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Let it snow
So, we’ve gotten the first significant snow of the fourth quarter. It’s lovely and decorative. Very Christmassy.
Normally, I’d be on the job right now but there were a number of indicators that today was a really good day to opt out.
Let me count the ways
First is the aforementioned snow. Snow isn’t actually that big of a deal around here. We’re used to it. Well, we get used to it incrementally. The first couple of snowfalls are usually not that well handled and roads remain slippery. I’m told there were a number of fairly serious accidents, so it’s prudent not to go out among people who are still trying to drive around like it’s a bone-dry day in the middle of summer. I’ve had entirely too many close calls in inclement weather over the years.
Second is the fact that my battery was dead. Sure, a jumpstart and about 20 minutes behind the wheel will have it good as new. When the 20 minutes behind the wheel are ill-advised, one is less apt to bother with it until conditions are more favorable. Call it an omen. Call it an excuse. Call it what you will. It’s just another perfectly good reason not to go out tonight.
Third, and most importantly, is that eVeRyThInG hUrTs!!! Oh my goodness, my whole body is a massive cramp lined with sore spots. I can barely move. Given my job responsibilities, this is firmly counter-indicative. It’s time to stay home, rest and heal. Tomorrow is another day.
Some More Rules
Rule #61: Not yet cited in Star Trek episodes, movies or novels
Here’s one that caught my eye:
The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty
~Winston Churchill
Fair enough. I’m apparently being uncharacteristically pessimistic tonight. Pain has a way of clouding vision. All the better reason to go back to bed and hope for a better tomorrow.
Rule #62: The riskier the road, the greater the profit
This could be the very definition of entrepreneurialism. Bosses bank. When you take the risks, you may take a fall or you may take a windfall.
Rule #63: Work is the best therapy (at least for your employees)
The Ferengi have a bit of a calloused view about exploiting family and employees. To them and to some in the real world, employees are just chess pieces to be moved around and sometimes sacrificed to reach an end goal.
On a brighter note, we can observe that work is the best therapy when the work is your work. Whatever your passion is. Whatever your mission in life. Whatever skill set you have devoted yourself to. Indulging yourself in your work can indeed be phenomenal therapy. Let the musician play for the joy of playing. Let the woodworker sand and sculpt and construct for the joy of making. Let the theoretician examine the world and its complexities for the joy of thinking. If you’re in the zone, it can be very cathartic.
Rule #64: Not yet cited in Star Trek episodes, movies or novels
This one seemed reasonably Ferengi-like:
The quickest way to double your money is to fold it over and put it back in your pocket.
~Will Rogers
This is a big one for the holiday season. So many people go into debt trying to make others happy. That’s a lovely sentiment with dreadful results. You start the new year with new worries. Life stops being about the joy and wonder of the season and starts being about wondering how you’re going to pay for all this stuff. The only thing you need to really give friends is friendship and relatives is love. That’s all they really want from you in the long run. Gifts are nice and often even appreciated, but the gift of you is what makes their world seem merry and bright.
Rule #65: Win or lose, there’s always Hupyrian beetle snuff
Bonuses are seen as a great incentive from management. Sure, free money is great. But when it’s not money it’s hard to find a one size fits all kind of gift. I was on a project way back when and they decided that it would be awesome to give everybody a widescreen TV. I didn’t want a freaking TV and neither did a number of my colleagues. I was behind on my bills at the time and would have been perfectly satisfied with a disbursement of liquidity, thank you very much. Luckily, we were able to convince management that the TV was a non-starter and they changed it to a fixed price item of your choosing. My portable dishwasher? We still have it. It still works. I still appreciate it a great deal more than a TV that I didn’t want.
Okay, it even hurts to sit here and type, so I’m keeping this short and snappy. Be safe and comfy, my friends, and Merry Christmas!