Well, it has been a quiet week in Lake Wobegon.
Wait. Wrong show. Sorry.
It’s been a stormy week in Duluth, actually. Strong thunderstorms every evening since Sunday, followed by steamy mornings and hot, muggy afternoons. This is not my favorite time of year in Georgia. Actually, this summer has been the wettest I can remember since moving here in 1990.
Still, I managed to slap on the skates yesterday and got about 12 miles in – this in spite of the fact that there were some extremely slick spots on the trail, a couple of non-navigable waterways (read: “puddles”) and one little stretch of mud that absolutely STOPPED my skates. Not sure how, but I managed to to fall when that happened. I haven’t taken in a spill on quite some time, actually.
Anyway, the 12 or so miles took me exactly 90 minutes, heartrate pretty much stayed between 165 and 180, and I had a good time. After I finished, I went over to a friend’s place and walked another two miles before having some food delivered (had a salad, a ham & cheese, and a quesadilla) and watching “To Kill a Mockingbird.”
Work has been pretty much a waste of time this week. I’m still in the proess of getting a “variance” for some new servers. In BellSouth-speak, a “variance” means filling out 8 times as much paperwork as is needed to do something in a month that should’ve taken a day. It’s a blood pressure-raising experience, to say the least. Adding to the fun yesterday was the arrival of a new computer worm, which put all of the cyber-Nazis at BS on full alert and resulted in my having to spend most of the day putting patches on servers – which, if the variance ever goes through, will be retired almost immediately.
I did get a couple of recipes from Lisa, however. Quite timely, because I’m supposed to be making dinner for/with a friend tonight and tomorrow night.
Other items of interest (if damned near anything is of interest):
- The feds have apparently gotten involved in my salary. I was informed yesterday that I must now be paid for two hours out of every 24 that I’m on call. Not sure where they arrived at that number, or how it should be implemented, but in my case, this is how it works out. I’m on call 24×7, but this two-hour dealie apparently will only be invoked on the weekends. So if I fill out all the proper paperwork, I’ll be paid for 4 hours extra every weekend. If I actually have to DO something during those 48 hours (and I decide to report it), then I get paid more. How much? I have no idea. And theoretically, if I have to do something during the regular workweek over and above 40 hours, then I’m supposed to be paid something for that, too. Hmmm…sounds like an hourly position to me. I’ve always preferred being able to take comp time, to be quite honest. Thanks, gubmint.
- Furman starts its football season two weeks from today in Jacksonville, AL. Actually closer to me than Greenville. I arranged yesterday to take September 2nd off (the game’s on the 1st for some reason), and I’m planning to head down there on the first, watch/film the game, and then find a place to camp over the Labour Day weekend. Yes…I’ll still be on call.
- I haven’t shaved in several days, and my face itches.
- A vendor bought me lunch on Monday. I had a buffalo burger. I thought buffalo were extinct or something. Buffalo burgers have 1/3 of the fat of cowburgers, by the way. So if you see a buffalo on your lawn, SHOOT IT. It does a body good you know.