Well, Isn't That Just Stupid

I have come to accept that, no matter how good the office, there will always be some degree of complete, inexplicable stupidity in it. This is not something I'd really contest or argue against, because it seems to be simple fact. I generally try to just brush it off and live with it, but there are times when this is impossible.

This is one such time.

In my current workplace, there is a rather odd policy regarding absences, quota, and the people who actually show up for work. See, they ask us to fulfill a daily quota of various tasks. This is not a problem, in general. This is, actually, rather typical and nothing to really complain or write home about. The problem arises when one of the writers decides to be absent without having filed for vacation leave or expressing intent to file for a sick day.

Then the writers in charge (one of them me) have to do half said absentee writer's quota.

Wait, what?

So let me get this straight. I have to not only do my work for the day, but I also have to pick up the slack for someone who didn't even have the common decency to show up for work? I'm the one that shows up in the office, yet I get the smelly end of the stick in this deal?

Why do I have to do more work just because someone didn't have the responsibility to show up for work? Why do I have to get saddles with extra load without extra pay whenever someone's not around? Why are the ones who bother going to work on a reliable basis the ones who get punished whenever someone else decides to not show up, for one reason or another?

The truth is, I think this policy about me (and one other) having to pick up the quota (even if partial) of missing writers is patently stupid. It not only fails to punish people for not showing up for work, it manages to quite handily punish the ones that do show up for work.

I refuse to submit to such idiocy. I am not going to take the punishment for someone else's screw-ups. I'm perfectly fine taking the punishment for my own mistakes because I'm stupid enough to get caught. But other people? Not on your life.

Adjusting To New Surroundings

I...am a creature that does not particularly like change. So all the recent changes are rather unnerving to me. New office and new home, largely. This has all been a bit of an adjustment, and frankly, I'm not too fond of having to change so much in so short a time span. Still, persistence manages somehow.

So, what's the new home like? Well, it is quite different, that's for sure. The place has another floor to it, but it is also much smaller in terms of sheer leg room. How much smaller? More than 75% of the floor area of my new room is occupied by my bed. That is a very small room. I suppose that isn't so bad, all things considered.

Lots of things to acclimate to, lots of things to allow to sink into my mind. And, naturally, lots of angles, loopholes, and exploits that I have to discover along the way. Not to mention appropriate adjustments to my previous patterns. Honestly, I look forward to no longer having to wake up early on the weekends just to get Internet access before my brother hogs it all for himself, the greedy little bastard spawn.

I really ought to tell what I know of the story that led up to me having to move to a new house, and I intend to do that sooner or later. Probably sooner. Until then, I guess I just need to make the right adjustments.

Otherwise, I may end up sane. Bad, bad thing.

Thank The Gods For HidaSketch

So. Moving day is approaching.




Quite frankly, I cannot begin to explain how frustrating it is. Over the years, me and the rest of my family have managed to compile an...incredibly vast amount of stuff that I cannot satisfactorily explain, get rid of, or even contemplate. It isn't so much the amount of work it takes to move a couple of decades' worth of stuff and more along the lines the stress of figuring out how to fit all that stuff into the new place. Oh, and how we managed to accumulate that stuff in the first place.

Then there's the typical frustrations and stresses of just moving from one house to another within such a small time frame. A lot of things have to be taken note of, adjusted, understood, and such. Everything that can fit or found a place for stays, and what doesn't (that's a lot of stuff) is tossed out. Frankly, I find it harder to part with some of the junk I've acquired over the years than I do with people I know. Yes, I know how strange that is.

Combine this with the usual stress and pressure of work - something that has finally decided to wear down on me more than usual - and I'm desperately in need of something to just take my mind off things. For such things, I turn to anime, but what?

It couldn't be Maria-sama Ga Miteru. The show was drama, lots and lots of character drama. I follow it religiously and thoroughly enjoy it, but it isn't the kind of thing I'd want to spend a lazy hour or two watching and relaxing to put my multitude of concerns away. So I picked up Hidamari Sketch.

Surprisingly, while the show has even less things happening than the aforementioned Marimite, it is quite entertaining. There's no real drama or plot. Just...the relatively calm, soothing world of an exclusive private school and the lives of four students who live in a small apartment right across it.

Yeah, not the most exciting concept in the world, but the vibrant personalities and relaxation factor make up for it. HidaSketch is one of those shows that just makes you forget all your troubles without getting you caught up in the cast's concerns and issues. While I'd be loathe to say it is better than Marimite, I think HidaSketch has a different appeal.

The relaxing nature of this show is what I need to just forget about real life for a while, and Marimite is what I need to watch if I ever feel the need to stimulate myself emotionally. Two different shows, two different effects, but I can't help but love them both with the fervor of a fanboy.


Besides, aren't Sae and her little sister Chika just adorable?

On a related note:
I really should buy actual DVDs for Marimite and HidaSketch. It makes it so much easier to lend them out to people who show interest in watching the good anime that never gets a local dub. Let's face it, a large percentage of what is shown here is crap.

A Sucker For Drama

I can't help myself. I'm a sucker for shows with drama, even if the plot is barely existent.

And there's no better source of drama than Marimite.

I realize it is...unusual. This is, for all intents and purposes, a girl's show. The cast is all female, it doesn't play up on flashing skin or skimpy outfits, and focuses entirely on their mundane, everyday lives and interactions. In other words, the show is essentially boring in concept. Yet, in execution, the show is nothing short of heart-warming and wonderful.

By all rights, I should find the themes and conflicts in the story to be dull. It is really little more than teenagers having the problems that teenagers usually have with each other. Misconceptions, misunderstood motives, personal problems, and other things. There's nothing about what happens that's at all special. Yet, clearly, this show has me hooked rather badly.

There's just...something about this show that I can't describe. Maybe it has to do with the lovely interpersonal drama, or how good the show is at getting you to actually care about the characters. I can't say. All I know is, 9 episodes into the 4th season and I'm still hooked and hoping there's more.

I need to see more.