Pity Party

It’s funny, just two years I remember lamenting what a bitch I was. I was depressed at being in law school, and I wanted nothing to do with it or anyone around me. After I left law school I wished I had been kinder and more compassionate. Now, I kinda miss the bitch.

I think it just might be possible to be assertive without being aggression. I’d like to be sure of myself without being arrogant. It will be a challenge, and it’s even more difficult trying to do these things while being a woman. It’s too bad I can’t talk about my coworkers or my boss because I’d have a lot to say. I will say that I hate the environment. But since fiancé and I plan on moving either shortly before or after the wedding to a different city, and because on Friday I just got promoted, I made the decision to stay in this job until we move. As fiancé once told me, I could either change my attitude about my job or change my job. Well, it’s time to work on my attitude.

I’m not sure how to go about this. I still have a few things to get done before I’ll be able to spend some time on myself… it’s going to take a good bit of thought.

How do each of you deal with your own personal shitstorms?

I want the world, I want the whole world

So even though I know that the job hunting process takes a while, and I’ve advised despondent friends to this fact as well, that doesn’t mean that when I woke up this morning I didn’t expect a response email in my inbox from a resume I submitted last night at 10:30pm. I doesn’t matter that no one has even had a chance to SEE it yet, let alone compare it to other applicants and do whatever other dirty things that hiring managers do… I want my answer NOW.

Never been good with waiting…

I found some great jobs last night… crossing guard and Administrative butt monkey just to name a few. It seems that without some higher degree (higher than a BA, higher than your all-American competitive liberal arts education), I’m either overqualified or under qualified for jobs. I don’t have 5-10 years experience, and I don’t want to make lunch reservations for high powered Executives. Looking for jobs makes me think I can’t wait to get to nursing school. I can’t wait to be qualified for something useful in society (why oh why did I major in History… seemed like a good idea at the time?).

And, as always, thank freaking God it’s FRIDAY. Enjoy yours weekends.

Shake, Rattle, and Roll

Yesterday I went positively bonkers with wedding vendors. I was emailing back and forth with my friend who is having her wedding at the same location in May 2008, and I was telling her about my upcoming appointments with vendors.

I mentioned something about meeting a particular wedding cake maker next Sunday and sampling a bunch of her cakes. My friend told me she’d heard bad things about this place. She didn’t really have any specific examples, so who knows how accurate this assessment is. I started my search to find reviews of the cake maker.

And, I did find a review… only it was the most website EVER. What I found was actually a link to a woman’s theknot.com message board. She posted extensively about each and every vendor she was using, but up tons of photos as examples, put up more photos of the day of the wedding, and then rated each and every vendor she’d used. The cake maker got an A+ according to this woman.

But even better, the girl had listed a photographer that was actually not yet on my spreadsheet! You can imagine how I felt about this!

This photographer looked awesome, and she also got an A+ rating. And looking through the samples on her website, she had photos up of someone fiancé and I went to high school with! It was wild. When I heard back from her via e-mail she was exceptionally nice as well. The price is right, and the only thing I didn’t love about her photography package she was very flexible about changing! We’re meeting next Sunday… we may have a winner!

So hopefully today I won’t look for any more photographers. I think my spreadsheet of information including almost 20 Virginia photographers is quite enough. Fiancé and I have scheduled three meetings with photographers, this last woman being the last meeting, and I think we’re more than equipped to make a good choice.

This Sunday – Photographer 1
Next Saturday – Photographer 2, Cake Maker 1, Cake Maker 2
Next Sunday – Photographer 3, Officiant, DJ

Busy
Busy
Busy

Not to mention that, well, I put a resume out there. We’ll see if anything happens with it, but it felt damn good.

Good morning, world

Why is it that when I set my alarm to get up earlier than usual I wind up waking up later than usual? I can't explain this phenomenon... but it makes me sad!

My parents are coming to my apartment tomorrow to bring the kitchen table that we actually have room for now in the larger apartment. This means that unpacking should be mostly complete, as my parents are hounds that sniff out mess and disarray. There's a lot to be done, no willpower to do it, and a short timeline to get it done!

I did, however, finish the two biology quizzes that I needed to take so that I would not be withdrawn from the course; these distance learning courses set up some periodic deadlines to keep people from slacking off until the last minute. Not like I know anyone who would do that... ahem. The grade average for the quiz I took on Wednesday was 47.36, and the average for the quiz I took last night was 58.06. DANG. I didn't do well at all on the first one, or even that great on the second one, but at least I got above the averages?

So last night after the quiz, I had planned on taking a little break... letting my hair down... meaning, probably going to bed early. Instead I got stuck looking at wedding cakes and table centerpieces and adding photos to a photobucket account for fiance to put on our google wedding map that he's making. Apparently now you can make your own maps in google and save them, putting markers on any place you chose. Fiance is marking places that are important to us, the countries we traveled to in Europe, our high school, where we grew up, where we work, etc. You can also include pictures that pop up when you hover your mouse over the location. We hope that our guests find it fun!

On Sunday I'm going with my friend and some of her other bridesmaids to hunt for the bridesmaid dresses she wants for her wedding, and perhaps also check out some wedding dresses for her. Her wedding will sneak up on us before we know it, so we're really hoping to swoop in there and find some awesome dresses! I'm sure we will emerge VICTORIOUS.

Happy, happy Friday... thank God it's Friday... ad nauseum!

Don't Stop Believin'

Today we enter into Day 3 of Dog Wars. Maggie 10, Parents 0.

Yesterday my mom came into contact with Maggie three or four times. As she finally left the park at 8:45pm, Maggie was lying near the park entrance. I can't imagine how infuriating it must be to see her, be that close to her, call to her, and have her BOLT. No wonder my mom takes it personally, maybe it IS personal.

They've tried coaxing with Milkbones and Snausages. Other people in the park have tried to get her, too. She's just not interested in people. How long will this go on?

In other news, I'd pay you $100 for me not to have to go to work today! I was in a meeting for 5 hours yesterday. Sorry, I did have a one hour break after the first hour of the meeting, but it was still 5 freaking hours!

I remember when I worked one summer at a non-profit in a rural county near Richmond. It was either every Friday or every Monday that we had a staff meeting. They never lasted more than one hour and there was usually food involved. I actually enjoyed these meetings. I was young and stupid!

That place was pretty great, actually. We worked out of an old house. Just being in a house rather than an office seems to make the day a little better. I know some people that worked there didn't have such a good experience because the boss was very hard on them. It was odd because she was very sweet to me. I looked at the website recently and noticed she's not there anymore.

Boyfriend is making fajitas for dinner, so there's a plus side, right? Our apartment had a meet and greet game and pool party this past Saturday afternoon. There was a trivia game, and of course he couldn't pass that up. He won us a margarita set - four margarita glasses, four shot glasses, a pitcher and a little salt/lime plate. When I came home from work yesterday there was a giant bottle of margarita mix sitting on the kitchen counter... I think he's trying to tell me something.

Still No Dog

I just finished making a LOST poster for my parents with Maggie's picture. You see those posters around all the time, but for some reason I never thought about those animals were lost.

My brother had been calling me like crazy since Sunday, but I was avoiding his call like the plague. The last thing I wanted to hear was his take on the whole situation! Finally last night on my way back from my Anatomy & Physiology quiz I gave in. He said,

"You're not being a dumbass and busting mom's chops about this mutt problem are you?"

I honestly had no idea what he was talking about. Was he thinking I was pressing her to take off work and find the dog? That I would make her feel bad for being so upset? That I would tell her it's her fault the dog slipped out of her collar and ran off?

Apparently it was the latter. Why would I ever say that to her? That's the kind of thing he would say, perhaps. Something must have pissed him off because he tried several different ways to bait me into an argument. Lucky for him I was in a very good mood at the time (I got an 85 on my quiz and the class average was a 69!).

He also wanted to debate about how I was "an emotional child," my marital status, and the last episode of The Sopranos. That about covers it all, right?

I don't think I linked to this article yet, but if you were at all into The Sopranos then you should definitely read it. It makes some amazing points about the last episode, and now I really enjoy the way it ended. I love finding a good article.

Off to another day of sitting in meetings and having no time to finish any of the "top priorities" on my desk! Hoorah!

Oceanview

Yes, I've been more than M. I. A.

There was a huge project at work causing me to clock almost 60 hours the other week. There are some aspects of the project that are still going on, but the big push should ( should) be mostly over. Right after that, I took my first vacation since starting my job.

I was at the beach from last Wednesday until Sunday. It was pretty damn cold there (even though for some reason it was hot everywhere else), but I still had a really nice time. I met my family there and we stayed in a beautiful, huge beach house. We'd been there before about 5 years ago, and they'd made several excellent renovations on the house, especially to the particular room I was staying in.

I met my brother's new girlfriend as well. She is, astonishingly, a lot like him. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing yet; things are progressing rapidly! She lives in a different state (they met via a mutual friend's Myspace page), and this was only their second meeting in person. She has already made plans to move in with him in the next few months. It's even more serious than that, but I probably shouldn't go into more detail. Let's just say, "holy shit!" and leave it at that.

The time away was great but of course too short. It's so easy to feel completely light and free at the beach. Even the sun has such a dramatic effect on my state of mind. The drive back from the beach was absolutely gorgeous... windows down, music turned up, I felt confident and impervious... not about anything in particular, but I was okay with not knowing what's going to happen next.

I want so badly to hold on to those feelings. I want to be able to shrug things off that happen at work. I'd like to keep this job, no matter if it's an intense period it is, as "just a job." When I get too wrapped up then things start to spiral out of control. I start to feel strapped down, cornered, and not good enough. I'd love to go into more detail, but I've read too much about people being fired for their blogs, no matter how anonymous I keep it.

My brother's new girlfriend's Myspace page references a site that talks about what a parent goes through when they have a disabled child. I don't know anything about what that would be like for someone, but I think the passage is relevant to other life experiences as well. When I was in high school and college I certainly had a view that I was working towards X. I didn't know what X was, but I was sure I'd get there. Almost like magic, I believed that by the time I graduated I would have accumulated a great amount of knowledge, be an expert in my field of study, be more confident and have a good sense of what I want. Aren't these the myths we're brought up with? Go to college, find yourself, and everything will be okay?

Lately I see lots of literature talking about the struggles of people in their mid-twenties. It seems silly and embarrassing; we're at the age where we should be having the time of our lives, right? Why should we feel sorry for ourselves?

But we do. We don't know what to do with all that has been given to us. We don't know how to move on without losing something important. We've spent our whole lives looking to the future; living in the present just isn't as perfect as our dreams. Maybe, like in the " Welcome to Holland" story, the pain of losing the dream never fully goes away.

My boyfriend and I were recently recounting how some things just don't seem as sweet. In college, every evening spent hanging out with friends was the best evening ever. Now when you're spending time with friends or family, there's a nagging in the back of your mind, a remembering that you can't linger here.. there is work, you have bills, and there's no going back. It's harder to surround yourself with people who share your goals and values.

At the beach, the ocean roar drives out those voices that hold you back and make you afraid. I hope I never forget the ways that it makes me feel and the things it makes me realize that I value... simplicity, simplicity, simplicity... quiet, calm... simple joys... compassion, love, and some spontaneity. We have so much to lose by not knowing ourselves. We can never gain back the years we lose to fear, stress, and worry.

Trapped, again.

So, when is it time to find a new job and when do you just grin and bear it?

Bad bosses and bad work environments are, unfortunately, not unusual. This page is filled with articles on What Makes a Bad Boss - Bad?, How Do You Know When It's Time for You to Go?, Bad Bosses: How to Cope if You Get Stuck With a Bad Boss, ad nauseum.

Some people quit because they just won't stand for those shenanigans. Some people stay and make themselves more miserable because they don't think they have any other option (and maybe they don't). I've played through several situations in my life where I felt trapped in a bad situation. So maybe one of the big reasons I won't leave now is because, what if it's me?

My very first job was at a grocery store. I bagged groceries and then wheeled them out to the customer's car in the sweltering heat to unload the bags in the trunk. People were often rude, but what did I expect for a high school student? I quit after just 1.5 months.

My first year of college, I was disappointed with the school I'd chosen. I wanted some place to push myself more and something that would look more attractive to graduate schools. I transferred. My third year of college I worked for the Residence Life program as an RA, one of those hall monitor types. I didn't quit, but I didn't come back for a second year after being disillusioned with the bureaucracy of the program. Law School? Let's not even go there right now.

So, I've put in my time. I don't quit right in the middle, but what if I'm someone who gets easily or unnecessarily unsatisfied with things? My parents always work overtime and with unappreciative bosses... they're miserable, but they stay.

It took me a long time to learn the opposite of their example, that being unhappy in your job should not be the status quo.

Was I wrong? If most people don't like their jobs, does that make it more acceptable? Is it "just one of those things?"

Unfortunately these questions aren't the only thing holding me to my job. Since I did leave law school after one year, I don't want my next job to think that I'm a job hopper. I feel that I should stay with my current company for at least one year (only about 3 months away). But since I've also been kicking around the idea of nursing school, that would most likely happen Fall 2008, and it wouldn't make sense to find another job only to stay there for less than a year.

But another whole year at my company doesn't sound too good about now. I know we're in a particularly busy patch that will hopefully end in the next two weeks, but I'm just so tired... so tired... SO TIRED of being in these undesirable situations.

Take Note!

Well here it is, from Fortune

100 Best Companies to Work For 2007

Full list

Rank		Company	Job growth %	Company size	U.S. employees
1		Google	67	Medium	6,500
2		Genentech	25	Medium	9,979
3		Wegmans Food Markets	8	Large	33,737
4		Container Store	14	Medium	2,866
5		Whole Foods Market	15	Large	37,806
6		Network Appliance	33	Medium	3,553
7		S.C. Johnson & Son	0	Medium	3,400
8		Boston Consulting Grp.	15	Small	1,434
9		Methodist Hospital Sys.	5	Medium	9,424
10		W.L. Gore & Associates	9	Medium	4,945
11		Cisco Systems	3	Large	27,493
12		David Weekley Homes	19	Small	1,622
13		Nugget Market	1	Small	1,099
14		Qualcomm	17	Medium	8,860
15		American Century Invest.	1	Small	1,783
16		Starbucks Coffee	15	Large	109,873
17		Quicken Loans	19	Medium	3,512
18		Station Casinos	27	Large	13,957
19		Alston & Bird	6	Small	1,598
20		QuikTrip	0	Medium	7,833
21		Griffin Hospital	6	Small	1,098
22		Valero Energy	12	Large	18,730
23		Vision Service Plan	3	Small	1,968
24		Nordstrom	6	Large	48,374
25		Ernst & Young	6	Large	24,995
26		Arnold & Porter	-8	Small	1,292
27		Recreational Equip. (REI)	16	Medium	8,522
28		Kimley-Horn & Assoc.	23	Small	2,173
29		Edward Jones	2	Large	30,326
30		Russell Investment Grp.	12	Small	1,206
31		Adobe Systems	33	Medium	3,604
32		Plante & Moran	11	Small	1,501
33		Intuit	6	Medium	6,889
34		Umpqua Bank	8	Small	1,435
35		Children's Healthcare of Atlanta	7	Medium	5,256
36		Goldman Sachs	6	Large	12,542
37		Northwest Community Hospital	7	Medium	3,299
38		Robert W. Baird	-2	Small	2,080
39		J.M. Smucker	-4	Medium	2,853
40		Amgen	21	Large	13,554
41		JM Family Enterprises	8	Medium	4,452
42		PCL Construction	19	Medium	3,020
43		Genzyme	10	Medium	5,920
44		Yahoo	26	Medium	6,840
45		Bain & Co.	11	Small	1,370
46		First Horizon National	-6	Large	12,491
47		American Fidelity Assur.	-2	Small	1,358
48		SAS Institute	2	Medium	5,239
49		Nixon Peabody	2	Small	1,511
50		Microsoft	13	Large	44,298
51		Stew Leonard's	5	Small	1,899
52		OhioHealth	7	Large	10,836
53		Four Seasons Hotels	10	Large	11,584
54		Baptist Health Care	0	Medium	4,095
55		Dow Corning	8	Medium	4,052
56		Granite Construction	7	Medium	4,662
57		Publix Super Markets	6	Large	136,863
58		PricewaterhouseCoopers	8	Large	28,463
59		Pella	9	Medium	9,331
60		MITRE	3	Medium	5,759
61		SRA International	21	Medium	4,861
62		Mayo Clinic	4	Large	39,457
63		Booz Allen Hamilton	8	Large	16,691
64		Perkins Coie	-1	Small	1,519
65		Alcon Laboratories	4	Medium	6,460
66		Jones Lang LaSalle	26	Medium	7,812
67		HomeBanc Mortgage	-2	Small	1,312
68		Procter & Gamble	2	Large	34,142
69		Nike	5	Large	13,664
70		Paychex	9	Large	10,911
71		AstraZeneca	1	Large	12,263
72		Medtronic	8	Large	21,648
73		Aflac	7	Medium	4,326
74		American Express	-4	Large	29,145
75		Quad/Graphics	-1	Large	10,099
76		Deloitte & Touche USA	9	Large	34,011
77		Principal Financial Grp.	3	Large	13,075
78		Timberland	6	Small	2,016
79		TDIndustries	4	Small	1,345
80		Lehigh Valley Hospital & Health Ntwrk.	12	Medium	7,838
81		Baptist Health S. Florida	4	Medium	9,446
82		CDW	8	Medium	4,293
83		EOG Resources	17	Small	1,181
84		Capital One Financial	59	Large	19,047
85		Standard Pacific	25	Medium	2,856
86		National Instruments	6	Small	2,294
87		Texas Instruments	-7	Large	15,274
88		CarMax	10	Large	12,553
89		Marriott International	-1	Large	124,350
90		Men's Wearhouse	4	Large	11,508
91		Memorial Health	10	Medium	4,685
92		Bright Horizons	4	Large	14,164
93		Milliken	1	Medium	9,500
94		Bingham McCutchen	4	Small	1,618
95		Vanguard	6	Large	11,410
96		IKEA North America	21	Large	11,157
97		KPMG	4	Large	21,042
98		Synovus	4	Large	12,474
99		A.G. Edwards	1	Large	15,794
100		Stanley	6	Small	2,309

From the January 22, 2007 issue

I Survived the Booze and Beeps

I survived the holiday party. Obviously, I can't give too many details for fear of being fired. It was actually pretty tame compared to what I had envisioned. People were very drunk, don't get me wrong, but no one completely embarrassed themselves (although one person came close, thank God it wasn't me).

The food was amazing, though. There were all kinds of appetizers - beef Wellington truffles, chicken salad truffles, 'angry shrimp' (which was essentially spicy breaded shrimp), and some brie truffle with raspberry sauce). You had a choice between a few things for the rest - Caesar salad, tomatoes and onions, or lobster bisque; filet mignon, salmon, or lemon pepper chicken; chocolate cake or creme brulee. I went with lobster bisque, filet, and the chocolate cake. It was all heavenly, especially the lobster bisque.

I brought some of the filet home (about half) for boyfriend because it was too massive to eat in one sitting. When I went to pack my lunch this morning (he had already left), he'd already gangstered the entire thing! At least he didn't touch the rest of my chocolate cake...

We had a rough night. The alcohol (only two beers) and excessive amounts of food swirling in my stomach weren't having a good time together, and I was a little uncomfortable. And at 3:30am the smoke detector battery decided to die and kept beeping beeping beeping. I got up first and manhandled the battery out; it didn't work. Then I fussed at boyfriend to get up. He manhandled it a bit to much and wound up tossing it on the balcony. It kept beeping, but at least we couldnt hear it.

Tonight is his work holiday party. After asking him what the dress code is like, some girl finally told him, "jeans and a going out top." What is a going out top? If we're talking scandalous strappy shirts then I'm up the creek. This is altogether too much holiday fun for me, I'm already tired!

Noel

Last night I dreamt that it was Christmas Eve. I was at work in my office. It was decorated and beautiful everywhere, but the street outside was mostly empty.

It got later and later. My boss kept us longer and longer... 9pm, 10pm. Finally someone left, but for some reason I wasn't allowed to leave yet. At 11pm I finally escaped. My boyfriend hadn't called, no one was in the street, and I couldn't figure out how to get home.

I'm a big dreamer... daydreams, nightdreams, don't mess with my dreams! This is where I draw the line! No way should I be having nightmares about working overtime until 11pm on Christmas Eve! It's horrible. I may have to leave at 5pm today like a normal person, just in protest of this awful dream.

Can anyone who has updated to Blogger Beta tell me if there's an option to make your blog three columns? Blogger beta says it offers all these ways to customize your blog. I've gotten as far as the templates page, which all look exactly the same as those in regular Blogger to me, but to go any further you have to risk losing all your current customizations. I would like to look before I leap off the blogosphere this time.

Happy Friday!
Happy Pay Day!
Good luck studying this weekend (for those who have exams coming up)!

Where did all the turkey go?

Shit! I just realized I only have this evening to make a new banner. How did we get through November so quickly? I have to say, I like holidays and months with holidays, but I think I'm ruling that November kinda sucked.

Historically, I think November might be my least favorite month (but it's in a close race with January). My life with November has included truly loved ones dying and bad relationships starting and then a year later (in November again) going through the serious suck phase and ending. In college it means the end of the semester and exams are coming up. It means lots of dreary days of winter again. And in 2006 it means, "Shit, I've been out of law school for six months and all I got was this lousy t-shirt!"

But I'm not completely ready to throw in the towel yet. My labor and delivery nursing contact finally got back to me! She can't fit me in until late January at the earliest, but something is better than nothing! Until then I'm wondering if I should try to take some community college night class. One, it would begin getting prerequisites out of the way, and two, why not? I like class... I think!

There are some great cooking courses coming up in the new year at Sur la table. Hopefully I'll get a chance to cash in over there. But speaking of cashing in, I've been thinking about Christmas gifts. Why are men so hard to shop for? Or maybe it's just my man. I look through the store catalogs and watch commercials on tv, and they always have the section or blurb that says, "Gifts for Him." Then they feature things like a rotating tie rack, an all in one wrench, or maybe a beer mug that says, "man of the house." If I gave one of these things to my boyfriend, I think that would probably be the thing to end our relationship right there. There's so much pressure to find that one thing that would really show your loved one just how much you love them. But what the hell is it?! Men aren't the most forthcoming creatures. With women, maybe they won't say what they want right away, maybe they'll want the man to be able to figure it out on his own, but basically she'll probably cave and just say it.

So, if anyone has any amazing gifts in mind...

Work Blues

I remember the days when I used to sit at work almost bored. At that time I only had a few things assigned to me. Now I have about three or four times the number of assignments I started out with. I want it to be manageable again.

The fast track rat race is not for me. Going in early and coming home late may work for some or even lots of people, maybe they can really throw themselves into it. I come home feeling drained, exhausted, and even a little like I'm being brainwashed. I don't have as much time for the daydreaming or creative thoughts that I was always accustomed to. I need to figure out how to get back on top of things and only work a normal 8 hour day again.

I probably also shouldn't be afraid to take a fake sick day every now and then. It would probably do me good to have some time, even if I'd have to turn off my cell phone because I'm sure that work would call. Hmm.. maybe they'd be real sick days after all.

I keep thinking that I can't wait to veg out this weekend, but that's what I wind up doing most weekends. I don't have the energy to explore the city and try out a museum. Even making plans with friends gets too much for me. I feel like all week long I'm detached from myself, and on the weekends it's time to be with me.

Before I get to creepy and weird, I'll stop. I was just feeling the work blues a little (okay, a lot).

Goose Chase

Sorry, no blogging yesterday. I was in a serious future slump. Future as in career stuff, not as in some psychic sadness.

It had been a rough day at work. There are a lot of changes going on there right now, and I will miss someone taking another job (someone who was very relatable).

Boyfriend and I have been watching Angel non-stop. It's a Buffy the Vampire Slayer spinoff. I never let myself watch it until recently. I have to keep reminding myself that the two are not the same show (Buffy is better), but I'm still enjoying it. Last night we got to the last episode of Season 3, and we don't have Season 4! It was a cliffhanger, too. First we went to the video store downstairs - nothing, the Hollywood Video we usually go to - they have every season except for Season 4, and another Hollywood - only had Season 5. By that point we were both going a little nuts, and we just began driving around aimlessly. We didn't know where else to go, but we finally found a Blockbuster. This Blockbuster not only did not have any Angel, it didn't have Buffy. What kind of craptastic establishment is that!?

We came back defeated. We'll just have to wait until we journey home this weekend and can steal more dvds from his sister. I hate being defeated. But we had some good conversation about my slump. He made an observation that was extremely distasteful to me, but then I began thinking that maybe I got so defensive because he had a point. He suggested that when I begin to become dissatisfied with a job, club, etc. that I usually have someone who I 'awfulize.' He didn't have any idea which comes first - the dissatisfaction or the awfulizing of a person. My job now (which I'm really not that dissatisfied with yet), law school, and some organizations in college and high school, there is usually one person who I don't like. And maybe over time that dislike starts eating at me more. I'm not sure where he was going with this thought entirely. It seems normal to me not to get along with at least one person, and I don't know what to do with this information, but I'll think about it more.

On a lighter yet maybe even more confusing note, why does Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas look so much like Kirstie Alley?

When Impending Doom Isn't Doom At All

My boss came into my office yesterday, shut the door and asked, "Can we talk?"

If my life was a play, the soliloquy would have gone like this, "shitshitshit I'm getting fired! I knew I shouldn't have been reading Pink is the New Blog at work! I knew that dream I had about my company being able to read my Google Talk messages felt real! And what about that time I wouldn't stay late on Friday because I had plans to be somewhere? He's just been waiting for the perfect time to corner me when I'm not expecting it! He waited until I had finished my special projects and now I'll get the axe!!"

So, basically a complete freak out.

But despite my fears, things actually turned out quite differently. I didn't catch a lot of what he said because I was a little wrapped up in my own (stupid) panic. I did hear that even though my probationary period isn't due to be over yet, he doesn't think it's necessary to wait any longer. All my benefits officially kick in ASAP, and I got a raise!

This is the part where I should have crossed stage left, firmly shaken the man's hand and said, "thank you." Instead I gave a, "uhhummmThank you!uhhh ummmduhhduhh." I was more than a little surprised and dumbfounded.

But afterwards I felt very Leonardo DiCaprio in Titanic:

I'm the king of the woooorld!!! WOoooOOo!

Working Girl

Yesterday I knew that boyfriend would be getting home late, so I had hopes of getting some housekeeping stuff done... vacuuming, putting away the clean clothes, and making some pumpkin ice cream. Unfortunately, I wound up working for 11 hours.

This was my first official "late night." It didn't need to be late, my boss put off something a little later than he should have. At least I get paid overtime?

Sunday was also my two month anniversary of working at this job. Really, my two month anniversary of full time work. We'll see how long I last!

'Round and 'Round the Mulberry Bush

Well, usually I like to take the weekends off Blogger-wise, but I've just been a chatty Cathy during this one.

Today I had an informational meeting with someone who graduated from my alma mater's second degree nursing program. I found her on the alumni database a few weeks ago and e-mailed her; she was eager to meet and discuss her career.

I must say it has been encouraging that all the nurses and nursing students I've spoken with really love it. When I was deciding whether to jump ship with law school and was making contact with many lawyers to discuss the field my conversations were really mixed. Some people told me that they really liked it, some were teaching law because they hated lawyering, and one woman even told me that she realized she hated it after three years but got "stuck" because her parents were sick and she needed to support them.

So far I've spoken with one undergraduate nursing student, one accelerated BSN student, and two nurses. I've received glowing reviews from each. The woman I spoke with today highlighted the flexibility of nursing: being able to move wherever you need to and find a job, the luxury of changing specialties (ie, switching from cardiac ICU to oncology), the opportunity for continued learning and never getting bored, and the work weeks (3 days a week... although it is for 12 hours).

She was extremely supportive and said I could shadow her or any of her friends if I'd like to. She also offered to pull some strings for me in admissions. All in all, I'd say it was a good meeting. I'm glad that I found and contacted this woman. I explained that I wasn't ready to jump into anything just yet, and there are a lot of things standing in my way: GRE's, where the hell am I living next year or the year after, many prerequisite courses, and figuring out where the income will come from. These things aren't deal breakers, it just means it's going to take awhile to get there if that's what I decide that I want.

But, more awesomeness in my favor, I'm going to be getting some free career counseling in the next few weeks. Boyfriend will also be participating in this, and I think it will be some excellent and much needed help in the right direction.

In other news, boyfriend bought us a Lonely Planet: USA travel book. We're working towards planning a vacation next summer and we'd like to see some states that we've never seen. While he's been to California, I have never been west of Tennessee... yeah. We're looking at Colorado right now, but I'd love suggestions, of course.