Rebellious And Brave

There I was thinking I was being all rebellious and brave walking into work with my lunch box over my shoulder when I turned around and nearly all of my coworkers were following me into the plant with their own lunchboxes over their own shoulders. 

Seriously, almost everyone who normally brings a lunch had brought their lunch.  I don't know if they didn't get the memo, or just chose to ignore it.  One of the brazers talked to Cuz about it, who said he was slacking on enforcing that because it's so hot.  It is kind of a ridiculous rule, but then that place is known for its petty, nitpicky, Draconian nonsense.

I had to laugh yesterday at the meeting when the HR lady said, "A few days ago, there was a fight in the plant!"  I was thinking, "You must be new here!"  I mean, there are fights in the plant all the time -- well, not all the time, but often enough it isn't really all that unusual.  It's such a toxic environment and a stressful, frustrating job.  Add in the summer heat and it's a wonder there aren't more fights. 

Then she said, "There was a shooting in town!" and I thought, "Again, you must be new here."  Now, I don't want it to sound like people here go around shooting people all the time, but when the gangs are stirred up, it's not that uncommon.  And there have been a few incidents recently that the police say aren't gang related, but most folks say they are.  Once the gangs settle down again, things will go back to normal. 

Even so, neither the fight nor the shooting has any bearing on what I carry my lunch to work in, and quite frankly, if you're having to work your employees 60+ hours per week and still aren't producing what you need to be, you've got bigger problems than a few people bringing coolers to work.  I was thinking that it's about time for that HR director to move on anyway.  Ever since Joe retired way back....7 or 8 years ago now, we haven't had an HR director that has stayed more than 2-3 years.  This one is coming up on 2 years, so I expect her to be moving on soon.  I just hope the next one they hire isn't bat guano crazy like the last two have been.  

After work, the fence guy came out and measured for the part of the fence we're doing first.  It's going to be 125' of fencing, and he'll work out the numbers and text me the estimate in a day or two.  When he introduced himself, he said, "You probably know my dad" because his dad works out at the plant.  I said, "Yes, and to be honest, that's why you got the nod over that other fence company.  I know if he raised you with the same work ethic he has, you'll do me right."  

Now for the bad news.  Something is still eating the heck out of my orange mint, and I can't for the life of me figure out how to stop it.  I've tried the diluted dish soap, NEEM oil, diatomaceous earth, but nothing has worked, so I did the only thing I could think of.  I dug it up, washed the leaves really well, put it into a pot, and brought it into the house. 

Almost as soon as I'd finished, I found the culprit. 

I didn't kill him, though I probably should have.  Eh, he's just a creature trying to survive just like the rest of us.  I carefully picked him out of my herb bed and put him onto the ground and let him go on his merry way. 

Afterwards, I thought better of where I'd put the orange mint, and moved it to the front porch.   

 For some reason, this plant is the one all the bugs like to eat, but hopefully, it'll be harder for them to find here on the baker's rack on my porch.  

Well, I have to go in at 4:00 again tomorrow, so I need to get myself something to eat and get my weary body into bed.  Maybe tonight I can finally sleep -- though I'm going to miss the coverage of the women's gymnastics all around final.  I'm DVRing it, so maybe I can watch ...sometime.  I don't know when I'll have time. 

Sometime...