Hey, did you know that, in addition to Al Capone’s birthday, yesterday was the 20th anniversary of the Gulf War? Yeah, 20 years ago. Imagine that. I think we were still the “good guys” back then – and of course George Bush was our coalition-building Hero in Chief. I even remember where I was when it started. I think. I seem to recall being at work, and hearing it on the radio. Back in those days, I was a grease monkey – an Apprentice Refrigeration Mechanic, about a year in towards getting my Journeyman’s card – and was in the midst of doing the annual PM on our old Carrier water chillers (used to make chilled water for air conditioning; not that you’d care, but I wish I could remember the model number so I could find a picture; 19C’s or something) with my mentor Al. So that means we were down in the subbasement (about as low as you can get, being a ‘Morlock’ as Granny used to call me, though it would be another five or so years before we’d meet). Though we were the equivalent of three or four stories below ground, there was an exhaust plenum that rose up to the outside (you know, one of those grate thingies that blow your skirt up), I’d hooked a hunk of wire from the radio antenna to one of the pipes that ran out that way, and we were able to tune in a few stations.

It was a good job because, since I was only one of two people who had the slightest clue I could take as long as I wanted to do it, and everybody left me alone. It was a good way to kill a couple of weeks. I believe Al even wrote something about “the bombs falling” in the Chiller Log. Ah, those were the days.

Sometimes I wish I could go back to doing that kind of work. Except it didn’t really pay as well as what I’m doing now, and it was starting to take its toll on my body parts. And having to work up on the roof when it was as cold as it was yesterday kind of sucked. Not to mention doing it when it was 90 degrees out (I think that sucked worse). Come to think of it, maybe I don’t miss it all that much after all.

Not that I’m all that thrilled with having to go back to work today, either. I’m getting awfully tired of this nonsense. Never satisfied, I guess. It doesn’t help that I woke up having somehow done something to my neck between the time I went to bed last night, and the time I got up this morning. Hurts like hell – mostly when I turn my head to the left. Or to the right. Or up. Or down.

Should make for an even better day than usual.

Well, maybe Obama will invade somebody for old time’s sake.