It was a Tuesday night and I had just begun my nightly ritual of merging my sentience with the couch while turning my brain to mush with television. Winter was not due for another few weeks but it had decided to put up an early show, whipping up a wind in the late afternoon which … Continue reading Stranger at the door
Labour Day
I crested the hill in my SUV and flew down the other side, briefly losing control with the unexpected bounce and subsequent swerve. Ignoring my skipped heart beat I rammed my foot down on the pedal and the engine revved loudly in reluctance before relenting to raise the speedometer dial at a disappointing rate. The … Continue reading Labour Day
Jerry’s Last Day
It’s Friday, the day after The Bad News, and you arrive to work a little bit early, naively hoping that everything will be alright today. 'Jerry’s in.' Matt says with a heaviness in his voice that tells you much more than words could ever do. 'How is he?' You ask but you already know the … Continue reading Jerry’s Last Day
MVP: Minimal Viable Performance
"Yes but what is the M-V-P here?" Carl drawled with only a half-hidden sense of a sneer lurking on his round but well manicured face. Oh no, he must have been on one of those government-funded training courses about agile project management where all the public servants aspiring for senior leadership go to schmooze and … Continue reading MVP: Minimal Viable Performance
Positives
My boss tells me to focus on the positives, but I don't give a fuck, I wonder what he gives? My third job in four years but its just the same- I'm depressed and bored; it is such a shame. My bright ideas ignored, my talent wasted. It's all about he said, she said, they … Continue reading Positives
Pizza, beers, and tears
She started crying, right there in the local pizza restaurant and I didn't know what the fuck to do. I hadn't been mean or offensive. I hadn't lied or deceived her. I just told her the truth. The truth she very obviously did not like hearing. So I did the only thing I could think … Continue reading Pizza, beers, and tears
Headphones of Social Immunity
Darkness had fallen early tonight, as though a great force of evil was slowly encroaching upon the day, consuming the last remaining rays of sun like a gluttonous monster before plunging the world in to a thick blackness. Jack, a young wizard, was bent over his forest campfire busily preparing a summoning spell of protective … Continue reading Headphones of Social Immunity
The Transition Team
Don't let the name fool you. The Transition Team is where people go to die. Metaphorically speaking at least. They don't actually kill them. That would be against the departmental code of conduct. The Transition Team is filled with people no-one wants. Some people call them 'poor performers'. I call them 'shit at their jobs'. … Continue reading The Transition Team
Writing makes me happy
"You've been so much happier the last week. What's going on?" Someone very close and dear to me recently observed that my outward happiness had drastically and obviously increased. My first response was to tell them to go fuck themselves because I've always been a little ray of sunshine regardless of what they think. Then … Continue reading Writing makes me happy
The need for moderation
The bus eased in to the station and I bolted out the door, forgetting to touch my card to cancel my trip but I had more important things on my mind than losing $10. I was about to lose my lunch all over the bus stop floor. And walls. The day had been like any … Continue reading The need for moderation
Jack Brumby 