Out and about a little bit

This was a stressful week for me. My workplace is difficult at the best of times, but I had this timebomb clock in my head that I probably invented. There are multiple people in my workplace and all of us feel like we could get fired at any minute over more of an ego trip than anything else. That seems like the American way at the moment and this is becoming more prevalent everywhere, not just where I work.

My ticking clock involved my 65th birthday. This specific date means I qualify for every cent of retirement that I and the state have contributed over the last 25 years. Retirement before that leads to a reduction in proportion. Of course, working beyond that date will increase my benefits.

At the end of the week I was still employed, so I have that going for me. If it’s even a benefit at this point. I think the first 25 years was out of a sense of responsibility to family and stability. Anything beyond that is for me, and I can walk away if needed and know my benefits will be there.

I decided to be a writer today. Managed six or seven pages. Too short to be a chapter the way I do them, but it was productive. I ended a chapter with two of the new characters, then started one with Percy the Space Chimp again. It amazes me that it took two years to figure out what these stories needed, but I’m completely into them once more.

I am really enjoying the new characters. This section involves a grizzled old veteran spy at the border, and he has taken up with an alien teen. This teen is a species that everyone suspects and nobody seems to like. They are the organized crime species in the galaxy, but she’s just a teen living on the streets. There is no romance here, and it’s coming out more like a mentorship kind of story. Found family if you like that term.

Old What’s Her Face and I decided to go out tonight. We went to a gourmet burger place tonight. Everything was expensive, but also perfection. I ordered a milkshake with a dose of alcohol in it that was divine.

This milkshake was $15. As a mixed drink it is comparable, I suppose, but I couldn’t get John Travolta out of my head. His character Vincent freaked out over the $5 milkshake Uma Thurman ordered at Jackrabbit Slim’s.

I am about to pass out over digestion, not the one drink. This place is wonderful, but we probably should reserve it for special occasions.

Hope everyone out there is having a great weekend.