Why I have been quiet as of late...

[Krimson]

Some of you may have been wondering why I have been rather scant with posting as of late. In the last couple of weeks, after several months of unemployment, I have found a new job. And as the currents flow, unemployment leads to overwhelming work, since my karma seems to dislike moderation of any sort. :lol: I am currently working for a local Home Depot, and so far as corporations go this one seems to be a decent one to work for. My posting will likely continue to be sparse until I settle in, which will likely be soon. I am working in a department which is high in demand, so it is likely I will settle into a regular schedule soon.

MM --> I don't know if you got the thank you note I sent you. I will have to send another soon. Your package arrived rather splendidly, and I will get into it as soon as time permits. For the moment, the Multiverse is keeping me busy, so for the time being I will consider it a good thing.

[xidrep]

Tchoh! I find your attitude rather self-centred. You should concentrate on further enriching the lives of your MWM electro-pals rather than the somewhat materialistic task of working for a living and feeding yourself. I think you should take a close look at yourself and ask: 'Do I really need more than one pair of underpants, and would it be so bad to live in a cave?'. I think the answers will surprise you!!!*

*Though you might need $30,000 per annum for bagels, come to think of it.

[xidrep]

PS. We don't have Home Depot in Angleterre. Do folk 'phone up and go: 'Hello. Do you have any bungalows in stock?' or 'Could you send me three terraced Georgian houses by airmail, please?'.
Do they?

[Michael Moorcock]

Got your note Home Depot Kommando. Many thanks. Maybe you'll get transferred to Lost Pines with all the other Canadians down here. Why do so many Canadians come to Texas ? It remains a mystery. Maybe because it is about as different as you can get from Canada -- i.e. no local taxes and no social services worth the name, about forty guns per capita and a strong belief that it's not only still possible to leave the Union (which it is under our constitution) but also to leave the UN and possibly the planet. Home Depot arriving here is part of a terrifying process of Corps on the Highway. When we first arrived here there were a couple of smallish supermarkets and a MacDonalds, as far as chains were concerned. Now up on the highway you have every familiar neon brand in the US. But Home Depot have been one of the more welcome, I must say. Perdix doesn't realise that the only thing Home Depot doesn't sell is a complete house. That's further up the highway at Dr Bacon's Affordable Housing where you can get a decent double-wide for about the same price as it will cost for the land to put it on. Some of these 'mobile homes' (only mobile as far as delivery goes -- we'd call them prefabs in my generation of Londoners) have so many fancy add-ons you could probably do something to rival Ludwig of Bavaria if you got all the extras offered by Home Depot (do they do pointy towers yet, I wonder?).

[Krimson]

Got your note Home Depot Kommando. Many thanks. Maybe you'll get transferred to Lost Pines with all the other Canadians down here. Why do so many Canadians come to Texas ? It remains a mystery. Maybe because it is about as different as you can get from Canada -- i.e. no local taxes and no social services worth the name, about forty guns per capita and a strong belief that it's not only still possible to leave the Union (which it is under our constitution) but also to leave the UN and possibly the planet.

Well as a born-again optimist I can only hope that its because we wish to infect the most radical portions of the US with our laid back attitude. I know if I were there that I would sympathise with those who would think being well armed is a right, as I think a person should be allowed to protect themself. However, I would also want to spread the idea that just because you can have a weapon, it doesn't mean you have to use it. In my life, I have been in three altercations involving weapons (thank the Multiverse none of them were guns). In each situation I was able to disarm the aggressor without using weapons myself. I SO do not want to do that a fourth time. Yeah, I hope my optimism is justified there, though I can'treally hold my breath on it.

Home Depot arriving here is part of a terrifying process of Corps on the Highway. When we first arrived here there were a couple of smallish supermarkets and a MacDonalds, as far as chains were concerned. Now up on the highway you have every familiar neon brand in the US. But Home Depot have been one of the more welcome, I must say. Perdix doesn't realise that the only thing Home Depot doesn't sell is a complete house. That's further up the highway at Dr Bacon's Affordable Housing where you can get a decent double-wide for about the same price as it will cost for the land to put it on. Some of these 'mobile homes' (only mobile as far as delivery goes -- we'd call them prefabs in my generation of Londoners) have so many fancy add-ons you could probably do something to rival Ludwig of Bavaria if you got all the extras offered by Home Depot (do they do pointy towers yet, I wonder?).

Well, my experience thus far has been good. So far as corporations go, Home Depot is one I can deal with. With their Canadian incarnation, I have found that they buy Canadian whenever possible. They give buying preference for lumber suppliers who have good forest management practices. Also, if I were to find one of there suppliers were to support bad overseas labour practices, I could anonymously report it.

Really though, I realize that no corporation can be completely benign. Believe me, I have mixed feelings about working for one. What heartens me is that the Canadian incarnation seems to be empoyed my mostly people with a genuine concern for the customer base, and I've found several people who are socially conscious on some level or another. Ultimately, for those of us who aren't self employed, working under the aegis of a corporation seems to be the best option. I just have to work hard and hope I can position myself and infect it with my own social ideals.

All in all, I like the fact my job entails me dealing with people one on one (in the Special Service and Phone Centre). So at least I can do good on an individual level to the best of my ability.

On another note, I had a very interesting conversation with a coworker, who is also a fan of yours Mike. He was familiar with most of your works, which really impressed me, and initiated the conversation when he saw my tattoo of the eight arrows. I thought that was very cool.

[Marc]

The trouble with Home Depot is I get lost every time I go in one--but I do find the staff very helpful and when it comes to home improvement, if you can't get it there, stop looking, pretty well. Good luck with your new job, Kommando!! :)