Hey! Last day of work before heading to Mexico. I've got the pre-vacation buzz going. It's mostly excitement, with a teensie bit of travel anxiety thrown in for good measure. Cassidy is staying at Fort Roundball for the duration of my absence. I'm sure she will be happy to stay and play with the cousin dogs. Let's hope they don't teach her to eat poop.
If you guys never hear from me again, you can assume that Andy and I have joined some sort of Mexican paramilitary group and are fighting for freedom on behalf of our adopted countrymen. Either that or we've taken jobs as bartenders at some beachside resort.
In addition to simply looking forward to going on vacation, I'm looking forward to seeing Camille, who's going to meet us down in Playa del Carmen on Thursday. She's become a good friend, and since she lives all the way up in freakin' Boston, it's always good to have an excuse to get her to come see us.
Well, that's about it.
Stupid Tom Craddick is still speaker of the Texas House. I expected it, but was still hoping it wouldn't happen. On the national level, House Democrats have gotten busy right out of the gate by proposing new legislation which would boost the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 an hour, a step which is meant to at least partially reflect cost of living increases. The federal minimum wage hasn't changed in over 10 years, and House Democrats argue that this hike in the minimum wage is simply an act of fairness, adding that a minimum wage which would be truly commensurate with cost of living increases would fall somehwere closer to the $9 an hour range. Steanso says kudos to the Democrats for jumping on this issue so quickly. If we want people to work, we have to make it worth their while- we have to try to allow for a living wage even amongst the lowest paid jobs in order to give people an incentive to stay employed (what's the point of working if doing so won't pay for basic necessities like food, clothes, and a place to stay?).
Anyhoo, Bush'll probably want to veto the whole thing, but I hope he gets raked over the coals if he does.
OK. I gotta run.
Hope you guys have a good time while I'm gone if I don't talk to you for awhile....
Peace.