On Jan 17 The New York Stock Exchange announced that a deal had been struck to buy my employer, The American Stock Exchange, for $260M. Very little has been communicated about what staff will be retained but this morning I received the following email from my supervisor:
Please let me know if any of you have been contacted by NYSE for an interview.
Thanks,
Natalie
I have not been contacted.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
The Car Starts
Foschi said that attempts to energize the fuel pump had failed so they lowered the gas tank in order to access the pump and voila, it started working. They called K and said we can just put it back up and you can be on your way OR we can replace the pump OR we can replace the pump and the connector that plugs into the wiring harness. We chose to have both the connector and the pump replaced in order to maximize the possibility of a permanent fix.
Surprise, Car is broken, House is broken
We didn't get to Millville until Saturday morning because K was finishing up a week of being ill. We got there to find a wet basement courtesy of leaky pipes.
Drove over to pick up the lawn mower, loaded it in the car and the car wouldn't start. Same symptoms as before. Tow truck came and took the car to Foschi's and we took a cab home.
We made it through the night w/ no water. I had shut it off to stop the basement flooding. Ben Franklin Plumbing came out and replaced the offending pipe ($238). He showed me the leaking joint and it looked like pretty bad workmanship. The pipe had been inserted into the fitting to about 1/16". Maintenance of this house was done as cheaply as possible by the last owner.
Monday morning C wakes up with 102 temp. The garage opens and we tell them our sad story. At 10:00 the gutter guys show up to put up new gutters. After looking at the old ones that were falling off the house I had assumed that there would be rotten wood that needed to be replaced but the guys reported no soft spots. So that job worked out in our favor ($575). We await the next storm with anticipation!
I charged the battery and changed the oil on the motorcycle. Got out for a ride and to run errands. The temperature was in the 60's and it was glorious. Still Monday and the Directv guy shows up to install satellite TV. I was all set to start saving about $25/mo over the cost of Comcast. No dice! If we want Directv we'd have to cut down several trees in the front yard. Talked to the mechanic around 5:00 and he was still scratching his head and running diagnostics on the car.
Tuesday morning C wakes up with 103 temp. Fortunately he is off school all this week. K and I both tell work that we're working from home today. At mid-day the mechanic still didn't have anything to report so we rented from Enterprise and got to JC around 9:30. I had been feeling very guilty about leaving Abbey by herself for so long and was glad to find her none the worse for wear.
Drove over to pick up the lawn mower, loaded it in the car and the car wouldn't start. Same symptoms as before. Tow truck came and took the car to Foschi's and we took a cab home.
We made it through the night w/ no water. I had shut it off to stop the basement flooding. Ben Franklin Plumbing came out and replaced the offending pipe ($238). He showed me the leaking joint and it looked like pretty bad workmanship. The pipe had been inserted into the fitting to about 1/16". Maintenance of this house was done as cheaply as possible by the last owner.
Monday morning C wakes up with 102 temp. The garage opens and we tell them our sad story. At 10:00 the gutter guys show up to put up new gutters. After looking at the old ones that were falling off the house I had assumed that there would be rotten wood that needed to be replaced but the guys reported no soft spots. So that job worked out in our favor ($575). We await the next storm with anticipation!
I charged the battery and changed the oil on the motorcycle. Got out for a ride and to run errands. The temperature was in the 60's and it was glorious. Still Monday and the Directv guy shows up to install satellite TV. I was all set to start saving about $25/mo over the cost of Comcast. No dice! If we want Directv we'd have to cut down several trees in the front yard. Talked to the mechanic around 5:00 and he was still scratching his head and running diagnostics on the car.
Tuesday morning C wakes up with 103 temp. Fortunately he is off school all this week. K and I both tell work that we're working from home today. At mid-day the mechanic still didn't have anything to report so we rented from Enterprise and got to JC around 9:30. I had been feeling very guilty about leaving Abbey by herself for so long and was glad to find her none the worse for wear.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Lunch with Vic
The car has refused to start since early last week. It cranks fine but won't start.
Victor came over on Monday and we pushed the car out of the garage and down to the street. Then he used his towing service to get the car over to Alpha-Omega. We had a nice lunch from the local pizza place and drank too much too early in the day.
Mike the mechanic called in the afternoon and said we had a bad fuel pump. The problem is that the pump is in the gas tank and it requires a lot of labor to get the old out and the new one in. He quoted $755 and we told him to go ahead.
K paid $764 and picked up the car today. Problem solved.
Victor came over on Monday and we pushed the car out of the garage and down to the street. Then he used his towing service to get the car over to Alpha-Omega. We had a nice lunch from the local pizza place and drank too much too early in the day.
Mike the mechanic called in the afternoon and said we had a bad fuel pump. The problem is that the pump is in the gas tank and it requires a lot of labor to get the old out and the new one in. He quoted $755 and we told him to go ahead.
K paid $764 and picked up the car today. Problem solved.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
The Wake
Went to IN on Friday and came back Sunday.
Butch and Marcia really bent over backwards to help with arrangements. There was research to find out our options for a gathering place and when we decided to hold it at the Moose Lodge Butch put it together and negotiated the price. I'm very grateful.
My Aunt Irene was so gracious in letting us stay at her house. We took over her bedroom and Chris slept in the TV room and dominated her TV.
Saturday afternoon was the wake in Marion and it was great to see the relatives. They really turned out in force. I was thinking about the eulogy afterwards and I think I left Lucille out of my list of what her siblings were known for. If anyone's interested she was the boy crazy hell raiser.
After the wake we went to Cole and Dee's house with Terri & Gary, and PGV who had come down for the wake. Rumor has it that they had poured a lot of sweat equity into the place and it showed. They've taken great care to restore and furnish the house with pieces from the time when it was originally built. It's a real show place and they should be proud.
Friday night we had dinner at 'On the Border' with several of the cousins and Mike treated us all. Sunday, before the plane left, we had a nice lunch with the Thomas' at Texas Roadhouse and didn't get to pay for anything again.
I've been thinking about the reason that we lost touch and I know that I was waiting for an invitation to go out there with my parents. It never came and I didn't do anything to make it happen. It was a "sin of omission" and I think that my life has been less full because of it.
Butch and Marcia really bent over backwards to help with arrangements. There was research to find out our options for a gathering place and when we decided to hold it at the Moose Lodge Butch put it together and negotiated the price. I'm very grateful.
My Aunt Irene was so gracious in letting us stay at her house. We took over her bedroom and Chris slept in the TV room and dominated her TV.
Saturday afternoon was the wake in Marion and it was great to see the relatives. They really turned out in force. I was thinking about the eulogy afterwards and I think I left Lucille out of my list of what her siblings were known for. If anyone's interested she was the boy crazy hell raiser.
After the wake we went to Cole and Dee's house with Terri & Gary, and PGV who had come down for the wake. Rumor has it that they had poured a lot of sweat equity into the place and it showed. They've taken great care to restore and furnish the house with pieces from the time when it was originally built. It's a real show place and they should be proud.
Friday night we had dinner at 'On the Border' with several of the cousins and Mike treated us all. Sunday, before the plane left, we had a nice lunch with the Thomas' at Texas Roadhouse and didn't get to pay for anything again.
I've been thinking about the reason that we lost touch and I know that I was waiting for an invitation to go out there with my parents. It never came and I didn't do anything to make it happen. It was a "sin of omission" and I think that my life has been less full because of it.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Louise Gaddis Newman
Louise Gaddis Newman, 89, of Jersey City NJ, and formerly of Hilton Head SC, died on Saturday, Jan 26, 2008 at Harbor View Healthcare Center in Jersey City.
Mrs. Newman was born September 9, 1918 in Fairmount, IN. She attended Fairmount High School. She worked as an executive secretary for the Department of Defense at the Pentagon and spent several years in the Philippines during the 1950's and 1970's as a result of her husband's Foreign Service career.
She is survived by her son, John Newman and wife Kevie Newman of Jersey City NJ; sister, Irene Reeves of Alexandria IN; brother Neil Gaddis of Straughn IN; brother Charles Gaddis of Albuquerque NM.
She was predeceased by her husband William Newman.
On Saturday friends and family will be received at a wake celebrating her life from 1:00 – 4:00 at the Moose Lodge in Marion.
Memorial donations may be made to The American Indian Relief Council (AIRC) at PO Box 6200, Rapid City, SD 57709 or to The ASPCA.
Written condolences can be sent to johnn144@gmail.com.
My mom would have loved this quote by Minna Antrim: Man forgives woman anything save the wit to outwit him.
Mrs. Newman was born September 9, 1918 in Fairmount, IN. She attended Fairmount High School. She worked as an executive secretary for the Department of Defense at the Pentagon and spent several years in the Philippines during the 1950's and 1970's as a result of her husband's Foreign Service career.
She is survived by her son, John Newman and wife Kevie Newman of Jersey City NJ; sister, Irene Reeves of Alexandria IN; brother Neil Gaddis of Straughn IN; brother Charles Gaddis of Albuquerque NM.
She was predeceased by her husband William Newman.
On Saturday friends and family will be received at a wake celebrating her life from 1:00 – 4:00 at the Moose Lodge in Marion.
Memorial donations may be made to The American Indian Relief Council (AIRC) at PO Box 6200, Rapid City, SD 57709 or to The ASPCA.
Written condolences can be sent to johnn144@gmail.com.
My mom would have loved this quote by Minna Antrim: Man forgives woman anything save the wit to outwit him.
Monday, January 21, 2008
FreeCycle
This weekend we posted afghans and quilts on freecycle and got a big response. I wonder if that's a reflection of the price of fuel oil?
After a holiday season so full of food and booze it was almost a relief to see it end but this weekend felt like another binge. Saturday was fondue. It started with cheese and progressed through beef, ending with chocolate. Then Sunday we led into dinner with crudites and went to the movies where mass quantities of popcorn and chocolate were consumed. I doubt the wood splitting or ice skating were much of an offset.
I thought the movie was really outstanding. We saw I am Legend with Will Smith. It helps to be familiar enough with NYC to recognize the places that get turned into deserted, abandoned scrub but even without that background it's probably still effective. Chris needed to sleep last night with the light on.
After a holiday season so full of food and booze it was almost a relief to see it end but this weekend felt like another binge. Saturday was fondue. It started with cheese and progressed through beef, ending with chocolate. Then Sunday we led into dinner with crudites and went to the movies where mass quantities of popcorn and chocolate were consumed. I doubt the wood splitting or ice skating were much of an offset.
I thought the movie was really outstanding. We saw I am Legend with Will Smith. It helps to be familiar enough with NYC to recognize the places that get turned into deserted, abandoned scrub but even without that background it's probably still effective. Chris needed to sleep last night with the light on.
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