Wow.
Long time, huh?
It has been almost exactly 18 months since my last post. I almost could've had a couple a kids since I last wrote. And actually, I guess I have. You see, we've adopted two dogs in the past 12 months, Joxer and Xander.
But I digress . . .
Remember way back when, when I said it had been a crazy seven months? No? You've never read my blog before and all the people who used to read it have died or moved on, you say?
Oh.
Well scroll down a bit and read the previous post or two.
Go on . . . I'll wait.
. . .
All done? Excellent.
You see, in September 2006, Timmy was laid off. Nice, huh? For his company to lay him off nine months after buying a house was quite the crap on the head. That was followed by three depressing months of frantic job-searching and straining to make ends meet with my meager salary and his tiny unemployment checks. He finally landed a job near home, luckily (or so we thought).
That job quickly revealed itself to be a Pandora's box of spiteful coworkers and miserable work conditions and departmental policy so focused on the bottom line that it makes The Donald(tm) look downright nonprofit. He's still there, unfortunately. As you all well know, the souring economy that cost him his job in the first place has only gotten worse since then. This has made it increasingly difficult to find another job and added the stress of not losing this one since another may not be in the near-term offing. But he just goes into automaton mode and does his job to bring home a paycheck while trying to find something better. Someday. *sigh*
Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow, right?
You know, I have been saying that for years now, and I never knew it was from Shakespeare's Macbeth:
I think that's how I've been feeling for awhile now. Running around with frenetic energy, doing the same routine day after day, week after week, ad nauseum. Aside from trying to keep a roof over our heads and feed us and our cars, what else is there? Is that what I spent my whole life building up to? To spend the rest of my life in an unfulfilling job making a pittance that barely covers expenses only to die having had no purpose to live in the first place?
I'm reminded of another quote by the great 21st Century thinker, Happy Bunny:
It's true though. Everyone dies. Why make ourselves miserable trying to do and be something we're not if we're all just dust in the end anyway?
Maybe you people who believe in an afterlife don't see the futility of it all. I'm an atheist. Or at the very least an agnostic. I've seen no proof of an afterlife for human or animal. I've seen no proof of any god, Hindu, Muslim, Judea, Christian, pagan, or otherwise. I believe in humanity. I've seen its best as well as its worst. I've experienced it. I live it. We all have and do.
I guess that's the point of it all. To be here for the ones you love and to take care of them when you can and vice versa. To make the most of your life, even if it's on a scale that only affects those directly around you. We can't all be presidents and celebrities and saints to the world, but we can to those individuals with whom we come into contact daily.
You've only got the one life. One shot. That's it. Make the most of it. Do the most good you can do within your own power. Rescue a dog or cat from homelessness. Hold a door or elevator for someone. Use your turn signal and don't cut off that guy in the next lane. Give your significant other a back or foot rub. Bring him or her a glass of chocolate milk without their having to ask.
Live and let live.
Be human and be humane.
Sorry, I didn't mean to go all soap-boxy on you. I wasn't really sure where this post would go, but I must say it was an interesting, albeit short, journey. Hopefully, it won't be another 17 months before I take it again.
Long time, huh?
It has been almost exactly 18 months since my last post. I almost could've had a couple a kids since I last wrote. And actually, I guess I have. You see, we've adopted two dogs in the past 12 months, Joxer and Xander.
But I digress . . .
Remember way back when, when I said it had been a crazy seven months? No? You've never read my blog before and all the people who used to read it have died or moved on, you say?
Oh.
Well scroll down a bit and read the previous post or two.
Go on . . . I'll wait.
. . .
All done? Excellent.
You see, in September 2006, Timmy was laid off. Nice, huh? For his company to lay him off nine months after buying a house was quite the crap on the head. That was followed by three depressing months of frantic job-searching and straining to make ends meet with my meager salary and his tiny unemployment checks. He finally landed a job near home, luckily (or so we thought).
That job quickly revealed itself to be a Pandora's box of spiteful coworkers and miserable work conditions and departmental policy so focused on the bottom line that it makes The Donald(tm) look downright nonprofit. He's still there, unfortunately. As you all well know, the souring economy that cost him his job in the first place has only gotten worse since then. This has made it increasingly difficult to find another job and added the stress of not losing this one since another may not be in the near-term offing. But he just goes into automaton mode and does his job to bring home a paycheck while trying to find something better. Someday. *sigh*
Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow, right?
You know, I have been saying that for years now, and I never knew it was from Shakespeare's Macbeth:
To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury
Signifying nothing." (Macbeth, Act 5, Scene 5, lines 19-28)
I think that's how I've been feeling for awhile now. Running around with frenetic energy, doing the same routine day after day, week after week, ad nauseum. Aside from trying to keep a roof over our heads and feed us and our cars, what else is there? Is that what I spent my whole life building up to? To spend the rest of my life in an unfulfilling job making a pittance that barely covers expenses only to die having had no purpose to live in the first place?
I'm reminded of another quote by the great 21st Century thinker, Happy Bunny:
It's true though. Everyone dies. Why make ourselves miserable trying to do and be something we're not if we're all just dust in the end anyway?Maybe you people who believe in an afterlife don't see the futility of it all. I'm an atheist. Or at the very least an agnostic. I've seen no proof of an afterlife for human or animal. I've seen no proof of any god, Hindu, Muslim, Judea, Christian, pagan, or otherwise. I believe in humanity. I've seen its best as well as its worst. I've experienced it. I live it. We all have and do.
I guess that's the point of it all. To be here for the ones you love and to take care of them when you can and vice versa. To make the most of your life, even if it's on a scale that only affects those directly around you. We can't all be presidents and celebrities and saints to the world, but we can to those individuals with whom we come into contact daily.
You've only got the one life. One shot. That's it. Make the most of it. Do the most good you can do within your own power. Rescue a dog or cat from homelessness. Hold a door or elevator for someone. Use your turn signal and don't cut off that guy in the next lane. Give your significant other a back or foot rub. Bring him or her a glass of chocolate milk without their having to ask.
Live and let live.
Be human and be humane.
Sorry, I didn't mean to go all soap-boxy on you. I wasn't really sure where this post would go, but I must say it was an interesting, albeit short, journey. Hopefully, it won't be another 17 months before I take it again.
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