Combat Rock - Revisited

Ah, The Clash.....come on, you know you roll down your window and start singing along to Rock the Casbah and the completely unintelligible lyrics...about Jet Fighters, and stuff. But the song absolutely ROCKS!!! 25 years ago, Joe Strummer, Mick Jones and crew ruled the airwaves with their politically amped music. Combat Rock is a classic album. **SIGH** Pining for my youth.

Anyway, a Clash song has been running through my head repeatedly over the last few months.

Should I Stay or Should I Go

I've been struggling with a number of things at work, and my wife announced today that I have an "aura of depression". That may be true. But it's not a new thing. It also shouldn't sound like a cry for help. I'm fine. Here's the deal. Short story. Budget cuts, org cuts, my team left out in the cold, Brad left to fend for himself since October, no real sign of caring or loyalty from the company - except for the odd raise that came right before things hit the fan.

Darling, you gotta let me know

Should I stay or should I go?

If you say that you are mine

I'll be here 'til the end of time

So you got to let me know

Should I stay or should I go?

It's been 3 full months since my boss announced that I would not have a job as of the end of the year, and that he was taking early retirement. I promptly got on the horn with everyone I knew within the company about similar jobs to what I "had". Everyone wants me, but no one is willing to cough up the dough to keep me. (Right now, no one can confirm nor deny that there's a position for me after the middle of January.) And no one seems to want to rock the boat with upper management to MAKE a position for me. I see no loyalty, and my loyalty to them has degraded significantly. Since October 4th, I have had no deliverables other than those things I've developed for myself.

It's always tease, tease, tease

You're happy when I'm on my knees

Hey Brad, we have a great position. It'll be two weeks before we know if we have funding. Two more weeks. Meeting postponed, could be another two weeks. "Come on, guys, make a decision.! Do I have a job or not?" We'll let you know in about two weeks.

One day is fine, the next it's black

Things are going great. Well, we don't really know if we got our funding.

So, if you want me off your back

Well, come on and let me know

Should I stay or should I go?

Are you sensing a pattern yet? If they want me to continue working for them, GIVE ME SOMETHING TO DO!!! I hate ultimatums, but I also hate "wishy-washy".

Should I stay or should I go now?

Should I stay or should I go now?

If I go there will be trouble

Uh.....mortgage.....

And if I stay it will be double

I'm costing the company money, but they seem to be willing to pay me, so who am I to complain.

So come on and let me know

This indecision's bugging me

If you don't want me set me free

Exactly who I'm supposed to be

Don't know which clothes will even fit me.

Great, I'm good enough that they want to keep me. Shame that they DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY WANT ME TO DO!!! And, it's a shame that they may put me in a position I don't WANT!!!!!

Come on and let me know

Should I cool it or should I blow?

Been three months. I'm obviously leaning toward BLOWING!!!!

Should I stay or should I go now?

Should I stay or should I go now?

I'll leave it at that. I think you've all got the point.

Hope you all had a great Christmas, and a happy new year!!! Looks like 2008 will start with a bit of turmoil for me. But, hey, I thrive on chaos.

You know, I think I'm going to go, put on a pair of ripped up old blue jeans, wrap a red bandana around my leg, and crank some Joe, Mick, Paul, and Topper.

Imagine at this point a lone armadillo crawling in front of a Texas oil rig. Yeah, brings back memories doesn't it?