One week into the new year, I think now is as good a time as any to present the annual State of The Sean report. I'm not fully familiar with my blog readership at this point - I know I have one 'follower', and Margo has me in her Google reader, and Pops Coleman drops by regularly, but other than that, I'm always surprised who turns up on the comments. Old high school friends, casino buddies ... it's a wide range. And since very few people interact with me often enough to keep abreast of all the nonsense in which I'm involved, I feel it wise to post an account on the status quo of my life as we go into this new year.
Work: I am still employed by the Horseshoe Casino of Hammond, IN, Chicagoland's finest gaming establishment ("Where entertainment knows no bounds.") I am currently in the position of dual-rate supervisor, which means on any given day, I may be scheduled as a table games dealer or as a table games supervisor. Business needs dictate what role I shall perform, and sometimes I may do both in one day. I enjoy the diversity, and as a dual-rate, I have a great deal of seniority, which has allowed me to keep my current day shift schedule (even if I did lose my Saturdays off.)
We have experienced a number of drastic changes in the last four months, as I imagine most businesses have. We had a number of layoffs, and our supervisory staff had quite a shake-up as an entire tier of management was eliminated and redistributed. This has meant a lot more work and a lot of new tasks for me to learn, but honestly, I welcome the challenge - I was starting to get a little bored.
Home: Well, as you may have heard, our most famous neighbor moved. Apparently, his job is not one that's open to a work-from-home, telecommute sort of arrangement. I offered to pick up the mail and water the plants while they're in Washington, but the Secret Service informed me that those duties "aren't the concern of ... civilians." A shame, as I was really looking forward to seeing if the Obamas get the same YOU HAVE WON A FREE CRUISE!!! junk mail that I get.
Our apartment seems to be handling the winter better this year than last. Heidi covered all the windows with that transparent plastic stuff and the heater has only broken down once. But the pipes haven't frozen, the streets get plowed regularly, and we're well stocked for blankets, comforters, sweaters, heavy coats, boots, hats, scarves, and mittens.
Family (Elsewhere): Over New Year's, I flew out to Los Angeles to see Grandpa, and Mom and Dad. Grandpa had his 92nd birthday this past August, and I believe I have determined the secret to his longevity: don't smoke, have a gin martini every day, and put Tabasco sauce on EVERYTHING. Other than the fact that he can't hear very well, he's doing pretty darn good for a man in his nineties. Actually, he's doing pretty well for a man in his mid-to-late seventies, if the old white guys I see at the casino are any indication. Then again, those guys are clearly not getting enough Tabasco.
As good as it was to see Grandpa, I was more invested in seeing Mom. I haven't seen her since she started chemo and I've been really worried. But this visit filled me with confidence that she's going to make it through this thing just fine. As of now, her hair is gone, and for about a week after every treatment (actually, a week after two days after the treatment) she's absolutely miserable, but then she seems to bounce back pretty quick. I've never doubted that she was tough as nails, but I've also never seen her challenged quite like this. I'm more filled with hope now than worry and dread ... by a small margin, but nonetheless, the balance has shifted towards hope.
Dad's doing great. Lost about sixty pounds since the beginning of the year. Looks sixty (which he turned in October) but looks healthy and happy with himself (though I'm sure he's more worried about Mom than I am, seeing her on the day-to-day.)
Family (Here): The biggest news from the homefront family is that Daisy was accepted to the University Of Chicago lab school, and will begin classes this summer. Next stop Sitwell Prep! Just today she had a placement audition (at Lab, not Sitwell) to figure out where she'll be (with three-year-olds or a mix of three and four.) In other Daisy news, Santa heard that pink was the color de rigueur of Princesses in Chicago, and everything this holiday season matched appropriately, from new bike to magic wands to dresses to candies to kitties to bunny ornamented helmets for aforementioned bike.
Mama (sometimes known as Heidi) is still dividing her time between the University Theater and the Live Oak fellowship. And applying for doctoral programs. And teaching classes. And developing the U of C arts center. And of course, raising a three-year-old. Rinse, repeat. Though justifiably exhausted, Mama maintains high spirits and home, and is more often than not the leader of the evening dance party, and still the best cook in the house.
Facial Hair: I have managed to keep the handlebar goatee, but the casino's appearance guidelines dictated that I shave the sideburns.
My goals and ambitions for 2009: A career might be nice. Going back to school. Finding a winning lottery ticket on the ground would be o-k (Hey, I found a hundred dollar bill, didn't I?)
This is an important year to get some things accomplished, I think. I've used a number of excuses the last few to keep from setting some goals and taking any steps toward achieving them, but I think this is going to be one of those 'crux' years where I have to either make things happen or they're going to happen to me in ways I don't particularly care for. Let's just hope that superstitious dread is enough to motivate me.
Well, that's where I am at the beginning of 2009. I hope you (whomever you may be, friend!) are doing well and are happy, healthy, wealthy, and chock full of moxie and vinegar and all that good stuff as we begin this, the penultimate year of the first decade of blah diddy blah blah.
Hogs & quiches,
SMH
No comments:
Post a Comment