Cowboy Up

So much for plan A. 5 months ago I got lucky and landed a new job – a part time job that paid enough to cover my budget if I was really careful. And 4 months ago I finally left the high stress job I had been at for almost 7 years. I had been quite enjoying this part time life and the rest I was getting that my body and mind so sorely needed. Then last week, my supervisor came to me and offered me temporary fulltime work. 40 hours a week and eligible for overtime. It looks like a short-term gig, so I took it. It’s a very rare opportunity for someone at my seniority level, but I guess I was the only one left who could help them out of a bind. Besides, it’s a way to make a bit of extra money, and as my Grandpa used to say, “Make hay while the sun shines.” So, this past week was my first fulltime week of work in almost 4 months, and it went pretty well. Slept 11 hours today, but other than that it went pretty well. On top of that, 3 days in and they asked me to stay late, so I got overtime too. How ‘bout that… It’s nice to actually have a job I don’t mind going to, that pays well, and is pretty low stress when all things are considered. When you hear of places like GM and Ford and many other places that seem to weekly lay off thousands of workers, I feel very fortunate indeed to just be employed, let alone have something that is pretty decent. It remains to be seen how long this fulltime thing will last, but it’s been interesting the turns my life has taken in the last 6 months. Who knows where it’ll go next, but I think I’ll enjoy the ride… I was six years old, my brother was ten One July day he come runnin’ in Seen a Ferris wheel at the edge of town So of course we headed on down It took us an hour to walk that far Carryin’ our fortune in a mason jar It was all pretty sad, a cheap county fair With a few old rides, but there was ponies there Well, the ponies stunk and the air was still In that dusty circle behind the Ferris wheel And this old guy smelling’ of smoke and rum Swung me up and set me down on one Well I’d never rode a horse but I’d seen it done Cowboy movies made it look like fun This old man whispered a few soft words It was the best advice I ever heard Sit tall in the saddle, hold your head up high Keep your eyes fixed where the trail meets the sky And live like you ain’t afraid to die And don’t be scared, just enjoy the ride. I went up a kid with shakin’ hands But I came down a full-grown man It’s like he’d cast some voodoo spell Things were different for me now, I could tell ‘Cause whenever troubles came wanderin’ in His rhyme would pop in my head again And somehow I rode through the needles and nails And brambles and thorns, that life entails Well I know someday farther down the road I’ll come to the edge of the great unknown There’ll stand a black horse, riderless And I’ll wonder if I’m ready for this I’ll saddle him up, he’ll swish his tail I’ll tip my hat and bid farewell And I’ll lift my song into the air That I learned at that dusty fair Sit tall in the saddle, hold your head up high Keep your eyes fixed where the trail meets the sky And live like you ain’t afraid to die And don’t be scared, just enjoy your ride. ---The Ride, sung by Chris Ledoux Written by Sonny Tillis & Sam Weedman