Ok, all that drama stuff is behind us but I wanted to share something with you all. Not sure why Jonathan is still checking Melissa's myspace page since she dumped him off of it but there ya go. Probably so he could find what I'm going to share with you. Basically, my assessment of Melissa's attitude, etc was right. She posted on the 1st and vented about the store. She hadn't posted anything about the events until this:
"Life with me has been interesting as of late. As soon as I returned to SC from my Dad's funeral, I started working about 40 hours a week as the acting Assistant Manager at Waldenbooks. The actual assistant manager could not deal with working with my manager and decided to go out on leave due to stress! So for the past several months, I have been working hard and enjoying life. That all changed about four weeks ago. My manager and friend, Jess, told me that she was leaving Waldenbooks and going to a better opportunity. I was excited for her, but sad for me. She also told me that she put my name in to be considered as her replacement. That was quite a shock and an honor. So, I was preparing for an interview to be the manager. At this point, the assistant manager popped back in the picture and started up her crap again. She's miserable so she can't stand to see anyone happy. She's the kind that says all nice stuff to your face and then tries to find a way to stick a knife in your back. Anyway, she and her goon (one of my co-workers) decided to screw with me. So, I ended up deciding that I didn't want to manage either of them and that the store would have to find good management elsewhere. I waited until it was time for my interview and explained to the acting district manager that I was no longer interested in the position, but I had several things that she may want to be aware of that were going on in the store. She talked to me for about an hour, expressed her disappointment that she wouldn't be getting the opportunity to interview me and said she would make some calls regarding the information I gave her. Needless to say, the asst. manager and her goon may have gotten what they wanted but I put a few nails in their coffins on the way out of there. I figured whoever gets the store should at least be made aware of what they were going to have to deal with. So, as of last Friday, I am free!! I thought it was going to be sad leaving there but I guess since Jess had already left and the past two weeks had been miserable that it was a relief!! We celebrated Friday night and even went to Books-A-Million to shop!!!"
Ok, first of all, she was never acting assistant manager cause that position doesn't exist. As I was told recently because I'm acting manager, there is no assistant manager right now. It's not a position that gets temporarily filled. But whatever.
Second, Jess putting Melissa's "name in to be considered" for the job didn't mean that she had it. But that is obviously what she thought. Even if I hadn't been out on leave (and she makes it sound like I am a baby for leaving due to stress which was only half the problem) and Jess had said that, it wouldn't have mattered.
Third, ok, this part just makes me laugh. Crap? What crap? Oh wait, could the crap be wanting to reclaim the responsibility I have as the assistant? That I have to my job? As for not wanting to see anyone else be happy. . .(sigh). . .well, all I can say to that is I am a right idiot for wasting worry and mental pain on her. I was so torn up over how to make everyone happy -- including those who weren't making me happy -- that I ended up not being able to do it. I honestly don't know how I could stick a knife in her back when I tried to tell her to her face what my concerns were. Guess all she heard was me about to be competitive. Those comments sadden me. We could have been friends. But not with issues like that. I guess it's a good thing we never did get close because it would hurt more. It shouldn't hurt now but it does a little. I mourn the loss of a potential good friend. But I won't bash my head over it. As for calling Jon a "goon". Ok, I called her a bitch so I guess that's fair. But anyone who knows us knows that he is so not my henchman. That's what she makes it sound like. Ok, one last time, can we say martyr?
Fourth, notice she says that she "decided that she didn't want to manage either of" us. lol She is assuming that she had the job.
Last, yeah, she complained and I got yelled at. But this time I had my side in first and haven't had any comments since. If we can get everything under control, we'll be ok. All Melissa did before she left was to complain to anyone who would listen to her about Jon and I (on the floor to customers and co-workers like). She didn't do much work and what she did do was half-assed. I find it funny that she claimed that we were unprofessional when she was saying things like, "If he says one word to me, I'm walking out."
I showed this to my therapist this morning and you should have seen her reactions. Basically, she said some of the same things I mention above. Melissa has issues. I don't know how much of her ranting will hurt me for getting the job. And right now, I don't really care because I need to take care of what are my responsibilities. Even if they don't last as mine, they are mine to do now. Customers have been happy to have me back and I hear that a lot. Makes me feel good. As far as I can tell, none of Jess's regulars are leaving us. Why? Because we can still give them the service they want. So, I'll just keep plugging along and do the best I can. This can work. But that chapter is at an end. Time for a new book.
Thursday, August 02, 2007
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Am I a Nerd, Geek, or Dork?
Your Score: Modern, Cool Nerd
60 % Nerd, 60% Geek, 21% Dork
For The Record:
A Nerd is someone who is passionate about learning/being smart/academia.
A Geek is someone who is passionate about some particular area or subject, often an obscure or difficult one.
A Dork is someone who has difficulty with common social expectations/interactions.
You scored better than half in Nerd and Geek, earning you the title of: Modern, Cool Nerd.
Nerds didn't use to be cool, but in the 90's that all changed. It used to be that, if you were a computer expert, you had to wear plaid or a pocket protector or suspenders or something that announced to the world that you couldn't quite fit in. Not anymore. Now, the intelligent and geeky have eked out for themselves a modicum of respect at the very least, and "geek is chic." The Modern, Cool Nerd is intelligent, knowledgable and always the person to call in a crisis (needing computer advice/an arcane bit of trivia knowledge). They are the one you want as your lifeline in Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (or the one up there, winning the million bucks)!
Congratulations!
THE NERD? GEEK? OR DORK? TEST
| Link: The Nerd? Geek? or Dork? Test written by donathos on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test |
Which Buffy Character Am I?
Ok, now for a change of pace:
Your Score: Dawn Summers
63% amorality, 54% passion, 63% spirituality, 81% selflessness
Dawn is a person driven by her love for her friends and her desire to make a difference. Perhaps you are, too. You're willing to do whatever is necessary to do what is right for those you care about, and sometimes this can get you in a little bit of trouble.
Most of all, however, you have a heart of gold.
Congratulations!
THE 4-VARIABLE BUFFY PERSONALITY TEST
| Link: The 4-Variable Buffy Personality Test written by donathos on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test |
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Woohoo! Part 2
The house is ours! We did the closing last Thursday. And we didn't end up owing as much money as we thought because half of our costs were tacked onto our mortgage. Mike's been joking about how it's his house since it's his name on the deed and mortgage but we know the truth. Besides, I can easily be put on but I think we'll wait until we're married. That way we don't have to worry about a name change next year and all. Besides, all the utilities are in my name. lol
We are relieved. It feels so much better not to have to worry about this. Plus, we have a month's breathing room on the mortgage so we should be able to get caught up a bit.
Anyway, I'll write about the weekend later. Kind of tired right now.
Hugs.
We are relieved. It feels so much better not to have to worry about this. Plus, we have a month's breathing room on the mortgage so we should be able to get caught up a bit.
Anyway, I'll write about the weekend later. Kind of tired right now.
Hugs.
Friday, July 27, 2007
Back Stabbing
My God, it's been one heck of a week.
HP went pretty well considering that I was trying to organize out of my butt. I am so grateful that Jessica took the time to explain stuff to me. That was such a big help and makes up for a lot. Almost everyone worked their butts off on Friday night to help make the event a success.
I say "almost" because I'm sure you can guess who tried to sabotage it. Yeah. Melissa and I passed each other in the parking lot as I was coming in and she going out because Jess had scheduled her for a split shift. She was on her phone so no contact was made. Well, when she came back in, she had the nerve to tell me that she didn't know what to do! Um. . .I kind of explained it the night before. "Kind of" because she had told me that Jess had explained everything to her! So, I figured she knew what was going on. She certainly didn't have any questions when I asked her the night before. And here I was going to keep her as Mistress of Ceremonies like Jessica suggested! Omg. . .I was so freaking angry. But I didn't lose it on the floor. Melissa ended up spending the party time out in the mall doing virtually nothing. She helped Meghan with Potter Jeopardy at one point but spent most of her time either talking with Jessica or people she knew. The only time she actually worked was when the book was being sold and she was stationed at a register. And then she left the clean up to the rest of us and went home early under the excuse that Meghan was her ride when she had actually driven herself.
Can we say wanting to smack the crap out of her? But I didn't say anything because it would do no good. Why stoop to her level? On Saturday she was so less than cordial that it's amazing I kept my temper. She had told someone on Friday night that she was leaving because she found something better. Well, not much I could do until I got her formal notice. Which I did, on Monday. But not until after I had been chewed out by HR for things that Melissa told them. She slandered me and tried her darnedest to ruin my chances of getting the position. Hell, no doubt she was also trying to get me fired. Yes, some of what she said was true. Most of it was exaggerated. Like, she claimed I called her ten times last Wednesday! Since when does 2-3 times count? And it was because I was trying to make her a part of things like I was advised to do. AND, I even apologized for it to her the next day! I was so stunned that I didn't even try and defend myself much because it made me feel like I was in elementary school.
All week she has done nothing but be a bitch to me.
She thinks Jon and I stabbed her in the back. (snort) Yeah, ok. Sounds like the other way around. Especially with her telling customers that we ruined her chances, blah blah blah. Um, no. That would be herself and her behavior. She claims that I have no chance to get it because I went on medical leave. Um, legally that can't be a reason. And we all know why I was on leave. Yeah, like she's a stable personality. I have bitched on here but I supported her to the higher ups. I backed her bid for the position even though I was offended by her saying she would leave if she didn't get it because that was just plain childish. I have been nothing but nice to her and she turns around and stabs at me at every opportunity because she believes I did it first. (laugh) Yeah, I tell her why I'm applying and it's not good enough. Even now I care that she is all right. She went home sick on Tuesday and it took me asking her three times if she was better before she would answer me. And then when I asked if she'd been to the doctor, she snapped, "No, I don't need to go. I know what's wrong with me." Well, alrighty then. I felt genuine concern for her. That either makes me stupid or a nice person. Guess which one I'm going for. (sigh)
Melissa spent the afternoon not working and complaining. Lindsay will probably end up taking over for Melissa because the latter said that she has no motivation to work at the store and therefore would gladly give up her hours. I scheduled her the same as always next week because I didn't want her to complain that I was shorting her just because she was leaving. Yeah, and this is the person who claimed that she cared about the store more than anyone else.
Well, if what she wants is to leave. . .good riddance. We don't need for this drama to continue. We have a lot to get done and we're better off without people who aren't motivated. Plus, we need her poison out of the store. Once she's gone, I won't give her a second thought because I have enough to occupy me. Melissa can go off and play martyr elsewhere.
On the shiny side, I have learned a lot. And it's been a hard lesson. But I refuse to let it change who I am and how I care about people. I just need to be a little more careful about how I let self centered people affect me. (sigh)
HP went pretty well considering that I was trying to organize out of my butt. I am so grateful that Jessica took the time to explain stuff to me. That was such a big help and makes up for a lot. Almost everyone worked their butts off on Friday night to help make the event a success.
I say "almost" because I'm sure you can guess who tried to sabotage it. Yeah. Melissa and I passed each other in the parking lot as I was coming in and she going out because Jess had scheduled her for a split shift. She was on her phone so no contact was made. Well, when she came back in, she had the nerve to tell me that she didn't know what to do! Um. . .I kind of explained it the night before. "Kind of" because she had told me that Jess had explained everything to her! So, I figured she knew what was going on. She certainly didn't have any questions when I asked her the night before. And here I was going to keep her as Mistress of Ceremonies like Jessica suggested! Omg. . .I was so freaking angry. But I didn't lose it on the floor. Melissa ended up spending the party time out in the mall doing virtually nothing. She helped Meghan with Potter Jeopardy at one point but spent most of her time either talking with Jessica or people she knew. The only time she actually worked was when the book was being sold and she was stationed at a register. And then she left the clean up to the rest of us and went home early under the excuse that Meghan was her ride when she had actually driven herself.
Can we say wanting to smack the crap out of her? But I didn't say anything because it would do no good. Why stoop to her level? On Saturday she was so less than cordial that it's amazing I kept my temper. She had told someone on Friday night that she was leaving because she found something better. Well, not much I could do until I got her formal notice. Which I did, on Monday. But not until after I had been chewed out by HR for things that Melissa told them. She slandered me and tried her darnedest to ruin my chances of getting the position. Hell, no doubt she was also trying to get me fired. Yes, some of what she said was true. Most of it was exaggerated. Like, she claimed I called her ten times last Wednesday! Since when does 2-3 times count? And it was because I was trying to make her a part of things like I was advised to do. AND, I even apologized for it to her the next day! I was so stunned that I didn't even try and defend myself much because it made me feel like I was in elementary school.
All week she has done nothing but be a bitch to me.
She thinks Jon and I stabbed her in the back. (snort) Yeah, ok. Sounds like the other way around. Especially with her telling customers that we ruined her chances, blah blah blah. Um, no. That would be herself and her behavior. She claims that I have no chance to get it because I went on medical leave. Um, legally that can't be a reason. And we all know why I was on leave. Yeah, like she's a stable personality. I have bitched on here but I supported her to the higher ups. I backed her bid for the position even though I was offended by her saying she would leave if she didn't get it because that was just plain childish. I have been nothing but nice to her and she turns around and stabs at me at every opportunity because she believes I did it first. (laugh) Yeah, I tell her why I'm applying and it's not good enough. Even now I care that she is all right. She went home sick on Tuesday and it took me asking her three times if she was better before she would answer me. And then when I asked if she'd been to the doctor, she snapped, "No, I don't need to go. I know what's wrong with me." Well, alrighty then. I felt genuine concern for her. That either makes me stupid or a nice person. Guess which one I'm going for. (sigh)
Melissa spent the afternoon not working and complaining. Lindsay will probably end up taking over for Melissa because the latter said that she has no motivation to work at the store and therefore would gladly give up her hours. I scheduled her the same as always next week because I didn't want her to complain that I was shorting her just because she was leaving. Yeah, and this is the person who claimed that she cared about the store more than anyone else.
Well, if what she wants is to leave. . .good riddance. We don't need for this drama to continue. We have a lot to get done and we're better off without people who aren't motivated. Plus, we need her poison out of the store. Once she's gone, I won't give her a second thought because I have enough to occupy me. Melissa can go off and play martyr elsewhere.
On the shiny side, I have learned a lot. And it's been a hard lesson. But I refuse to let it change who I am and how I care about people. I just need to be a little more careful about how I let self centered people affect me. (sigh)
Friday, July 20, 2007
Big Bad and the Martyr
Empathy can be a killer. Michael told me last night that it was one of my best traits and greatest faults. Best because it makes me a good person. Fault because I will beat myself up with it by internalizing and what ifs. (sigh)
I am the Big Bad Wolf right now because I've returned to the pack and driven off the leader so I could take over. Yeah, right. The former leader drove herself off. I sincerely wish that Jessica could be doing stuff tonight like she planned because I know that she loves it and put a lot of thought into it. But she can't be more than a participant so I have to take over the leadership role. We're going to do most of what she planned and the two changes are because the higher ups said we should do them. So, yeah, there ya go. Jess suggested that Melissa be Mistress of Ceremonies and that's a good idea. She's the only other one Jess told all this stuff too and since someone has to watch the store, that's what I'll do.
Melissa is the Martyr of the title. I say this because before we got a chance to discuss tonight, she was telling people that she felt like nothing more than just a bookseller. Like her opinions didn't matter or count.
My God, what more do I have to do to get her to see that I value her help and opinions? I guess I have to actually say these words directly to her cause she's not getting it! I'm sorry that I stole her thunder. That I came back unexpectedly and took over the job that she assumed was going to be hers. Yes, she was doing stuff while I was away. But how is that different from when she was gone a while back? Jessica told me that our HR person told Melissa that she would be acting manager since I was on leave and that the first time she knew about me being it was this past Saturday when I asked about Jessica's keys. I know I kept Melissa in the loop about what was going on. I could swear I told her that I would be acting manager. Hell, I even went to her and explained why I was thinking of applying. I guess none of that sunk in. As for what the HR person said, no, there was never anything concrete said until it was known whether I would be back. Jessica was told that she could make recommendations in her resignation but that was it. So, I can only assume that Jessica is the one who built Melissa up to take this hit. And I'm getting the fallout.
All week I've tried to make Melissa a part of tonight and ask her opinions, etc. Jessica was going to her with the information but I needed it cause I had to have a plan. It didn't mean that Melissa couldn't know. It meant that I needed to know because I'm responsible for this stuff. If I'm in charge, then I need to know. I was fine with Jess handling it cause I knew she would tell me at some point this week what was going on. But once her being banished came out. . .well, that changed. HP is a huge freaking deal for us and the weekend is going to be insane. Hell, I even asked Melissa to be on the conference call so that she could be in on what everyone was saying because I didn't want her to feel left out. She didn't do it because it was her day off and she was with her visiting family. Well, gee, sorry about that one. Had anyone I know been visiting, they would have understood that I needed an hour to do this. Hell they would have understood getting a few (2-3) on Wednesday because people at the store needed to ask my advice. Yeah, I guess I've stopped beating myself up over this and am now getting angry. I gotta squelch that now so I'll stop the rant.
(sigh) You wouldn't think there would be this much drama from a bookstore. And all you writer peeps. . .mine! lol I am so gonna put this into a book. Wish me luck today! I have so much to do!
I am the Big Bad Wolf right now because I've returned to the pack and driven off the leader so I could take over. Yeah, right. The former leader drove herself off. I sincerely wish that Jessica could be doing stuff tonight like she planned because I know that she loves it and put a lot of thought into it. But she can't be more than a participant so I have to take over the leadership role. We're going to do most of what she planned and the two changes are because the higher ups said we should do them. So, yeah, there ya go. Jess suggested that Melissa be Mistress of Ceremonies and that's a good idea. She's the only other one Jess told all this stuff too and since someone has to watch the store, that's what I'll do.
Melissa is the Martyr of the title. I say this because before we got a chance to discuss tonight, she was telling people that she felt like nothing more than just a bookseller. Like her opinions didn't matter or count.
My God, what more do I have to do to get her to see that I value her help and opinions? I guess I have to actually say these words directly to her cause she's not getting it! I'm sorry that I stole her thunder. That I came back unexpectedly and took over the job that she assumed was going to be hers. Yes, she was doing stuff while I was away. But how is that different from when she was gone a while back? Jessica told me that our HR person told Melissa that she would be acting manager since I was on leave and that the first time she knew about me being it was this past Saturday when I asked about Jessica's keys. I know I kept Melissa in the loop about what was going on. I could swear I told her that I would be acting manager. Hell, I even went to her and explained why I was thinking of applying. I guess none of that sunk in. As for what the HR person said, no, there was never anything concrete said until it was known whether I would be back. Jessica was told that she could make recommendations in her resignation but that was it. So, I can only assume that Jessica is the one who built Melissa up to take this hit. And I'm getting the fallout.
All week I've tried to make Melissa a part of tonight and ask her opinions, etc. Jessica was going to her with the information but I needed it cause I had to have a plan. It didn't mean that Melissa couldn't know. It meant that I needed to know because I'm responsible for this stuff. If I'm in charge, then I need to know. I was fine with Jess handling it cause I knew she would tell me at some point this week what was going on. But once her being banished came out. . .well, that changed. HP is a huge freaking deal for us and the weekend is going to be insane. Hell, I even asked Melissa to be on the conference call so that she could be in on what everyone was saying because I didn't want her to feel left out. She didn't do it because it was her day off and she was with her visiting family. Well, gee, sorry about that one. Had anyone I know been visiting, they would have understood that I needed an hour to do this. Hell they would have understood getting a few (2-3) on Wednesday because people at the store needed to ask my advice. Yeah, I guess I've stopped beating myself up over this and am now getting angry. I gotta squelch that now so I'll stop the rant.
(sigh) You wouldn't think there would be this much drama from a bookstore. And all you writer peeps. . .mine! lol I am so gonna put this into a book. Wish me luck today! I have so much to do!
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Madness
I am well and truly insane. Oh, wait, we knew this. Anyway, I started to write a post on Monday that said "Let the Battle Begin" and went like this:
"And so I have thrown my hat into the ring tonight. After a week's worth of deliberations, I decided to go for the position. Can I handle it all? Who knows. But I do know that we need some options just in case Jonathan or Melissa aren't really acceptable candidates. Unlike them, though, I didn't have to apply through internal channels. I just had to send my résumé to out HR person's email. Doesn't mean I'm guaranteed the position but I have a good shot since I'm already in place. Guess it all depends upon who else has applied.
I just couldn't get over the fact that Melissa is being childish about staying if she doesn't get the position. I mean, she could still move up a rank, so to speak. But she doesn't want to deal with people pitying her." (update: apparently she got enough of that when her father died)
I didn't get to finish that because of making dinner. Anyway, I have my interview today at 1p. Jon and Melissa have theirs tomorrow. Basically, if the HR person likes any of us, we then get passed on for an interview with the RD. Lord only knows how long the decision will take. For right now I am acting manager (small pay rise woohoo). This didn't sit well with Melissa because she was under the impression that she would be getting that job. Um, ok. The way this works is that when a manager leaves, the assistant takes over until the post is filled. I know that I was on medical leave when this all went down but that didn't mean that I wouldn't have that possibility. Anyway, that explains the freezing reception from her on Monday. She came in like she wanted to have my head on a platter. Look, I'm not trying to steal her thunder but I wouldn't have been able to just sit by this week and not go nuts worrying about stuff there. I have a string responsible streak and it would have been hellish for her and Jon to have been the only keyholders. Yeah, a weekend with only two is one thing but an entire week? And the Harry Potter week at that? Sheesh But she seems to have gotten over that because she was better with me on Tuesday and seemed more normal. But I don't know if that is going to last. (sigh)
Why do I say that? Because the week has turned into one glorified bomb. We got a call that Jessica will not be coming back to work at the store part-time. The higher ups think that is just too darn complicated so they have banned her from even doing the HP event with us tomorrow night! Eeeek! What does this mean? Well, since Jess didn't bother to share her plans with any of us beyond superficial ideas, it means that we get to try and make it work. None of us thought that this would be a problem. I've been trying to figure out what is supposed to happen since I got back because I hate not knowing.
Anyway, it means I was at the store until 8p last night (got there at 9) and am headed there this morning and later today even though it's my day off. We have a ton to do. Jess was a doll yesterday and came by to tell me what she plans because I need to know. She went by Melissa's to tell her, and that's great, but I wasn't going to get to see Melissa until tonight and I kind of needed to have an idea sooner. (sigh) But Jessica has some awesome ideas (I never doubted that). She's done this before so you know I trust her judgment. I mean, we did something too but it was a little lame. This one will rock. Hopefully Melissa believes that cause when I talked to her yesterday she was so pessimistic about it. We can do this. Does it suck that Jess can't partake? Yeah. Will we completely bomb without her? No. So, I have much to do today with that and house stuff. The bank's appraiser is coming by this afternoon after my interview (which is via phone) and then I have a conference call at 3p. After that it's back to the store to meet with Jon and Melissa about tomorrow. Oh, and on top of all this, I am finalizing the plans for the couple's shower. Thank God for Dale's sister and Ann-Marie. I so need to do something nice for each of them.
I'll try and keep you posted. Hugs.
"And so I have thrown my hat into the ring tonight. After a week's worth of deliberations, I decided to go for the position. Can I handle it all? Who knows. But I do know that we need some options just in case Jonathan or Melissa aren't really acceptable candidates. Unlike them, though, I didn't have to apply through internal channels. I just had to send my résumé to out HR person's email. Doesn't mean I'm guaranteed the position but I have a good shot since I'm already in place. Guess it all depends upon who else has applied.
I just couldn't get over the fact that Melissa is being childish about staying if she doesn't get the position. I mean, she could still move up a rank, so to speak. But she doesn't want to deal with people pitying her." (update: apparently she got enough of that when her father died)
I didn't get to finish that because of making dinner. Anyway, I have my interview today at 1p. Jon and Melissa have theirs tomorrow. Basically, if the HR person likes any of us, we then get passed on for an interview with the RD. Lord only knows how long the decision will take. For right now I am acting manager (small pay rise woohoo). This didn't sit well with Melissa because she was under the impression that she would be getting that job. Um, ok. The way this works is that when a manager leaves, the assistant takes over until the post is filled. I know that I was on medical leave when this all went down but that didn't mean that I wouldn't have that possibility. Anyway, that explains the freezing reception from her on Monday. She came in like she wanted to have my head on a platter. Look, I'm not trying to steal her thunder but I wouldn't have been able to just sit by this week and not go nuts worrying about stuff there. I have a string responsible streak and it would have been hellish for her and Jon to have been the only keyholders. Yeah, a weekend with only two is one thing but an entire week? And the Harry Potter week at that? Sheesh But she seems to have gotten over that because she was better with me on Tuesday and seemed more normal. But I don't know if that is going to last. (sigh)
Why do I say that? Because the week has turned into one glorified bomb. We got a call that Jessica will not be coming back to work at the store part-time. The higher ups think that is just too darn complicated so they have banned her from even doing the HP event with us tomorrow night! Eeeek! What does this mean? Well, since Jess didn't bother to share her plans with any of us beyond superficial ideas, it means that we get to try and make it work. None of us thought that this would be a problem. I've been trying to figure out what is supposed to happen since I got back because I hate not knowing.
Anyway, it means I was at the store until 8p last night (got there at 9) and am headed there this morning and later today even though it's my day off. We have a ton to do. Jess was a doll yesterday and came by to tell me what she plans because I need to know. She went by Melissa's to tell her, and that's great, but I wasn't going to get to see Melissa until tonight and I kind of needed to have an idea sooner. (sigh) But Jessica has some awesome ideas (I never doubted that). She's done this before so you know I trust her judgment. I mean, we did something too but it was a little lame. This one will rock. Hopefully Melissa believes that cause when I talked to her yesterday she was so pessimistic about it. We can do this. Does it suck that Jess can't partake? Yeah. Will we completely bomb without her? No. So, I have much to do today with that and house stuff. The bank's appraiser is coming by this afternoon after my interview (which is via phone) and then I have a conference call at 3p. After that it's back to the store to meet with Jon and Melissa about tomorrow. Oh, and on top of all this, I am finalizing the plans for the couple's shower. Thank God for Dale's sister and Ann-Marie. I so need to do something nice for each of them.
I'll try and keep you posted. Hugs.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Divine Retribution From God
That's what Mike called me today. lol We were talking about everything that's been going on. Cause, basically right now I have 4 main foci: him, the dissertation, the bookstore, and teaching. Not necessarily in that order. But that's just it. . .I have to decide what should be the most important. Mike said he wasn't going anywhere. No, but that's not the point. I like spending time with him. And if I can't do that, neither of us is going to be very happy. Mike considers work a big priority but both of mine spill over into my private life more than his does. It's all about time management. Gee, really? I so suck at that. lol
Why Mike said the title is because I asked him if I was driving him nuts with this stuff. He said no. Why? "Because I see myself in you. You're like a divine retribution from God for all the times I put off doing what needed to be done in school, or at work, or wherever." lol Basically, I always find excuses not to get started on stuff. Well, yeah, I knew that. I need things to be just so in order to get started. But in reality, those things don't need to happen. I don't need to have all of my books organized in order to work on the dissertation. That's just one example.
Sad but true. In theory can I do everything? Yes. In actuality? Dunno. The thought is that if I can delegate everything and prioritize just right, it won't be a problem. Sounds so simple, doesn't it? It would be if I knew better exactly what I want. It sucks sometimes to be interested in too many things at once.
Why Mike said the title is because I asked him if I was driving him nuts with this stuff. He said no. Why? "Because I see myself in you. You're like a divine retribution from God for all the times I put off doing what needed to be done in school, or at work, or wherever." lol Basically, I always find excuses not to get started on stuff. Well, yeah, I knew that. I need things to be just so in order to get started. But in reality, those things don't need to happen. I don't need to have all of my books organized in order to work on the dissertation. That's just one example.
Sad but true. In theory can I do everything? Yes. In actuality? Dunno. The thought is that if I can delegate everything and prioritize just right, it won't be a problem. Sounds so simple, doesn't it? It would be if I knew better exactly what I want. It sucks sometimes to be interested in too many things at once.
To Manage Or Not To Manage
The week went by quickly. I've been having problems with migraines but I think that's the weather because we've had storms on and off. Yesterday was the first day where it didn't feel like my head was gonna explode and it was sunny out so there ya go.
The only thing I've been able to do with the house purchase has been to get my insurance agent to start the ball rolling for what she needs done. The insurance inspector came by yesterday to look everything over. He'd called on Wednesday but I was resting so my head wouldn't fall off. When I called him back yesterday, he was actually driving towards our end of town. He kept saying how I couldn't have had better timing. It was funny. He was really nice. So, at least that's one more thing done. The rest has to wait until our mortgage dude gets back from vacation next week. But we should still be able to close by the end of the month.
As for the store. . .well, I've been thinking hard about the position. Jonathan decided to throw his hat into the ring and I think that's good. If Melissa has a shot at it, so does he. The problem is that neither of them has on their resumes anything that fits "at least one year minimum retail management experience." Being keyholders is not the same thing though Melissa believes that it should be. She feels that they will "do the right thing" and hire her because of all of the hard work that she's done for the company and what's right for the store (which is to keep the position filled internally). Plus she doesn't think it's fair that they would penalize her for the fact that someone (me) was already in the position when she came over with Jess. If I hadn't been there, or had quit, she would be the assistant. Probably true. But because she didn't push me out of my job, it shouldn't look bad for her. Um, ok, like she could have but whatever. I don't think she realized how that sounded.
Well, I spoke with our HR person and that's not necessarily the case. They don't usually promote people from bookseller to manager, especially if they don't have previous managerial experience. Plus, while they do prefer to start from within the store, if someone from outside applies who has more credentials, they will go with that person. (sigh) Well, we don't want to end up with a nightmare manager. So, Jon has been pushing me to apply so that there is at least a backup.
The problem is, I don't want to compete with Melissa. She really wants the job. I think that she'll be fine as a manger (but hey, I've been wrong before). The only thing that bothers me about this is that when I talked to her on Tuesday about the idea of me as backup, she said that if she doesn't get the position, she'll leave! She can't stand the idea that she'll be pitied for not getting it. People have been telling her left and right that she should have the position (including myself) and she keeps getting asked if she's going to be doing it once Jess is gone. Well, heck, I've been getting asked that question forever even when Jess wasn't going to be leaving. lol And no, I didn't tell her that. But she doesn't think that she will be able to handle the humiliation. Also, if the company doesn't reward her for all of the hard work, why stay? Um, cause if they bumped me up, she'd be bumped up to my position? And that would mean she'd be working her way through the ranks like people normally do? And if I was the one put in, people would logically go, well, that makes sense? Sheesh Hell, they might not even decide to go with me! Am I going to quit if that happens? No. Will Jon if he doesn't get it? No.
So, I'm going to apply. What happens after that, well, I don't know. We'll see. If neither of them was a truly likely candidate and they offer it to me, I'll take it. If one of them comes in a close second. . .well, I can always bow out. So much for making my life less stressful. lol
The only thing I've been able to do with the house purchase has been to get my insurance agent to start the ball rolling for what she needs done. The insurance inspector came by yesterday to look everything over. He'd called on Wednesday but I was resting so my head wouldn't fall off. When I called him back yesterday, he was actually driving towards our end of town. He kept saying how I couldn't have had better timing. It was funny. He was really nice. So, at least that's one more thing done. The rest has to wait until our mortgage dude gets back from vacation next week. But we should still be able to close by the end of the month.
As for the store. . .well, I've been thinking hard about the position. Jonathan decided to throw his hat into the ring and I think that's good. If Melissa has a shot at it, so does he. The problem is that neither of them has on their resumes anything that fits "at least one year minimum retail management experience." Being keyholders is not the same thing though Melissa believes that it should be. She feels that they will "do the right thing" and hire her because of all of the hard work that she's done for the company and what's right for the store (which is to keep the position filled internally). Plus she doesn't think it's fair that they would penalize her for the fact that someone (me) was already in the position when she came over with Jess. If I hadn't been there, or had quit, she would be the assistant. Probably true. But because she didn't push me out of my job, it shouldn't look bad for her. Um, ok, like she could have but whatever. I don't think she realized how that sounded.
Well, I spoke with our HR person and that's not necessarily the case. They don't usually promote people from bookseller to manager, especially if they don't have previous managerial experience. Plus, while they do prefer to start from within the store, if someone from outside applies who has more credentials, they will go with that person. (sigh) Well, we don't want to end up with a nightmare manager. So, Jon has been pushing me to apply so that there is at least a backup.
The problem is, I don't want to compete with Melissa. She really wants the job. I think that she'll be fine as a manger (but hey, I've been wrong before). The only thing that bothers me about this is that when I talked to her on Tuesday about the idea of me as backup, she said that if she doesn't get the position, she'll leave! She can't stand the idea that she'll be pitied for not getting it. People have been telling her left and right that she should have the position (including myself) and she keeps getting asked if she's going to be doing it once Jess is gone. Well, heck, I've been getting asked that question forever even when Jess wasn't going to be leaving. lol And no, I didn't tell her that. But she doesn't think that she will be able to handle the humiliation. Also, if the company doesn't reward her for all of the hard work, why stay? Um, cause if they bumped me up, she'd be bumped up to my position? And that would mean she'd be working her way through the ranks like people normally do? And if I was the one put in, people would logically go, well, that makes sense? Sheesh Hell, they might not even decide to go with me! Am I going to quit if that happens? No. Will Jon if he doesn't get it? No.
So, I'm going to apply. What happens after that, well, I don't know. We'll see. If neither of them was a truly likely candidate and they offer it to me, I'll take it. If one of them comes in a close second. . .well, I can always bow out. So much for making my life less stressful. lol
Sunday, July 08, 2007
Woohoo!
We got the house! Not sure what happened with the woman's bid but it doesn't matter cause we are on our way. Thank God. We actually would have known Friday night if we'd checked Mike's email and/or the mailbox. I was expecting a phone call, not an email. So, when Cindy got the mail for us yesterday and found our purchase agreement in the box, I was surprised and puzzled. It was signed and dated for Friday but I didn't want to get my hopes up that it was what it seemed since there was no note. I had Mike call Hite to confirm it. So, yay! We'll ask Hite later about why we got the bid. Simple curiosity.
Wow. . .it took my brain a while to process it all cause everything has been so stressful for the past two months (heck, longer than that). There's still so much to do but at least my body feels less tense. I mean, how could it not when both the work and home situations have improved. There's still tons to do for both things but. . .woohoo!
It's a good thing that I still have this coming week off from work. That couldn't have happened at a better time. Yeah, I know that things happen for a reason but I still get surprised by it sometimes. I knew there was a reason we ended up here last year. We were drawn to the place from the start. And even though it wasn't our first choice of rent, when it came time to make a quick decision to sign a lease or wait for the other option, we signed. I still remember walking through this house while it was empty. I tried so hard not to show how excited I was about it. And Mike was too. We see so much potential here and already have plans for what we can do to make it better. Mostly we want to add on to the house. Create a bigger bedroom for ourselves (my office is the largest bedroom right now but even that's not saying much for size) and add another bathroom. I suggested a while ago that we combine the bath and a half into one big bathroom cause they are back to back (the half bath is connected to my office). Mike also wants to add a sun room. Our backyard is big enough to support the future plans. It's so nice to dream that way.
So, now I have to get the ball rolling on the paperwork and finances for the house. Get the paperwork out for going back to work. Resume my job and get things there up to snuff for the RDs visit. Thank God I have Jon and Melissa to help with that. Gather what I need for Val's couples shower. Get stuff at the house organized and finally start working on that damn dissertation. lol I'm sure I'm forgetting something. No one can say that my life is dull, that's for sure. Oh, well, maybe for some people but not me. And that's cool. I like being busy. I just don't like being stressed out as much as I have been. I don't have the mental reserves for it that I used to. I think it's because I have a hard time getting into that numbed zone where I just exist and move. In a way that's a good thing. So I'll just keep on chugging and keep you all posted. Hugs.
Wow. . .it took my brain a while to process it all cause everything has been so stressful for the past two months (heck, longer than that). There's still so much to do but at least my body feels less tense. I mean, how could it not when both the work and home situations have improved. There's still tons to do for both things but. . .woohoo!
It's a good thing that I still have this coming week off from work. That couldn't have happened at a better time. Yeah, I know that things happen for a reason but I still get surprised by it sometimes. I knew there was a reason we ended up here last year. We were drawn to the place from the start. And even though it wasn't our first choice of rent, when it came time to make a quick decision to sign a lease or wait for the other option, we signed. I still remember walking through this house while it was empty. I tried so hard not to show how excited I was about it. And Mike was too. We see so much potential here and already have plans for what we can do to make it better. Mostly we want to add on to the house. Create a bigger bedroom for ourselves (my office is the largest bedroom right now but even that's not saying much for size) and add another bathroom. I suggested a while ago that we combine the bath and a half into one big bathroom cause they are back to back (the half bath is connected to my office). Mike also wants to add a sun room. Our backyard is big enough to support the future plans. It's so nice to dream that way.
So, now I have to get the ball rolling on the paperwork and finances for the house. Get the paperwork out for going back to work. Resume my job and get things there up to snuff for the RDs visit. Thank God I have Jon and Melissa to help with that. Gather what I need for Val's couples shower. Get stuff at the house organized and finally start working on that damn dissertation. lol I'm sure I'm forgetting something. No one can say that my life is dull, that's for sure. Oh, well, maybe for some people but not me. And that's cool. I like being busy. I just don't like being stressed out as much as I have been. I don't have the mental reserves for it that I used to. I think it's because I have a hard time getting into that numbed zone where I just exist and move. In a way that's a good thing. So I'll just keep on chugging and keep you all posted. Hugs.
Saturday, July 07, 2007
Up Early Again
What a week! I couldn't sleep anymore even though I am really tired. Brain kicked in and wouldn't stop chugging. My doctor has said that I need to start meditating.
Well, they have approved me to go back to work. My therapist thinks it's great that Jess is leaving and sees no reason why I can't go back since my relationship with her was the main source of my work stress. But it won't be easy for a while since we have a transition to go through. Not sure who will end up as the manager but that is the least of the worry right now. Harry Potter weekend will be upon me when I return and I also forgot that our Regional Director is supposed to visit that week! Ugh Jon reminded me about it last night. Just what I need. Fortunately, everything looks ok at the store though I did notice stuff out of place, etc. Melissa plans on getting things cleaned up asap but still.
Jess apparently has a ton of paperwork that's been piling up. Am I surprised? No. Will I end up doing it? Dunno. Melissa told Jess that she had to do it before she stepped down but who knows how much weight that actually carries.
On a different note, the week was really stressful on Mike and I. We're fine but we keep getting into these tense moments because of finances and stuff. He knew that Jami and Cynthia were coming to visit and I had budgeted some of my money for that but he's stressed out about making our accounts look as good as possible for the bank. Gene (the mortgage guy) told is to leave as much in the accounts as we could. Well, I sat down and figured out the exact due dates of the bills (I have set times I usually pay them) so that we could maximize that. I can't tell if Mike is on my account yet or not but that is supposed to help. Whatever. I actually got back some money from USC for my spring tuition since I got approved for in-state because of the bookstore. That was a nice surprise because I didn't know what they were gonna do (check or credit).
All I know is I'm getting tired of the emotional roller coaster I'm on. The doc has upped the prescription. And we're keeping an eye on the new bc since that could be playing a part too. Oh, yay. Well, have a good weekend, all!
Well, they have approved me to go back to work. My therapist thinks it's great that Jess is leaving and sees no reason why I can't go back since my relationship with her was the main source of my work stress. But it won't be easy for a while since we have a transition to go through. Not sure who will end up as the manager but that is the least of the worry right now. Harry Potter weekend will be upon me when I return and I also forgot that our Regional Director is supposed to visit that week! Ugh Jon reminded me about it last night. Just what I need. Fortunately, everything looks ok at the store though I did notice stuff out of place, etc. Melissa plans on getting things cleaned up asap but still.
Jess apparently has a ton of paperwork that's been piling up. Am I surprised? No. Will I end up doing it? Dunno. Melissa told Jess that she had to do it before she stepped down but who knows how much weight that actually carries.
On a different note, the week was really stressful on Mike and I. We're fine but we keep getting into these tense moments because of finances and stuff. He knew that Jami and Cynthia were coming to visit and I had budgeted some of my money for that but he's stressed out about making our accounts look as good as possible for the bank. Gene (the mortgage guy) told is to leave as much in the accounts as we could. Well, I sat down and figured out the exact due dates of the bills (I have set times I usually pay them) so that we could maximize that. I can't tell if Mike is on my account yet or not but that is supposed to help. Whatever. I actually got back some money from USC for my spring tuition since I got approved for in-state because of the bookstore. That was a nice surprise because I didn't know what they were gonna do (check or credit).
All I know is I'm getting tired of the emotional roller coaster I'm on. The doc has upped the prescription. And we're keeping an eye on the new bc since that could be playing a part too. Oh, yay. Well, have a good weekend, all!
Friday, July 06, 2007
Future Family
Had a really interesting talk with Michael's mom, Melba, today. Well, I guess by the time this posts, it will be yesterday. But whatever. She called to ask how things were going and we ended up on the phone for three hours! It was awesome. I feel so much better now about how she views me.
I don't know if Michael told her that I was still feeling nervous around her or if she picked up on it but it was cool. Our childhood's parallel in some ways that I found interesting and I learned a lot about Michael's family. Melba was very open about her marriage and stuff. I liked her when I met her and I like her more every time we talk. Hopefully we'll be able to bring about a closeness within the family that has apparently been missing for some time. There are obviously a lot of relatives about so that's easy enough. lol
Jonathan asked me if I called her "mom". I don't know if I'll ever be able to do that. Mike pointed out last month that I will soon have another mother but I'm not sure how I feel about that idea. I haven't had one for so long that I don't know what it feels like any more. I know what it should feel like and how the relationship should go but. . . .
When I was a child, I had friends who's mother wanted me to call her mom. I didn't feel right about it because I had a mother. I guess I still feel that way. She's Mike's mother. Maybe I'll feel differently after a few years of marriage and we've all interacted as a family. Dunno. But right now I don't.
I am glad though that we had such a talk today. It felt easy. It was good. And it made me happy. yay
I don't know if Michael told her that I was still feeling nervous around her or if she picked up on it but it was cool. Our childhood's parallel in some ways that I found interesting and I learned a lot about Michael's family. Melba was very open about her marriage and stuff. I liked her when I met her and I like her more every time we talk. Hopefully we'll be able to bring about a closeness within the family that has apparently been missing for some time. There are obviously a lot of relatives about so that's easy enough. lol
Jonathan asked me if I called her "mom". I don't know if I'll ever be able to do that. Mike pointed out last month that I will soon have another mother but I'm not sure how I feel about that idea. I haven't had one for so long that I don't know what it feels like any more. I know what it should feel like and how the relationship should go but. . . .
When I was a child, I had friends who's mother wanted me to call her mom. I didn't feel right about it because I had a mother. I guess I still feel that way. She's Mike's mother. Maybe I'll feel differently after a few years of marriage and we've all interacted as a family. Dunno. But right now I don't.
I am glad though that we had such a talk today. It felt easy. It was good. And it made me happy. yay
Thursday, July 05, 2007
How Do You Spell Stress?
Oh, gee, I don't know. I guess you spell it L-I-F-E. I say that because that does seem to be how mine goes.
So, we still haven't heard back from Hite about the house which isn't a surprise but you can imagine what the waiting is doing to Mike and I. We're trying not to let it affect our relationship and it isn't but that's only because we keep trying to distract ourselves. Fortunately we got to spend most of Tuesday (he had a half day) and all day yesterday together doing stuff. We went riding again yesterday morning. I did about 4+ miles which I think is going to be my norm until I get my body used to riding again. I did do better overall. So, once I can do the hills, etc without stopping, I'll start going further and further. Mike went all the way down and back when I turned around and that was just fine. He's more used to it.
I spoke with Melissa on Tuesday and again yesterday. Well, she does plan on applying and she called our HR person yesterday to tell her. I think Melissa will make a good manager. I've decided not to apply for the position but instead to support her application. Would I like to be manager? Yes. Would I do a good job? I like to think so. Do I have the time? No. It's just not the right time for me to be taking on a responsibility like that. Hell, I don't even know if I can handle doing my job now. I've been so jittery and spazzy lately that it's amazing I'm getting anything done at all. My emotions and nerves are all over the place. Maybe I need to up the meds, maybe I need more sleep, maybe I just need a little bit of everything. All I know is my stupid brain keeps going into some very dark places and it's pissing me off. So, do I need to be handling the store? Um, that would be a no. And Melissa has the time, the drive, and the right ideas. She doesn't have the training, but that can be remedied. So, after my doc appointments tomorrow, I'll be calling HR and telling them that I support her bid for manager. What I will offer to do is be acting manager (like usually happens in this case) until they make a decision and/or get Melissa up to a speed that makes them comfortable. Hell, I may not even have to take on that role. But I'll have time for it so long as we're not having to look for another house.
I also told Melissa that no matter what happens, I was taking off the last weekend of this month because I am responsible for Valerie's couple's shower up in DC. She'd shoot me (or worse) if I missed it. She graciously insisted that I not go to the girlie one this past weekend (which turned out to be a good thing because of the house mess) but I can't miss the couple's. I already stressed her out this week by not getting the invites out until Tuesday after I said that I would get them out by last Friday. Well, I didn't want to screw them up and I wanted Mike to help me put them together which didn't happen til Tuesday. I thought we'd get them done on Sunday and I'd mail them Monday but I ended up being such a basketcase that I couldn't focus. I should have made myself do so last week. (sigh) I so don't want to stress her out more than she already is cause she has enough crap going on herself. Hopefully this will be the only thing I do as her MOH that does. I figure that the odds were good that I would do something that would so hopefully we've gotten it out of the way. Oh, well, she'll owe me one next year.
At any rate, I have a ton to do today and better get to it. Jami and Cynthia are coming to visit tonight and I have grading to do, straightening to do (thank God the house is clean), and a couple other things. Yippee. Oh, and trying not to spazz again, that would be a good goal too. lol
So, we still haven't heard back from Hite about the house which isn't a surprise but you can imagine what the waiting is doing to Mike and I. We're trying not to let it affect our relationship and it isn't but that's only because we keep trying to distract ourselves. Fortunately we got to spend most of Tuesday (he had a half day) and all day yesterday together doing stuff. We went riding again yesterday morning. I did about 4+ miles which I think is going to be my norm until I get my body used to riding again. I did do better overall. So, once I can do the hills, etc without stopping, I'll start going further and further. Mike went all the way down and back when I turned around and that was just fine. He's more used to it.
I spoke with Melissa on Tuesday and again yesterday. Well, she does plan on applying and she called our HR person yesterday to tell her. I think Melissa will make a good manager. I've decided not to apply for the position but instead to support her application. Would I like to be manager? Yes. Would I do a good job? I like to think so. Do I have the time? No. It's just not the right time for me to be taking on a responsibility like that. Hell, I don't even know if I can handle doing my job now. I've been so jittery and spazzy lately that it's amazing I'm getting anything done at all. My emotions and nerves are all over the place. Maybe I need to up the meds, maybe I need more sleep, maybe I just need a little bit of everything. All I know is my stupid brain keeps going into some very dark places and it's pissing me off. So, do I need to be handling the store? Um, that would be a no. And Melissa has the time, the drive, and the right ideas. She doesn't have the training, but that can be remedied. So, after my doc appointments tomorrow, I'll be calling HR and telling them that I support her bid for manager. What I will offer to do is be acting manager (like usually happens in this case) until they make a decision and/or get Melissa up to a speed that makes them comfortable. Hell, I may not even have to take on that role. But I'll have time for it so long as we're not having to look for another house.
I also told Melissa that no matter what happens, I was taking off the last weekend of this month because I am responsible for Valerie's couple's shower up in DC. She'd shoot me (or worse) if I missed it. She graciously insisted that I not go to the girlie one this past weekend (which turned out to be a good thing because of the house mess) but I can't miss the couple's. I already stressed her out this week by not getting the invites out until Tuesday after I said that I would get them out by last Friday. Well, I didn't want to screw them up and I wanted Mike to help me put them together which didn't happen til Tuesday. I thought we'd get them done on Sunday and I'd mail them Monday but I ended up being such a basketcase that I couldn't focus. I should have made myself do so last week. (sigh) I so don't want to stress her out more than she already is cause she has enough crap going on herself. Hopefully this will be the only thing I do as her MOH that does. I figure that the odds were good that I would do something that would so hopefully we've gotten it out of the way. Oh, well, she'll owe me one next year.
At any rate, I have a ton to do today and better get to it. Jami and Cynthia are coming to visit tonight and I have grading to do, straightening to do (thank God the house is clean), and a couple other things. Yippee. Oh, and trying not to spazz again, that would be a good goal too. lol
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Reversal of Fortune?
I am always amazed at how quickly life can change. At how suddenly things can get thrown at you so that you feel like you've been hit with a brick bat.
We finally got a call back from the guy at Wachovia yesterday. Turns out it was his grandmother who died last Tuesday. Well, Thursday night, his wife's aunt died too. So that was why he was out of the office. But he ran some figures and got us an answer. The ironic thing is that I can't factor into the loan process because of my student loans. Doesn't matter that I've improved my credit score, etc, my debt amount is too high with them. (sigh) But Mike can get the mortgage by himself! He finds that highly amusing because last year he couldn't even get a Borders credit card because his credit was messed up. But because we've been working on it since January, his score is higher than mine and all but one blemish is fixed on his record. It's really amusing in the irony because we had to use my credit stuff to help fix his. So, the mortgage will be in his name but both of us will be on the deed.
We gave Hite our Intent to Purchase contract last night along with an earnest money check (good faith money that we will either get back or apply to closing costs). Our only snag was that we had to ask him to say that he would pay the majority of the closing costs because we don't have enough money for that in our accounts at the moment. Can we get it? Yeah, but it has to sit in our accounts for 60 days before they consider it truly ours. Whatever. The mortgage dude suggested that we have Hite claim it on paper and we can always pay him the money. I wrote up a contract to that effect and we signed it. So, now we wait. Hite gave the former owner until Friday as well to get in her bid. We beat her because we just want to get this over with. But I think that helps a lot that we pushed so hard to show how much we want the place. We'll see.
The other thing that happened yesterday? Jon calls me before he clocked in to work to tell me that Jessica gave her two week notice yesterday!?! "Oh my God!" and "What the Hell!?!" were my two favorite phrases for quite a while. Seems she got a job offer from out former district manager. Well, that explains all the phone calls. And it certainly solidifies my claims of them being friends, etc. Yeah, and they tried to make me look crazy on that one. So now what? I have no freaking clue. I am still in shock over this. But I spoke with Shannon in HR this morning and am currently IMing with Jen so I'll have an idea what the higher ups are thinking. I called and woke up Jon so he could get over here and we could go talk to Melissa. I need to know what she's thinking and I think the three of us need to keep the communication lines open.
This is so big. I have so much to think about. So, I'll probably do that a lot here. That's what I get for liking options. Argh! lol
We finally got a call back from the guy at Wachovia yesterday. Turns out it was his grandmother who died last Tuesday. Well, Thursday night, his wife's aunt died too. So that was why he was out of the office. But he ran some figures and got us an answer. The ironic thing is that I can't factor into the loan process because of my student loans. Doesn't matter that I've improved my credit score, etc, my debt amount is too high with them. (sigh) But Mike can get the mortgage by himself! He finds that highly amusing because last year he couldn't even get a Borders credit card because his credit was messed up. But because we've been working on it since January, his score is higher than mine and all but one blemish is fixed on his record. It's really amusing in the irony because we had to use my credit stuff to help fix his. So, the mortgage will be in his name but both of us will be on the deed.
We gave Hite our Intent to Purchase contract last night along with an earnest money check (good faith money that we will either get back or apply to closing costs). Our only snag was that we had to ask him to say that he would pay the majority of the closing costs because we don't have enough money for that in our accounts at the moment. Can we get it? Yeah, but it has to sit in our accounts for 60 days before they consider it truly ours. Whatever. The mortgage dude suggested that we have Hite claim it on paper and we can always pay him the money. I wrote up a contract to that effect and we signed it. So, now we wait. Hite gave the former owner until Friday as well to get in her bid. We beat her because we just want to get this over with. But I think that helps a lot that we pushed so hard to show how much we want the place. We'll see.
The other thing that happened yesterday? Jon calls me before he clocked in to work to tell me that Jessica gave her two week notice yesterday!?! "Oh my God!" and "What the Hell!?!" were my two favorite phrases for quite a while. Seems she got a job offer from out former district manager. Well, that explains all the phone calls. And it certainly solidifies my claims of them being friends, etc. Yeah, and they tried to make me look crazy on that one. So now what? I have no freaking clue. I am still in shock over this. But I spoke with Shannon in HR this morning and am currently IMing with Jen so I'll have an idea what the higher ups are thinking. I called and woke up Jon so he could get over here and we could go talk to Melissa. I need to know what she's thinking and I think the three of us need to keep the communication lines open.
This is so big. I have so much to think about. So, I'll probably do that a lot here. That's what I get for liking options. Argh! lol
Monday, July 02, 2007
Nightmares and Dreamscapes
I thought the Stephen King title would be appropriate to use today.
So, ok, what happened yesterday? Well, that would be the first part of the title. Mike and I straightened up before Hite came over with "that" woman to look at the house. Even if I was inclined to not see her as a competitor, I wouldn't have liked her. Her daughter was nice but I wasn't able to be uber friendly. They came in and the mother was like, "Oh, you do like to read." Guess Hite told her one reason we didn't want his other house is because we need room for all of the books. Yeah, what? You think we couldn't prove that? Then in the kitchen she couldn't stop gushing about how much the cabinets hadn't changed. Repeatedly. Mike's mom said we should have painted them black. lol While Hite was talking, the mother actually opened one of our low cabinets that we had brought in for stuff! I told her that was ours and not part of the house. She was like, "Oh, well, I didn't remember it being here." Right, cause it's not something that was once yours. Ok, I'm getting snarky mean.
Hite went through a long list of things that he had to do to improve the house. Wow. . .it was a lot. They didn't seem overly impressed by the work he had to do. At one point the daughter tried to start conversation by saying, "I grew up in this house. It always seems so much bigger when you're small." I was just too fried to do much more than give a polite nod.
After the "inspection" Hite spoke with us all separately. He talked with them first and then cam in to speak with us. Seems that the reason he all of a sudden decided to sell (which he wouldn't have otherwise) is because he had bought a place which he is fixing up to be his primary residence. Problem is that it's costing him way more than he thought it would to fix it up so he needs some ready cash. He feels sorry for the other woman because she has a sentimental attachment to this house. I told him my honest view on that. lol Ok, maybe I sounded mean and harsh, and yes a part of me does understand her view, but she could have found a way to stay here in the first place. I sympathized more with the daughter but still, I hate it that I now have to feel a little guilty on top of this all too.
Hite is having a hard time deciding between us. He's a nice man and wants to be fair. (sigh) I do feel sorry for him that he has to deal with this but. . . . Anyway, it comes down to this: Mike and I have to the end of the week to get financial backing to buy the house. If we need longer, Hite will give it to us. Then we and the mother each make our bid and he will pick whichever is financially better for him. We already told him that we were willing to give him the appraisal value as we thought that was fair. But he doesn't want the three of us bidding against each other so none of us has an edge right now. It will come down to whether they offer him that as well or try and go lower. Hell, they may go a little higher just to do so. Maybe we should throw in our security deposit. lol
Anyway, if we lose, we have to find a new place to live. Only now we either have to continue renting or start at square one to buy. If we can get financing, we'll do the latter. We're having problems right now because we don't have a lot of ready cash since we weren't expecting to have to do this now. We have a nice little sum for the rest of the summer to cover bills but not to cover closing costs. So we're looking into various ways to get that money. 100% financing is an option but the closing costs hanging us up. Last week I went to Wachovia first and spoke with someone there. He was supposed to get back with us by lunch Wednesday but had a death in the family and was out until Friday. I was unable to reach him. So, that is where I start today. I've already done what I can online and submitted applications but it looks like I actually need to speak to human beings. Hell, I just wanted to know that we could get something.
I am going to have such a fun day.
So, ok, what happened yesterday? Well, that would be the first part of the title. Mike and I straightened up before Hite came over with "that" woman to look at the house. Even if I was inclined to not see her as a competitor, I wouldn't have liked her. Her daughter was nice but I wasn't able to be uber friendly. They came in and the mother was like, "Oh, you do like to read." Guess Hite told her one reason we didn't want his other house is because we need room for all of the books. Yeah, what? You think we couldn't prove that? Then in the kitchen she couldn't stop gushing about how much the cabinets hadn't changed. Repeatedly. Mike's mom said we should have painted them black. lol While Hite was talking, the mother actually opened one of our low cabinets that we had brought in for stuff! I told her that was ours and not part of the house. She was like, "Oh, well, I didn't remember it being here." Right, cause it's not something that was once yours. Ok, I'm getting snarky mean.
Hite went through a long list of things that he had to do to improve the house. Wow. . .it was a lot. They didn't seem overly impressed by the work he had to do. At one point the daughter tried to start conversation by saying, "I grew up in this house. It always seems so much bigger when you're small." I was just too fried to do much more than give a polite nod.
After the "inspection" Hite spoke with us all separately. He talked with them first and then cam in to speak with us. Seems that the reason he all of a sudden decided to sell (which he wouldn't have otherwise) is because he had bought a place which he is fixing up to be his primary residence. Problem is that it's costing him way more than he thought it would to fix it up so he needs some ready cash. He feels sorry for the other woman because she has a sentimental attachment to this house. I told him my honest view on that. lol Ok, maybe I sounded mean and harsh, and yes a part of me does understand her view, but she could have found a way to stay here in the first place. I sympathized more with the daughter but still, I hate it that I now have to feel a little guilty on top of this all too.
Hite is having a hard time deciding between us. He's a nice man and wants to be fair. (sigh) I do feel sorry for him that he has to deal with this but. . . . Anyway, it comes down to this: Mike and I have to the end of the week to get financial backing to buy the house. If we need longer, Hite will give it to us. Then we and the mother each make our bid and he will pick whichever is financially better for him. We already told him that we were willing to give him the appraisal value as we thought that was fair. But he doesn't want the three of us bidding against each other so none of us has an edge right now. It will come down to whether they offer him that as well or try and go lower. Hell, they may go a little higher just to do so. Maybe we should throw in our security deposit. lol
Anyway, if we lose, we have to find a new place to live. Only now we either have to continue renting or start at square one to buy. If we can get financing, we'll do the latter. We're having problems right now because we don't have a lot of ready cash since we weren't expecting to have to do this now. We have a nice little sum for the rest of the summer to cover bills but not to cover closing costs. So we're looking into various ways to get that money. 100% financing is an option but the closing costs hanging us up. Last week I went to Wachovia first and spoke with someone there. He was supposed to get back with us by lunch Wednesday but had a death in the family and was out until Friday. I was unable to reach him. So, that is where I start today. I've already done what I can online and submitted applications but it looks like I actually need to speak to human beings. Hell, I just wanted to know that we could get something.
I am going to have such a fun day.
Friday, June 29, 2007
Spinning My Wheels
Ok, there is a double meaning to today's title as you will soon see. The first meaning is that Mike has been dragging me out to finally ride our bicycles. Well, he doesn't have to drag me as I actually like riding but it hasn't been easy in this heat. We did 6 miles on Saturday -- almost died cause there was no shade and way too hot. Then we did 8 on Sunday -- not too bad as we went much later when it was cooling off and getting dark. And last we did 4 on Wednesday night -- made the mistake of going after dinner which was so not smart. So, now we know to 1) go when it's cool and 2) go on relatively empty stomachs. Mike was fine cause he used to do this all the time but I got sick on Sat and Wed. I'm ok and feeling pretty good about having done 18 miles this week. We're going when we can and not pushing it beyond the 8 mile mark until I get used to riding again. When you figure that I haven't been regularly on a bike since my freshman year of college. . .not bad. lol
The second meaning of the title has to do with the gap in writing. Good grief, it's been two weeks?!? You'd think with me not being at the store my life would be less frantic. Guess not.
Well, last week I had three days of massive jitters and stuff. Probably hormonal but it was unexpected so I pretty much just focused on grading, straightening, and playing online golf with Mike. You heard me right. He found a website and we've been geekily addicted to it since. It's actually pretty cool and we're evenly matched so it makes it fun. Sad, isn't it? I think the other reason for the jitters was because our landlord has made a decision about the house we're renting.
Ok, see, back at the beginning of the month our landlord, Hite, called to see if we wanted to stay another year. We would like to but wanted a month by month lease because we have been discussing buying a house next year. Makes more sense to own than to rent, right? I told him this and also asked if he'd be willing to sell us this house because we really like it and think it makes a great "first" home. Well, he wasn't sure because he hadn't had it appraised. I told him I would talk with Mike about a year lease and get back to him. During that time, Hite must have thought hard about it because the next thing I know, he's willing to sell it. But see, there's a catch. . .the original owner wants to buy the house back. She's apparently been bugging him since he bought the place in 2004. Apparently she sold the house to her son-in-law who proceeded to trash it and then Hite bought and fixed it. So now she wants it back. Of course she does. . .he did all the repair work.
The house was built in 1972 so it's only a year younger than me. So, the way I see it, there can't have been too much sentimental value in it for her if she didn't buy it back from her dumb in-law. Of course, there could have been other reasons too but I'm sorry, we're here and we want the house. We've been taking good care of it and have ideas of how to improve it. Well, Hite had the place appraised last Friday and let us know on Monday what it's worth. He's not asking for anything more than that. However, we don't have a down payment for a mortgage yet (cause we were looking to save for next year). That might not be a problem since it's possible to get 100% financing but who knows? Hite sent us the appraisal and an intent to purchase contract on which he is giving us a week to give back! He's coming over on Sunday with the woman and her daughter to look at the house. All week it's been like, "Oh my God! We need to get a mortgage and buy this place or we are going to have to move!" Is it the best time to buy? Probably not but we don't seem to have much choice now. Suddenly we're being rushed into doing something we were just trying to feel out. Eeek!
One good thing is that because of the price of the house, any mortgage we get will be less than or about the same price that we pay in rent right now. So, that's not a problem. We'll see. I have some stuff to do today and will keep you posted on what happens. Sheesh.
The second meaning of the title has to do with the gap in writing. Good grief, it's been two weeks?!? You'd think with me not being at the store my life would be less frantic. Guess not.
Well, last week I had three days of massive jitters and stuff. Probably hormonal but it was unexpected so I pretty much just focused on grading, straightening, and playing online golf with Mike. You heard me right. He found a website and we've been geekily addicted to it since. It's actually pretty cool and we're evenly matched so it makes it fun. Sad, isn't it? I think the other reason for the jitters was because our landlord has made a decision about the house we're renting.
Ok, see, back at the beginning of the month our landlord, Hite, called to see if we wanted to stay another year. We would like to but wanted a month by month lease because we have been discussing buying a house next year. Makes more sense to own than to rent, right? I told him this and also asked if he'd be willing to sell us this house because we really like it and think it makes a great "first" home. Well, he wasn't sure because he hadn't had it appraised. I told him I would talk with Mike about a year lease and get back to him. During that time, Hite must have thought hard about it because the next thing I know, he's willing to sell it. But see, there's a catch. . .the original owner wants to buy the house back. She's apparently been bugging him since he bought the place in 2004. Apparently she sold the house to her son-in-law who proceeded to trash it and then Hite bought and fixed it. So now she wants it back. Of course she does. . .he did all the repair work.
The house was built in 1972 so it's only a year younger than me. So, the way I see it, there can't have been too much sentimental value in it for her if she didn't buy it back from her dumb in-law. Of course, there could have been other reasons too but I'm sorry, we're here and we want the house. We've been taking good care of it and have ideas of how to improve it. Well, Hite had the place appraised last Friday and let us know on Monday what it's worth. He's not asking for anything more than that. However, we don't have a down payment for a mortgage yet (cause we were looking to save for next year). That might not be a problem since it's possible to get 100% financing but who knows? Hite sent us the appraisal and an intent to purchase contract on which he is giving us a week to give back! He's coming over on Sunday with the woman and her daughter to look at the house. All week it's been like, "Oh my God! We need to get a mortgage and buy this place or we are going to have to move!" Is it the best time to buy? Probably not but we don't seem to have much choice now. Suddenly we're being rushed into doing something we were just trying to feel out. Eeek!
One good thing is that because of the price of the house, any mortgage we get will be less than or about the same price that we pay in rent right now. So, that's not a problem. We'll see. I have some stuff to do today and will keep you posted on what happens. Sheesh.
Monday, June 18, 2007
Mini-Vacation
It was a very nice little break. For those of you who didn't read the previous post, Mike had to work in Myrtle Beach last Thursday and they suggested he take me with him for some time away. Hey, who am I to argue? First he had to do a job in Charleston so we left really early. That didn't take long. The place had some nice woods and a gazebo near it so I laid down and took a nap. We had lunch at a really yummy Italian restaurant (owned by Greeks, go figure) in MB. It was a good find: Pizza Ala Roma III off Business 17. Somewhere bewteen the southern and nothern avenue blocks changeover. Don't remember exactly but if your coming from the south, it's on the right hand side. Anyway, then we headed to the hotel so we could check in and I could chill til Mike got back. That worked well. Stayed at the Marriott that is near Broadway at the Beach. Got a good deal too.
Mike was done before 5p so we wandered over to the Broadway place. It's huge with a lot of shops and stuff. Had a dinner at a place called Tripps. Mike's shrimp alfredo was good. My ribs were a little eh. I always seem to get disappointed by the ribs I get when I go out. It's rare for me to have them but if I get in the mood, they just never seem to live up to the expectations. Oh well. They were ok. The entire place was open til 11p so we got back late.
On Friday, Mike woke up late but it didn't matter cause he was waiting for the dispatcher to call with where he was supposed to go. Basically it ended up being a lazy day with him on call and doing phone tech support. So, we wandered down to the beach. It was overcast and rainy but that was ok cause it kept the crowds away. We ate lunch at the River City Cafe. On the outside it looks like a rundown shack. On the inside there is graffitti everywhere. I had seen it from the car the day before and it was busy so I thought it must be a good place to eat. Turns out it was part of a chain. We both opted for burgers. Mine was "normal" but Mike just had to try a peanut butter cheeseburger. You heard me right. He added the cheese. Actually, it was pretty good even though it sounds gross. lol
After lunch, we walked along the beach and it was sooooo relaxing. Then we played some games (skeeball, etc) to win cheesy prizes. But it was fun. We decided to head to this bookstore that we had passed on the highway. What can I say? We're book geeks. The place, Giant Book Sale, turned out to be a bargain outlet with paperbacks, hard covers, audio, etc. It was kind of like the Book Warehouse in PA. The prices were awesome. We managed to get 3 audio books and a dozen plus assortment of others for $46. Good thing we don't live there. lol I also got us an extra discount for being a teacher cause they count professors in that group. Cool, huh?
We ended up having dinner at a place called Crabby Mike's. Fitting, non? They had a huge buffet. It was on the expensive side but Mike made sure to eat enough crab legs to make up for it. I had a little and some shrimp. Fortunately, the buffet included things for those of us who are more land inclined in our tastes. But overall it was a good experience.
We had decided that we should save the shopping for Saturday since the weather was supposed to be nice and most people would be at the beach. Plus we wouldn't have to worry about trekking sand home. We got to Broadway fairly early and it was nice to wander in and out of the shops. We didn't buy much cause we're behaving ourselves. But we did see a lot of great stuff. Lunch was at Senor Frog's. As you can guess, it's Mexican. The tourist center had been giving out coupons and this restaurant's was for free Chef's Nachos with a purchase of an entree. So, we chose the two person Taco assortment plate and got the nachos for free. Lots of food and very yummy. The only downside to this money savings is that our iced teas cost almost $3 each! Yikes! Oh, well, we still did all right. Broadway has a mini golf course. Well, actually, they have two separate courses. So, we got the day pass cause it's cheaper than doing both separate and had at it. It was the most fun I've ever had playing mini golf. We had wanted to try some of the other places along 17 (like Jurassic Golf Park) but we were just too worn out by the time we left Broadway at 5p. Plus, it had been very sunny and Mike was starting to feel it as was I. He didn't have the benefit of my 60+ sunscreen so he got red. However, unlike me, he doesn't feel it much because of his Cherokee blood. I only got a little pink on my arms because I didn't slather there for a while. But the rest of me is ok. Still, being out like that made us both tired.
The weekend ended up feeling like we took a whole week's vacation. That's ok. It was very much needed and I feel better. Didn't really want to come home but it felt good once we got back. I had gotten a new chair for my office last week and am now getting a chance to test it out since Mike put it together for me on Saturday night. He had the craving to build something. Good thing it was here to do or God only knows what we would have ended up with.
By the way, I'll be posting this later than the time this says on here so that people will have a chance to sign up for the new groups. So, there's nothing wrong with your emails, I just delayed the posting.
Mike was done before 5p so we wandered over to the Broadway place. It's huge with a lot of shops and stuff. Had a dinner at a place called Tripps. Mike's shrimp alfredo was good. My ribs were a little eh. I always seem to get disappointed by the ribs I get when I go out. It's rare for me to have them but if I get in the mood, they just never seem to live up to the expectations. Oh well. They were ok. The entire place was open til 11p so we got back late.
On Friday, Mike woke up late but it didn't matter cause he was waiting for the dispatcher to call with where he was supposed to go. Basically it ended up being a lazy day with him on call and doing phone tech support. So, we wandered down to the beach. It was overcast and rainy but that was ok cause it kept the crowds away. We ate lunch at the River City Cafe. On the outside it looks like a rundown shack. On the inside there is graffitti everywhere. I had seen it from the car the day before and it was busy so I thought it must be a good place to eat. Turns out it was part of a chain. We both opted for burgers. Mine was "normal" but Mike just had to try a peanut butter cheeseburger. You heard me right. He added the cheese. Actually, it was pretty good even though it sounds gross. lol
After lunch, we walked along the beach and it was sooooo relaxing. Then we played some games (skeeball, etc) to win cheesy prizes. But it was fun. We decided to head to this bookstore that we had passed on the highway. What can I say? We're book geeks. The place, Giant Book Sale, turned out to be a bargain outlet with paperbacks, hard covers, audio, etc. It was kind of like the Book Warehouse in PA. The prices were awesome. We managed to get 3 audio books and a dozen plus assortment of others for $46. Good thing we don't live there. lol I also got us an extra discount for being a teacher cause they count professors in that group. Cool, huh?
We ended up having dinner at a place called Crabby Mike's. Fitting, non? They had a huge buffet. It was on the expensive side but Mike made sure to eat enough crab legs to make up for it. I had a little and some shrimp. Fortunately, the buffet included things for those of us who are more land inclined in our tastes. But overall it was a good experience.
We had decided that we should save the shopping for Saturday since the weather was supposed to be nice and most people would be at the beach. Plus we wouldn't have to worry about trekking sand home. We got to Broadway fairly early and it was nice to wander in and out of the shops. We didn't buy much cause we're behaving ourselves. But we did see a lot of great stuff. Lunch was at Senor Frog's. As you can guess, it's Mexican. The tourist center had been giving out coupons and this restaurant's was for free Chef's Nachos with a purchase of an entree. So, we chose the two person Taco assortment plate and got the nachos for free. Lots of food and very yummy. The only downside to this money savings is that our iced teas cost almost $3 each! Yikes! Oh, well, we still did all right. Broadway has a mini golf course. Well, actually, they have two separate courses. So, we got the day pass cause it's cheaper than doing both separate and had at it. It was the most fun I've ever had playing mini golf. We had wanted to try some of the other places along 17 (like Jurassic Golf Park) but we were just too worn out by the time we left Broadway at 5p. Plus, it had been very sunny and Mike was starting to feel it as was I. He didn't have the benefit of my 60+ sunscreen so he got red. However, unlike me, he doesn't feel it much because of his Cherokee blood. I only got a little pink on my arms because I didn't slather there for a while. But the rest of me is ok. Still, being out like that made us both tired.
The weekend ended up feeling like we took a whole week's vacation. That's ok. It was very much needed and I feel better. Didn't really want to come home but it felt good once we got back. I had gotten a new chair for my office last week and am now getting a chance to test it out since Mike put it together for me on Saturday night. He had the craving to build something. Good thing it was here to do or God only knows what we would have ended up with.
By the way, I'll be posting this later than the time this says on here so that people will have a chance to sign up for the new groups. So, there's nothing wrong with your emails, I just delayed the posting.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Getting Away
So, I am currently sitting in a hotel room in Myrtle Beach. Before you start wondering why I'm writing instead of playing, well, the hotel is a few miles inland. Not too far a drive (five minutes or so) but a hefty walk. Mike's company sent him on an install and suggested he bring me with him. Who am I to turn down a free hotel room? We will be paying for a second night tomorrow but since I got us a Courtyard Marriott for $83/night (with the tax), who's complaining? That's what I thought. Go me and travel. Maybe I need to change my vocation. lol
We won't be gone long but will be able to go to the beach and have some relaxation. Lord knows I need that. So, til Mike gets back from work, I'm gonna chill here and enjoy the quiet. And catch up on some stuff. Just exist for a while.
I did have a couple of good things happen over the past few days. We got the house cleaned and looking like we live there rather than like it's a storage shed. We threw out a lot of junk and I shrunk stuff down into manageable boxes. Next week I'll be organizing and putting stuff away. We loaded up the spare bedroom again so that I have one spot to work from. God, it's good to have clean and space. It's helped both our moods. We also had a jolt to get it done quickly because Maja came to visit. For those of you who don't know, she's my German friend. We met about six or so years ago at USC. She's now a journalist back home but had popped over here to visit some friends in Baltimore. When I found out she was here and realized I had time, I offered to go up or her to come down. Maja's friends lent her a car and she drove down. It was a very cool visit and I am ever so happy she came. Both Jon and Mike like her and she seems to like them. They helped "babysit" (her words) her while I was in class and at an appointment. Though she is quite able to take care of herself, I felt bad for leaving her alone which is why I wanted them to help. Besides, it's not like they minded. In fact, when I mentioned that non-US friends get a place to stay for the wedding, she volunteered Jon's place for herself. lol You should have seen Jon's face when I told him. That was funny. Guess he was relegated to trusted friend status. Wouldn't be the first time it's happened, eh Jon?
I had my appointment yesterday with the counseling center's psychiatrist. She's nice. Basically, it comes down to me having extreme anxiety coupled with depression. No bipolar stuff -- she doesn't think Lashley had labeled me that way, thank God. But considering the family history, it's possible since that can spring up at any point. Anyway, I am obviously maxed out on the stressors and stuff so she's prescribed Lexapro. It's an SSRI that is similar to Zoloft for those of you who know what that is (just look at the commercials). It's geared towards both depression and anxiety. I'll spare you more info cause you can look it up on the main website. She has me on the lowest dose right now because you have to start out slow and build up plus she doesn't want to cost me a ton of money. Gee, I think this will get me the FMLA and short-term disability stuff. Hope so anyway. The side effects are supposed to be mild but if I notice anything odd, I'm to tell her asap and stop taking it. I had no bad reactions to the Luvox years ago but that doesn't mean anything. What I didn't like about that is it made me feel too neutral after a while. I didn't feel particularly happy or sad and it was kind of bland. But I want to feel less spazzy so I'm willing to give it a shot. We'll see.
We won't be gone long but will be able to go to the beach and have some relaxation. Lord knows I need that. So, til Mike gets back from work, I'm gonna chill here and enjoy the quiet. And catch up on some stuff. Just exist for a while.
I did have a couple of good things happen over the past few days. We got the house cleaned and looking like we live there rather than like it's a storage shed. We threw out a lot of junk and I shrunk stuff down into manageable boxes. Next week I'll be organizing and putting stuff away. We loaded up the spare bedroom again so that I have one spot to work from. God, it's good to have clean and space. It's helped both our moods. We also had a jolt to get it done quickly because Maja came to visit. For those of you who don't know, she's my German friend. We met about six or so years ago at USC. She's now a journalist back home but had popped over here to visit some friends in Baltimore. When I found out she was here and realized I had time, I offered to go up or her to come down. Maja's friends lent her a car and she drove down. It was a very cool visit and I am ever so happy she came. Both Jon and Mike like her and she seems to like them. They helped "babysit" (her words) her while I was in class and at an appointment. Though she is quite able to take care of herself, I felt bad for leaving her alone which is why I wanted them to help. Besides, it's not like they minded. In fact, when I mentioned that non-US friends get a place to stay for the wedding, she volunteered Jon's place for herself. lol You should have seen Jon's face when I told him. That was funny. Guess he was relegated to trusted friend status. Wouldn't be the first time it's happened, eh Jon?
I had my appointment yesterday with the counseling center's psychiatrist. She's nice. Basically, it comes down to me having extreme anxiety coupled with depression. No bipolar stuff -- she doesn't think Lashley had labeled me that way, thank God. But considering the family history, it's possible since that can spring up at any point. Anyway, I am obviously maxed out on the stressors and stuff so she's prescribed Lexapro. It's an SSRI that is similar to Zoloft for those of you who know what that is (just look at the commercials). It's geared towards both depression and anxiety. I'll spare you more info cause you can look it up on the main website. She has me on the lowest dose right now because you have to start out slow and build up plus she doesn't want to cost me a ton of money. Gee, I think this will get me the FMLA and short-term disability stuff. Hope so anyway. The side effects are supposed to be mild but if I notice anything odd, I'm to tell her asap and stop taking it. I had no bad reactions to the Luvox years ago but that doesn't mean anything. What I didn't like about that is it made me feel too neutral after a while. I didn't feel particularly happy or sad and it was kind of bland. But I want to feel less spazzy so I'm willing to give it a shot. We'll see.
Saturday, June 09, 2007
Oh My God
Just had to share this with you. . .there's a Hello Kitty wedding dress:
I showed it to Mike and he was like, "Honey, if you love me. . . ." Oh, HELL no! lol Thank God he was joking. I think. Oh, Lord, please be joking.
I showed it to Mike and he was like, "Honey, if you love me. . . ." Oh, HELL no! lol Thank God he was joking. I think. Oh, Lord, please be joking.
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