Oh yeah it does look like Christmas... In Portland. It has begun to cloud and I prepare for terrible bike rides in a morning downpour. Yet life has been good to me thus far by allowing I believe the most pleasant December to date as far as I can tell because it hasn't rained really at all.
Other than blessings to enjoy life from the weather I have also become a temporary full time employee at the Habitat For Humanity ReStore! BOOM! I'm finally a respectable human being, at least to myself. It came after a very odd situation where my co-worker suddenly quit after a small comment from Manager Alex about being late. Later that day an e-mail was sent by my previous co-worker containing many complaints and blatant attacks against the store and the management. Following such accusations there was much confusion on why they occurred and when all of the alleged occurrences of "adult temper tantrums," "dictator actions", and of course discontent from all other two employees of the store. After my Boss' boss discussed the situation with me we were the store was cleared of its newly found foul reputation and the comments where decided to be the heat of the moment hate speech. It was sad because previously I really enjoyed working with the ex employee. But apparently there was a lot of displeasure with how things are run.
So then began my real employment. I responded properly to the situation by embarking on a campaign to sabotage all applicants to fill the position by poorly advising my superiors in their search for another employee and of course mercilessly preaching my case. My propaganda frequently uses our volunteer base to fight for my cause. Which I see as a good use of their skills and abilities while working at the ReStore. Whether it be dropping comments about the quality of my leadership in the warehouse or else having them congregate into full scale protest marches throughout the store in order to fight for their right to keep me fully employed our battle continues on. I'm not going to say there hasn't been money exchanging hands, but I'm not going to admit it either. Such is the way of politics in the ReStore though.
Thus far applicants have been nothing but Turds. They fall to this category because their new level of expectation has been quadrupled since yours truly has taken up the position in recent months. The only problem is that I am now taking a week off to visit my family, which in reality could be the last bit of full time hours I could see, so everyone who gets to see me count your blessings and know once I return I may fall from glory back to the pitiful part timer once again. Even though many victories and successes have been acquired. There have been failures where in the long run outshine accomplishment.
Recently, as I peddle my way to work a terrible thing happens. Only being outdone by death in the terrible scale I obviously have been pretty worked up about it. I have been passed by another cyclist. It is just something I hate happening. What is really terrible it is always followed by some ridiculous act of biking conduct, which I know they do only to give themselves the satisfaction of "beating me." Well the day may be lost but the war is far from over, because no more will I be caught off guard singing Christmas Charols, specifically Mariah Carey's "All I want for Christmas is You," while cruising to work.
Today was the worst. The pass occurred of course due to some poorly planned timing with singing, which does not allow optimum oxygen to the muscles for peak peddling performance. After I get passed I'm a class act. I swear under my breathe, and of course speed up so there can be no claim of getting burned, only a well timed pass on his part. So I kept up and we both needed to take a left turn. A complete coincidence of course. My superior planning and traffic management skills allowed me to take the lead after the corner. It wasn't even close. He pulled some ridiculous circle turning right because he misjudged traffic volume while I simply hung back on the sidewalk. Simple, easy, but effective take back of the lead. Determined not to be passed I picked up the pace. My only obstacle to ending my ride positively were the darn stop signs, which I being a moral being obeyed, not perfectly, but yet a solid yielding effect to give proper time to search for traffic. Schmuck on the other hand apparently is above the law and took my righteous actions to his advantage. Disregarding the LAW, he shot passed me as I initiated my stop. Oh I wish he got clipped by a car! I was livid! Attempting to catch him to reduce his satisfaction in the pass I was hindered by another stop sign, which I correctly yielded to yet not as strongly, and then of course he had enough distance to beat the red light. AAAAAHHHH!! I hate you yellow cyclist with all you fancy pants bike, fenders, water proof backpack, fully reflective jacket, and enough lighting to light up a runway. Oh yeah I'll remember him. It required all of my internal control restraint not to curse him into the distant fog as he escaped my wrath. And because you only have a certain amount of self control per day and I depleted it in restraining my murderous feelings on the road, I ate a jar of peanuts when I got home tonight. This guy ruined my happiness and my health. Rest assured... This guy's going down!
