Master of the House

On Inalienable rights for the 21st Century

2008-07-04T12:09:39Z

The post following this one is so appropriate for today. Two hundred Thirty Two years ago, Thomas Jefferson wrote that "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed," Strong, noble words, from the pen of probably the greatest renaissance man the new world produced up to that time. By modern standards, Jefferson was reprehensible and barbarous as a slave-owner, yet his life, lived during the enlightenment led us to the world we know today. Let us take these deliberate, well chosen words, and see if they still hold truth today.

We are guaranteed Life and Liberty. This is the highest endowment, and save in the face of grave transgressions of the rule of law or violations of the legal code, life and liberty are generally sacrosanct. These rights may only be denied deliberately, in a lawful manner, imposed after a fair trial with full judicial review and opportunity to face ones accusers, free from compulsion to self-incrimination. Yet, there are those among us who, intent upon furthering their own ambitions instill fear for their own purposes, who claim that the needs of the moment require the abolition of such niceties as Habeas Corpus and Trial by Jury. Who believe that the people cannot be trusted with Government, and that America is best Ruled by Professionals for the benefit of the rulers? Is this the type of government the founder’s envisioned? And yet, both Life and Liberty are easily defined, measured, and recognized quantities and qualities. If these obvious inalienable rights may be perceived by some as disposable relics of the forgotten, dead past, what then does our system and way of life actually stand for?

And what of the third, most nebulous Inalienable Right? Happiness itself is neither guaranteed, nor sometimes even attainable, but the opportunity to pursue our happiness is our birthright as Americans. This is the American Way: that any citizen or legal resident (Native born or Immigrant) may rise to whatever level of happiness and contentment their ability and determination may achieve. Many make the foolish and fatal error of believing that happiness may be expressed in ledgers and accounts as if it were an extension of one's net fiscal worth. This is hardly a new phenomenon: Wasn't it Jefferson’s colleagues at that fateful convention, Benjamin Franklin who observed that "Money does not buy Happiness". How then, should Happiness be determined? Perhaps, the founders felt that this should not be a function of Government at all, but left (as much as possible, within certain bounds) to the intelligence, self analysis and determination of the individual citizens themselves, according to their own times perceived hierarchy of Wants, Needs and Desires. Again, why should any legal adult resident of the United States have the possible paths for pursuit limited solely by the opinions or prejudices of others, or of previous generations less enlightened than the present, who are themselves entirely unaffected by the parallel paths chosen by their neighbors?

I am thinking, in this 233rd year of American independence of a very specific issue. As of this writing, two states out of fifty now permit Same Sex Marriage. Massachusetts has enjoyed this liberty for several years now, and no final absolute breakdown in civilization (barring sporting championship celebrations) has yet occurred. Indeed, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts actually has the lowest divorce rate in the entire United States. This year California has followed the Bay State’s lead, by allowing all of her citizens the opportunity to pursue happiness with the legally recognized partner of their choice.

There are some among us, even in states that do not now recognize these unions who, for political advantage or due to prejudice or personal discomfort wish to deny this right to their fellow citizens who happen to be Gay, or Lesbian, no matter where they may live in these United States. Same sex marriage is going to be decried, demonized and cynically used once again by certain forces for their own purposes, mostly invoking (or attempting to invoke) the tyranny of the mob in a desperate attempt to retain or achieve continued power, for no one's direct benefit except perhaps their own continuity.

During my lifetime, we have discarded laws forbidding the mixture of different races by marriage. Now, the child of such a union is in contention for the highest office in the land! During the decade before my birth, Genocide due to religious intolerance was national policy for one western nation! In the nineteenth century, I had ancestors who belonged to groups such as 'the Know Nothings", and other anti immigrant societies who were united in violent opposition to any Irish Catholic immigration to this country: yet, my pure WASP Yankee Grandfather married an Irish Catholic girl in 1904 and somehow managed to have 40+ happy years with her, despite the disapproval of, and predictions of disaster by both his family and hers. Had they been prevented from pursuing their happiness, the world would be poorer (in just my own generation of my family) of: an eminent economist at Columbia, a senior Democratic state politician in the Midwest, a woman who married one of the inventors of the transistor, a devoted choir mistress at a small parish church, 2 nurses, a noted naturalist, and many various, accomplished descendants, of whom I am the least.

When we, as a society fail to protect the inalienable rights of any minority, we diminish both our posterity and ourselves. As attitudes which seemed wholly reasonable to past generations fade away, be it witches in Salem in 1692 or the belief the Papists planned take over America through excessive immigrant breeding (admittedly, some people still believe that one today) are seen by later generations as symptoms of barbarism. The peril of establishing policy in conformance with the narrow interpretation of society through the lens of bygone generations is clear. The sentence of the Declaration which follows the quote I pulled at the start of this essay is quite specific what must happen when governments ignore these principles: "That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."

I urge everyone to read the Declaration of Independence this July 4: a refresher on the Bill of Rights would not go amiss either. Read these documents, revel in the remarkably plain language that remains clearly understandable through the centuries, and ask yourself what the founders would have wanted of us?

I wholeheartedly pray for tolerance and compassion throughout our land, during this crucial election year; and for wisdom and vision in our leaders, whoever they turn out to be. God Save and Protect the United States!

A Declaration from the Continental Congress in Philadelphia City

2008-07-04T04:01:42Z

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience has shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.

John Hancock, President

New Hampshire:
Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton

Massachusetts:
John Hancock, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry

Rhode Island:
Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery

Connecticut:
Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott

New York:
William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris

New Jersey:
Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark

Pennsylvania:
Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross

Delaware:
Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean

Maryland:
Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton

Virginia:
George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton

North Carolina:
William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn

South Carolina:
Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton

Georgia:
Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton

What is your Goth name?

2008-04-03T15:29:56Z

Your Goth Name is:

Violent Asylum

What's Your Goth Name?

He is risen, indeed!

2008-03-24T04:18:00Z

Easter has ended. I had a good day, went to my sister's in Peabody for turkey dinner; got cruised by a hot kid on the Blue line, played go fish with my great nephews, say a couple of cosplayers in full regailia at Wonderland on my way home: it is so cool to see this kind of thing.

I sometimes regret that I was born a boomer: if it had exisited at the time, I probably would have been a goth. As it was, i was too young to be a hippie, and too chicken to be a hardcore punk. (Yes, I admit it: I was on the fringes of the Boston punk scene in the early '80's! I even got spit on by Sid Viscous himself at the Rathskeller once!). To my generation, we were expected to conform to our genrational non conformity. Kids today have so many more ways to express their individuality. Also, todays kids have no knowlege of what it was like to live through the plague years; to have everyone around you getting sick and dying of unheard of causes. Through some miracle, I managed to stay negative. I found some old pictures today, from my first summer in Provincetown: Of everybody in the pictures, I seem to be the only one still alive, let alone healthy.

Here endith the rant.

irishyankee @ 2008-03-06T14:57:00

2008-03-06T19:57:44Z

irishyankee's Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: 10
Average number of words per sentence:	22.23
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Total words in sample:	1734
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Tonight is Morton Salt: It never Rains but it Pours!

2008-02-18T02:02:12Z

This has been a huge suck of a day! Let's review:

My Brother called today to let me know we have a deal on Mom's house. Because I borrowed from the estate to buy in on the house here, my share will be split between my brother and sisters. They won't actually receive any cash until after the one year anniversary on April 6: I won't see any of it at all. Fair enough, I suppose: since I'm the only one who ever really considered that place home, selling it is not a big deal to anyone but me.

Evan, my housemate, co-owner and best friend, blew me off today to go do something with John: ok, so we did have plans, but when it comes to choosing me over his fuck buddy, I know where I stand. I am more upset with the fact that Evan had an accident with my car tonight: he was hysterical, and unable to give me a coherant account of what happened. He did, however let me know that he called John first: after all, why would I expect to be the first to know that my car had an accident? It seems that enroute to getting Evan, while passing through a different turf, John's truck got shot at! John is in the process of dealing with that, so Evan decided he would call me.

Oh yeah: because he's not listed on my insurance? Evan's not covered when driving my car! Making matters even better, I only have minimum insurance anyway! There is at least 2K's worth of damage: I have no clue as to how I will pay for this one!

Ok, I'm 50, single, alone, broke and stuck in a job where I am grossly underpaid for the responsabilities i have: I have almost no relationship with my family, and for now, at least i have no vehicle. All I need now is to loose the house and I will manage to be a perfect failure!

Providence RI- Abandoned Laundry Company

2008-02-17T19:49:58Z

irishyankee @ 2008-02-15T07:59:00

2008-02-15T13:00:32Z

What American accent do you have? Your Result: Boston You definitely have a Boston accent, even if you think you don't. Of course, that doesn't mean you are from the Boston area, you may also be from New Hampshire or Maine.
The Midland
The West
North Central
The Northeast
Philadelphia
The Inland North
The South
What American accent do you have? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

Shine on, you Crazy Diamond

2008-01-18T13:56:57Z

Diamond: a crystal form of carbon, formed under intense heat and pressure rivalling the very fires of the ninth circle of hell itself. Prized for its beauty and value, all diamonds contain flaws in their hearts caused by the very infernal forces which gave rise to it's creation.
the Encyclopedia Absolute, Dunnwitch Press, 1899

Background: Overnight Manager / Night Auditor at a large chain hotel in the bluest state.

I had such a guest last night, one we are all very familiar with at my hotel: here, for your enjoyment is part of my shift report to management this morning:

I had the ~~distinct pleasure (?)~~ experience of having an entire series of telephone calls between 11:00 (when Swing desk and Phone operator both left and Midnight when other Auditor arrived) from Diamond Guest Mr. Ima Twit, Room 1016. Mr. Twit was insisting that ‘you people shut off my internet!’ I was attempting to help him, and tried to explain that in fact we have no control locally at all, and calling network operations at ISP would actually be the quickest and most efficient method of solving his problem. Mr. Twit insisted that I was not to transfer him to anyone; he wanted me to fix the issue immediately from the front desk. While I was having this conversation, the phones (forwarded out front) kept ringing: he refused to allow me to put him on any type of hold, and wanted me to reconnect him *NOW*! After about 5 minutes, he would reconnect and allow me to go on to other tasks. By the fourth call, as I was checking in a party of 3 rooms onto the 8th floor, he called again. He was very angry, accused me of playing with the internet ‘just to be funny’, and was generally the font of anger we have become accustomed to. I finally convinced him to allow me to call ISP on his behalf, and see if we can get the problem resolved for him. He was very sullen, and told me that ‘Since you don’t have the time to help me, I expect your Manager to call me in the morning. You be sure to tell him just who I am!” I assured him that I did indeed know exactly who he was, and would make the proper people aware of his situation.

I called ISP, and spoke to their Network Administrator: he checked the system, and told me he wasn’t seeing any specific issues with the connection to that room. He then offered to try and assist the guest directly: I thanked him, put him on hold and called Mr. Twit back. I explained that I had the Network Administrator on the phone, that this is the person who actually has the ability to help him, and would he care to speak to him to see if we could get this issue resolved. He grudgingly consented, after again telling me to ‘make sure I hear from a Manager!' I then completed the transfer.

About 20 minutes later, I called ISP back to find out what happened. A different associate answered the phone, and told me the guest had declined troubleshooting assistance. She was able to share with me the actual problem was with the configuration settings on his computer: while not really their issue, they were willing to try to help. She also mentioned that he was ~~downright rude and abusive~~ rather abrupt with them as well. I thanked them on our behalf, and then started documenting tonight’s events.

I did establish a ‘Non-Revenue’ Service Recovery, and also initiated a 2500 point service recovery. Rather than attempt to speak to him live again, I prepared a suitable note (see attachment) and personally delivered it to his suite by sliding it under his door at 3:00 a.m.

Good Luck. I do not know what else I could have done: some people just do not want to be helped! I know you will be able to handle him, (FOM), however, as a precaution I am copying this to (GM) as an FYI because it somehow would not surprise me if this particular guest decided to go ‘straight to the top’. I suggest you review his details page in (Database) before speaking to him: he certainly seems to know what he thinks he wants! /excerpt

If only I had the powers other ascribe to me!

Crossposted to my journal, and appropriate communities

irishyankee @ 2007-08-04T05:16:00

2007-08-04T09:25:31Z

Night pictres

All our Yesterdays are but memories

2007-06-22T03:08:56Z

Today was my day off, and as I have been doing on my day off for the last several weeks, I travelled the two hours up to my hometown to help clear out the house that my parents bought in 1971. This was the first and only house they ever owned, and I as the youngest was the only one to live there pre-adulthood.

I have many memories of this house, and I am having bittersweet days when I go there; it is not practical for me to buy this house and live there, I will gain financially when it is sold, but still I want to be able to go home to mom's!

One of mom's house rules was that guns were only allowed in the house if we first cleaned and disassembled the weapon, and handed her the firing pin before we came inside. The reason for this rule is as follows:

My dad was going to take his two nephews hunting, but first wanted to give them a quick course in gun safety. He opened up his gun rack, pulled out a 30-.06 shotgun, and broke it open for the boys. He then snapped it closed, and said "Always treat any gun like it is loaded" whilr pulling the triggers. To punctuate his remarks, both barrells then discharged into the living room celing! Good thing it was only birdshot: my Grandmother and I were in the bedroom above them at the time. Gramy was certain the my father was trying to kill her: no one would have blamed him, either.

So, ever afterward, if we wanted to shoot a gun, we would have to ask mom to get the firing pin from where she hid it. I am reminded of tis because today, I found in an old teapot a collection of firing pins!

cunctator of orbis terrarum Iunctum Cras!

2007-05-28T03:09:54Z

This Memorial Day weekend is the first 3 day weekend i have enjoyed since I started working in the hospitality field. For various reasons, I have been reflecting on those who have passed in the last year. I am especially mindful of a pair of devoted sisters, who spoke every night on the phone for an hour, even though they lived over 130 apart, ande had done for 60 years.

My Mother always said that my biggest problem is procrastination: I agree, but I come from a long line of procrastinators: I was born 2 weeks before my Father's 40th birthday: he was born when his father was 44, and my grandfather was born when his father was 61! None of my siblings finished their degrees in only 4 years, and one took 20 to complete hers! I often see my relations at the post office on Tax night, doing their taxes in the post office lobby just before the midnight deadline.

Yesterday, I arose at 6:30 am, showered and dressed then drove north to keep an appointment. I left the capitol city of Rhode Island, drove north through Boston and Concord, NH and then kept going until I had passed through Francoia Notch to attend my Aunt's burial in the tiny village of Twin Mountain, NH.

Margurite was a character, for sure! She taught 6th Grade science for over 50 years, and after her retirement worked as a fire dispatcher, committewoman, and dedicated community activist. She nursed both her husband and brother in law through their long final illnesses, and lived in a house with a spectacular view that embraced 2 countries! After her brother in law became too frail to live on his own, she had him move into her house and used his large farmhouse for storage for many years. She was a dedicated flea market customer, and always bought things with an eye to future value. She rarely arose before 10 am, and was able to live independantly in her own house until her final hospitalisation in December of last year. She passed away, quietly on January 6 at the ripe old age of 91.

My Mom, her sister and best friend oversaw all of the arrangements for her. She was always strong, but this loss hit her more than any of us realized. She passed away after a very short illness on Good Friday.
1.

Yes, I said my Aunt passed on January 6: because the town does not dig graves in the winter, we had to wait until May to bury her! My mom was lead mourner at the funeral, and was in the grave herself for 6 weeks when we finally got to bury her sister.

I think I know who will win the title of biggest procrastinator in my family!

A new beginning

2007-05-09T18:51:01Z

This is at least my fifth attempt to maintain a blog: let's see how I do with it this time!

I work at a reasonably large (360+ room) 4 diamond hotel in Boston as a Night Auditor: I usually work from 11 pm to 7 am; this means, by definition I keep Vampire's Hours! (my Mom always attributed my taste for night work to all those hours I spent watching Dark Shadows when I was a kid). I live in the capital city of a neighboring state, and commute ~~daily~~ nightly via the interstate system. I am a 13 year member of the Boston Gay Men's Chorus, and I share an apartment with my best friend and our two dogs.

Yeah, RIIIIGHT! In reality, the dogs share their space with us! Damn these opposible thumbs! Alf is a Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Simon is a Chessie / doberman mix. They out weigh me when put together, and Alf by himself, just might outweigh my roommate!

My short furry roommate, Alf, has been feeling poorly, and keeps waking me up to bring him outside. I can't refuse him, because if I do he'll start making crafts in my bedroom. Since he only knows how to make two things, neither of which I want to deal with while getting ready for work, I am his devoted and umble servant of the chamber. This results in my wakefulness this afternoon. I am trying to go back to sleep, but the sandman is elusive: as elusive as love, even. I'm not fussy, I don't have to have Mr. Right: Mr. Right Now could do!

Over the course of the new century, I have experienced much transition in my life. Last year, I ended a 16 year dysfunctional relationship: more recently, my last remaining aunt died in January, and my Mom dutifully followed her example very suddenly in April. My brother and sisters and I have started the process of cleaning out her house after 35 years, and this has proved to be a very painful process for me, personally. As the youngest of 4, I was the only one who actually grew up there. A couple of years ago, I was laid off from my job as technical support specialist in a call center: to be fair, I had only worked there for 19 years. I temped for a couple of years, until I landed my new career in the Hospitality Industry. I am still dealing (at least, pretending to cope) with all of these changes in my life, and will use this Blog as a travelogue of the places my journey takes me.

To quote the wise Vorlon, Kosh:

"And so, It begins!"