"What I don't like about Christmas parties is looking for a new job the next day (Phyllis Diller)."
Final week after a few weeks of prep which means trying to locate items I have misplaced while trying to be discreet on what was going under the tree or stockings. Never something cheap and easily replaceable. More like, company's coming I need to stash "whatever" so it is not discovered. Shitske-where did I stash? All I know is the "place" seemed logical at the time. Which means I get surprised by cool stuff and gift cards months after the fact. I make lists so at least I know what I lost.
JP's second solo occurred last week. Our own drummer boy sang the jazzy Bob Seger version to a crowd (not exaggerating) of about 600 folks in the auditorium as part of his school choirs' Christmas concert. The boy has courage and he nailed it. Prep: looks around audience until he sees his entourage (6 strong); stand in the wings ahead of his debut looking totally focused and confident; mic adjusted for maximum impact-hand casually in pocket; set expression and go time. Three months of choir and he's auditioning for a solo. Again, he follows in musical footsteps as his Uncle John is quite a singer. He sang at our daughter's wedding accompanying himself with his guitar. John's given JP a ukulele and drum set so I think he's pushing a certain agenda. All good.
As it's Christmas week I won't dwell on the negative, but Mich repugs trying to remove red flag rules after such a bloody weekend shows you where their priorities lie. Meanwhile magat politicians are quietly slipping out the door, which I hope hits them on the way out.
"An enterprising kid could make a lot of money hawking batteries door-to-door Christmas Day"
The last poddie went well as expected. He had an impactful and frank style of storytelling, which is good for a keynote, and we had a discussion of moral safety responsibility. He wandered into shaky territory when he mentioned his stint in Viet Nam explaining they would get orders to take out a village which may mean impacting civilians. I was wondering if he was going to say something more about illegal orders and was ready to abort, but he left it at that. However, it does underline what safety skates do go through trying to keep management priorities in mind and our basic imperative of protecting workers. We have all had our My Lai moments and I hope I have always taken the high road. He is also an advisor to major business, so he deplored how a highly advertised accident shakes confidence of both employees and the public-rightly or wrongly. Many of us have had to investigate our own "fatality or serious accident" at work under unimaginable circumstances that defy logic. Sometimes there is no answer.
"Christmas is a baby shower that totally got out of control"
After a butt-clenching drive from Gun Lake to Cascade Friday through the blowing snow and icy roads, we arrived in the East (no Star) to a nothing burger in regard to snow in Lansing. No white Christmas unless you count the left-over mulit-colored mounds from the last couple of weeks. Though the birds keep cleaning out the feeder like it's the last days. Saw one of those pileated woodpeckers trying to crash land the feeder and pulling off at the last second. He went on to attack my red maple though I'm guessing the bugs are asleep or hibernating. Doves can't access the tiny platform so they eagerly await what falls. Then I saw a squirrel running off a couple of starlings. Of course, they don't challenge the bigger birds. It's all fun and games until somebody crashes the window leaving feathers and fury in their wake. There's a reason we Spring clean to remove bird body parts and kill the new sprouts under the feeder.
Meanwhile, Charlie Says:
Merriest of Christmas' - Hooray for Hanukkah - Pray for the New Year & Peace Out 💚💖💙💛
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