Remembering Dad - Four Years Later...and a Quick Update on Greg's "New" Job

I hope this finds you doing well. It's been a while since I've updated some of you (except for those of you who are connected to me via FACEBOOK / TWITTER, etc.) about my "new" job....and this week (today) probably would be one of the best times to do so since September 30th marks the four year anniversary of my Dad's death from lung/brain cancer around 3:55 AM. (September 30th will forever be etched in my memory...maybe.)

In a way it seems like it hasn't been FOUR years. But, it has been. I can't lie, but there have been many changes since that time and it's good to know that my Mom, Sister & Her Family, etc. have "survived" Dad's death even though there have been a few times within the past few months when it certainly didn't seem easy - in spite of the time since Dad died. Oh well. Also, now looking back at it, I think my Dad died during a very beautiful time of the year - FALL. Just a few weeks ago, my Mom purchased some mums to set in some of her shrubs and her yard looks more highlighted now than it has in years. Looking at those mums reminded me of the mums and all of the other flowers we received when Dad died. (When Dad died, the leaves on the trees weren't quite changing into their colorful phases, but they were within a few weeks.)

Also - FOUR years...what does that mean? Every four years the Olympics are celebrated as well as a Presidential Election and Leap Year. Ironically, all of that is this year - again....and, no, I’m not going to start discussing politics, etc. or even Michael Phelps. Ha! It sort of means to me that another season of time has passed and will continue to go on regardless of what occurs. Change in life occurs and life continues...and that really can be refreshing when one thinks about that, right?

(I don't know what the next four years will bring...and I don't want to know! Also, ironically, my Dad died a little over four years after his Mom - my Grandma Adell - died. She died in August of 2000 and my Dad's Dad died in July of 1995. I still think it's weird that my Dad died a little over nine years after HIS Dad died. In a way, I wonder when I'm going to die. Okay, maybe I shouldn't.)

Anyway, I'll be quiet about that now and give you a quick update on my "new" job even though it's not so new anymore. I started on May 12th and I think the last update about the job was around May 21st during my second week before I started working second shift (and had my weekly social/ministry activities at night stop). Now, it's almost FIVE months!!! I'm still extremely thankful that I did decide to take the job and I do not have any regrets even though my nights now are busy with me working and not doing social or ministry things. Fortunately, during the summer, the second shift schedule was altered so that Friday nights were off with the "second shifters" only working four hours on Fridays, but nine hours Monday through Thursday. The week of July 4th was even more altered and I was able to even do some things at night during that particular week. Very, very nice!! I really liked the summer schedule (with the abbreviated Fridays) and wasn't looking forward (too much) when that schedule ended because I was able to maintain some sort of social life even on Friday nights.

Now (since late August), I'm working 3:30 PM to midnight (or even later) Monday through Friday...and that's cool. I will say that I'm very glad that I do a lot of FACEBOOKING because that way I can at least keep in contact with other people even though it's not as personal as "face-to-face" contact. (Again, my social interaction with friends and other people has changed greatly since I started this job...but, that's okay and fine with me for now. I have NO regrets!!! I am still thankful that I was offered this job and will hope to continue my employment with them for years to come. By the way, the company that I work for is a direct competitor of my former employer....and, that's why I haven't shared the name of my current employer. Some of you do know the name, though.)

As far as what I've been doing during the day before going to work...well, this summer I was able to help my Mom some with various things...and spend some time with my nephews. Now, unfortunately, I've allowed my sleep schedule to become even more wacky and at times I don't go to bed until 5 AM only to sleep until 12 noon...or later. (That does depend exactly what time I get off from my job.) Fortunately, I do feel more rested for most of the time now.

Well, I probably do need to go now. Time to do some FACEBOOKING, etc....or sleeping! I'll write more later about the job when time allows. But, in the meantime, please feel free to check out any of my blog sites (including the "microblog" - TWITTER - ones). I will say that I'm better at updating those particular sites than at doing email. I use them at least one of them daily if not more. So, if any of you want to know more of what's going on in my life, check those sites out. Below are the links...and my photo sites aren't included (since they're not necessarily blogs, etc.)....and I'm not including EVERY site link.

MAIN & MICRO BLOGS...
http://rettaman.blogspot.com
http://www.twitter.com/rettaman
http://www.friendfeed.com/rettaman

SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES...
http://www.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=572178815&ref=profile
http://www.plaxo.com/directory/profile/4295253577/e5a5d7e2/Gregory/Johnson
http://www.myspace.com/rettaman

Or...if you really want to be bold, type in "Gregory E. Rettaman Johnson" at http://www.google.com and see what results you get. (Be sure to type in "Rettaman" though!!!)

I'll be in contact with you again later. I'm sure I'm forgetting something which I would want to share, but if so, I probably might do it at my main blog site (http://rettaman.blogspot.com). For those of you who are my FACEBOOK friends, I know I'll be in contact with you again sooner than later.

PS - Even though my social interaction during the week might be limited at night, one of the good things is that I've started becoming sort of a regular at the Cracker Barrel near my job. Fortunately, a friend of mine (whom I knew before I started my current job) is a cashier there. When I went into the Cracker Barrel one evening, my friend spotted me and called out my name. That was a good feeling! I've been back many, many times. I also can't lie when I say that the Cracker Barrel serves up some good food!

PSS - As far as my former employer, I've limited my contact with them...especially since I work for a direct competitor now....and that's all I'm going to say at this moment. (Some of you do know that I had a run-in with them during the summer, though.)

PSSS - As far as my photography, I'm still doing it as some of you know. I can't lie when I say that it was coming close to burning me out some this year, but my interest is picking back up. Yay!

Hurricane Ike and the Gas Spike

When I heard about Hurricane Ike and that it would be hitting Texas, I really wasn't paying that much attention to it. But, yesterday (Friday - September 12th) I really started to. I read some headlines that Ike would be bringing certain death. That really seemed shocking.

I'm almost wondering if Ike will be the next Katrina. I hope not. But, I can tell that it already has affected the gas prices in the United States. After coming home from my job around 3 AM yesterday (Friday, not Saturday), I noticed I needed to get some gas for my Jeep Liberty.

Well, I sort of forgot and rushed to get some gas before going back to work. I knew I would be running late, but I ended up running later than expected because the BJ's near my home (where I usually purchase my gas) was closed...and it was 3 PM!!! There were signs saying that they were out of gas and what prices they had were $3.92 per gallon when it was $3.54 per gallon just a day before. I decided to go to the Kangaroo near my home (and Capital Chrysler Jeep Dodge), but it started rationing gas to 10 gallons per customer. Whoa! Their gas was $3.75. I acted like an idiot and went to the Shell station across from them and purchased 18 gallons of gas to fill my Jeep...and it was $3.98 per gallon. I know I could've saved some money...but, who knows what will occur over the next week?

Fortunately, I'm not too shocked about the gas prices. I've gotten used to the chaos even though it amazes me. Before my Dad died, gas prices near home never reached over $2 per gallon even though they approached it. Then, in April of 2005, I paid over $2 per gallon of gas for the first time...and in September of that year, I paid over $3 per gallon of gas when Katrina hit the Gulf coast. That was a scary time...but, gas prices declined. But, they've come back up since then...and I guess the rest is history. No need to go into much more detail about gas woes, right?

As for Ike hitting Galveston, at the time of this blog/note, the eye of Ike is 12 miles away. I did hear that Ike at one time was the size of Texas itself...and you know that Texas is the largest state in the lower 48. Shocking, huh? While I was at work, I saw some of the news footage on television and noticed the waves towering over seawalls, piers, highways, etc. Not a pretty picture, but rather impressive. I also do have a co-worker who is from Houston and he has family there now. I pray that his family will be safe.

Well...I guess that's all for now. We just have to watch and see what happens.