Shadow "helping" Mommy move crates.

[George McGovern]

[MuseRider]

1. Oooh projects!

I have a few of my own IF it ever stops raining. It really has not rained that much here and we will be crying for it soon but the look of your tractor is making me crazy. I had mine out only once so far, must clean out the dry lot. Itching to work that all out. Shadow looks like a wonderful helper.

[George McGovern]

4. A "wonderful helper" I guess might depend on your idea of wonderful. Nah, Shadow

loves to hang out with us. She "supervises". Thank You MuseRider!

I don't recall if I have ever asked you this:

If you'd be interested in more Shadow pics:

Please click on Photography ( on DU homepage) then go to Search Forum.
In Advanced Search fill in the boxes in this manner.

Search Terms: Shadow

For Post Author: George McGovern

For Forum: Scroll down to Photography and click there

For Post Type: Scroll down to Original Posts (i.e. posts which start threads) 
For Start date: Change year to 2021 (keep the other boxes the same) 
Press Start.
And please let me know if it works! Thank You!

[Diamond_Dog]

2. What a good girl. Shadow is the best helper.

[George McGovern]

5. You betcha' DD! Likely nearly as good a helper as Sophie!

[PikaBlue]

3. I think that's actually supervising.

[George McGovern]

7. Yup, she's real good at that PikaBlue! Thank You!

If you'd be interested in more Shadow pics:

Please click on Photography ( on DU homepage) then go to Search Forum.
In Advanced Search fill in the boxes in this manner. 

Search Terms: Shadow

For Post Author: George McGovern

For Forum: Scroll down to Photography and click there

For Post Type: Scroll down to Original Posts (i.e. posts which start threads) 
For Start date: Change year to 2021 (keep the other boxes the same) 
Press Start.
And please let me know if it works! Thank You!

[PikaBlue]

11. My cat supervises.

When he "helps" me move heavy containers, he walks ahead of me. I can't tell whether he is showing me where they are to be placed or if he is trying to send me to my death and inherit my rather minimal estate. He's in my Will, but only tangentially. I'm afraid to tell him that my daughter inherits everything, including him. He may take it upon himself to "help" her. He's a loving and loyal fellow but he also harbors ambition.

[George McGovern]

12. LOL PikaBlue! He sounds like a clever cat! Could post a photo of him?

Here's how:
Go to postimages.org
1. On a computer, drag the photo from your desktop to postimages Choose images box.
2. After a couple of seconds, when the upload is completed you'll see a list of links. At Direct link click on the blue and white icon at the right to copy the “direct link.”
3. In the Photography forum on DU click on Start discussion and on the next page type in a title for your photo. In the Discussion text box click paste, then at the bottom of the page click Post. Wait patiently and your photo will appear on DU.
Let me know please if this helps. It's fun to see readers respond to your photos.

[PikaBlue]

13. I will, come July.

I'm finally retiring at the end of June at the age of 72 1/2. I have maintained a minimal presence on DU because I worried that TMI might reveal.my identity to my students and I would never want to reflect poorly on the institution at which they are enrolled. My students all know my cat, as photos of him, occasionally, pop-up in my lecture presentations with captions that reinforce key concepts the students need to remember. I also encourage my students to end their scholarly class PowerPoint presentations with photos of their own pets captioning their summary slide. They may not recall all of the information presented, but everyone remembers the key concepts on their exams. One year, my students organized a cutest pet contest. Students voted with a donation to their favorite pet. The pet with the most donations won a pet toy. All of the money collected from the contest was donated to a local animal shelter. This is a long-winded explanation stating that once I retire, I will subject him to a photo shoot and post his photo.

[George McGovern]

14. Wow. Long-winded notwithstanding, I appreciate your circumstances.

Where have you been teaching? It sounds as if your students get a lot out of
your classes. I suspect your influence may result in some one day paying forward key concepts the students needed to remember, i.e. making another person's life a little bit better.

For what it's worth retirement can be very nice. "Groovy" as we once said.

[PikaBlue]

15. I've been teaching at a university medical school.

I'm not a medical professional. My dept is housed in the school of medicine. I teach junior students and graduate students. I have been at my current position for 32 years. Prior to that I worked at Johns Hopkins University which is also my Alma Mater. I'm not enthusiastic about retirement. Budget cuts have forced my hand.

[George McGovern]

16. From my limited experience with budget cuts, forced retirement, the proverbial bottom line is money. Period.

No regard for length nor quality of service. Management strategy to replace no-longer-valued employee with lower salaried, less experienced younger candidates.

Thirty-two years plus Johns Hopkins' expertise has to have contributed to a caliber of teaching of which, it seems, you are proud. It's as if your career rug is being pulled out from under your feet and against your wishes.

I'm trying to imagine what you may be going through.

I once drove mini-bus for an assisted living company. I drove daily taking residents to medical appointments, shopping etc.

Management directed me to follow a strict work-day routine based on making money for our facility's management company. I chose, however, to extend my job's bounds in order to improve residential quality of life, against, as it turned out, management's preference. Long story shortened, my hours were reduced from full-time to part-time with loss of benefits. I did what I could, but it couldn't last. Resignation was strongly suggested and bittersweet.

I hope you can leave with a measure of pride in a job well done. And that your retirement turns out to be beneficial, if not rewarding.

[PikaBlue]

21. They are closing our entire dept.

At least I can retire. The younger faculty must job hunt. Currently, the northern Virginia, D.C., Maryland area is awash in healthcare personnel axed from the NIH, etc. I have trained individuals who currently head depts at the NIH, who work for the FDA, CDC, Walter Reed, perform essential medical research at university hospitals and in the medical biotech industry. My own institution performed the beta testing for one of the two COVID vaccines. I have loved every day of my 32 years of employment.The scientific community is being devastated by this administration. I'm one of the lucky ones because I'm old. The one bright spot is that communities are going to need volunteers because we are all pretty much on our own. We need to look out for and to help one another. I don't see myself moping around the house. There will be some place or organization that will welcome another worker bee.

[George McGovern]

22. And welcome you gladly.

[PikaBlue]

23. I certainly hope you are correct!

[SheltieLover]

6. Sweet Shadow will need a hearty meal & long nap after such hard work

[George McGovern]

8. Heck SL, she never knows when to stop! TY!

[ShazzieB]

9. "Helping" by lying on the ground, I see! 🤣

My cat "helps" me that way all the time! Willow "helps" by watching all my activities intently, as it she's utterly fascinated by everything I do. Then she licks her paws, washes her face, rolls over, and goes back to sleep!

[George McGovern]

10. Ha HAH Ha! Our pets are so useful! Thanks!

Shazzie — Have I ever asked you
If you'd be interested in more Shadow pics:

Please click on Photography ( on DU homepage) then go to Search Forum.
In Advanced Search fill in the boxes in this manner. 

Search Terms: Shadow

For Post Author: George McGovern 
For Forum: Scroll down to Photography and click there

For Post Type: Scroll down to Original Posts (i.e. posts which start threads) 
For Start date: Change year to 2021 (keep the other boxes the same) 
Press Start.
And please let me know if it works! Thank You!

[LoisB]

17. Shadow is making sure Mom is doing it right.

[George McGovern]

18. She surely is Lois, Shadow's a heck of a supervisor. Her motto is something

like, Make Sure Mommy Does Things Right, As Long As I Don't Have To Help.
Thank You!

[LoisB]

19. Ya' gotta love her. Something tells me she would not tolerate anything less than

reciprocated unconditional love.

[George McGovern]

20. That's right Lois. Shadow has come to expect precisely that. Thanks!