Let me Out

It's one of those shifts where you're just waiting/hoping for an excuse to grab a box,  empty your desk, and walk out.  Sadly,  there is the mortgage to consider . . .

YaYa

 My eldest :)

Monday Gracie got her first ever paycheck, and today after school I took her to set up her first independent bank account. My YaYa is growing up

Birthday Ruiner

 I was *supposed* to be at a get together for my birthday, but some boss that will go unnamed scrapped that idea. I spent most of the shift singing "Birthday ruiner" to the tune of "Jukebox hero," and instead am hitting the gym.

Captain Rah

 Captain Rah graces the company birthday board for March! To comply with company policies his ubiquitous sword has been removed and his bare rat legs now modestly covered by leggings.

Half a Decade

This morning my boss presented me with a framed certificate honoring 5 years of service to the company - the third time in my life I've reached that milestone.

Exciting News!!!

Guess who got her first job? :)  - YaYa 

Stuart's Paintings

This poster sized collection of artwork, painted by a co-worker, hangs in the halls at work every year.

The Police Stop Me on Break

For four years I've worked here and taken my lunch and break outside at the same time, and yet almost every night the local cops roll by real slow, and sometimes even stop to question me. I'm not sure what percentage of middle aged, 300#, polo shirt wearing white guys reading Virgil's Aenid Book VI are a threat to the security of this suburb, but it must be pretty dang statistically significant.

Christmas 2002

 We're watching a video of Christmas 2002, when 3rd shift of Job Prior gathered at my mother in law's house.

This is Dale C:

Babysitting

LuLU had another babysitting job this evening. #GoodForHer

LuLu the Sitter

 LuLu babysat for the kids across the street tonight. Good job kid!

That's a lot of $$ in 1976

I gave it to the last minute, but with the hip acting up for the last 36 hrs I called into work. I came within a hair's breadth of skipping Marquette too, but went, learned nothing that wasn't covered in the reading, and was worse for the wear. Now comes the inevitable guilt that accompanies a call-in. My mind is a strange place.

And get this: 

In 1976 my Professor was earning $75K/yr in practice, and left to teach at Marquette for $12K a year. Yikes.

Back to the Grind

 I started classes at Marquette yesterday, and went back to work. School went fine, work not so much. Spending 8 hours on an office chair older than some of my kids did the hip no favors. Yes, I was told I can get up and stretch if need be, but that doesn't quite do the trick. It's going to be an adventure - and to quote Louis L'amour, adventure is just another word for trouble.

A forgettable night

Just a cr**py night, as Mike St. can tell you. Brutal. And now that the bronchitis is gone, I get to pay attention to the booming pain in my hip. Yippee.

Work

If there is a more mind numbing, poorly paid way to earn a living and squander my talents, outside of assembling widgets, I have yet to find it. I wish I could afford to go to law school full time and resume my life. #bitter #temperTantrum

Daddy Fail

Daddy fail: I overslept and the kids missed their music and dance lessons. Well, "OVERslept" is a bad choice of words because if I pulled it off it would have been on 90 minutes of sleep. I'm consoling myself with the fact that LuLu is mildly ill and that in the end my failure simply reinforces Lisa's standing in #teamslap

The Restroom Isle

This is a piece of chipped paint on the wall above the urinal at work. A mere splotch you say, a random and indistinct marring of the wall.

Au contraire.

Every time I step up to do my business I see something different. I see a small, tropical isle, viewed as if you were approaching it by sea. Its geography is mountainous and there, in the top right of the screen you can make out soaring palm trees gracing the apex of the island.

If you think *that's* weird, wait until you hear about the people who live there . . .

He Earned this Reward!

Yesterday Smiley took all the money he's earned shoveling snow and bought a 9" Android tablet complete with a case and keyboard. I made sure to let the salesman know he earned the money himself, and the little guy could barely stop smiling. I'm proud of you Smiley. Enjoy your tablet!

Squaaash?

"Squash!??" Here's the great gift Mike St  gave me for Christmas. Thomas G and Justin B were also in the gift-giving mood, and I thank them all. :)

Unhealthy

The secret to how I survive on (typically) 5 hours of sleep a day. This is my consumption at work from just this weekend.