Work Drone

I enjoy my job, it's nice to know that I am appreciated for the work I put into random activities, such as taking cycle times. If I tend to talk too much about it, it's because it's extremely time consuming & annoying yet rewarding. I meet people, I listen to people's stories, hear about their lives, and help them out in their daily jobs. I really do appreciate and am awed by the operators who work at the Dothan plant.

It's hard, grueling work. They make approximately 140 tires OR MORE, per person. They change products on these huge metal yo-yos called bobbins. They know their machine that they work, they know down to the millimeter if something is not the way it is supposed to be. I can't even tell if my bed is 3 feet away from my set of drawers... I just compare how tall I feel I am to whatever I'm attempting to measure (which apparently is not 5'3" like I thought it was when I was 15, 16, and 18 and what it says on my drivers license.... WHOOPS)...

But these people stand on their feet for 12 hours, minus 70 minutes a shift where they are on break. It's just mind boggling and I am awed by their determination. I know I could never do it, mentally or physically.


Anyway, I love my job, however I'm not sure I'm entirely ready to grow up. Most of my friends are in Auburn or Charlotte this summer, or their respective schools, having a grand ol' time, some taking classes. I dislike the fact that I'm living alone, so far away from everyone, but I wouldn't change this experience for anything.

Another IE that was recently hired (he actually did his interview on my first day of work) is 24. He graduated from THE OTHER SCHOOL with a Chemical Engineering degree (I didn't even know that they had/offered engineering degrees). He's a nice guy, and is married. He's 3 years older than I am and has been married for a year. A YEAR! That means, in my head.... I have to start dating someone in the next year... Then when I'm 22 I will get engaged and when I'm 23 I'll get married.

Alright, well in 9 months I turn 22. Personally, that freaks me out that he's married. I brought it up, he didn't really understand... Alright.
As a child/teenager, I always thought to myself, I'm going to meet that special someone in college, just like my parents. My parents are wonderful, wonderful people. They are truly in love, from what it looks like to me & to other people including my siblings. They met at ECU, in one of the dorms (Jarvis) when my mother was trying to study & some idiot was playing drunk guitar songs loudly during quiet hours.

That drunk guy, or sober guy playing drunk songs (depending on when the story is told & the storyteller), was my father.
Later on after knowing each other, my mom asked my dad out because he was the only one she knew who had a suit with him at college... She was going to some honors dinner function. She's pretty much the bomb-dot-com.

where my parents met, Jarvis!

In front of the dorm, 27 years later!

To me, they just don't make love like this anymore. Through thick & thin, for better or for worse is something that isn't exactly honored now. For worse just means, when it gets tough, we'll get a divorce.
To me, their relationship might not be perfect, but it works, and they work hard to stay in love & happy. Especially with three crazy kids, and me as one of them!


Wow, I got super off topic... But that's the beauty of it all.