Work Update!

The person that we had in mind for my position has officially passed her drug test and background check.  It's a huge weight off my shoulders!  She will likely be starting next week.  And then I just have to train her how to do my job.  

::Sigh::

It's been incredibly crazy busy the past few weeks and my stress level is out of control (not sleeping, forgetting to eat, my face is broken out like a teenager, etc.), but I still love this job.  I really do hope I can find a job that I will like as much as this one when we move.  I'm not going to hold my breath though.

Only 5 weeks left of work.  And only about 5 1/2 weeks until my family gets here to move us out to Indiana.  I know it's going to fly by.  I guess that means I really need to get on that packing and cleaning stuff!

My thoughts on OWS

I haven't said anything on here regarding OWS.  It's mostly because I wasn't really sure how to say it.  I don't agree with OWS 100%, but I definitely see where they're coming from.  Even if I didn't agree with them, I freakin' love protests.  It's just the most beautiful way of showing that the America I want to be a part of still exists.  Our first amendment rights to free speech still exist!  Sort of...

Anyway, I wanted to touch on what exactly I do like about OWS.  I understand them.  I worked at least 2 jobs and went to school full time for four years (at least 15 credit hours every semester).  I worked hard.  And I still came out of college with over $23,000 in student loan debt.  And then the opportunities to get good jobs was just pitiful.  I'm making the same amount of money as a college grad as I did before I had a degree.

The people of my generation were always told to go to college so that we could get a good job and not be flipping burgers for the rest of our lives.  So, off we went to college.  And then the only jobs available are flipping burgers or something else menial.  And then the older generations complain that my generation doesn't want to do anything to get our hands dirty.  Perhaps that's because we were always told that we shouldn't accept that.  We were told to go to college and everything would be peachy.  We'd have great jobs and great futures.  Well, that was a crock.  

I'd be able to have the job I have now without a degree.  I would still be in the same place that I am now but with far less debt.  And I'm in a better position than most of my fellow graduates.  It's depressing.

I worked hard.  I did it for myself, on my own.  And I am no better off than if I hadn't gone to college.  

I read this story a week or so ago.  It's a letter to the OWS protesters from a supposed Marine.  The marine says:

I am a former Marine.
I work two jobs.
I don’t have health insurance.
I worked 60-70 hours a week for 8 years to pay my way through college.
I haven’t had 4 consecutive days off in over 4 years.
But I don’t blame Wall Street.
Suck it up you whiners.
I am the 53%.
God bless the USA!

The writer applauds the marine's hard work and then says: 

I understand your pride in what you’ve accomplished, but I want to ask you something.

Do you really want the bar set this high?  Do you really want to live in a society where just getting by requires a person to hold down two jobs and work 60 to 70 hours a week?  Is that your idea of the American Dream?

And that, I think, is a big reason I support the OWS movement.  I put in my hard work, but it hasn't gotten me anywhere.  Where is my American Dream?  I don't expect anyone to give me a handout.  I just don't want the richest people to be able to continue to get richer while I spend money and work hard only to get nowhere.  

It's to the point where I pretty much decided (even before the OWS movement) that I won't be voting in 2012.  It doesn't matter if I vote Democrat or Republican.  They're all controlled by the rich lobbyists.  Politicians don't give a rat's @ss what I think once they're in office because I have no money to give them.  I'd like to step back to the previous letter once more because I think the writer makes an excellent point.  

Look kid, I don’t want you to “get by” working two jobs and 60 to 70 hours a week.  If you’re willing to put in that kind of effort, I want you to get rich.  I want you to have a comprehensive healthcare plan.  I want you vacationing in the Bahamas every couple of years, with your beautiful wife and healthy, happy kids.  I want you rewarded for your hard work, and I want your exceptional effort to reap exceptional rewards.  I want you to accumulate wealth and invest it in Wall Street.  And I want you to make more money from those investments.

I understand that a prosperous America needs people with money to invest, and I’ve got no problem with that.  All other things being equal, I want all the rich people to keep being rich.  And clever financiers who find ways to get more money into the hands of promising entrepreneurs should be rewarded for their contributions as well.

I think Wall Street has an important job to do, I just don’t think they’ve been doing it.  And I resent their sense of entitlement – their sense that they are special and deserve to be rewarded extravagantly even when they screw everything up.

I don't think it's fair that the taxpayers have to pay for bailouts while the people who got us in this mess are still raking in the big bucks.  

(Source)

I just want there to be consequences for f*cking up our nation.  I want my vote/voice to matter.  I want my hard work to mean something and get me somewhere.  So, yes, OWS may not be perfect and you may not agree with them wholeheartedly, but you should at least be pissed about the same things they are.  And even if you aren't, you should still support their rights to protest 100%.  Not to do so is just un-American.  Love the first amendment!

Possible change of scenery...

Philip has been with Sysco for over 6 years. Lately, he's been wanting a change. Not a change of company but a change of position: a promotion.

He deserves it. He works hard and is very responsible. Only one problem: there aren't any available supervisor positions in Denver.

Philip and I discussed it and decided that we'd be willing to move if a supervisor position came available elsewhere in the U.S.  So, we began our search online. After a few days, we struck gold.

The Chicago Sysco is looking for a night warehouse supervisor. We sent in Philip's resume on Tuesday (I'm the resume queen). He was contacted for a phone interview on Thursday. That went well and then they wanted an in person interview. Philip drove to Indiana Sunday night (dropping off wedding stuff and the pups -- my parents are pup-sitting while we're on our honeymoon). Today, he has his interview in Chicago.

It looks like he has a pretty good chance. I'm keeping my fingers and toes crossed. And if all goes well, we will be moving back to the Midwest. It would be a lot of work and we'd struggle for a while, but it would be worth it. It is what Philip wants and deserves. And I'd definitely enjoy living closer to my family! Keep your fingers crossed for us.  :)

What Really Grinds My Gears

Sorry I've been away so long.  I've been swamped trying to get our wedding invitations put together.  But, they're finally done, so I'm back!

I want to talk about something that really "grinds my gears" (if you haven't seen the Family Guy episode that this is in reference to, shame on you!).  

I work in a large commercial office building.  When I use the restroom here at work, there are often other ladies using the facilities as well.  It really bothers me when in a fake attempt to wash their hands, they simply run their hands under the water for a second or two.  

What good is that doing?  I mean, even if you had mud on your hands, two seconds wouldn't be enough time to wash it off.  So, what makes you think that two seconds of cool to lukewarm water is going to wash away whatever bathroom cooties are on your hands??  

Stop being gross.  Wash your hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.  It's not that hard.  Those extra 18 seconds are not going to kill you.  But it saves the rest of us from having to touch things that your filthy poo-hands have touched!  ;)

Irritating Tenants

I work in property management.  The company that I work for manages several commercial properties.  I really like my job.  I like my boss.  I like my (very few) co-workers.  I like the work that I do.  And (for the most part), I like dealing with the tenants on an every-day basis.  most of our tenants are awesome: really easy-going, happy, friendly people.  

But, there will always be those few royal pains.

For instance, we have a few tenants who when confronted with their rule-breaking, will play a sort of blame-game.  Their only real excuse is, "I bet it was so-and-so who reported me."  That is no defense!  They admit that they broke the rules but then they're pissed that one of their neighbors ratted them out.  Get over it!  Don't break the rules and there isn't a problem!  Don't be pissed at your neighbor for tattling (especially if they told on you for parking in a place you know you aren't supposed to park because IT BLOCKS IN THEIR CAR AND THEY CANNOT LEAVE!).  

Next up, tenants who get upset with me for contacting them to find out when they are going to pay their past due rent.  Seriously.  Why are you mad at me?  I'm just doing my job!  It's my job to make sure you pay your rent.  If you don't pay your rent, I don't have a job.  If you don't pay your rent, you cannot just continue to work in peace while our business goes down the toilet.  That's not how it works.

Then there are the nit-pickers.  The people who will complain about every teeny-tiny little thing that is wrong with their suite (or their neighbors).  I honestly had someone come into my office and complain that their neighbor was stapling too loudly.  Seriously??  First off, I don't believe that your ears are that sensitive.  I also know that our walls are not that paper thin.  It's crazy.  

Or, another complaint: the neighbors aren't being friendly enough.  Come on people!  We aren't in first grade anymore.  Okay, so maybe your neighbor doesn't like you.  That's not really an issue for property management.  

Or, this one: the post office delivers mail too late.  How in the world am I supposed to control the United States Post Office?  I cannot determine what time the mail runs in our building.  It is completely out of my control.  I have no say in any of that.  I don't know what would make you think that I do.  

Or, "I left my keys at home.  Could you drop everything you're doing to drive all the way across town to let me into my office?"  Believe it or not, I do have other work to do besides being your personal assistant.  How about you drive the 5 minutes home to get your keys and the 5 minutes back to your office.  That sounds much better than me driving 30 minutes to your office to let you in and then driving the 30 minutes back to the office.  

Thankfully, 90% of the time, I am fortunate enough to deal with the wonderful tenants.  And the 10% of the time that I'm dealing with the royal pains, I just have to remind myself that I really do love my job.  :)

I hate Sysco Denver

At the beginning of the year, Philip was switched to a 5:30pm to 2am schedule at work.  Well, my boss suggested that I switch to an 8am to 3pm schedule so that I could at least see him for a little while each day during the week.  

It has been fantastic.  I see him for about 40 minutes (if I get off work on time) Monday through Thursday.  I know it sounds like nothing, but when you're used to nothing, 40 minutes makes a ton of difference.  

Well, last night, Philip was informed that he was being switched back to a 5pm to 1:30am schedule.  That just sucks.  That means that I will see him for about 10 minutes... and possibly none if I don't get out of work at exactly 3:00 (which, let's face it -- our tenants like to have emergencies at the time I'm supposed to be leaving work).  

I am pissed.  I was so used to actually see him during the week and now I don't want to give it up.  I hate this.  I cried and cried last night.  It's just not fair.  Everything was going great.  I don't want to give up seeing Philip.  

My boss says that Philip should try to find another job.  There's a problem with that.  Where is Philip going to find a job that is going to pay as well with as good of benefits that has a day-shift schedule instead of nights?  It's not going to happen.

The same goes for me.  I love my job.  I get paid well and have good benefits.  I also actually have a fantastic boss.  I am not going to find a job working nights that will have all of those benefits.  I tried.  

I am probably going to have to shift my sleep schedule.  I finally got on a normal sleep schedule, but this sleep schedule isn't going to allow me to see Philip.  I'm going to have to sleep when I get home from work and then get up when Philip gets home from work if I want to see him.  

I keep trying to tell myself that there is a light at the end of the tunnel... it's just really far off. Philip and I plan to continue to save and build our credit.  Then, in the next 4 to 5 years, we will buy a house and start a family.  And then I will be a stay at home mom.  Then I'll actually see my husband during the week.  And it will be glorious.  

I hate that it's so far off, but Philip is definitely worth it.  :)

Sweetie

I hate being called sweetie by anyone I don't know.  The same goes for honey or sugar or any other "cute" name.  If I have never met you before, I'm certainly not your "sweetie."  It drives me bonkers.  

It bothers me slightly less if the person is elderly.  I mean, they're set in their ways by this point in their life and  they probably have grandchildren my age (and might have difficulty remembering my name).  However, if it's someone my age or even into their 30s or even 40s, I want to reach out and slap them.  

I realize that I am a cute girl.  I look sweet and I'm really nice to you.  That just means that I am fantastic at my job.  I make you feel comfortable and you like me.  However, once you call me "sweetie," it makes my job a whole lot harder and my blood pressure raises.  

Even if I'm cute or sweet, I am still in a professional position and expect to be taken seriously.  Would it be acceptable for me to call all of our tenants "honey"?  I think not.  So, why do people think it's okay to call me that?  UGH!  I just want to shake some people!  You can be courteous and still be professional!  Find the line, people!

Rent's Due!

I work for a property management firm in Denver. We lease commercial spaces. I've said many times that I really love my job. However, that doesn't mean that it doesn't have its trials. Some of those trials are with people not paying rent. I understand that times are tough, but these people did sign a lease! In order to deal with the past-due accounts, I tend to try to get a giggle or two out the wonderful excuses that people make.

The most recent excuse that I have received for not paying rent on time is: "My rent is late because I was out of the office because I had hip surgery yesterday." Okay... rent is due on the first of the month. Today is the fifteenth. I don't see how being out of the office on the fourteenth of the month is going to prevent you from remembering to pay your rent 2 weeks before the surgery date.

The most common excuse is always: "I was out of the office." Were you out of the office for the entire MONTH? You know that your rent is always due on the first. ALWAYS. If you know you are going to be out of the office, make an effort to pay your rent before you leave. Or make an online payment. Where are you that you can't get to a computer???

I love the "it must have gotten lost in the mail" excuses. Why? Because the post office stamps the date the check was mailed right on the envelope. So, I doubt that it is a coincidence that the day I call you to remind you that your rent is late is the date that the post office stamped on the envelope. I'm not an idiot.

The honest answer usually makes me feel bad. The "I didn't have the money" answer is kind of depressing, but at the same time, what am I supposed to do? If they don't pay their rent, I'm out of job. And then I can't pay MY rent. If you can't pay your rent, you need to surrender your keys and vacate your suite so that we can at least try to rent the suite out to someone else. Don't be a pain in the @ss. Why make your landlord feel bad for trying to get the money that YOU agreed to pay? I just have to laugh at the people who get angry when you evict them after they don't pay rent for 4 or 5 months. What did they think was going to happen??

Gah! Some of the people drive me crazy. But, at least they keep me on my toes!

Strange Phone Call...

So, I work in an office. I answer phones all day long. Sometimes, the callers are jerks. Sometimes they're really nice. And, sometimes they're just crazy. Today, I got one of the crazies.

Me: Brooks Printing Service & Equipment. How may I help you?

Crazy: I need to speak to [insert name].

Me: I'm sorry sir, but I think you have the wrong number.

Crazy: No, I need to speak to [insert name].

Me: There is no one here by that name, sir.

Crazy: What do you mean?

Me: I'm sorry sir, but I've never even heard that name before. That person does not work here.

Crazy: I know he works there. He's worked there for 30 damned years.

Me: (I think, "We've only been in business since 1987, so I know that's not possible." lol) Are you sure that you have the right number, sir? This is Brooks Printing Service & Equipment.

Crazy: Yes, I have the right number. I'm telling you, he's worked at [insert company name] for 30 years.

Me: Sir, this is Brooks Printing Service & Equipment, not [insert company name].

Crazy: I know he works there. Well, I'll just call him on his damned cell phone. I think I've got the number.

Me: Ummm... thank you, sir.

I love the crazies. They make my day. :D

Blah, blah, blah

So, I'm bored. I dislike my job. I want to quit, but I cannot. I need the money (I would complain about the mortgage payment but I love the house too much to do so). The economy is beyond sucking. So, I cannot find another job. It pretty much blows. A lot. I've been trying to stay positive about my job. It's hard to do though. I'm sick of it. At least I have my Fridays off now. It makes it much easier to tolerate.

Even though I am currently stuck, I've been trying to think about what I want to do with my life. What have I come up with? Nothing. I have no idea. I'm completely lost. What do I want to do with my life? A million different things. I've thought about going to seminary. I've thought about becoming a cop (weird, huh?!). I've thought about becoming a nurse (scary considering the fact that I'm a belonephobiac). Most of what I've really thought about requires more education. I'm kind of, sort of ready to go back to school... almost. But, I couldn't go back to school right now even if I was ready because of financial reasons.

What I'm dreaming about now is finishing this book and then it creating enough income for myself so that I can stay at home and just write. I know... it's incredibly unlikely. And even if it does happen, I'm sure it will not be for a long time. Especially since I have very little motivation to do much writing. I'm doing a lot of reading right now, but very litting writing. I need to get going in a higher gear. It's just hard to be motivated when I'm feeling lousy about the job and feeling so unsure about where my life is headed.

Ugh. At least things are getting better. I'm watching more of what I eat and I'm getting enough exercise. I've lost some weight. I look better. I'm just waiting for my mind to follow the lead of my body. :)

Random Life...

My weight loss program isn't going so hot. I've stayed pretty much the same weight. I'm noticing that I look and feel better though, so at least I've got that.

This weather is going to drive me crazy. I don't know whether I love it or I hate it. It's insane because it's in the 70s in February. February is winter. It should not be 70 degrees until at least April. At least. Probably not until May or June. At least I got to see snow twice this winter. Damn early spring. That groundhog was so wrong. Even if it isn't supposed to be like this, it is so nice!

We went hiking on Sunday. We went to Joe's Uncle Joe's property at South Mountain. We took all 4 dogs because they don't have to be on leashes there. They just walk a little big ahead of Joe and I. They had a wonderful time. We hiked to the waterfall and then Joe and I had lunch. There was still ice on the water around the edges (even though it was in the 70s), but that didn't stop Cody, Daly, and Jippy from jumping in (of course Jack stayed out of that cold water! He wouldn't have jumped in if it were warm!). Jippy stopped after one time, but Cody and Daly just kept going back in. Cody kept trying to get the huge chunks of ice (like he normally does with sticks that we throw in the water). It was really cute. Joe tried to help him get a big piece with a stick, but then Cody just became more interested in the stick than the ice. He's adorable. Anyway, we hiked back to the road after a while.

I don't know if I blogged about this yet, but my hours have been rearranged at work and now I only work 7:30 to 5:30 Monday through Thursday and I have a 3 day weekend. It is so wonderful. I can actually get things done around the house! This Friday, I will be devoting less time to cleaning and organizing the house (as I have done the past 2 Fridays), and instead, I will be working some more on my book. News about the book: our computer crashed last week and I lost all that I had typed up about the book. No, I didn't have it backed up anywhere. However, I do have a handwritten version of all of my notes and outlines. :)

Also, I don't think I blogged about this either. Joe and I have talked about getting married. I know, we're insane. Don't worry; it will still be a while. We've just decided that whenever it happens, we are now ready for it. We want to take several days off work and rent a cabin in the mountains. A cabin big enough for a lot of people. We're going to invite our closest relatives and friends (definitely no more than 50 people, but probably closer to 30). Anyone who would like to stay at the cabin is welcome to. We'll spend a few days hanging out, then have a very small ceremony on our anniversary (September 23). Then after that, we'll have a reception and hang out for a while and then kick everyone out so that we can have a short honeymoon. :)

So far, we are thinking probably 2011. We have our vacation for this year planned (KOREA in less than a month!!!) and we are planning on going to Rome next year, but we have no vacation plans so far for 2011. So, don't make any plans for September 23, 2011. It's quite possible that you'll be attending our wedding. :) Of course, Joe still has to officially ask me to marry him. But that is just a minor detail. lol :) With plans for 2011, I don't think there is any real hurry. It's still 2.5 years away!

What I'm Thankful For...

1. My wonderful family: Joe, Jack, Cody, Jippy, & Daly. My babies are smart and sweet and beautiful.
2. My fantastic friends.
3. My healed relationships with my parents and sister.
4. A house not in Crackton.
5. Four-Day weekends :)
6. A degree in Religion & Philosophy (I can't believe I finished in May... It seems so long ago now).
7. Mario Kart. It's amazing how much fun it can be. Especially with cool people.
8. Black Bean Soup. It's just so incredibly comforting and delicious. :)
9. Good books... like the Twilight Saga and White Oleander. You just can't beat curling up with a good book.
10. Rain. It rained yesterday. I missed that a lot during the drought (technically a lot of NC is still in a drought -- Shelby is still in a Severe drought, Salisbury is in a Moderate drought, and Charlotte is still "Abnormally Dry", but there are now only 6 counties in an "Exceptional Drought" and only 8 counties in the slightly less bad "Extreme Drought." See the link for more info.).
11. Autumn. There actually was a fall in North Carolina this year. It was beautiful. Oh, how I have missed the change in seasons. Indiana always changes dramatically and I missed that in NC. I didn't have to miss it this year! :)
12. Hope. In many things. A hopeful change in direction for the way our country is headed. A possibility of snow in Shelby, North Carolina. :) A house in a nice neighborhood. A lot of things.
13. Having tickets to South Korea to see a couple of amazingly awesome people.
14. A job. Not my dream job. Not an exciting job. But, a job. That pays pretty well. And that is something that no everyone has. Especially with the way the world is right now.
15. A clean conscience (vegetarian since August 20, 2007). I can look animals in the eye without the guilt of knowing that their kin had to die for my dinner. :)
16. Netflix. It is so awesome that I can watch movies and tv shows online. It makes me happy.
17. Good television. Mostly The Big Bang Theory and Heroes. They keep me entertained on Monday nights while Joe is gone to his basketball game. :) And to go along with this, Sylar... Wonderful character. You have to love the bad guy who has the potential for something good. Keeps me on the edge of my seat. And I would totally date any of the guys from Big Bang. They are awesome! lol

And so much more... I am just thankful for the here and now. :) It's wonderful.

AAAAHHHHHHHHH!

That pretty much sums up my life right now.

Just a quick update...

1. The house is still not finished. Buddy is still not finished with the tile despite all of the promises to be done by the time we got back. I don't think he even started until yesterday. Buddy didn't even touch the tile in the half bathroom. The kitchen STILL is not finished. The master bath is starting to resemble a bathroom now, but it is probably going to take Buddy weeks to get any further. However, if he's not finished by this weekend, he should be hung until dead for being such an imbecile. The plumbers did not do all they were supposed to do and now we have no hot water (which is an absolutely wonderful thing to come home to... NOT!). Our hardwood floors have been refinished. They look wonderful. The countertops were delayed. Again. They're supposed to be in next week. They won't tell us an exact date. Jerks. The plumbing in the kitchen can't be finished in the kitchen until the countertops are put in, so we have no water in the kitchen either.
   
   
2. The GraphExpo was incredibly boring. I met some people. I wandered around and got blisters on my feet. Joe and I went to the Shedd Aquarium and the Field Museum while we were there. We also just wandered around the city. We had to do some shopping on Sunday when we arrived because we couldn't do laundry before we left (the plumbers cancelled 3 times in a row so we had no water), and therefore, we had no clothing to pack. I got some new clothes out of it, so at least something positive came out of it.
   
   
3. We are almost finished with the house in Crackton. I am leaving work early today to finish cleaning it up and to do some touch up painting (the power will be turned off at 4:30 today). All of our stuff is out of that house. And most of it is sitting in the garage in Shelby. We started moving some stuff in last night. However, there is only so much we can do when we can't use our bedroom, our bathroom, the half-bath, or the kitchen. It's so incredibly frustrating.

It was nice to at least have a few days away from it all. Now, I'm way behind at work, and only the tiniest bit further to being done. Yay.

Taxes...

Okay. So I did the math. I have over 25% of my check taken away from me by the government. First of all, I don't make that much money. Secondly, if the government can't be trusted to spend the money they take from me wisely, they should leave it alone. I'd do a better job of stimulating the economy if they'd just let me keep it. I mean, if I had that extra quarter of my paycheck back, I would be very much likely to buy a house. I would not have to worry so much about being thrifty with my money. So, I'd buy stuff. And then other people would profit. Especially since I buy lots of local stuff. And I spend most of my money on books and food (restaurants... which are most of the time family owned restaurants, not franchises).

That government stimulus check? I spent it on vet bills for Daly to get spayed so that I wouldn't have to have the government spend more money to gas the innocent pups that she would give birth to.

I'm a responsible citizen. I spend my money wisely. I buy local. I try to help the economy.

What does the government do with the money they take away from me?? They use it for worthy causes, I'm sure. Like war and lining the pockets of corrupt politicians (you know, prostitutes, hush money, and the like). Not that I'm against prostitution. People should be able to do whatever they want with their bodies, including sell it for sexual purposes. I just don't think that my hard earned money should be buying sex for the politicians who are going to tell me that I live my life in the wrong manner (damn conservative hipocrites!).

Okay. So, I'm feeling a bit cynical about our government today. At least I live in a place that will allow me to openly bitch about what a bad job the government is doing. I love and appreciate that greatly! :)

Oh, but good news. Joe comes home tonight! Yay! I haven't seen him since very early Monday morning. He'll arrive by plane in Charlotte at 9:18 tonight. That is if he doesn't miss his flight. **Fingers Crossed**