Clouds of the Family Ilk

I give up. This is the week all my enemies must have been hoping for. If you have been following my travails of the last six days, surely you have seen the humor and darkness that has surrounded me. If there could be something of a culmination, it happened last night at Halloween dinner with my goddess divine's family.

My in-laws are great people. They are salt-of-the-earth, protect-your-own sort of farm/country folk. They are a collection of banking/construction owners, farmers, doctors, lawyers, education consultants, self-employed mechanical technicians, cooks and everything in between. It really is impressive. Everyone has a specialty, it seems, and conversations are always lively and full of good information.

But they are all Republicans. Die-harders. Fox News in the background at all times folks. It's the one thing that ruins it for me, as I am definitely the big-city East Coaster who, if we started talking about it, would instantly label me as a pinky commo. And that's fine, I'd get over it. But it definitely makes family gatherings difficult. I have to constantly find something to do than sit in the same room as them, especially right now when, four days before the election, they get excited for any Palin appearance on TV.

Last night was brutal. Besides listening to how "they should just get over it" when Obama effigies are hung from trees at my alma mater, I had to hear about terrorists living in the White House and Spanish becoming the official U.S. language. Just like me, they know who they are voting for, I'm just out-numbered and refuse to argue with my in-laws when they could easily dispatch me and my body would never be found.

The night finally ended, and I was able to spend most of the time doling out candy to trick or treaters who came to the door. I hope for an Obama victory on Tuesday, but I do wonder what this will do to family gatherings for the future. Screw it, I'll suffer through them for four/eight years of potential governmental bliss.

Cloudy Week Ain't Over Yet

It's Friday. Then end of the work week. And as much as I would love to rejoice in parting of the clouds and the sunshine breaking through to end this week of misery, I still cannot get past the storm.

I flew back home to Kentucky last night. It was quite the experience. Normally I have decent flights. Sure, there are some kids on there who scream and yell about the air pressure hurting their ears or the fact that the Southwest person won't stop singing over the intercom, which insights everyone to sing as well. I hate that crap. Most of the time I can put up with it all, but there are some flights which defy reason. Last night was such a flight.

First, at BWI, we sat next to a poor chap who was on his way home to Nashville. I know a lot about this guy's life since we heard the whole thing as he fought with his wife on his phone. Seems he travels 20-22 days out of every month, and the wife is not pleased about it, but what can he do, he constantly asks her? I'll get a new job if you want, but right now the openings are sparse and the pay he gets is good for the family. Then, just when you think he's won her over ... she apparently some random woman named Michelle keeps calling and asking for him. He doesn't know any Michelle, so clearly instead of letting it go the wife now thinks (and apparently this is not the first time for this accusation) that he is having an affair.

I will admit to giving the guy the benefit of the doubt. Not because he's a man, but because based on the one-sided conversation we overheard, his wife is clearly insane. He said goodnight to his children and told them he loved them. Then the evil wench got back on and ran all over the poor guy. At one point, "Fine, if you want when I get home I'll pack up and be gone by Sunday" was uttered. We were watching a marriage dissolve at BWI, out loud, within 30 feet of a McDonald's, Quizno's, other eateries and a crap jewelry store called Fire & Ice (who the hell buys shit from a place with that kind of name?). Needless to say, the situation for him was dire. Don't know if he's still married or not, but here's to hoping you at least have your sanity, dude.

Lastly, we got on the plane and sat in front of three people who didn't know each other but decided to become BFFs for the next 96 minutes on the flight. This was a 11 p.m. flight, the entire plane was asleep except for these three jackasses describing every job they've each held, from cutting plastic to cleaning oil residue out of old Chrysler engines. I have best friends I don't know this much about. And they kept sychronizing their volume to the airplane's engine, so no matter what, anyone within four rows could hear about the time Dude Sitting In the Middle Seat dropped a wrench on his co-worker's foot. Hilarious times, let me tell you.

I need this week to end. Fast. Here's to hoping bad things will avoid me on Halloween.

A Silver Lining In The Clouds

I love The Office. It's just a great show, and it's black comedy is of the highest order. And the new HR chief they brought in is fantastic, just for the fact that she's Michael only with breasts. It's great. I'm just posting one of the deleted scenes because it is just too damn funny and I had to share.

Dark Cloud of Shame

There are times when my friend Kelly bags on me for being from Kentucky. Most of the time he's just a petty child who hates that his Cincinnati Bearcats suck. Plus, all Cincinnati residents are weaned to believe that Kentucky is the seventh circle of hell (for Kentuckians, its Indiana).

But today is just another one of those signs that my week is destined to be terrible (and it's Thursday already ... this week just won't let up on me). I went to UK and still have some of my best friends from there. I love UK basketball and will argue to death about how Wayne Turner was one of the best players in team history even if the numbers don't show it.

Anyway, despite that, there is no doubt that my state has its flaws. They vote Republican despite everything they believe in saying they should vote Democrat. They could be highly investing in green technology and become a midwest/southeast center for green jobs, but they won't because they're fools. Our governors love to sleep with staffmembers and hand our tons of government contracts to their hunting/drinking pals. There are others, but I'm starting to get sad.

Making me more sad is events like this. It stains the university, the students and staff, and whether they truly acknowledge it or not, it stains people like me, who went there and have always thought the school could be taken seriously. I have a hard enough time talking to my coworkers (who all went to Ivy League schools or somewhere much fancier than me) and friends who went to other SEC or high-minded schools. It's a sad day for UK and alums like myself. And this is not the first time crap like this has happened, and I'm getting sick of it.

Clouds Still Here

The week is continuing its downward spiral. Today came word that someone stole laptops and possibly other things from my office. As far as I know nothing of mine was taken, but two people from my team had their laptops snatched. Not cool.

I'm not saying that our office is Fort Knox, but it's not exactly an open store with a daily giveaway, either. We have key cards to get in the building, ride the elevators and then enter our actual floor offices. Not sure what the status of the investigation is, but I'm definitely hoping it's not an inside job.

No matter, it's just yet another sign of a week gone sour. I need a pick-me-up. Just something to show me that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.