Times are a-changin'
I have a new job.
I worked at my last job (we'll say it was at a credit union because that's less confusing than trying to explain what I actually did) for 12 years, four of those close to home and the other eight for the same company an hour away in Grand Rapids. I could easily spend the next hour writing about how much I loved my job and the people I worked with. Man, did I love the people I worked with. But rising gas prices and an uncertain future (again, a topic I could write a lot about) led me to leave.
My friend Alan, who I once worked with at the "credit union," recommended National City Bank to me. He said the people were great, the job was taxing but reasonable, and the pay was solid. Most important were the hours: I'd be home most days no later than 5:30 pm. That was huge to me, because when I was commuting an hour back and forth to Grand Rapids I often wouldn't get home until 8:15. That's just enough time to eat dinner and say good night to my kids. In addition, I worked a lot of Saturdays.
So I've worked at National City for about four weeks now. The people ARE great, the job seems reasonable, and the pay is pretty good. I love the hours. Whereas I once felt like I had about 4 hours of every day to myself, I now have 7 or 8. We're saving a ton of money on gas, even though it's gone from about $3.20 a gallon to $2.40 a gallon (go figure). Plenty of benefits, all in all.
But I really, really miss my old co-workers. With the exception of my boss, the rest of us were a close-knit group that had fun at work and outside of work. I look at the group of people at my new job and it's obvious: it's not going to be like that at all. I don't DISLIKE anyone I work with at National City, but as long as the current group of people is there, I'm going to go to work every day, do my job, and go home.
Here's a good example of what my old job was like. When I left, I had planned a party for my college graduation (I graduated in May). Several of my former co-workers (one of whom had been gone for five years) and their families drove the hour-plus to my parents' house where the party was located. We used to listen to the radio at work all the time, and we all had songs we liked, didn't like, would sing out loud, make fun of, whatever. Well, they made me a CD with about 12 of those songs on it. Different songs make me think of each of them for one reason or another. Pretty cool, eh?
I miss that. A lot.
I feel like sh-t
Wow, it's been a year since I've posted here.
The only reason I'm doing it now is because it's 4:21 in the morning and I can't sleep. I can't sleep because I can't stop thinking about something that happened at my daughter's birthday party today.
My wife and I were at a park with a few of my five (soon to be six) year old's friends and cousins. Suddenly, one of the girls that was there with us came over from the playground, crying. She had fallen off the merry-go-round, and she was in bad shape. Turns out, she broke her collarbone. As if that's not bad enough, her parents had a trip planned to Disneyworld. Now they can't go.
I didn't see what happened. One of the other kids said that someone was pushing really fast, and the little girl fell off. To me, it doesn't really matter what happened - she got hurt on my watch, and I'm sick about it.
Crap. Writing about it didn't help. I guess I'll try to get some sleep.
2 more down...
I've just completed my last assignment for my ECO 305 class, a paper on the current account deficit of the United States. I'm looking at getting two more 4.0's this term, and being two classes closer to my degree.
My other class, Managerial Accounting, wasn't too difficult. It wasn't all that interesting either. Truth be told, I don't like accounting the least little bit. Kind of odd, because I've always been a little bit of a numbers dork. It goes a long way towards explaining my love for baseball, which has numbers for just about everything.
I have a challenge exam on Sunday to place out of a Computer Applications class. The exam is done online (just like the rest of my classes), and if I do well enough it's one less class I have to take. School isn't cheap and I want to graduate ASAP, so I'm nervous about it. It's a 100 level class, so I think I'll do okay. If this challenge exam goes well, I'm going to try to place out of another 100 level class, Business Presentations.
For now, though, it's time for a much needed break. I'm going camping with the fam near Niagara Falls for a week. Not having to work for the next 9 days won't suck much.
Michael Jackson acquitted
Man,
being right sucks sometimes.
This is a public service announcement
Ladies, I love ya. Really. But we need to talk.
As I've said many times, I'd like to meet the person that invented those cute little tops that show off a woman's navel/small of the back (depending on whether she's a-comin' or a-goin') and shake his or her hand.
And I know it's getting hot outside -
real hot.
Well, let me get to the point. I'm sorry to have to be the one to say this, but the clothing mentioned above just isn't for everyone. And when you put it on, as many of you will, I demand that you look at yourself and your midsection in the mirror for 30 seconds.
At the end of that 30 seconds, if you see someone you'd make fun of were it not you, I'm going to have to ask you to change into something else. Because more and more, at least here in Michigan, there are lots of girls/women in complete denial. Denial is unhealthy. Accept your limitations, ladies, for the good of mankind.
Thank you. That is all.
Holy Sh-t!!!!!!!!!
Personally, I am an advocate of opening our borders and making access to our country a little more free. I understand illegal immigration is a problem, and that we live in a world where terrorism is a great threat.
This, however, makes me rethink that position. Get a load of that guy's picture, people.
Note to the attorney quoted at the end of the article: I'd push hard for insanity. I like your chances.
Sports through the eyes of maniacs
Last night two of my brothers and a couple friends came over to play poker and watch the
Pistons beat the Heat. My friends are both big Pistons fans. One of my brothers is a Heat fan; myself and my other brother, along with my wife, watched the game impartially.
Before the game, the guys who are Pistons fans explained that there was a conspiracy afoot to put the Heat in the NBA Finals. The NBA would benefit greatly from having Shaquille O'Neal and Dwayne Wade on center stage, as opposed to the workmanlike group that is the Pistons. Additionally, they argued, the money made by the NBA and commissioner David Stern for a Heat-Spurs final would be immense.
First of all, I'm not naive enough to believe that there are no conspiracies in sports. I know people lie, cheat, rig games, etc. But games in the NBA would have to be rigged in one of the following ways:
1) The referees are paid to influence the outcome. The league (as my friends suggest), a team/owner or player(s), or an outside source would be the most likely culprits.
2) A player or players decide to throw the game. Issues like this come up from time to time mainly in
college athletics.
3) A coach/manager (i.e. Pete Rose) plays to lose or not cover the spread.
Now, we can eliminate #2 and #3 right off the bat as far as last night and this series goes. No one has played to lose in the Heat-Pistons battles. So, is there any truth to the notion that David Stern and/or the NBA tried to keep the Pistons out of the Finals?
No.
What my pals fail to grasp is this: the NBA and Stern are doing just fine, thank you. As of 2003, the most recent data I could find without trying hard, Stern made $8 million dollars in annual salary.
Even if you think Stern is the biggest dumbass of all time (and if you do, you should look in the mirror first), it's pretty tough to think he's dumb enough to risk his personal fortune and
his league's credibility by fixing games or influencing referees.
And make no mistake: if such a thing took place, was discovered, and made public, fans would run from the NBA like it was a building on fire.
Of course, to people like my friends (and others, make no mistake), none of this matters. They're just rabid, irrational, crazy fans that couldn't stand the thought of their team losing. I'll say this - it
is kinda fun to watch games with them, though.
