A stick with nice shoes...

If you ask me out right if I care about other people's opinion I would say, that at the end of the day, let come what may. I don't say that I, it just seemed like it needed to rhyme. What I do say is that other's opinions don't matter. Which is how I think it should be, I'm the one who has to live with my decisions but I will use others opinions as a check on my own. I try to reason on why that opinion exists and if valid, I put it on a shelf for future reference.

...But I usually only pickup litter when no one is looking, only a chump would pick up someone else's litter. Right?

Lately, I've been trying to pick up the literal and figurative litter and not care who's looking.

My philosophy of life, do what's right, despite the strife.

No more rhyming, now I mean it. Anybody want a peanut? (yes, that is a 'Princess Bride' reference)

Do what's right. Seems easy.

I used to make a good effort.

I didn't make a conscience change but once I started writing stuff down, I realized I changed and not for the better. I declined, forgot the maintenance.

I think the world is in a natural state of decline. Declining bridges, declining buildings, declining television, declining people. Things need maintaining, fixing, improvements. No maintenance. Decline. Things left alone, decline. Just a fact of nature.

It seems I'm leading up to some grand revelation, some answer to some question. I have no answers.

I do have a hammer, can get some paint, pick up litter, offer a kind word, give up my bus seat, maybe ante up hope. Things can change. I just need to sally forth, not worry about what that guy next to me thinks or what part he is going to do.

…

I’m a tea drinking coffee drinker. My label would say coffee drinker but frequently I like tea. And today I wanted tea, strong & black but kinda sweet (two sugars in 16oz). I have a friend that has told me, my tea drinking preference is an allegory of my relationship preference. I believe my reply to her insight was “you’re fudd’n nuts, I’m just drinking tea”.

…

I had to cover the permit desk for a bit, today. The permit desk AKA the pit of no escape. The pit is an improvement from what I do for the most part, at least you see different people and don’t have to worry about keeping busy.

I sit out side the Director’s office, sometimes I hear things. Today, there is talk about promoting someone, the reference is always by title, this associate engineer, that sr. engineering aide, the title today is jr. traffic engineer.

Why do we need to promote someone? Why don’t we just give them the added responsibility? How do we justify the $5000 per year that the promotion would bring?

It’s interesting because one of the discussers knows the jr. traffic engineer in question has been approached by another Department. The quick answer to all the questions would be that if the promotion doesn’t come, there will be a Monday when this particular jr. traffic engineer doesn’t come either, at least not to this Department. But, that answer will not be offered, should not be offered, cannot be offered.

The powers that be have let this Division decline, no maintenance.

Soon the rubber will meet the roadway, the stated value of an engineer will need to be shown in real numbers, real letters, not just glad handing with pats on the back.

I wish to regale you with stories of grand adventures but alas I choose to be a stick in the mud. A stick with nice shoes.