Update XVI: Sidejackin' it in the Train Room.

[Joe Biden 2020]

you had two very good jobs: ng and the gas company...and you just up and quit both in such a manner that you cant be re-hired at either one?  ouch.

Now, I've got a third very good job.  I'm very hopeful about this one.  I'm one month in to the job and so far, so good.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Dinner tonight consisted of Bagel Bites cooked in my microwave.  For the first time in a long time, I did not go out or order out for dinner.  I only consumed 700 calories, too.  On the day, I've only had 1,450 calories.  My meals are over for the day, so that's where I will probably end up.

[Eraserhead]

you had two very good jobs: ng and the gas company...and you just up and quit both in such a manner that you cant be re-hired at either one?  ouch.

Now, I've got a third very good job.  I'm very hopeful about this one.  I'm one month in to the job and so far, so good.

No chance that you'll randomly decide to quit this one?

[Joe Biden 2020]

you had two very good jobs: ng and the gas company...and you just up and quit both in such a manner that you cant be re-hired at either one?  ouch.

Now, I've got a third very good job.  I'm very hopeful about this one.  I'm one month in to the job and so far, so good.

No chance that you'll randomly decide to quit this one?

Nope

[WalterMitty]

what did papa bushie say when you quit ng?

[Joe Biden 2020]

what did papa bushie say when you quit ng?

He wasn't too happy, but he knew there was nothing he could do.  I was 2 months shy of my 26th birthday and he knew I was an adult to make my own decisions.  He didn't approve of that decision (and still doesn't).

[WalterMitty]

what did papa bushie say when you quit ng?

He wasn't too happy, but he knew there was nothing he could do.  I was 2 months shy of my 26th birthday and he knew I was an adult to make my own decisions.  He didn't approve of that decision (and still doesn't).

why did you quit?

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

what did papa bushie say when you quit ng?

He wasn't too happy, but he knew there was nothing he could do.  I was 2 months shy of my 26th birthday and he knew I was an adult to make my own decisions.  He didn't approve of that decision (and still doesn't).

All evidence to the contrary.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

what did papa bushie say when you quit ng?

He wasn't too happy, but he knew there was nothing he could do.  I was 2 months shy of my 26th birthday and he knew I was an adult to make my own decisions.  He didn't approve of that decision (and still doesn't).

If you were my kid, that would've been the point where I said, "You're on your own financially."  Sure you were 25 and could make your own decisions, but most 25-year-olds making their own decisions don't end up spending the next 6 years of their lives dependent on their parents.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Again, why am I being attacked for something that happened 6 years ago?

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Again, why am I being attacked for something that happened 6 years ago?

Because you seem to be justifying it or thinking that it wasn't that bad of a decision.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Again, why am I being attacked for something that happened 6 years ago?

Because you seem to be justifying it or thinking that it wasn't that bad of a decision.

Where am I justifying it?  I just don't wish to dwell on it.  You all seem to forget that I have corrected that decision for now, so this is all a completely meaningless discussion.  I did not mention it to get attacked, I mentioned it as a way to measure where I was and how far I've come.  So, I wish everyone would drop it.  Immediately.

[Brittain33]

Again, why am I being attacked for something that happened 6 years ago?

Because you seem to be justifying it or thinking that it wasn't that bad of a decision.

Inks, what is your opinion of Jeff's current job and how he's doing?

That seems more relevant to his future success than whether he's properly atoning for bad decisions in the distant past to strangers on a web forum.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Again, why am I being attacked for something that happened 6 years ago?

Because you seem to be justifying it or thinking that it wasn't that bad of a decision.

Inks, what is your opinion of Jeff's current job and how he's doing?

That seems more relevant to his future success than whether he's properly atoning for bad decisions in the distant past to strangers on a web forum.

Thank you.  I think what I'm doing now is far more relevant to my future than what I did over half a decade ago.  If I'm doing something wrong in my current job, let's have a discussion, but don't needlessly criticize me for mistakes I made a long time ago.  I realize it's much more fun to do the latter and I realize that my current job is getting kind of boring, but isn't that kind of the goal?  To make Update boring?

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Again, why am I being attacked for something that happened 6 years ago?

Because you seem to be justifying it or thinking that it wasn't that bad of a decision.

Inks, what is your opinion of Jeff's current job and how he's doing?

That seems more relevant to his future success than whether he's properly atoning for bad decisions in the distant past to strangers on a web forum.

I think what he's doing now is great.  But Bushie has a tendency to repeat past mistakes (even though he's adamant that "this time will be different").  I'm absolutely happy that he's found himself a job that he enjoys, but it's only been a month.  Holding a job for a single month is not a big accomplishment, and Bushie's health continues to decline (we'll see if that changes as he continues with these new challenges).

But stuff like this is concerning:

You all seem to forget that I have corrected that decision for now, so this is all a completely meaningless discussion.

It's all in his mentality.  Over the years, we've seen Bushie regress, rather than progress.  His job and CAD attendance (excluding the current job) got worse over time.  His ability to cook got worse over time.  His health got worse over time.  Now, he claims that these things have changed, and for the moment, it looks like they have; however, he needs to actually realize his past mistakes and be conscious of his tendency to regress, otherwise his good habits will slowly fade away, and he'll go back to a period of regressing.

[Eraserhead]

I'm pretty surprised (in a good way) that he apparently hasn't missed a day of work in a month's time.

Sure, most of us go months and months if not years without missing any work days but for Jeff that is really something.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

I'm shocked and proud as well of bushie. Let's just hope he can keep it up!

[Joe Biden 2020]

Thanks, guys.  I am officially starting Month 2 today.  I really like this job.  I have been there every day for the past month.  Like Eraser said, that's nor normally a big deal, but with my history it is.  As far as the weight goes - I am down to 282.0 as of this morning which is 11 lbs since mid-July and 1.6 lbs since the challenge started on September 1.  Yesterday, I ended up at 1,600 calories on the day.

[Brittain33]

It's all in his mentality.  Over the years, we've seen Bushie regress, rather than progress.  His job and CAD attendance (excluding the current job) got worse over time.  His ability to cook got worse over time.  His health got worse over time.  Now, he claims that these things have changed, and for the moment, it looks like they have; however, he needs to actually realize his past mistakes and be conscious of his tendency to regress, otherwise his good habits will slowly fade away, and he'll go back to a period of regressing.

I hear you. I think all of us (including Jeff) agree that his decisionmaking processes haven't been good in the past, and that he continues to struggle in areas like how he's eating.

You and I both want what's best for Jeff. One tactic is to keep pointing to past decisions and discussing why they were bad. The problem with that is, that's what we've ALL been doing the last 7 years of Update, and it's not the right key for this lock. Jeff knows where he's made mistakes, we've established that. The challenge has been getting into good behaviors.

And now for the first time in a long time Jeff's been unequivocally successful in one area and has been doing everything people suggested. He's got a job appropriate for his skills and temperament, and he's getting up and going to work every single day. To support Jeff, we need to recognize his success here as a foundation for greater change. The key to making good decisions isn't just knowing what you're doing wrong. It's to feel good about yourself—for solid reasons—and to feel in control of your life.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Good points, b33.  I am thrilled that he has a very positive attitude toward this job and he knows how important being a model employee is during this early stage.

[King]

I'm not going to criticize Bushie over that distant past, but you have to admit it's hilarious he'd leave Northrop Grumman--a company with offices in all 50 states, in Europe, and Asia--on a whim for a call center in Dallas because he wanted to get out of Oklahoma. It's just another great Update moment.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Lunch time.  My boss is in a pretty crabby mood so it's making the day not as good as it could be.  Im trying to understand something, but he keeps yelling at me that I don't get it, yet.  One of my coworkers is going to look at it with me after lunch.  I'm just ready for this day to be over...

[King]

Welp, back to the call centers.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

RIP

[King]

I must say it was another masterful turn by the writers. Perhaps the best yet. The perfectly timed Northrup Grumman flashback instigated an Inks scene that led to the forum consensus, literally the night before he was going to get fired, that Bushie had finally found stable employment and we should all be proud of him.

You could not play an audience any better.