A dear, sweet man is gone...

Winston Rand, of Nobody Asked..., is gone.

He passed away Saturday.
His wife (Roomie) posted the notice.
Please go offer comfort to her.

I met him once in Nashville. Loved him instantly.
He was a dear friend who will be missed forever.

RIP sweet man...

Osmosis...

and there I see,
in you, and therefore
bring to me,
much love and
hope and reasons
why
this life, today, is
worth more time
and not yet ready, in
spite of grief, to stop
and say good-bye.

The internal grapevine of gossip and good tidings...

Every workplace has its rumors.

Since the last lay-off in February, a lot of time at work
has been spent trying to guess our future.
We got some news today in a meeting with one of the
head honchos.

Our biggest customer has cut back orders by 30 per cent.
Other customers have put a hold on some orders.
They are forecasting (hoping) that this downturn will reverse
itself in September. In the meantime, however, costs here
need to be cut somehow.

One of the measures that will be taken is to cut our work
hours from forty per week to thirty-two.
We're going to a four day work week. This includes everyone.

If we have vacation time left, we can use that to prevent
a short pay check. They are even giving us the option of
using our accrued vacation time for next year if we don't
have any left from this year. Or, we can take a short pay check
for the next eight weeks... all of July and August.

They admit to going this route in order to avoid another lay-off.
Of course, if business doesn't pick up enough in September,
they also said they will probably be forced to cut personnel then.

I'm choosing to take a short pay check for the next two months.
If business doesn't get better, I want my last check to include
whatever vacation time I might have at that time.

A short pay check now is still more than unemployment and it
still includes benefits like health insurance.
I can do this.

Considering the sucky condition of the economy throughout the
country right now, I appreciate this effort to keep us employed.
And, I made sure to say that to the head honcho after the meeting.


On a much lighter note... it is Haiku Wednesday at Sparrow's place.

This week's topic is HOME and the deadline is 10 pm tonight.

Novocaine brain...

mind
less
ness
hurts.

Depression...

is not
just another bad mood.
it is
day after day after day after day
talking myself out of
dying.

But not today.

Haiku mushiness...

This week's haiku contest topic is LOVE.

I got on a bit of a roll with this one.
I submitted five...

Betrayal kills love
as surely as a promise
brings it back to life.

***

It's like an old quilt,
worn, still holding together.
Providing comfort.

***

Love escapes again.
Perhaps it was never here.
Spent, I close the door.

***

lessons never learned
in a book of broken heart.
fail'd the test again.

***

My boobs are sagging.
Your ears are sprouting gray hairs.
Turn the light out, dear.

Sparrow changed the deadline to 10 p.m. tonight.
Hurry, hurry, hurry!

Would a brain enema...

be done
through an ear or
up the nose?

In an email from my sister...

Live your life in such a way that
when your feet hit the floor in the
morning, Satan shudders and says...

"Oh shit...she's awake!"

Sparrow's Haiku Contest...

topic: HEAT.

Animal rescue...

My dear friend, Mick, has a post I'd like my readers
to see.

His beautiful wife is the Director of a non-profit
organization, RCCAH. She is a veterinarian trying
to live her dream of saving helpless critters.

If you can help her help them, please do.

How do I love thee?...

Let me count the ways...
1.
...nevermind.

dit moi pourquoi...

a memory never was
but wished for.
dreams will never see
light of day.
tomorrow will be emptier
without one.
eventually,
everything goes away.