It’s official. It’s not 500

It’s official. It’s not 500 or even 1000, it’s really 1700. That’s 1200 from right here in lovely northern VA, and 500 from the west coast from iPlanet. I don’t really know what to say. I’ve done this three times before, all at AOL, and well, it sucks. I think it sucks worse this time because of the overwhelming number of my friends who are sure they’re going to get the boot. That, and the fact that these rumors have been swirling for the better part of three weeks with no official response. Yes, we live in interesting times, my people…

I was here at 7:45, a full hour before my normal start time because I got all of three hours of sleep last night. You know, every time I think I’ve become this Clint Eastwood hardass meanie, something like this happens. I’m one sensitive quivering bowl of jell-o who doesn’t handle this kind of stress very well. No matter how much I put up this front as the-guy-who-acts-like-clint, I think everyone knows. I’m not really fooling anyone. I’m Stuart frickin’ Smiley – and dammit, I’m good enough, lucky enough and stupid enough to admit it.