oh boy, what a week

we're having problems with the toilet. started over a week ago and some guys came in to fix it. apparently we have piping that is made of clay way down and trees roots make their way in and plug them. so we called up steve and the problem was taken care of. so then the toilet starts up again. there's nothing like that sinking feeling when you go to the john and flush and it goes nowhere or simply goes in a whirlpooling motion. it's not so bad when it's your own home but still, toilets are meant to flush not display your business (god forbid it should happen when company is over).

so the guy's out there again. he said it might be the vent (on the roof is plugged. i didn't know that toilets and other types of drains need a vent to let air in to prduce the flushing motion. learn something new every day. the people upstairs are having the same problem, so we'll see what the results are. i can hear the machine revved up right now as the guy works on it.

earlier thsi week, i attended a meeting that had to be the most excruciating thing i'd experienced, workwise, in a long time, maybe ever. dawn dropped me off because she heard from derek it was going to take long, so i went in alone, into uncharted territory (i'd never covered this meeting before).
only three main items on the agenda. only a few people there. seemed like maybe the naysayes were wrong. could be a short one.

i was wrong.

hte meeting started late and then slowly went downhill. after a discussion of ONE item for nearly two hours, it was tabled for another meeting. so, it's hitting 9:30 and we're barely on a second item. inside, i was screaming for help. things just progressed way to slow.

i've been to many other meeting where similar things went on and still it went by quickly. in fact one of the townships, which has site plan presentations, gets done in less than one hour.

i don't know how i did it to get by. i had to reach way, deep, down inside myself to survive it, and i've been to meetings that have lasted a good six hours back in texas, where people are notorious (at least where i came from) for liking the sound of their voice.

but it's mid-week. i have no assignment tonight. tomorrow is the library board, whichis usualy easy enough. i hope so anyway.

i guess i spoke to soon. just got a call from rich teling me that i would have to help burdick on the teachers' union thing tonight at city hall. the teaches here are on the verge of a strike if no agreement is reached with the school board. it will be hectic and brutal. but i'm not lead on this puppy, so all i have to do is do my little part.