Apparently you're not supposed to be swapping hours at work unless the manager makes the change. This is new to you. You know that if you're swapping to compensate for someone calling off and you getting called in, that the compensating has to be within the same week as the call-off so that no one gets overtime. But this other side of the requirement is new to you. You have swapped before and no word from management to object. You're aware that third shift has done some swapping before, and to your knowledge they have not gotten this for it either.

So you swapped two (2) hours (hours) with a co-worker so they could make it to a sign-up at a charity for their son. This voluntary change puts you at work in the middle of a day you had off originally, but the cause was worth it so you do not mind. And now you are looking at going to work in an hour expecting a reaming from management.

Because of this you're not up to asking to swap Friday with someone so that you can make it to Cedar Point with some friends, friends you haven't been able to spend an afternoon with for weeks.

Shit happens.

Slop is delicious. You may have never had it so I'll share.

Cook ground beef and whatever else you want in boiling water. Add things you might like in a stew such as sliced carrots, peas, lima beans, green beans, onion, whatever. This is the base of the meal. Then make a big pot of mashed potatoes, a little more mashed potatoes than you have base (including the broth) is good.

When you get your bowl, start with the base, getting only a little of the broth. Add mashed potatoes until you get the consistency you like.

Enjoy. It's very delish.

It's stayed cold for a good long time this winter. You enjoy it, best when it's cold yet dry. You stand at the window at work and it looks warm and sunny but you know it's almost negative windchill. For whatever reason, that sort of thing makes you smile.

You had to pick up your niece from day care the other day. It was funny, because she hadn't seen you more than maybe five or six times in her life. While thirteen months isn't a long life, you can't believe it's already been that long since she was born. You can remember just the other day when your brother broke the news to everyone that he and his girlfriend were going to have a baby. It wasn't news by then anymore to anyone there, of course. Your family keeps a secret like a paper bag holds water. But anyway, it was funny because she didn't cry at all when you put on her shoe or coat. She didn't cry when you put her in her car seat and she slept the entire way home. She held her arms up when it was time to get out of the car.

But you put her down in the chair and she starts to cry. She still wants to be held all of the time, but you are trying to break her of that. If anything she chases after someone when she wants held, and she's getting exercise and better at walking. She looks so much like your brother. It's almost creepy.

But without her, your brother likely wouldn't have a family that even talked to him. And now you feel like he's just using her to get more out of the family he never gave anything but trouble to. You know he's playing the guilt card with everyone, that they have to help him because that would also be helping the baby. That makes you hate him more, but you still help because of the baby.

No one has his knack of calling you within the thirty minutes before your alarm is set to go off.

You're so cheery and energetic at work, but you can never get that person to get in the car when you leave to go home. He just stands there in the parking lot and waits for you to get back to work.

Then he beats you up and hides you under the car until it's time to go home again.

Tough staying awake. Even with seven hours of sleep you still feel tired. Once you get (back) to work, you're sure you'll get more energy from having something to do.

You've gotta drive the gold mini to work today, since dad needs the truck to bring home the big new TV and stand and whatnot. Not excited about that with the roads being what they are. The roads are fun in this weather in the truck because it handles it wonderfully. The mini you're not so sure about.

Well you can't use MSN messenger now, since you old hotmail account is no longer available. Darn. Well maybe you'll make a new account, but no one will be tied to it anymore so you're just as well not being able to use it.

Someone you went to high school with stopped by the store today. She was pleasant and asked if you remembered her and so on. She was the only one in the store at the time, so there was no reason not to have idle chatter. You gave the mono-tone cold shoulder and didn't really try to talk to her. You felt bad about it as she walked out the door. Why did you act like that? You have no idea. Normally you're overly excited to talk to people while you're working, but with her you were all cold and anti-social.

And of course she doesn't exist anywhere on the internet where you could send her a message and try to make things right so that maybe she'll wanna do some catching up or something. No myspace, no facebook, no classmates or anything. Maybe she just doesn't use the internet.

You still feel bad about it. Maybe she'll just happen to come in again another day and you can try to patch things up then.

You met your friend from high school today, who you haven't seen or heard from for five years. You helped him get a job where you work and you're sure it'll work out fine for him. You felt odd because you didn't really have anything to talk about with him. Nothing to catch up on, really. How boring.

Well considering that you didn't really talk to him much after the first couple years of high school either, well, um, yea you don't know where this sentence was going anymore.

Have you really been out of high school for five years already? Man...

You love when you have to suit up as if for a spacewalk just to take out the trash. Of course that usually means that there is no reason to go outside, and you'll be cooped up inside all day. Your old regulars are slowly learning that the truck stop is open again, and it's nice to see them again after almost two months of not seeing them.

The cats are really not getting along. You think you have it all taken care of now, though. Scaring the shit out of them for fighting and then giving them the cold shoulder seems to have gotten them to at least ignore each other for now. It's tough, but its gotta be done for the sake of peace in the house.

You're not sure if you'll go out and get a few cards for people for Christmas. It's not your holiday, so really you shouldn't be expected to do anything. You wouldn't even show up if your father hadn't dumped his cards to everyone on you to deliver as he skipped town for the holidays. You're sure that there will be one or two boxes with your name on it when you get there, and you're sure you'll have some guilt for not giving in return. You hate this season. These days everyone expects you to give gifts whether they think you celebrate or not. You're the bad guy if you don't. You're the antisocial grandson who doesn't care about family if you don't get gifts.

Work has the same songs on repeat all day, the Christian Christmas carols. You feel like you're at church all day. You're sick of everyone imposing their religious crap on you. But you'll just keep doing what you've been doing. Smile and nod. All the preachy jerks who come and talk about god and ask you questions that you could give the best retorts to but won't because you don't want to get in trouble with the manager, you hate those jerks. But no, just smile and nod. Let them think it's OK because they're the customer and you want their business.

But hey it'll all be over in a couple days and you won't have to kiss religious ass about their dumb imposed beliefs for another year.

Your favorite large cup is growing a large crack. :(

You've been working days for the last few weeks. The truck stop should be finished with remodeling shortly, and you'll be back there by the end of the week. Since you haven't been on third shift, you haven't had the time to scribble on scratch paper. Not that you could if you did have time. Your new employers are of the opinion that there is always something to do. They are so firm in this that there is nowhere to sit down if you wanted to, aside from the manager's office.

Two others from the truck stop got hired in with the new company. They are training at another store. At orientation you met one of them, your old assistant manager. Now she'll be just another employee like you. But you never really saw her differently than that.

It'll be so nice to get back to the old regulars and the old neighborhood and the old thugs, strippers, impoverished city-folk, and of course the truckers. You can't stand the customers where you are now. They're mostly such damned churchy, self-righteous, well-off white racists. Deep in McCain country, as you would have said a couple months ago. You are almost overwhelmed with joy when a non-Caucasian walks in and you can again feel connected with the world outside this little hick town.

But there are a couple people at this station you'll miss. The long-time third shifter is always so bubbly and quick to laugh at everything. The newer third shifter is so easy to talk to, and you can relate to her situation with being new to everything and being on third shift. The assistant manager in-training was always a pleasant person to work with, eager to greet you with a smile in the morning, or afternoon, or whenever you started. Maybe you'll miss her more because she would ask you questions about how stuff works, and you like getting asked questions. You like being the one who is helpful. You like to teach.

Working in the field you do now is one of the best fields for someone who likes being helpful. People come in who are lost and you can help them find their way, saving their trip and giving them peace of mind. You contribute to starting the day off well for dozens of people, most of whom are appreciative, some even openly so.

By the end of the week, you'll be much happier. Well, you've been much happier since you knew you wouldn't have to search the job market again, but soon it'll almost be like before. Just better. Now there is somewhat of a corporate ladder to climb, the good possibility of making well over minimum.

One more day in Hartville, and you'll never have to go back. Hopefully.

As for the Browns... well, there's always the season after next.