The Party

KCL isn't down today, but I cannot access - again - the posting screen, so, here we go again.
Party was awesome. Really, it was totally cool. The GM of our company's house is one of the most amazing houses I have ever been in. They just finished building it this year and moved in - took 2 and a half years to build. I'm guessing a minimum million for that house. The wood flooring - was quite unusual. It wasn't the generic stuff people are putting on their floors nowadays. No, it was from the floor of an old barn somewhere in the midwest. The pieces are all sizes - lengths and widths are all irregular.

But the effect was incredible. It was - glazed over is all I can say about it. The kitchen counter and island were also made of some old wood that had been perfectly fitted together and cracks filled in with some black substance and then coated. A built in coffee-maker - push a button and a cup of freshly brewed coffee comes out.

The square footage of their patio must have been the same as my 2,000 square foot house, it was THAT big. The grilling area was a griller's paradise. Gas grill - huge - with a built-in hibachi next to it. Stainless everything, including a refrigerator and heating drawers. Words cannot adequately describe the place, but the impression that hit me when I was walking in was that of walking into an old, rustic resort hotel.

Most were drinking heavily. I was not so inclined. I don't like getting drunk - I don't mind a couple of drinks but drunkeness is out of the question and I most certainly am not going to get busted driving home drunk and face the end of my trucking career. I had a couple of glasses of some very fine wine and also a cigar from a certain country.............

There are always awkward moments at parties. You know, when the talking lags, or you meet face-to-face you might have been at odds with - especially concerning a company party. I made it a point to talk to the dude that I have felt some tension with for some time now. I hit the "thaw" button when I started talking about being from Pittsburgh and a huge Steelers fan. Yup, he loves the Steelers too, though he's not from Pittsburgh.

The ops manager seemed to lighten up towards me quite a bit as well. He's usually pretty - quiet. He seems to be that way around the hourly workers. His wife seems to think everyone is afraid of him. I make it a point in life not to fear management. They are only human beings. They may be in a position of power, and certainly they deserve to be respected - but I also deserve to be respected, just like anyone else. I do a damn good job at what I do and I am proud of my accomplishments within the company whether anyone wants to recognize those accomplishments or not. I can guarantee you those managers can't do the job I am doing. Not saying that in haughtiness or brashness - the point is that within the workings of a company, it's all a big jigsaw puzzle. You don't have the full picture unless every piece is in it's place. Miss a piece, the picture is not complete.

My giant trays of cheeses and meats were a success as well. I brought plenty back - I didn't realize that so much food was going to end up there - but more than half of it was eaten. It will not sit around here and rot, that's for sure, it will disappear by tomorrow evening probably.

I could become a socialite again if I really wanted to. I'm not sure I'm there right now, but it does a person good to get out and away from the house and mingle with people. It's easy to get stuck in a rut and do the same thing over and over again every day.

I thought it very important to make a showing, really was the gist of it, but the party was good, too. The GM is all about relationship and teamwork - mostly thinking of the team as family in some regards and the way he addresses it in his mass emailings. I'm not really invited to alot of the stuff that goes on within the main branch office and people talking about going out doing this and that - not that I am having a pity party or feeling sorry for myself, quite the opposite. But it might be nice once in a while to get out with some of them and hang out a little.

So I'm home. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving get-together with "family", if you can call it that. My brother's son called my mom today asking if his uncle Ben and cousin Caleb were going to be there, apparently asking her to call me and confirm. I thought it strange - he could've just called me, I don't bite. But yes, I will be there with Caleb and we will do our best to enjoy the moment.

I got home too late - I was going to start painting the hallway. I didn't figure I would have enough time before - going to bed like in 15 minutes from now. I may hit that tomorrow morning - but I am really starting to get ancy about getting Christmas lights and stuff up. It's already the 5th of December and I have NOTHING out there. One of the neighbors down the street has their entire front yard decked out - I want mine to look at least close to it. Most of the people on my street do nothing for Christmas - not even a few lights in the windows. Wish that would change. Sorta reminds me of Christmas with the Klanks - the "deadbeats" who decided not to have Christmas. You'd have to see the movie to understand. Except this is opposite, instead of everyone on the street doing Christmas full-blown, hardly anyone does it.

Gonna have to get my energy levels back up and start hitting the stuff around here hard after work to get it all done.

Anyway, enough for one entry.
g'nite.
ben