Friday, September 30, 2005

Cruisin' Home

Even though the leaves are slowly turning orange they have not pushed the orange barrels off of my ride home. Since I now work in Southfield east side of Detroit I am taking 75 up instead of 23 as I do from the west side of Detroit. Getting to 75 is a challenge all in itself, but then once I am on it becomes a whole new world. So today I'm on 475 going through downtown Flint to avoid the construction on actual 75 when I decide I need to stop and use the bathroom. Not familiar with with the exits on 475 and knowing pretty much only that it is downtown Flint I start to figure out where I will be when I merge back with 75 and what exits are the most potty friendly. I get back on at 124 and 126 isn't bad they have a BP with decent restrooms. Then I do something really stupid if I want to get out of the car. I put in the To Mom With Love CD. Earlier today I was talking about my sisters and someone asked how many siblings I have, what a tough question, then later the question of just how many kids did I have. So I was feeling pretty nostalgic. By the time It's a Small World came on I was balling missing those little kids just as much as I missed Karl and Matt. (There's one answere for the know ourselves poll) When I got to the exit for the restroom they were singing the bear song and there was no way I was getting out of the car. So I'm back to figuring out exits while singing and crying, good thing multi-tasking is one of my special talents. (There's another poll answer.) 131 sucks since you have to drive down to the first light on the main street and turn on to a service drive to get to the businesses, the rest area around 134 was closed last week due to the construction, the big exit at 136 is screwy with the construction, the next exit isn't till 144 and I don't really care for the restrooms theres, 149 is awful, 151 is pretty good I can probably make it till then. Except I forgot about the construction on the bridge that they decided to start this weekend (deer season starts tomorrow - opening day weekend yeah that's when I'd close a lane on 75 north) so I ditch 75 at 150 to take 675 which has no potty friendly exits. Now I'm trying to figure out how long the CD is, and where will I be when it ends. There are 27 tracks on the CD! Finally back on 75 at mile mark 159 I turn the cd player off after Honey so I get off at 160 and pee. What a coincidence, that's the exit with the Dunkin Donuts. Guess I could get Gordon a donut or 24.

Once the CD ends, I start scanning the radio I stop at a station playing Kiss' Beth. What a great song, and the great songs just keep coming...just like Bogie and Bacall...sundown you better take care....cracklin' rosie get on board....if you like pina coladas....hello darkness my old friend...I love you just the way you are...we're going hoppin' (hop)...born and raised in South Detroit...nothing but a heartache. Good solid music almost all the way home. Then they break for commercial and station identification. "You're listening to the Bay, great songs from yesteryear" What, isn't that just another way of saying "Oldies", Oldies are Beatles, Motown, Petula Clark for christ sake. What do they know about Oldies, oh well I programed their station in anyways even if they don't know classic from old.

Sunday, September 11, 2005

We're Number One

The Lions beat the Packers, the Bears and Vikings both lost. That means Detroit is all alone in the number one spot for their division. I don't think that has happened in my football watching history. WOOOHOOO.

In other, even better, news I have been offered a full time permanent position with Arcadia. My boss (Eman) has been making noises about hiring me, comments here and there but nothing definite. I had an appointment with Blue Cross on Thursday to test for an Administrative position that required me to take a long lunch. So I went in to talk to Eman and told her that I had an interview, and she said please no don't go. She explained that she wanted to hire me but that because I was a temp she had to wait 90 days (the usual period is 120 days but she had already talked them down to 90). She asked me not to go on the interview and said that she would go talk to HR about reducing the 90 days. Later that afternoon she brought me in with HR who explained that they had to stay with 90 days since I came from an Arcadia affiliate and they did not want the affiliate to lose their commission on me since that may discourage them from sending future temps. However, I will not have to wait 90 days from my actual hire date for benefits to kick in they will kick in immediately. So that means I will get paid for Thanksgiving!! A paid holiday, forgot what that felt like. I really like the work, it is complex and constant. I'm really happy about it.

That's about it, and it's past my Sunday night bedtime.