Busy But Happy

I've been busy as anyone can imagine since February but I'm not complaining.

I had a two month project at work that was very stressful, tedious, frustrating and at times scary. Despite the negative, it was also a very good experience, interesting and in the end I benefited greatly from it. The scariest part was about a thousand people's lively hoods, including my own, were in the hands of about 20 people. I work in a Union site and was involved in negotiating a new deal for my Union. In the end, we struck a fair deal and I can sleep at night knowing we didn't get screwed. In this economy, that is a big accomplishment. And three years from now, I will do this again.

I planned on taking some time off from work once the deal was official. That idea lasted about two days after my return. I was called into a supervisors office and asked if I would be willing to take a temp assignment for a month. Another department was shorthanded and they needed extra people. First question out of my mouth, can I work overtime? The Big Boss Lady said sure. Work all you can get. I then put my union rep hat on and started asking questions on the selection process to make sure it was done fair. Three others are going with me.

I don't live and die on overtime. It's nice to have and definitely inflates my income by a princely sum. Sadly, some of my coworkers need the overtime. They really get in a bind if they don't have it. I don't feel sorry for them. Without overtime, we make a very good wage. So many get in hock buying big houses on big lots, deer leases, big boats and so on. They want to live the high life but get so in debt they can no longer live on our base salary.

I have one friend who can't pay his regular bills without overtime. Thank God I don't live like that. He can't pay the mortgage and car note without the extra money. I find that unreal. While he went two months without overtime, he had to borrow one month worth of mortgage and car payments to tide him over. Yet this same person spent a month in the Bahamas and then after complaining about no overtime, ran of on a shopping spree for a weekend. Sorry but no sympathy from me.

Me, on the other hand, use the overtime to pay for my fun stuff and to keep out of debt. If there is no overtime and there is something I want, I might dig into my savings account but eventually I'll pay it back. For instance, I've been wanting a new guitar lately. At first it was going to be my Christmas gift. Then I got started on other things. Finally, my birthday rolled around in March and I was getting no overtime. I decided that I've been working hard for six weeks. I needed something to help me unwind besides strippers. One an off day, I went down to the music store and bought a scary looking one. And I love it.

Any vacation I plan will be paid with by overtime. Right now I'm waiting for a couple of loans I took against my 401(k) to come off. I took one to help me pay my legal expenses. When they come off, that's $600 a month back on my pay check.

I'm busting up the overtime right now though. It's one of two reasons I took on the temp assignment. The other reason is to do different things and change the monotony of my real job. 26 hours overtime and 12 hours double time last check. If things stay on target, it's 38.5 overtime hours this next up coming check. Baby, I've already written a check to drop off at the credit union in the morning where I keep my savings account. I keep the savings and checking accounts in separate institutions on purpose. I found it was to easy to transfer money from savings to checking in the same bank.

My social life has been no existent. During the negotiations, I was going to lunch with my fellow negotiators. A couple of times we went to dinner. That part of it was fun.

Then since I was working in Rebecca's neighborhood, I saw her a few times. Then my buddy Will and I hit the dinner circuit occasionally. I've really had more than two consecutive days off this year so I pretty much turn into a homebody. I'd rather just stay home and rest.

This week I broke the routine. I didn't go out with Rebecca when she called. Hell she was just checking up on me since I've been a rare site. But me and Will went out to celebrate Cinco de Mayo last night. Today I had union business so before I did that, I picked up my cousin and we went to an early dinner. Earlier in the day, I did a solid work out and then spent the afternoon at the pool. While if feel tired, I don't feel worn down.

Tomorrow I'll fill in the lives that are my friends.

Good Night,
Your Ever Loving Jewish Pope JP3