Bear Down Wildcats

ByJoveByJingle wrote:Some dude interviewing via laptop with Amazon Fulfillment Center in Heathrow Airport at the top of his lungs. Americans are the fucking worst. Have some self-awareness, man.

So you are on your way back?

Alieberman wrote:

ByJoveByJingle wrote:Some dude interviewing via laptop with Amazon Fulfillment Center in Heathrow Airport at the top of his lungs. Americans are the fucking worst. Have some self-awareness, man.

So you are on your way back?

Yeah. Stalled out in Heathrow. Gonna do an overnighter on a chair in the arrivals hall.

ByJoveByJingle wrote:

Alieberman wrote:

ByJoveByJingle wrote:Some dude interviewing via laptop with Amazon Fulfillment Center in Heathrow Airport at the top of his lungs. Americans are the fucking worst. Have some self-awareness, man.

So you are on your way back?

Yeah. Stalled out in Heathrow. Gonna do an overnighter on a chair in the arrivals hall.

That's when you break out the old gag where you stand in front of the sink with paper towels wrapped around your otherwise naked and hand-soap lathered body, and express surprise every time someone walks into the bathroom.

Longhorned wrote:

ByJoveByJingle wrote:

Alieberman wrote:

ByJoveByJingle wrote:Some dude interviewing via laptop with Amazon Fulfillment Center in Heathrow Airport at the top of his lungs. Americans are the fucking worst. Have some self-awareness, man.

So you are on your way back?

Yeah. Stalled out in Heathrow. Gonna do an overnighter on a chair in the arrivals hall.

That's when you break out the old gag where you stand in front of the sink with paper towels wrapped around your otherwise naked and hand-soap lathered body, and express surprise every time someone walks into the bathroom.

Hehe. And saunter back to my bags outside, feet slapping, soap flying, private bits swinging, for a change of clothes? What could go wrong?

ByJoveByJingle wrote:

Longhorned wrote:

ByJoveByJingle wrote:

Alieberman wrote:

ByJoveByJingle wrote:Some dude interviewing via laptop with Amazon Fulfillment Center in Heathrow Airport at the top of his lungs. Americans are the fucking worst. Have some self-awareness, man.

So you are on your way back?

Yeah. Stalled out in Heathrow. Gonna do an overnighter on a chair in the arrivals hall.

That's when you break out the old gag where you stand in front of the sink with paper towels wrapped around your otherwise naked and hand-soap lathered body, and express surprise every time someone walks into the bathroom.

Hehe. And saunter back to my bags outside, feet slapping, soap flying, private bits swinging, for a change of clothes? What could go wrong?

Just make sure you are wearing a mask.

ByJoveByJingle wrote:

Alieberman wrote:

ByJoveByJingle wrote:Some dude interviewing via laptop with Amazon Fulfillment Center in Heathrow Airport at the top of his lungs. Americans are the fucking worst. Have some self-awareness, man.

So you are on your way back?

Yeah. Stalled out in Heathrow. Gonna do an overnighter on a chair in the arrivals hall.

Oooooooooh I am sorry, terminal 5 sucks for sleeping.

Home. And I brought a 12-pack of bog roll. Everything else should be fine, right? Now I just have to figure out what a 14-day self-quarantine really means.

ByJoveByJingle wrote:Home. And I brought a 12-pack of bog roll. Everything else should be fine, right? Now I just have to figure out what a 14-day self-quarantine really means.

Well executed.

Bravo sir. Welcome back to the land of the unholy.

It’s a shit hole but it’s our native shit hole.

Welcome back!

If you don't bring us good luck we're blaming all of this shit show on you.

Thanks guys . . . but what we should really be doing here is congratulating @Merkin on his retirement! Tip of the cap to the most famous (ex) IT guy in the BDW universe.

ByJoveByJingle wrote:Home. And I brought a 12-pack of bog roll. Everything else should be fine, right? Now I just have to figure out what a 14-day self-quarantine really means.

If you have to be totally quarantined and can't get out to get food / supplies and you need some help, please don't hesitate to DM me- happy to make a shopping run if you need the help.


Welcome home

ByJoveByJingle wrote:Thanks guys . . . but what we should really be doing here is congratulating @Merkin on his retirement! Tip of the cap to the most famous (ex) IT guy in the BDW universe.

Thanks BJBJ! It was nice to get up at my usual time, then roll back over! And congrats on getting home!

Merkin wrote:

ByJoveByJingle wrote:Thanks guys . . . but what we should really be doing here is congratulating @Merkin on his retirement! Tip of the cap to the most famous (ex) IT guy in the BDW universe.

Thanks BJBJ! It was nice to get up at my usual time, then roll back over! And congrats on getting home!

Congratulations, Merkin! (How did I miss that? I knew it was coming soon)

This is a really exciting thing.

You should post more now!

Longhorned wrote:

Merkin wrote:

ByJoveByJingle wrote:Thanks guys . . . but what we should really be doing here is congratulating @Merkin on his retirement! Tip of the cap to the most famous (ex) IT guy in the BDW universe.

Thanks BJBJ! It was nice to get up at my usual time, then roll back over! And congrats on getting home!

Congratulations, Merkin! (How did I miss that? I knew it was coming soon)

This is a really exciting thing.

You should post more now!

Well, good thing for this board I won't be sitting in front a computer 8 hours a day now!

ByJoveByJingle wrote:Home. And I brought a 12-pack of bog roll. Everything else should be fine, right? Now I just have to figure out what a 14-day self-quarantine really means.

Welcome home.

Merkin wrote:

ByJoveByJingle wrote:Thanks guys . . . but what we should really be doing here is congratulating @Merkin on his retirement! Tip of the cap to the most famous (ex) IT guy in the BDW universe.

Thanks BJBJ! It was nice to get up at my usual time, then roll back over! And congrats on getting home!

Congratulations Merk.

Merkin wrote:

Longhorned wrote:

Merkin wrote:

ByJoveByJingle wrote:Thanks guys . . . but what we should really be doing here is congratulating @Merkin on his retirement! Tip of the cap to the most famous (ex) IT guy in the BDW universe.

Thanks BJBJ! It was nice to get up at my usual time, then roll back over! And congrats on getting home!

Congratulations, Merkin! (How did I miss that? I knew it was coming soon)

This is a really exciting thing.

You should post more now!

Well, good thing for this board I won't be sitting in front a computer 8 hours a day now!

You do know you are never allowed to retire from The BearDown Boards?

Congrats!!!!!!

Watch Merkin now only spends a quarter as much time on the board that he did before.

Alieberman wrote:

ByJoveByJingle wrote:Home. And I brought a 12-pack of bog roll. Everything else should be fine, right? Now I just have to figure out what a 14-day self-quarantine really means.

If you have to be totally quarantined and can't get out to get food / supplies and you need some help, please don't hesitate to DM me- happy to make a shopping run if you need the help.


Welcome home

Thanks so much for this! I put on a good mask this morning and did a huge grocery run. Hopefully that will last me most of the 14 days. But as usual, the self-quarantine instruction is a bit vague and contradictory. They say self-isolate, but if you go out in public wear a mask.

Merkin wrote:

ByJoveByJingle wrote:Thanks guys . . . but what we should really be doing here is congratulating @Merkin on his retirement! Tip of the cap to the most famous (ex) IT guy in the BDW universe.

Thanks BJBJ! It was nice to get up at my usual time, then roll back over! And congrats on getting home!

Must be an amazing feeling. Enjoy it—well deserved.

azgreg wrote:

Merkin wrote:

ByJoveByJingle wrote:Thanks guys . . . but what we should really be doing here is congratulating @Merkin on his retirement! Tip of the cap to the most famous (ex) IT guy in the BDW universe.

Thanks BJBJ! It was nice to get up at my usual time, then roll back over! And congrats on getting home!

Congratulations Merk.

I was trying to come up with a fake Trump Tweet full of moronic self importance that referenced Cali and sanctuary state politics, but I must be off my game.

Congratulations Merk.

I gotta go back to previous lab, or a lab that can fix this virus shiit. Not an easy choice. But I am needed.

And at the U, President Robbins just knee-capped his employees to ensure they're not eligible for unemployment benefits under the stimulus package, and lied about the reasons why. He has completely pulled the rug out from under everyone in addition to serving severe furloughs. This is one first class asshole.

Worse yet, he keeps delivering this crap with a "Bear Down" to close his messages. He should never use that. Everyone is livid and desperate beyond belief at this prick.

Longhorned wrote:And at the U, President Robbins just knee-capped his employees to ensure they're not eligible for unemployment benefits under the stimulus package, and lied about the reasons why. He has completely pulled the rug out from under everyone in addition to serving severe furloughs. This is one first class asshole.

Worse yet, he keeps delivering this crap with a "Bear Down" to close his messages. He should never use that. Everyone is livid and desperate beyond belief at this prick.

My wife read me that yesterday... they aren’t calling it furloughed anymore. And my exact response was they just made it so no one an now go on employment and now you can actually legally work on your unpaid flextime

What a load of shit.

Just had a conference call with twelve executives from a telecom company to talk about a live event that probably won’t be happening and the online component we are building so that when it doesn’t happen we don’t lose $5M and the silence on the other end of the line when i asked for questions or comments was so complete that I thought I had just been speaking for 45 minutes to myself in some kind of quarantine fever dream.

But nope, it’s real life. They’re gonna cancel and I’m gonna be fucked right in the butthole no lube.

I have to issue corrective action to an employee who destroyed $3,000 worth of parts. The employee is also the son of the CEO. How's your day going?

azgreg wrote:I have to issue corrective action to an employee who destroyed $3,000 worth of parts. The employee is also the son of the CEO. How's your day going?

Sounds like someone's getting a promotion! (Sorry... it's not you)

#failingforward

What are you guys seeing for conference in the fall (sept)?

Are they going all remote or are hybrid options being considered?

Sorry to hear all the news above guys.

azgreg wrote:I have to issue corrective action to an employee who destroyed $3,000 worth of parts. The employee is also the son of the CEO. How's your day going?

It's either black or green tea, and I'm stumped.

CalStateTempe wrote:What are you guys seeing for conference in the fall (sept)?

Are they going all remote or are hybrid options being considered?

Sorry to hear all the news above guys.

Conferences in the fall are slowly cancelling. No one wants to pull the plug yet, but some are already starting to pull out and planning a virtual mode.

I already have one conference that went from 3 days in person in Texas down to 6 hours virtually in one day.

Alieberman wrote:

CalStateTempe wrote:What are you guys seeing for conference in the fall (sept)?

Are they going all remote or are hybrid options being considered?

Sorry to hear all the news above guys.

Conferences in the fall are slowly cancelling. No one wants to pull the plug yet, but some are already starting to pull out and planning a virtual mode.

I’m having calls this week about our August event, telling clients we are excited to move forward and to see them all in Asheville but also that we will have a corresponding virtual online event with an even bigger audience. All the while my boss is telling me he sees no way we actually have the event and to prepare to have another conversation when that decision becomes official.

Meanwhile the biggest show in my retail channel which is supposed to happen in Vegas in October just opened registration and they are acting like cancelling is not even a thought. This is a $50M+ conference that features crazy booths and activations (I met Gronk and Carmen Electra at the last one) where sponsors shell out six figures to display.

So who knows? I get the feeling we can’t go back to the way things used to be, but there is so much money tied into close human contact for business purposes that I’m afraid people will force these shows to happen and just pray hundreds of people don’t get sick.

Chicat wrote:

Alieberman wrote:

CalStateTempe wrote:What are you guys seeing for conference in the fall (sept)?

Are they going all remote or are hybrid options being considered?

Sorry to hear all the news above guys.

Conferences in the fall are slowly cancelling. No one wants to pull the plug yet, but some are already starting to pull out and planning a virtual mode.

I’m having calls this week about our August event, telling clients we are excited to move forward and to see them all in Asheville but also that we will have a corresponding virtual online event with an even bigger audience. All the while my boss is telling me he sees no way we actually have the event and to prepare to have another conversation when that decision becomes official.

Meanwhile the biggest show in my retail channel which is supposed to happen in Vegas in October just opened registration and they are acting like cancelling is not even a thought. This is a $50M+ conference that features crazy booths and activations (I met Gronk and Carmen Electra at the last one) where sponsors shell out six figures to display.

So who knows? I get the feeling we can’t go back to the way things used to be, but there is so much money tied into close human contact for business purposes that I’m afraid people will force these shows to happen and just pray hundreds of people don’t get sick.

I just don't know how large scale conferences and conventions happen this calendar year.

Alieberman wrote:

Longhorned wrote:And at the U, President Robbins just knee-capped his employees to ensure they're not eligible for unemployment benefits under the stimulus package, and lied about the reasons why. He has completely pulled the rug out from under everyone in addition to serving severe furloughs. This is one first class asshole.

Worse yet, he keeps delivering this crap with a "Bear Down" to close his messages. He should never use that. Everyone is livid and desperate beyond belief at this prick.

My wife read me that yesterday... they aren’t calling it furloughed anymore. And my exact response was they just made it so no one an now go on employment and now you can actually legally work on your unpaid flextime

What a load of shit.

And moved it to July 1 so employees won't be eligible for unemployment, because that's when the federal stimulus expires.

I have no idea if I’ll be teaching the fall at UofA. Ever since the hiring freeze hit, radio silence. They have to fill these studio teaching slots and nobody is cheaper than the slave labor adjunct crowd. But who knows at this point? Not sure if I really care. But I would have filled the empty time by starting on the house addition and renovation . . . but that feels more and more like it wouldn’t be prudent at this juncture {channeling Dana Carvey cum GHWB}.

Chicat wrote:Just had a conference call with twelve executives from a telecom company to talk about a live event that probably won’t be happening and the online component we are building so that when it doesn’t happen we don’t lose $5M and the silence on the other end of the line when i asked for questions or comments was so complete that I thought I had just been speaking for 45 minutes to myself in some kind of quarantine fever dream.

But nope, it’s real life. They’re gonna cancel and I’m gonna be fucked right in the butthole no lube.

Boss called to tell me I totally fucked up the call due to a whole bunch of things he could have told me BEFORE THE FUCKING CALL.

I know I should be happy just to have a job but this shit fucking sucks and I am in no way happy.

ByJoveByJingle wrote:I have no idea if I’ll be teaching the fall at UofA. Ever since the hiring freeze hit, radio silence. They have to fill these studio teaching slots and nobody is cheaper than the slave labor adjunct crowd. But who knows at this point? Not sure if I really care. But I would have filled the empty time by starting on the house addition and renovation . . . but that feels more and more like it wouldn’t be prudent at this juncture {channeling Dana Carvey cum GHWB}.

Everyone is waiting to learn what the temporary teaching budget will be. The faculty and heads (and apparently the deans) agree that teaching needs to be funded because 1) it's central to the mission of the university, and 2) tuition revenues hinge upon teaching courses, so it's a no-brainer that it's a top priority.

You're doing this as a service and to help students. But they desperately need you because they can't just not teach studios, and there's no such thing as a "giant studio" where, somehow, one instructor can teach an ever-expansive amount of students. It's not like a lecture course.

But the conversations right now are at the level of the state and upper administration.

UofA is going to be pivoting soon... a week after Ricky Bobby went on every national talk show saying it will be business as usual come fall.

Longhorned wrote:

ByJoveByJingle wrote:I have no idea if I’ll be teaching the fall at UofA. Ever since the hiring freeze hit, radio silence. They have to fill these studio teaching slots and nobody is cheaper than the slave labor adjunct crowd. But who knows at this point? Not sure if I really care. But I would have filled the empty time by starting on the house addition and renovation . . . but that feels more and more like it wouldn’t be prudent at this juncture {channeling Dana Carvey cum GHWB}.

Everyone is waiting to learn what the temporary teaching budget will be. The faculty and heads (and apparently the deans) agree that teaching needs to be funded because 1) it's central to the mission of the university, and 2) tuition revenues hinge upon teaching courses, so it's a no-brainer that it's a top priority.

You're doing this as a service and to help students. But they desperately need you because they can't just not teach studios, and there's no such thing as a "giant studio" where, somehow, one instructor can teach an ever-expansive amount of students. It's not like a lecture course.

But the conversations right now are at the level of the state and upper administration.

Yeah, that’s the reality at the rate they are paying. I wonder if they will feel like they can squeeze blood from a turnip. I’m not sure how much lower they can go before I have to beg off. Which would be unfortunate, as I do feel like I have something to offer the students and I do enjoy teaching here.

Yes, you’re right about studio sizes. In fact, NAAB accreditation is at stake over student to teacher ratios in studio. They could conceivably go up to 18 per studio from their current 15 (which itself is up from 12 even before Covid) . . . but that’s as far as they can go without jeopardizing their accreditation.

Hoping for the best for everybody. Obviously you and your wife and Ari’s family have more at stake here. Really unfortunate that leadership is not the best to be wished for.

Alieberman wrote:UofA is going to be pivoting soon... a week after Ricky Bobby went on every national talk show saying it will be business as usual come fall.

I also find it amusing that to attend Ricky Bobby’s virtual town hall meeting (CAPLA’s is tomorrow) you have to register and if you want to ask any questions they have to be submitted in advance and screened first. Weak leaders can’t function without controlling the message in its entirety and surrounding themselves with an insulative barrier.

I'm going to have to go back into the office on June 1st. Not thrilled.

ByJoveByJingle wrote:

Alieberman wrote:UofA is going to be pivoting soon... a week after Ricky Bobby went on every national talk show saying it will be business as usual come fall.

I also find it amusing that to attend Ricky Bobby’s virtual town hall meeting (CAPLA’s is tomorrow) you have to register and if you want to ask any questions they have to be submitted in advance and screened first. Weak leaders can’t function without controlling the message in its entirety and surrounding themselves with an insulative barrier.

I'm a CAPLA graduate, and had no idea that was your department BJBJ. May need to tap into the alumni network to find a job in the near future!

I'm class of 99, blew off studio work to go party on 4th the night the Cats won the national championship in 97.

LBdCactus wrote:

ByJoveByJingle wrote:

Alieberman wrote:UofA is going to be pivoting soon... a week after Ricky Bobby went on every national talk show saying it will be business as usual come fall.

I also find it amusing that to attend Ricky Bobby’s virtual town hall meeting (CAPLA’s is tomorrow) you have to register and if you want to ask any questions they have to be submitted in advance and screened first. Weak leaders can’t function without controlling the message in its entirety and surrounding themselves with an insulative barrier.

I'm a CAPLA graduate, and had no idea that was your department BJBJ. May need to tap into the alumni network to find a job in the near future!

I'm class of 99, blew off studio work to go party on 4th the night the Cats won the national championship in 97.

Very cool!

Hope you don’t need to do that, but I’m sure things are going to get tough if they aren’t already. I started teaching back in 2006 just to get out ahead of the last economic crisis. Let me know if I can do anything for you, though I’m sure you are far better connected than I am.

LBdCactus wrote:

ByJoveByJingle wrote:

Alieberman wrote:UofA is going to be pivoting soon... a week after Ricky Bobby went on every national talk show saying it will be business as usual come fall.

I also find it amusing that to attend Ricky Bobby’s virtual town hall meeting (CAPLA’s is tomorrow) you have to register and if you want to ask any questions they have to be submitted in advance and screened first. Weak leaders can’t function without controlling the message in its entirety and surrounding themselves with an insulative barrier.

I'm a CAPLA graduate, and had no idea that was your department BJBJ. May need to tap into the alumni network to find a job in the near future!

I'm class of 99, blew off studio work to go party on 4th the night the Cats won the national championship in 97.

I honestly thought you were a really old prospector.

It's funny how avatars influence me.

My current work status .......

Laid off due to the current economic climate.

Oh fuck Chi..... I am so sorry

Sorry to hear that Chi - that sucks

It’s nothing that like 40 million other Americans aren’t also going through right now.

Lucky for my family, my wife is a powerhouse and kicks ass at everything she does (not exactly sure why she’s still with me... but grateful nonetheless) and we will be just fine financially.

Really not looking forward to hitting the job market though. I imagine it is rough out there.