I'm home. I'm gonna take it easy the rest of the day, I think. I think I'm just exhausted.

vw you do not suck. You've worked long hours lately and being exhausted is your right.

A Monday Made Worse: I had to cross a picket line to get to work today. We got all sorts of reminders that we are not allowed to stay out in sympathy with the strikers this time, probably because it is scheduled for three days (I've refused to cross the line for one day strikes).

Calli, should I throw a snowball at you?

Would ya, Fred? I'll give you a shiny nickle.

I had to cross a picket line to get to work today.

That would be a sucky way to start the work day. Sorry, Sparky.

Eep. Crossing picket lines is no good.

Take it easy, vw.

6 minipizzas may have the same caloric content as one of those french bread pizzas, but they are just not filling enough. I think I'll have to go find some (yes, you guessed it) Diet Coke to take up space in my stomach.

105 Heat Index? Damn. I wish you ice, Calli.

I am accessorized with a pin in support of the strikers and I have the flyer explaining the strike on my office door, but I remember standing on the picket line with my mother (a teacher) one year, so I feel tremendous guilt walking past. My union's contract specifically says we can't stay out, unfortunately. I'll probably join them at lunch time.

Sparky, I'm right there with you, squirming on the wrong side of the picket line for the same union.

I'm feeling rather grumpy about it, actually -- I'm theoretically a member of this union, have been paying my dues for ages, and about a year ago I somehow fell off all their mailing lists and hear nothing from them about anything, ever. (Yes, I'm culpable in that I have never called them to gripe about it, but I've been a little busy and harried over the last year. And they're still taking the money out of my monthly paycheck, so they know I exist and they know how to reach me.)

The big rally is on your campus, today, JZ. Our local rep for my union keeps us well informed on what's going on with yours. Our contract is up for negotiation, so I suspect that's another reason why we are all being told to be good.

{{vw}} you don't suck. Take it easy today, sweetie.

Coke has a new product -- Coca Cola Zero. Which, as far as I can tell is the same thing as Diet Coke, just with a "hipper" name. Seriously I read the copy on their website and it seems that they are just doing this to target a "different demographic."

The "new demographic" is actually men. They did research and found that men don't like to drink things called "diet." That's why Pepsi came out with Pepsi One and now Coke's got Coca-Cola Zero. Ahhh...marketing.

The "new demographic" is actually men. They did research and found that men don't like to drink things called "diet."

This will come to a shock to all the construction workers who kept drinking up all the diet coke while they were here. I know this since they have to walk past my desk. I'd say the two biggest sellers for them was Diet Coke and fruit punch.

The "new demographic" is actually men. They did research and found that men don't like to drink things called "diet."

This will come to a shock to all the construction workers who kept drinking up all the diet coke while they were here.

Remember that commercial, with the women in the office building ogling the construction worker?

"Diet Coke break!"