A Day Off

I have the day off due to short hours this week for our company. New contracts coming around and we are waiting for new business to start up. I work four eights this week and Wednesday happened to be the day I didn't have to work. I guess it's kind of nice to have a day in the middle of the week where I can just sit and do nothing if I want to. I was going to go out and do a few things but I realized I would be back in the truck driving, I spend a lot of my time on the road every week. My closest store to home is an hour drive.

I don't mind driving, I actually love driving. It's time to myself and as long as I've got music and podcasts to keep me going, I'm good. No, my problem is that I don't think I really ever developed the art of stopping. It's a great thing to be a good, trustworthy employee. To get the job done and do it as efficiently as possible. I go to the point of not being able to say no though, and that's a weakness. I need to learn to refuse to go beyond my means. That's why I ended up hurt several months ago, resulting in my being out of work for over two months. Even then I felt like I was a burden to my coworkers. Taking on extra stores is rough when you include the distance between and the time put in driving here and there. It affects your attitude and has a negative effect on the rest of your life. The extra money is always good, but money isn't everything.

I was about to leave a little while ago when the little man inside my head that usually screams "Hey, don't say that!" or "NO! THAT'S NOT A GOOD IDEA!" quietly said "Stay."

And I listened. I'm sitting here now writing this in my recliner. I may run to the grocery in town later to pick up a few things. I may fold some clothes for the wife (don't hold your breath, honey. Just cause I write it doesn't mean it's in stone) and putter around the house.

Yes. A day off. Just for myself. That's weird to me.

8+ miles yesterday.

Still walkin'.

Rules

We live by rules. We can't function without them no matter how much we may lie to ourselves. We all go about saying that we live how we want but most of us just want to be regular folk living life. That's called a society, civilized living. And to do that we establish rules.

I have rules. Before Gibb's spoke it on NCIS I have always carried a knife. That has been an unspoken Rule #1 for me for years. I've had a knife since I was eight or nine years old. Boys don't get to do that anymore, have a knife at that age. We've moved beyond that, away from that, somehow. I think it's sad. Boys will be boys isn't even a true saying anymore. They aren't allowed to be.

I don't let people waste my time either. That's another rule. It non negotiable. You can never get your time back. If I can help it at all I am efficient with my time. Although, since I'm probably the only one reading this, I may have wasted it here. Maybe not. This is therapeutic for me. Writing down what comes into my head.

Today was a hard day. Short enough, but irritating to an extent that just had me so worked up I couldn't stand it.

I enjoy working. Doesn't matter what the job is, as long as I'm happy and can provide, I'm good. I make a little progress everyday with people I have to work around. Some I have just fallen in with from the start and I really like that. Who wouldn't? It's hard to explain. We are close, but not too personal? Friends, but something more? Something less? I don't know.

BIG RULE.

Rudeness will not be tolerated. I cannot abide rudeness. You have to be respectful of people if you're around me. I'll call you out as sure as I would one of my children. Everyone deserves respect until they show that they don't.

I always try to make sure that I leave a little more with a person than I take. Friends come and friends go. Some will love me always and some will hate me, always. That's how it is and some things weren't meant to last long, some are.

I have friends all over the world. I know doors I can knock on and be welcomed in like not even a minute has passed when in fact it has been decades. It's nice to carry a history of people and feelings like that in your heart. It's nice to know they are out there.

Anyway, where was I going with this?

I don't know.

As Joel Secrest used to say, God rest his soul, "YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPPPPPPP! Tomorrow's Friday."

I can get behind that.

Thanks for your time. It's precious, you know?

Don't waste it reading my drivel.

4.2 miles today. Still walkin'.