Rant #2,438: Work, Work, Work, Work (Idle Hands Are the Devil's Playground)

Happy Labor Day!

It is not really a happy Labor Day for me, because I have to work today.

Not only that, but I still do not know what my condition is, as the holiday will delay my diagnosis for at least another day.

Heck, it doesn't matter what I have or how I feel, Labor Day is here and that takes prominence over everything.

I could be losing a valuable day in finding out exactly what ails me, but who cares, it is Labor Day, and most of us have off; that is the most important thing, or so it appears to be.

Here is what I said in edited form in Rand #797, dated September 3, 2012, and it pretty much applies today as it did seven years ago:

"Today is Labor Day.

Most of you who are reading this have the day off from work. You can frolic with your family, have a barbecue, and enjoy yourself on the unofficial last day of summer.

I can't. I have to work today.

Yes, I labor on Labor Day, and I am not too happy about it, to tell you the truth.

Sure, we get the day back to us as a "makeup" day later when we need it, but laboring on Labor Day when everyone else is off is a pain the neck, adding to the pinched nerve in my neck that I already have.

I have read the "Dennis the Menace" comic strip seemingly since I could read, and today's panel pretty much summarizes how I get into my own mind that working on Labor Day isn't that bad.

Dennis tells Joey and Margaret the following:

"What's so good about Labor Day? We don't get presents and there's nothin' special to eat."

That is about the only way I can get through this day.

So while you are swimming, barbecuing, watching a baseball game, or taking it easy, think of me and my plight.

No, I don't think you will, but evidently, the world doesn't stop on Labor Day."

Yes, I labor on Labor Day, I toil on this day.

The thing that also gets me is that only some of us from my work has to toil on Labor Day; the rest of the crew has off. In fact, nobody wished me "have a good holiday" of Friday as I exited work for the week, and some of us at work brag to others in emails that we work on Labor Day.

Pure sickness.

But at least my wife and son both have off.

Of course, this year is a little different, because I am not 100 percent, although I have to tell you that I feel better than I thought I would on this day.

But who knows what is simmering in me?

I probably won't know until tomorrow at the earliest.

So Labor Day is a real pain for me this year, figuratively and literally.

All I can say is to have a good day, take it easy, take in a Yankees game--they have an afternoon game today, and when people claim that baseball isn't exciting, did you see their last two games?--have a barbecue, and relax.

And no, today is not the last day of summer--we still have more than two weeks to go--so enjoy yourself to the hilt!

I am looking forward to taking off on the Jewish holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

Somehow, it isn't the same as taking off today.

To show you my state of mind today, I am actually looking forward to the Jewish holidays.

Yes, I need to rest.