Life in the fast lane--where's the on ramp?

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Saturday, October 22, 2016

The janitor's secretary - part 5

Having a little fun on the job is vital – all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy as the saying goes. It is absolutely essential In a service job like the Physical Plant department. Our clientele was primarily academics – highly educated in their particular fields, but largely ignorant of what it... Sign in to see full entry.

Friday, October 21, 2016

Yesterday's Write Your Own Story

Our prompt for the writing session included two suggestions. The first was illness, such as the polio epidemics or cancer in the late 1950s and beyond, before the Salk vaccine and other medical advances had been made. The second was any major weather event. One of our writers had contracted polio.... Sign in to see full entry.

Thursday, October 20, 2016

The Janitor's Secretary - part 4

My first job interview after I passed the Civil Service exam at SIUE was with the HR director. He explained the job opening; it was anything but typical. “It’s not a front office where you’d be dealing with the public and students,” he told me. “This job will involve working with union craftsmen,... Sign in to see full entry.

Wednesday, October 19, 2016

The Janitor's Secretary - part 3

We walked around some farmhouse about a mile or so off the central core. “This is going to be our home away from home,” he said. “I’ll get them sumbitches in here in the next week or two, and we’ll get this kitchen the hell out. The electricians will wire this place for office machines, and phone... Sign in to see full entry.

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

The Janitory's Secretary, part 2

A few weeks later, after Mr. Cook had sent the men out to their assignments, he told me to get my steno pad, hit the john and grab my purse. “We’re going out to the new campus for a look-see,” he said. He had already checked out an official car from the motor pool. As we drove he told me the effing... Sign in to see full entry.

Monday, October 17, 2016

“I don’t find this stuff amusing any more.”

Simon and Garfunkel were amazing together. Their songs lit up the culture. But this morning I’m remembering a line from one of Paul Simon’s later works which for the life of me I can’t remember beyond “I don’t find this stuff amusing any more.” If you haven’t been camped out in the wilderness for... Sign in to see full entry.

Sunday, October 16, 2016

The Janitor’s Secretary

Someone once asked me to describe my job, and that’s what I told them it was, in a nutshell. At the time Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville was mostly in the planning stages. The state had acquired the former Shurtleff College campus in upper Alton and was moving forward with a limited... Sign in to see full entry.

Saturday, October 15, 2016

Accusations, Denials and Charges, Oh My!

I once thought I’d brag like a locker room jock whose papa never taught tick from tock. You’ve no idea the cuties I’ve put under my thumb and they never complain, they’re not that dumb. I go up close and personal: skin against skin any time it happens to be the mood I am in. How easy come liberties... Sign in to see full entry.

Friday, October 14, 2016

Twist of The Knife...a story from The Center

The group met on Thursday, and as usual we were ready to rock and roll., It seems we all come prepared for anything these days. Mom’s saying about our state of mind would be “loaded for bear.” There was a lot of hunting and other frontier stuff going on when Mom was young. We got right down to... Sign in to see full entry.

Thursday, October 13, 2016

Bob Dylan Wins Nobel Prize for Literature

The story goes like this: “STOCKHOLM (AP) — American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan won the 2016 Nobel Prize in literature on Thursday, a stunning announcement that for the first time bestowed the prestigious award on a musician. “The Swedish Academy cited Dylan for "having created new poetic... Sign in to see full entry.

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Sometimes you have to write it down in order to learn what you really think about life, what it means, how to do what's best. Sometimes you need feedback from someone else to put things in perspective.

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