With Two Shifts Remaining...

Now we are going to be changing our anxieties from "will I survive the holiday season" to "will my job still exist in January?"

Ten years ago today, I started this job. It went pretty well until about two years ago, when things just started to get extremely weird. People who had been allies suddenly turned against me, and then we had a reduction in our workforce.

So of course I am wondering what is going to happen once next year rolls around.

I spent the entirety of yesterday out of the house. I left to go walking at about nine, and then went to my parents' house, where they took me to Ted's Montana Grill to celebrate my birthday. I had brought my bowling stuff with me, so I just hung out until about 4:30, when I left.

I could have stayed a little later, but Bette was busy decorating the tree, and she and my father started arguing about it, and stringing the lights. I decided it was in my best interest to get the heck out. Besides, I wanted to get to Alexandria before it got dark and things started to refreeze.

As for gifts, it was a CD and some gift cards. What I really wanted was a new bowling ball, or some money toward it, but I guess I have to get that myself.

I wound up at Landmark at about five, so I grabbed my recently-purchased copy of the Washington Times and read it while watching the sun set by the window of the mall's largely abandoned food court. I had plenty of time, so I pounded out five or six additional laps. I don't know what will still be in that mall once the holiday season is over. When the noise of the never-played "Stacker" video game can be heard over everything four days before Christmas, it doesn't say much for the state of the shopping mall.

My bowling was not particularly good last night. Hub did ask me if I was in a better frame of mind than last week. I wasn't, but I just faked it. What they don't know can't hurt them. There will be no bowling next week, which is just as well.

Today I got myself out of the house again, and battled the Fair Oaks crowds to walk. With the lousy job of snow removal just about everywhere, if my car still has any suspension system left to speak of by the end of this, I will be a happy man.

Except now they are predicting ice for Christmas day. Great. And winter just started yesterday. Eighty-six days until spring. Where Julie and Cleo are currently is going to get hit with the brunt of this new storm. I hope they will be okay.

I was planning to go to Diane's on Christmas Eve, but I don't know anymore. She was going to make us sausage gravy over biscuits for dinner that night, with my bringing the sausage. But I called her today and she fractured her ankle. I am more concerned with her ankle now than my plans for Christmas Eve. I will talk to her later and see how she is doing.

My copy of "Borat" arrived yesterday, so I will watch that tonight.

Tomorrow is going to another one of those "brutal" days: I work 10:30-8 with only half an hour for lunch. Christmas Eve should be okay, and then we're done with this season. I am now sitting here, waiting for the mail. I'm not expecting anything; most of my magazines have started this nonsense of combination December/January "double issues" that are no thicker than any others. But waiting for the mail is a nice excuse to just chill for a while.

I might head to Dulles Town Center for another walk, but that might happen later. I haven't had a kabob in nearly two weeks, so I might walk there instead. We'll see.

Eric Out.