Teddy Bear and maybe other stuff, too, or not

I make no bones about it - I sleep with my teddy bear. Yep, the teddy bear that was given to me when I was a baby. Teddy is really great company! Every night we cuddle when I get into bed. Teddy is great because he never talks back to me, never turns over and won't talk to me. Teddy is always complimentary on everything and is so excited to see me when I get home every night. I have him sitting up in bed so he can look outside the window while I am away. Rarely do I leave him home by himself.

Ok, so you know that now - you can tease me all you want. I don't care! If I were running for Congress I'd let people know that I sleep with my Teddy Bear. After all, why shouldn't I? I've debated about whether or not to buy for my mother's new great-niece, who isn't born yet, a Teddy Bear of her own. I am sure that she may very well get one and the one I get for her may not be as sentimental as another one that might be gotten for her. In fact, I am not even sure I will ever meet the girl, for my cousin Greg I have not seen in years. He and his wife live in a suburb of Washington, DC and I have never been invited to go visit them and they never come out here to visit (if they do, it isn't to see his side of the family). Thus the dilemma, do I make the effort or do I just not make the effort. I think I should make the effort because this little girl will hopefully be delighted to grow up with a Teddy Bear.

I was informed that I need to make sure that I get a Teddy Bear who won't lose its eyes as that is very important. My Teddy Bear looks the same, other than a little wear of the fur, that he was when he was first presented to me. When I go to mom's I will often bring Teddy Bear with me and sleep with my Buddy Bear and Elephant. Yes, it is funny to imagine a 44 year old man, 6' 7" sleeping in a bed with three stuffed animals. But even my roommate has a Teddy Bear! So there we are, two men of adult age, over 40, sleeping in our apartment (separately) with Teddy Bears!

Most good writers will mention about their lives so that the reader can realize that the writer is in fact human. I am definitely human!

I am still not sure about the Teddy Bear. Reading about it makes one realize that nothing is easy. The Teddy Bear is delivered with a bow on it and a warning to remove the bow because it could be a choking hazard. When I was a child there weren't the preventative labels on everything as there is today. How did I ever learn to do anything without preventative labels? I am not sure how I was able to not fall into the canal on the way to or from school - when water was flowing in it, even? How did I know to stay out of the water? How did I know not to cross traffic when cars were oncoming? How did I know not to get in the car if a stranger stopped and offered me a ride? How did I know these things?

I knew them because I was taught right from wrong. Whether it was a teacher or my parents, I just knew! Do kids even know anymore? I'm amazed at how we coddle our children so much - because they can't learn anymore so the parents have to take over and do everything for those offspring they have produced! I don't get it.

Anyway, back to the Teddy Bear - I have to decide what to get her. I'm not sure because I want one just like my Teddy Bear, but not my Teddy Bear. I will keep Teddy for eternity and then when the end comes, I may very well request that Teddy goes with me!

As for other topics - I should be out walking right now instead of inside eating Sugar Babies. I wish they were a bit harder (more stale) but oh well. I blame the bad diet on Stephanie - her departure last week was cause celeb for eating desserts and this week being her first week not here is cause celeb for eating poorly. I will have to go back to the diet plan next week I think. I can't be eating like this always or I will need a wheel barrow to carry my stomach along. I also don't like how my inner-thighs rub each other as I walk. May be too much info for you - but it is my blog, dammit.

My boss

Today is June 1, 2011. Two days from now my boss, Stephanie McDoulett, will retire from McKesson. In my 27 years of working for people this is the first time that I have had a boss who is retiring.

When we think of retiring most of us think of that age when we will be eligible for social security - that little private/public nest egg we have been paying into for many years - hoping that we will be able to not only reach the age that we are able to collect it, but hoping that we will live long enough to at least receive back what we paid into it plus interest. For me, the reality is that I probably won't be collecting social security until I am 67 - 22 years from two months from now.

I look at 22 years and realize that is shorter than the number of years I have been working for a paycheck. I look back and see that I have been working for 27 years, since I started working at the age of 17. Over those 27 years I have had a few bosses. Some bosses have been ok. Some have been not the greatest - that we can say for most of us.

I have been at McKesson for 10 years. In those 10 years I have had about 5 bosses, of which Stephanie was once a boss for a short period of time before she went into doing something else. I had my review today. Needless to say it was a very good review. My review of her would be to say that she has been what I would consider the best boss I have ever had. She also has become a good friend, and while I know that she is moving onto doing whatever she feels like, I can definitely say I will miss her. However, I am fortunate in that the person who will be my boss now is a person who is also very well respected and knows about being a boss.

Truth be told a lot of people tell me I am the boss - and to an extent that is true as well. I do wield more power than even I let on, but as I demonstrate time and again - I am able to provide the service that people want and need.

Stephanie - I will miss you. I know that Ron won't be around as much to take me to lunch. Everyone has asked me how I will get along, and I will get along alright, but I can tell you that I am starting to get emotional about it. For if it wasn't for her belief that I could come out of the stupor of drugs I wouldn't be here writing this at the moment. I have no idea where I would have ended up, but I am here, and I am happy to be here.

Thank you, Stephanie!