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100812 tug of war 2300 tonight Gawd knows I really love them: raccoons. I just learned tonight, for the first time, how strong and how determined they can be. 1430 today I'll digress, and say that today was a very good day at work. A few days ago I had a meeting with my manager and his assistant, and we had our employee review together. Things are always cordial. And the meeting was very good. I am interested in becoming a Shift Supervisor. It makes sense, really. I've been there a while, and I should continue to develop my responsibilities with the company. If my review was a report card, then the record would show a C average. That gets me a raise, but only a tiny one. It means I'm just fine. I'm OK. I'm satisfactory. The problem is I want to advance my career, and satisfactory isn't quite enough for a recommendation. So I've been given a short list of things to improve, and when they see some improvement, perhaps in 3 month's time, I will be re-evaluated, and at that time my request will be advanced to our District Manager. 1830 So because of the meeting, I'm being given more opportunities to work outside of my comfort zone. I'm left to handle the bar, even when it's rather busy in the store, and there are more talented baristas present. They want me to become one of these advanced ones, so I can lead my teams by example. our Shift Supv Her name is April, and she's amazing. She has been not just assigning me these positions, but advises me each time that I may request her help when I'm overwhelmed, lost or stressed out. She would like me to not only prepare the drinks, but I am to try to get faster at it. So far I haven't asked for such help as it feels like it would be like being excused from a lab halfway through the session. It's allowed, but it feels wrong somehow. 2230 tonight So I'm tired. We always have a lot of guests, but I did a bit more than I usually do for them. As always there are treats from the end-of-day baked goods. I don't take many. I took an apple fritter tonight, and some milk from the carafes that would have been poured out. I also had the things I carried with me for lunch but didn't finish: a bag of carrots, 1 or 2 soft tortilla and some sliced meat. Not a lot. 2300 I usually get home rather quickly. The bicycle is ideal. While it doesn't go very fast, in miles per hour, it covers the distance faster than the time I would lose waiting for the buses to arrive. It seems to take 12 minutes from home to work, and 10 minutes from work to home again. Perhaps because it's night time. 2305 I take the battery out of my bike, and then remove the bags of stuff hanging from the handlebars. These are left on the rear porch while I park and lock the bike in the space between the buildings. I'm rather good at this, as I do it each night. It is done in less than two minutes. 2307 I go to pick up the things, and there are two young raccoons there. Upon seeing me, they grab my bags, and start trying to rush them underneath the porch! I shout at them to stop, and this makes them even more determined to take my things. I grabbed the bag with the netbook computer, and that guy let go right away. He didn't hiss at me, he just let go. The other bag had the food in it. This rascal was more determined, and would not release. I had a container of milk in there; the bottle had a moulded handle. The raccoon held onto the bag by holding the milk jug. I had the bag's handles, which were triple strength in this particular case. I pulled my bag up through the opening between the wooden stairs, and it came with raccoon attached. I remembered I'd had good luck by making a barking noise. It didn't work this time, they just looked at me. The one holding my bag finally let go, but didn't run. It just sat there, now about 4 feet from me, just looking at me. I got my bags inside the doorway, and closed the doors hoping they wouldn't be so bold to go inside. They wandered above and below the porch, and continued to just ask me for a handout with their eyes. I didn't need the apple fritter really. So I broke off bits. I'd eat a bit, I'd place one on the step. I'd eat the next one, and place the other underneath the porch. The raccoons made a lot of chewing noise eating the donut, so I made the same noises, more or less. I shared it with them until it was gone, and then came inside the apartment so I could write this up and share it with you.

tell Dave to do this more often