Re-Post: Double Trouble

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and I hope you all have an incredible day. Me? Oh, I’m just soaking up the island life right about now. More to come when I return…

From Aug 24, 2022: For being a smart person, I really am quite dumb sometimes. Well, not like a dumdum. It just takes me longer than the average smart person to really come to grips with things. For example…

An email arrived with the sentence “Thank you for your persistence.” which probably meant please stop bothering me. A co-worker told someone else in front of me: (paraphrased only mildly) “We love Kelly. She has a way of being mean but she does it with a smile and it makes it ok.” I’m not sure it was a compliment but it is true.

M’s – money, marriages, and messes. The radio show advised these are three things we should stay out of, as in other people’s. This radio show predominantly deals with other people’s messes so pot…kettle.

Not every email requires a reply. As I’m almost constantly (now) dealing with people from all walks of life, there are many different approaches: kind, understanding, firm, rude, hateful, dismissive, etc. You get the idea. This week I’m neck deep in an inspection that hasn’t happened since 2019. Read: before me. Somehow I tend to find myself in positions where once I’ve got my bearings, there’s a huge inspection or program audit and here I am with my hands in the air and a huge shrug. I shall prevail! Occasionally I have too much to do to reply. Other times it is best I don’t because angry Kel can only be quiet for so long. And I’m being pushed to the brink.

My sister accepted a job on the same installation where I’m employed. In fact, we’re in the same squadron. I should feel bad the base is now saturated with two people like us, but this could be fun. Someone asked if she is as wonderful as I am; her reply was “I’m better!” She’s got jokes.

Now we’re off to find the boss and explain in no uncertain terms why the grass is brown. Hello. Drought. Texas. Seriously?

______________________________

I ask you –

Thoughts on the three M’s? Do you agree?

Have you been inspected or audited at work lately?

On a scale of 1 to You’re Fired, how much trouble will my twin and I get into? 5. We have humor going for us.

(The post Re-Post: Double Trouble first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

Miss Big Mouth

Let’s overcomplicate things, shall we? Most definitely rhetorical sarcasm. I inquired about some training I need to satisfy an additional duty at work. The answer I received was this: it should only be an hour or two. Well, which is it?! And what do you mean by “only”?

In referencing additional duties – the Navy calls them collateral duties – an argument ensued between my team and an individual over the concept of additional duty vs primary duty. I thought it was self-explanatory but I was wrong. You see, everyone has additional duties. Military, civilian, contractors, all of us. So when someone uses the phrase this is my additional duty, it hits me wrong because we all have them, aka it’s not an excuse to disregard the duty. Next time, I’ll draw pictures.

How to make a corsage. Step 1: don’t. Hire your sister. Or mother. Depends. But this is what she gets for volunteering to make my niece’s prom corsage. Hope she’s keeping notes. Her additional duty.

When I wake up at the butt crack of dawn to finish a paper and discussion post so I can focus on a different paper of a million words and a gazillion pages – that’s a primary duty. Does this require any further explanation?

No questions please. The demonstration is over.

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I ask you –

What is the civilian terminology for additional or collateral duties?

Are you creative enough to make a corsage? Definitely not.

Tell me the page length of the longest document you’ve ever written!

(The post Miss Big Mouth first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

I Have No Catchy Title

Thankfully, I don’t do a lot of driving anymore but occasionally I see funny things when I’m out and about. Like a car with the license plate MY TOY. It was a Hyundai. To each his own.

My sister is my nail girl.

Costco is selling caskets now. For the low low price of about $700, you can purchase your very own bulk-discounted sleeping vessel. Why not. P.S. I tried to use a stock photo of a casket as my post image but there was nothing funny about any of them so I decided against it lest my loyal followers think something terrible happened to me.

For the church Christmas skit, my sister and I were recorded for our parts. Riot. We had too much fun laughing. However, we each got it on the first try! I know, it’s hard to imagine.

One run last week. That’s all I had (made) time for. Truth be told, I was super sore after it, too. Which reminds me to input a training plan for the next 4 weeks until class starts again. But I did do some form of intentional exercise each day – yoga, pilates, taking a walk…something was done!

Finally hit week 8 of the course from hell, aka Advanced Finance and Budgeting. This class was rough. But you don’t want to hear anymore complaining, I’m sure. Just wait. I’m taking two 8-week courses simultaneously in the Spring. Not sure what I was thinking. Sorry in advance.

As usual, thank you for coming to my ramblings. I’ll be back next week with more of the same.

__________________

I ask you –

Do you own anything you consider your “toy”?

Would you purchase a Costco casket? Yes. A bargain is a bargain!

On a scale of 1 to send help, how are your holidays going so far?

(The post I Have No Catchy Title first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

Capers of the Dynamic Duo

The past several months have afforded my (older) half and I opportunities to get closer not only as sisters, but also as friends.

Read more about her here: sister post.

I’ve always considered her the left brain aka more artistic / more creatively-forward. But she’s also extremely insightful and I don’t know if I just never realized it before or if it’s a product of having children, getting older, etc. When we’re together, she’s very cognizant of my needs without me saying a word. She seems to take the reins on things I’m not as quick to notice. Refreshing, really.

Albeit a potentially expensive hobby, it has been fun daydreaming and (semi) looking for an approximately 1971 Ford short bed truck to restore. Yes, specifically. You see, our dad had an old truck when we were kids and we have fond memories of those super scratchy seats and you’re-too-close-to-me single cab. Stop touching me! I’d like to paint it cherry red like my previous car; Dad’s truck was basic white. One more request…it has to be an automatic because this girl can’t drive a stick. Unless you want to hop and skip to your destination.

Bran is tagging along on my beachy vacation this year. To my knowledge, we’ve never vacationed together as adults. Bring on the pina coladas! But, seriously, having children doesn’t really lend itself to a ‘quiet, relaxing day on the calm, cool sand listening to the ocean waves crash’. HA! The only truth to this daydream is the crashing part and it’s reserved for a small child crashing into your bed at 0700 repeatedly asking if she can go play in the water yet. First, coffee.

Anyway. She’s got some new body jewelry I just absolutely can’t wait to explain to my mini. If you know, you know.

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I ask you –

Are your siblings similar in nature to you or are they polar opposite?

Got a short bed truck for sale? Anyone? Do you “know a guy”?

3 guesses on where we’re vacationing! Go!