Bluefish Way
The life of Ralph, Natascha and our cats
359: Groundhog Day
~Zippity-do-dah~
1982 ! Missiles flying ! Men scared, exhilarated, dying, wounded !
1978 ! Missiles building ! Men fed up, exhausted, frustrated !
That year, life for me went topsy-turvey. On leaving the British Army, I found myself being resettled in a factory tuning a block of metal used in a missile. Initially I drove to work. Traffic jam every day and I never seemed to arrive on time. So I bought a Puke. No licence required, just a helmet and warm clothing. Yes, I arrived at the factory on time. Zippy !
Clocking on at 8am. Entered the workshop. “Morning !”. The Fitters, Engineers, grunted back. Another groundhog day began. The block of metal was state of the art for 40 years ago. It had wires, tubes, screws to turn, surrounded by test equipment, oven and refrigeration, and was a pain in the neck to work perfectly. It would work at room temperature, then threw a wobbly at minus 20°C. Get that right and it would refuse to play ball at +60°C. Eventually, after many hours, it worked, got fitted into the missile and off it went for the Navy to play with. For me, another block of metal, then another, then another, day after day.
Zipping home to my first wife and two girls on my Puke gave me a such a sense of freedom and the fresh air was lovely. I found myself at home, volunteered to working on the house and ironing clothes. She wanted bras and underwear ironed. Not Monday to Sunday panties, no ! ….
….. to me, it was the 1st of January to the 31st of December panties, EVERY WEEK !
Oh, I painted doors as well !
~The analogy~
This gif shows perfectly what working in the factory is like. At the end of the month your salary goes into the Bank. Whatever you do with it, it never seems to be enough. It is thrown away on bills, whatever is urgently needed for and Oreos. Whatever you do with it, it always comes back and hits you squarely in the face by you having to go back to the factory every groundhog day morning and start all over again.
~Groundcat day~
Cats ! Who’d have them !
Have you ever had a boring and soul destroying job ?
Ralph xox ❤
Photographs of Sonic taken by Natascha.
70 Comments on “359: Groundhog Day”
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I think most of us have had jobs like that Ralph. But those days are over -thank goodness.
Leslie xoxo
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Yes, for us those days are over Leslie. I do hope yours finished like this ….
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🙂 Ralph xox ❤
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Great way to end a shift.
‘Way to go Paula!’
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Ralph I checked it out and I’m sure which video you mean…?
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Robots over the last 30 years and into the future replacing so many jobs humans used to perform just goes to prove all those repetitive type tasks were more suited to unthinking machines in the first place rather than we more evolved class of sentient beings.
Here’s to human liberation and the continued enslavement of machines!
(If by any small chance there are any Terminator T-1000’s sent back from the future reading this, that last comment may just have landed me in a spot of bother..)
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You are right Glen. Humans have so much more in them than being slaves to the System. Still more work to be done to free, say, Bangladeshis in clothing factories for instance.
lol. I hope your toaster isn’t revolting in the morning 😉
Take care. Ralph 🙂
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Re the answer to your question on jobs. One of my first was in a library where I was sacked, along with two others …and this is the God’s honest truth..for running a drinking den. I abso mean that.
Looking back.. I think I as not so much sacked for that as asking the principle of the college in which that boring library was cited….. who he was exactly when he stormed in that night .. Oh, many chequered careersand sackings in my time… that was but one.
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Well, that explains everything, dear Shey. It’s nice to know that your mis-spent youth is still mis-spent. Keep it up my friend ! 😉 Hugs. Ralph xox ❤
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Thank you Ralpha. I will indeed xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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Oh yes – I have done my share of groundhog. I am out of it now and so are you. *happy sigh* 😊
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I agree dear Lynette. The final day of goundhog was a happy day indeed. Have a lovely weekend my friend. Ralph xox ❤
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Beau partage…superbes photos. Bonne journée. 🙂
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Merci beaucoup Georges. J’espère que vous passez un excellent samedi. Ralph 🙂
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Yeap 🤔🙄😬 ! And what do you think about having a cat life 😻 ? Love this job 🐾 meow !!!
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Meow LouFox ! A cat’s job must be good with free food, lodgings, nothing to do all day and cuddles 😺😻 Ralph xox ❤
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Lucky boys 😺 ! Except street cats poor creatures 😿 Big hug to your family (Nat & cats) + U 😻
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Yes, poor street cats 😭😿 Hugs back ! ❤
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🙏🏻🥰
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Oh yes, job, transit every day, now it is better, not all days, and at least I am working at home…freelancing is more challenging and at least you can see an end to it…or at least you think you see it…:) Funny that doing the same work here at home compared to doing it at the office is much better, I guess I was never much interested in ‘office life’, except for 5 to 7…….
Still I think there seems to be an universal law….having an interesting life is inversely proportionnal to income, so seems fun and lively goes in the other way than my income $$$$ 😀
Of course I don’t even talk here about art…when it does come to that I won’t even try to establish a relation between fun and $$$$$
As for ironing…I think I had one that my mother gave me long time ago, if I remember it was a good for preventing books from tipping over on the shelves…can’t think of the word for this, book holder?
So I guess now I have only two bosses…me and my cat….of course is the ruler 🙂
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Thank you so much for visiting and making such a long and interesting comment Jean Marc.
Freelancing at home must be great, but a lot of self-control needed I suppose with a lot of home distractions.
You are right. The ones who seem to do the least get the most money which seems to be a bit unfair.
I think you are talking about using the iron as a bookend. A sensible use for an iron indeed 🙂
Yes, the cat is the boss 🙂
Have a great Sunday. Ralph 🙂
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Thanks Ralph, oh yes much self control needed and as for many things some days I do have it others not so much…:) To the next time!
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I had to spend one entire summer painting the closets of new homes, No air-conditioning. I became a little claustrophobic.
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That must have been awful Al. At least you eventually must have said, “I have come out of the closet”. Heehee. Ralph 🙂
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Good one, Ralph.
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Yes, I had a boring and soul destroying job, once. I slipped out the back door about half way through the second day. I then ran away with a band. After making slip shod stage clothes for a couple of years, I went to Fashion School. Then I got a boring and soul destroying job, in a garment factory. That lasted a week. Then I ran away with the movies.
Since then, a bunch of cats found me, and I ran away with them. So, on closing, I’d like to congratulate Natascha’s and your cats for finding the perfect family, for them.
All in all, a superior species.
Love to all! xoxoxoxo ❤ 😀
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Wow ! What a lot of running away in your life dear Resa. Running away with a band, hopefully not a rubber band, as that would be a bit of a stretch to say the least 😉 I am so glad that eventually you ran away with a bunch of cats. You can’t improve on that, for as you say, they are the superior species. Lots of Sunday love from us all. Big hug. Ralph xox ❤
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Hmm, maybe they were a rubber band? Maybe that’s why the clothes looked so slip shod? MEOW to all in Graz! xoxoxo ❤
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Twang ! 🙂 xoxoxo ❤
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Wow Ralph, that is one big change. I am glad to see the happy Moped ( puke ), I can see that lit up a day of repetitions. It is very generous of you to let us in
on some of your life that might have helped build your strong sense of humour.
I am afraid I haven’t had any work like that. I had madcap ones but not boring.
So no tale …..
but whatever we do, the important thing is not to lose sight of who we are – deep in there.
miriam
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Thank you so much for your long and wonderful comment dear Miriam.
I am so glad to have opened up a little bit about my life in this post as there have been really interesting stories in the comments from my readers which we can all relate to. I would love to read about your madcap experiences my friend. Big hug. Ralph xox ❤
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🤗🎶 maybe …
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Yes and thank GOD I got out before I was thoroughly destroyed
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It sounds like your Angels really helped you out there dear Annette. Love from us all in Graz. Ralph xox ❤
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Yes! I’ve had several boring, soul-crushing jobs. 🙂 Sonic is obviously living the good life 😀
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I bet that you are so glad to have got out of those boring, soul crushing jobs dear Magick Mermaid. I know I would.
Yes, Sonic loves the good life ! 😺🤗 Ralph xox ❤
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Quite a fw in my younger days. Thankfully I never lasted more than a few months. 🙂
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That’s great that you eventually got away from that type of work dear Widdershins. I am sure that your life improved enormously after leaving. I know it did for me. Happy Sunday ! Ralph 🙂
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Hi Ralph, looks like you have a nice blog here! Thanks for visiting mine, especially Muffins part! Enjoy your day!
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Thank you so much for being so kind Steve. Appreciated ! You have a lovely cat. Take care. Ralph 🙂
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Thanks Ralph, have a great day!
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I always worked and work with people… no day the same as the next… you never know what is coming… not boring. Sometimes I wished I had a boring job, then I know what I am actually doing….At the moment I come home and it seems I haven’t achieved anything…. It is nice to have made at least 2 missiles a day….hehe….only joking!
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Wow ! I suppose that’s what happens when working with people. At least when you get home I expect you will be doing something that you know what you are actually doing Ute,, or perhaps not 😉 Anyway, what’s a missile between friends ? 😉 Love from Austria. Ralph xox ❤
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What a relief to be off the groundhog treadmill, Ralph. My days were always varied though as a teacher, with different kids misbehaving in quite creative ways on a daily basis.
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Yes, it was a great relief to get off the groundhog treadmill Sylvia. I completely understand what you as a teacher went through as I was always a misbehaving boy. No change there then 😉 Love Ralph xox ❤
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The naughty ones were always the most lovable, I found. 😘
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Awww !
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No matter what the job, Ralph, I found boring bits here and there!
As I now tell my grandsons – sometimes in life you have to just do what you gotta do! 🙂
xoxoxo
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Yes Carolyn, most jobs have their boring moments. Hopefully you are not having to work again my friend. I bet your grandsons have a few words to say about that 😉 Big hug. Ralph xox ❤
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Soul destroying, yes. Boring, no.
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I wonder what sort of job that was dear Yvonne
? Probably a salesperson selling Outlook for Android 😉 Big hug. Ralph xox ❤
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Oh, yes I’ve had a few. Serving in a sandwich shop comes to mind. Every day, same tasks, same dinner time rush then cleaning. Got to love our freedom from the grind. xxx
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I can imagine how hard you worked in such a busy shop dear Adele. May I have a cheese and tomato sandwich with mayo and ketchup please ? I tip well. lol. Big hug on the side. Ralph xox ❤
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Thanks, Ralph, lol, we were only allowed to give out two ice cream scoops of every filling on long white or brown rolls. And if we were caught giving more, oh shocking. lol xxx
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3 scoops for me then ! lol 😉 ❤
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Ralph, I’ve come to the conclusion that most jobs are mindless and meaningless, except for the smart few who set out to make a living by pursuing their passions. I understand though, why the ride home on the Puke everyday made it a little more bearable. Great post, Ralph!
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You are totally correct with what you say Des and, yes, the ride home was always lovely. Take care my friend. Ralph 🙂
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I’ve been pretty lucky, most of my jobs and careers have been good experiences. I really feel for those of you who worked in factories it must have been awful.
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Awesome ! It is lovely to hear that you have had wonderful working conditions dear Amanda. I do hope that it continues for you my friend. Big hug. Ralph xox ❤
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XOXO ❤️
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Hi Ralph. I never had a soul-destroying job, but I had one where the pressure was really getting to me. But I lucked out and transferred to an interesting, pretty low-pressure job. I caught a very big break!
Neil S.
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That must have been a great relief to be able to do what you did. Glad you found a job that you enjoyed Neil. Take care. Ralph 🙂
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Dearest Ralph,
I knew you had been in the military. You looked quite smart in your military togs. I can not picture you in a factory job. What a waste of your creativity and imagination! Perhaps it prepared you for all the bureaucratic red tape to follow in life. I was blessed to teach (except for a brief stint at McDonald’s when in college) for 34 years and loved it for most of those years. Toward the end, with all of the overtesting nonsense, administrators removed creativity and fun for both teachers and students. I never thought I would want to retire, but the changes in education made it more like a factory and less like something I would want to do. So, after 34 years, I gave up the good fight. Your post is certainly a funny take on boring jobs. I’m glad you are enjoying your retirement which has turned into a whole new adventure for you with Natascha and your cats.
Your wifi,
Linda
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Thank you so much for your long and interesting comment dear wifi 🙂
You are so right in saying that the factory work was preparation for what was to come.
You are not the only one to have doubts about the way the teaching profession is going. Not good ! I read an article in a UK online newspaper about a UK school hiring a teacher from the migrant community. He was sacked almost immediately as it was found that he couldn’t read or write. Duh !
Yes, it is a new adventure for myself and Natascha. We are so lucky to find each other.
I hope that you are enjoying your retirement and I am sure that you have many stories to tell about your days of leisure.
Love from us in Graz. Ralph xox ❤
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Actually dear friend Ralph, most of my jobs have been boring and soul destroying. I knew something had to change when I saw an ad of a man working in a high rise. He took all of the papers on his desk and threw them out the window. He then did a little happy dance. I don’t remember what the ad was for, but I thought, “that is me!”
Hope all is well with you and Natascha and the cats.
Your pal in the States,
Nancy
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Thank you for telling your story dear friend Nancy. When you left those boring and soul destroying jobs I do hope that you did a happy little dance. I am sure you did.
Yes, all is well with myself, the cats and Natascha. May the same be said about yourself and Mr Ken.
Hugs. Ralph xox ❤
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My first boss spent the day insulting me and all hi employees 🙄
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Oh no ! Sounds like he must have been an ex-army sergeant major to treat you all that way, or he just had his period starting. lol. Have a lovely Sunday dear Ortensia. Ralph xox ❤
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I think he was simply a big prick, but after that experience I was scare of nothing on a workplace😎
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Sounds like you are becoming Superwoman my friend 🙂 ❤
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