Labor (Labour)

 

I am and have always been a very ardent supporter of unions.  I believe unions are the best way for the common working person to be able to bargain for fair and equitable treatment in the workplace.  With that said, I also can state that sometimes unions have issues and there have been cases of corruption in some union leadership.  But, corruption can and often does exist in EVERY facet of society.  Just because there have been a few instances of corruption, does not negate or change the inherent value of worker unionization.  Currently the UAW is in negotiations for a new contract.  Union leaders who are new are attempting to bring back some facets of blue collar safety and standards of living that had been lost during the very bleak period of Reaganomics.  I am hopeful that the UAW will be able to stay strong and will be able to negotiate back some if not all that was lost (much of pensions, health care, etc.).  A strong nation stays strong only when workers are treated fairly and appropriately.  

In my own Labor Day Weekend, I did a fair amount of cleaning and renovating a bathroom in our home.  I accomplished some of the needed writing I have to work on (still) for the upcoming grant application, and some grading prep work.  My wife and I had hoped to go to a movie, but during the weekend there were really no films of interest at our theaters.  Unfortunately, there was an influx of a plethora of horror films occupying most screens to captivate those so-inclined to that genre (my wife abhors horror films, and do not like them either.... but for me it is mostly that I a) do not want to be bombarded by negativity (most horror films are quite negative), and b) I do not want to watch a film that is primarily darkness (a lot of films do this these days, but horror films especially have dark, "mood" lighting that makes the images less detailed and hard to have interest in watching.... and I think it is also a cost savings for the film maker.... they can use CGI and then darken it so you do not "notice" how poor a lot of CGI is, or they use darkness to hide poor props as well).  

On Labor Day, I hoofed out 15.1 miles (~24 km).  This morning I hoofed out 10.1 miles (~16 km).  It has been VERY hot in my neck of the woods.... so much so that I COULD have comfortably ran in  "Sasquatch" mode because it was in the 70+ range (21+ C) even in the very early morning.  But, I ended up NOT going "Sasquatch" because the sky was devoid of any clouds.  Even though I ran early in the morning both days, the SUN was INTENSE even at 8am.  By the end of each run, the temperatures were quickly elevating, and I was drenched with perspiration from head to toe.  Temperatures also quickly CLIMBED each day so that we had high temperatures of ~ 95 (35 C) both days.  

I have been thinking a great deal about my Dad the last few days.  I had originally thought I would write here today more about my Dad.  But, I just didn't feel up to putting pen to paper the thoughts and memories that have been swirling around in my brain.  I feel a NEED to get some of these thoughts on paper, so I know sometime in the next few days I will be writing here about these thoughts.  But, I am not feeling up to it today.  

Pipes of course, have also been on my mind.  The strong, gnawing desire to have a pipe is remaining at the very high note it has crescendo-ed to during last week... remains at fortissimo now.  During the weekend when I had a few moments of relative "idle" time, I was perusing across the vast Internet when I found a pipe tobacco blend I had never heard of nor sampled.  It was reported to have a room note of "peanut butter" of all things.  I was actually a bit nauseated but also intrigued at the thought of a peanut butter pipe tobacco.  I do not think I would ever purposefully purchase any of that leaf.... but it was an "interesting" surprise.  But, the notion of having a full bowlful of "Three Star Blue"..... those are the thoughts I allowed myself to imagine as I drifted off to sleep each night.  

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