This week, all told, has been kinda dull. Solved a couple of problems, saw a few others stall. I had some frustration with the state of the current project management hellscape come to a head on Thursday, but luckily one of my very good, knowledgeable, and understanding teammates/mentor types was in for some other meetings and kindly and heartily engaged in a communal bitch session, and we both felt a bit better afterwards.

Friday includes a clear work calendar; which I’m okay with. I plan on knocking out all the electronic annual training I have to take for the new FY. It’s that time. This stuff is normally dull, but occasional interesting or amusing things come in, such as the slide on the Truth in Negotiations Act in the fraud awareness training module having a picture of TINA Turner on it.

Also, folks are starting to brace a bit for the now regular fear of government shutdown since we still lack a continuing budget resolution; watching the memos about travel funding starting to roll in, and frantically F5’ing Government Executive website to get the latest news. Political theater like this doesn’t exactly make any of us confident.

The weekend’s a busy one, but not in a bad way. Friday afternoon I have to go get the kid at college; HOI is hosting the Richmond Fall Feis, so they’re all dancing Saturday. For once, though, I won’t be there – I’ll be playing the legendary Filk and Cookies Christmas Party with the Humdingers, hosted by some dear friends. We’ve done this one the last many many years, and a good time is had by all. It’ll just be me representing the Parker clan this year, but I’ll try and do the rest of them proud.

That’s about it here, really. On the two week countdown to the end of my work year now (barring the crap in the third paragraph – well, that just might make it one week countdown, but it in a “I wonder when I’m gonna get paid again” kind of way); it won’t feel real until the AV Club posts “This Year in Band Names”, though.

Speaking of bands, here ya go:

1. “Under Pressure” – Queen (feat. David Bowie)
2. “Before Battle I Embrace” – Folkearth
3. “The Ocean Breathes Salty” – Modest Mouse
4. “Summer of Love” – Waxahatchee
5. “Youth” – Daughter
6. “The Denial Twist (live)” – The White Stripes
7. “Don’t You Ever Wash That Thing? (live)” – Frank Zappa
8. “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” – Journey
9. “Thelonius” – Jeff Beck
10. “Deadbeat Girl” – Day Wave
11. “Mascaria”- Slant Six