January 6, 2016

An Unusual Review Of 2015

We interrupt our genuflection at the altar of Should I Stay Or Should I Go? so as to insert just a tiny bit levity for this blog. After all, being a Danny Downer is certainly not the most intelligent way to start off a new year.

I got to thinking the other day, which as you know has gotten me into a peck (remember, a peck equals a half a smooch) trouble, about what to blog about. Usually nothing of note comes to the forefront, but this time, the idea of looking back at 2015 gently tapped on the chamber door. Well, I shouldn't say "gently tapped" but more like "punch-a-hole-through-the-door-and-pull-you-through-it".

And in keeping with the violent nature of the tap, we decided to do a certifiably strange review of 2015. Most people review what they wrote, what they read, who they visited, what they blogged about, what they accomplished, etcetera, etcetera, so-on, so-on, ad infinitum and to infinity and beyond.

For me, I plan on pontificating about the NEW THINGS I DONE DID for 2105. I know, it's hard to believe that this old dog done did something mighty newfangled (no, I didn't get a new phone), but I did. In no particular chronological order of importance, here are some of the NEW THINGS THAT I DONE DID for 2015.

1} Commit career suicide.

This is something wickedly hard to do, yet when you do do it, the short term consequences usually morph into something extremely long term. Kind of like declaring personal and business bankruptcy at the same time. I finally managed to extricate myself from a particular nasty job duty that was seriously affecting my job evaluations/performances for the past several years. But, in order to accomplish that ignominious feat, I had to put myself in front of the proverbial firing squad and take a couple of bullets. Trust me, it's something that you shouldn't do, but when you're left with no other alternative after exhausting all possibilities, you do what you need to do. I did it, but more importantly, it's a decision that I can conformtably live with for the next few years.

2} Went to a high school football game.

Now this may not sound like much, especially to those of you who live in an area that lives/breathes/eats high school football, but the last time I went to a high school football game was when I was in high school doing the marching band thing. That's 34 years ago for those who are too tired to do math (Barbie says, "It's hard!"). Sure enough, the marching band is what got me to go to our town's annual Thanksgiving football game between Newington and Wethersfield. My daughter Jenelle plays the French horn, so being the supportive parent I is, I went to the game. My daughter performed very admirably, especially with the wind chill being in the low teens. The team, not so good. Scored a t.d. on fumble recovery (missed the PAT), then gave up 37 straight unanswered points to lose the game.

3} Went to a figure skating show.

Considering how much I've bragged about my daughter's ice skating ability, you'd be probably saying to yourself, "Duh!". Well, the truth of the matter is this: the amount of figure skating shows/competitions that I've gone to in her entire life (she started skating @ 3 years old) you can count on One. Entire. Hand.

One of the man reasons as to why I haven't gone to most of her skating shows is money. My friends, dropping anywhere from $10 to $100 a pop just to watch a child perform a sub-two minute skating routine, is not getting bang for your buck. Multiply that by seven to twelve competitions per year and you can see why Dad doesn't attend.

But, attend I did. She did a fine admirable job appearing in the annual winter show that a New England area skating group puts on, and I was very proud of her showing and talent. For those of you who are curious what the total outlay of this particular event was, it came to a shade under $27 (event ticket, parking, concessions, and yes, ticket was approx. 60% of the total outlay).

4} Career suicide redux.

Going back to the original point, there was one very important lesson that I gleaned from that event. I learned how to portray myself as a "I told you so and in spite of your misguided opinion about me, I know WTF I'm talking about and I can do your job just as well as you can" in such a way as to let everyone know that should you disrespect me, I do indeed bite back.

(c) 2016 BOOKS BY G.B. MILLER. All Rights Reserved.

16 comments:

  1. I hope that 2016 is a more peaceful year for you at work. Sounds like 2015 was tough and turbulent.

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    1. Exceptionally turbulent. So far, 2016 has been relatively quiet.

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  2. That seems wrong they would charge the parents of participants. When she was three, she certainly couldn't go by herself.
    I haven't been to a high school football in about the same amount of time. And I was also one of the band geeks on the field.
    Now, hope no one messes with you at work.

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    1. I should clarify. I was the only one who usually got charged, as my wife and mother more often than not were helpers in addition to being chaperones.

      So far, no one of importance has messed with me at work. I'm pretty much left to my own devices to make acerbic observations and treat everyone the exact same way they've treated me.

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  3. Happy New Year, G - hope this year is peaceful and good.

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    1. Thankee. I'm hoping for an outcome like that, and here's to you have the exact same thing as well.

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  4. Makes me want to go watch a few High school football games. Great memories for me from that time

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    1. My memories of that time was our school having a kick-ass team that went undefeated for 1 1/2 seasons. A good time was had by all.

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  5. I want that #1 spot! I'm still miserable at work- n the kids there are getting ruder by the day- grhhh

    Looks like a good one compared to me-

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    1. The misery has dropped by at least 75%. I picked up other duties and I've been reasonably stress free for the past couple of months.

      Hopefully things will get better for ya.

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  6. I worry about all your worrying and hope you can remember that "Worry is a prayer for something you don't want." Have a wonderful, productive and successful 2016 and enjoy without worry or stress.

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    1. Thanks, and here's to you having the same as well.

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  7. I hope work gets waaaaay better - or you get a better job - in 2016, my friend!

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    1. Well, it certainly can't get no worse, that's for sure.

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  8. I don't understand what happened to you at work, but it sounds stressful. I hope it pays off!

    Sounds like supporting your daughters hobbies always involves sitting in the cold.

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    1. The short version: I had a legitimately bad response to my most recent job evaluation, and someone who overheard happened to make a complaint to HR about it. I had a very productive one hour disciplinary meeting about it, and so far, the one job duty that I wanted to get rid of, I did. However, it has come at a significant cost to my upward mobility aspirations.

      Sitting in the cold and/or sitting in uncomfortable chairs for hours on end is the bane of my existence.

      Delete

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