Category: Uncategorized

The Bright Side

For the first 36 years of my life I was the undisputed king of pessimism. The glass wasn’t half empty, the glass was bone dry.

Then I met Jen. Slowly but surely my attitude toward everything changed. It was all her fault of course. Who knew that being nuts in love could affect your outlook on life and give you a sunnier disposition?

I’m going to have a super stressful day at work today. It’s going to be uber painful. Then this morning we had car trouble. Uh oh!

But this isn’t the old Rob, this is the new improved Rob. The issue with the car is being resolved lightning quick, Jen is coming to the rescue, but it does mean the kids and I have a few extra minutes at home this morning. Just enough time for me to shave off the two weeks of beard that had spawned on my face.

See? That’s me looking on the bright side. I’ve taken a negative and turned it into a positive! I’m not even remotely upset about the car situation. Instead I’m happy about getting to see Jen for an extra few seconds today, and not having an insanely itchy face anymore.

Rob is feeling positive. Who knew?

10th

I had to go to our building in Canton this morning for a meeting. It was FREEZING in there. When I got back to Westwood it was too hot. There was also a card on my desk congratulating me on my 10th anniversary. It was signed by the top people.

I appreciate it, even if my 10th anniversary does for some reason fill me with a sense of impending doom.

Why is that?

Cellar Reclamation Project Phase Whatever Number it’s On

The cellar cleanup recommenced today. So far we’ve got one full trash barrel, one very small, very dead garter snake that looked like it had been there for years, and the spider population has been reduced by six.

Progress!

Market Basket

We drove past the Market Basket warehouse/headquarters in Tewksbury this morning at about 6:30. There were employees picketing at three different spots on both sides of the street. There were police officers at the truck entrance and it looked like only Ryder trucks were getting in.

I am amazed at the awesomeness of this whole movement.

First, as a former union guy it’s nice to see the workers standing up for themselves. This case is very different though. They aren’t asking for more money. When was the last time you saw anything like this that wasn’t related to money? That alone is kind of heartwarming. Also, this isn’t just the workers, it’s the management too. That is amazing, but even more it’s the customers. It’s not a strike. Staff are still showing up to work. The stores are empty though, as the customers are staying away in droves.

The sad thing is, I don’t see that this will amount to anything. I think the best they can hope for is that the company gets sold. Maybe Artie T will be given his job back (or something similar) after a sale happens. Can the workforce really hope for more than that? The board is not going to just put him back in place, are they? How could they? I also read about all of the store management staff threatening to quit and I can’t help but think that few if any of them are going to be able to get new jobs.

What I hope comes out of this is that Artie T becomes a role model for CEOs. This is a guy who stood by his employees when they needed him. He treated is people like human beings and showed them the respect that they deserved. Now that the tables have turned, those people are returning the favor and standing by him. In our ridiculous little greed-fest of a society, that is flat out stunning.

I just hope it all works out without a shit load of people losing their jobs. Fingers crossed.

50/90 Needs to Get Rolling Again

My guitar is sitting next to the fireplace, begging for me to start working on 50/90 again. I want to get back to work. I have a whole bunch of stuff on my iPad that I came up with while vacationing. There’s lots to do.

Still…

I cut the grass today. There ain’t much get up and go left in me.

Maybe a nap first. Maybe 48 hours or so.

10 Years

Today was my first day at work as a 10 year employee. No one noticed. Thankfully.

When I was in Junior High I started a part time, under the table job. I stayed in that job until I was in my mid-twenties. 13 years, if memory serves. That was the longest I ever stuck with anything. Through most of my younger adult life I had a short shelf life. A few years doing something and I lost the ability to continue. I had to go do something else. Staying in a job for 10 years now seems like a monumental achievement. I’m still waiting to hit the proverbial wall though.

Getting married changed the thought process a little. I can gladly, gleefully, commit the rest of my life to my wife, but that is easy. I love her so much that being with her comes naturally. It would be wrong to not be with her, which is the opposite of how I am going to feel professionally when the wall comes. I don’t know how to explain it.

I guess what I’m trying to say is, work makes me feel old.