11:12 p.m. | 2003-11-05 I Don�t Think I�ll Ever Graduate From The School of Hard Knocks. Or Rocks. Or Whatever. (Note: I Tend To Headline In Whatever.) The rocks are getting smaller. But, they sting more. And, ironically, I really like rocks. However, I like rocks in a box with socks much better. Just saying. Anyway, I was at sitting at my desk talking to Boss when Cher (another colleague, and friend), stopped by for a moment. Here�s that. (Cher:) Hi guys. I just wanted to introduce MyFriend. (CI & Boss:) (We both shake her hand and respond repetitiously.) Nice to meet you. (MF:) Nice to meet you both. (Cher:) Yeah, MyFriend is visiting us while she�s on leave from Iraq. (CI:) Oh. Um� well, I�m really glad you�re here and not in Iraq. Wow. Yes, I�m very happy you�re here. (Cher:) She�s been helping out at TheCenter. (Read: Volunteering at a local children�s center. Just for background, I know the founder and Cher is on the Board of Directors. Cher and I both help out and make donations.) (CI:) Oh, TheCenter. It�s a great place. Have you been enjoying your work there? (MF:) Yes, very much so. It is a great place. (CI:) I�m so glad you�re enjoying your visit. (MF:) Yeah, me too. I go back to Iraq tomorrow. (CI:) Uh� I�m so sorry to hear that. Cher and Boss were involved in a separate conversation during this time. Then this happened. (Cher:) (To MyFriend.) I need to give you CI�s email address. She�s really great with writing them, and she always responds. She�s a good one to keep in touch with. (MF:) Great! (Cher:) Well, we have to go now. (Boss:) It was nice to meet you. (CI:) Yeah, it was. Best of luck in Iraq and, please, feel free to email me. Take good care. And, they were off to meet other people. I was pondering all that when I was finally given a kind of official, but not quite official, notice that I�ll be receiving my pink slip shortly. Yeah. I�m not taking it personally, because it�s not personal. I�m climbing into a sinking boat that�s already full of people. MyWorkPlace is dissolving. That�s a strange, but true, fact. All the planets had to line up in a perfectly straight line to make that happen. And, they did. The clich� of �The truth is stranger than fiction� is alive for a reason. Because life is that way. So, well, I�m right back to that whole �food and shelter� issue. However, I can better meet that challenge now than in the past. I think. Don�t want to jinx myself. But, I will quote myself. (Well, not really �myself�� just clich�s I�ve picked up along the way that I�ve embellished.) �In the end, it�ll all work out. And, be good or something. Been down this road a gazillion times� it�s all blah, blah, blah and then it all works out. It�s the blah, blah, blah that gets tiresome.� But, I�m not in Iraq, I have an updated resume (oddly) and I still have all my fingers and toes. See, at the end of the day, I really do count my blessings. your thoughts? seed flower