  Booyakasha!  (  if you've seen Da Ali G Show then you realize how perfect this word is for an opening to anything. nbsp; nbsp; I just hope it doesn't mean anything demonic or degrading.
 & nbsp;  And moving on. have you ever had a job where you had to punch in at a time clock? nbsp;  I mean serious,
 to the minute,  electronic,  old school punching in,  like standing in line,  card in hand,  waiting to begin or end a work day with the strike of the clocks synchronized stamp,
 lunch- box clad,  before or after another hard days work. nbsp;  I have.  &
nbsp;  I never realized how much& nbsp;  punching in & nbsp; resembled old times.
 Visions of the depression,  child labor,  and smokestacks should be mingling in your brain right now. nbsp;  When& nbsp;
I had my job at the urlLink plant I didn't realize the shackles that were placed on me by being on someone else's watch.  & nbsp;  I am shackled no more.  & nbsp;
 As I wrap up the last week and a half of my job at the Basketball Hall of Fame,  I am realizing just how much NOT punching in means to me. nbsp;  The $ 128, 000 price tag on my undergraduate diploma actually has a major benefit.
salary. nbsp;  * and if you know me,  then you know that& nbsp;
I didn't pay the undergrad price tag,  but& nbsp; you get my point*  & nbsp;
I know having a college degree doesn't guarantee that you will get a salary job,  but it helps. nbsp;  Even if its small,  salary means something. nbsp;
 Even if I miss work for an entire week,  my check will be there and it will be the same amount. nbsp;  Even if& nbsp; I come into work and check my e-
mail,  go on Blackplanet,  post on my personal weblog,  see what I can find on Ebay and make personal calls all day,  I'm still getting said check with said amount. nbsp;
 * not that I would actually do something like that*  & nbsp;  And aside from the salary,  I come and go as I please.
nbsp;  Theoretically,  I was told on my first day that normal working hours for me were from 8: 30 am to 5: 00 pm with an hour for lunch. nbsp;
 I was also told that I could come in later or earlier,  and in return,  leave later or earlier. nbsp;  Good deal right? nbsp;
 It wasn't until after a month of working perfect time blocks that I had an epiphany. this job does not take 40 hours a week to complete. nbsp;  I could be demonstrating my A game,  be the salesperson of the week,  no actually,
 the month or quarter,  and I could get it done in about 30 hours per week. nbsp;  I was slow to catch on,  because the other sales people had already come to this same conclusion and were acting on it.  So i joined in.
nbsp;  & nbsp;  On any given day,  I show up between 8: 50 am and 9:
45 am. nbsp;  I take my hour lunch,  which easily becomes an hour plus 15 -  35 minutes bonus time.  And I always leave at or before 5 pm.
nbsp; Usually around 4: 40 pm. nbsp; nbsp; The best part about all of this time finagling is that A)
 no one says anything to me,  my boss included B)  I still get the job done& nbsp; with an occasinal song of praise toward me at the monthly staff meeting& nbsp;
C)  if anyone said anything,  it would be the bumbling a secretary that has no power D)  I'm black and i've managed to fool The Man and E)  E is too many,  no one goes that far when listing things by letter.
nbsp;  So there you have it,  i'm a professional slacker.  & nbsp;  Don't want to be shackled.
 & nbsp;  Now I have this fear that my next job will not have such luxuries. nbsp;  In addition to all my slacking,  I had full benefits,
 unlimited sick days,  10 days paid vacation,  work related trips,  and gas mileage reimbursement ( not to mention the occasional NBA or WNBA tickets) nbsp;
 God forbid I have to actually work for my money. nbsp;  But in the words of the Rev.  Al Sharpton,  " we were never given the 40 acres.
 We were never given the mule.  So we we [ I]  just figured I'll ride this donkey and see where it will take me.  * thrown in there for no apparent reason*
 & nbsp;  well. it's now 4: 10 pm,  Thursday afternoon,
 vacation day tommorrow. you already know.  & nbsp;  peace and blessings & nbsp;
