Definition of memory lane
: an imaginary path through the nostalgically remembered past —usually used in such phrases as a walk down memory lane
When I was putting together ideas for this a few months ago, I went for a walk down memory lane with Wayne Wait (previous Safety Supervisor), and the more we reminisced the more we laughed. The person serving us must have thought we were drinking, which at one time might have been a possibility.
Wayne has an excellent memory, and we reminisced about all our years working together, and some of the hijinks we got up to. Most of you probably know that a Personnel Manager is a little bit of everything, you hire, book training, coordinate crews, arrange testing, immunization, visa requirements, travel and sometimes fire. Through all of this, you talk policy and the importance of following the rules.
One of the many memories that we laughed about was when the corporate world decided smoking in offices was a bad thing. I'm a non-smoker now but I used to be quite a dedicated smoker. When the "no smoking in any buildings" came into effect, I wasn't quite sure how I was going to do my job. My desk was always set up as follows; telephone, crew change book, cup of coffee and cigarette in the ashtray; with this new rule I was afraid that I'd either have to resign or have a breakdown, which of course I did neither!!
The Company rules now were that we would have to go outside to smoke, that cut my smoking in half as I didn't have time to get up and go outside every time I felt like smoking. However, we smokers were a committed lot and we would still make the trek a few times each day, through the shop, to the back yard. Winter came and Nisku can get PRETTY chilly, so on very cold days we'd cheat a bit and stand just inside the door, and then quickly open a shop door attempting to exhale the smoke outside. One day we were in the shop and I opened the door to blow smoke out, exhaled a billowing cloud of Cameo menthol and came face to face with our boss Boris - well that messed things up and now its back to everybody outside!!
You know its the way many of us raised our kids "do as I say not as I do"!!
Between the new rules and then traveling for work there just wasn't a "window of opportunity" to smoke.. I'm very thankful for that.
HAPPY CANADA DAY...............HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY ........EVERYONE!!
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