonna be kinda good, too.  Anyway, since I DO still have to be at work in the morning, I had to stop writing about the foodfighters.  However, just so you still think I love you, here's a Zephyr for ya!

Posted by: Wonderduck at 10:47 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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While You Wait

Since the F1U! won't be up for a while, here's some videos for you to watch while you wait!

Somewhere, Ph.Duck is laughing so hard, he's crying.


I'm not a huge fan of dogs.  This sort of thing is one reason why.


I love cats.  I'm not sayin' nuthin'.


I'm not sure how I feel about putting up an ad for Mobil 1... but it's a new Tooned thingie.  If y'all care, I'll keep posting them.  If you say no, I'll stop.

That should keep you busy for a while.

Posted by: Wonderduck at 07:50 AM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
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Three Day Weekend!

I get three days off... in a row!

I don't even know what to do with myself.  Oh wait, yes I do.

Operation Nap-As-Often-As-Possible... commence!

Posted by: Wonderduck at 09:52 PM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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Slow Down, You Move Too Fast...

I guess Mu.Nu.land is having another slowdown!  We're going to wait until Tuesday to do the F1 on TV as a result, but if there's another server failure, remember that we get Monaco this weekend.  That means Practice is on Thursday morning, not Friday!

Posted by: Wonderduck at 07:29 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Almost Done, Just About.

Friday is the last day of Finals, and that means the last day of Buyback at the Duck U Bookstore.  Which means that yours truly is pretty much exhausted.  Last week was 60+ hours, this week stands a very good chance of nudging over that point, and that doesn't even count Sunday's shift, which is technically next week.  What I'm saying is that finding out that the Mu.Nu server had been attacked by Australian Sugar Gliders and that The Pond was to be down for a few days didn't disturb anywhere near as much as it should have.

This sounds bad, I know, and really I should be more saddened by the loss of a month or so of pictures in posts, but I'm not.  Still, as a proud member of the Justified Ancients of Mu.Nu, for a blog that's nearing its ninth birthday is nothing if not ancient (in blog years, that is), I'm glad to have The Pond back.  All kudos to Pixy for his heavyweight tech wizardry!

I'm going to go pass out now.

Posted by: Wonderduck at 10:04 PM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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Still Alive

No, no, not the song that became a phenomena, then became overplayed, then became kind of annoying.  I'm talking about myself.  I've been ridiculously busy at the Duck U Bookstore this week.  We're heading full-speed for Finals week, which starts on Monday, which means Buyback.  It also means that we're going crazy with cap & gown sales for graduation, and oh, there was the visit from the Poet Laureate of the United States, too.  Did I mention that there's a registration day for new students on Saturday?  Yeah, I broke the 40 hour mark for the week today... at Noon.

I have no idea when this is going to slow down, so please be patient with me.  Ben-To! Ep05 is coming, the GP of Spain is coming, more figma pictures are coming, yadda yadda yadda.  It'll all be worth the wait.  I promise.

_{(I hope)}

Posted by: Wonderduck at 08:52 PM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
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Yes. We ARE.

Voiceover by Sean Bean.  Yes, that Sean Bean.

I expected a train to run him over at the end.

One would think a simulation of a train to be somewhat dull.  One would be dead wrong!

Whatever.  It's a great commercial.

Posted by: Wonderduck at 08:40 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Me. Now.

Exactly.

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46

Today, April 23rd, is the 113th day of the year.  The national day of England, St George's Day, is today, as is UNESCO's World Book Day.  More important than either of those, however, is that today is the 100th birthday of Wrigley Field, and there will be celebrations aplenty during the Cubs / Diamondbacks game this afternoon.

In 1968, also in Chicago not far from Wrigley as a matter of fact, a Wonderduck was born unto the world as well.  46 years ago today.

That siren and klaxon just sorta fit the way my brain feels about turning 46.  Ye gods and little fishes.

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Still More Trigger Discipline

One for the bunch over at Steven's Place:

Don't get much more safe than that.

Posted by: Wonderduck at 09:29 PM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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Hey, Wonderduck!

Hey, Wonderduck!  How was your day at work?

Oh.  Really?  That bad, huh?

'K... just gonna go stand over here... very far away from you, that okay, Wonderduck?

Posted by: Wonderduck at 10:02 PM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
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