Home office

Thought I'd share a shot of how I've set up my home office space. Baby, you've come a long way.

Note my little helper by the window. That's Louie the cat. He likes to walk on the phone while I'm conducting interviews and cut off attorneys, corporate leaders and government officials.

To the right is a stuffed Perry the Platypus doll from "Phineas and Ferb." Just remember: He's a platypus. They don't do much.

That's my new motto.

Missed marks

Above is a picture of Elspeth in the car. We were waiting on Tuesday for her sister to get out of school.

Elspeth spent the weekend up at a friend's house in Manistee. She had a blast. We didn't have to drive all the way up north -- we met the family about half way in Whitehall. Luckily, we dodged a snow storm (we got about 12-14 inches of snow on Saturday) and lake effect aftermath.

Timing is everything.

Speaking of timing, I missed a friend's birthday over the weekend. Happy birthday, Dug!

Also, I passed by 18th anniversary at The Sentinel. Quite pitiful. That equals $722 cut from my paycheck for each year worked. Now that's a reward for dedication, or is it paying the dues of stupidity?

But I am grateful to have a job. Being demeaned, ridiculed and belittled for money is what the American dream is about.

Update

I reckon you are tired of me feeling sorry for myself, so I'll avoid lamenting the state of my job.

Above is a picture of Alyssa and the cats, Missie and Louie.

Chugging along

Above is a shot from a model railroad event I covered today. It makes me want to set mine up again. I've always wanted to remake the Bethlehem Steel rail yard in Lackawanna.

The temps topped 45 degrees today, sending ice crashing from the roof. One of the chunks sliced through our cable TV line again -- happens almost every winter. Despite my best efforts at chipping and sawing, the ice still rips that cable down. The cable company won't move the line without a special order and more money, so we just call them out to reconnect it.

No TV for three to five days, but we'll survive.

I had to hack away at an icicle as wide as me on our second floor balcony area. I love to amuse the passers-by as I swing the ax and wield the saw against the pillar of ice. I should have tried to sculpt it. Maybe there's a future for me in that.

I might try for an Oscar this year. I ran into a friend at the coffee shop this afternoon and she said I look like I'm the happiest I've been in years. Wow! I must be a star if I can mask the disappointment, despair and confusion that rules my spirit.

Of mice and men

Our new additions have been busy in their furry little ways. Missie the Cat caught a mouse this afternoon. She brought it into the kitchen and spit it out in front of me. The little mouse scurried across the floor only to be picked up again.

Missie played with it then let it drop again, but this time it got away under the stove before I could grab a box to capture it.

Louie the Cat decided he likes to walk on my head about 4:30 each morning. He knows he has a captive audience and insists on being petted. He also likes to chew on my glasses.

We had a break in snow and cold and I went out Sunday to chip ice where I could and scrape the driveway.

The highlight was standing atop the 8-foot snow pile at the end of the driveway with a shovel, hacking away at the mountain so we can see when we leave the house. Folks just honked and waved as I swung my shovel and tossed snow chunks across the sidewalk.

Work is still a mess for me.

I had another bad moment last week when I wanted to talk with the publisher, the person above my boss, about how my job is being handled and how communication seems to be a one-way street.

Leap-frogging your supervisor to talk to his or her boss is acceptable procedure according to company policy, by the way.

I was told not to bother him, he's too busy with important issues to be talking to me.

Another reason to feel appreciated after almost 18 years with the company.

Did I say that I'm grateful to have a job?