from the picket line (1) so many things

Earlier this week, I uploaded all the photos of food that I was taking while trying out a new way of eating. I had ever intention of writing about Clean Eating and how I had hoped to try and cut out processed foods, sugars and fats. I didn't have high hopes that I would be able to do this 100%, but I am eager to try and do as much of it as possible.Then the poop, as it were, hit the fan. I am now one of 1700 administrative staff on strike. It started today, first day of classes. Regardless of how I voted, the strike mandate was voted in and all union employees have to obey. Also, if you want to get paid any strike pay (as little as it is) you have to show up and put in your 4 hours a day of picketing. Were I someone who didn't actually need the money, I would be considering this a sort of vacation. Since we can hardly make ends meet with two salaries coming in regularly, well, I don't have that choice. Every little cent is needed. Depending on how long this stupid thing goes on, I'm looking at finding another job so we can buy food, pay for the house and pay for electricity.Lovely.When I started working at my place of employment 10 years ago, I never thought I'd be in a situation where we'd have to strike. Sure, threats were made but in the end, action like this was always avoided. I didn't start working here to join a union, I just had to join if I wasn't a manager. I started working at this place because I needed to pay bills and needed health benefits. Pretty much why people get jobs anywhere. You need money to live.I don't agree with either side. The damage that has been done to the pension and benefits lately is just insane and it doesn't only effect union employees. It effects everyone employed by the employer. I guess the union people are the only ones legally allowed to fight for it,However, of all the negotiations that have happened in my 10 years here, this is the one time I agree with what they are negotiating over. Normally the union has been run by wackjobs who asked for the moon and more. This is the first time the union is asking for something reasonable and I think that's why everyone else is supporting it so strongly. I don't want to strike because I happen to love the people I work "for" (with, really, but they are my bosses). It's not them I want to make suffer, yet, they are the ones who will. At the same time, we're not going to change anything if we don't cause a problem. I do believe in what the union is asking for on our behalf. So do others who proved it today.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you to those managers who came to see us while sporting ribbons of support.Thank you to one person in particular, who brought us mini cupcakes. This person made a huge statement by doing this and it meant more than you can know. It's nice to know that my not being in the office isn't being taken personally.Thank you to the profs who emailed or called me the day before to say they support me and the cause and thanked me for being part of the group taking a stand.I feel bad for not wanting to strike but it helps knowing that people don't think you're being a greedy gus in this case. Hey, these people want to retire too. They have medication to buy. They have bills to pay.As awkward as I felt out there today, I was often comforted by the support of honking taxi drivers, truck drivers, Canada Post drivers (who, by the way refused to cross the picket lines and no mail was delivered - so thank you to CP who was recently totally screwed over by the Government)  and bus drivers. Some people just like to show support to striking unions, I get that. Others knew exactly what this union was fighting for, so that support makes me feel better about being there.How will I keep on buying fresh produce and food to try and cut out processed stuff, now? I don't know. I don't want to live on boxes of KD or frozen dinners. I actually FEEL better eating everything fresh and cooked myself. (I hate cooking though.) I don't want to snack on chips or chocolate bars while walking in a circle (oval?) for four hours. I stuck to what I brought myself, all healthy today, with the exception of that one mini cupcake, because after what the cupcake bearer did, I couldn't say no. (It was one of those teeny ones from Provigo).For fun I kept runkeeper on while we walked in an oval. I paused it when we stopped for a break (my back and my friend's knee) so I was completely honest. In the 4-hour shift, we did 5.51 km of walking in 3 hours and 40 minutes. We burned 634 calories. For a while we had an average pace of 2 hours per kilometer. hahahahah! Since I don't think this stupid strike will be over before our staff fitness classes are supposed to start (therefore not allowing us to take them), this is my daily activity (excluding weekends).I am tired and I am in pain. I am discouraged with many things in life at the moment and trying very hard to find the positive. Let's hope it doesn't rain a lot while this nonsense carries on. Good grief!(I can tell you that at the start of the four hours, we were certainly a lot peppier than we were at the end. Hoooboy!)