The Covert Operation Is Over
Now that I can break radio silence...
Last week was fairly eventful in more way than one. My future up here continues to look bleaker on more than one level. I have to make a recommendation to my boss tomorrow about how we can best serve our customers going forward on the shoestring budget we have. I could fudge it a little so that it works out to my advantage, however, that's a high-risk move and I'm not in a position where I can do something like that comfortably. This is such a pain in the ass cuz I love it up here, but, well you know how the rest of it goes. Earlier in the week, I kind of laid low. Ended up mostly just chilling in the apartment. We had rain and Thunder most of the week so that put a damper on any outdoor activities I may have wanted to do (like going to the driving range).
Thursday after work, I hopped in my trusty Dodge Durango and headed back to Massachusetts. Went out for a couple beers with my dad once I got back.
Friday was supposed to be a little more productive than it ended up being but oh well. I was planning on stopping by the Polish Hall, and St. Mary's Carnival. I was hoping to stop by my grandparents on the way up, but as I was supposed to be meeting up with someone, that didn't happen. Well, plans got kinda fudged because of the weather but by the time I had established that, Mitch Biskup had filled me up with enough Old Grand-Dad and Diet Coke that, doing anything other than getting home would have been a bad idea. But before that, I went back to The Hall to say 'adios'. A few of us made a collective ass out of ourselves as usual, but that's what we do best.
Saturday... The big day and the reason I came back to the US, Charles' 50th birthday party. But to back up a hair, I was supposed to go for coffee around 9am with she who I had made plans with the night before, but...
Since I didn't get up until 10:30, that didn't quite happen. Oops. Haven't done that in a loooong time. So I got my stuff together, went to Wendy's to get some nourishment, and headed out to Warren to play golf. My team consisted of myself, Tim and his two Brothers-in-law, John and Wally. Since I hadn't swung a club in well over a year (since 2004's Spring Fling), I was expecting the worst, but it wasn't all that bad. Our team finished only a couple strokes behind Charles' team (I suppose one could make a joke and comment they themselves are just a couple of strokes, but that's beneath me and rude. Shame on all of you for thinking that). 2nd place wasn't bad, but we'll just write that off as us not wanting to ruin the experience for him. haha. Then it was time for the consumption of alcohol and food. In that particular order and then in reverse order. Then they had a brief roast, a comedian and his brother Chipper put together this pretty damned good video. What a blast!
Sunday, I headed up to Tim and Pam's as they were having some computer issues. Usually I like to tell Tim that his computer problems lie somewhere between the chair and his keyboard, but this time it was actually an issue with his printer. So, we went to Best Buy to get a new one. I recommended the cheaper, $50 model as my experience has taught me better. But Tim ended up getting the more expensive Printer/Scanner combo. It was actually a good deal. So we got that set up and running, him and Pam filled me with food and drink, we hung out briefly, then it was back on the road.
It took only about 4 1/2 hours to get from Haverhill to my place which wasn't bad at all. The only problem is that again, the drive is beginning to get annoying. 4 1/2 hours isn't bad, even the 5 1/2 it takes to and from Chicopee isn't bad comparitively, but knowing I'm heading back into the hornet's nest work has been lately, it's not so good. It's like, hmm, I could just stay down here and continue the good times or go through the rigors of a wicked long drive to face what appears to be my impending doom. But, that's life for ya.
So that brings us to this week... I actually had the opportunity to go to Wildwood this week. Lenny needed someone to travel with Richie Tokarz and well, that would have made the trip financially doable for me. However, when I opened up my email this morning, one of the first things I had the 'pleasure' of seeing was that we have a couple meetings this week to discuss where things are headed. As a result, I won't be going to Wildwood.
Aside from the usual stuff, Friday is a Provincial Holiday, so I'll have a day off then. The following Friday is also a day off. 3 4-day work weeks isn't such a bad thing. But getting through the 4 days will be the challenge. Again, it's not quite as bad as it may sound. If I were living in a place where if I was downsized, I could just collect until I found another job I'd have no problem at all. But, here, if I get downsized, not only do I have to deal with the unemployment thing, but I have to pack my shit up and get out of town. And with the long drive, that's not exactly a cheap notion.
I'll be updating the blog a little more frequently this week. I was unable to update it truthfully last week without giving away Saturday's surprise so rather than fill your minds with the fine deception that I am capable of, I chose to lay low. As it looks now, my next trip back will be for the annual party on July 9.
Last week was fairly eventful in more way than one. My future up here continues to look bleaker on more than one level. I have to make a recommendation to my boss tomorrow about how we can best serve our customers going forward on the shoestring budget we have. I could fudge it a little so that it works out to my advantage, however, that's a high-risk move and I'm not in a position where I can do something like that comfortably. This is such a pain in the ass cuz I love it up here, but, well you know how the rest of it goes. Earlier in the week, I kind of laid low. Ended up mostly just chilling in the apartment. We had rain and Thunder most of the week so that put a damper on any outdoor activities I may have wanted to do (like going to the driving range).
Thursday after work, I hopped in my trusty Dodge Durango and headed back to Massachusetts. Went out for a couple beers with my dad once I got back.
Friday was supposed to be a little more productive than it ended up being but oh well. I was planning on stopping by the Polish Hall, and St. Mary's Carnival. I was hoping to stop by my grandparents on the way up, but as I was supposed to be meeting up with someone, that didn't happen. Well, plans got kinda fudged because of the weather but by the time I had established that, Mitch Biskup had filled me up with enough Old Grand-Dad and Diet Coke that, doing anything other than getting home would have been a bad idea. But before that, I went back to The Hall to say 'adios'. A few of us made a collective ass out of ourselves as usual, but that's what we do best.
Saturday... The big day and the reason I came back to the US, Charles' 50th birthday party. But to back up a hair, I was supposed to go for coffee around 9am with she who I had made plans with the night before, but...
Since I didn't get up until 10:30, that didn't quite happen. Oops. Haven't done that in a loooong time. So I got my stuff together, went to Wendy's to get some nourishment, and headed out to Warren to play golf. My team consisted of myself, Tim and his two Brothers-in-law, John and Wally. Since I hadn't swung a club in well over a year (since 2004's Spring Fling), I was expecting the worst, but it wasn't all that bad. Our team finished only a couple strokes behind Charles' team (I suppose one could make a joke and comment they themselves are just a couple of strokes, but that's beneath me and rude. Shame on all of you for thinking that). 2nd place wasn't bad, but we'll just write that off as us not wanting to ruin the experience for him. haha. Then it was time for the consumption of alcohol and food. In that particular order and then in reverse order. Then they had a brief roast, a comedian and his brother Chipper put together this pretty damned good video. What a blast!
Sunday, I headed up to Tim and Pam's as they were having some computer issues. Usually I like to tell Tim that his computer problems lie somewhere between the chair and his keyboard, but this time it was actually an issue with his printer. So, we went to Best Buy to get a new one. I recommended the cheaper, $50 model as my experience has taught me better. But Tim ended up getting the more expensive Printer/Scanner combo. It was actually a good deal. So we got that set up and running, him and Pam filled me with food and drink, we hung out briefly, then it was back on the road.
It took only about 4 1/2 hours to get from Haverhill to my place which wasn't bad at all. The only problem is that again, the drive is beginning to get annoying. 4 1/2 hours isn't bad, even the 5 1/2 it takes to and from Chicopee isn't bad comparitively, but knowing I'm heading back into the hornet's nest work has been lately, it's not so good. It's like, hmm, I could just stay down here and continue the good times or go through the rigors of a wicked long drive to face what appears to be my impending doom. But, that's life for ya.
So that brings us to this week... I actually had the opportunity to go to Wildwood this week. Lenny needed someone to travel with Richie Tokarz and well, that would have made the trip financially doable for me. However, when I opened up my email this morning, one of the first things I had the 'pleasure' of seeing was that we have a couple meetings this week to discuss where things are headed. As a result, I won't be going to Wildwood.
Aside from the usual stuff, Friday is a Provincial Holiday, so I'll have a day off then. The following Friday is also a day off. 3 4-day work weeks isn't such a bad thing. But getting through the 4 days will be the challenge. Again, it's not quite as bad as it may sound. If I were living in a place where if I was downsized, I could just collect until I found another job I'd have no problem at all. But, here, if I get downsized, not only do I have to deal with the unemployment thing, but I have to pack my shit up and get out of town. And with the long drive, that's not exactly a cheap notion.
I'll be updating the blog a little more frequently this week. I was unable to update it truthfully last week without giving away Saturday's surprise so rather than fill your minds with the fine deception that I am capable of, I chose to lay low. As it looks now, my next trip back will be for the annual party on July 9.
posted by Surviving In The Burbs at 6/20/2005 07:41:00 AM
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