The Axe Falls AGAIN

Well, happy Friday everyone. Today was my "lucky" day. About 2:30 this afternoon, the Temp Agency Rep came and got me and two of my co-workers to give us the news that our jobs no longer existed. Now there is an up (or down depending on viewpoint) side to this news. They want to bring us back in "a month or two" for a new project. Also, there is another position on another help desk that is about the same distance (about 35 miles) in the other direction that is looking to start in a week or two. That one lists a four month duration. Now I have the dilemma of 1) take this new position and run the real possibility of missing out on the callback, 2)going on unemployment and waiting out the one to two months for a promised (but undetermined) assignment, or 3) going on unemployment and seeking some other position (a very limited likelihood in this economy). Oh my, there is much to think on this weekend. Thankfully, Ben has a job. It's not enough for us to live on, but it helps. SO -- stay tuned for updates.

Here We Go Again

Well, I just saw an article from Time )http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1715105,00.html) in which a member of Israel's parliament blames GAYS for the recent earthquake activity in the area. Just when did we get such power? If GLBT people had that kind of influence, don't you think we'd use it for something but earthquakes -- maybe like acquiring the basic civil rights that we seek? Well, what can I say? Some people -- even major leaders (or those who think they are important) are just plain STUPID -- earthquakes are a natural phenomenenen that have nothing to do with who can or cannot adopt children! Why don't these idiots grow up? Oh well, back to the newsroom for more exciting nuggets!

TGIF

Hooray! It's Friday afternoon and in just about 45 minutes I will be on my way home for the weekend. Now, that sounds really great since it will get me out of this nuthouse for a couple of days. It won't be much of a time of rest though since I have to finish a sermon for Sunday, meet with a couple of church members tomorrow, do church on Sunday, and go to Mother's for her 85th birthday open house. Somewhere in all of that there's groceries to buy, laundry to finish, and just a sense of rest. As I look out the window I see snow coming down, but at least as of now it's not sticking to anything. There is a prediction of 2-4 inches by tomorrow -- just what we need. I managed to spend a little time today working on the sermon at work, but Ive reached a point where I need more focus than this place will allow me to muster. I could probably preach it without any further preparation, but I'm not quite that bold. And as soon as I get it done and preach it, the time is at hand to begin the next one. I think it's time for a Sunday off really soon. Ben is very patient, putting up with my hectic schedule and its comings and goings. Tomorrow after my meeting in the morning we are going to find something to do together -- just the two of us having fun (hopefully inexpensive fun). That kind of thing is important -- besides that, I enjoy his company.

I did manage to get my taxes done this week and the good news is that there is money coming back -- thank God. I can hardly wait, and with the advent of electronics, it won't take too long to get here. I can find about a hundred ways to spend it of course. Some of it will probably go on some bills, but I think part of it might go to do something or buy some hot gadget. Ah the age old battle between responsibility and fun -- what's the answer?

Anyway, that's how things are here in the frozen wasteland of Michigan. Hug someone and have a great weekend.

Random Thoughts

Well, here it it Tuesday afternoon, and things at work are very quiet. I think that today is some kind of holiday in Europe, and since that is where all of our work comes from, we get to have a quiet day. Now -- that was very handy this morning as we were using a newly updated tool for our processes and it was (and continues to be) laced with multiple errors and omissions. Thankfully, we've all been doing this work for long enough to be able to say, "That's just wrong! Here's how it's supposed to be." But, even with that, it is frustrating.

The dog is at the groomer for the day -- she will look lovely this afternoon when I go get her, and she should be very quiet and sleepy this evening. My car has to go into the shop later in the week -- the cruise control that I had installed last summer has decided to work intermittently and now -- it seems -- not at all. At least it is supposed to be under warranty!

Today is Super Tuesday -- voters in 20 states get to voice their choice for President. I say, "Enjoy that privelege. If you are a Democrat in Michigan or Florida, your primary vote doesn't mean squat." I threatened this morning to form a new party -- the DEMs - Disenfranchised Electorate of Michigan. It sounds good, but where we can raise the billions it would take to make a noticeable noise in the electoral process? Ah well, maybe they will work out this primary stuff before 2012 -- maybe.

Tomorrow is the beginning of Lent, and I expect it to be one of the busiest times of my year -- I am working forty hours a week plus leading a church through an interim ministry. That, along with the usual church busy-ness of the season will wear me down. I feel a few needed days off from church stuff coming just after Easter. Just six weeks away!! HOORAY!

Well, now I've managed to burn a few minutes of company time on this post. Perhaps I will give Free Cell a whirl for a few minutes. Have a great day and hug someone you love.

What I Seen Ain't Purty and Makes Me Go Nukular

Well, I am going to rant a bit here. One of my biggest pet peeves of late is the blatant butchering of the English language by people who should know better. From the common workplace conversations to business and professional people and all the way to the hallowed halls of Pennsylvania Avenue, people are getting either more stupid or more lazy. I heard some folks talking about movies, and one guy said, "I ain't seen that one." Now -- the ain't made the hairs on my neck wiggle. Then I heard, "Last night I seen...." It made me want to PULL the hair out of my head. And, of course, we can hear our "beloved" president talking about nucular war (I hope he means nuclear -- if not, he's got some other kind of warfare up his sleeve). Beyond butchering nuclear, have you noticed how the leader of the free world tries to be so folksy? He ends all the "ing" words with "in' ". You konw -- we're gettin' the job done and we're not quittin' till the bums are runnin' for their lives. Come on, George, at least try to sound like you aren't an incompetent idiot! Couple all of those abuses with the ever present "like" sprinkled liberally into nearly every sentence and the ever present "F" word, and it's a wonder we can communicate at all. I fear what the language will become for the next generation. I know that language evolves, but - like - do we have to "F"in' help it? I ain't seen this rampant abuse of language (or lack of education) - like-um-ever. Come on, folks, most of you went to school and learned to use correct language and syntax. You've just become very lazy. Let's take the time to correctly use the language that we have.

A White and Yucky Day

By now you may have heard about the big winter storm that has been pounding this part of the country. When we went to bed last night all was calm and I could look out and see grass; the retention pond was water. Of course we knew that was going to change overnight, and it surely did. This morning, by the time I left for work (a 38 miile trip) we had a huge amount of snow with more coming down. The roads were Slippery and snow covered. I wondered in a couple of spots if I would ever get moving when I stopped for a light. The drive took not quite twice as long as usual and I was frazzled by the time I got to work. Of course I HAD to come in -- after all, we got the parental email telling us that there was a winter storm warning and to allow extra time to get to work. Now-- do they think that we never listen to the news or weather? Do they think that we don't know enough to allow some extra time for travel in potentially bad weather? Or are they just stupid? Ah, perhaps we have hit on the answer. Then, once I arrived, we have had a bunch more snow throughout the day, so the drive home might be "fun". I'm sure I will be fine as long as the other folks on the road stay out of my way LOL. Seriously though, those who go way too fast for conditions are a hazard, and so are those who putz on the freeway. This morning, conditions for the most part kept my speed under 50MPH, but I kept getting behind people who thought that 25 or 30 was a better option -- it's a wonder they ever got where they were going. Anyway, that's the kind of day it is, so keep the folks around here in your thoughts as we travel this afternoon.