December 17, 1993
Dear Everyone:
Last Letter of the year. Last
day of the year for me at work
I did manage to get some things done this year.
For instance, our Destruction
Approval Process Improvement Project is completed, pending my Team’s
approval of the Desk Manual, which lists all of the steps and procedures
needed for a proper Destruction Tracking Coordinator (DTC).
Not that the Team
wouldn't approve the manual
(unless, of course, something is wrong and it's so obvious that I can't
see it). Frankly, at this point,
if they value their lives, they won't move so much as a comma.
Our old supervisor, “Alma”, and I used to get into it over commas.
“Alma” thought she knew more
about commas than I did. Just as
if I hadn't had a High School English teacher named Scholastica who made
us memorize, and tested us extensively on all
22 of the comma rules.
I can still remember Number 11:
The correct use of commas in
parenthetical phrases. (With a
name like "Scholastica", what could she do but become an English
teacher? It's not exactly a name
you'd automatically associate with an exotic dancer.)
“Alma” would just shrug and say,
"Well, Ah used to teach
‘English Journalism’ in college!" Which
sounds impressive until you start to think about it.
"English Journalism." Isn't that,
like, the school paper? Doesn't
that really mean that you were
the warm body from the Faculty Lounge who sat around "supervising" while
the students put out the paper? And,
of course, school newspapers are world-renowned for their exquisite use
of commas, aren't they?
In other news…
Not to brag, but I do have all
of my Christmas Shopping done (not counting stocking stuffers and
anything I can't resist in the next week).
Ditto mailing out.
“Jeannie” and I braved the
shopping mall last weekend and polished off the last of my list.
Pretty good, considering that the
list consisted largely of names followed by question marks.
If you're going to go shopping,
take an expert with you.
On our way back from a small shopping center in Concord, “Jeannie”
spotted a large, white bird, with a long neck and long legs, flying just
overhead. We figured it for a
heron from the nearby wetlands. It
passed over the parking lot and landed in a eucalyptus tree.
Upon further examination, we
realized that there was a whole flock of herons in the tree. I
never knew herons could park in trees. Of
course, at this time of year, that's about the only place you
can find to park.
Before anyone feels badly about my shopping being finished, let me
hasten to point out that I have done virtually
no decorating, beyond a wreath
on the front door and lights on my patio fence.
And a lighted centerpiece, which
hardly counts since I won it in a Christmas Luncheon raffle.
It wasn't so much that I got it out for Christmas as I didn't
bother to put it away yet. Nor
have I finished sending out Christmas cards.
However, the statute of
limitations on Christmas cards is January 6th (Twelfth
Night).
And this weekend, “Jeannie” and I plan to go out and hunt down a couple
of trees.
We use a private tree hunting
preserve in the Alhambra Valley. I
need something not too tall, and no more than four feet in diameter.
“Jeannie's” looking for a tall
tree that's very bushy on one side, and completely flat on the other,
which, nevertheless, will remain upright in its stand without falling
over and without having to be tied to the wall.
We're planning on going out on Saturday, weather permitting.
So far, the forecast is for fog,
followed by sunshine. Perfect
tree stalking weather. They can't
see you coming.
That's all for 1993. Everyone
have a very Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year.
I'll be back in January.
Love, as always,
Pete
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