April's CR Diary

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November 5, 2007

You're Always Coming and Going

That's what the chief negotiator for management at the older of the twins said to me today in the hall outside the negotiating room. I was walking in, he was walking out, with his team.

"Yes, well, aren't we all?" I asked.

His second in command, a woman I find myself liking in spite of myself, said, "Well Bob it would be rather weird if she just appeared. That would be bewitching, wouldn't it?" She made a gesture intended to call to mind Samantha of "Bewitched."

Existential wisdom from management's negotiator. You're always coming and going. It reminds me of this Michael Kinsley column that he began with a line like, "If you are aging, and who is not?"

I feel like I am changing. Not so much aging. I look younger, but that's just because the circles under my eyes are disapppearing and I'm losing weight again and eating better than during the twins. I'm not going anywhere... in fact I feel more committed to my work and life than ever. I am just not in the mood to take a lot of crap anymore. Hence the sudden change in tone on the blog.

Thanks to all for comments, even if I don't answer them right away. Denise, start with "The Longevity Diet" by Brian Delaney and Lisa Walford. Good luck! I remember those early days of learning about CR. So much fun.

I've learned to put my Ipod on shuffle and I've been using it as a bit of a fortune cookie. I ask a question in my head then close my eyes, fast forward and hit play. Twista's "So Sexy" came up this time. Hard to interpret that one. It's like "May you live in interesting times."

I love the way you do your own thing, and how you're smokin on your own flame...

That's what the fortune Ipod says. I am fairly sure that means that we're about to give ten day notice for a strike.

Negotiations going not well. Management is delusional. They're putting proposals on the table that they must know or will soon realize will provoke a strike. Which we could pull off if we had to. But noboday wants that. It's just goofy. Put some sensible proposals on the table and avoid the fight. The nurses aren't even asking for all that much. Today while Edward was in another meeting I worked with our negotiating committee to make a new wage proposal. It was a ton of fun. I've never written a wage proposal before today. Nobody could find a calculator so we did the math the old fashioned way! Edward liked my wage proposal... it took a couple of minutes to explain how we came up with it but when he really looked at it he loved it. It's a great feeling to learn to do something new. I spend so much time teaching that it's fun to be learning new things again. Not that every day isn't full of new things to learn.

Negotiations food: salad with grilled chicken. Like you had to ask. Boring. Maybe I'll become a vegetarian again. I could take my whey protein shakes around with me. I feel guilty about eating meat. I feel guilty about never publishing the entry on why I am no longer a vegan.

Tomorrow is the last day before the CR Society Conference. I am excited to go. It's amazing to see old friends who don't visibly age.

I should go to bed, though I have doubts about my ability to sleep. At least MR and the cat will be warm. I wore my coat for the first time today. The trees on the way to Scranton are beautiful. It would be lovely weather for a strike. But then again, I said that about February in the Poconos.

Posted by april at November 5, 2007 10:43 PM

Comments

Posted by: Robin at November 6, 2007 3:49 AM

Posted by: Nenette at November 6, 2007 11:32 AM

Posted by: Rebecca at November 6, 2007 8:44 PM

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