I love that song. “Cuz when you worry your face will frown and that will bring everybody down. Don’t worry. Beeeeee happy.”

What a great song. Too bad that life is… well, life.

The big project is done and out the door. Which means I now have time to look at my white board and see all the things that were put on hold for the big project. And the bug reports from the big project are beginning to trickle in. AND the next big project that was to follow the big project has been moved up.

AND… well. you get the idea. So here’s this week’s white board quip, written at the top of a very full white board.

Stress is when you wake up screaming and then realize you haven’t fallen asleep yet.

Just a quick video to check in. Doing the best I can with the… doo I have to do it with.

Crunch time is coming to an end at work… I hope. I really really hope. Cuz, my mind is getting frayed. So much so that this, one of the world’s worst puns, made me literally laugh out loud. Yep, even in my cubicle.

Today someone compared me to Hitler. I did Nazi that coming!

I’m starting the second week of the grind at work. Sorry that I don’t have time to craft a beautiful exposition today. Only this little pearl of wisdom from the Nintendo NES (back in the day) that is so terribly relevant while I’m working long hours and pushing my work PC to the breaking point. (It did break once late last week, but thankfully… I saved.)

Everything not saved will be lost. – Nintendo

“Crunch Time” used to be a fairly regular occurrence at my day job. About every two years, some big project would come along and require long hours, late nights, massive eye strain, limited sleep, and almost no personal hygiene. If you’ve never smelled a programmer during crunch time, consider yourself blessed.

I’m very grateful that I’ve been able to keep regular hours for several years in a row. But…

This morning, during a quick, stand-up meeting, my shoulders felt that familiar weight. Ahh, hard dead lines. Tough requirements. Smells like… crunch time!

If you happen to see me stumbling into Waffle House at 3 AM, it’s best to just walk away, divert your nose, and pray that it’s over soon. As for me, I’ll be fine. I can’t really smell myself anyway.

Which brings us to this week’s white board quip.

It’s only embarrassing if you care what people think.

Hey, everybody! Long time no see! It’s work from home Friday! … Well, it was… Yesterday. In this, the 40th WFHF video, we look at some odd correlations between WFHF and my life.

You guys know how I feel about my smart phone, right? RIGHT? Well, during my commute today, I was thinking over the busy week ahead. I thought about that one guy who is supposed to call me about that one thing. And I reflexively put my left hand on my left thigh, where my smart phone can be felt in my left pocket.* But, I didn’t feel it. Then, mild panic. I LEFT MY PHONE AT HOME!!

I commonly refer to my smart phone as “my brain.” It is my calendar, my calculator, my watch, my alarm clock, and the phone to which important phone calls and text messages are directed. It contains my “ToDo” lists (yes, several), pictures of things to help me remember stuff (like the model number of the Vans shoes I was going to search on eBay), and other information that I may need, but don’t trust to my actual, warm, squishy brain.

So, today, I am brainless. Thus, this week’s white board quip:

I can not brain. I haz teh dumb. – LOLCAT

* Because when we’re driving, our phone is put away! Right, chi’ren?! RIGHT?!

It’s that time again! Well, I suppose it’s actually past that time… oh dear.

It was sure close, but by my clock, it’s still February. So, with this WFHF video, I have kept my goal of at least one video a month for 2014. Whew! Too close!

Tammy insisted that I couldn’t do any other videos until I finished the sequel to 2013 Colorado Vacation (Part 1). So here it is! (And is really long. And it really is Tammy’s fault. You’ll see.)

According to the local news, this week is when most folks give up on their new year’s resolutions. It’s supposed to be the favorite time of year for regular gym rats, because all the pasty, flabby, gross (you know, regular) people have finally quit sweating on the cardio machines and hogging the weights and the over-tanned, oily, GNC folks who go to the gym everyday because the want to (sickos) can get back to their regular routines.

Well, I’ve got bad news for the gym rats. Last week, I actually got back to the gym for the first time in a month. As I posted previously, I’ve been battling some sinus cooties that have sapped my energy. I’m back on the horse now** and, I can honestly say, it felt good to get back to the gym.

Of course by, “felt good,” I mean it was a mental boost. “Felt good” is not how I would describe the physical experience. That part really sucked, actually, because the time off and the illness has set me back a bit. But you know what they*** say, “No pain… yeah, no pain. I prefer that!”

Which brings us to WBQofW #256:

My favorite machine at the gym is the one that you put money in and food comes out.

* “Gloots” is what gym rats call their butt muscles. It’s short for “gluteus maximus.” You see it’s funny because the quip is about a vending machine which that makes you fat. Get it? No? Shut up, it’s funny.

** “Back on the horse” means I’m fully recovered and doing normal things. It comes from the ranch where, when you get sick or injured (especially from falling off a horse), your primary goal is to get well so you can ride again. I’m sorry if you’re too citified to understand that.

*** “They” usually refers to the anonymous masses of a culture norm. In this case, “they” refers to me, because unlike the “they” who says stupid things like, “pain is weakness leaving the body,” I say “pain is your body telling you, ‘Hey! Cut that crap out!! It hurts!!'”