Many thanks!

I guess it's been a while since I blogged about something.  Can you believe?  I had nothing to say until now.

We've been through flag football, girl's volleyball and have two more weeks of six of boy's basketball.  There was a little hiccup in flag football but I was able to sit back down after a couple hours.

Believe it or not, and forgive me if I'm repeating myself, I don't know how each kid plays!  I send the forms to the schools.  They return them with both sections filled out.  I cut the bottom section off to give to the coach so they will know any cell phone number or what size shirt the kid will get.  Before the coach receives these forms, teams are formed and if I'm struggling to find coaches and begging high school students to do it, there isn't time for a meeting or a draft with the games starting in two weeks! 

I separate the forms by grade.  I turn them face down, shuffle them up and deal them out or have the kids who help me "pick a card, any card" according to how many teams that can be made.  First one grade then the other.  It's nice if they all have the same amount of 4th graders and 3rd graders but it doesn't always happen.  I don't look at the names until I'm typing out the rosters.  I know a lot of these kids but I have no idea what their abilities are.  On the roster, the coaches name is blank.

After calling each kids' parent, I might hear a reluctant "sure" but most don't call me back.  Darn caller i.d.!  Sending an emergency email to the high school or on Facebook usually works.  Thank goodness for high school students.  In two days I had all the basketball coaches I could use.  Even my boss and his eldest son took a team and his youngest is too old to play in this particular league.

Of eight teams, three have adult coaches.  The rest are boys and girls barely 16.  Some don't even drive yet.  And I have to say there hasn't been any yelling at the coaches, the refs or me.  Seems like everyone is in a good mood and having fun.  I hear the kid coaches challenge the other kid coach, the words "dominate" and "butt kicking" are usual.  All in fun.

One adult coach heard a parent's snide remark about how his son doesn't get to handle the ball.  The kid also wouldn't do what the coach said.  Let's just stand here and shake our head "no" until you get your way.  Which he didn't but then there's another comment from the parent. 

A big surprise awaits you!  When your kid gets to an upper grade and he/she doesn't listen to the coach, I'm pretty sure your narrow ass will be on the bench.  I'm just saying.  I also didn't see you stepping up to coach your child's team either.  He/she could have been the star of the team if you had control.  You didn't.  He/she isn't.  Sit down.

The volleyball went so well I was amazed.  This was the first year for this league.  I didn't have to beg for coaches.  The parent/coaches taught the girls well.  The first game was good but the last was terrific.  Even the crowd changed from the first day.  They were a bit louder the last game, cheering.  Both player and parent understood the game.  Everyone got along.  No one complained in private to me or aloud to everyone.  That was probably the easiest I have had it in 8-9 years and this basketball season is going the same way...kinda.

Maybe kids as coaches is a good thing sometimes.  They probably couldn't handle a full-blown verbal attack from an irrate parent like an adult would but then I have been known to shout back myself when my "That's bullshit!" meter has pegged.  Not very professional on my part.  Can't expect them to be either.

The kids are having fun.  The adult coaches aren't complaining about or to the kid coaches on or off the court.  The refs are doing a great job.  My stomach isn't in knots.  Thank you everyone.  I really appreciate it.

Vandalism. Really?

I had a call on my cell phone Sunday from a police officer.  I would have answered it but I left it in the desk at the pool.  I listened to the voicemail and called him back Monday.  Seems like three kids decided it would be fun to set the paper towels on fire in the ladies room at the Jaycee's concession stand.  He made them clean it up and called their parents.  No damage, just a lot of smoke that someone in the condos noticed.  It could have been a lot worse.

I probably would've just rolled my eyes if it hadn't been for Saturday's clean up.  I went to put fresh trash bags in the cans for the family picnic that was scheduled to take place at the shelter house by the pool.  I didn't have my shoes on as the grass was wet a bit from flag football.  I hate wet socks and shoes.  I saw pieces of something all over the shelter house floor.  I looked up and figured out that the little cruds, and I am assuming it was the same, took every light bulb out and smashed them either on the floor or the pool fence.

I put my shoes back on.

Now it was pretty easy, just a pain in my ass, to sweep up the shards of glass on the floor but having to pick up the pieces out of the grass was a little more challenging.  I'm sure I missed some but left a note not to let the kids run around with no shoes just in case.  That was the shelter side of the fence and I still had to do the pool side where almost no one wears shoes.  Idiots.  It can't get any plainer than that.

But wait!  There's more!  It was reported that the drinking fountain on the south end of the pool house had a leak.  Not the first time, grab some pliers and a couple turns, taa-daaaa, it's fixed.  I hit the button and sure enough my feet were wet.  I tried the fountain next to it and the same thing.  Strange that they both had a loose connection.  Hm.  I sat down and looked under to see where the leak was.  It was coming from the clean cut in the water line.  On both.  Thanks.

I know who these kids are.  I know they ride their bikes.  I know where they live.  I'm thinking I may run over their wheels, just one on each bike, then I will wait for them to have them repaired and do it again.  Maybe even again until they realize it costs money to fix when property is destroyed.  Hey, the bikes aren't mine so why should I care?

It could be worse.  I could wait until they're riding their bikes.

HELP!

I don't mean S.O.S. either.  I mean the kids that worked this summer for the parks department and/or aquatic center.

The pool.

We'll go through a bad year that it seems everything is going wrong, no one can work, they don't do it right or half-assed.  I would become angry and dad's words would ring in my ears, "If you want something done right, do it yourself!"  Those words were never aimed at me, my siblings heard them quite often.  Ahem.  I would finish the job and then be angry that I should've made them do it until they did it right.

The sad thing is, you remember the bad times.

This year, at the pool, I hired a lot of new kids with old thrown into the mix.  I do have to say they did a fine job.  There were a few problems but they were learning the ins and outs of the place and what was expected of them.  I will admit there is a couple that still have that deer in the headlights look when I walk in.  I want to laugh but I don't.

I might have to pick up a candy wrapper or two in the hallway when they've walked by them a dozen or so times.  That's aggravating.  I really hate to remind them to grab a bag and pick up trash.  You can see it out the concession window, go pick it up, please.

All in all though, the pool assistants did a good job despite a few reminders.

Onto the lifeguards.  I was worried earlier that I wouldn't have enough guards for the summer and the old guards would be so worn out.  I ended up with some new ones.  The old showed them the ropes and it worked out pretty well.  Again, there were a few glitches but everything worked out.

If it weren't for Nikki, Karson, Brady, Laura, Whitney and Taryn, I would be spending some time in a soft cell somewhere.  I couldn't be in two or three places at once and I basically turned the pool over to them,  I knew in my mind they would do well and I shouldn't worry.  I did worry at first.  The pool makes me nervous.  I know what it's like to be sitting in that chair, kids screaming, there's always at least one you have to watch more closely because they're going to do something stupid that could end up in an injury either for themselves or others, while you're watching for someone in distress.

When I walk in, Karson is diluting a parents anger over the phone because their child was kicked out for two weeks and it's the hottest part of the summer.  Never mind that he had ample warning, it was his second offense breaking the same rule and no one called the week before when the temperature was in the 60's.  Karson was very diplomatic, his tone was even, and very clear about the kids' punishment.  And I always back them up on the punishments.  I respect their decisions, that's the way it is. 

I think I stressed Nikki out a bit at first.  I really dumped the responsibilty on her and Karson this year.  They handled it perfectly.  They didn't put up with anyone's crap including other guards.  I didn't have a zillion phone calls because they didn't know what to do.  They handled each problem as they came along.  I let them make the decisions and it's what I would've done.  WWTD?  Short of smacking some kid in the head...

I still had to do chemical readings or send one of the kids from here to do them.  Check the chlorine but don't touch the acid.  Dave doesn't want us doing that.  He doesn't even want us in that room, it dangerous.  I think we helped Dave a bit this year also.  He's very busy and doesn't have time to do chores that we can.

The parks department.

That would be Jeffrey, Hailee, Matthew, Michael and Clayton.  I usually call them by their full name.

Mostly Matt and Jeff readied the ball diamonds this summer but the rest have done it also.  That was five days a week, all over town, nine diamonds.  I did the two Saturday morning diamonds so they didn't have to crawl out of bed so early because game time was 9:00.

Jeff, Hailee, and Mike would work the concession stand at the complex five nights and some weekends.  Most evenings they didn't clock out until 9 or later depending on the ball game even though they would come in at 9:00 in the morning.  John would help.  It was a busy place.  Thankfully we had music playing.  Then the dancing and singing would start and we didn't really care if we were good at it or if anyone was watching.  It was fun, we laughed at each other.  A lot.

No matter what they were doing, if I asked them to please go do this or that, they jump up, Jeff will say, "That's what we're here for!" or Matt would say, "Right away, boss!"  It cracks me up.  I will miss that. 

I don't know if I can thank them enough or let them know how much lighter my load was because of them.  This may have been the easiest summer I've had even though I worked alongside them.  They made it fun, they made it easy. 

The middle of August is going to suck when they head back to college or high school.  I will be alone.  While I like peace and quiet, I will have to adjust to the fact they won't be in to make me laugh, sing, dance or tick me off.  On the other hand, they won't make fun of my playlist.

A big thank you to all of them.  I will miss you.  And yes, I will cry.

Abbreviated words and other stuff

When did we forget how to talk?  I understand texting, short and simple.  I cannot text on my city owed phone, I can just receive them.  I can read what the kids type, mostly that they can't make it to work.

I'm talking about on television.  It really ticks me off to hear "24/7" coming from a well known news anchor's mouth or a highly popular personality.  For Pete's sake, just say it!  Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

Shows like Law & Order (any one of them, it doesn't matter), NCIS, CSI or Criminal Minds say "vic" instead of "victim" or "unsub" instead of "unknown subject".  The first time I heard that, I thought, "What the hell is an unsub?"  There are plenty more.  Maybe when the writers are writing they just abbreviate the words so they don't have to type them out.  Lazy.

Speaking of CSI, I'm sure if you were a forensics expert working in the lab looking at maggot larva to determine the time of death by the size of the larva, you wouldn't be out in the field chasing down a criminal.  Leave that part to the Law & Order detectives.  They don't go into your lab and look at blood samples.

There's a radio station that calls itself "The I Heart Network".  Really?  Stop it! 

Maybe they think we're stupid and won't catch on.  Maybe I'm smarter than you think, just crankier as I become older.

I will admit I do mispronounce words or use the wrong word on purpose.  Always have.  If any of you remember The Bowery Boys or The Deadend Kids, you'll know what I mean.  They mispronounced words because they didn't know better.  That's what made them funny.

If someone asks, "How did you know it was me calling?"  I'll say it's because I'm psychotic (instead of psychic).  It's fun to see their reaction or if they think I'm really an idiot (though that is debatable).

I swear I know a gal that says "tarantula" downpour rather than torrential.  I don't think she knows there is a difference.

I'm usually a pretty good speller.  Sometimes I don't think a word looks right or I used the wrong there, their or they're in a sentence.  I try to correct before Bill S. catches me.  I correct Bill just to annoy him.  He doesn't seem to be but I can keep trying.

You don't even need to use the words "get" and "got".  Try it for a day.  "America's Got Talent".  How about "America Has Talent"?  Sounds a little more intelligent.  I do start sentences wrong.  I could have said "It sounds a little more intelligent."  My mind wandered in English and math class so I'm not sure if it makes a difference.

My mind works faster than my fingers and I might skip a whole word or two.  Even when I re-read it.  I know what I'm thinking, can't you figure it out?



The fair is next week.  Not looking forward to it.  Jeff and I grabbed the trash cans from all the ball diamonds and shelter houses and a couple of benches.  We'll wait until Monday to grab the other benches.  Things have a tendency to disappear, never to return.  Come to think of it, they haven't been replaced from last year.

I used to like the fair until I started working here.  I come in at 7:00 with the pool money bags to figure the days' deposit.  It smells so bad in here I'm not sure I can take it.  Stale beer, old food, sweat, vomit and who only knows what else.  Thank you, NO!  I would like to see Seether Saturday but I'm sure that's a whole different breed of cat.  Not into the mosh pit scene.

We used to go on vacation during fair week but haven't for three years.  Anyone need a roomie?

Stress.

I am stressed.  If some workers cared did they might just watch themselves.

Starting in mid-May through to July 1st is the busiest time around here.  My other blogs should make that clear. 

I explain very clearly what I want, what I want done and how I want it done.  Why am I questioned?  Just do it.  Quit arguing with me or other workers.  You're not in charge.  That's my job to tell them what to do.  Who gives a shit how you put a trash bag in the can, just put it in there.  Believe it or not you're not doing such a bang up job as you think.

Next week is the last week of ball games and as sad as that may be (since I love baseball), most of my focus can go to the pool for the remainder of the season until flag football and volleyball start in August.

The Little League Championship game will be next Friday.  On Monday and Wednesday we'll see who gets to play in it.  Have not had any trouble with parents, coaches ("The Good ..." are involved here) or players.  Pretty smooth going.  Nice group of people this year.

Softball for girl's 2nd-3rd ended last night, 4th-6th will end tonight along with the t-ball girls.  No problems there either.

PeeWee tournament is Tuesday and Thursday next week.  A bit of a disagreement with some but nothing major until you did what I asked you not to do.  Now we have a problem.  We did.  It's done now.  But I do hold a grudge.  Just so you know.  Go ahead and tell my boss, chances are he already knows because I told for you. 

T-ball for boys will be over Saturday.  I hear "This is the last time I'm coaching!" a lot.  C'mon!  The smallest kids are the most entertaining and frustrating.  "Like herding cats."  (I did see a PeeWee player dancing in the outfield.)

It has rained a bit this season but when people call at 8:30 in the morning asking if we'll have games at 5:30 that evening, I'd like to say I'll get my crystal ball out and check.  I don't though.  I can be a smart ass in my head. 

That's not as bad as when there's a possibilty of sprinkles and you ("The Ugly..") call three times to see if I'm going to cancel the games.  Uh, no.  For the third time, no.  Yes, I did get a little put out with the last time you called and you could hear it in my voice and then you tell me not to get upset.  Get real.  The fun part is you call a member of the park board asking the same question you asked me and I'm sure you mentioned that I was a bit if a bitch.  It did rain during the game.  One set played through it.  A few sprinkles didn't hurt anyone.  The other set resumed play.  No thunder, no lightening, no downpour, no cancellation.

I recall this same "Ugly" didn't want to listen to me when I did call a game in a thunderstorm a few years ago and he said we'll just keep playing.  Made it pretty clear to anyone within earshot that I called the game and I was not responsible for what may happen. 


There is a way to get people to do what you ask.  The nice way which is what I try at the start.  "Hey, could you do this for me, please?"  or "Why don't you...?"  It may turn into "I said to do ______ (fill in the blank with some mundane chore) or "Do it now!"  I try to remain as calm as possible to avoid certain words, usually the bad ones. 

When another worker tries bossing or bullying another, I don't care for that one bit.  The more experienced ones are there to help and guide, not throw their weight around and crush the newer ones.  Like I said, who gives a shit how the trash bag is put in the can, just get it in there.  The end result is the same.

Baseball, baseball, baseball!

Tonight will be a great night for baseball.  There will be three Little League games, a 7th grade Prep game, two Rookie softball games and the town team (Cubs) will be playing.  I believe the freshman are playing at 11:00 this morning.  Maybe I should be getting things ready in the concession stand.  In a minute.

I love baseball.  Dad used to take us to the Royals games.  We'd go on Ball Day, Bat Day, Cap Day, on Halter Top Day my brothers looked so cute!  We'd sit in the cheap seats where all the action was.  People had more fun there.  And we did too. 

Sometimes dad's cousin and his son would come too.  When they got together...watch out!  Not sure if mom was working those days or it was just a day for us to get out of her hair.  Probably the latter.  We were a bit of a handful. 

Not sure what was the best part of those days.  Was it the ball game, the special treat of a hotdog, maybe that us kids weren't fighting even though they, stupidly, put wooden bats in our hands?

Mom worked at the Golden Buffet in North Kansas City.  First as a waitress then the bookkeeper.  Her boss would give her his tickets to his box seats occasionally.  If I didn't think I was special sitting behind first base! 

I remember one game, for some reason I was a little bored with it, Vida Blue hit a single.  I'm thinking it was John Mayberry at first.  Vida made it to base, Mayberry tossed the ball back.  Vida Blue steps off the bag and Mayberry tagged him out.  Mayberry never threw the ball back!  He went through the motions but never threw the ball.  The stadium roared.  We laughed.  The look on Vida Blue's face was priceless.  And we were close enough to see it.

A few years ago I couldn't think of what to get dad for his birthday.  I came up with baseball cards with Freddie Patek, John Mayberry, Cookie (Cookie! Cookie!) Rojas, Paul Schaal, all the oldies when we were growing up.  Those times meant a lot to me.  I saw him looking through them later like a little kid.  It made me smile.

Beautiful day out.  It'll be a beautiful night for baseball.



At one game recently, I got after some kids for throwing rocks. "Please don't throw rocks!  Someone could get hurt!"  A parent said, " This is coming from someone who showed my kid how to make bombs?!"  Shut up, Kevin.  They were dry ice bombs.  It was science.

Where have I been?!

All over.  You'll become bored with where and when.  Same stuff, ball fields, concession stands, the pool.  Cleaning, fixing, painting, grilling, making sure everything looks nice, lining up umps, workers, ordering food.

Had a few "mad" moments.  Mad at people who tell me how to do my job. I will not call, make a list or email 300 people to let them know when a deadline is approaching for an activity.  I do not have that kind of time on my hands. Mad at people who expect me to let their kid on a team well after the deadline has come and gone.  Taking calls about it, disurpting my train of thought and rhythm, having to explain again to them that we have deadlines for a reason, and to my boss.  Thankfully, he lets me take the hits.  He does not tell me how to do it.  The deadline was in the brochure, in the paper, only one other missed the deadline (by 26 days) and he was told no also.  Shirts ordered, teams drafted, schedules made.  Once I finish that part I have to move on the the next level, then the next and the next.  I have a system, it's my system, it's a screwy system but it works for me.  Backtracking messes me up, I'm easily distracted and then I forget what I'm doing which...makes me mad.  It is not the only thing I have to do.

I expect everyone to work like I do.  That may not be fair but I can't help it.  I want everyone to work equally.  I don't like some standing around while others are sweating.  You will get dirty and ruin clothes.  Again, I do things that work for me, been doing it that way for years, will continue to do it that way, this is how it is going to be done, my very own OCD.

Apparently, "don't call me for your schedule" doesn't apply to some.  The schedule is at the pool, I don't have it memorized.  It took me four hours to do it at home, on a Sunday, THEN I get your schedule.  I had to do a lot of erasing and rearranging.  Maybe next month will be better for you.  Please don't have your mama call me, I get yelled at enough as it is.  I asked for personal schedules at the meeting in April and two days before the opening you let me know when you can work.  I can trade a place but only if the one I'm trading with hasn't copied down their schedule.  It is not the only thing I have to do.

The pool is open.  Had some storms and cool weather but Memorial Day we were packed.  It made up for it the cool stormy days.  I don't think I wrote that many pool passes out before.

We mucked out the pool.  That was nasty.  The mud, leaves, bugs and who knows what else at the bottom of the deep end had to be removed with scoop shovels into trash cans and hoisted up.  Crap.  No dumpster!  We let it set in those cans until we did get a dumpster.  I took two of us (and yes, I did do it) to pick them up to dump.  The smell was thick and disgusting.  We'll let a P.A. hose them out. 

The seasons have started for the ball games.  Have had only one rain out.  No biggie.  Plenty of time to make it up.  Of course all the field preparation was a waste.  And of course it had to be on a night when seven of the nine fields were going to be in use.  We have ball games, either ours, the schools or the town team, Monday through Saturday through half of May and all of June.  We've had two tournaments and another is scheduled at the end of June. It's a very hectic month.  Doubt if I make it home before 8 on any of those nights.

The guys are dragging the fields, checking the supplies, running errands and I'm sitting here alone in the office answering the phone.  I like it.  It's not the only thing I have to do though.