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Saturday, January 13, 1990 Kingston, NH
"F's doing real well at the Derry News. She's had several front page stories. Her "beat" is the town of Derry (most important of the towns the Derry News covers - others are Londonderry, Chester, Hampstead, Raymond, etc.) I'm very proud of her.
We went to Amesbury last night to see B. Scott H., one of F's friends - also on the Derry News staff. He works as a bartender at a Chinese restaurant part-time. F 's editor Bob W. was there too (with his wife). The Ad Manager Ellen something was there too... Michelle met us there and stayed over our house last night (and tonight too.)
Michelle and F are out looking at wedding places with F's mother and my mother. Our wedding has been the #1 thought on F's mind for the past year, it seems.
I'd rather not have a wedding ceremony and reception. I don't mind getting married, but why does it have to be such a hassle ?
Times are bad at GE Meter these days. Sales have dropped way down. The week after next is "furlough week." The plant is closed that week. I'll be working, tho. Exempt employees have the option of working if they want. I want. I'm saving my vacation for the honeymoon. We're going to Paris if we can afford it."
Monday, February 12, 1990 Kingston, NH
"... Today there was a layoff.
A bunch of people got laid off. Luckily, I didn't. I almost did...
Here's the story:
My boss had to make cuts in the technical support group. My job was one that was eliminated. So I was almost laid off, but, no, my boss sort of likes me (and my work) so I was moved to another job.
With a 10% raise.
It's a 10% raise because, unfortunately, I'll be working on 2nd shift (3:30pm-12am) as a "technical supervisor" Sort of a foreman with a EE degree. I'll still be level 8. My salary will become $35,300ish. It'll be an interesting change, I think."
- I turn 30 years old...
- The O.J. Simpson trial is going on at this time, which is of great interest to me... Other things of interest include the Kobe Japan earthquake, Chechnya and Newt Gingrich...
- My wife, F, is accepted into Smith College... in the Master's degree in Social Work program.
"Quite an accomplishment. Smith is the best school in the country for an MSW. F wants to be a social worker and maybe even continue on to someday get a doctorate in psychiatry or something. Sounds like a good plan...
Problem is... Smith College is not only a very good and prestigious school but also an expensive school. Education is not cheap.
And now F was just offered a pretty good paying job... So we're both now trying to decide what the future will be."
A few times in the past week, I've gone to Dock Park in Dumfries to walk the dog... There's a memorial there to two Dumfries natives who died when the Titanic went down, which is sort of interesting.
Here's part of a description of the monument from a website (the Encyclopedia Titanica):
"On the front is fixed a bronze panel with the engraving of the Titanic in relief, and a scroll of music ''Nearer My God to Thee'' in bronze, is placed on the moulded base. The inscription on the front of the memorial is as follows:
John Law Hume, a member of the band,
and Thomas Mullin, steward,
natives of these towns,
who lost their lives in the wreck of the White Star liner, Titanic
which sank in mid Atlantic on the 14th day of April 1912.
They died at the post of duty."
For the Song Hall of Fame... "And Your Bird Can Sing" by the Beatles
One of my favourite Beatles songs... I like the swirling guitar tune in this one a lot...
A bit down lately. But could be worse, a lot worse actually. Just a bit of a hassle to not be settled in a job anymore. Unsettling.
Lowest Scott Brown percentages:
Provincetown 15%
Amherst 15%
Cambridge 15%
Also Happy Valley towns Pelham, Shutesbury, Leverett, Wendell, Northampton were all very low (20.6% or less)
Highest Scott Brown percentages:
Douglas 74%
Tolland 74%
Wrentham 73%
Charlton 73%
Another for the Song Hall of Fame... "Pump It Up" by Elvis Costello
Pump It Up... a very catchy song, with an insistant, driving beat... always seemed to me to invite the listener to turn up the volume... and I like to turn up the volume.
Apparently the song is more to do with something other than turning up the volume...
For the Song Hall of Fame... "Get It On" by T. Rex
I really really like T. Rex music, and their most famous song, perhaps, and certainly their most well-known song in the States was "Get It On"... aka Bang a Gong (Get it On)...
Definitely when I was young, in the '70's, it was the only T. Rex song I think I had ever heard... altho I had no idea who Marc Bolan or T. Rex were.
I like the end, where he quotes Chuck Berry and says "and meanwhile I'm still thinking..."
===
Went to the Citizen's Advice Bureau yesterday, and spoke to someone after a long wait.... They have advised that I do indeed have a potential case for unfair dismissal.... and also offered advice about what the next step should be.
Well, since just before going away for Christmas, I've known that my company was planning to eliminate my job of Project Engineer (of which I am the only one in the company). Over the past while, there have been discussions about alternative jobs but as it's a small company, and a family owned company (and I am not a family member), it turns out they have decided not to offer me something else... despite there being an understaffed engineering department... ie maintenance engineers (technicians).
So, my third consultation meeting was today, and they bid me goodbye. To my surprise, they said I did not need to work my 30 day notice... so that's me gone for good. Hooray.
I won't get into the details, but I believe there's a strong case for unfair dismissal. I'm going to be seeking some legal advice. So let the fun begin.
For the Song Hall of Fame... "Beans for Breakfast" by Johnny Cash
His wife left him, he's eating food straight out of the can with a plastic fork, dishes are piling up. Hilarious.
Massachusetts is having an election tomorrow to fill the senate seat vacated when Ted Kennedy died. There is a Republican, Scott Brown, who seems to actually have a chance in the left-leaning state... As I still have my voting rights in Massachusetts, I've already voted by absentee ballot... for the Democrat, Martha Coakley. It'll be interesting to see if the Republican can pull it off.
Last month when we were in Arizona, my father took us over to Florence, AZ and we did a little self-tour around St. Anthony's Greek Orthodox Monastery... a sort of oasis out in the middle of the desert.
Here are a few pix:
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