Today's stuff -- 31 March 2012

as long-time readers have noticed, posting has been pretty irregular as of late. Sorry about that and all. It has been a bit of a struggle lately.
A bit over four years ago, I accepted a job with a foreign-owned maker of automotive components located primarily (stateside) in the SoutEast. As part of the arrangement, I agreed to take a SHORT-TERM role, meaning two or three months, at a level far below what I would normally be, in order to get a close view of the issues at the customer's operation. With low pay to match. 18 months later (note the contrast to the 2-3 month promised duration), I was "asked" to take a "short stint" on the off-shift in order to grant a 'little break' to the person finally brought in to serve in that role. 29 months later, that short stint showed no sign of ending. With Dear Wife being progressively sicker, expenses associated with that continuing to accumulate, things have been getting downright grim.
Monday night, while en route to work, I got a message to report to Main Office on Tuesday afternoon. That wasn't an option (Dear Wife had to use our single car to get to an appointment in that same time frame), so the meeting was rescheduled for Tuesday morning.
Frankly, I expected to be relieved of company I.D.'s and such and fired on the spot. There's been an immense amount of turnover (4 HR managers, 5 American Quality Managers, at least 5 Production Managers, all in a space of 4 years is a lot of turnover). I expected to be just another tally mark. Let's just say that the environment inside my head Monday night was rough. Recall, I am on the "wrong' side of 47 now, and prior to taking this role had experienced 3 plant closings, in 4 years, in 3 states. It's been difficult, to say the least.
But God lives.
Tuesday morning, I was informed that effective immediately I am assuming the role and responsibilities of a Quality Engineer, based at the Main Operation. Said role to commence Wednesday morning.
So it has been a wild week.
After 29 months of leaving the house at shortly after 5 p.m., dragging back in right at 06:00 a.m., then filing a report, then eating, then sleeping a few hours, a return to a daylight schedule is a big change.
Also a big change is the hour-long commute, nearly 50 miles each way, primarily on two-lane roads. Right as gas prices climb. Any "adjustment" in pay has yet to be seen (nor has it yet been discussed), so it's not all good in the pocketbook.
God will provide, I believe, but the means is not yet seen.
Dear Wife is already scoping out relocation possibilities. This two-hour-per-day commute is a pain, there is some considerable expense involved. And she hates where we live. The city and surrounds of Montgomery, Alabama are less than wonderful. Lots of great people, we know some. But, well, for example, a local nightclub is advertising 'Food Stamp Friday', offering free booze to those flashing an EBT card. Shootings and stabbings are rampant, we have "sexually active" 9-year-olds! here, and the area has one of the highest per-capita rate of HIV/AIDS in the country,more than 3 times the national average. And that is just the known cases, there are certainly people affected who do not know it. Including some children. Sound like an area you want to live in?
So we shall see.
Anyway, sorry for the length of this, but there's been some reasons behind the irregularity in posting.