gobbledygook

Hello there, regular readers. I still get a few visitors daily, much to my surprise. (It's a pleasant surprise.) At the rate I'm going, you can probably stop by once every two weeks and catch up on anything on my blog. I do feel a little bad that I don't have anything interesting for you. But on the other hand, it means that you don't have to spend much time here.

My work shift has changed and now I'm not able to attend daily mass. Nor am I able to visit my spiritual director. Hopefully I won't make a habit of that.

It's not been pretty on the home front. As you well know, if you are ready for a change and the other folks around you are not, the result is usually much tension and maybe some chaos.

Not sure yet where I'm going with my job. It currently consumes my life. But due to inertia, change doesn't happen until I get a a huge whack on the head that says it's time to change directions. Wish I could tell you about my job and share the misery, but that's rather privy info. I believe today's terminology would be "to suck it up" which is more swaggering than "to grin and bear it."

I do have a personal rule: no whining. If you're not going to do anything about it, then shut up already. So pretty soon you won't hear too much more about the job from hell. ( And yes, whining is a major pet peeve of mine. Venting is ok - that's a one-time event. But whining knows no end. )

I really should take my butt to bed, but perhaps one game of websudoku won't hurt.

bummer

Took my first shot at the CCNA exam today. Didn't pass. Needed 849 score and I got 737. Good thing the company paid for it. It'd hurt much worse if the cost of the test came out of my pocket.

back to the drawing board ...

timeless

Of all my college books, about the only one that I pull back out from time to time is the Oxford Anthology of English Literature. Though I don't own one, I do also love the Little, Brown Handbook. And is there anyone who has not read the Elements of Style by William Strunk, Jr.? Anyhow, here's one piece from the anthology:

Sonnets of William Shakespeare

XXIX.
When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes,
I all alone beweep my outcast state
And trouble deal heaven with my bootless cries
And look upon myself and curse my fate,
Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
Featured like him, like him with friends possess'd,
Desiring this man's art and that man's scope,
With what I most enjoy contented least;
Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,
Haply I think on thee, and then my state,
Like to the lark at break of day arising
From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate
For thy sweet love remember'd such wealth brings
That then I scorn to change my state with kings.

it sucks

Ok, so it's not grueling physical labor, but it still sucks. I worked until 10 p.m. Thursday and Friday. Friday morning, I was so tired, I apparently turned off my alarm clock and went back to bed. I don't remember doing that, but it must have happened. I woke up to my secondary alarm at 7 a.m. Thank goodness for redundant systems. Anyway, so I missed mass on Friday. Did I stop working at 10pm because I was caught up? Noooooooooo. I stopped because I ain't working past 10. Mind you, I'm supposed to be off at 6. I'm still not caught up and the stuff keeps rolling in - a new pile of stuff every day and folks wanting their stuff taken care of.

It's a constant race against the clock. From the moment I start in the morning until I quit, I'm in front of a computer working as fast as I can. I am forced to break to use the restroom, other than that, it's constant. Can I stop and have a conversation with a co-worker? Not if we both are trying to stay on top of things.

There are some others working late with me. One of them said something to the effect of "No way am I going to lose this job." So I'm thinking that guy must know something I don't. My last job was 43% more money for probably 43% less work. Again, I'll just have to stick it out and see how things goes. Maybe as I get better at it, I won't have to put in so many extra hours. I ain't no friggin quitter. However, if it doesn't get better by end of August, I'm going to make plans to walk.

Today, Pooh and I will go see Mission Impossible and run some errands.

Go Spurs!

week in review

A moment of prayer for vocations ... (pause) ...

ok

I decided to go with the 6:45 a.m. weekday mass mainly due to traffic--it's so much better at six-something in the morning. So for weekday mass I'm actually at the parish I prefer. Ideally I would study in the time between end of mass and start of my shift, but most of the time it's half study because I'm half asleep.

It so happens that this particular parish has a school. One morning I heard the announcements, given by two students. Whether I can hear it or not depends on the parking lot I choose. Being a visitor, I had unwittingly chosen that parking lot that day. Anyhow, the first kid led the Our Father then Hail Mary and Glory Be. The second kid did the Pledge of Allegience (and actually, an adult did the announcements). Wow, now that's a good wholesome start to a day. It gave me a warm feeling inside, a little nostalgia and a lot of confidence that these kids are in good hands. I never got the prayers in school as a kid, but I certainly did the Pledge.

Friday morning I entertained the thought of missing mass. Then it occurred to me that it's first Friday and in truth, other than mass, I wouldn't be doing anything special to commemorate the day. So I got my butt up and made it to mass.

I'm not liking my new job. But there are really intelligent people at the job, so there must be a good reason to stick around. So I guess I need to stick around and find out what that reason is. Also, if I were to move in with the Dominicans, I'd be a mere few minutes from the job. Gotta leave some room for those dreams.

I didn't do didly squat yesterday. I don't want to do anything today either, but I'm going to have to. I did go to mass and did my volunteer thing, but I'm definitely not on the positive kick I usually am on when I'm at my parish. I didn't even really make an effort to give my pastor a hug (usually you have to wait in line--that's the "effort"). I'm just not a happy camper, but I'll make it.