Seemed like a long week but I checked; the normal number of seven days 168 hours. Where does the time go? I still have four books waiting to be broached from six weeks ago and have not cracked a spine. Speaking of cracking spines...no I have nowhere to go with that, it just sounded like a great opening line.
TEMP JOBS-Doing dishes and loading the dishwasher (yes I do both on occasion) I was reminded of my days as a cafeteria employee which was part of my work-study grant at MSU. The service industry does get a bad rap but dealing with the public usually reveals a whole lot of something something. Unloading on those who serve seems to be a national pastime knowing they rely on your good nature and tips. I mean one can get used to mashed potatoes in the napkin holder or ice cream smashed into the french fries before hitting the floor upside down if you get a thank you and a couple of bucks on the table. Unfortunately at school it was long on attitude and complaints but no tips.
I learned that tuna boats are a real thing which explains why hardly anyone showed up for Friday lunch. I also learned how to test the doneness of spaghetti by flipping a few strands up against the ceiling. If it sticks, it is perfectly "al dente" according to my Italian work partner. Swore that's how his Grandmother did it, but it was not a big crowd pleaser in Mom's kitchen. It's the uniforms that get you. Basic white which shows everything unlike the bilious green I wore as a Howard Johnson's maid my senior year. You really did not want to know what stuck to it when you cleaned rooms. Much like the cafeteria, people's behavior in hotels is rather bizarre and they leave interesting souvenirs. One "short-timer" left $50 in cash after check-out which in retrospect probably was some sort of paycheck for someone. That's why we wear gloves...
Then that wonderful job at Oven Fresh Bakery before my freshman year at State. Although they required candidates Tto be 18, as an early "4" in kindergarten, I was a little shy of the mark. They "kind of" asked" if I had a driver's license and I "kind of answered" didn't have it on me (though I drove there or maybe my sister did). Anyway we never brought up the topic again. Work was hard, hot and educational and it paid fairly well. Considering it was fifty+ years ago I will reveal one of the grossest jobs I had to do which was removing crusty angel food cakes from the pans...with my bare hands...cutting my cuticles as I dug the cakes out.
I often had to run the paper route after work (the 1-4 am shift). Only when you're 17 can you work all day and all night without getting bags under your eyes. Fortunately I also did not require a lot of food as the smell of baked goods all shift made me not able to consume more than a couple pints of milk at lunch break. It certainly bolstered the decision to get a college degree as an even better idea.
CRAZY TOWN -Meanwhile, apropos of nothing, I'm moving my family to Florida to keep our kids safe from math. The dumbing down of America continues. Kids are now safe from equilateral triangles I guess where all sides are the same level of importance or 60 degrees (666-satan!) All I can say is Mickey Mouse will probably outlive DeSantis. But you know if kids knew math they would discover De-Satan only won the governorship by 70,000 votes and Disney has 80,000 employees plus they take care of their own streets, police and fire. Somebody's going to be paying for that- guess who Orange County taxpayer?
SOCIALLY SPEAKING- A couple of social events this week. We realized 1) we had a whole lot of wine and goodies from last week's cocktail party left over, and 2) our friends are retired, so...why not an afternoon cocktail party that bleeds into dinner? Done and done. Secondly having to postpone Easter weekend with the grandson due to a previous engagement, we moved it to this weekend. He enjoyed his "egg hunt" complete with written clues and his basket of goodies hiding in the dishwasher. Though he had questions after about why the Easter bunny would have me write the clues and he speculated that I was the one who got the goodies. I smiled mysteriously so when he left he said "thanks for telling me the Easter Bunny doesn't exist". Right. This was only after the egg hunt and basket of bounty was offered and accepted. Like I've said before the boy hedges his bets and usually wins.
JOEISM -- JP told someone at school that he wanted to be a Communist when he grows up. After the consternation dies down, it becomes translatable. He wants to be a "Comedian"-very similar occupations.
Meanwhile Ukraine celebrates Greek Orthodox Easter Sunday in any churches the barbarians haven't bombed and Spring has sprung, if only for a weekend.... Pax, He is Risen
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