Soon Ah Very Soon

A blast from the past. 

Once upon a time, responding to the one and done, the threes of me, and other types of memes what's your favorite this or that, what's the last television show you watched, if you were forced to eat the last thing you eat from now on, what would that be..etc., was the order of the day, these things were  are a popular method to build traffic for a web pages.  

All over social media now, there are admonishments and warnings about participating in such folly especially when you don't know the source for this is how hackers are able to cull information about the responders toward . . . well, hacking them, co-opting their identity to do...whatever.    

So, I do no longer participate.  

Fact is, my participation on social media (FB and IG) is pretty minimal these days.  There is a small group of former bloggers who are still on FB and a smattering of family members with whom I interact but otherwise I stick to the art groups where we share and support.  

My IG presence is nearly a 100% art sharing space as far as my input with few exceptions; like when I shared the news of Pete's death.  

Yes, our elder statesman Pete died earlier this year.  I wasn't in a place to share that here until now as this space, of the other internet spaces I occupy on-line are intensely personal despite it not being a private space.  He was my first pet as an adult and my very first cat (ever).  I miss him everyday and have found it difficult to navigate the space his absence has created.  

I'm sharing that as a way to say yes, the time has come for looking back and looking ahead.  

Soon, very soon, 2022 will be a reality. Many are marking their resolves for the coming year.  Many are adjusting or creating habits and the such. Many are looking to change lanes and switch courses.    

I am among the many.  

What that all will look like in the reality of the coming months is yet to be seen.  

Perhaps more conversation in tis regard is forthcoming in the coming weeks.  

It is nearly December; warm and toasty mittens, hot cocoa, cozy evenings.  

I hope you all have had a pleasant and peaceful holiday--whatever you call it, how you identify it, celebrate it.  Or even if you don't (didn't) I hope your Thursday was full of hope, peace, love, and comfort. 

May Peace Be With You.  

Forty Questions in Parts - Part One

Once again, someone suggested a kind of, "getting to know you" type game. The questions are by-and-large limited in scope requiring mostly one word answers. I played but am calling, "re-do". Welcome to part one:

1. Do you like bleu cheese? I do but within certain limits as in only as one of the components of a Cobb Salad, a condiment included with a Buffalo Chicken sandwich or salad, and bleu cheese stuffed olives (with or without the martini). 


2. Coke or Pepsi? I don't drink a lot of soda but when I do, my number one go to is regular Pepsi or Diet Coke.I prefer colas over any other kind of soda. If a cola isn't available or I'm feeling a little different, I choose Ginger Ale. Soda flavors like 7-Up, Sprite, or Mountain Dew do not appeal. However, these days, nine out of ten times I would choose lime flavored fizzy water if given a choice. 


3. Do you own a gun? The first gut reaction / answer was NO!!! But after thinking a bit I realized I do own guns; glue and staple. In fact, I have two glue guns.  


4. What flavor Kool aid? I don't drink Kool-Aid. I had allergies that limited any intake of foods and beverages with citrus or citric acid. So, even as a kid, not much in the way of Kool-Aid, lemonade, popsicles, or even strawberries, lemons, oranges. I did mix Kool-Aid for my son and daughter when they were kids. The popular flavors were strawberry and grape. My daughter preferred strawberry and my son, grape.  


5. What do you think of Hot Dogs? Three or four times a year, I crave and lean in to a 100% Vienna Beef, a poppy seed bun, yellow mustard (never ketchup) sweet pickle relish, sport pepper, white onion, tomato, celery salt, and kosher dill pickle. And natural cut fries on the side. With a Pepsi. Three or four times a year, the perfect lunch. 

                                      

MORE MONDAY BLOGS! 

Bud Out

My relationship with my co-workers is pretty cordial. In fact, the human resources / compliance director commented in my review that I got along with everyone. It isn't difficult as I like most of them. Most are pleasant and cordial in their own right.

Then something . . 

Last week a co-worker sidled up to my workstation with a pretense of making chit-chat about tea. A couple of seconds in, she pass me a note. My ears started burning for I knew this was BS in the making. The note began, "I don't mean to be nosey. . "

Why do folks open with the gambit when that is exactly what they intend?

In her note the co-worker wanted to know if I'd received a raise in conjunction with the recent review and if so, if I was happy with it.

Once  the urge to flash her my, "are you kidding me?" face passed, I replied, as gently and cordially as I could, "I am not comfortable with this topic." Co-worker cobbled up her note and toddled along back to her own workstation

We've worked together for over a year with little more than cordial greetings passing between us. If not for recent circumstances (company lost a large client forcing a couple of lay-offs. Others have resigned due to unhappiness with reassignments forced by lay-offs) I believe we could have gone weeks, months, beyond in a similar fashion.

Recent events notwithstanding, I was still taken aback.

Yet, I will endeavor to maintain my equanimity. I hope she and anyone else she may have shared some version of this event with does the same.

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