Working With Immaturity

So help me, I for the life of cannot understand the "boys" I work with. I use the term "boys" because these are grown, adult men who act like boys. They maturity level leaves a lot to be desired. It's as if they never grew up. They play games, act as if nothing really matters, will try their best to just be aggravating all the while aggravating everyone in their general vicinity, and then they think it's so funny. One instance is just dropping something in the floor to make noise. They do this and actually think it's funny. Huh? I don't get it. What's even sadder is that all these guys are married with kids of their own. Rather than trying to set some kind of good example for their kids, they let the kids set the example for them. The kids actually show more maturity and responsibility. This is one reason I look forward each and every day until the time I can retire. It's absurd to the inth degree.

Back to the Daily Grind

I went back to work Monday after over two weeks off. Honestly, it wasn't as bad as I had expected, at least from a work standpoint. From a mental standpoint it was as devastating as I had thought it would be. Retirement looks more appealing all the while. Get me outta here!

Dazed and Confused

I finally have gotten over the pneumonia although it did take longer than I would have expected. I return to work tomorrow and I can't say I'm looking forward to it in any shape, form, or fashion. Not only will I be two weeks behind in my work, but having to go back and deal with the stress and pressure is a killer. The bad part about it is that it's all so unnessary. It's the people that make it stressful, not the job itself. Of course, I have this to be true in any number of situations. This is the number reason I don't like dealing with people at all

Not A Good Week

Spent four days in the hospital last week with pneumonia. I think it was as much of a surprise to my doctor as to me. When she came into the room she had this look of shock on her face. This was the first time I have ever been in the hospital for anything and I must say I didn't like it even a little bit. There were breathing treatments, blood takings, vital signs taking, and it was at all hours of the day and night. They were not shy coming in at 3:00 AM to get a blood sample.
At any rate, I'm at home now, feeling better but still not 100%. I have to go back to the doctor on Tuesday to have yet another X-ray and see how things are going. The doctors at the hospital advised me that next year I should not only get a flu shot, but a pneumonia shot as well. After this experience, I have no doubts that I will heed their advice.

Summer's Gone

I once had a Kink's album which had a song called "Summer's Gone". I loved the song but for the life of me can't remember what the title of the album was. They have always been my favorite group anyway. I once even stood outside the Fox Theatre in Atlanta until 4:00 AM waiting on Ray Davies to come out so I could shake his hand. All the rest of the group came out earlier and their drummer had a beer which he dropped and the bottle broke. I scarfed up the top of the bottle and kept it for years as reminder. By the way, Ray Davies did eventually come out and I did get to talk with him and shake his hand which at the time was the highlight of my life. Looking back on it, I am amazed at how silly we were when that age.

My Life, One More Chapter

Life is getting more and more difficult to handle each and every day. I have to work very hard to keep any kind of positive attitude as I am surrounded by negativity, especially at work. There are those in my work place that never can say a word about anything in a positive way. It's gotten to the point I don't want to talk to them even though I have no choice. I could go to them and say "you've just been awarded the highest salary in the company" and they would complain that it just meant they would have to pay more taxes. Unfortunately, their negativity has a tendency to rub off on others around them so that the entire group tends to have a negative attitude and outlook. It must be be a sad person with a sad life to not only be miserable yourself, but to want to make everyone you come in contact as miserable as you are.

What The Hell?

It seems that daily my life soars out of control both at work and at home. I wonder why I can't seem to get any control over even the most mundane things. Could it be that I am truly insane? At times I think so. Things that seem to come so easy to everyone else seem to become a test for me. I try to make some sense of things but the logic escapes me. God help me! I am lost!

Crikey!

Hey, it's been a lousy week, a lousy month, and for all purposes, a lousy year. This has been the year of the buzzard as far as I'm concerned. I can barely wait until it's over. I can only hope that next year is better. Right now, my mood is just shoot me!

Progress

After the surgery the ear is healing up nicely. I hope I never have to go through that again although there is that possibility. Funny though, even though I've been through all this I still have a problem with hats and sunscreen. I don't understand why they want to make most products like this with a scent that smells like you're at the beach. The ones that claim to have no scent really do, it's just not the "at the beach" scent. Another problem I have with them is that they have the tendency to burn the crap out of your eyes if you sweat. This is doubly irritating for me as I wear contacts. The only product that I have found that doesn't burn my eyes is one made by Coppertone called Sport. It doesn't smell like a coconut and doesn't seem to burn my eyes. Still, it has a kinda greasy feeling which I am not fond of either, but I have to deal with it. Life goes on.

Nail In Tire Trick

Went to Target yesterday only to come out and find my left front tire flat. Of course it was pouring rain. Par for the course. To make matters worse, I have only changed a tire on my car one time previously, so it was get out the little owner's manual. By the time I got the tire changed and was ready to hit the road I was soaking wet and in less than a happy mood. This is the second time in about a month that I have had a nail in a tire on my car. The other time it was a bolt. I'm beginning to have some serious thoughts that this crap may be coming from work. The morons I work with don't give a thought about picking up anything they may drop in the parking lot. I can only hope, if this is the case, that one of them gets a bolt in their tire. Of course, this ain't gonna happen. I just don't have that kind of luck.

Another Week

Again nothing unusual going on. Get up, go to work, come home, watch TV or read, go to bed, and back to work. I heard a song once and the lyric was "all life we work and work is a bore. If life's for living what's living for?". Somehow I understand and relate to this on a large scale. At times I feel my life is passing me by and I'm standing still. Maybe it's one of those things that's all in my mind, but at times it seems real. Why am I here and what the hell am I doing? I really don't know. Age old question I know but in my mind a valid one.

Another Lost Wednesday

And so here I sit on another Wednesday night. Normally my wife has her little church thing and choir practice tonight. During the summer they don't have dinner at church so she comes home to eat and just sit around until choir practice. Oh joy! What this means is that I have to sit here and wait until she goes before I can really do anything I'd like to do. I know it sounds selfish, but I feel that I give her all the time she needs to do what she wants or likes to do. Why should I have to give up what I like to do for three months out of the year just because she doesn't have to eat at the church? She could visit her Mother or Dad. She could visit friends, but no. She has to come home to make sure I'm not doing something I shouldn't be doing whatever that may be. I've even tried to talk to her about it but she acts so hurt and defensive. All an act, me thinks. So, until I can come up with something different, my Wednesday nights are only mine nine out of 12 months.

Sunscreen, Anyone?

Had an appointment with my dermotologist on Friday afternoon. Not as pleasant as I had hoped. I had a place behind my ear (which is why I went to begin with) which he said was basic cell carcinoma, which is actually a type of skin cancer. It's the least serious of any type of skin cancer you can get but there's just something about the word "cancer" that is very sobering. He cut the place off but wants me to see another specialist who does some kind of special treatment just to make sure the thing is completely gone and won't return. It's not the type of cancer that will get in your bloodstream, but it's still not to be taken lightly. At he very least, it's made me rethink the sunbathing and sunscreen. I have not been one to really slop on the sunscreen nor have I been one to wear a hat. I think that's all about to change.

This Week

This week hasn't been, typically, any different than any other. It's been dull and boring and much too much routine. You know, get up, go to work, return home, eat, sleep, and back to work. The life of most of the mundane little people of the world. This is all the while the well to doer's enjoy their life. I'd like to enjoy mine but without cash, it's not all that easy to do. Anyone got any suggestions? Just let me know.

Upcoming Week

Well, the sister-in-law lands Monday and already everyone is drooling to be at her feet. After the way she has treated everyone I don't know why. I told my wife if they don't want her acting like a queen, stop treating her like one. She, nor does anyone else, have to jump everytime this chick says frog. They all complain about how shitty she treats everyone and looks down her nose at everyone, but you can bet the farm that they'll all be there everytime she shows her snooty nose. I, myself, don't give a rat's ass if I see her or not. She's so selfish with the "the world revolves around me" attitude I can't handle it. If we ever get around her, she's the number one topic of conversation and she makes sure of it. Sound bitter? I suppose, but I just have a lot of problems handling the "I am better than thou" attitude.

The Rant

There is a web site that I, at one time, really liked to read. It's called "Capitol Hill Blue". It's a political web site and at the time they didn't take sides. They were pretty independent. Lately, and this isn't a problem for me, they have leaned more left than right. What my problem is is that the guy who operates the site, Doug Thompson, seems to have fallen into some kind of funk where all he does is criticize about other bloggers and rants as to how they don't have the intelligence or right to even be on the internet. In other words he has a very self righteous attitude as if he's the only site who should comment on anything related to news and politics. Every day there is some "rant" about how much better he and his site are than any others including "Daily Kos" and "The Raw Story". I don't read the "Daily Kos" much, but I do read "Raw Story" and in my own opinion, it has become a much better site than "Capitol Hill Blue". It's too bad that he's taken what was once one of my favorite sites and turned it into his own pulpit for promoting himself.

Wednesday, Oh Wednesday!

At least I have my internet connection back. It went out Sunday and I went into a panic. Funny how at one time there was no such thing as internet and now I go into cold turkey if mine goes out. Anyway, they came out this morning and determined it was a faulty modem. At least it was that simple. I always fear it's going to be some unsolvable things that means I am without my computer for days or even weeks. I know it sounds like some kind of social disease, but I can't help it. I am a computer addict and I love being so. Sometimes, it can be detrimental to my mental health especially when I do something stupid to screw my computer up. Then I curse myself and wonder why I messed with it at all. But, then I go back and will do the same thing over and over. What can I say, I am a tinkerer.

Wednesday Redux

What the hell? Is my life just destined to be shitty from now to the end of time? This week has been just a series of negative happenings. I have made every attempt I can to make things come out right but to no avail. I need help. Where to turn? Anyone out there who gives a damn?

A Not So Good Week

This has been a less than good week for me. I think the wife and I have agreed on two or three things the entire week, work is a bore, and I washed my car on Friday because I felt it safe to do so as it hadn't rained in two weeks. Well, it began raining on me coming home from work Friday afternoon and did not stop until about mid-day Saturday. So, the car looks as if I never touched it. Par for the course!
My problem with work, as I've said a thousand times, it that I am simply burned out. I've been there too long and the importance of and excitement from the job are long gone. Unfortunately for me, I am stuck there for at least five and a half more years. No where to go. My wife's family all live here (with the exception of her sister who recently moved to Flordia). At least she got away from the powerful grip of the family. I know they must be breathing a sigh of relief. My wife wouldn't move away from her family if her life depended on it. So, I am stuck. I wonder how many others have the same or a similar situation? Probably more than anyone knows.

Back from Florida

Well, the sister-in-law and her family are now in Florida, much to the dismay off all the rest of the family. This is actually the only time since I married into this family that anyone from the intermediate family has moved any further away that about 60 miles. It will be a big change for everyone and will take a while to readjust, there's no doubt. But, I'm sure that in time everyone will adjust. It's just not going to be an easy adjustment for some of them.

Car Repairs

As I figured, the truck turned out to be more of a pain than at first thought. Mainly because the dealer told me he would have it ready the same afternoon I brought it in. Turns out they either didn't have some bracket they needed or had the wrong bracket. Of course they could not possibly get the right bracket until late in the afternoon and the truck would most likely be ready the next morning. Surprise, surprise! So, it ended up that they did get the bracket and did call right around lunch to come and get it. While there I decided to have some extra keys made for my Xterra. This also became a 45 minute ordeal because at first the guy at the counter didn't make keys so they had to locate the guy who did. Once there he had problems in deciding which key was mine even though I had the tag they gave me when I bought the car. Finally, after several minutes of trying to find it on the computer he noticed I had the tag which had the key number on it (I had told him this when he first asked me if he could help me).
Anyway, so he takes the tag, types the number in a computer and lo! there it is. All he has to do is insert a blank key in the machine and the computer does the rest. And, as if to add insult to injury, the keys cost a mere $4.50 each. So, at least I have the keys and the new bumper on the car. It's over and done with and hopefully I won't have to do anything like this for a long, long time.

Non-Event Wednesday

It's been a non-event week with the exception of taking my truck to the local Nissan dealer to get the bumper replaced because some dork who was recuperating from an all night drinking binge backed into it and mashed the hell out of my fender. It was almost worth not doing it at all once the estimates were gotten and having to set up an appointment, then the actual taking it for the repair. This alone costs me valuable leave time off at work. And all because this guy can't control his drinking. I can't either but at least I stay at home and don't put my ass behind the wheel. Anyway, it's over now and it's on to the next tragedy.

Sunday Is As Sunday Was

Not much going on. I don't have to go into work tomorrow which is a blessing in itself. Otherwise, the most I've done this holiday weekend is to go help my sister-in-law get some junk out of her attic. Doesn't sound terribly exciting but being the pervert I am, at least I got a shot of her butt as she was climbing up the ladder. The down side was that there was a ton of stuff up there and it was hot as hell. They are moving to Orlando in a few weeks and it has the entire family shaken. They're the type family that has always been pretty close and this is the first time one of them has moved any further than about 50 miles away and even that ended up with them moving back here. It is going to be rather sad and it's going to take a long time to adjust. Socially, we are quite tied to them. Every time I think about it seriously, the cliche "nothing lasts forever" comes to mind and I hate that slogan with a passion. Maybe it's my romantic side, but I have to feel things last forever. If not, why get involved to begin with? This is just a shot to my system. I'll adjust in time, as will everyone else. How much time is the question.

Another Wensday, For Joy

OK, so I don't lead a terribly exciting life. So, how many people out there lead the same type of life? All of us don't lead a sex filled life of excitement and wonder. I get up, go to work every day and return home to the TV and a life of boredom. I've tried to change it, but it's nothing short of a challenge. Correct me if I'm wrong, but how many of you lead an exciting life full of fun and games?

The Week That Was

It all began last Sunday. I left home to go to a Mother's Day dinner and when I returned my once operating computer has an error message saying something to the effect that my hard drive was operating out of its normal parameters or something to that effect. I tried to reboot it to no avail. I thought at first that I might have gotten a virus of some type that wouldn't let me reboot. I tried everything I know to get it operating again but ran up against a brick wall. On Monday I took it to my local computer repair wizards. Ended up being my hard drive totally died. I quite a few photos I had taken on our last vacation not to mention several programs that I downloaded that I don't have a disk to recover from. Anyway, finally, after being told a hundred different stories about when I could expect it back, Thursday I got my computer back. I have spent the last three days reloading my programs and software. It has taught me a valuable lesson about backing up my information and programs, not to mention a couple of hundred bucks to get the hard drive replaced.

Mother's Day Weekend

It's been a somewhat interesting weekend so far. Last night (Saturday) we went out to eat with the Father-in-law, the Stepson, and his pregnant girlfriend. The Father-in-law spent a good deal of the night making some reference that I was the father of the child. Why? I have no idea other than he thought it funny. Later, he made some remark about her wanting me as her dog on a leash. I didn't say anything but at first thought, that's absurd. He was being so vulgar that I told her that at least he wasn't saying anything about me humping her leg. Even as I was saying this I was getting this visual image of me humping her leg and in my perverted mind thinking "hey, what's the problem?". So can you blame me. She's 19, has big hooters, and a nice buns. I'm considered by many to be ancient. I know it's really sick, but, trust me, this is exactly how the male mind works. Even at funerals men are checking out the females. I know because I've broached the subject with the men I work with. We're all sick. What else can I say?

The Day Before Monday

Once again it's Sunday and I find myself sitting here trying to think of something to post to my blog. I lead a rather normal and mundale life so it's not as if there's excitement abounding all the time. Between work and taking of the vehicles and home there's not a lot of room to do much of anything else. It doesn't help that gas prices have once again skyrocketed and I feel a certain amount of guilt at going anywhere. The thing that bugs me about the gas situation is I never seem to hear a real reason for the price increases. There's always some lame reason such as the "concern over the situation in Iran" or "that there may be a shortage" because of this or that or something or other. Then I read that Exxon has record profits and they paid one of their CEO's or managers or whatever $400 million when he retired. Well, in my mind, guess who's paying for this bozo's retirement? But, I don't know what the solution is. The President and our useless Congress want to have this investigation or that committee look into price gouging or oil company profits but it's all a sham. They're all bought and paid for and we suffer. When will it end? Once the average American wakes up and decides enough is enough. When will this be? Not any time soon, I'm afraid.

This Week So Far

This week has been a really good one for me. At home and at work it's as if nothing can go wrong. I caution myself to not get to caught up in it as there is always tomorrow and the threat of shit hitting the fan at any moment. But, for now, all is well. I am at peace.

Blackberry Winter

It has gotten almost fall-like here these days. Lows in the upper 40's and highs only in the mid 70's. Here it is called Blackberry Winter as this only occurs when blackberry bushes are blooming. Usually the heat has already been turned off and the air conditioners are going strong or the windows are up. The blankets have been put away for the summer and of course, you wake up freezing with only a sheet and/or a bedspread for cover. So, you put a blanket back on the bed and that's good for a few nights. Next thing you know you wake up sweating as the tempearture has gone back to normal. This, along with enough pollen in the air to choke a horse, and it's life in the south.

Chipmonk Hunt

Here's the scoop. I have spent almost 30 minutes chasing a chipmonk around our bedroom. Our cat brought it in as he has several other animals. I finally caught this one in the trash can and let it go outside. I have had only one other cat in my lifetime and am constantly surprised and amazed at what this one bring to us. It's incredible! He's so proud and we are so shocked! Sometimes I think he thinks it's all very amusing. I don't.

Another Week Down The Tubes

Not a bad week, as weeks go. Things went pretty well for me at home as well as at work. I only hope it stays this way. One of my deep reservations is whether we will be able to go anywhere on vacation this year. With gas prices increasing daily it's really doubtful at this time even though I could use some time off drastically. What really pisses me off is that we may not be able to take a vacation while Exxon is paying one of their executives $400 million retirement. I think it's time our congressmen and president did an all out investigation of all the oil companies. They're ripping us a new one and don't even feel any guilt. In fact, they seem to be flaunting it!

Easter Sunday

There are two holidays which I have problems with, to a certain extent. Easter and Christmas. As both of these are supposed to be religious days how did the Easter bunny and Santa Claus get involved. Neither of them had jack diddly to do with the actual reason for the day. Don't get me wrong, I don't oppose either. I just don't understand it. True, I haven't done much homework in regards to either one, but just logically I am confused. How do we keep getting things like the Easter bunny and Santa Claus attached to what is supposed to be a religious day and eventually they come to mean more than the actual reason for the day? This has always been a question in my mind.

Saturday Shopping

As it was raining yesterday and I couldn't do my soon to be usual weekend mowing the lawn, I went shopping with my wife. That is an experience in itself. It's incredible to me how we can go on vacation somewhere and she gets tired of walking or doing but shopping there's no limit to the amount of energy she has. By the end of the day my feet were killing me and just to sit down was like a pleasure like none other. She can go from store to store look and re-look and re-look again and never tire. Meanwhile, I am wanting to cut my legs off below the knee as my feet are killing me. I wake up the next day with sore muscles I never knew I had. But, I try to be the good sport as I know she's enjoying herself and that's what matters.

Tuesday Lunch

Attended a luncheon today for a coworker who's leaving. Thing is that she won't be missed. This is one of the most loud, obnoxious, inconsiderate, people I have even known. She thinks her comfort is all that matters regarding the heating and air conditioning and thinks her position is much more important than it really is. This woman is not in touch with anything like reality. No one will miss her and that in itself is sad. She thinks the world revolves around her.

Lazy Sunday

I haven't gotten much of anything accomplished so far this weekend and likely won't. There are many things I need to do but I find at times that it is quite difficult to work all week in a pretty stressful job and then want to come home and work all weekend. I need the time to unwind and regroup. This is nice in theory but in reality there aren't that many weekends I can do that. Owning a home with a nice sized yard takes care of my Saturdays during the Spring, Summer, and at least part of Autumn. The Winters are not quite so bad and there isn't a lot to be done, at least outside. And people wonder why the latter part of Autumn and Winter have become my favorite seasons of the year.

Father-in-law

I had an interesting thought the other day. My father-in-law is a very narrow minded, prejudiced individual. The only group he isn't prejudiced against are caucasian males. Any other group he dislikes equally. His politics are on the conservative side. His heroes are Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity. Anyway, he wouldn't vote for a Black or woman for president if his life depended on it. My thought was what would he do if the two running were Hillary Clinton and Condolezza Rice? I really want to bring this up at some point just to get his viewpoint. Not that I think there's a chance it will really happen, but from my point of view it would be a problem for him for sure.

Another Wednesday

Another Wednesday. Nothing much going in my life at all. It's sheer boredom. Work is work, home is home. Nothing else much to be said. Please help me. Give me hope.

Cooking

One thing about me that many people don't know is that I like to cook. I watch several of the cooking shows on TV and get some magazines geared to cooking. The biggest reason I don't let everyone know this is that a lot of people, especially the ones I work with, don't consider it a very masculine thing to want to cook. I credit my Dad with learning to cook as he always was preaching to me about how I should learn to be independent and be able to take care of myself under any circumstances. And, it has helped me tremendously. I enjoy it very much and cook more during the week than my wife does. I usually get home before her and I cook while she is on the way home. That way we can get through with it and have the evening free. If I didn't and waited until she got home we would eat at least an hour later. Besides, though it's questionable as to whether she would agree, I am the better cook.

And So, It's Wednesday Once Again

Not that much has happened this week. The most exciting thing is that we had a small fire in the field behind our shop yesterday. Not much damage but a lot of excitement. This is most likely the most exciting thing to happen there in years. Not that it's an exciting job or anything. I am waiting to hear from someone, anyone.

It's Sunday Again

Spent yesterday morning trimming limbs off the trees in my yard so I won't knock my head off when I cut the grass. Yesterday afternoon was spent washing my Nissan pickup. Ended up I had to wax the thing too, which is something I had not counted on. It does look all shiny and clean though. Later we went to my sister-in-law's house for a cookout. I promised myself that I wasn't going to drink anything alcoholic once there, but that lasted until she said I made some margaritas and they're in the fridge. One led to another and another and to eventually to too many. Paying the piper today, for sure. Think I'd be old enough to know better.

Spring is Acoming

The first of March. Spring is on the way and to be honest I don't look forward to it. Cutting grass, yard work, washing cars, and generally all the Spring and Summer stuff I can live without. I think sometimes I should live somewhere it stays cold all the time but I know the wife would never go for it. Another thought is to have a place that either doesn't require yardwork or that I can pay to have the yardwork done. Neither of these is a practical answer so I suppose for the time being I'm stuck. It's all my parents fault because they weren't rich. If I were rich I wouldn't be concerned in the slightest.

Posting

My posting to my blog will come a lot less, as anyone who might read it on a regular basis might have noticed. I was doing my posting, for the most part, at work. Well, they are cracking down on what web sites we can go to and insist that we should not be on any web site that is not work related. So, most of my posting will come on either Wednesday night or Sunday morning as these are the days I am usually on the computer. Just so anyone interested will know.

Long Time Coming

I haven't posted anything in a while as there really hasn't much of anything going on worth posting. I tend to live a relative routine existence. Pretty much from home to work and back home. Years ago my job was exciting but I have been with it so long it has become old hat. The big news with my family is that my sister-in-law and her family are planning on moving to Orlando, FL this summer as her husband had to change jobs and supposedly, this was the only thing he could find at the time. I, myself, think it's that he's wanted to move to Florida for some time. We went to Ft. Myers, FL with them a couple of years ago and since then he has mentioned several times he would love to live in Florida. The real downer is that they have a couple of young kids and live just down the road from their grandfather. He is retired and spends a lot time with them. He isn't a bit happy about them moving and the fear is that he won't be able to mentally or physically handle them leaving. I think this is another reason my brother-in-law wants to move away. He and the father-in-law don't always see eye to eye and being that he's at their house on a daily basis I think my brother-in-law has had his fill. Everyone will adjust as there really isn't any other choice. That doesn't mean they will like it.

Anyone Out There?

So, is there anyone out there? I keep posting and waiting for someone to respond but so far, nothng. Give me a break. Someone must be reading this. Just a word or two.

Passing of Time

After a long, long week and a very short weekend I find myself once again contemplating what happened to the entire year last year. I have heard that as you get older time seems to pass more quickly and I am a believer. I take time off work and it seems as if I never left. I sit and try to remember what I did and why did the time go so quickly. I was thinking this morning that it would be nice if time at work passed as quickly as time does at home. It's not just last year but about the last 35 years. Seems like one day I was 20 years old; in the Army; in Vietnam, and next thing I know it's 35 years later. I was reminded of this when I received a letter from one of my Army buddies over the weekend. Ever since we got out we always talked about getting back together and for one reason or another never did. He was saying we'd better come up with a way before another 30 years passes. By then, I doubt I'll even remember who I am, much less an old Army buddy.

Return To Normal

Back at work and a return to the normal daily grind. I didn't take much time off for the holidays but enough so that I just got a little taste of sleeping late and doing whatever I wanted for a day or two. That's enough to make it very difficult to come back. At one point in my life I would take two weeks off at Christmas. Talk about not wanting to come back to work! Two weeks of peace and quiet not having to make any decisions or have anyone making any demands on me was like a dream. My stress level dropped to zero and my entire attitude about life improved to a point that it was spooky. But, the first few days back after the two weeks was nothing short of hell. It was like being in the twilight zone. Next year I do plan on taking a week off as not taking off this year did kinda dampen my Christmas spirit. So, at least I have something to look forward to. I have to take 'em where I can get 'em.