SADNESS SET IN WEDNESDAY

 Gentle Readers . . . and Maxwell,

I didn't have to work Wednesday, so I asked the girls' Auntie Maureen if she'd like to go out gallivanting around with me. Maureen expressed a willingness to gallivant that pleased me greatly. 

I picked up Maureen in Steve*, the redmobile 🚗🚗🚗, and off we drove, two gad abouts. Before we could continue our good times, I had to stop by the office to see my favorite IT guys briefly. Wouldn't take more than 10 minutes. I couldn't take Maureen in with me (secrets abound within), but she didn't mind waiting with Steve.

The security guard, Will, met me at the office door, only to tell me IT is no more. "Bob" & "Brian" had been fired as part of a sweep across the country to get rid of IT employees. I know the company is switching over to AI, but does that mean IT people are no longer needed to discipline our computers when they misbehave? 

Bob and Brian were long-term employees who had assisted me numerous times in the office or over the phone after I became a remote employee. They were kind, always made information clear, and sometimes we shot the shit for a few minutes. I hope they've moved on to better jobs where they are appreciated, because the company I work for appreciates no one. Values no one.

Will walked around the floor with me as we talked about how much the company has changed for the worse. The fourth floor of the office building that the business spent more than a million dollars to remodel is a ghost town. The return to office was a failure. Most employees simply wouldn't do it. They quit and got remote jobs if they weren't granted a work-from-home accommodation as I was.

Workers are also sick of ever changing metrics that can never be met, benefits taken away, wages that don't come close to meeting the cost of living. You'd think we're Wal-Mart employees. I have a college degree and multiple accreditations and licenses. I was criticized recently for saying okay too many times during a phone call with a client. How many more nits are there to pick? 

I told Maureen about my beloved IT guys as we took off for Town Center (an upscale shopping center I seldom visit because it's far away and the traffic is horrible), where we planned on having lunch. The rain already coming down hard at the office became a deluge through which we could barely see.  ⛈️🚘😒

But we arrived safely and enjoyed a nice lunch together before heading home in rush hour traffic that began before 4 p.m. We used the time between slow-moving vehicles to vent to one another about how much we despise 🟧 and ICE.

The two best dogs in the world greeted me when I returned to our home. But I felt a heaviness that wouldn't go away. A sadness for employees who have done nothing wrong but are fired after years of hard work. The never ending anxiety for our country and what the felon did yesterday, today, and what he might do tomorrow.

I awoke multiple times Wednesday night and had nightmares in which I saw the face of an ugly, old white man threatening me.

Some good news: Alice is making progress. She learns from Princess. Princess' training included a Princess, sit at the conclusion of a walk. I take off her leash, stroke Princess's head, look into her eyes, and say, Princess, free. Then she is allowed to run off to the family room or wreak havoc somewhere else in the house.

After Princess takes off, Alice now sits, waits to have her leash removed, allows me to pet her (which is a big deal), and waits for me to say, Alice, free. 

I'm such a proud dog mom.

Junebug, free.

Infinities of love,

Janie Junebug

P,S. I'm off this weekend and have lots to do, so I'll see you Monday.

*My vehicles are usually ladies. Steve is an exception, named after former Indiana University basketball superstar Steve Alford, who is now the coach of the Nevada Wolf Pack. He plans on retiring at the end of the 2026-2027 season.

Steve the basketball player, not the car
oo la la
🏀⛹️