Legislating Versus Common Sense

So I'm torn. The government is constantly telling people what to do, but then people are such fucking idiots. Who do I side with? I think I have to side with the people on this. Darwinism at it's finest. If a few Gen Y'ers crash and burn thanks to texting while driving, BOO Fucking HOO. The question is, does that text message really make you so much more productive that your day is made??

But I Needed to Tell My Friend Something NOW and it Was IMPORTANT

How about this, people pull your head out of your asses. Governmental officials, leave us alone. Can't we all just get along??

Work all the Time

I was speaking with my wife this weekend and I thought she summed up the world very well. There are two types of people, those who gain energy from people and those who are drained by people - gaining energy from being home in their nest. I have determined that while I have to deal with people day-to-day, I am one of the latter types.

My work requires travel and right now I'm in the middle of a large trip. I'm the only person in my office who understands my desire to go without sleep, food, etc. in order to get home. There is something about home that helps me recharge. Travelling with coworkers is tiresome, no matter how much you like them. After a while I need to sink into the couch and just spend time with my wife.

I feel as though work is creeping into the spaces I hold dear. It's not that I mind working late hours or hard (ask my wife, she can tell of many cold dinners), it's that after a while I need to get away from people - clients, coworkers, strangers, vendors, waiters, hotel employees, etc.

I was thinking this weekend how when I was a kid, the best times I had were those playing in my room by myself. Spending time alone or with family seems like the greatest thing to do with my time. As the second year of my marriage is drawing to a close I find that my family (my wife and I for now) is the greatest social bond I have ever made. We can be together without asking anything from the other beyond the other's company. It's nice.

I find myself searching for a better balance between life and work. This doesn't mean ignoring my responsibilities, it means finding time for myself. I'm not a drinker, I don't work out, I don't have many hobbies that take me away from the world. My refueling comes from spending time with the ones I love. Being away from them (specifically Shannon) drains me beyond any task set before me.

Periodic Roundup and Odds and Ends and the Such

Just one or two interesting things I wanted to get off my chest/bring up...

First, I really hate this guy. Curt Schilling has been out of the news for a while so now he has to have all the attention in the world. "Hey, look at me, I'm a giant asshole!" I really really REALLY hate this guy and hope that he has the shittiest year of his career.

Red Sox Asshole Seeks Attention

Second, I was invited to participate in the National Security Bloggers. I'm not sure I totally get this since I really haven't written about national security at all. I mean, I want to scream when I watch President W . trip/fall/blunder his way through foreign policy and International relations, but I don't find it that interesting to write about. It's too easy to make fun of him, it would be like mocking the retarded.

Finally, I find myself wondering what the hell is wrong with GenY again. They just don't seem to get it. I'm discovering that, as an employer, you have to tell them a lot. just because you have a late meeting doesn't mean you sleep in, be up and ready to go when the office opens. Sometimes I wonder if they have common sense...

Work is Ruining All Our Lives!

So, the government is worried because worker productivity isn't growing but wages are...

WASHINGTON - The productivity of American workers slowed to a standstill in the summer while wage pressures were rising at the fastest clip in more than two decades, a combination likely to raise inflation concerns at the Federal Reserve.

The Labor Department reported Thursday that productivity, the amount of output per hour of work, showed no change in the July-September quarter while labor costs rose by 3.8 percent. For the past year, labor costs are up by 5.3 percent, the fastest increase since 1982.


Maybe the answer here is that this is a good thing. What happened to being concerned about the quality of life of your employees? I don't need a McMansion or to eat out 10 nights a week or to wear the most expensive clothes. I need to spend time at home with my family, with people I care about. I need to go on vacation and read books. I need to watch sports on TV and walk my dog. Increasing productivity means more hours at the same pay. That seems like a breakdown of the social contract between employers and employees.

I'm the last person to claim to have balanace in my life, however, I strive for it. We've gone mental in this country. To be honest, we need the baby boomers to retire so there are more jobs than people, that would be good for us. Remember how great things were in before the dotcom bubble burst?

If we burn people out and make it all about buying crap, what good is that? We need to bring manufacturing back to this country, we need to bring back the 40 hour work week, we need to keep work sane. Otherwise, what is life worth?