ALL WORK AND NO PLAY ...

I'm beginning to feel the slightest bit managerial at work. Very interesting. My favorite part of this is in communicating with people. Of course, with some employees, this is not the easiest thing to do. And with some managers, it's even worse. For instance, Diana, the merchandising manager, consistently hogs all the help for her projects, even when mine are more pressing. Jerry L. told me that if I confronted her, calmly and fairly, she would back down. Easy for him to say; he's her boss! I found her to be selfish and condescending. (She's an only child, you know.) On a positive note, I've finally mastered the complex science of communicating with Jerry S. I have to get all my thoughts organized (to the point of writing them down on a timeline on a calendar) and then force him to schedule time to have a discussion. By God, it works! And I feel as if we might actually have something of an understanding. He's even making appearances on the book floor now. Whoooopeeee!!!! Ironically, the best communicator of the bunch is a deaf employee named Scott. I don't know sign language, so we spend a lot of time writing each other notes. Sometimes he jots down jokes on the little pad of paper he carries everywhere with him. Many of these are quite scandalous, which surprises me, because he seems so harmless and meek! Once he even scribbled an angry message to me : "You stole my favorite parking place today!" When he speaks, he sounds like Mickey Mouse, and I have trouble understanding, so we usually end up writing each other notes. It's either that or use a lot of expressive hand motioning and succint speech (for lip reading). Once, after a really huge delivery, Scott motioned to the massive mountain of boxes, then mimed lighting a match and throwing it into the sea of cardboard: "Let's burn 'em all and save ourselves some blood, sweat, and tears!" Ha ha ha! So, yeah ... that's work ... At home, today, I had to put all my chemical wastes (paint, and an old car battery) in a big cardboard box, fittingly marked "Chemicals", and put it all out by the curb for pick up tomorrow. I had to call the city and schedule it. The box was so big and heavy that I couldn't carry it all the way to the street, so I heaved it into my car trunk with a herculean effort, and drove it down the driveway to the curb. The trunk would not close all the way, if that gives you any idea! Pretty exravagant doings for a simple task, but I don't own a dolly. Next week all the bulk trash will go (two couches, etc.). And, after that, my old car. Poor old Kenny! So now I am tired, so I think I'll relax and go to bed.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Life is far too important a thing ever to talk seriously about."
--- Oscar Wilde