September 30, 2009

What I learned today:

• I hate paperwork. Especially the mind-numbingly pointless kind that involves writing shit in triplicate, faxing, emailing, and eventually having to get it signed by people more important than you.
• Paperwork keeps me from getting actual work done. Seriously, hours people. hours.
• My father is the only person in the world I can call at 5AM and know he will be up.
• Breakfast is WAY better when someone else cooks it AND you don't have to clean up. (Thank you refinery lunch ladies--I love you)
• Coming up with company name options within 5 minutes is tough; and getting a lawyer is costly (don't ask; no I haven't been arrested; everything is fine; long story; I have health insurance; I am not going to be a beach bum; I love you all)
• When someone is rude to you in front of other people--it TOTALLY still feels like you are the nerd back in high school. Apparently that doesn't go away. who knew? (into the BOOK OF GRUDGE he goes. The grudge book doesn't actually accompolish anything--but does make me feel better.)
• I totally have to write a posting about my Book of Grudge. That bad boy goes back to Junior High School.

Okay, I am done learning today. I don't want to learn any more. I actually (and this is a shocker) had my choice of two plans tonight. I am sticking with my original plan (more relaxing) and attempting to make the other plan of dinner into pre-dinner drinks. If that was confusing it is because my brain hurts. Have a good day!!!

Today's bit of weird.

So today I found out that Bertha (my ridiculously large ugly beige interior, gray exterior, weird door-handled SUV) may be following me to the new employer. *sigh* Don't get me wrong, sometimes 8-cylinders and enough cargo space to hold 12 bodies (stacked obviously) comes in handy but I feel like I need to retire my "go green" shirt while I personally drain the earth's resources. Between my diet coke addiction can disposal problems and my petroleum guzzling SUV I feel I am peeing in the earth's cheerios. *double sigh*

Okay, here is where it gets weird. Today on my way home I stopped at a stop sign and looked both ways. I saw a vehicle coming from my right--in reverse. It continued on past me in reverse, just a toolin on down the road. backwards.

I freakin' love this island.

Lucy, you've got some 'splainin to do...

Good morning folks.
First off, I would like to 'pologize for the discombobulation of my last post. Apparently, if you are unaware of the details of my little "company change" that post was a touch shocking. Example: My college roomates mother (whom I adore) called my friend in horror thinking I had quit my job to become a beach bum. (Sorry Diane!!!)
To clarify, I start my new job next week. The new job is going to be exactly the same as the job I have been doing for the last 10 months. Just a different source of paycheck.

Here are some of the questions I've been asked--please note: answers are subject to change or blatant denial at any point.

#1. Why are you leaving your current company?

I didn't want to leave the island--more specifically "we" didn't want to leave the island. This was a mutual decision between me and the husband. Unfortunately he will be staying stateside for quite some time going to school, working on the house, and working. This will be a slow transition (like, years slow). But it is a long term goal and we are trying. It was a rock and a hard place kind of decision; leave a company I was comfortable with or leave the island. Those were my 2 choices.

#2. Isn't it hard living apart from your husband?

yup, sucks hairy donkey balls. Hate it. Love it when he's here although it is hard to learn to live around each other again and then when that's settled and happy then it sucks when he leaves. I am really lucky because I am making some good friends on the island who know Wilkes and we have a regular friday get together--it really helps keep me from getting too lonely.

#3. What are you going to do with your house? Rent or sell?

Probably sell, eventually. Remember--this is a long and slow process and no decisions have yet been made. Don't really know what we are going to do with all of our stuff. Don't know a lot actually. We are taking it one day at a time. Decisions as they are needed.

#4. Isn't your husband irritated that you have left him yet again to pack up a house and follow you?

Oh yeah, he's having some serious anxiety about that. I can't blame him. I mean, my solution when moving is to "give it all away" or "can't we burn it" or "screw it, let's stay". I HATE moving. I'm terrible at it. This was a mutual decision...but executing the decision is the suck-ass part.

#5. A Kitten? Why would you get a kitten?!? What the crap?

I may have lost a few mouse/rat battles; but i won the freakin' war. My crazy kitten who has officially taken control of my household -- his very existance has kept all rodentia out of my house. Suck it Rodentia!

#6. When's the next time you are coming to the states?

I am thinking of trying to come back to Chicago for Thanksgiving. I have the time off approved it is now just trying to figure out logistics of when, where, how? Right now my dream is that both sides of my family will make a magical reconcilliation and everyone show up in Chicago at a delicioius Polish Restuarant on Thanksgiving. But in reality I am going to have to figure out how to do a "midwest tour--thanksiving style". I looked into flying into Chicago and then flying out of Toledo or Detroit...but the timing is annoying. For example, who the crap is going to drive me to Detroit at 3AM on a Saturday? And if I fly out of Toledo--I end up BACK IN CHICAGO for a nice long layover. *shaking head* I will try to figure it out and will let you all know--because yes, I do miss you all and love you all very much.

So, anywhoodle--hope this little Q&A has answered some of your questions. When things were in upheaval at work it was really hard to write here because I couldn't say a lot that was going on. That led to awkward and disjointed posts.
Although, just a heads-up--be prepared for a vast quantity of postings regarding my new kitten (named Greebo). He's a little insane and he's kind of cracking me up.
Much love ya'll!

So much...

I really don't know where to begin. Well, first off it's Sunday night, beautiful sunset as always. :)
My dogs are sleeping on the cool tile floor, my new cat (Greebo) is sharpening his claws in the bathroom waiting for something to kill and I am in my pajamas. In all truthfulness I was in pajamas all day although I did change types after my shower.
So, I quit my job on Friday. Officially put in my 2 week notice. In case any of ya'll haven't noticed--I find change frightening yet do it anyway. I called my boss and told him about it, got all emotional until he said, "uh Heather--we're not breaking up". This caused me to laugh through the tears. Then I sent out a couple of texts and emails to various folks and then my phone went bat-shit crazy with the calls, texts, and emails. My poor little battery wore down very quickly.
I had a few voicemails from people which I didn't check until Friday night. One of the ones that sticks out was from my mother where she said in a playful tone, "I hope you know what you're doing little girl!" I laughed out loud, said "I sure don't" to the dogs and went to bed.

So here I am about to start the sequel of my time here. I'm thinking of calling it, "Heather's Island 2--this time for keeps" or something equally inane.
In a nutshell, I'm excited to keep working where I am--I learn something new every day; I am not sure about a lot of the details of the future--but really, who is?
Hugs!
-H.

Random funny

Ok, so this evening I had a 4pm appointment after work. I brought clothes to change into as wearing coveralls after work feels kind of weird and they get really warm. So, in the ladies locker room I put on a pair of black cotton capri yoga pants, a tank top, and a long sleeve top over that. I walked downstairs and HOLY CRAP you would have thought I was wearing stilettos, thigh highs, and some sort of fruited head-dress. All the firemen gathered round and kept saying WOW! You look so "different".
So, I don't know if this is "good" different or "bad" different--but what the hell, at least I was comfortable.
*snicker*
Now I kinda want a fruited headdress.

Expletive!

hey folks, this post has been really hard for me to write. But here goes nothing...
For those of you who know me, I am messy. I have been described as "like water" in that my stuff with stretch out and take up all available space. However, it has always been a fear of mine to be thought of as dirty. My house here in the rain forest--well, it is usally neat and clean. This is mainly due to my fear of the mice and cockroaches that fully inhabit the island.

So, after that preamble let me tell you what happened the Sunday night before labor day. I was sitting quietly, relaxed, reading a book. All a' sudden I look up and there it is. A RAT. In. My. House. In typical Heather fashion I pointed and said "RAT" (I've also been known to point at other things and say their name, "Rock", "Bird", "Mouse", and "Lizard" are all favorites of mine--I know this ain't normal). Life (dog) was sleeping on the couch a mere 1 1/2 feet from said Rat and she rolled over and stretched (wtf?!?). To the dogs it was after 10 PM and therefore they were off duty.
The dogs woke up when I started tearing apart furniture and looking behind and under everything. No dice. The magical little beastie of doom seems to have disappeared.
The mice seem to be gone, but before they left they called in their big cousin.

blah blah blah wah!

I come to you today from a whiny place. Whiny is not funny, cute, charming, or adorable. But to that I say "Wah!".
I have a cold. I have a ripped muscle. I have a job that will probably end at the end of this month. I have WAY to much to do and I say, Wah! and the wah is followed by a sniffle, a couple of coughs, and a host of other symptoms usually only found on a NyQuil commercial.

Today I spent most of the day merging pdf documents. Jealous, aren't you? On the bright side it saved my leg (calf muscle) any extra wear and tear and in all honesty it is doing pretty well considering I was mostly unable to walk last Sunday.
Additionally, today I sat through a company-wide conference call. That is always an effective use of my time.

I'm sitting here, pretty comfy. I have the a/c on (expensive--but SO worth it) an ice pack on my calf, and the makings of a chocolate sundae for dinner. A chocolate sundae you ask? Yes. Because I have limited all of my (and the dogs') food to things that can be kept in the fridge/freezer/mouse-proof bucket. The dogs are underwhelmed with this new plan.

If things go well and I get to stay here longer--I am totally getting a cat. Preferably some sort of battle-scarred angst-ridden mouse-hating cat that likes dogs. I keep picturing some sort of weird one-eyed biker-cat with leather and chains on showing up with a "Bring IT bia-atch!" attitude. And no, I don't know why a cat with less depth perception would have better luck killing mice.

It looks like some mice have left me some more presents on the counter.
To that I say, "ew" and am off to clean my counters again.