The Unexpected MMP

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
401

Nope, I’m still the Bus Guy, just not hers…

It was only on here, after one thread or another that rigs and I e-mailed, and we determined that in my previous job working for The Corporate Man, I ran buses in her town. In fact, (correct me if I’m wrong rigs), but she lives about 3 minutes from where I worked.

I left THAT job, which was for a Large National School Bus Company, to take my current job which is as Director of Transportation for a public school district. It’s more monies, mucho better benefits, and um, tons more work. At that job, I ran 110 buses in a cozy suburban area - planned routes, hired/trained drivers, made sure all the oil got changed and everything ran smoothly. Once a year I went to a bunch of bid meetings, my regional VP would bid on new business and life went on. I could have phoned it in some months.

This job - It’s an admin level job, which means in the hierarchy, and where it counts (in the paycheck) I’m about even with a fairly well paid principal. Besides buses, I’m the guy responsible for crossing guards at the schools, I do the bulk of the future planning (growth/demographics) stuff, I plan safety programs related to anything concerning traffic, pedestrian safety, bike safety and the like. Each school has a plan that says if you drive your kid to school, you pull up to this door, and the walkers come this way, and the buses go here - traffic plans to keep everyone safe and organized - I help the principals design and review those. Also, I work with parent groups, community groups and the police to keep walk routes TO the schools safe and so that they make sense.

I’m the point guy with all the local law officials and a lot of the public works stuff, because things like road construction, infrastructure repair all affect me most directly. The kicker is, that now I’m the guy that I would have worked for in my old job. In fact, the guy who hired me at the first school bus company I worked for (The Evil Largest of All Bus Companies), now calls me a customer, as we contract about 31 (45 next year) routes to him and his company.

So, I’m first and foremost the Bus Guy, but ultimately responsible for anything that happens to the kiddies pretty much from the first step out the door til they get home in the afternoon, even the walkers and the ones in carpools.

I will say this: It is NEVER boring. Boredom would kill me. This is pretty fast paced and hectic, which I love. Controlled chaos, that’s me. :smiley:

402

I’m a-lookin out for it!

My e-mail is my username here at hotmail dot com.

I canna wait!

403

I had to have a tooth pulled Thursday because the quack (very expensive) dentist who put the crown on it didn’t do whatever he should have done first, or didn’t do it correctly. Now I have sutures sticking out of my gum, which my tongue just won’t leave alone, and my mouth hurts. My current dentist (who is wonderful) gave me Tylox for pain, but that stuff gives me really weird dreams.

And someone in my neighborhood decided it would be a fun thing to pull up a few of my beautifully blooming tulips and throw them in the street.

I’m not having a good day. I wish the cats would give me belly rubs and ear scritches.

404

welby, have received my email?

Happy Holy Saturday, everyone! The Feast of Maximum Occupancy is from Practical Demonkeeping. I think. I’m reading a new book called The Omnivore’s Dilemma about four different dinners- fast food, supermarket, Whole Foods, and one made of gathered foodstuffs. The author traces all the different manufacturing and producing stages of all the food. It’s quite interesting so far- sort of Fast Food Nation. He contests that America has a national eating disorder. The first couple of chapters are on how most North American food contains corn- the meat, eggs, and milk, anything sweetened, anything fried, and anything baked.

Attacks Husband came over, and we went for a walk (it was foggy and pretty) and then had some tea, and now I’m waiting for Mr. Lissar to come home.

gt, I’m glad you like the kitties. They’re pretty. Bailey is prettier, but Aerin is more cuddly. She loves the sink.

405

So, here I am, all alone, and it’s 1 AM. The SO’s gone downstate. His flight out to Reno is tomorrow, and he won’t be back until next Sunday. So I have to entertain myself for ten days. I think I can manage that!

Right now I’m going to toddle off to bed, I think. But I did want to stop in and wave. So -

waves

406

Well it’s been a few hours since you waved, but I guess I can still wave back, Anaamika… ::waves back::

Wow MBG, what an interesting (and important) job! I had no idea there were National Bus Companies, Large, Evil, or otherwise.

I’ve been up for a while, read a book for a while (I got the latest Diane Mott Davidson at the library the other day - they have popular books that are available only for a week; occasionally I get lucky and find something I’m in the mood for that’s actually there). Decided to just loll a bit, surf the Dope and listen to Weekend Edition. Put a little baguette in the oven and am having a few bites of that with some tea. Should probably go locate a grapefruit too, but it’s awfully cozy on the couch. Ah well, no rush.

Gotta do my taxes too. Guess I’ll take a couple hours this morning for that so that it’s finally done. I’ve only been procrastinating since…for just ever. Next year, I’m doing them as soon as I have my W-2s!!!

Happy Saturday morning, all!

GT

407

::waves back at anaammika::

Enjoy your solitude!!!

Just popped in to say, I’m off to shower, then wait for a friend to come by, pick up another friend, and off to the White Sox game. They better improve over last night is all I can say.

Look for me on TV if you’re watching - 3rd rox, next to the Sox dugout, down close to where they roll up the tarp. I’ll be the guy holding a beer and yelling.

408

Good morning one and all.

Things went sort of ka-blooey at work yesterday so, no chance to post really. My computer is under quarantine at work and I can’t use it. Apparently, there is something illegal on it. I don’t know what it could be because I don’t download ANYTHING on it. I stay on very work safe sites and am not stupid enough to click on just anything. I know I haven’t knowingly done anything wrong. I am freaking out because I could be in lots of trouble, even though they keep telling me not worry. Furthermore, the IM guys here can’t tell me what triggered this. I am worried because we have pretty strict computer policies. They did some sort of log tracker thing and are sending the stuff to the big ACERT people in the sky for an investigation. Yes, I said investigation. I couldn’t even eat yesterday because I was so freaked out.

All this happened at about 9:00 am or so yesterday and I get to sweat the entire weekend, plus possibly next week over it.

The weather here is rather sucky. Rainy and gray. I say that a lot don’t I? The grass is getting awfully long and really should be mowed, but it’s too wet out. Also, my dumbass neighbor ran over part of our front lawn while back out yesterday. :dubious: :dubious: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: Here we are trying to spiff things up and he or his wife backs over our damn lawn.

This is a little late, but I never went to either my junior prom or my senior ball. I was asked to the ball, but I didn’t go. Why? Because I was friggin’ poor and couldn’t afford a dress. I worked, had a job, etc, but prom dresses were expensive to me back in 1981 and 1982. I don’t really feel like I missed out on anything. It didn’t seem like a big deal to me then, really.

My daughter went to her ninth grade graduation dance. It ended up being pretty formal, so we went out and bought her a beautiful dress. I posted pictures of her it in the dress last June. The nice thing about her dress was that none of the other girls had the same dress. Most of the girls had purchased their dresses at the same store all the teenage girls go to for that sort of thing. We ended up going to the Bon (now Macys) and found a stunning dress for less than all the others we’d looked at. She received so many compliments on that dress.

We don’t have any real plans for today, just putzing around here I guess. That would be good. I’m sort of worn out after yesterday’s thing at work.

409

Right. Which guy?
I have just picked up cat food and a few other necessities. Time for breakfast and chores before work. What do I want for breakfast, and where are the elves that were supposed to do all my housework while I was out?

Also, I should compose a St. Laurence Market shopping list for when I go with welby and welbywife. Hurrah!

It’s beautiful today. Sunny and warm. Very nice for Easter.

410

Well…depends on your route.

:smiley:
Who is doing Monday? I hafta work, so it’s not me. Off to Home Depot for mulch etc.

and ooh! I wanna read the Omnivore book–Teri Gross interviewed him on Fresh Air.

411

**Sean, ** I told Mr. Taters about you saying hello to him. He said “At the risk of blowing my anonymous cover, tell him I said hello back”.

I am on my second or third cup of coffee now, so I’m waking up a little more.

MBG, your job does indeed sound very hectic, but interesting. It’s got be better than dealing with spreadsheets and databases all day long, punctuated by the many meetings and VTCs I must attend.

412

Ohhh, that’s awful, Taters. Seems like it could be something you got via e-mail without knowing it. There are so many things out there that can get on your computer without you knowing it, it’s depressing. Hope they figure it out QUICKLY. (Tell 'em we said they have to!)

I don’t think there was an actual volunteer for Monday when the question was asked earlier in the week, rigs . If no one else jumps up and says **“Me, me, me, me, me…” **I’ll find something to open up with.

I’ve been good and started transplanting some perennials that spent the winter in pots (it’s amazing what will survive) and planting them in a way that will expand the beds under the crabapples out front.

Also, I’m scoping out an area at the end of the gutter to turn into a rain garden. I’ve got a couple of spots that catch runoff. Already have some plants I’m going to move there and will get some additional coneflowers too.

And, of course, I’ve started to spread mulch. Such fun. I’m going to do this for another half hour, then go to the library, then get my taxes done and do laundry. If there’s time once the taxes are done, I’ll do more plant moving.

GT

413

gt next week’s MMP is all yours.

I’ve gotten some kind of hybrid FCM/Lissla energy burst. This morning, I cleaned up the back porch, cleaned the pool, baked a sweet potato pie, baked a buttemilk pie, made deviled eggs, and assembled a cabbage casserole and a corn and hominy casserole, to be baked tomorrow after church. Whew! In a little while, ACBG and I are going to put the new shades up on the back porch. I also went to a funeral at two p.m. today. It was for somebody we had been providing services for at work who died of liver cancer. Been a busy and interesting day around here. I’m glad I had gotten the house cleaned up during the week, or I’d be doing that today too. I’m going to bake the ham tonight. Tomorrow I can slice it up and reheat the slices.

In case I don’t get back in today:

HAPPY EASTER!!!

414

I planted holly! I am pretty sure I got one male and one female plant (the folks at the Big Box store didn’t know, and I am not a botanist), and they are in the ground. Yay–wanted to do that for the past 4 years… :rolleyes:

I am also going out tonoc! Envy me–a GF of mine sent her family to FL, so that she could stay home alone for a change, and she is having her GFs over for a Birthday dinner! I am pysched.
Lil nests made, bunny bread is made, cinnamon rolls thawing (don’t tell Lissa, but I dont’ have time for rising etc for homemade ones. Not when it’s 70, sunny and I have plants to plant.)

Also got some woodruff and some sedum. And mulch.

415

I just sent an email asking one of the people in Panama City, Fl, offering up a spare room if I could take them up on their offer. No turning back now.

416

Cool Rifty. A summer in hot, humid, mosquito infested, hurricane prone PC! What more could you want? :smiley:

The shades are up and the ham’s in the oven. This burst of energy has also wound down. Finally! Now I can resume my usually slug-like personality.

417

  1. Completely forgot to say hi to SCL earlier. Sorry about the teeth - sounds like no fun at all. Perhaps you can train the cats…? :smiley:

  2. So much for the taxes being done tonight. I was all ready to go and all of a sudden there was a funny noise, followed by no noise at all. Yep - power outage. Big power outage; included all the restaurants nearby, so I actually had to drive somewhere to get food. It lasted almost three hours; I ran errands for the first two hours and then came home thinking I’d just go to the next block if the lights were still out. Went back out and had a feta/spinach pretzel at Barnes & Noble while drooling over garden books.

Almost time to head for church. Everything starts at 9…

GT

418

Hey y’all! It’s been a busy day here at the Reborn’s.

I vacuumed and grocery shopped this morning. Picked up the cleaning, dropped off some boxes at the storage place.

Dad came over to check out his new digs, which aren’t finished yet. Tom has been rerunning cables and phone lines all over the house.

I grilled some humongous strip steaks, with salad, baked taters (N.O.T.) and sauteed mushrooms. With this cake for dessert, except I used chocolate angel food cake.

I’m stuffed.

419

taters, if it’s something you got innocently through an e-mail, they’ll figure out that you weren’t at fault and all should be well. A while back, I was the subject of accusations by some workers that I was surfing porn, downloading nekkid pictures and the like, and my network guy was able to show it was all buhloney. So, breathe in, breathe out and all should be ok.

SOX WIN!!! 4-3. No doubt because I was there and ate the ceremonial first Bus Guy Hot Dog of the season. :stuck_out_tongue:
**
eleanor**, I drive pretty quick, so 3 minutes is about right. :wink:

It’s looking like a cool night, the Kid is working until 10:30, so I might burn some forest tonight in the fireplace. The wife did a good job :: pats on the back:: cleaning up for tomorrow. My buddy and his girl are coming by for dinner tomorrow, and I’ll spend some serious kitchen time making things yummy, so a night of leisure and woodsmoke sounds like a good idea.

420

um…4-2. :wally