Rant #3,697: Again

Once again, I find myself with so much to do, and so little time to do it.

I am still not done with my meeting story for work--

Not that I thought I would be, since I wasn't home for much of it, as I was, among other things, at a job fair for my son--

Which actually produced one solid interview, but also, a lot of doubletalk, too.

So in order to get this meeting done, today's Rant will be another "Novel" one.

Bear with me; I have a couple of more weeks of this, and then everything will be back to "normal."

So have a great weekend, I will speak to you on Monday--.

And let me get back to work.

This is retirement?

26

As the students hurriedly followed Melissa out of the class for lunch, Abraham Lincoln Panim picked up his scarf, put it around his face as he had been doing, took his lunch out of his bag, and went straight to the teachers’ room.

He opened the door, sat down where he normally did, and kept his scarf on when he began to eat his lunch.

Mr. Sedall was talking to his usual group of teachers in the back of the room, and then seeing “Mr. Abraham” sitting and eating lunch, he winked at the other teachers and came over to where “Mr. Abraham” was eating lunch.

“Hey Abraham, I can’t believe you are still here,” Mr. Sedall said. “You have a lot of guts, coming in here again. But I give you a lot of credit, you must really be a glutton for punishment.”

Abraham Lincoln Panim continued to eat lunch, not acknowledging Mr. Sedall’s presence at all.

“Hey Abraham, I am talking to you,” Mr. Sedall said, raising his voice with each syllable. “I’ve been here 20 years, and when I talk to you, I want you to listen, and to listen good. But then again, you really think you are taking over that class from a real teacher, somebody who has been here even longer than me, so what can I expect?”

Abraham Lincoln Panim continued to eat lunch without acknowledging Mr. Sedall’s presence.

“Hey, if you aren’t going to give me respect, at least eat your lunch without your scarf on,” and with that, Mr. Sedall pulled Abraham Lincoln Panim’s scarf off his face.

“Look at me, Mr. Sedall, where did you get the impression that I had a rat face,” Abraham Lincoln Panim said, as Mr. Sedall blinked and did a double take when he saw the young teacher’s handsome face.

“But … but … you had a rat face … what happened to … ?” said Mr. Sedall, barely getting the words out of his mouth. The other teachers there saw what had happened, and crowded around Abraham Lincoln Panim and Mr. Sedall.

“Where is my rat face, Mr. Sedall?” Abraham Lincoln Panim asked once again. “I am quite handsome, aren’t I? And I am certainly better looking than you!”

“My, he sure is,” said one of the female teachers to a few of the other female teachers who had crowded around Abraham Lincoln Panim and Mr. Sedall when the commotion happened.

“I’ll say,” said another female teacher.

“I want his phone number,” said another.

Mr. Sedall rose from the couch, brushed himself off in a nervous sort of way, and walked to the other side of the room while the female teachers, and the male teachers, began to talk with “Mr. Abraham.”

As the bell rung to end lunch, three of the female teachers walked out of the room together.

“That is the last time I listen to that blowhard Sedall about anything,” one said. “He does this to all the subs, and I really can’t stand it, I don’t care how long he has been here.”

“Yeah, he’s a blowhard,” said another, and Mr. Sedall was right behind them as the left the room.

“He had a rat face,” Mr. Sedall said to them. “My eyes were not playing tricks with me. HE HAD A RAT FACE!”

Abraham Lincoln Panim walked back to class, without his scarf on. As he walked past teachers and other students, all of them pretty much stopped in their tracks to look at “Mr. Abraham,” but he shooed them away.

“Yes, I am so good looking, but let’s get to class before the bell rings, or we are all going to be late,” he said. “We can all admire my handsomeness another day.”

As he said this, Abraham Lincoln Panim had many thoughts running through his mind.

“Did I really say this? … Should I be saying this? … Doesn’t it make me look stuck up and full of myself? … “

“YES, YES, YES … !” he said out loud as he approached the classroom.

Rant #3,696: Too Much Time On My Hands (Not)

No, the meeting I was supposed to cover yesterday, in spite of all indications that it was off, was actually on as scheduled.

So now, not only do I have to finish up writing this one, but I have another meeting to cover today, but today's is a bit worse, because I have so much else to do today--

Driving my son to work and later, picking him up, and then, fitting in attendance at a job fair.

So I won't even be around for much of this second meeting, but i will have to construct some kind of story anyway.

Thus, today will have to be a "novel" day here at the Blog, so here is the latest chapter.

I might have to do something similar tomorrow, but whatever the case, I am going to ask this question again and again until I get a proper answer:

"What is retirement?"

Since what I am going through can't possibly be the proper answer, I am still searching for that--

And the way i am going, I probably will never know.

25

Abraham Lincoln Panim got up from sleep, and walked into the bathroom, taking his day’s clothes with him, pretty much forgetting about his “nightmare” from his sleep time.

He did what he always did each morning, prepare for his shower, step into the bathtub to take the shower, and when it was over, turning off the water and coming out of the tub, wiping himself down.

Abraham Lincoln Panim put on his underclothes and then, finally, looked into the mirror, still not remembering his “nightmare” from that evening’s sleep time.

He peered into the mirror, looked real hard and long, and saw his new features.

“That’s me!” he screamed.

“Anything the matter?” Mrs. Panim chirped from outside the bathroom.

Abraham Lincoln Panim stood there without a sound.

“Abraham Lincoln Panm? Anything wrong in there?” his mother now yelled.

“No … mom … nothing … is wrong,” Abraham Lincoln Panim finally responded. “Everything is right!” as he continued to stare in the mirror with glee at his new countenance.

He got fully dressed in the bathroom, not once taking his eyes off of the mirror.

“I do look so good now, I can’t believe it,” he said to himself. “I look better than I ever dreamed I could look. I am actually handsome … so handsome—“

“Abraham Lincoln Panim, why are you taking so much time in the bathroom today?” his mother asked, this time from outside the door. “You are going to school today, aren’t you?”

Abraham Lincoln Panim, continuing to look at himself in the mirror, took some extra moments to respond.

“Abraham Lincoln Panim—did you hear what I said?” his mother asked again.

“Umm … yes, everything is good.”

“So are you going to school today? Are you going to teach that class?”

“Umm … oh yes, am I going to teach that class!”

“That is what I am asking you.”

Abraham Lincoln Panim continued to stare at himself in the mirror.

“Yes, mom, I mean, yes, I am going to teach that class!” he blurted out.

“Great. Are you coming out of the bathroom now?

Abraham Lincoln Panim was done dressing, but not done admiring himself in the mirror.

“My, I think I am about the most handsome man I have ever seen,” he thought to himself. “No more rat-faced boy for me!”

He picked up his scarf, looked at it a few times, and decided to put it around his face as he normally would do.

“It’s not the right time to tell mom about what happened,” he thought to himself as he finally emerged from the bathroom, all dressed and ready to go for the day at school.

He exited the bathroom, and went to the kitchen to eat breakfast. His mother came to the kitchen a few minutes later, and stared at her son as he ate some cereal.

“Why do you have your scarf on now?” she said to him, pointing out that at home, he rarely wore his scarf.

“Just getting ready for the day,” Abraham Lincoln Panim said, as he looked up from his breakfast, and sported a wide grin from under his scarf that only he knew about.

Rant #3,695: I Wonder

October 7, 2023 was a heinous day in world history.

On that day, around 1,200 Israelis, Americans and others were slaughtered by minions of Hamas, perhaps the most vile terrorist group on the face of the planet.

These marauders murdered men, women, young and old, and whoever they didn't murder, they captured and put into a living hell, taking them as hostages.

While much of the world sat on its collective hands as this attack unfolded, Israel struck back, seemingly leaving no stone unturned as it valiantly let the world know that if there was no help coming from the outside, they would handle things themselves.

Since then, the area has been enraptured in a war where Israel has been painted, by many, as the villain, thousands have died, and hostages still remain, both alive and as dead corpses.

Hamas has played the victim here, and much of the world, as ignorant as they are, have bought into this nonsense.

And the situation has divided many Americans, not just on college campuses, but even on your own block where you live.

Hostages have been released in spurts, but the war continues, as many American media outlets give one-sided coverage of what is going on, provoking a rise in snti-Semitism not seen in generations.

Social media, which is already the Wild West when it comes to anti-Jewish and anti-Israel vitriol, has reached a fever pitch in this regard, with seemingly every anti-Semite coming out of the woodwork to vent their hate.

The Trump Administration has taken the stance that it will support Israel in its pursuit of removing Hamas from the face of the earth, and this administration has no patience with those who are upsetting our college campuses, trying to remove those who spew hate while on student visas or on green cards.

It is a completely horrible situation, but the hope is that this war can end sooner than later, and all hostages released, including the dead bodies.

The other day, in a supposed "goodwill" gesture toward President Trump as he planned to visit the Middle East, Hamas released Edan Alexander, a servicemember with IDF who just happens to have dual American/Israeli citizenship.

It is wonderful that this young man was finally freed, and that he was freed in one piece.

But Trump and his team helped negotiate the release through Hamas, again perhaps the most vile terrorist organization on earth, basically jumping over, and excluding, Israel in the process.

I don't know, but am I the only person on the planet who feels the way I do? 

The following is what i posted on Facebook:

"But the president goes over Israel's heads and negotiates with Hamas directly for the release of the American hostage, Edan Alexander. 

It is wonderful that this hostage was finally released, but by negotiating with Hamas, you have legitimized their existence, and made them appear to be the "humanitarian" group that they so wanted to be by announcing his release. 

All this makes Israel look bad in the eyes of the ignorant, meaning much of the world. 

You never legitimize a terrorist organization, and this, unfortunately, did just that."

It gave Hamas reason for its existence, put it in the good graces of a world that wishes Israel would simply go away, and sets a very bad precedent for not only releasing the other hostages, but also ending the war.

Look, I know Trump and his team meant well, but the last thing this volatile area of the world needs is for Hamas to get a shot in the arm to continue, and this action, however well meaning, did just that.

And while I am happy this young man has been released after more than a year of horrors, the way it was handled, it has to make you think.

Rant #3,694: Nothing's Changed

I don't even want to talk too much about my son's supposed job meeting yesterday--

But I will ... because you need to know just how ludicrous the situation has become for him.

We were planning to go to the meeting, but counselors at two other organizations overseeing my son told me that he should not go to this meeting, because this particular organization turned him down for an assessment, seemingly under false pretenses, and without this assessment, it served absolutely no purpose to go to this meeting.

The assessment is needed to determine what my son's capabilities are in the workplace, so without the assessment, he can't be placed in a position, because his ability to do certain job tasks are unknown--

Which is even more bizarre because he has been working at part-time and seasonal jobs since he was 15 years of age, and he is still working, approaching age 30.

In fact, my son was sent some paperwork to fill out through email with another group that might be doing his assessment, and he filled out whatever they sent him.

Late in the afternoon, we received a phone call from the group thst he was supposed to meet with yesterday, and they said they never turned him down, and they were wondering if he wanted future job services from them.

I told them the story I just told you, and the woman i spoke to said she would contact his counselor and get back to me, which, of course, she never did.

I am fit to be tied about this situation.

The problem is that my son's fate is fully in the hands of these inept people and organizations, and there isn't much I can do about it.

One counselor told me, with barely enough air in her lungs, thst she was planning to take a couple of days off to recuperate from the "rigors" of her workload.

Well fancy that ... imagine if I took days off like this when I was working full time.

Years ago, a parent of a special needs child told me that the only way I was going to get anything done related to my son was "to do everything yourself, because no one is really going to help you."

Believe me, I figured that all out myself pretty quickly, but that situation has certainly been heightened by my current experience.

I know that we have to do it all ourselves, and the fact of the matter is that these organizations have never helped him in the past, so why think things will be different now?

Utter stupidity.

We have another job fair to go to on Thursday afternoon, and we will be there, with bells on.

Or at least I thought we would.

The meeting I thought I had to cover for work on Wednesday has been canceled, replaced by another meeting held on Thursday--

Precisely the same time I was going to take my son to the job fair.

I just don't know what to do right now.

I need some guidance--

But I know not to go to any of these organizations to get it, that's for sure.

Rant #3,693: Dang Me

How was your Mother's Day?

Ours was very quiet.

We gave my wife her cards and gifts, I picked up some food, and that was pretty much the end of that.

I did work a bit more in getting my record albums in order, which is a real "mother" of a project for me.

I found those "G" records I had originally been missing, so after finding those records, I was finally able to complete the first unit, from "Abbott and Costello" to "Mike and the Mechanics."

Next comes Roger Miller, who will start off the second unit, which I have already ordered and I should be getting with the next two weeks or so.

With that out of the way, probably some time during the next month or so, I would like to invest in an electric grill so we can do some  barbecuing.

We have a terrace, and since I purchased a chaise lounge for my wife for Mother's Day, the weather is getting warmer, and it is quickly becoming barbecue time, an activity I have severely missed since we left the old house.

We are permitted to barbecue using an electric grill, so since we now have a terrace, why not?

But I first have to get about 20 more boxes of LPs off the floor and their contents onto the record rack, and that is going to be quite a job ... but I will do it, because we can't have these boxes all over the floor.

You don't really know what--and how much--you have until you are faced with a dilemma like this, with nearly two dozen boxes filled with LPs that are pretty much totally out of order.

If I didn't get hurt, this would have never happened, because I would have packed everything away myself.

But that didn't happen ... so about the only thing I can do now is to put each box in alphabetical order, and when the shelving comes, I will just empty one box at a time and put it on the rack in the proper order.

I have made a soft deadline for myself to do all of this. It is June 6, my 32nd wedding anniversary.

Of course, all of this depends when the rack is delivered and put together.

And I have to do this in between everything else I have to do.

For instance, today, I have an early appointment with my dentist to get a permanent crown put into my mouth, then in early afternoon, I have to take my son for another job-oriented meeting, and I hope this time, the people who are supposed to be there actually show up.

We gave some other doctor appointments this week, and on Thursday, my son and I will be going to another job fair.

And then we have my work, and I have to cover another meeting on Wednesday afternoon.

No, I have no time to breathe, but at least I can't say that I am bored.

I am so busy that I forgot to acknowledge the 16th anniversary of The Ranting and Raving Blog on May 4.

And later this week on May 15, I will celebrate the 37th anniversary of me becoming a father for the very first time, as my newly-engaged daughter celebrates her birthday.

I haven't actually seen her, in person, in nearly a year, but I will call her and wish her a good birthday. 

I actually haven't seen her, in person, on her actual birthday, since she was in her late teens.

Don't ask me why, because I don't have an answer for you.

I have no idea why.

But honestly, I simply don't have the time to figure all of that out, as if thinking about it more will actually provide me with a viable answer.

There is no viable answer, and there is no time to figure it out.

I am just too busy, and I am getting too old to get involved in this nonsense.

Let's see ... Roger Miller ... Steve Miller ...

"Dang Me!"

Rant #3,692: Mama

I finished writing up that meeting I had to do for work, and that makes me a happy man.

With that out of the way, this, hopefully, will be a happy weekend, as on Sunday, it is Mother's Day.

My son and I bought my wife some nice gifts, and rather than going out to eat, we will bring some food in.

My wife said that restaurants will be packed, and she is probably right about that, so I will pick something up instead.

The holiday is one of my favorites of the entire year, because it celebrates motherhood, probably the most difficult job in the world.

And just because you are able to have children does not necessarily make you a mother; you have to have the instincts to be a true mom.

My mother certainly had those attributes, and my wife does too, as does my sister.

You will go to the end of the world for your child, and nothing will stop you.

NOTHING.

That is what makes a mother, and come to think of it, my two grandmothers also had that attribute.

I miss my mom, and I miss my grandmothers, but my wife and my sister fit the bill as great mothers to their children.

Sometimes things might not necessarily work out perfectly for them, but they don't stop trying, even when the odds are against them.

It is a great responsibility to be a parent, and to be a mother ... 

That is special.

I have a favorite song for Mother's Day.

It is an oldie from 1966, barely got into the top 30 songs in the country, and is pretty much a forgotten song in the hit-laden canon of B.J  Thomas.

It is a ballad about a son's devotion to his mother, and the singer gives it his all in one of his best vocal performances.

The song is "Mama," and I have posted its YouTube link below.

So while you are listening to the tune, have a great weekend, have a great Mother's Day, and I will speak to you again on Monday.

https://youtu.be/IDBTsuEgqVo?si=_fPH7f-v1246VvT6

Rant #3,691: Gone

I am still super busy with that write-up of a meeting for work, but I figured now would be the perfect time to pick up on my novel, so here it is.

I hope to be back tomorrow with my regular Rant.

24

Abraham Lincoln Panim went home after the incident with Brandon and Ariel, still not sure about what to do at school.

He took out his key, opened the door to the house, and made a bee line directly to his bedroom. He prepared for bed, and crawled into it. With the lights off, he was still able to see a framed picture of a smiling Mrs. Stottle that he had on the desk in his room.

“If Mrs. Stottle was still around, what would she tell me to do?” he thought, as he finally dozed off.

He had a rough night, the worst that he could ever remember. He tossed and turned and had visions of Brandon and Ariel jumping back and forth in his nightmares.

He heard the taunts from Brandon--“rat-faced boy” and “Eddie Munster”--constantly in his nightmares, and he tossed and turned all night.

He also saw bright lights as he slept, going off and on constantly, and loud noises, not lightning and thunder but something bright and very loud, hurting both his closed eyes and ears.

And Abraham Lincoln Panim also saw himself with his rat face and without his rat face, as both images flashed off and on during the intensity of the nightmare.

The intensity of his nightmare was so much that night that he ended up falling out of the bed onto the floor.

He woke up, lying on the floor, and in the pitch black of night, he felt he needed to go to the bathroom and put cold water on his face. He went to the bathroom with the lights out, reached out for the faucet, put on the cold water, and cupped his hands so that he could gather water, which he threw on his face.

Abraham Lincoln Panim felt the cool water on his face, and then decided to take a drink of the cool water to try to further calm himself down. He reached for the cup dispenser on the wall, pulled out a cup from its bottom, and filled up the cup with water.

He took a drink of the cool water, stood there for a moment, and then dropped the cup where he thought the trash can was. He heard the cup hit the floor.

He bent down to pick it up, but could not find it, so he stood up, turned on the light, found the cup and put it in the trash can.

He stood up, intending to put more cold water on his face. He turned on the faucet, cupped some water in his hands, splashed it on his face, and looked in the mirror to see how he looked after another splash of water.

He looked, was ready to walk away, but did a double take, and looked in the mirror again.

He stared into the mirror for a couple of seconds and saw his face. It was rid of any semblance of his former rat face. His nose was smaller, there were no whiskers coming out of the sides of his lip, and his mouth and teeth were straight and normal.

He peeled away the top of his pajamas, and saw that there was on hair at all where it had been before.

Abraham Lincoln Panim continued to stare into the mirror, looking at his new countenance with astonishment.

“This has got to be part of a nightmare,” he thought to himself. “This isn’t me. This can’t be me.”

He continued to stare into the mirror, shook his head a few times, and then went to bed.

“Let me get through this nightmare,” he thought to himself, and then went into a deep sleep.

As opposed to his initial sleep that evening, this one was a calm one, a good one, a restful one.