Happy Thanksgiving!

I thought about making the title of this post a little more "clever" (meaning: stupid!) but decided not to. Sometimes I get tired of trying to be funny, cute ... "clever" ... and just feel like being boring. This week went fairly well at work. Date changes still aplenty, which means I really have to nail Christmas in terms of schedules. Some of the problem, I found out, was not so much I had it wrong, but the warehouses were overloaded with orders. They couldn't keep up and some orders got pushed out.

Want to go to the casino tomorrow morning but can't. Have orders to look for, and have to send them to one of my coworkers as soon as they come in so they can lock down. Unfortunately I know what I have to look for, so can't have anyone do it for me. I don't mind really. I already know there is nothing on sale at Walmart that I want in terms of Black Friday sales, so I can sleep. But there are things I am looking to get so should save so I can afford them. Sounds like a plan, right?

So many changes going on in my office, it's making my head spin. My supervisor got another position, so he's leaving in a month. I lost my chilled/frozen manager, and got another one. Lost my sales analyst for chilled/frozen, losing my analyst for ice cream, and I didn't apply for any of these spots. Why, you ask? Easy. I love what I do right now. Chilled/Frozen takes care of itself easy enough, so I would be able to give that up. But ice cream? That's a different one. I am still learning the category, so many issues we had this past year with capacity at warehouses, figuring out promos and the like, that I do not yet want to leave it. I want another season with it so I can get it down. This way, when a position opens and I apply (and hopefully get it) I can train the new person properly on it, giving them most of the scenarios that could arise and show them how to handle it. In the meantime, I'm not in a rush to go anywhere.

Had a very quiet Thanksgiving here. Just the three of us. We had a great dinner, and now watching Cars on the Disney Channel. OK, I'M watching it. Ann is sitting here with me but dozing off. Anthony is on the computer. I think I'm missing a decent football game, but this is one of my favorite movies. Try to watch it whenever it's on TV. So, I'm gonna go so I can watch the last 15 minutes. Have a good one!

Been a few days...

Right now sitting here "discussing" what to have for dinner with my wife. It looks like I'm having Cocoa Puffs, because by the time we decide on anything, I'm gonna be too hungry to wait.

Have I mentioned I hate holidays? The last couple of days I have had so many issues with warehouses and carriers it's unreal! Next week hopefully will be a little quieter, but I am doubting it. Add to that it's a short week because of Thanksgiving, and wheeeeeee! Shoot me now. Please!

Other than that not much going on. Oh! Won a poker tournament last Saturday. It was a rebuy at Cherokee, and I rebuy a few times, but came out ahead in the end so that worked. Sunday, Ann and I went to Downstream and I played in another tournament. So much for "being ahead in the end" but we had a real good time.

Deciding if I want to go to Walmart on "Black Friday". Not sure what is on sale yet. Will have to see and decide when it gets closer.

November Friday the 13th!!

Ooooh I love Friday the 13ths! For some reason, this date is good for me. I went to work and had a good day with no problems.

My company Christmas party has been set. It's in 4 weeks. I have no intention of going. Today, one of my coworkers asked me why I wouldn't go. First words I said were "In case you haven't noticed, I'm not much of a people person." He looked at me like I was nuts (he's too new to know me that well I guess). Then as we talked for a couple of minutes, I had a revelation. I told him I don't let anyone get too close to me any longer. People close to me leave me, and I'm tired of people leaving me. So, to make my life easier, I don't get close enough to people to let it hurt if/when they leave.

OK, short post. Getting another migraine (first one in 1 1/2 days, that's good huh?)

Happy Birthday Dad

My dad turned 75 today. Unfortunately he died at the ripe old age of 53 (June 5th 1988 .. is 53 right? Don't feel like doing the math). I remember my dad 2 ways. One way as a great father, never letting me want for anything, always made sure I had whatever I asked for and then some. The other way was a sonuvabitch. He constantly cheated on my mom, even at times trying with her close girlfriends (from what I heard from my mom). They divorced when I was in 6th grade (1981 was the year), and while my mom found "happiness" my dad never did. He did try once. There was a woman he, myself, and my cousin Georgie, met at the beach. Three totally different ages of men (I was the youngest, around 14 or 15), hoping to get a second glance. Well, my dad won (she was closest to his age at the time), and they dated for a time. Unfortunately, she dumped him. He worked his ass off, and the tumor in his brain was starting to take its toll, so he slept alot. She wanted to go out, he fell asleep too much.

My dad died (as I said above) on June 5th, 1988, exactly 16 months to the day (February 5th, 1987) he had a stroke caused by the tumor in his lung and his head. I remember that night. Long story short, I went to the hospital and found him in the E.R. and he was fighting. Could see it in his face. I remember standing there with my cousin, Kevin, around 3am or so, looking at this man who was fighting for his life. I told him exactly this: "You have 2 choices. First, you can die - right here, right now - with me standing right the fuck over you saying goodbye. OR, you can keep fighting so that when I come back later, you will be conscious and at least know who the fuck I am." My cousin was shocked. None of us would EVER talk to their dad that way. Well, that wasn't a normal night. The next day, he was awake and knew who I was. He didn't know who anyone ELSE was, but he knew me. He also couldn't talk, and I told the doctor "give him his fucking teeth and he'll be able to talk" and I was right.

I have many memories, good and bad, of my dad. And even after 21 years, I still miss the hell out of him.

Lordy Lordy I'm F***ing Forty!

Yes, you read that correctly. I celebrated my 40th birthday yesterday. Took the day off from work and went to the casino. Spent 6 wonderful hours playing poker and some slots, heard a woman yell "Holy Crap!" right after she discovered she won $12,500, and had a great time. Played in a rebuy poker tournament (finished 10th, paid top 3), played some cash poker, and had a great time. Forced myself to leave because I knew if I didn't, I wasn't going to be home for dinner (or cake).

Wife and I are going to the casino in a couple of weeks. Can't wait!