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"Brain Damage" - Pink Floyd

I feel better.

"Spent"

I really love what I do.

But...

(did ya see that coming?)

We haven't had a vacation since July.

I did get a tiny raise in salary last month, but it's not enough.

Rodger and I are picking up the slack for Bumblefuck II (and Bumblefuck III in San Diego, but that's a story for a different time).

I have more responsibility than ever. I'm doing more work, more research and just more crap in general. I'm still pretty much getting paid the same and getting the same respect (none) from the powers that be. I can kiss ass when I need to, but I'm not a kissass.

I'm tired... spent.

The boss and his boss are going to be in town next week.

I wish I could meet with them. I took tomorrow off and I'll be out in the field on Tuesday and Wednesday.

They're leaving Thursday morning.

It's probably a good thing; I might speak my mind. I (still) need this job. ;-)

"Where the Fuck is Buttonwillow?"

I drove up to Northern California in November to help our office out up there.

Well, more like I was helping our tech out. His dad died and he was out of town.

Cyn didn't wan't to go with me this time. Probably a good thing. It rained a lot while I was up there. I had the car. She would have been stuck in the Best Western room all day, by herself.

I stayed in Concord, California. Concord is about 420 miles (676 km) from here and about 30 miles (48 km) north east of San Fancisco.

About 275 miles (443 km) of that drive is on I-5 through the Great Basin, California's bread basket.

Having been born and raised in the cement jungle, I'm amazed at the lack of "stuff" in our Heartland.

It's very refreshing.

Not all of California is covered in asphalt and cement!

Anyway, there are a lot of little towns along the way. Two of them always stick out when I make that drive. One is Firebaugh, the other is Buttonwillow.

Every single time I drive by Buttonwillow, I think of a bumpersticker that reads, "Where the fuck is Buttonwillow?!"

It just strikes me as funny.

Oh, Buttonwillow is HERE