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I felt VERY bad today at work. When I have congestion in my lungs like I do now, it's hard to make it through a day's work. I did a bit over 6 hours, got everything done that had to be done and went home.

But not before being greeted by a surprising sight when I returned back to the branch from my second and final run. In the parking lot were the General Manager's car; the Operations Manager's SUV and the Credit manager's vehicle. As well as some salesmen's vehicles. No clue, whatsoever. I haven't said anything more about the situation that was going on with the missing pallet and then the work ethic accusation since the last email I sent to the Ops manager, which was - early last week.

Lots of thoughts ran through my head, but I was feeling so s*****, I didn't really get too deep into it. In fact, when I feel THAT bad, it really doesn't matter if I am about to get shoved in the face with bad news. I neither expected that kind of news nor did I "unexpect" it. When push comes to shove, I will speak my peace and whatever the consequences are, I will live with it.

I walked in - people were in conversations which I didn't want or even feel like getting involved with. I do my thing and wait for the opportunity to say hello arises. Well, the General Manager was sitting in my manager's office, which is directly behind where I use the counter computer. I was doing my thing when they decided to head outside, the GM said hello and asked how I was doing - then heard me say hello back in a very gruff, scratchy, dried out throat type of sound - which is what I sound like when I get this way - and he immediately replied he was probably doing better than me considering my voice, lol.

Ummm, so anyway. They went outside. I finished up my paperwork and computer work and then - well as I said, I wasn't feeling well at all - decided to go out and ask if I could go home early. Just standing there was enough for me, sitting down I am fine but doing any physical work? Git'er done, and git'er done quick because I will run out of energy quickly.

I go out there, they are in a conversation about various business things of which I was listening to and soon got involved with - but finally, after 10 minutes of it, I just said "I don't want to interrupt, but I am not feeling well at all, will it be cool to go home a bit early?"

Well the GM went right into the reason he had come out: to talk to both of us about our bonuses. Bonuses? Coming out to deliver the news personally? It's not like the man doesn't have anything to do. Every time I go to the main branch - which is quite frequently - he is in his office talking to all kinds of people, on the phone or doing whatever on the computer. He works long hours and so, one would have to consider it a privilege to have that kind of attention from such an individual.

He goes into an explanation of how the bonus system works in our company, the pool that it comes from and the fact that this year, the bonuses were derived completely and totally on the sales generated by our area versus the help that corporate had to give last year. I'm not going to sit here and complain about the bonus, it was the same as last year, which is the highest I can get at my tier, so happy I was and am. Profusely thankful, I conversed with him as much as I could - I was getting weaker and weaker standing there and I was ready to sit down somewhere. Mostly, the only place I am sitting at work is in the truck, other than that I am working. Not that driving isn't working, it's a different kind of work.

So there it is. That money is going directly into the savings account when it arrives, piggy-backed on a paycheck next month.

I headed home. Remembered that it is the end of the month, tomorrow is the 30th. My car's registration will expire after tomorrow night. I figured I wouldn't feel any better tomorrow than I do today - this junk usually lasts a while - and that if I didn't do this today - the emissions testing that is - I would have to wait in an incredibly long line tomorrow with all the other procrastinators. But, just sitting down in my car's leather seats, I was feeling much better. So I went over there. It only took 15 minutes and I was out of there. My favorite place to get the oil changed is right around the corner - so yes, I did that too and regretted it. It took too long, I was feeling crappy all over again and wanted to just go home.

They took their friggin' lunch break in the middle of doing it. If I would have been told that when I first got in there, I would have left. Come back another day. I mean, really. The manager then goes into his spiel - you need this, that and the other thing. Yup, I'm sure, please just finish this up, I don't mean to be rude, but I am not feeling well and just want to go home. It needs an air filter. When do they NOT say your car needs an air filter? I will look at it on Saturday or Sunday and if it needs replaced, I'll go to AutoZone and get one at half the price I would pay them and be done with it.

He then noticed the car is a thousand miles short of 60,000 miles. Do you want to think about doing the maintenance schedule for it? Replace all the fluids. They do need to be replaced, yes, I won't deny it, it is something you need to do, especially transmission fluid and also engine coolant at the intervals specified. He quote $320 to replace the transmission fluid; coolant fluid; engine oil; brake fluid; power steering fluid and what was the last one? I can't think of it right now. Those services would cost a LOT more than that if you have them done individually, I can guarantee that right now. More than double that cost and even triple that cost at some places. So I left "thinking" about it.

It is going to wait. My house will hopefully be full of paying tenants soon, that will help with that situation. The woman tenant has declared that she is moving out on Saturday morning. She has apparently found a free place to live, the only thing she needs is a bed. I wasn't told this by her, this came through the trailer tenants. I don't WANT to speak to her, so beit. I'll be glad that she is out of here and that will take care of that problem. I was NOT willing to just tolerate and live with her junk forever. I have done that with other people and I came to the conclusion that it is not worth it. People that can't mesh with everyone else in the house - need to leave and leave immediately.

Back to the bonus. That money will hopefully be able to be kept for a travel trailer for up north. But - if something comes up/emergency, so beit. If I can keep out of warning trouble with the DOT (Department of Transporation/Highway Patrol Commercial Vehicle Enforcement) until January, I will get the safe driver award which is a week's pay. I will also get a tax refund whenever that happens. All of it will hopefully add up to buying a decent trailer to place on my mom's property up north. The electric use is about to drop significantly. Temps are going to drop next week to something that is much more like fall should be.

That will mean - when I can finally turn off the AC for the winter - my electric use will drop by 2/3rd's and I will have even more money available, plus less water usage to water plants meaning lower water bills. Less money to bills equals more money to savings.

Update: the new tenant just moved in. Probably not everything, but he wanted to get started on it because he is taking off with some buddies this weekend to San Diego - the Phoenicians vacation land/summer getaway place - to do whatever. He wanted to get his living arrangement taken care of before the 1st. I was glad to get the room rented and to what seems to be, at least, a responsible young man. His sister helped him and she also seems to have a good head on her shoulders. First impressions, that's all.

And this would be the end of this entry. I have plenty more, actually, but my head is banging around and that's enough to send me to bed early.

G'nite.

ben