break | Piss and Moan

Long Break

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It’s been a while since I have written anything. Almost two weeks. This post likely won’t be all that profound, so don’t get all excited. I am not sure when the next post will be after this, but there will be more. Just things to sort out.

Last week was one filled with bad news. Sudden, unexpected, tragic death in the family. Shock. Disbelief. All those sorts of words could be used. Probably lots more.

Vacation to Arizona had been planned for months. It was going to be a time of relaxing and family visiting. Earlier this week, we left for Arizona. Only the relaxing and family time has been upended with stress, grieving, and uncertainty. Family we were coming to see is now broken and trying to hold it together. There is much to do while here and there is no relief for the weary. To end it all with a Celebration of Life, well, let’s say this is the worst vacation ever.

I have been sick with the flu or a cold the last couple days. Trying to power through it wasn’t working, so today was a rest day. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

Anyway, an explanation for the absence.

Hug your loved ones.

You never know when the last time is, indeed, the last time.

Just like home

Posted on January 25, 2021 by backuphill

I don’t want it to be just like home.

Vacation. When you leave home for vacation, especially when you live in the Northwest where it is cold and wet all the time, you want to leave for a place that will be warm and sunny. Whatever happens, you want the weather to be different than what you had at home.

Palm Springs hasn’t delivered yet, and the forecast says it won’t the rest of the week either. Last week it was in the 80’s.

Yesterday, the first day here, it was cold, wet, and windy. It was actually stormy. Today, the sun is out to some degree but the dark heavy clouds are zipping my at a high rate of speed since the wind is blowing harder than the blower at the end of a car wash.

Disappointing, to say the least. I was expecting some warm weather down here. Not so much.

Guess there really will be time to relax since I’ll be stuck inside.

Bummer.

In house

Posted on April 1, 2020 by backuphill

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One can only watch so many TV shows, movies, and play so many video games. I didn’t think it was possibly, but there is a limit.

I wouldn’t call it cabin fever, per se, but I am ready to at least be outside in my yard. But Mother Nature is being uncooperative in the PNW. She is teasing us with breaks of sun, followed by downpours of rain that give you the impression you are in the shower. Everything wet, everything drenched, everything starts the drying process…again.

It’s got me mumbling under my breath. More than usual, anyways.

Just about the time I think, “Ah, a break in the weather. Perhaps it will be dry enough to get out of the house and do some yard work,” another cloud bank comes rolling through to douse those ideas. And the process starts all over again.

It’s not that this is surprising. That happens all the time this time of year. That’s the PNW for you. BUT, this time is different because we are literally confined to our homes and there isn’t much to do anywhere else. So, yard work. Not that I am excited about doing yard work, but it is something different (and the grass is still growing and the weeds are still trying to take over the yard).

Mind you, I am not desperate enough to go out and do it in the rain or between rain showers. Not yet at least. But, there may be a day in the near future…

Off

Posted on January 21, 2020 by backuphill

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Apparently I took the day off yesterday. I don’t think I meant to as I totally remember thinking to myself that I needed to write something and click publish. But, between family in the house and the coffee cup, I must have gotten distracted and forgotten what I was doing.

So, thanks to those of you who still stopped by yesterday, even if there wasn’t something new to read.

Maybe I needed a day off. I am not sure. Of course, here in the US it was a holiday. As such, I wasn’t at the office and I wasn’t doing my telecommute thing. The schedule was off so I guess so was I.

Here’s the weird thing though. When I am off, like off from work because of a holiday, there is scorn in the house. Scorn because the holiday doesn’t relieve everyone in the house of their work responsibilities. Because I get a day off and get to do what I want to do, I get scorn. I hear things like:

“What did you do today?”

“What did you get done today?”

“How were you productive today?”

“What did you do with yourself today?”

It’s some version of that. Scorn.

How about I just get to take time off for me? How about I get to do what I want on these days because I can? How about I just get to do me today?

I am off. I have no work. I don’t feel like doing work at home today either. In fact, I left a 15 year career in teaching so I didn’t have to dedicate my whole life to work, even when I wasn’t at work. Get it?

I.AM.OFF.

(Oh, and for the record, I cleaned the house and put away laundry since dinner guests were coming. There. I did something.)

Now, leave me alone.

***Dang, back to work today…***

Missing it

Posted on December 23, 2019 by backuphill

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Today I am missing it.

Today is the first day of Christmas break for students (at least for most schools) in my area. They are enjoying the day, I am sure, by not doing anything. I even have a teen who hasn’t seen the light of day yet because the bedroom door hasn’t cracked an inch and likely won’t for a couple more hours.

Today I am missing the fact that as I teacher I would not be working today. Usually the first couple days of Christmas break was an ACTUAL break for me. I usually finished up shopping and generally relaxed and spent time with the kids.

Instead, I am at work today…and there really isn’t much going on since my job is to support school personnel with their software…and they are all (or nearly all) on break…not working…and I am trying to find things to stay busy…but really all I want to do is not be at work…

Today I am missing it.

Morning minute

Posted on August 14, 2019 by backuphill

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It’s gonna be a busy day. I looked at the schedule for the day ahead and all I can think about is how am I going to get it all done? There is just too much.

If you have been around long enough, you know that I get to telecommute two days a week from home. Normal days are Wednesday and Thursday (with an occasional Tuesday thrown in to make up for a meeting when it comes up during the week).

So, today I am in the garage, which is “my place” in the house, though it isn’t exclusively mine since it is mostly storage for a variety of things. Half the garage is tools and whatnot….and my home office.

It gets warm in here. Or cold in here. Depends on the time of the year because it isn’t that well insulated (well, in some places it isn’t at all). With the weather being warmer these days up in the PNW, the garage has had to have a fan going while I work from home. This morning, while things are quiet in the neighborhood I have opened the door and am letting in the cool air of the morning. It feels good.

I have found like that I like the coolness of the air. The slowness of the morning as I have time to “just be” and time to sip a cup of coffee (or four). It is just nice to take a moment to breathe and to take in the quiet stillness. To watch the sun rise over the tops of the trees. Calm before the storm of the day.

I am getting tired of the constant storm, but the morning minute helps to put my head on straight for the day and look forward.

*raises cup of coffee* Here’s to the cool, quiet mornings, and a chance to breathe. May you also have that moment of the day where you can pause and take it in for a minute.

Where is your place of solace? Where do you like to go when the stress of life gets to be too much? What do you do (or not do)?

Just jump on this bandwagon

Posted on January 4, 2019 by backuphill

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Friday.

Of a three day work week.

Why can’t they all be this way? I mean I could really get used to this since it has been a fairly regular practice of as of late. How so?

Because of the holidays, there have been (at least for me) THREE weeks of three day work weeks. Whew! Say that fast 10 times!

Let’s break it down. In the last 7 weeks, three of them have been three day work weeks. I say we just make that the regular schedule. Like forever.

Now that is a bandwagon I can get on!! Who is with me??