Mister Van Winkle Your Room Is Ready

So much went on this week, too much for one post. Needless to say we were beat, and after dropping the boy off at a birthday party/sleep over we had a night of dinner, movie, tv all set. When I arrived at home at 6:15 the wife walked in from work and changed and laid down on the bed, "To rest", she said, "I'll join you" said I......"What time is it?" I asked to no response, when I looked at the clock it was 3:32 AM !!!!

So much for singles night out!!!!

Monday Again

I meant to say blog every MONDAY this week!!!

Very busy indeed. First off continued with the football marathon of practice, practice, practice. Then it was off to Indianapolis to see my new (and only) nephew!!

He is a charmer (2 weeks old) and my sis is doing well. The boy held a baby for the first time and didn't really like it. As the only grandchild on both sides he now realizes he must S H A R E !!! all of the grandparents. He was fine by the end of the trip and looks forward to teaching him boy things, baseball, bike stunts, Game Boy and Yugi-Oh cards.

I had an interview that went very well. IT is for a director position and that is all I'll say for now as not to jinx it. Will know more before Friday.

The drive both ways was killer!!! People are so stupid most of the time. Had to deal with swervers, tail-gaters and slowpokes (the former causing the latter). Morons at the service areas and scaredy-cats after cops (Going 20 miles below the speed limit is just as bad as speeding, especially in the left lane!!!).

We got to experience Isabelle, from Buffalo to Cleveland it rained NON-STOP, then we had clear skies for the whole trip back but for a Cleveland Indian game to tie up traffic. Talked with the wife much about everything, nothing, causes and concerns. All in all a good trip and we'll do it again in November for the baptism (or in 2 weeks God-willing)

Today is back to the old grind stone and I am BEAT. 3 days with 20 plus hours driving can sap ones strength.

Monday

OK I am going to try to blog everyday this week (at least until Thursday). Today was typical Monday stuff. Got to work at 5am to find the usual guy had called in sick (we have an extra person on Monday), this would be the 2nd Monday in a row and the countless Monday this year. If I were to guess (we have unlimited sick days) I would say 10 Mondays this year minimum, not including other days he called in sick and he is our shift supervisor.

Busy, busy again. Paid some bills, have to get suit to dry cleaners, pay mortgage, clean pool, mail resume tape out and get to football practice (5:30-7:30).....No wonder I am tired everyday.

Watched Carnivale last night on HBO. Very interesting, let us see where it takes us, very David Lynchish, I look forward to it. Another of my favs this summer, Dead Like Me was picked up for a 2nd season!!!!!! Very happy about that! I am of the opinion that TV should program new stuff year round, and am very happy some networks are putting quality shows out in the summer. Some of our summer viewing: The Amazing Race, Dead Like Me, Sex In The City and The Dead Zone. I also like networks that re-air a season IN ORDER, like Gilmore Girls (I think I might watch it with the wife this year! With the season ready to open (Survivor this week), I am sure to bring reports thoughout the season.

Sunday Morning

What a nice Saturday, didn't shower until 7pm (at that point why bother?). We finished working on the dinning room, she is clean and has new curtains, we finally moved "Workbench Upstairs" back to the basebment where it belongs. We need one handle, one piece of molding and 1/2 of paint and the kitchen will be done as well. Black paint and carpet molding and ditto the foyer. The pool is aswamp and just needs to be covered!!!!!!

Today is a shopping day, hit the usual; Target, Sam's Club, Dick's and maybe Best Buy. I think we might swing by the car lot to see the Concorde I want. We will wait until after next weekend to see if I will be buying a new car here or in Indy.

I am a first time UNCLE!!!!!!!!!!! My sister had a baby boy (very Irish) and we will be visiting next weekend, I also have an interview out there so I must get my suit to the dry cleaners. The wife and I are to be those "if anything happens to me" people and the wife is the Godmother, all very cool. Sister is doing very well..........

Waiting

Still waiting on a car, will wait for a week, I have an interview next week so if we are moving we will need the SUV and the down payment. Been pissed all week.....dont want to do anything and people piss me off for no or good reason. The boy practiced football all week. Monday thru Friday 5:30 till 7:30....

Busy week at work with the 2nd anniversary of 9-11. Thought of blogging about it but not yet. Just want everyone to do thier own thing!! Do your job and shut up!!!! Everyone has the right to bitch and moan, but dont make things more difficult by being an ass at work.

Have a few more items to blog about but I'll do it later after I've settled down a bit.......

Took the wife for a drive in the PT Cruiser today. She was not as impressed as I am but we will talk about it tomorrow. Talk about high pressure, as we left they said the old if you buy it now pitch. Price last week, $12,990.....price today 11,990, price today if we didn't walk off the lot, $11,390.....WOW!!!!!

We might look around at other vehicles, but I really like these cars, but wih me that liking doesn't last very long and history will attest that within 2-3 years I will be looking anew (maybe even earlier), but them most of my past cars were at the: time to put lots of money into it or get a new to me (used) vehicle. So right now my Jimmy is at the will need at least $500 minimum in repairs and it is at 105K...............

Talk Like A Pirate Day - Sept. 19

We love this day so much at work we have one every month!!!!! Make sure you join the revolution and make this a National Holiday!!!!!

The Friday Five

1. What housekeeping chore(s) do you hate doing the most?

Laundry. My wife does it, I am no good at it and have 'messed up big time' when I have attempted to do it. I don't like even being down there when she is doing it.


2. Are there any that you like or don't mind doing?

Dishes, only I can load the Dish Washer. I love summer yard work, I love my Rider Mower and I love "Surveying my kingdom" when everything is cut, trimmed, blown and swept!!!!!


3. Do you have a routine throughout the week or just clean as it's needed?

No routine at all.


4. Do you have any odd cleaning/housekeeping quirks or rules?

I load the dish washer the right way adn have been know to empty a full dirty load and re-load it the Correct way!!!


5. What was the last thing you cleaned?

The pool.

"It's the most wonderful time of the year!!!!"

Yep, it's back to school day, I wonder where that Staples commercial went, it was the best!!!!! The boy enters 5th Grade today!!! He loved it, no homework but a nice teacher (he says) and several kids from last year are in his class, for which I am glad. He joined Chess Club, want's to join band and goes to day 2 of football try-outs today. They were impressed with his hands, can run a pattern and catch the ball.........the next Bo Jackson?!?!?!?!? Baseball contract buys our house, Football pays the bills...............

Labor Day

I am the president of the local broadcast union and my term ends on September 31st. I've been President for 4 L O N G years and have seen many a thing, good and bad, about being a union. Now in today's business world I do not think that I would be comfortable in a job without a union. There are many benefits to being unionized (which your bosses won't tell you about), but you mostly hear about the negatives, paying dues, seniority, animosity from the bosses. But it is the protections and guarantees that bring the members together. Don't get along with the boss, he doesn't like your shirt, too bad, let me do my job and leave me alone; company decides on wage freeze or eliminates some vacations, so sad, give me my raise and see you in a week. A union is a "Don't Fuck with me Card", as a worker you are given certain rights, as a union worker, these rights can't be taken away on a manager's whim. In the union hay-day the bosses were making 40% more than their workers, today it is 400% more yet the average workers' salary is crawling up the scale, or running down to Mexico.

The bad rep unions receive is because of that old adage, one rotten apple spoils the bushel. My shop has about 40 workers, now I can count on my hand the number of them that needed help with Real Issues and more than half of them actually deserved their punishment. The average union worker works his/her shift, shows up on time, leaves on time, works some Overtime and gives 100% to their job. We come in, do our job and leave, no fuss no muss. Then there is that 1% of workers who are always unhappy and just looking for trouble. They are always late, but only by 5 minutes; call in sick all the time, but not too much; always has some family emergency when it comes to OT and comes running to the shop steward with the boss looks at him cross-eyed. These people are always in the boss's office, getting letters in their file and getting their fat pulled out of the fire by union stewards. These are the workers non-union people see, workers who should be fired but aren't. They are the ones that define the union, and they are the problem.

We have Red Thursday at our shop, all union members wear red on Thursday to show solidarity. In the beginning it was funny to see the non-union personnel come into our area and marvel at all the red, "Why didn't I get the fashion call last night?" they would ask. "It's union red day" we would reply. "I didn't realize you were ALL union!!!". Exactly, a union worker is just another employee, but one that will come to their brother's/sister's aid whenever needed!!!

Happy Labor Day!