Workin The Night Shift

I've never been a morning person and some years ago - quite by accident - I learned that I enjoy working non-standard hours. Actually, looking back I've done so a good deal of my life as I started out in food service jobs where I worked during the dinner hours. After moving to Florida in 1990 I took a 2nd shift job because that was all that was available and I worked at that position for 6 months. I always felt that I needed to get a "real" job during the day in order to be successful. But after finally getting that day job I found that I was tired all the time and I longed to be outside during the daylight hours. Eventually I took another 2nd shift job and have been working 2nd shift for the last 13 years - it fits well with my life and I do feel successful.

I quit my job last year to pursue my dream of a cross country bicycle adventure and during the trip I thought a lot about how to find another 2nd shift job when I returned. All the major job sites concentrate on day shift jobs and if you want to find jobs after 5pm you have to use your search words for the shift and not for the job title. I realized a niche job market exists for people like me and so I decided to start a job site for non-standard shifts. I finally launched the site this month!

Commerce doesn't stop after 5pm and I hope my new job site will be beneficial not only to people like me who enjoy working evenings but also to employers who need workers for hospitals, airports, manufacturing, service industry, adult venues, security, 24 hour IT operations etc. NightOwlStaffing.com is completely free for both job candidates and employers so I hope everyone will take advantage of this site. You can help me launch this site by posting your jobs and resumes now. Just go to www.nightowlstaffing.com and sign up as either an employer or job seeker or both - it's easy and it really is FREE!

Population Explosion Buzz

Most of us realize that the population of the Earth is quickly growing beyond what our limited resources will support. Well most of us except Republicans and Catholics. But human population growth is only part of it me thinks.

Seems to me there are a whole lot more bugs on this planet than there used to be! Ants are everywhere, grasshoppers where out of control in South Dakota when I was there last week and don't even get me started on mosquitoes! We literally could not step out the door without spray or we would be bitten immediately. This is also true in Florida where I live. They are awful!

It stands to reason (unless you are Republican) that if the human population is exploding exponentially, the critters might be doing the same thing. Sure we have developed lots of toxic sprays that kill some bugs (and pollute our water) but let's face it, bugs have nothing better to do than make more bugs. I think it will eventually get to the point where the earth and air will be so infested with bugs we won't be able avoid them at all. And bugs don't need as many resources as people do so they will likely outlive us too.

I don't really have a point here - just an observation that's been bugging me.

Phone Flush

A disturbing trend has developed, especially where I work - talking on the phone while in restroom. Mind you, this is a very busy restroom and in constant use. There is always someone flushing, grunting, farting - you know, pleasant phone noises. I don't know who these dudes are talking to - maybe their wives or girlfriends - still I think it is rude. If it isn't rude to them, perhaps it is rude to those of us trying to do our business in there. Thank goodness I got over that pee shy thing. I couldn't have imagined trying to go with someone's conversation happening next to me. Most of them initiate the call from the stall. Yuk.

I'm convinced Americans have just lost all sense of what is rude and what isn't. I wonder if people in other countries fart and flush while on the phone. It's just gross.

A Little MSG Please

MSG - a tidy little acronym that we all are familiar that means Mono Sodium Glutamate (whatever that is). It is most commonly associated with Chinese food. We might know what it stands for but few of us really know what it is. Unfortunately, I am one of the poor soles who are affected by this chemical (?) and tend to get terrible headaches or just general uneasiness after enjoying my favorite Chinese dishes. Now, it seems, that no Chinese restaurants include it anymore and the taste of the food is much different - and I'll say worse.

Now the same thing is happening to my canned soup. All the leading brands of canned soup (Campbell's Progresso, etc.) are toting labels that read "No MSG" and I can report that they all suck - they taste bland and lifeless and I'm guessing MSG has been replace with just garlic. Apparently, MSG is what makes things taste good - who knew?

I think this is a clear case of of the old saying"all things in moderation". Perhaps we can enjoy our Chinese food and even our canned soup with just a little MSG for that enhanced taste we all love, but not enough that it gives us unpleasant side effects. Let's try just a little and see how that works out. Let's get back to full flavor! And while we are at it, lets start using real butter again too - in moderation of course.

Illegal Imigration is the American Way

This weekend we celebrate amnesty for all illegal immigrants in this country - the first time. Is it so different now? I do not argue that illegal immigration is a huge financial burden on this country and causes other problems as well. Most agree this situation needs to be controlled. However, we have allowed decades - even centuries of illegal immigrants to enter this country. The illegals we have here today won't just leave because we ask them to and searching them out to deport them would involve a massive discriminatory manhunt costing billions. It would also destroy families who have been here for generations.

The problem of illegal immigration is an issue of the past - we allowed them here, they are here and and they will be here. The only solution is the control our borders and sky in the future. Each time we fail to do that we must start over. To start over we must grant amnesty to those already here. And we must grant this with conditions that will force illegals to want such amnesty - as in you will be turned away from schools, hospitals, and other public support unless you are a citizen. Bring them out of hiding, tax their work, make them contributing members of our society, pay their own way and start over. If we do it right next time then problem solved. Otherwise we start over again.

Happy 4th of July!