it's a big tradition where i'm from. People dress up, party for a couple of days, last day being Mardi Gras. 

Oh, so is it very similar to Carnival and Mardi Gras in New Orleans?

if it involves parades, people dressing up, lots of alcohol and general party time, i'd say yes

Absolutely!! :)

in other news, i'm on the jobhunt.... 

Oh...probably one of my most hated things to do. Good luck to you Thane.

i still have a job, but the workconditions are going to change, and i'm not sure i can combine those with familylife. So, before i'm in a place of no return, i'm looking around to find something better for my family. (it'd be the 4th time i change job to improve family life)

Thane, good luck!  I had to do that too, change jobs for that once.  My husband had gotten a very good job and he was on the bottom of the seniority pile.  His shifts didn't rotate but the hours that he was assigned were not traditional.  I had been working swing shifts in the hospital and we had a young son at the time.  Somebody needed to get an 8-5 job and that was me.