Walter Mitty Reimagined...

So many things going on right now that leave me wishing I were elsewhere, doing something else, being someone else.

Work is getting to be way too tense. Heard last night that the two guys I work with (one one night a week, the other on weekends) nearly came to blows the night before. The tension between the two has always been strong, but it seems it's getting much much worse. I think the overall discontent among most of the employees is growing, and it doesn't help. I'm soooo hoping I can find a different job very, very soon, as it appears that things in general are only going to get worse.

The weather is another problem. The drought has no end in sight, and the corn and soybean crops are taking a definite hit. My brother's been keeping track, and we've had way less than six inches of rain since mid-May (less than half the norm). Couple that with the unbearable heat throughout most of the summer - we had about ten days of cool temps (in the 70s) throughout July and August; the rest of the time it's been in the low to upper 90s (which we typically only hit a few days during mid-August).

And of course, fall is close at hand. The trees are losing their leaves already (combination of time of year and the damn heat/drought). But it only serves to remind me that winter is coming, and they're predicting heavier snowfall than usual (something to do with El Niño or El Niña). But I have so many things to get done before the snow comes - spent most of the day cutting down trees and shrubs (until the heat got to me), and I have a few more to do tomorrow. Then dig out the stumps and transplant lilac shoots so we have some privacy along that side of the yard. Still have a shed to tear down and rebuild, and then just general winterizing types things (like washing all these damn windows and getting plastic on them).

Sometimes I really wish I just had a small condo somewhere where the weather was a little more bland... and a means of paying for it all that didn't mean working for some dipshit.

Just looked at my work schedule for the next three weeks - the last week I'm down to 3 days. Not real happy about it, even though I know it's because it's just a slow time at the store. Still, one would think, since I worked extra days without objection, that I wouldn't be one of those taking the cut. Not sure how many weeks that will happen, but... Just another reason to look for other work.

Got my W2 online this year and did just a quick calculation - getting back more than I expected, but of course, not as much as I'd want. LOL  But every little bit helps.

Going to get security lights for the back yard this week. Bad enough my truck radio was stolen last year (while it sat disabled for a couple months) but now my brother's discovered someone stole our old wheelbarrow. I mean, WTF? Who steals an old beat-up wheelbarrow? But just the fact it was stolen was enough. No more believing that our little town is 'safe'. And next spring I'm putting up a fence between the barn and the toolhouse, so they don't have such easy access to our yard. (Don't think my brother will object to that, under the circumstances. Although I know he wouldn't go for a six foot privacy fence around the whole yard. He's not into fortress thinking - yet. LOL)

Sooo... taking down the Christmas tree tonight. Kinda hate to, because it was so pretty this year. But all good things, y'know.

Am thinking I'll be doing more blogging on my writing blog this year. Maybe. It still doesn't excite me all the much, and I doubt I'll do more than maybe monthly, but what the hell. Give it a shot and see if anybody reads it.

So, my back injury which was supposed to be healed up in a week or so... hasn't. Oh, it's much better than it was, but I still have a sharp ache when I walk more than a few steps, and bending over, and going up stairs, and lifting (even light boxes). Have been living on Advil, which helps the first couple of hours, but then I can't take it again right away and by the time I can, the aches have taken over. Doesn't seem to bother on the left side, but the right is bad. I noticed that the moment I first stood up after falling, too, and mentioned it to the intake nurse. I'm thinking I didn't land square on my back, but more on the right side, which is the only logical reason for it. I'm thinking if it doesn't clear up in the next couple of days (making it the full '7-10 days'), I may give the doctor a call and see if there might be something else wrong. And if you know how I feel about doctors, you'll know how desperate I am to get rid of this constant ache!

In other news...

Have gotten a good start on the next chapter of Covenant. Have figured out some tie-ins with earlier parts of the story, and how to get the ball rolling for the next 'adventure'. Getting back to the canon parts of the story now, and I'm looking forward to giving them my take. :D

Also have figured out a few sticking points in my newest original story - like why the MC is acting the way she is. It was a heavy sticking point because if I couldn't plausibly explain her motivation, it just came across as stupid. And I hate stupid MCs - particularly of the female variety! But I've really got to get down to the writing now, as it's going to be a bit long and I really want to be able to enter it in a contest that's due the end of the month. But it's been percolating in my head long enough - I think it's going to write itself fairly quickly once I get started. But even if I miss this deadline, I'd rather have a good story and try other avenues for getting it published, than submit a crappy one and just waste the entry fee.

Also considering setting up a new writing blog. I feel a bit inadequate to do so - but then I do know quite a bit about writing and have some opinions that don't require one to be an expert - just observant. I just don't know if I want to add another commitment when I'm already having trouble keeping up with the current ones. :p

Got up early this morning to take out the garbage - had done some deep cleaning over the weekend so had extra - damn garbage collectors came early! So I emailed the company, told them to get their fat asses over here either yet today or when they do tomorrow's run and pick it up. I did it nicely, of course, but firmly. We're supposed to have it out by 7:00 am, so I always put it out between 6:30 and 6:45. (I just hate seeing all this garbage stuck outside the day before!)

Hot and muggy again today. Temp's at 82, but feels like 92 because of the 91% humidity and 79 degree dew point. Was going to hang out laundry today but of course it would never dry, which means a trip to the laundromat. And then I have to work tonight on top of it. (Which is okay because it's air-conditioned and I work frozen foods, generally). But the drive up with no AC is going to be crap.

Plus, I'll probably get up there and find they've put me in dairy instead. Nobody likes to work dairy just because it's a little Peyton Place. Got one gal there who is such a racist! The only people she gets along with are the two black guys. Otherwise if she works with you more than a day, you're shit on her list. Add to that that she has all these so-called medical problems. She loves to 'feel faint' whenever she's supposed to do something she doesn't want to. Gawd. I get along with damn near everyone at work (minus the occasional set-to's that are normal when dealing with people - they flare up then disappear) but her? I just try to pretend she doesn't even exist. And the others in dairy - you never know who's going to be on the shit list that day. They keep shifting around - let's pick on this one today, tomorrow it's your turn. Bleah.

I hope this heat goes away soon. Everyone's getting bitchy...

One step closer to retirement - age-wise, anyway. No longer able to say "I'm almost 56." Hit it dead on today.

Yawn.

My brother went down and got a cake - I shall, no doubt, have it completely devoured before the weekend. And feel suitably guilty and nauseous for having done so.

In other news, have a ton of stuff to get done today (my One Day Off). Have another chapter from JFM's last fanfic to beta - sorry it's taken so long :(  And one for Billy, as well - taken even longer. I am so remiss in these things lately. No excuses. Just haven't had my mind on writing. Too damn cold for that.

Saw an old friend of mine the other night at work - the jack of all trades who buys any mechanical junk he can get cheap and rebuilds it - just for the fun of it. He's going to keep an eye out for an old bus, RV, whatever. I just cannot see me going through another winter up here. If I have to ask for a transfer via work to the southern states next winter, I'll do it. I'm just so tired of being cold all the time.

Got Fang one of those laser toys the other day - she was scared of it at first. Not so Petey. He still chases the damn thing around the floor. Fang has gotten the hang of it as well now, so we (my brother and I) put them both through their paces at regular intervals.

So okay. That's it for now. Thought I better put something out here or people might think I'd fallen off the face of the earth. (Well, except for a couple forums where I continue to resist the PC mode... EG)

We have ice. And wind. And cold. And I'm supposed to go to work tonight. Chances are not good that I will be. Which means I'll get written up for an 'unexcused absence' (I'm not supposed to have another one until Jan 16, according to 'the rules'). I don't like the idea, since I've never EVER gotten any kind of disciplinary action in all the 40 years I've been working - but if they think I'm going to chance going in the ditch (or worse) just so that doesn't happen, they've got another think coming. It also means I won't get holiday pay for Thanksgiving. So... I have until 8:30 to find out if the roads are upgraded enough to even try. But fuck it if I can't.

Have tentatively agreed to beta an original work from a writer on one of the forums I'm on. Paranormal thing, which will be different for me, but the writer's looking for grammar, phrasing, etc - the things I'm pretty good at. So we shall see.

I probably won't be around much for a while. Too many RL things going on, too many stress headaches and heart thingies, along with trying to get some serious writing of my own accomplished. Seems like a lot of my friends and sites are quiet now anyway. Living on the 'net just isn't doing it for me any more, frankly. Too many cranks, for one thing. I got so sick of one bigot that I deleted my entire profile and dropped out of that forum. I don't need to be associated with people like that, in any way, shape, or form. People have a right to be bigots - I just don't have to deal with them.

So anyway... going into hermit mode I guess. Deal with stuff on my LJs and sites and let the rest float with the current...

One more night of work - I traded days with one of the guys because he had a party to go to, so this will be the fourth in a row. Yuck! I am soooo glad I didn't put in for full time work - I like working no more than two days in a row! This guy mentioned that one of the gals I work with was looking for someone to trade with later in October - but that would mean working five days in a row - NO WAY! Okay, I admit it - I'm spoiled! LOL I think it would be different if the work day wasn't so long. 10-1/2 hours (commute, lunch, actual work) is just too much. I have way too much stuff to do at home and I'm too wiped out without a day or two break.

Anyway - slept too late yesterday to call the store in town, so that's on Monday's list To Do. As well as getting the application for the local grocery store. It's like planning on doing my grocery shopping after work - good intentions but by the time the work day is over, I just want to go home and sleep! But it only takes maybe half an hour to fill out the app and get to the library for a printout of my resume, so not like it's going to take days to get it accomplished.

My brother didn't come down this weekend - after looking at the road closings and detours (due to flooding) he decided it wasn't worth an extra hour (or more) driving time, esp since the weather was going to be crappy yet (so no chance of doing yard work). One town was under water Wednesday night (our WalMart had already trucked in almost $2000 worth of toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, and other hygiene products to all the people sheltered at the high school) and the town was still closed this morning to everyone except actual residents. I am soooo glad I live on a high hill. I can't imagine living through that and trying to clean up and pick up the pieces afterward. I helped with cleanup years ago when Rochester got flooded (similar situation - 8" of rain in less than 24 hours) and oh man... it's just unbelievable.

Muffy's still hanging in there - some days I swear I'm going to check on her and find she's gone; other days she acts like she's still a pup. What a roller-coaster... (She just rolled off the couch - again - so had to give her some loving up, poor baby...)

Sooo - housecleaning this week, as my son is coming home Thursday for his 10 year class reunion. It's a big deal - first graduating class of the new high school, class of 2000, yada yada yada. Huge parade even. He's getting a rental car so he can stay at home and just drive up to the city for the festivities - I told him I was fine with that as long as he wasn't going to be drinking. Which he isn't. He doesn't drink much at all - an occasional glass of wine with a meal but that's about it. Which makes me happy overall. But it'll be good to see him again, even if I won't see that much of him until Sunday.

My brother won't be down next weekend either - other than bringing John down from the airport and then taking him back again on Sunday. He's got a photograph in an exhibition!!! He's been into large format photography for a couple years now, and his work is finally starting to pay off. I'm so proud of him. :D But he has to attend the exhibition for a while, of course, and then he and a couple photographer buddies are going to a couple other exhibitions (and this was planned before we knew when John was coming home) so he just can't come down.

Okay - about time to hit the rack before work - then tomorrow I've got a couple crits to get done (Sorry for the delay, Billy!) before I get started on the drudge house work... Busy week ahead!

Well, after not much sleep yesterday and working through yet another manager's 'brilliant idea for increasing productivity', I shouldn't have been surprised that I slept most of the day away. All those lovely plans for getting massive amounts of yardwork done - out the window. Ah well. I've got tomorrow to work on that - work my butt off in the morning and early afternoon and that'll guarantee I'll sleep well before work tomorrow night. And I've got all night to work on inside stuff - including a read-through of Billy's story, which I should have done already and it got lost in the shuffle of... well, everything else!

Project Runway night - not the height of intellectual television, but I do like to watch what the designers come up with each week. And the judges get so deliciously bitchy sometimes LOL  Perfect white noise show.

Anyway, feeling much better after sleeping that long, so that's always worth something.

No work tonight!!!! Always gladdens my heart to say that :p Although, at least driving down the highway with the windows open definitely cools me off. Or dries me off, I guess would be a better description. We had another day of heat and high humidity. It stayed hot and damp all night, and this morning I was driving through fog so thick it was scary. I knew there were cars ahead of me but had no idea how far (or if they were even moving). Had to have the windshield wipers going as if it were raining. I really don't mind the heat - I can sprawl out on the bed and sleep through that. But when it's this humid - everything sticks to everything. And I've been letting my hair grow out, so that's very uncomfortable. Fang absconded with my last hair tie (she has a thing for them - constantly hiding them) so I couldn't even keep it off my neck. Came very close to shaving it off...

Anyway, got home and of course, the grass was way too wet to even think about mowing. Did some laundry and hung it out - it's still out there, since there was just no way it would dry in this humidity. Sigh. Probably have to take it all down to the laundromat tomorrow and sit there in the heat (outside or in) while it dries.

Fang is trying to decide whether she's in heat AGAIN or not. She's very affectionate, talks a lot, and makes that almost warbling sound (like a cross between a purr and a meow) - but she's not going to the extremes she did the last time (which was all of what - 10 days ago?). Gawd.

Anyway, did a marathon session with the crits I had due - three down, one to go. I'm hoping to get that one done yet tonight. I'm feeling the need for a quick nap - which, unfortunately, typically ends up a four or five hour thing. But at least I accomplished something today.

Sometimes it seems that the only time I post here is when things are going badly - but then it also seems that things are either going badly or just not going anywhere at all...

So last night at work, I found out that the manager told Omar that, even though we worked our asses off due to management mis-management, it "wasn't good enough". The manager was disappointed that, after we found out they weren't going to wax anything, we didn't continue at our breakneck speed. No, Mr Bossman, we dropped out of hyper-drive to the normal too-much-to-do-in-the-allotted-time pace. But thanks for your appreciation of our efforts due solely to your not knowing how the fuck to manage!!! So yeah, another nail in the coffin of Why I Love Working for WalMart...

I did get my 90 day performance review the other night - the highest 'score' they give on everything. They do have one higher score, but (according to other associates) they never give that to anyone so they have an incentive to work harder. Typical management logic. But it was nice to pass that milestone, because now I get the employee discount. Plus, it reminded me I'm one third of the way through to my goal of quitting come December. Which is good morale-wise, not so good when I look at the bank book. But then I've been catching up on financial things the last three months - the next three I'll be starting to build my "Drop Dead" fund. :D

And, on the way home this morning, something went wrong with the truck - the idle is extremely fast in the first 3 gears. I drove through town at 35mph and didn't even have my foot on the accelerator. Plus the 'check engine' light came on. So it's now in the shop - hopefully just a sticky accelerator plate, or some other small adjustment and not something major. At least I have the money to pay for it now.

One really nice thing - when I was on break last night (out in the truck having a smoke) I looked up and there was Roger! Roger, my 'knight in rusty armor' from the Blue Zoo. He's the guy who would fix my vehicles at work, and we always were joking around about sex things :p Bear in mind, he's got a long, long beard and even longer hair that he wears in a pony-tail - and he's my age. Our initial common ground was that we both bought junky vehicles because they were cheap :D He got his from junkyards and then fixed them to run; I bought mine from used car lots and drove them till they died. LOL So anyway, I called out to him and he came over and gave me a big bear hug, which with him means my feet were about a foot off the ground (it's been over a year since I saw him last). So we chatted for a while until I had to go back in to work, and he came in with me and started hollering hello's to all the people he knew at the store - which, apparently, added to my "prestige", being his bud and all. LOL Cool guy, really. And a very good friend.

Today is my 'one day' off - and I had so much planned! Then with the truck, it kinda took the wind out of my sails. Plus it's hot and muggy again, though not as bad as yesterday. So I just said fuck it and went to bed. Now I'm up again and trying to salvage what I can, but I think I may just work on Covenant and some other writing stuff and call it a productive day. Oh, and look through the myriad of employment sites to see if there's anything going on around the area (like that's going to happen). Mainly, if you're in the medical field somewhere, there are jobs (what with Mayo being here); otherwise, good luck, turkey! Gawd...

All in all, just another fucky day. Ain't I fun, though? :p