WooHoo!

Okay so it's only 12 days, well 10 now but I have some time off and it feels great. I go to bed at a time that feels more natural to me and get up at a time that feels more natural to me. I've done workouts, gone out with my kids, given my hubby time to work and low and behold got some editing done. It feels good.
What doesn't feel so good is my lower body, the workout session we had was tough and for some reason I always push myself hard at those, two days later and it still hurts to get up and sit down. So tomorrow is going to require another workout.
It is so good to take this time with my family. Sure it's been a slog to get here, 3 months study 5 days a week, and the first 4 months on the job have had union upheaval. Thing is though, I am having 12 days off, I've already had a block of 9 days, so added together I've had 3 weeks off and haven't touched my annual leave yet. How freaking awesome.
My munchkins love me being home, of course their love does at times make it a little hard to get the writing work done that I want to but I'm working on that.
Of course if I'm totally truthful my daughter started playing a damn addictive game on my computer and it has taken up small chunks of my time that would be better served elsewhere. Also I bought Les Mis today so that has to get watched sometime soon.
I love my family and the thing is we all need to find a way to make life and work, work for us. For me it is 12 hour shift work in a high pressure environment, for others it will be something else. 'Work life balance' is a phrase thrown around a lot but it's not always what they say it is. It can be what you make it to be. Life doesn't always fit in the boxes you want it to, it can be messy, chaotic and difficult to juggle, but making it work - well that is something only you can really do. Don't let someone else tell you what it is. Think it through, make up your mind and do what you need to. Family is precious and we can't all pack up for 6 weeks a year and go holidaying in the best places money can buy. Find your place and it will be great.

A Good Rant

I'm sorry I can't help myself, okay actually that's not strictly true I can help myself but it has been a while since I've had a really good rant and this week has provided me with a great topic.
In my country, a bunch of juvenile offenders trashed their 'detention facility', they did massive amounts of damage and it will be months before bits of it are inhabitable again. So as a result a bunch of these offenders have been transferred to a nearby adult custodial facility (yes a prison).
Personally I have no issue with this. Sure I realise the situation is a bit different but custodial is custodial, it's just juvies are treated with soft gloves.
Here's where my rant kicks into gear.
Parents of these kids are trying to sue the government for inhumane treatment of their kids.
HMMMM!
Well excuse me, why were these kids there in the first place? Oh that's right; drugs, rape, burglary, aggravated assault... the list goes on. These kids weren't where they were because they are stellar examples of society, they are there because they are little shits. A point which is only proven by the fact that they rioted, destroying sections of the centre they were housed in.
These kids are currently not being kept in general population, they are separated from big boys, though I feel it should be pointed out that some of these 'kids' aren't exactly kids, there are some still there in their 20's. A fact that begs the question why the hell weren't they transferred to adult prison when they hit 18?
That aside, the complaints seem to be that: the kids aren't getting fed properly, I'm pretty sure they would get fed the same as anyone else in the facility and no-one else is complaining; they are in mainstream adult prison - they aren't, they are in totally separate units; they aren't getting enough exercise - well I can't say how much they are or aren't getting but prisons are governed but fairly strict legislation that ensures minimum requirements for that sort of thing but it may not be what they were getting because there are plenty of other prisoners that need to be catered for.
These kids have food, clothes, medical and dental treatments, tv's, time to get outside, access to games consoles. I would like to take a moment to point out that there are plenty of people out there who don't have all of that.
In short here is my suggestion. If these families want to sue on behalf of their misbehaving offspring then fine, we should let them go ahead, on the condition that they pay for the damage to the detention centre and for the medical bills of the staff who were involved in the incident. Surely that is fair after all.
All of this begs another question; where were these parents when these kids were participating in behaviours that saw them arrested in the first place? And what about their victims in all this? Are these parents paying restitution to the victims or do they just expect the taxpayer to pick up the tab on all fronts?
Oh I know that not everyone who commits a crime comes from the same type of background but there are generalisations about this sort of thing for a reason.