Food for thought from one of my customers today...

I'm a supervisor at an HVAC company, so part of my job is speaking to customers who want to talk to a manager. I spoke to a gentleman this afternoon and, after I'd resolved his concern, got to chit-chatting a bit as I made some changes to his account.

This fellow was born in Hamburg, Germany, in 1940, so some of his earliest memories are of running to the shelter nearest his home when the air raid sirens went off. He saw the Third Reich up close and personal, and during our discussion he mentioned the situation in the States and said it made him very uncomfortable because the parallels to the Germany of his childhood were so vivid.

He also told me about how, after the war, he was diagnosed with tuberculosis and sent to a sanitarium, which was paid for with funds from the Marshall Plan. All these years later, he still finds it peculiar that America would give money to Germany to take care of German children while somehow refusing to spend money to take care of its own children.

None of this will come as a surprise to anyone here, of course, but I thought I'd share nonetheless.

SNL had better do a skit of a re-elected Trump governing from his prison cell.

"President Trump rips Congressional Democrats for rejecting his proposed budget, insisting that he needs more money for the prison commissary to get Ramen Noodles, which are akin to currency on the inside."

"President Trump is going to address the nation at 8:30 pm Eastern. Because lights out is at 9 pm."

"President Trump's meeting this morning with French President Macron was interrupted when another inmate shanked one of Macron's security detail."

"Scandal rocks the Trump White House: another inmate stole the nuclear football and traded it for cigarettes."

"Fucked up on Pruno, President Trump authorized a nuclear strike on Greenland because Denmark refused to sell it to him."

I watched the video the Memphis PD released.

Those cops got mad and decided to murder Tyre Nichols. That's what I saw. At the initial stop, when they went hands-on with him, some dumbshit deployed pepper spray and it got all over everyone. Instead of being pissed off at the dumbshit, they got mad at Tyre Nichols. Then, after he got away from them, they were mad because they had to chase him down.

Then, after they caught up to him again, they decided to really take their mad out on him. Running kick to the face, check. Baton strikes while other officers held him down, check. Two officers holding him up while another punched him in the face, check. Two officers holding him down while two more kicked him in the ribs, check.

Their defense attorneys have their work cut out for them. Defending the indefensible is a big lift.

I lost my best friend today.

We had to put my cat, Chairman Meow, to sleep this morning. I suspect he had a stroke yesterday since he suddenly had trouble walking, eating, and drinking, so it was time to say goodbye and let him go.

I found him as a stray kitten in the summer of 2006. I'm 99% certain he was part of a litter that someone didn't want, so they just dumped the kittens somewhere. I made kissy noises at him and he started following me. The girl I was dating at the time insisted that I retrieve him and take him to a shelter. I wrapped up him up in a bath towel to make sure he didn't bite/scratch, and when I got him upstairs and let him loose, he immediately ran over to me and climbed up into my lap... so I decided to keep him.

He was with me through a lot over the years. He was there when that girl dumped me, something I took very hard. He was there when I started a new relationship with the woman who's been my wife for over 10 years now. He was hyper-jealous of her. He was the vanguard of my move to Canada, making the move two years before I did. He was there through my struggles with substance abuse. He was there as I built a career and helped me relax after a rough day.

He was diagnosed with diabetes in 2017 because he was kind of a little sausage roll. My fault, I suppose, for letting him graze rather than feeding him at set times. The vet this morning told us that ordinarily cats only live 1-2 years after that diagnosis, so I suppose we did okay taking care of him.

He came into my life wrapped up in a bath towel, and he left it the same way. I held him in my arms as the vet gave him the shot and bawled my eyes out. My heart is breaking all over again as I type this. It's hard knowing that when I wake up tomorrow morning, he won't be sitting outside the bedroom door waiting for his breakfast.

Love your fur babies, folks. In a just world they'd live as long as people do, but unfortunately that's not the case. They give us all they have to give, and all they ask in return is a little love and a little kindness... and some treats here and there. They'll be gone before you know it.

A friend of mine said this when I talked to her about my loss, and I think it's rather beautiful, so I'll share it. "Grief is love with nowhere to go."

ETA: Thank you, everyone, for the kind words and good wishes. One of the greatest things about DU is that we're a family, and we share our joys and our griefs with family. Thank you for helping me through this rough moment, I appreciate it more than words can tell. Please give your fur babies a hug from me, in memory of the Chairman.

Has anyone else ever experienced imposter syndrome?

Six months ago, I started my new job and I was super nervous because I'd never been a supervisor before. I wasn't sure if I could do it, despite my employer snapping me up very quickly. The original arrangement was that I'd do mainly offline stuff and provide limited operational support. That went out the window pretty fast, and I got thrown to the wolves helping to run the day shift, which is chaotic and crazy busy at the best of times.

Six months on, I've finally settled in and feel competent, largely thanks to my mentor. She took me under her wing and taught me what I needed to know. Now I think she's being sent to manage another office, and all the signs point to my being the heir apparent. Senior management has said they need me to be the "new [name]" and my boss set up a meeting for Tuesday to "touch base." I strongly suspect the torch is being passed.

And I just don't know if I can do it. The very suggestion is a joke. She has 14x the experience I do, and has forgotten more than I'm ever likely to learn. I feel like I'm right back at square one, uncertain and scared and feeling like a fraud all over again. Has anyone else ever experienced this sort of thing? Any suggestions on what to do?

Edited to Add: I had the meeting with my boss and, sure enough, I'm the heir apparent. My boss didn't commit to a raise at this point, but is going to ask our CEO and let me know. Thanks to all those who responded with advice and kind words, I appreciate it. Right now I'm all panic and no disco even though I suspected it was coming.

Arizona state lawmaker faces calls for resignation after arrest on child sexual abuse charges

Source: CNN

(CNN) Arizona's Republican governor and state lawmakers from both parties on Friday called on state Sen. Otoniel "Tony" Navarrete to resign, as he faces multiple felony charges in connection with allegedly sexually abusing a child.

He was arrested and jailed Thursday night on multiple felony charges, including sexual contact with a minor, child molestation and attempted sexual contact with a minor. Phoenix Police Sgt. Andy Williams confirmed the charges to CNN in an email. The seven felony counts, Williams said, relate to alleged misconduct from 2019.

A now-16-year-old alleged victim said that Navarrete abused him multiple times when they were living in the same residence in Phoenix, starting when he was 12 or 13 and continuing until he was 15, according to the charging document filed in court in Maricopa County.

Investigators say they have an audio recording made Thursday of Navarrete apologizing to the victim.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/07/politics/arizona-state-senator-charged-resignation/index.html

I got a new job!!!

In the grand scheme of things this event is absolutely minor, but I just wanted to share my joy and relief. I accepted my current position over a year ago, with the understanding that it was a permanent work from home arrangement, only to have the company go back on the deal and tell me I had to be in the office three days a week starting in September. Getting to the office via transit would cost $350 a month, to say nothing of the time spent going back and forth. I had a conversation with my department director to try to come to a compromise, and his response was, "Wow, sucks to be you. See you in the office, or else."

I applied for a management position that's full-time work from home, and found out today I got the job! I was stressing so hard about how to make this work, and now I'm getting a 10% raise and still get to work from home! The benefits package is even better than what I have now, to boot!

ETA: Thank you to all those who offered congratulations and wished me good luck! Your kindness is very much appreciated, and it's why DU is such a fantastic place!

Israeli military launches airstrikes in Gaza in response to incendiary balloons launched from the co

Source: CNN

(CNN) The Israeli military struck targets in Gaza overnight Wednesday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement, citing incendiary balloons launched from Gaza earlier in the day. According to reports in Israeli media, incendiary balloons launched from Gaza sparked multiple fires in southern Israel.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/15/middleeast/israel-airstrikes-gaza-june-15-intl/index.html

Woman charged in US Capitol riot can take trip to Mexico, federal judge says

Source: CNN

(CNN)A Texas florist charged in connection with the US Capitol insurrection will be allowed to go to Mexico later this month, a federal judge ruled Friday.

The case involving Jenny Cudd got national attention this week after she wrote to a judge asking for permission to visit Riviera Maya, Mexico, for a four-day retreat this month.

On Friday, Judge Trevor N. McFadden of the DC District Court granted her request. McFadden, a Trump appointee, noted that the Justice Department did not oppose Cudd's request to visit Mexico.

"The Court also notes (Cudd) has no criminal history and there is no evidence before the Court suggesting the Defendant is a flight risk or poses a danger to others," McFadden wrote in a written order.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/05/politics/capitol-riot-mexican-vacation/index.html

Some good news for a change...