From the “Roxy Blu Blues” Dept.

So this Friday, Aneil, Eric, Cris, Flo, Le, Rob, Warren, Rinki, Joyce and I went out to Roxy Blu. It was okay.

I wasn’t a fan of the music that they were playing. The DJs were mixing these Retro, 70’s inspired, Fusion Jazz House beats. It wasn’t bad, but to me, the music was meant for chillin’; I wasn’t in the mood to dance.

It’s funny, Jen really digs that type of music, and I’ve always wondered where she feels that emotional attachment from. She’s was born in 1978—so It’s not like she was a child of the seventies… (I shouldn’t be speaking either…I’m only a year older than she is). She was kind of upset that Flo, Eric, Aneil and I wanted to leave early.

Went out to Amato’s Pizza—gourmet pizza at bargain prices, I had a Vanilla Coke, wasn’t too impressed. It’s much sweeter. It doesn’t have that bite at the end that Classic Coke has, but it does have a pleasant French Vanilla taste at the end. I guess you could call it smooth, if not flat.

Besides at 2:00 AM in the morning, all that sugar and caffeine kept my awake well past 5:00 AM. Didn’t sleep well at all.

From the “Broken House” Dept.”

Sometimes I swear that the house is falling apart. First the Dryer, then the Stove, then the Washing Machine, then the central Vacuum…

The front yard is a mess, the Water Heater sprung a leak, and the Roof is leaking.

Excellent.

Well, I guess I’m fortunate in that the roof leak and the water heater leak are very small….

Besides, I’ve noticed that a lot of our neighbors are getting their houses re-roofed, so after 16 years of living here on-and-off, I think it’s high time to do something about it.

As for the Water Heater Leak, I’ll call Enbridge.

From the “Saturday Extravaganza” Dept.

Slept unwell because of the Vanilla Coke and a leaky air mattress (“What could me more comfortable than sleeping on Air?”).

Went out and watched Austin Powers 3: Gold Member. It has an absolutely great beginning. It’s better than number 2, but not as good, or as fresh as his first movie. The character Gold Member was a really stupid villain.

Jen and I then went to a Birthday BBQ @ Brenda’s house. It was nice. Lot’s of people. We left early to go downtown and hook up with some of Jen’s co-workers. Spent some time at an Irish Pub (Flonn McCool’s I think) and then went to the Keg.

[Click the More link to read more about my time with Jen’s co-workers [READ: Very Introspective.]

That was an interesting experience.

Jen works at Accenture, an IT consulting firm (formerly known as Andersen Consulting). I met her co-workers Shig and Kamal. Nice guys. Shig is going to work out in BC this Monday (he’s been assigned there for a year-and-a-half!!).

Now, when I get together with co-workers, one of the things that I keep in mind is that we shouldn’t talk about work. In fact, this was a lesson I learned back in my Humantech day’s from a consultant named Jamie.

Tai: “So guys, what do you think of that XXXX

contract.”

Group: <uncomfortable silence>

Jamie: “Dude! Don’t talk about work now…we’re trying to have a nice evening [outside of work].”

It kind of “clicked” for me.

Now when I was with Jen and her co-workers…work is pretty much all they talked about.

Here are some informal statements that I’ve been forced <snicker> to conclude about where Jen works:

• A lot of people have bad breath [Halitosis]
• A lot of people swear and gripe in the confines of their cubicle, alone by themselves
• Half the people there are “crazy” or “stupid”

This makes for some great anecdotes, sure. However, it gets kind of irritating for the outside person looking inside (namely me).

I mentioned this to Jen while we were driving back uptown. I wondered out loud why the dinner conversation gravitated towards work at Accenture (I tried to change subjects on several occasions but was rebuffed each time). Jen didn’t know why—I think she was kind of embarrassed, actually. I could only conclude that working at Accenture—well, that makes up most of your life.

Unsettling.

Jen mentioned something anecdotal, but significant none-the-less. Apparently if a person begins work at Accenture while single, they invariably find a boyfriend/girlfriend, possibly even a husband/wife from within Accenture. Those who bring in a partner, and manage to stay together, often marry said partner. Those who bring in a partner, but break up while at Accenture usually find another person from within the company (or they leave the company and make amends with said partner)

Co-workers make strange (if not appropriate) bedfellows, i think.

Now, I would lie if I said that I didn’t have the occasional doubt or two about my relationship with Jen, but it never lessens my resolve. However, after that night—it really made me think.

Not doubt, but think. [Need to clarify that point]

Does that make any sense?

Well, regardless, I’m still in love with Jen, and I still intend to marry her, but if she begins to only talk about work…well, it’s obvious what I would do.

How about that for introspection?

Tai