A busy, full, weekend, but relaxing in its own way. Mabon camping, a wedding to officiate and school or work...whew!
Thursday, I worked early, then went to class. Took the second half of the day off so we could get to the campsite and set up before dark. I got my stuff packed, picked up my friend Tom, and off we went. We did manage to get set up in decent time, though it was dark by the time we were finished. The rain did not help. It wasn't heavy rain, but it was quite muddy, and all the wood was wet. Eventually, we got a fire going, and after a nosh, headed over toward the drumming and fire circle. Poor FoxWoman was struggling with wet wood, too, and eventually the bow-drill gave way to the magic of matches and lighters to get the fire started. Yay, alchemy! We didn't stay too long, but it was good to see who was in camp and get a bit of dancing in.
Friday morning, up at the crack of dawn, since I had class and Tom had work, all at 8:00 a.m. I don't know how I made it through the day, but I suspect the large mug of coffee heavily laced with cream and sugar had something to do with it! After class, I scooted down to the Abq BioPark for the wedding rehearsal. We only had time for a quick walk-through, but it was enough. I got my robe and stole that Erich and Celeste had made for me, and swung by the house to grab a couple of things that we needed for camp. Pick Tom up from work, and back to camp we go!
Friday was a bit easier with the fire-starting, though it was still a bit damp. I'd grabbed some drier wood from my house, and that helped a lot. Dinner was ramen noodles, char-grilled chicken and peaches for dessert. Got done in time to head for the bardic circle, and caught the last go-round. I sang my song that I'd written at EMG again, and Matti sang his latest one "Alive", which he had debuted at Beltane. So much talent from all in this community, too. The transition from the bardic fire to the dance/drum fire was really neat. A procession of torches lit from the bardic fire, leading us all to the other circle. A huge gong, lots of drums and other instruments, all sorts of joyous noises! I danced and sang and drummed a bit, and generally had a good time. Good drink, good smoke, good friends...Gods, it's good to be home!
Saturday morning, up early again. Work for the Tom, and I have to get ready for the wedding. Ok, I admit it, I went home and got a bit of a nap, too! :-) Headed over to my friend Yvonne's house, and she helped me do my hair and makeup. I wanted to be clean and nice for the wedding, and well, if it got any notice from certain fellows in camp, I wouldn't complain! We did take pictures, and those will go up on the Facebook shortly. I really think I looked good, which is rare for me.
The wedding went beautifully. It was small and intimate, and the happy couple were just awesome together. This was the first wedding I've ever officiated, and I was a bit nervous, too. Guess I did okay, though! Paperwork done, I got a bit of a nosh while the pictures were being taken, and then headed off to get Tom and go back to camp. I was still wearing my nice clothes when we got there, and as we'd eaten already, we just grabbed some stuff and headed down to the fire circle. It was an awesome circle. I got warm and had to run back to my tent to change into something cooler. The fire was very large and hot, and eventually, it was just a bumper sticker in action...Happy Naked Pagan Dance! Not me, of course, I don't do skyclad, but I did end up ditching my t-shirt for a while and just wearing my bra and jeans. The ground was cold, so I had to put my boots back on after a while. It was good to see everyone having so much fun. The energy was great, and it was truly magical. Even Tom got out and danced a bit!
Today was a day off, and we got up later than we had been doing. Eggs and bacon for breakfast, and we managed to catch the last workshop of the weekend, a talk by Dorothy Morrison. We finished breaking camp, and were almost done when they called for closing ritual. It was a nice one, and then people started saying goodbyes. Lots of hugs, and then I got the truck moved closer to camp so we could pack out. It didn't really take long, and we were back in town by a quarter to two. I dropped Tom off at his place, then came home and unloaded the truck. A bit of a nap and decompression and I think I'm good to go again.
So, there's a brief overview of my busy weekend! Work hard and play hard, for sure.
Showing posts with label work. Show all posts
Showing posts with label work. Show all posts
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Sunday, April 12, 2009
My Bi-Polar Life
It has been another rollercoaster week.
Losing Stormy last Friday was, and is, really rough. The house is too quiet, even with my other cat, Ghost, here. I'm keeping an eye on her to see how she does with being an only cat, especially with me out of the house so much. If she gets too lonely, it will influence whether I think about getting another cat to keep her company. I am also concerned about not being able to be there to help integrate another feline to the household. No hurry, honestly, just things to consider.
I did get the grave dug today, after the rains stopped. The first place I chose had too many tree roots and I couldn't do anything with it. I settled on a spot by the back wall. I'm thinking maybe a 6 p.m. funeral, since some of my friends have expressed an interest in coming to pay respects. For now, I have a cat in my freezer. A bit macabre, perhaps, but his box is surrounded by my frozen seafood stash, so I suppose it's somewhat fitting, and I hope Stormy doesn't mind.
Had another test in EMT class this past week, and two online quizzes to do. The test had stuff that, again, we hadn't gone over yet, so I only got 89.8 on it. I wanted to do better. The quizzes have pulled 96 each, and I can live with that. I don't like taking exams on the computer. What worries me is Monday's final written exam, because it's obviously comprehensive, and there are several chapters not covered in lectures that we will need to know. After the final, we concentrate on skills lab, with those tests being done the next week. If we pass all that, we get our completion certificates which will let us sit for the state exams in June. Whew!
Math class is going fine, I'm carrying an A there with no problems. I am confident that I'll do fine on that final in a couple of weeks. We did have a chapter exam Friday, and I did alright on that, I'm sure.
Also on Friday, I registered for Summer Term. I got all but the biggest class I need to take, and I just can't do the other one and still manage to work. I have to survive, first and foremost, and I'd lose 3/5 of my workweek if I tried to take the Advanced Trauma. So, it looks like it'll be Pharmacology, Drug Calculations (only one month of Mondays), Legal Issues & Reporting (1st half), GI/GU Emergencies (2nd half), and Human Systems & Development (anatomy/physiology stuff).
So much for the usual....I will have to miss a day of class and a couple of days of work at the end of May, as I need to make a quick trip to Chicago. I have an appointment for a live audition to possibly be a Jeopardy! contestant!! How cool is that? It'll be a whirlwind trip, I'm afraid, as I have to be back on Saturday to make it to “The Brothers Ericksen Puppet Movie Mayhem and Variety Show” at the Guild Cinema. It's a must-see for so many reasons! Anyway, I'm thinking of raising money for my trip by selling homemade bread and cookies. Many of my co-workers have said they'll buy some already. I find myself truly needing a mixer now, but haven't been able to find an affordable stand mixer that's sturdy enough to meet my needs. The KitchenAids at Wal-mart are too low powered, and too small. A KitchenAid Professional 600 would be nice, and I could manage an Electrolux Assistent DLX-2000, I'd be in heaven! Right now, though, I don't even have the budget for a Sunbeam or Hamilton Beach cheapie.
Beltane is coming up in a few weeks, and I'll be helping with the Main Ritual. I plan to be healthier and better prepared for Beltane this year. More warm clothes and blankets, and, gods willing, I'll be able to find myself a willing human space heater! (Better plan on finding new longjohns, I'm afraid, especially compared to my slim chances of getting the warm body of my choice into the ol' bedroll.)
...Post-movie now, and home again. Went to the Guild to see The Dark Crystal. Yeah, big screen. Plus, one of the guys who worked on puppetry for both this and Labyrinth is a local, so he was there to do comments and Q&A afterwards. A nice geek's night out, as I got my ticket early then went over and had a snack at Flying Star while waiting for the movie. So, naturally, as I was walking home after midnight, I was singing Patsy Cline songs to myself....
Tomorrow morning, some of our geek crew is meeting for Sunday brunch. Seems like a good time to do it, even though most of us don't celebrate Easter all that much. Off to bed, then!
Losing Stormy last Friday was, and is, really rough. The house is too quiet, even with my other cat, Ghost, here. I'm keeping an eye on her to see how she does with being an only cat, especially with me out of the house so much. If she gets too lonely, it will influence whether I think about getting another cat to keep her company. I am also concerned about not being able to be there to help integrate another feline to the household. No hurry, honestly, just things to consider.
I did get the grave dug today, after the rains stopped. The first place I chose had too many tree roots and I couldn't do anything with it. I settled on a spot by the back wall. I'm thinking maybe a 6 p.m. funeral, since some of my friends have expressed an interest in coming to pay respects. For now, I have a cat in my freezer. A bit macabre, perhaps, but his box is surrounded by my frozen seafood stash, so I suppose it's somewhat fitting, and I hope Stormy doesn't mind.
Had another test in EMT class this past week, and two online quizzes to do. The test had stuff that, again, we hadn't gone over yet, so I only got 89.8 on it. I wanted to do better. The quizzes have pulled 96 each, and I can live with that. I don't like taking exams on the computer. What worries me is Monday's final written exam, because it's obviously comprehensive, and there are several chapters not covered in lectures that we will need to know. After the final, we concentrate on skills lab, with those tests being done the next week. If we pass all that, we get our completion certificates which will let us sit for the state exams in June. Whew!
Math class is going fine, I'm carrying an A there with no problems. I am confident that I'll do fine on that final in a couple of weeks. We did have a chapter exam Friday, and I did alright on that, I'm sure.
Also on Friday, I registered for Summer Term. I got all but the biggest class I need to take, and I just can't do the other one and still manage to work. I have to survive, first and foremost, and I'd lose 3/5 of my workweek if I tried to take the Advanced Trauma. So, it looks like it'll be Pharmacology, Drug Calculations (only one month of Mondays), Legal Issues & Reporting (1st half), GI/GU Emergencies (2nd half), and Human Systems & Development (anatomy/physiology stuff).
So much for the usual....I will have to miss a day of class and a couple of days of work at the end of May, as I need to make a quick trip to Chicago. I have an appointment for a live audition to possibly be a Jeopardy! contestant!! How cool is that? It'll be a whirlwind trip, I'm afraid, as I have to be back on Saturday to make it to “The Brothers Ericksen Puppet Movie Mayhem and Variety Show” at the Guild Cinema. It's a must-see for so many reasons! Anyway, I'm thinking of raising money for my trip by selling homemade bread and cookies. Many of my co-workers have said they'll buy some already. I find myself truly needing a mixer now, but haven't been able to find an affordable stand mixer that's sturdy enough to meet my needs. The KitchenAids at Wal-mart are too low powered, and too small. A KitchenAid Professional 600 would be nice, and I could manage an Electrolux Assistent DLX-2000, I'd be in heaven! Right now, though, I don't even have the budget for a Sunbeam or Hamilton Beach cheapie.
Beltane is coming up in a few weeks, and I'll be helping with the Main Ritual. I plan to be healthier and better prepared for Beltane this year. More warm clothes and blankets, and, gods willing, I'll be able to find myself a willing human space heater! (Better plan on finding new longjohns, I'm afraid, especially compared to my slim chances of getting the warm body of my choice into the ol' bedroll.)
...Post-movie now, and home again. Went to the Guild to see The Dark Crystal. Yeah, big screen. Plus, one of the guys who worked on puppetry for both this and Labyrinth is a local, so he was there to do comments and Q&A afterwards. A nice geek's night out, as I got my ticket early then went over and had a snack at Flying Star while waiting for the movie. So, naturally, as I was walking home after midnight, I was singing Patsy Cline songs to myself....
Tomorrow morning, some of our geek crew is meeting for Sunday brunch. Seems like a good time to do it, even though most of us don't celebrate Easter all that much. Off to bed, then!
Saturday, February 28, 2009
'Bout dang time!
Okay, let me catch you all up on progress so far.
I am getting A's in both my classes, EMT and Algebra, though it's not a cruising A. I'm working for it, and while the math is not too hard, I get tired and do silly mistakes if I'm not careful. EMT stuff is harder, of course, and makes for a lot of memorization in brain as well as hands. But I'm confident that I'll do well.
I've filled out my FAFSA for next school year, and we'll see if I can qualify for some financial aid. If it's enough, I would consider going to school full-time for the paramedic courses.
Work has been "meh". It's work, and the good calls and bad calls average out on most days. It's the ones that come in at the last second and keep me way past my scheduled time that honk me off. That, and the ones transferred from another center in particular; no info gathered that the rep should have gotten, nothing done at all, and sometimes they don't even tell the customer that they'll be getting transferred. Grrrr!
I have been getting out and about a bit, though not as much as I'd like. Ryan and I did get together last night for margaritas and Buffy DVDs, and it was worth skipping the margarita night with my co-workers. I should stay away from tequila, though, because that's the one booze that ever gave me a hangover. Granted, that was over 20 years ago, but I don't care to go through that ever again! Just gotta remember to eat, and drink water.
Laundry today, while I catch up on the blog and my surfing. I'll study more tomorrow, as we have a quiz Monday morning. Memorizing drug doses and rules is very important, so it's good that we're getting another quiz on it.
The weather has started to get nice, and the sunshine makes it feel warmer than the thermometer says it is. I'm just looking forward to getting out on my bicycle again. Next weekend, when I'm helping with the Medieval conference (MAP 2009) at UNM, I'm just going to leave the truck at home and do the bus/bike thing. Saves on parking fees, too. As a bonus, the more I can walk/bike, the better my success with losing weight! I splurged on a couple of pairs of jeans at the thrift store, and ended up going with the pairs that I thought would be too small when I pulled them from the rack! Nice feeling, that. Pretty soon, I hope to be freecycling some of my clothes that have gotten too big.
I'm working on getting the needed repairs done on my truck. I have gotten hooked up with a local charity called Pit Stop Ministry that helps folks fix up and maintain cars. They will help me with my brakes! I need to get the front right hub bearing replaced first (about $300) and as much of the rest of the front end as I can manage, then front brakes will be done in March, rear at the April clinic, and then I can get the tires and alignment. The truck will be paid off in May or June, and then things should improve greatly. My EMT test will be in June, and we'll go on from there!
Other than that, Ostara's coming, and that's gonna be a nice celebration. On top of St. Paddy's Day earlier that week, I'm gonna get my share of socializing, I'm sure! Work hard, play hard. Sounds like a plan.
I am getting A's in both my classes, EMT and Algebra, though it's not a cruising A. I'm working for it, and while the math is not too hard, I get tired and do silly mistakes if I'm not careful. EMT stuff is harder, of course, and makes for a lot of memorization in brain as well as hands. But I'm confident that I'll do well.
I've filled out my FAFSA for next school year, and we'll see if I can qualify for some financial aid. If it's enough, I would consider going to school full-time for the paramedic courses.
Work has been "meh". It's work, and the good calls and bad calls average out on most days. It's the ones that come in at the last second and keep me way past my scheduled time that honk me off. That, and the ones transferred from another center in particular; no info gathered that the rep should have gotten, nothing done at all, and sometimes they don't even tell the customer that they'll be getting transferred. Grrrr!
I have been getting out and about a bit, though not as much as I'd like. Ryan and I did get together last night for margaritas and Buffy DVDs, and it was worth skipping the margarita night with my co-workers. I should stay away from tequila, though, because that's the one booze that ever gave me a hangover. Granted, that was over 20 years ago, but I don't care to go through that ever again! Just gotta remember to eat, and drink water.
Laundry today, while I catch up on the blog and my surfing. I'll study more tomorrow, as we have a quiz Monday morning. Memorizing drug doses and rules is very important, so it's good that we're getting another quiz on it.
The weather has started to get nice, and the sunshine makes it feel warmer than the thermometer says it is. I'm just looking forward to getting out on my bicycle again. Next weekend, when I'm helping with the Medieval conference (MAP 2009) at UNM, I'm just going to leave the truck at home and do the bus/bike thing. Saves on parking fees, too. As a bonus, the more I can walk/bike, the better my success with losing weight! I splurged on a couple of pairs of jeans at the thrift store, and ended up going with the pairs that I thought would be too small when I pulled them from the rack! Nice feeling, that. Pretty soon, I hope to be freecycling some of my clothes that have gotten too big.
I'm working on getting the needed repairs done on my truck. I have gotten hooked up with a local charity called Pit Stop Ministry that helps folks fix up and maintain cars. They will help me with my brakes! I need to get the front right hub bearing replaced first (about $300) and as much of the rest of the front end as I can manage, then front brakes will be done in March, rear at the April clinic, and then I can get the tires and alignment. The truck will be paid off in May or June, and then things should improve greatly. My EMT test will be in June, and we'll go on from there!
Other than that, Ostara's coming, and that's gonna be a nice celebration. On top of St. Paddy's Day earlier that week, I'm gonna get my share of socializing, I'm sure! Work hard, play hard. Sounds like a plan.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
I'm an Auntie!!
Woohoo! I can tell y'all about it now.
My brother and his wife will be returning from Colombia in a week or so, with my new nephew and niece in tow. The kids are blood siblings, so it's good that they can stay together in their new family. I always said that Frank would make our mom a grandma first, anyway.
Work is crazy, we're shorthanded and swamped, and tempers are starting to flare. Dissatisfaction is growing, and it makes me glad that I'm going to school already. I just hope things stay stable till I'm ready to move on.
School's keeping me busy, of course, but I think I'm doing okay. Still readjusting to the schedule demands, but trying to stay ahead of things. I've finished the Clinical Prep class, as of today, and got my certification cards for
I did finally succumb to the pressure to try World of Warcraft. Biggest problem was getting the dang program to download and install. I've got a character and have done one little quest, but have been too tired to do much more than that. My trial will end soon, unfortunately, so I'm not sure if I'm gonna try to get a paid account or not. I'm just not that into it, yet, and the expense is a deterrent, too. I really don't need another indoor activity.
I did manage to get my eye exam on Thursday, and am working with a trial pair of contact lenses in the new prescription. They seem to work well, though the doc did advise a weak pair of reading glasses for close up work. Wonder if I can get a pair that look like Dumbledore's glasses? Probably can, actually....
Tomorrow's the Imbolc celebration here in town, and I plan to go. It's an indoor event, as it's still a tad chilly to be out in the evenings. The days are getting a bit warmer, though. I've started hearing birdsong in the mornings, and the sun seems to be showing itself more. It's cooling off tonight, though, and there is snow in the forecast for many parts of the state. It would be a good night to curl up by a fireplace, if I had one. I'll make do with a pot of tea and a warm laptop, I guess!
My brother and his wife will be returning from Colombia in a week or so, with my new nephew and niece in tow. The kids are blood siblings, so it's good that they can stay together in their new family. I always said that Frank would make our mom a grandma first, anyway.
Work is crazy, we're shorthanded and swamped, and tempers are starting to flare. Dissatisfaction is growing, and it makes me glad that I'm going to school already. I just hope things stay stable till I'm ready to move on.
School's keeping me busy, of course, but I think I'm doing okay. Still readjusting to the schedule demands, but trying to stay ahead of things. I've finished the Clinical Prep class, as of today, and got my certification cards for
I did finally succumb to the pressure to try World of Warcraft. Biggest problem was getting the dang program to download and install. I've got a character and have done one little quest, but have been too tired to do much more than that. My trial will end soon, unfortunately, so I'm not sure if I'm gonna try to get a paid account or not. I'm just not that into it, yet, and the expense is a deterrent, too. I really don't need another indoor activity.
I did manage to get my eye exam on Thursday, and am working with a trial pair of contact lenses in the new prescription. They seem to work well, though the doc did advise a weak pair of reading glasses for close up work. Wonder if I can get a pair that look like Dumbledore's glasses? Probably can, actually....
Tomorrow's the Imbolc celebration here in town, and I plan to go. It's an indoor event, as it's still a tad chilly to be out in the evenings. The days are getting a bit warmer, though. I've started hearing birdsong in the mornings, and the sun seems to be showing itself more. It's cooling off tonight, though, and there is snow in the forecast for many parts of the state. It would be a good night to curl up by a fireplace, if I had one. I'll make do with a pot of tea and a warm laptop, I guess!
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Whee...adjusting to school and work
At last, a chance to blog. It's been a busy week, with school starting, changes in my work schedule because of it, and even some social activities.
School is good so far, despite the adjustment to getting up very early. I'm up at 6:30 a.m., with classes starting at 8:00 on Monday and Wednesday, or 8:30 on Friday. Add to that my work, which goes till 9:30 at least, and it makes for a long day. I'm glad to be able to recover on the other days! I have homework already, of course, and I needed to replace my printer. Darn thing starts off fine, then fades out halfway through the page. The ink is full, so I can't figure out what's going on. I think it's just worn out, as it was a cheap one to begin with. Luckily, I found another one that uses the same cartridges. Our EMT lectures have powerpoint slides, and we need to print out copies to make notes with.
I'm grateful to my friend Ryan for giving me a calculator to use for my algebra class. The prof prefers that we use them, which is very unusual to me. I can see his point, though, as the process of doing the algebra is far more important to learn, and we should all know math by now, so why waste time on doing it all by hand. I still do some of it in my head, though!
We don't have class tomorrow, for the MLK, Jr. holiday, but that just gives me a chance to catch up for Wednesday's class. There's a lot to learn, and I'm glad that I have a whole semester to do it in. I'm not sure which class will be hardest, so I'm trying to take it a bit at a time. There are many changes in the whole classroom setting, especially the online part. Yeah....last time I was in college for any length of time, there was no such thing! Now, my textbooks come with DVDs and online materials that are required for quizzes and tests. Very strange.
I have also had to break down and get a coffeemaker. It's a 4-cup, freecycled, but it's enough to get me through a morning. Finally found a use for the travel mug I got at the Woodwind/Brasswind! I'm not a big coffee drinker, honestly, but I may turn into one at this rate. I got myself some good coffee, too. All I need are some filters, and I'm running some weak vinegar water through it to make sure it's clean.
I also managed to come up with a better desktop computer over the weekend, on the extreme cheap, and have been putting it together. I'm missing some of my disks, so it was trial and error getting it going. Had to reformat and do a fresh install on the HD, and all I had available was XP Home. I much prefer Pro, and now that I've got the thing set up and online, I think I'll be upgrading at least that far soon. I'm tempted to try out Windows 7 Beta, and there's always Ubuntu, if I can ever manage to get it downloaded.
As for the socializing, one of my co-workers hosted a RockBand party at a local gaming center. I've never played it before, and was happy to find out that there's even a way to play by singing! Don't know how it compares to Guitar Hero, which I've also not played, but I really had a fun time with the crew from work. That was Saturday, and Friday was the ASFS meeting (which I missed 95% of, naturally) so I got to have some weekend fun. Coming up this Friday, a band containing two other co-workers is playing at a local bar, so I'll be going to that, I think.
All work and no play makes Harriet a raving stress-bomb, so hopefully I'll get to keep balancing the two.
School is good so far, despite the adjustment to getting up very early. I'm up at 6:30 a.m., with classes starting at 8:00 on Monday and Wednesday, or 8:30 on Friday. Add to that my work, which goes till 9:30 at least, and it makes for a long day. I'm glad to be able to recover on the other days! I have homework already, of course, and I needed to replace my printer. Darn thing starts off fine, then fades out halfway through the page. The ink is full, so I can't figure out what's going on. I think it's just worn out, as it was a cheap one to begin with. Luckily, I found another one that uses the same cartridges. Our EMT lectures have powerpoint slides, and we need to print out copies to make notes with.
I'm grateful to my friend Ryan for giving me a calculator to use for my algebra class. The prof prefers that we use them, which is very unusual to me. I can see his point, though, as the process of doing the algebra is far more important to learn, and we should all know math by now, so why waste time on doing it all by hand. I still do some of it in my head, though!
We don't have class tomorrow, for the MLK, Jr. holiday, but that just gives me a chance to catch up for Wednesday's class. There's a lot to learn, and I'm glad that I have a whole semester to do it in. I'm not sure which class will be hardest, so I'm trying to take it a bit at a time. There are many changes in the whole classroom setting, especially the online part. Yeah....last time I was in college for any length of time, there was no such thing! Now, my textbooks come with DVDs and online materials that are required for quizzes and tests. Very strange.
I have also had to break down and get a coffeemaker. It's a 4-cup, freecycled, but it's enough to get me through a morning. Finally found a use for the travel mug I got at the Woodwind/Brasswind! I'm not a big coffee drinker, honestly, but I may turn into one at this rate. I got myself some good coffee, too. All I need are some filters, and I'm running some weak vinegar water through it to make sure it's clean.
I also managed to come up with a better desktop computer over the weekend, on the extreme cheap, and have been putting it together. I'm missing some of my disks, so it was trial and error getting it going. Had to reformat and do a fresh install on the HD, and all I had available was XP Home. I much prefer Pro, and now that I've got the thing set up and online, I think I'll be upgrading at least that far soon. I'm tempted to try out Windows 7 Beta, and there's always Ubuntu, if I can ever manage to get it downloaded.
As for the socializing, one of my co-workers hosted a RockBand party at a local gaming center. I've never played it before, and was happy to find out that there's even a way to play by singing! Don't know how it compares to Guitar Hero, which I've also not played, but I really had a fun time with the crew from work. That was Saturday, and Friday was the ASFS meeting (which I missed 95% of, naturally) so I got to have some weekend fun. Coming up this Friday, a band containing two other co-workers is playing at a local bar, so I'll be going to that, I think.
All work and no play makes Harriet a raving stress-bomb, so hopefully I'll get to keep balancing the two.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
What a week!
Finally feeling up to a bit of blogging tonight. It's been a rough week. My broken tooth started acting up again, and developed an abcess infection. Not good, especially for someone who talks for a living! Luckily, my dental insurance kicked in on New Year's Day, and I was able to go to a dental clinic on Friday morning before work. Yay!
For now, the dentist was able to clean out some of the decayed tooth, pack medicine into it, drain some of the infection and put a temporary patch on the tooth. No more broken edge for a while, the swelling is going down, and the pain is subsiding. I have pain pills and antibiotics, and an appointment for Thursday to go back for an exam. Now the long-term work starts, to get my mouth healthy again. I'm just glad that I can eat and sleep. Granted, today started with me feeling like someone had punched me in the face! The only time I'm ever accused of having a small mouth is when I'm getting dental work, and my muscles are a bit sore. On the plus side, it looks like they'll be able to save the bad molar without too much trouble, and eventually straighten my front teeth.
Work was really busy this week, almost too hectic. I guess a lot of people got new computers or aircards for Christmas! It's rough when there's no time between calls to gather your thoughts or reset your brain, and most of our tech support calls are fairly long. Lunchtimes and breaks are often delayed till you can finish a call. At least my customers can't hear my stomach growl!
I'm looking forward to starting classes on the 12th. I've gotten one of my books in the mail already, and the others should be arriving soon. I'll have to pick the last one up at the bookstore when they open up again, since it's only available there. I think I've got the rest of what I need, though I might have to get a calculator if I can't find mine. I'm sure I'll find out more once I get to class.
For New Year's, I did go over to a friend's house after work that night, but left shortly after midnight due to my toothache. Had to work New Year's Day anyway, so didn't want to be out too late, especially that night.
I did go out on Monday night, though, to see a local band, My Majestic Mind. Two of the guys in the band are co-workers of mine. Good stuff, very talented group, and it was fun. Gonna hit their next show in a few weeks, too. They have a MySpace if you want to check them out.
Other than that, I've been working on a few projects. I'm still baking what I can, have some sewing to do, and am writing my latest bit of fiction. I've also got some non-fiction writing planned that will be shared online. More on that when it's ready to go.
Hopes and goals for 2009? Sure, I've got 'em. I'm optimistic, overall, as far as the material things I want to accomplish. The personal stuff, well, what I can control, I will. What I can't control, I will let the universe take care of. That's the harder part, for me, honestly. We'll see how that works out!
For now, the dentist was able to clean out some of the decayed tooth, pack medicine into it, drain some of the infection and put a temporary patch on the tooth. No more broken edge for a while, the swelling is going down, and the pain is subsiding. I have pain pills and antibiotics, and an appointment for Thursday to go back for an exam. Now the long-term work starts, to get my mouth healthy again. I'm just glad that I can eat and sleep. Granted, today started with me feeling like someone had punched me in the face! The only time I'm ever accused of having a small mouth is when I'm getting dental work, and my muscles are a bit sore. On the plus side, it looks like they'll be able to save the bad molar without too much trouble, and eventually straighten my front teeth.
Work was really busy this week, almost too hectic. I guess a lot of people got new computers or aircards for Christmas! It's rough when there's no time between calls to gather your thoughts or reset your brain, and most of our tech support calls are fairly long. Lunchtimes and breaks are often delayed till you can finish a call. At least my customers can't hear my stomach growl!
I'm looking forward to starting classes on the 12th. I've gotten one of my books in the mail already, and the others should be arriving soon. I'll have to pick the last one up at the bookstore when they open up again, since it's only available there. I think I've got the rest of what I need, though I might have to get a calculator if I can't find mine. I'm sure I'll find out more once I get to class.
For New Year's, I did go over to a friend's house after work that night, but left shortly after midnight due to my toothache. Had to work New Year's Day anyway, so didn't want to be out too late, especially that night.
I did go out on Monday night, though, to see a local band, My Majestic Mind. Two of the guys in the band are co-workers of mine. Good stuff, very talented group, and it was fun. Gonna hit their next show in a few weeks, too. They have a MySpace if you want to check them out.
Other than that, I've been working on a few projects. I'm still baking what I can, have some sewing to do, and am writing my latest bit of fiction. I've also got some non-fiction writing planned that will be shared online. More on that when it's ready to go.
Hopes and goals for 2009? Sure, I've got 'em. I'm optimistic, overall, as far as the material things I want to accomplish. The personal stuff, well, what I can control, I will. What I can't control, I will let the universe take care of. That's the harder part, for me, honestly. We'll see how that works out!
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Stick a fork in me, I'm done.
Seriously, is today over yet?
Thursday was good, had way too much food for Thanksgiving, and got to see Kung Fu Panda, among other DVDs. Good times.
Yesterday, back to work. Not fun. Everybody had to work. This means that there are not enough desks to go around, even if all the computers and phones at those desks worked. Which they don't. People would go to lunch and someone else would just chuck their stuff somewhere and take over the desk. Stupid, inefficient, and stressful. Luckily, I ended up 'floorwalking' for the day, so could use one of the nonworking pods as my base to log in at.
Today, not so lucky. Still horribly overcrowded, though I think some people did call in. I ended up back on the phones all day. Managed to get the pod I was at to work, finally. That was about the best part, then it started going downhill. That time of the month caught me without any supplies and ruined my last decent pair of undies. Then, at lunch, I broke my tooth. Not all of it, just a good sized chunk off the molar that's been plaguing me for the last few months. It doesn't hurt, but the sharp edge is a bit annoying. I'll see about getting some dental putty on it when I get a chance. Insurance doesn't kick in till after the first of the year, so hopefully I can hold off till then. Ugh. And all I was eating for lunch was bread and soup! I went to take a bite and somehow hit wrong and crunched my own tooth. I'm just glad that it's relatively minor and isn't painful. Sure didn't need the stress today, though.
Tomorrow's Sunday, so a day off. Gotta try to clean house, of course, and ought to do some laundry. I really need to go walkabout tomorrow, because I want to try and get a good spot arranged to do some busking on Thursday for the Nob Hill Shop-N-Stroll. It's up to the store owners, so I will be asking around the businesses. Otherwise, I'll find a vacant storefront to set up in front of. I'm nervous, I haven't done much public playing, and haven't had time to practice as much as I'd like. I'll just be taking the whistles and voice, I think. Guitar's got a possible spot, but fiddle's not nearly ready to debut yet. Weather is also a factor, but it shouldn't be too bad.
After all that, I'm tired. I've had some dinner, and a cup of green tea. Okay, a couple of cookies, too. A bit of TV, a bit of Internet, and bedtime soon.
It will get better, I know. I am officially registered for my classes at CNM, and the prospect of better employment through this education is keeping me going. I have the part I need to replace on my truck, so can fix that soon. I've found land that I can almost afford, putting me that much closer to my dream home. And I'm better off than I was last year at this time. Little steps still get me forward, as long as I keep them going in the right direction.
Thursday was good, had way too much food for Thanksgiving, and got to see Kung Fu Panda, among other DVDs. Good times.
Yesterday, back to work. Not fun. Everybody had to work. This means that there are not enough desks to go around, even if all the computers and phones at those desks worked. Which they don't. People would go to lunch and someone else would just chuck their stuff somewhere and take over the desk. Stupid, inefficient, and stressful. Luckily, I ended up 'floorwalking' for the day, so could use one of the nonworking pods as my base to log in at.
Today, not so lucky. Still horribly overcrowded, though I think some people did call in. I ended up back on the phones all day. Managed to get the pod I was at to work, finally. That was about the best part, then it started going downhill. That time of the month caught me without any supplies and ruined my last decent pair of undies. Then, at lunch, I broke my tooth. Not all of it, just a good sized chunk off the molar that's been plaguing me for the last few months. It doesn't hurt, but the sharp edge is a bit annoying. I'll see about getting some dental putty on it when I get a chance. Insurance doesn't kick in till after the first of the year, so hopefully I can hold off till then. Ugh. And all I was eating for lunch was bread and soup! I went to take a bite and somehow hit wrong and crunched my own tooth. I'm just glad that it's relatively minor and isn't painful. Sure didn't need the stress today, though.
Tomorrow's Sunday, so a day off. Gotta try to clean house, of course, and ought to do some laundry. I really need to go walkabout tomorrow, because I want to try and get a good spot arranged to do some busking on Thursday for the Nob Hill Shop-N-Stroll. It's up to the store owners, so I will be asking around the businesses. Otherwise, I'll find a vacant storefront to set up in front of. I'm nervous, I haven't done much public playing, and haven't had time to practice as much as I'd like. I'll just be taking the whistles and voice, I think. Guitar's got a possible spot, but fiddle's not nearly ready to debut yet. Weather is also a factor, but it shouldn't be too bad.
After all that, I'm tired. I've had some dinner, and a cup of green tea. Okay, a couple of cookies, too. A bit of TV, a bit of Internet, and bedtime soon.
It will get better, I know. I am officially registered for my classes at CNM, and the prospect of better employment through this education is keeping me going. I have the part I need to replace on my truck, so can fix that soon. I've found land that I can almost afford, putting me that much closer to my dream home. And I'm better off than I was last year at this time. Little steps still get me forward, as long as I keep them going in the right direction.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
And today's entry....
No extra hours this week. Sucky boo. Really could use the overtime, but the time away from work is helpful. The house is a real mess lately.
On the plus side, I think I've found the black hole that's eating up my money. Just not sure I can do anything about it in time to fix it before it gets worse. Gotta try. I'm looking at other money-making opportunities, too, and in order to do them, I need my internet. So, I'm going with the cheaper alternative of dsl. It's cheaper than tethering my cell phone, going back to cable or buying an aircard. Dialup is right out. The service should be turned on by Thursday evening, after Mercury has gone direct, thank you very much!
The weather's turned cool and rainy, so I fired up the furnaces in the apartment at long last. They are both working fine, which is a good thing. The cats are also pleased. I did do a bit of walking today, but not a full hike. Too much to get done on my 'day off' to take the time to walk everywhere. But I am taking the time to enjoy one last pot of tea at the Flying Star and get on their wi-fi.
I am rather pleased that my Paid Time Off request for MileHiCon has been approved. That will give me time to enjoy the trip more. It looks like I will have to fly, rather than drive, as the brake job that the truck needs would eat most of my budget for that pay period, and I need to get out of the hole. The plane ticket is much cheaper, even if I have to go to an agency and pay by check before my paycheck comes in on 10/24. I have crash space (as far as I know) and will be on several panels. It's going to be fun.
On the plus side, I think I've found the black hole that's eating up my money. Just not sure I can do anything about it in time to fix it before it gets worse. Gotta try. I'm looking at other money-making opportunities, too, and in order to do them, I need my internet. So, I'm going with the cheaper alternative of dsl. It's cheaper than tethering my cell phone, going back to cable or buying an aircard. Dialup is right out. The service should be turned on by Thursday evening, after Mercury has gone direct, thank you very much!
The weather's turned cool and rainy, so I fired up the furnaces in the apartment at long last. They are both working fine, which is a good thing. The cats are also pleased. I did do a bit of walking today, but not a full hike. Too much to get done on my 'day off' to take the time to walk everywhere. But I am taking the time to enjoy one last pot of tea at the Flying Star and get on their wi-fi.
I am rather pleased that my Paid Time Off request for MileHiCon has been approved. That will give me time to enjoy the trip more. It looks like I will have to fly, rather than drive, as the brake job that the truck needs would eat most of my budget for that pay period, and I need to get out of the hole. The plane ticket is much cheaper, even if I have to go to an agency and pay by check before my paycheck comes in on 10/24. I have crash space (as far as I know) and will be on several panels. It's going to be fun.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
August wore me out!
Sorry, all, I'd really meant to post before this, but what with Bubonicon and work and everything else....
The con went well, my birthday not so much, and work is...work.
The rest of life is a mixed bag, and there's some stuff going on that I'm debating whether or not to blog about. I'm ambivalent, because even though I don't think it would hurt the others in the tale, I'm still not sure of the effect on my readers. Presuming I have any, that is.
Work is gonna get a bit suckier this next week. My schedule is now not only the opposite of what I wanted, but what I got wasn't even on the bid list when I filled it out! I'll be working 12:30 to 9:00 p.m., *if* I get out on time, and my days off will be Sunday and Tuesday. If it weren't for the queue being closed on Sundays, I'd probably end up working those, too. So, now I won't be able to get to my meetings, even the ones on Saturdays. Social life? Down the shitter at this rate. And I was actually starting to have a social life, too, dammit.
On the plus side, I do have some paid time off earned at long last, and will be using it in October. I've got a weekend trip to Indiana the first weekend (friend's wedding, she bought the ticket!), and Mile Hi Con in Denver the last weekend. Also, friends coming into town for a meeting halfway through the month. Whee...
This Sunday is Pagan Pride Day. I'll be in the ritual for the event, helping run a booth, and telling a story to the kids' corner. Busy day, but should be fun. Luckily, it also won't cost any money. Unlike the state fair, which starts tomorrow. I'd like to go, but there's an admission charge. Oh, well.
More another time when I have the energy.
The con went well, my birthday not so much, and work is...work.
The rest of life is a mixed bag, and there's some stuff going on that I'm debating whether or not to blog about. I'm ambivalent, because even though I don't think it would hurt the others in the tale, I'm still not sure of the effect on my readers. Presuming I have any, that is.
Work is gonna get a bit suckier this next week. My schedule is now not only the opposite of what I wanted, but what I got wasn't even on the bid list when I filled it out! I'll be working 12:30 to 9:00 p.m., *if* I get out on time, and my days off will be Sunday and Tuesday. If it weren't for the queue being closed on Sundays, I'd probably end up working those, too. So, now I won't be able to get to my meetings, even the ones on Saturdays. Social life? Down the shitter at this rate. And I was actually starting to have a social life, too, dammit.
On the plus side, I do have some paid time off earned at long last, and will be using it in October. I've got a weekend trip to Indiana the first weekend (friend's wedding, she bought the ticket!), and Mile Hi Con in Denver the last weekend. Also, friends coming into town for a meeting halfway through the month. Whee...
This Sunday is Pagan Pride Day. I'll be in the ritual for the event, helping run a booth, and telling a story to the kids' corner. Busy day, but should be fun. Luckily, it also won't cost any money. Unlike the state fair, which starts tomorrow. I'd like to go, but there's an admission charge. Oh, well.
More another time when I have the energy.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Not the blog I'd planned to write!
So, here I was, thinking of posting a nice blog Sunday night with a re-telling of the first stage of building the adobe 'horno' oven. Nope. That post will have to wait a bit. Not because it didn't happen; it did and it was a lot of fun.
So here I am, home again, somewhat perforated, rather sore, and hoping that my little drugs will help me sleep tonight. My cats are glad to have me back, too. I will be going to work tomorrow, and should be able to make it through the whole day.
Many thanks to all who have sent well-wishes, and my apologies to those I didn't have a chance to notify beforehand.
Nap tiem nao, yes? Kthxbai!
No, I ended up going to the UNM Hospital ER Sunday night with the gallbladder attack from Hell. I have a pretty high tolerance for pain, honestly, but OMFGs! I even scared my neighbor Roslee (she's an RN) with how bad I was. So she takes me in to the ER, and waits with me. And we waited. And waited. We'd gotten there at about 11 p.m., and they did do some triage and blood draws eventually, but we waited. At about 3 or 4 a.m. the pain had actually passed off, and I was feeling better. Not vomiting anymore, able to form coherent sentences again. Around 8 a.m. (Monday morning) they finally called me back to get checked out. Great, will they believe me now? I'm not hurting anymore, they've done a shift change, so anyone who saw me in pain may have gone home, but okay, I'm here, I want to know what to do.
I got checked over, then got sent up for an ultrasound so they can try to see what's going on in there. At least I was able to get my cell phone shortly after that, and call in to work. At least gonna be late, not sure. Also was able to call some friends and get the support network activated. Mongol juju, Pagan energy of several flavors, and oh, better call my mom... And then I wait some more. Results finally come back, and yeah, we think we'd better get that gallbladder out of there. I really had hoped to avoid surgery, not just for financial reasons, but also because I still had all my original parts and I kinda like that idea! But the more we discussed the options, the more that surgery now seemed to be the intelligent choice. So we'll do it. As soon as we can. Stay here and wait. And wait. Someone sent back a book for me to read, and I did sleep a bit.
One of our local pagan clergy had gotten word of where I was, and came to visit for a bit. That was darned nice. Other folks were calling to check on me, too. Shoot, my cell phone ran out of juice, partially because of the crappy signal. Finally, everything's set and it's time to go upstairs to the OR. This is about 9 p.m, I think? I didn't have my glasses, so couldn't see a clock. All I had with me was my nightie and shoes that I'd worn in, and my phone. I did have someone to bring me clothes for when I got out, thank goodness!
So I had my little chat with the anesthesiologist (no, not the one I know from elsewhere), and she gives me some uber-valium in my I.V. line. That's all I remember till I woke up in recovery at about 4 a.m. with a cotton mouth and a bursting bladder. I was in and out of sleep for a while, but by about 8:30 or 9 this morning, I was up and making trips to the bathroom. By 10 a.m. I was discharged (think I surprised/impressed the nurses) and my ride took me home. I got my stuff together, hit the bank, picked up my drugs at the store, and went to work.
I managed to work from 12:30 to 5:45 today, but by then my brain was getting fuzzy and I decided that "they stuck a fork in me, I'm done" and came home.
Now, remember Roslee taking me in on Sunday night? Well, today was her scheduled surgery! She had a total knee replacement, and was under the knife while I was getting up and out this morning. I guess we're 'surgery sisters' now. Honest, I'd rather not have, and we were joking that I just had to do her one better ;-) Anyway, our friend Kathy came by to check on me, and I rode up to UNMH with her to visit Roslee. She's doing fine, and very glad to have the 'happy drug button' to push.
I got checked over, then got sent up for an ultrasound so they can try to see what's going on in there. At least I was able to get my cell phone shortly after that, and call in to work. At least gonna be late, not sure. Also was able to call some friends and get the support network activated. Mongol juju, Pagan energy of several flavors, and oh, better call my mom... And then I wait some more. Results finally come back, and yeah, we think we'd better get that gallbladder out of there. I really had hoped to avoid surgery, not just for financial reasons, but also because I still had all my original parts and I kinda like that idea! But the more we discussed the options, the more that surgery now seemed to be the intelligent choice. So we'll do it. As soon as we can. Stay here and wait. And wait. Someone sent back a book for me to read, and I did sleep a bit.
One of our local pagan clergy had gotten word of where I was, and came to visit for a bit. That was darned nice. Other folks were calling to check on me, too. Shoot, my cell phone ran out of juice, partially because of the crappy signal. Finally, everything's set and it's time to go upstairs to the OR. This is about 9 p.m, I think? I didn't have my glasses, so couldn't see a clock. All I had with me was my nightie and shoes that I'd worn in, and my phone. I did have someone to bring me clothes for when I got out, thank goodness!
So I had my little chat with the anesthesiologist (no, not the one I know from elsewhere), and she gives me some uber-valium in my I.V. line. That's all I remember till I woke up in recovery at about 4 a.m. with a cotton mouth and a bursting bladder. I was in and out of sleep for a while, but by about 8:30 or 9 this morning, I was up and making trips to the bathroom. By 10 a.m. I was discharged (think I surprised/impressed the nurses) and my ride took me home. I got my stuff together, hit the bank, picked up my drugs at the store, and went to work.
I managed to work from 12:30 to 5:45 today, but by then my brain was getting fuzzy and I decided that "they stuck a fork in me, I'm done" and came home.
Now, remember Roslee taking me in on Sunday night? Well, today was her scheduled surgery! She had a total knee replacement, and was under the knife while I was getting up and out this morning. I guess we're 'surgery sisters' now. Honest, I'd rather not have, and we were joking that I just had to do her one better ;-) Anyway, our friend Kathy came by to check on me, and I rode up to UNMH with her to visit Roslee. She's doing fine, and very glad to have the 'happy drug button' to push.
So here I am, home again, somewhat perforated, rather sore, and hoping that my little drugs will help me sleep tonight. My cats are glad to have me back, too. I will be going to work tomorrow, and should be able to make it through the whole day.
Many thanks to all who have sent well-wishes, and my apologies to those I didn't have a chance to notify beforehand.
Nap tiem nao, yes? Kthxbai!
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Yeah, I'm here.
Finally getting some of my energy back. Between the weather, my allergies (who knew?), stress, and a lovely little 'black-dog-depression', it's been a tough couple of weeks. I think the planets are beginning to get back in line, though, and I'm feeling better.
The late training shift I've been on for the last couple of weeks hasn't helped, either. 4 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. is a crappy shift in many ways, and by the end of the night, most of the class is pretty brain-dead! Luckily, we're ahead of schedule overall as far as getting through the curriculum for the Consumer Data Services dept. Yeah, CDS...tech support for PDAs and Smartphones, like Blackberry, Palm and such. I have a geek job. Wow.
To top it off, we *do* have to work Monday, Memorial Day. If I'd been there for 6 months, I'd get double time and a half. As it is, I'll be getting time and a half, since I'm working. If I wasn't working, I'd get nothing at all! So, yeah, I'll work...no problem... It'll probably be an easy day, anyway, as many of us will be tired from the weekend.
So, tomorrow's payday. We're doing a potluck at work, that'll be cool. There's a gas grill out back that we can use, and a cookout sounds like fun. We had thought of just getting food from a local BBQ joint, but that was going to be too much food and money. I'm the only vegetarian in the class, but there will be enough side dishes to keep me happy, and I may pick up a pack of Boca Burgers or Veggie Dogs for myself. My contribution is some sodas and a bucket of ice cream for Root Beer Floats. Yum!
Today, I've made some yummy Pad Thai for dinner (packing for later), a batch of Molasses Crybaby cookies for work, and am watching a couple of good shows on the History Channel in between things. One on "The Dark Ages", which kinda annoyed me in its biased view (anti-viking), and a better one on Chinggis Khan. Yay, Mongols!
So there's the latest glimpse into my bi-polar life (I'm not bi-polar, just my life).
The late training shift I've been on for the last couple of weeks hasn't helped, either. 4 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. is a crappy shift in many ways, and by the end of the night, most of the class is pretty brain-dead! Luckily, we're ahead of schedule overall as far as getting through the curriculum for the Consumer Data Services dept. Yeah, CDS...tech support for PDAs and Smartphones, like Blackberry, Palm and such. I have a geek job. Wow.
To top it off, we *do* have to work Monday, Memorial Day. If I'd been there for 6 months, I'd get double time and a half. As it is, I'll be getting time and a half, since I'm working. If I wasn't working, I'd get nothing at all! So, yeah, I'll work...no problem... It'll probably be an easy day, anyway, as many of us will be tired from the weekend.
So, tomorrow's payday. We're doing a potluck at work, that'll be cool. There's a gas grill out back that we can use, and a cookout sounds like fun. We had thought of just getting food from a local BBQ joint, but that was going to be too much food and money. I'm the only vegetarian in the class, but there will be enough side dishes to keep me happy, and I may pick up a pack of Boca Burgers or Veggie Dogs for myself. My contribution is some sodas and a bucket of ice cream for Root Beer Floats. Yum!
Today, I've made some yummy Pad Thai for dinner (packing for later), a batch of Molasses Crybaby cookies for work, and am watching a couple of good shows on the History Channel in between things. One on "The Dark Ages", which kinda annoyed me in its biased view (anti-viking), and a better one on Chinggis Khan. Yay, Mongols!
So there's the latest glimpse into my bi-polar life (I'm not bi-polar, just my life).
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Second shift...what fun...
Believe me, I'm not really complaining. It's just taking a bit of adjustment time to get used to the schedule. And once I'm done with training, my schedule will change again.
So...I've been in training at work for two days. Monday was just orientation stuff, getting our badge pictures taken, a short tour, meeting the people in the class and basic company policy stuff. Last night we started getting into the real learning, like how to clock in on the computer, and customer service quality. If we keep going at this pace, the two weeks in class and one week of transition work should be plenty to get us up to speed. There's a lot to learn, and most of it seems to be which computer program to use for which need.
It's still hard to stay awake and alert through the whole shift, and by second break at 10 p.m., a lot of us are yawning. Too bad the coffee vending machine is a piece of crap. Several people have already gotten out the thermoses to bring their own coffee! I'm thinking that chocolate covered espresso beans are going to be a good thing to find, when I have some money. They're still better for me than soda or 'energy drinks'.
Anyway, it's sounding like this is going to be a good place to work. There's opportunity for overtime, promotions and advancement, unlike other places I've worked at. The company is big enough to have some decent benefits, and I hope this works out till I can get my other dreams off the ground.
So...I've been in training at work for two days. Monday was just orientation stuff, getting our badge pictures taken, a short tour, meeting the people in the class and basic company policy stuff. Last night we started getting into the real learning, like how to clock in on the computer, and customer service quality. If we keep going at this pace, the two weeks in class and one week of transition work should be plenty to get us up to speed. There's a lot to learn, and most of it seems to be which computer program to use for which need.
It's still hard to stay awake and alert through the whole shift, and by second break at 10 p.m., a lot of us are yawning. Too bad the coffee vending machine is a piece of crap. Several people have already gotten out the thermoses to bring their own coffee! I'm thinking that chocolate covered espresso beans are going to be a good thing to find, when I have some money. They're still better for me than soda or 'energy drinks'.
Anyway, it's sounding like this is going to be a good place to work. There's opportunity for overtime, promotions and advancement, unlike other places I've worked at. The company is big enough to have some decent benefits, and I hope this works out till I can get my other dreams off the ground.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Time for another update
Let's see. Work, commute, tired, broke. Yeah, that's about par for the course. ;-)
I'm looking for better work, and have found some good positions to apply for. So far, I've got apps in with the City for library paraprofessional jobs and emergency communications jobs, I just emailed a letter and resume in for an entry level editor trainee job at a publishing company, and I'm filling out apps for the local co-op store and a couple of other part time supplemental jobs.
Money's still extremely tight, so no cellphone, and now no cable/net. Cable phone is still on, but if I can't get it paid up by the 8th, I'll lose it, too. I should be able to pay that by then, but it means I have to go out for wi-fi for a while again.
I have gotten back into donating plasma for cash, and that's gonna help some. If I can donate on Friday and Sunday, then I can get $65 a week between the two days. Not bad. I'm also looking at setting out my shingle as a Tarot reader. I'm hoping to arrange a place other than my apartment to read at, though, so that might take a bit of work. I can get advertising fairly cheap or free, and there are bulletin boards to post flyers on. I just want to be classy and professional, y'know?
I'm working on getting another vehicle, since I don't know if I'll be able to keep my truck. The payments are a real stress right now. A good friend of mine has offered me a great deal on a '73 Mustang that she can't drive anymore due to the bucket seats hurting her injured hip. She and her dad were working on restoring it, and have parts cars for it, too! It's gonna be a neat project, and a sweet ride when I get her going again. The car has been parked for a couple of years, but is in good shape otherwise. Heh, might have to go cruise Central Ave. sometime this summer, if I get her looking pretty! Then again, it's a Mustang, with a 351 Cleveland and a CarterAFB 4-barrel carburetor. It ain't about pretty...this horse will run! Makes the idea of a day trip to the mountain home very appealing, even if I know she's gonna eat gas like nobody's business. (*sigh* My inner geek is also a big ol' gearhead...)
Yesterday was a bit odd. I tried to make it to work, and had to turn back around after about 25 miles. The highway was sheer ice, with no visibility from the freezing fog, and they closed the road!! So I called in from the gas station, turned around and came back home. Weather here is fine, but up there it was hellish. Go figure. You know the roads are bad when *I* give up and go home. I'm no wimp when I drive, but this was more than I cared to risk. There had been half a dozen rollovers reported when I stopped, and they were before the big hill south of Santa Fe that is so dangerous. By the time I got turned back around, in ten minutes, there had been three more! Insane.
That's how I ended up tinkering around with the Mustang some more, and spending way too long at the plasma place. I did get treated to dinner last night, which was fun, and the few of us who'd gone out went back to one house and watched 'The Musketeer' together. Good movie, awesome Wire Fu fighting! Fast and loose with the story in a way, but a fun movie to watch.
Today, I'm at Satellite Coffee for the wi-fi, and I'll probably hit the library later. Of course, I have to go to the grocery store for some gooshyfood for the cats, too, or they might not let me back into the house!
The sun is shining, it's 45 degrees (above zero, thank you!) and all in all, it looks like a pretty good day. I'm gonna make it a good day!
I'm looking for better work, and have found some good positions to apply for. So far, I've got apps in with the City for library paraprofessional jobs and emergency communications jobs, I just emailed a letter and resume in for an entry level editor trainee job at a publishing company, and I'm filling out apps for the local co-op store and a couple of other part time supplemental jobs.
Money's still extremely tight, so no cellphone, and now no cable/net. Cable phone is still on, but if I can't get it paid up by the 8th, I'll lose it, too. I should be able to pay that by then, but it means I have to go out for wi-fi for a while again.
I have gotten back into donating plasma for cash, and that's gonna help some. If I can donate on Friday and Sunday, then I can get $65 a week between the two days. Not bad. I'm also looking at setting out my shingle as a Tarot reader. I'm hoping to arrange a place other than my apartment to read at, though, so that might take a bit of work. I can get advertising fairly cheap or free, and there are bulletin boards to post flyers on. I just want to be classy and professional, y'know?
I'm working on getting another vehicle, since I don't know if I'll be able to keep my truck. The payments are a real stress right now. A good friend of mine has offered me a great deal on a '73 Mustang that she can't drive anymore due to the bucket seats hurting her injured hip. She and her dad were working on restoring it, and have parts cars for it, too! It's gonna be a neat project, and a sweet ride when I get her going again. The car has been parked for a couple of years, but is in good shape otherwise. Heh, might have to go cruise Central Ave. sometime this summer, if I get her looking pretty! Then again, it's a Mustang, with a 351 Cleveland and a CarterAFB 4-barrel carburetor. It ain't about pretty...this horse will run! Makes the idea of a day trip to the mountain home very appealing, even if I know she's gonna eat gas like nobody's business. (*sigh* My inner geek is also a big ol' gearhead...)
Yesterday was a bit odd. I tried to make it to work, and had to turn back around after about 25 miles. The highway was sheer ice, with no visibility from the freezing fog, and they closed the road!! So I called in from the gas station, turned around and came back home. Weather here is fine, but up there it was hellish. Go figure. You know the roads are bad when *I* give up and go home. I'm no wimp when I drive, but this was more than I cared to risk. There had been half a dozen rollovers reported when I stopped, and they were before the big hill south of Santa Fe that is so dangerous. By the time I got turned back around, in ten minutes, there had been three more! Insane.
That's how I ended up tinkering around with the Mustang some more, and spending way too long at the plasma place. I did get treated to dinner last night, which was fun, and the few of us who'd gone out went back to one house and watched 'The Musketeer' together. Good movie, awesome Wire Fu fighting! Fast and loose with the story in a way, but a fun movie to watch.
Today, I'm at Satellite Coffee for the wi-fi, and I'll probably hit the library later. Of course, I have to go to the grocery store for some gooshyfood for the cats, too, or they might not let me back into the house!
The sun is shining, it's 45 degrees (above zero, thank you!) and all in all, it looks like a pretty good day. I'm gonna make it a good day!
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Rain? In January?
Yeah, it's raining. Sheesh. I'm staying in, trying to keep warm. So much for taking a walk today.
I'm just on the edge of being cold, even though the thermostat says it's 70 degrees F in here. The floor is cold, and my slippers aren't helping much. I'm wearing one of my bathrobes, and if I don't warm up soon, I'll put a heavier one on. This is strange, because I'm usually the one who feels warm no matter what! It could be a side effect of the depression I've been fighting, I suppose.
I made it through the work week alright, but have been very tired. I'm so broke that I don't quite know how I'm gonna make it to work this next week! My cell phone is off, because I didn't get the bill paid in time. At least I should get paid on Thursday coming up. Just gotta make it till then.
On Tuesday, I've got an appointment to take a big computerized test for a job with the TSA as an airport security person. I'm not sure yet whether I really want the job, but it's worth taking the test. The current openings are at the Santa Fe airport, anyway, and they say it might be 'split shifts'. Not sure I like the sound of that, either. I guess it would have to be a big jump up in pay and bennies to get me to change jobs. I like where I am, at the herb factory, and hope to get hired in there as a real employee soon.
Either way, I really need to see about getting new glasses or contacts soon. I'm having more trouble focusing, and the glasses I've been wearing are the prescription before last. I'm trying the old contact lenses again today. Reading the back of the food box was not easy, but I managed. *sigh* I hate this feeling of getting old. Not that I've ever been free of aches and pains, not even as a kid, but this is enough of a change that I'm really noticing it.
Anyway, I spent yesterday and part of today rearranging things and making room for a new-to-me chair and entertainment center. I got them from some friends, and they even brought them over in their truck. How cool is that? I also got a fish tank stand which is now my altar. I've gotten my TV, stereo and other electronics up off of the floor, and the front room looks quite nice now. I'd still like to get a coffee table and a rug in here eventually, but it's starting to look like a home now.
Ok, time to make another pot of hot tea and get the heavier robe on. Maybe I should just stick my feet in the hot water instead? Nah, that wouldn't make very good tea... ;-)
I'm just on the edge of being cold, even though the thermostat says it's 70 degrees F in here. The floor is cold, and my slippers aren't helping much. I'm wearing one of my bathrobes, and if I don't warm up soon, I'll put a heavier one on. This is strange, because I'm usually the one who feels warm no matter what! It could be a side effect of the depression I've been fighting, I suppose.
I made it through the work week alright, but have been very tired. I'm so broke that I don't quite know how I'm gonna make it to work this next week! My cell phone is off, because I didn't get the bill paid in time. At least I should get paid on Thursday coming up. Just gotta make it till then.
On Tuesday, I've got an appointment to take a big computerized test for a job with the TSA as an airport security person. I'm not sure yet whether I really want the job, but it's worth taking the test. The current openings are at the Santa Fe airport, anyway, and they say it might be 'split shifts'. Not sure I like the sound of that, either. I guess it would have to be a big jump up in pay and bennies to get me to change jobs. I like where I am, at the herb factory, and hope to get hired in there as a real employee soon.
Either way, I really need to see about getting new glasses or contacts soon. I'm having more trouble focusing, and the glasses I've been wearing are the prescription before last. I'm trying the old contact lenses again today. Reading the back of the food box was not easy, but I managed. *sigh* I hate this feeling of getting old. Not that I've ever been free of aches and pains, not even as a kid, but this is enough of a change that I'm really noticing it.
Anyway, I spent yesterday and part of today rearranging things and making room for a new-to-me chair and entertainment center. I got them from some friends, and they even brought them over in their truck. How cool is that? I also got a fish tank stand which is now my altar. I've gotten my TV, stereo and other electronics up off of the floor, and the front room looks quite nice now. I'd still like to get a coffee table and a rug in here eventually, but it's starting to look like a home now.
Ok, time to make another pot of hot tea and get the heavier robe on. Maybe I should just stick my feet in the hot water instead? Nah, that wouldn't make very good tea... ;-)
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Catching up at last!
Sorry to be away for so long, but it couldn't be helped. I'm online and wireless at home again, now, so that helps a lot.
First off, work. I'm doing okay at work, and learning quite a bit. This week I got moved over to formulation, on the production side of the facility. I've been blending extracts, percolating herb to make extracts and formulas, and learning all the procedures that go with that. All the alcohol we use (pharmaceutical grade, 190 proof) has to be carefully logged. Alcohol and water are precisely measured in proportion to the herbs. Percolating is letting the liquid drip very slowly through the herb mix, which has been moistened a bit to make sure it doesn't expand too fast and crack the glass percolator funnel. The funnels are custom blown glass, and very expensive! There's also lots of cleaning to do, and other tasks. I'm not doing much of the packaging or labeling yet, but that's fine by me. I've got enough to learn!
Home Depot is starting to get easier. Mondays are the worst, since I'm really whipped by the end of the day. I wish I didn't have to give up my weekends, but there's no other option right now. I am starting to get better at knowing where things are, what they are, and how they work. I'm in Plumbing, but also have to know Kitchen & Bath, and since Hardware and Electrical are right by us, I end up needing to know a bit of them, too. Whew!!! Being on the floor as an associate is definitely different from being a cashier.
Secondly, fun and social life. I am starting to get a life, y'know! I just got elected "Alternator" for ASFA (Abq. Science Fiction Assn.). Basically, I run the meetings if the Moderator can't make it. That doesn't happen often. Kinda neat, getting elected to something when I wasn't even eligible to vote yet... We also played a neat game at the meeting. It doesn't really have a name yet, but it involved pulling pieces of paper out of a bowl and trying to get people to guess what's on the paper. The papers were names of authors, characters, people, etc. First round, whatever clues you want to give. Second round, two words only for clues. Third round, charades. You use the same answers for each round, so memory helps! It was a lot of fun, even though my team didn't win.
Last night, Wednesday, was the Weird Al Yankovic concert that I had won tickets to. My friend Rozlee, from ASFA, went with me. She's a big Tathata fan, too, and is friends with Dave the harpist. Told ya, it's a small planet out here!! Anyway, we met up for dinner at Turtle Mountain Brewing Co. Very good beer and decent fish 'n' chips. The concert totally rocked, and Al didn't do "Albuquerque" till the sixth encore! The fifth was a song he cooked up about Rio Rancho, which is where the venue actually is. Too funny. Just amazing talent and humor all night long, and we had a blast.
Next on my social agenda is MileHiCon, of course, and I am really looking forward to that for many reasons! I plan to have a very good time. More on that later.
For now, I'll be working as much as possible, trying to catch up and get out of the hole I'm in. I've got two months till Yule, and while I'm not sure how I'm going to get my stuff back out here, I know that I *will* be going back to Indiana for a good visit. Beyond that, I'm not going to worry too much.
First off, work. I'm doing okay at work, and learning quite a bit. This week I got moved over to formulation, on the production side of the facility. I've been blending extracts, percolating herb to make extracts and formulas, and learning all the procedures that go with that. All the alcohol we use (pharmaceutical grade, 190 proof) has to be carefully logged. Alcohol and water are precisely measured in proportion to the herbs. Percolating is letting the liquid drip very slowly through the herb mix, which has been moistened a bit to make sure it doesn't expand too fast and crack the glass percolator funnel. The funnels are custom blown glass, and very expensive! There's also lots of cleaning to do, and other tasks. I'm not doing much of the packaging or labeling yet, but that's fine by me. I've got enough to learn!
Home Depot is starting to get easier. Mondays are the worst, since I'm really whipped by the end of the day. I wish I didn't have to give up my weekends, but there's no other option right now. I am starting to get better at knowing where things are, what they are, and how they work. I'm in Plumbing, but also have to know Kitchen & Bath, and since Hardware and Electrical are right by us, I end up needing to know a bit of them, too. Whew!!! Being on the floor as an associate is definitely different from being a cashier.
Secondly, fun and social life. I am starting to get a life, y'know! I just got elected "Alternator" for ASFA (Abq. Science Fiction Assn.). Basically, I run the meetings if the Moderator can't make it. That doesn't happen often. Kinda neat, getting elected to something when I wasn't even eligible to vote yet... We also played a neat game at the meeting. It doesn't really have a name yet, but it involved pulling pieces of paper out of a bowl and trying to get people to guess what's on the paper. The papers were names of authors, characters, people, etc. First round, whatever clues you want to give. Second round, two words only for clues. Third round, charades. You use the same answers for each round, so memory helps! It was a lot of fun, even though my team didn't win.
Last night, Wednesday, was the Weird Al Yankovic concert that I had won tickets to. My friend Rozlee, from ASFA, went with me. She's a big Tathata fan, too, and is friends with Dave the harpist. Told ya, it's a small planet out here!! Anyway, we met up for dinner at Turtle Mountain Brewing Co. Very good beer and decent fish 'n' chips. The concert totally rocked, and Al didn't do "Albuquerque" till the sixth encore! The fifth was a song he cooked up about Rio Rancho, which is where the venue actually is. Too funny. Just amazing talent and humor all night long, and we had a blast.
Next on my social agenda is MileHiCon, of course, and I am really looking forward to that for many reasons! I plan to have a very good time. More on that later.
For now, I'll be working as much as possible, trying to catch up and get out of the hole I'm in. I've got two months till Yule, and while I'm not sure how I'm going to get my stuff back out here, I know that I *will* be going back to Indiana for a good visit. Beyond that, I'm not going to worry too much.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Busy week!
Sorry for the delay in updating. I've been trying to work as much as possible, and I've been pretty tired most evenings. I did make it to Abq for the Gofer Pizza Party last Saturday, and that was a nice break from routine.
Work is going fine at the herb factory. This is a busy season, especially with winter coming on. Add in the inventory we had to do on Friday (which had to be checked today - more delays) and we were swamped today! It's more physically demanding than you might think. Sure, we're picking and shipping little bottles of extracts and blends, and bottles of softgels. But they really add up to a fair amount of weight, a few ounces at a time. Plus, I'm reaching, crouching, twisting, lifting and standing for most of the day. Tossing those boxes to the UPS guy is a workout, too.
Home Depot's still not up to speed yet, as I'm doing my web-based training and working on getting a workable schedule.
I'm surprised that I'm still online, as I think my phone's cut off. Cell phone's been out for over a week now. Cable's acting funny, but I'm not sure if it's the bill or the box that's to blame. I hate being in the hole again, but I know I can get out again. Just hope I can do it in time.
Anyway, I'm trying to economize as much as I can. Which means I'll probably cut back the cable to just basic, the A/C's been off for weeks, and the heat's not coming on till I absolutely can't stand it anymore. The mornings are chilly, but not horribly cold yet. I have some warm clothes with me, so I can always put a sweatshirt on.
Other than that, there's not much going on. Hopefully, I'll have better news soon.
Work is going fine at the herb factory. This is a busy season, especially with winter coming on. Add in the inventory we had to do on Friday (which had to be checked today - more delays) and we were swamped today! It's more physically demanding than you might think. Sure, we're picking and shipping little bottles of extracts and blends, and bottles of softgels. But they really add up to a fair amount of weight, a few ounces at a time. Plus, I'm reaching, crouching, twisting, lifting and standing for most of the day. Tossing those boxes to the UPS guy is a workout, too.
Home Depot's still not up to speed yet, as I'm doing my web-based training and working on getting a workable schedule.
I'm surprised that I'm still online, as I think my phone's cut off. Cell phone's been out for over a week now. Cable's acting funny, but I'm not sure if it's the bill or the box that's to blame. I hate being in the hole again, but I know I can get out again. Just hope I can do it in time.
Anyway, I'm trying to economize as much as I can. Which means I'll probably cut back the cable to just basic, the A/C's been off for weeks, and the heat's not coming on till I absolutely can't stand it anymore. The mornings are chilly, but not horribly cold yet. I have some warm clothes with me, so I can always put a sweatshirt on.
Other than that, there's not much going on. Hopefully, I'll have better news soon.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Can I rest a bit now?
Seriously, I'm tired!!
Got a call Friday evening from Home Depot....Orientation is this weekend, be in Abq tomorrow morning at 8. Uhh, okay....
So my weekend got very busy, very fast. Saturday was also a friend's birthday party, and I ended up being able to stay over at her place that night to save gasoline. Of course, since the party crew was all our friends from the con...we were up way too late talking! Sunday, more orientation, then the Con-Com meeting. That's short for Convention Committee, the people that actually run Bubonicon. After the meeting, some of us went to dinner (thanks, Dante!) and so I got home about 10 p.m. Too tired to do much more than open a can of food for the cats, and head for bed.
Today was my first day at Herbs, Etc. (www.herbsetc.com) I'll be in shipping on Mondays and Tuesdays at least, and then in production on the other days. We had some really big orders to process today, and I was picking product most of the day. Sure got my exercise! The people at work are nice, and I enjoy it. We can have a radio on, which really is nice after the silence of the Woodwind.
So there ya go, a quick catch up. Now if I can just come up with enough energy to make myself some dinner, I'll be all set!
Got a call Friday evening from Home Depot....Orientation is this weekend, be in Abq tomorrow morning at 8. Uhh, okay....
So my weekend got very busy, very fast. Saturday was also a friend's birthday party, and I ended up being able to stay over at her place that night to save gasoline. Of course, since the party crew was all our friends from the con...we were up way too late talking! Sunday, more orientation, then the Con-Com meeting. That's short for Convention Committee, the people that actually run Bubonicon. After the meeting, some of us went to dinner (thanks, Dante!) and so I got home about 10 p.m. Too tired to do much more than open a can of food for the cats, and head for bed.
Today was my first day at Herbs, Etc. (www.herbsetc.com) I'll be in shipping on Mondays and Tuesdays at least, and then in production on the other days. We had some really big orders to process today, and I was picking product most of the day. Sure got my exercise! The people at work are nice, and I enjoy it. We can have a radio on, which really is nice after the silence of the Woodwind.
So there ya go, a quick catch up. Now if I can just come up with enough energy to make myself some dinner, I'll be all set!
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Work at last!
Yep, I gots me a job!
I start Monday, temp-to-hire, at a place called Herbs, Etc. I'll be doing shipping and production, and the company makes herbal and homeopathic remedies. I'm a potionmaker! lol
Got the job through a contact at the job fair today. Got several other good leads, too, but first come, first serve.
It's not as much money as I'd have hoped, but it's a decent enough wage. I can get by on that if I combine it with the other things I'm trying to do. I'll still be on a tight budget for a while, but that's a darn sight better than no budget at all!
My toothache is a bit better today. Still swollen and tender, but not the harsh pain of yesterday. It should be over in another day or two. My appetite's back, so that means the fever is gone. I made bean burritos tonight, yum. I'm not sure if I'm still hungry or not, so I'm waiting a bit before I have anything else.
I start Monday, temp-to-hire, at a place called Herbs, Etc. I'll be doing shipping and production, and the company makes herbal and homeopathic remedies. I'm a potionmaker! lol
Got the job through a contact at the job fair today. Got several other good leads, too, but first come, first serve.
It's not as much money as I'd have hoped, but it's a decent enough wage. I can get by on that if I combine it with the other things I'm trying to do. I'll still be on a tight budget for a while, but that's a darn sight better than no budget at all!
My toothache is a bit better today. Still swollen and tender, but not the harsh pain of yesterday. It should be over in another day or two. My appetite's back, so that means the fever is gone. I made bean burritos tonight, yum. I'm not sure if I'm still hungry or not, so I'm waiting a bit before I have anything else.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Midweek
Wow, Wednesday already. Half the week gone.
I haven't been idle, but it's getting hard to keep track of the days. I am trying to make sure that I get outside as much as possible. My calves are aching from all the walking I've been doing!!
Yesterday I actually used some of my precious gasoline fumes to go up to one of the local food banks and get some much needed supplies. The fresh produce was really welcome; a large quarter-head of cabbage, a couple of big onions, two red bell peppers, some apples and pears, and a couple of pounds of fingerling potatoes. Some canned veggies, a loaf of spelt bread (!), and some roasted tomatoes, too. Add that stuff to the rice and pasta I had, and my other carbs, and I'm good to go! Wish I could have gotten some butter, though.
Today's walk took me up to Walgreens, as they were running a free inkjet cartridge refill day. Got my color cartridge refilled. I've burned an MP3 disk for my little player with some of my favorite energy music on it. I call it my "walkabout disc". The only drawback is that the disc lasts longer than my last set of cheap batteries...
I got a form from the IN unemployment office on Monday. Wouldn't have been so bad, except the darn thing said it had to be in the next day!!! It took over a week for it to even get to me! So I called the office, and of course the gal whose name is on the form is out for the week. Called the generic number, and they said I could fax it in. Great...where am I going to find a place to fax this that won't charge me?? I thought about it, and decided to try my bank. So, Tuesday morning, I go to the bank, and a very helpful gal not only faxed my form for me, but she also gave me her name as a referral for their job website. They have openings for tellers, and personal bankers (they train, and it pays more). So there's another job possibility!
Still waiting to hear on my other possibilities. Till then, I'll try to enjoy the free time as much as possible. I haven't gone to any of the Fiesta activities, honestly, since most things cost money. Plus, most things are just too far for me to walk to.
I'm still making plans in my head for going to MileHiCon in late October, and of course for Yule. I know I'll be okay by then, and I do need something to look forward to.
Hope to have good news soon!
I haven't been idle, but it's getting hard to keep track of the days. I am trying to make sure that I get outside as much as possible. My calves are aching from all the walking I've been doing!!
Yesterday I actually used some of my precious gasoline fumes to go up to one of the local food banks and get some much needed supplies. The fresh produce was really welcome; a large quarter-head of cabbage, a couple of big onions, two red bell peppers, some apples and pears, and a couple of pounds of fingerling potatoes. Some canned veggies, a loaf of spelt bread (!), and some roasted tomatoes, too. Add that stuff to the rice and pasta I had, and my other carbs, and I'm good to go! Wish I could have gotten some butter, though.
Today's walk took me up to Walgreens, as they were running a free inkjet cartridge refill day. Got my color cartridge refilled. I've burned an MP3 disk for my little player with some of my favorite energy music on it. I call it my "walkabout disc". The only drawback is that the disc lasts longer than my last set of cheap batteries...
I got a form from the IN unemployment office on Monday. Wouldn't have been so bad, except the darn thing said it had to be in the next day!!! It took over a week for it to even get to me! So I called the office, and of course the gal whose name is on the form is out for the week. Called the generic number, and they said I could fax it in. Great...where am I going to find a place to fax this that won't charge me?? I thought about it, and decided to try my bank. So, Tuesday morning, I go to the bank, and a very helpful gal not only faxed my form for me, but she also gave me her name as a referral for their job website. They have openings for tellers, and personal bankers (they train, and it pays more). So there's another job possibility!
Still waiting to hear on my other possibilities. Till then, I'll try to enjoy the free time as much as possible. I haven't gone to any of the Fiesta activities, honestly, since most things cost money. Plus, most things are just too far for me to walk to.
I'm still making plans in my head for going to MileHiCon in late October, and of course for Yule. I know I'll be okay by then, and I do need something to look forward to.
Hope to have good news soon!
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Rainy Sunday
Well, I didn't get out much today. I had thought about walking uptown, but the rain was a bit too much for me. So I stayed in and did some cleaning, played with the cats, and chatted online to some friends.
I think that if someone asked me how I was doing, I'd have to say that "I haven't hit bottom yet, but I can see it from here." Hope the bungee cord kicks in soon! I'm sure it will, just don't know when. My last dollar went towards getting a bag of cheap kibble so the kitties have something to eat. I still have food for myself, luckily. If the Asians can survive on rice, then so can I. I'm thinking of making a batch of pancakes tomorrow, since the mix only needs water. Yum.
Found a neat money-earner today, though, so I'm working on getting that started up. It's with a company called Marriage Makers, and they do weddings and other ceremonies for people. Non/Pan-denominational, they call themselves. With the clergy training I've gotten through Live Oak, this is right up my alley! The website is www.marriagemakers.net, if you want to look it up. This is something I can do in addition to a day job, and have a lot of fun doing.
I'm still waiting to hear back from Avon, but that's another thing I can do in addition to a day job.
Home Depot should have my drug test results sometime this week, and then they can get me into orientation by next weekend, I hope. And of course, I'm still waiting to hear back about the library job.
So, really, things are looking up. It's just the immediate cash flow (and serious lack thereof) that have me a bit stressed. I still have hopes for fixing that, but it's out of my hands at the moment. My biggest worry is losing my phone/internet service. Granted, I can always get wi-fi at a cafe, but having a local phone number is a good thing when one is looking for work. Plus, I've been using the email address that came with the DSL for my work search, so I can keep things sorted.
If I do get the gas money, I think I will take a couple of days soon and run up to see the folks. When Papa mentions installing gutters, and 'could use help' in the same sentence, I get nervous. Papa is in his late 70s, and recently diagnosed with diabetes. I don't like the thought of him being up a ladder, especially since his feet are a bit wobbly lately. Besides, if I go up, I can show them that I'm okay.
I picked up a couple of books last week, in the dime bin. The Mother Earth News Almanac, 1973 edition, and How To Stay Alive In The Woods by Bradford Angier, 1984 edition of a 1956-62 book. Angier is apparently Canadian, judging by his geography, but he includes information good for desert climates, too. Good reading, both of them, and excellent additions to my library.
If you're in need of a good laugh, or some serious cuteness, may I recommend www.icanhascheezburger.com ? Lots of lolcats, funny captioned pics of critters, and general 'awwww..." factor. It sure helps me smile when I need it!
I think that if someone asked me how I was doing, I'd have to say that "I haven't hit bottom yet, but I can see it from here." Hope the bungee cord kicks in soon! I'm sure it will, just don't know when. My last dollar went towards getting a bag of cheap kibble so the kitties have something to eat. I still have food for myself, luckily. If the Asians can survive on rice, then so can I. I'm thinking of making a batch of pancakes tomorrow, since the mix only needs water. Yum.
Found a neat money-earner today, though, so I'm working on getting that started up. It's with a company called Marriage Makers, and they do weddings and other ceremonies for people. Non/Pan-denominational, they call themselves. With the clergy training I've gotten through Live Oak, this is right up my alley! The website is www.marriagemakers.net, if you want to look it up. This is something I can do in addition to a day job, and have a lot of fun doing.
I'm still waiting to hear back from Avon, but that's another thing I can do in addition to a day job.
Home Depot should have my drug test results sometime this week, and then they can get me into orientation by next weekend, I hope. And of course, I'm still waiting to hear back about the library job.
So, really, things are looking up. It's just the immediate cash flow (and serious lack thereof) that have me a bit stressed. I still have hopes for fixing that, but it's out of my hands at the moment. My biggest worry is losing my phone/internet service. Granted, I can always get wi-fi at a cafe, but having a local phone number is a good thing when one is looking for work. Plus, I've been using the email address that came with the DSL for my work search, so I can keep things sorted.
If I do get the gas money, I think I will take a couple of days soon and run up to see the folks. When Papa mentions installing gutters, and 'could use help' in the same sentence, I get nervous. Papa is in his late 70s, and recently diagnosed with diabetes. I don't like the thought of him being up a ladder, especially since his feet are a bit wobbly lately. Besides, if I go up, I can show them that I'm okay.
I picked up a couple of books last week, in the dime bin. The Mother Earth News Almanac, 1973 edition, and How To Stay Alive In The Woods by Bradford Angier, 1984 edition of a 1956-62 book. Angier is apparently Canadian, judging by his geography, but he includes information good for desert climates, too. Good reading, both of them, and excellent additions to my library.
If you're in need of a good laugh, or some serious cuteness, may I recommend www.icanhascheezburger.com ? Lots of lolcats, funny captioned pics of critters, and general 'awwww..." factor. It sure helps me smile when I need it!
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