It’s pretty easy to do one of these after a four day weekend and then a Friday off. It will get harder next week when I work a normal week and have no meetings out of the branch,

1. As mentioned above, I had a four day weekend since Monday was a holiday and Tuesday was my birthday leave day.
2. The kids were both here for dinner Sunday night and we went out to a good seafood place to celebrate my wife’s birthday.
3. The free birthday food continued Monday with free subs at Firehouse subs.
4. Tuesday was my day off alone. I watched TV, got my free birthday sandwich at Mission BBQ, and just relaxed and tried not to think about the stressful stuff.
5. I didn’t work until 1 on Wednesday so I got a bonus few hours off before going back to work.
6. I only had two days of work and then my Friday off because I worked Saturday.
7. I went to Panera for my free birthday pastry. I also got coffee and sat and read for a little while.
8. After some cleaning when I got home, I took some more time to relax and read. Those days make me long for retirement.
9. One last stop Friday night on the free birthday food tour. This time and entree at Houlihans.
10. One last week of limited exposure to toxic people.

One more day off today and then back to normal life.

It was a long week. I worked seven days in a row. Noting has changed there. I ended the week with a clear indication that it is way past time for me to make a change. Let’s see what was good.

1. My son came home for dinner Monday night.
2. The all winners edition of Survivor started Wednesday.
3.  Free birthday egg sandwich from Einstein Bros before my meeting Thursday afternoon.
4. I took personal leave after the meeting instead of going back to the branch.
5. They had a party at my old workplace next door to my meeting so I got more food.
6. I saw a lot of friends at my old workplace while having snacks.
7. A less stressful Friday due to the absence of the reason for the stress.
8. My daughter came home for the weekend.
9. This is day two of four days off.
10. It’s my birthday and we are going out to eat with both kids tonight.

I am starting a week where I have two days off, work two days and then have Friday off before working Saturday. Hopefully, that means next week will be a good week and not that all of the stress and stupidity I deal with will be condensed into two really bad days.

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Another week close to retirement…

Here’s the good:

1. I had a nice relaxing Sunday watching old sports movies while waiting for the Super Bowl to start.
2. The team I wanted to win the game actually won.
3. Both of my kids came home for dinner Monday night.
4. Schedules continue to help limit my time with certain people.
5. We’ve hit the point where it is still light outside for a few minutes after I get home from work.
6. I had a free donut and coffee from Krispy Kreme for my birthday so I had a nice treat on my Friday off.
7. With my 10 cent rewards discount, I paid $1.99 a gallon for gas Friday.
8. Time with friends last night after work.
9. More free birthday stuff in my email this morning.

That does it for this week. Still looking for that change that makes it easier to make this list every week.

It will be hard to find the good in a week that started with going back to an empty nest and Kobe’s death and also included two days of being sick. I will do my best.

1. My daughter recovered well from her wisdom teeth removal just in time to go back to school.
2. My son came home for dinner Monday night.
3. A sick day at least means a day where I don’t have to leave the house.
4. Part of my work week was taking a photo with a groundhog toy. The result can be seen below.
5. The waffle truck was open near work on Friday so I had waffles for lunch.
6. This was my first weekend in a couple of weeks where I had two days in a row off.
7. It was nice enough yesterday for a walk.

I think that’s it for the week. Hoping for changes in the near future that might make this post easier.

I made it to ten good things last week. Let’s see if I can do it again.

1. One last week with my daughter at home full time.
2. Monday was a holiday so I didn’t have to go to work.
3. Panera randomly gave me a free breakfast sandwich.
4. My daughter went to a concert in DC Monday night. We drove her down and then had dinner and wandered around until it was over.
5. My son made it to and from LA with no complications.
6. My daughter is recovering well from having her wisdom teeth removed.
7. A retirement party at work meant time away from the branch and a chance to see friends I don’t see every day.
8. I was off Friday and I used it to just relax instead of getting stuff done.
9. Kentucky beat Texas Tech last night. I’m sure my yelling at the TV helped.

OK. Nine’s not bad. I’m sure had I taken notes I would have made it to ten. We move my daughter back to campus today. That means I start following my terrible days with alone time after work. I will have to work harder to find the good.

Another week over. Another week of longing for the day when I can retire. Let’s find the good.

1. I had two out of branch meetings this week. Getting out is always good.
2. Exposure to toxic people was limited again this week.
3. My daughter is still home from college for another week.
4. My son came home Sunday night for dinner and then was home again Thursday night for easy access to the airport.
5. He made it to LA with no flight issues.
6. I cleared some stuff out of my office so it looks a little less cluttered now.
7. I was actually able to sleep until after 8 yesterday morning.
8. I’m actually reading on a normal for me pace so far this year.
9. A friend sent me an ARC of the new Christopher Moore book.
10. I don’t have to go to work tomorrow.

I made it to ten! Maybe next week’s post will get to ten as well.

Another one of my regular posts I gave up on during my “hiatus.” This was my first full week back at work after the holidays and the Ravens were beat by the Titans last night. Those two combined with nothing really of note happening in my life will make finding a list of good challenging.

1. My schedule worked out in a way that meant my exposure to difficult people was limited.
2. My daughter is still home from college.
3. Kentucky basketball won both games this week.
4. They closed work early Tuesday so I was able to drive home in the snow while it was still light outside and got home a little early.
5. I ignored housework on my Friday off and watched It 2, took a nap, read, and took the dog for a walk in the unseasonably warm weather.
6. We had nice weather for the Ravens game last night.

I’m sure there are more, but that’s all I’ve got for now.

Generally a good week. Some of the same stuff I deal with on a weekly basis, but events kept me away from the worst of it this week.

1. My son came home for dinner Monday night and it was the one night of the week my wife didn’t work late.
2. I took notes for an event at work Tuesday night so I worked off hours and out of the branch.
3. Leftover Mission BBQ from the event for me and the branch.
4. Another out of branch training Wednesday meant being away from stressors and gelato at the farmer’s market after.
5. People actually attended the true-crime thing I did at the library.
6. Halloween at work is fun. People dress up and take life a little less seriously than usual.
7. I was home and not at work Halloween night after three years in a row of working.
8. I worked on Friday instead of Saturday this week. A full weekend off is always good.
9. Dinner and drinks out with friends Friday night.
10. Mowed for probably the last time for the season on Saturday.

No out of branch stuff this week to break up my time but I am flying to Kentucky Saturday morning si I have something to look forward to.

This week was kind of a blur with a little bit of illness(just a cold) and a lot of travel to work outside my typical workplace. I think it was mostly a good week.

1. Both kids were home for dinner and our usual game of Life on Sunday.
2. The Ravens beat the Seahawks and are 5-2.
3. A phone call Tuesday made me feel better about a situation.
4. An all afternoon training Wednesday took me out of the branch and meant gelato from the farmer’s market on break.
5. I had another out of branch meeting Thursday and then took leave after and got home early.
6. I was able to leave early Friday to try to get over my cold before an all-day event on Saturday
7. Books for the Beast was yesterday. It is one of my favorite work-related things I do.
8. Elizabeth Acevedo and Alex London were the speakers and they were really good.
9. Free lunch and breakfast, spending the day discussing books and seeing friends. It was a good day.
10. Kentucky beat Missouri last night and have a better shot at a bowl game now.

I don’t know what the coming week will bring. There are still forces out there trying to make my days unhappy. Those forces aren’t going anywhere. I just need to cope until I can change my situation.