eRamblings

My boss comes in to work the other day and announces that she is cured from the chicken pox and that she must inform us that she was present at work while contagious. Additionally she has had the chicken pox before and advices all of us to be cautious as we may (or may not) have contracted them.

How very calm and collected she seems. In fact, she seems quite content and strangely happy that she is well.

After my heart started beating again . . .

I start to realize that the supposedly bug bites I have scratched (just a few times) could very well be the beginning of the (swine) chicken pox that can occur more than once in a lifetime. Instead of the blood sucking mosquito I presumed it to be. I am worried because not only do I have two very definite bumps on my inner arm (a very sensitive area), but I noticed a bump on my finger that night and another on my wrist the next morning and quite possibly one on my neck. In a slightly hyperventilating state, I start to analyze all my bumps and red marks.

There are quite a few of them.

And then I think, I should get a tan (maybe even a fake one) because that would cover up my red marks - uhm, bumps - chicken pox (?).

I also take note (over the course of that day) how many of my coworkers seem to be scratching. Without even realizing it, I might add.

And the next thought may very well be the crazy in me coming out.

How bad could it be? I would get a week off of work right?

WTF am I thinking? I would seriously rather be at home in bed, confined to solitary and forbidden to scratch those sweet (blessedly sweet when I scratch them) bumps for days on end THAN GO TO WORK?

I think it may be time for an official (paid) vacation.

I ran into an old friend of mine at work tonight.

Specifically a guy I dated way back when. One of those honest, through and through good guys. Maybe even too nice (how awful is that?). We used to have so much fun. Innocent fun. He was smart and funny and a complete work aholic like me. We knew it each other for over four years. And in the process of living, we grew apart.

Tonight I met his wife and two kids.

I was overwhelmed with joy. I was actually speechless for a couple of seconds. He has a beautiful wife and two kids who look exactly like his baby pictures I remember his parents showing me.

I couldn’t believe it.

Long after we said goodbye, I thought about him. And all I could think was, I was so happy for him. He had found happiness and was living his life.

Then it struck me that for the first time - maybe ever - but the first time in a long time I ran into an old friend and instead of feeling angry, bitter or frustrated that my life wasn’t what I thought it would be. I felt nothing but sheer happiness for him.

It occured to me that I may be happy myself. Content even. Horror the thought.

It isn’t because I love my job. It isn’t because I love my ghetto apartment. It isn’t because I have money streaming in or going on glorious vacations. It isn’t because of the people in my life either. It is simply because of me. I could psycho analyse the fact that I have chosen to be happy with that which I have in my life right now, but I don’t care why.

All night, since running into this guy, all I could think was I am happy.

How cool is that?

You know the ones. Those large blue cups that initiate us all in to the college world. The cup that is handed to me when I walk in the door, drop the keys in the bag and pay $5 for the cheapest beer on the planet.

All the beer I can drink for $5 - crappiest beer on the planet.

The kind of beer that comes from a keg.

The kind of beer that when held upside down, holding a tube to my mouth and people chanting crapiest beer ever.

The kind of beer that gets tossed as hundreds of kids, like ants over a mole hill, leap over a backyard fence effortlessly when the sirens and cruiser lights start flashing.

Ah, yes the coming of age beer.

That is the kind of beer I had today at a baseball game.

Sitting in a plastic (usually uncomfortable, but today brilliant) seat, the gentle cool breeze blowing across my skin, the crowd cheering and trying to start a wave, the guys walking up and down the stairs yelling popcorn, icees; the conversation muffled through the humming noise, the crack of the bat and the whoohoos and boos. All of it, drinking a ginormously large, clear plastic cup of beer.

Funny thing, the beer tasted a million times better than it did in college. In those blue cups.

I wonder if college would have been better with clear cups instead?

It dawned on me that on this particular day I was singing, happily working with all the usual stresses floating around me, yet none of them really bothered me. In fact, I was way behind where I wanted to be in work and still - nothing. I was chewing gum (see below for more on this) and working away.

WTF?

What makes this day any better than the others I had?

I had a really awesome weekend. Really I did, but I’ve had those before and within 10 minutes it’s lost on work chaos.

I slept really well too.

I definitely cleaned my place from top to bottom. (mom you’d be so proud!)

Nothing majorly spectacular happened.

Really.

Then I started thinking, when I worked in the clothes section I loved Mondays as well. Every Monday morning, I had to be in to work at 4am. 4 am people!! Yet, I loved it. For four glorious hours I had peace and quiet to work my heart out. I used to beg my boss to let me work 12 hour Mondays. I just had spunk on that day.

Now, I work in the grocery area. I have to close on Mondays so I am there in the afternoon late into the night. Very late. I will confess I am not a night person. (actually I am not a morning person either. i am really a day person (11-4) haha)

There I am happily working away.

And then it dawns on me.

It’s Monday.

Maybe I like Mondays. Could it be possible? A reverse Garfield syndrome.

I related this thought to a coworker, who said it’s only weird if I don’t like the weekend. Hmm, that wouldn’t be it. I love the weekends - well weekends I don’t work anyway.

When I delve deep into this thought, it makes perfect sense to me.

It’s the beginning of the week (for me - I don’t start my week on Sunday that just seems wrong). There are so many possibilities. If I had a horrible week last week, now it starts over. If I didn’t have the weekend I wanted, I can work towards my next weekend.

It’s like cleaning. I absolutely despise cleaning. But once I get into it, I can enjoy it to an extent, Once I am done, I couldn’t be happier. Not only is it clean, but I don’t have to clean for at least another week. Very exciting.

It could also be that I have always worked in retail, so I have never had my weekends off consistently. I don’t actually know what it is like to have two days off, in a row, every week. So for me, Mondays are kind of how I gauge my week.

What is your favorite day?

I have come to really enjoy the day I close at work. Not because it is a closing shift which means I will never get anything done, but fixing the store so there’s no pressure to accomplish anything. Not because it is a closing shift where I can help guests all night long and therefore engage in interesting conversation and the occasional as*holic remark from an ignorant customer.

But rather, I enjoy closing shifts now because I can wake up anytime I want - no alarm clock required. I can relax and enjoy my morning sipping coffee, doing chores and whatever I feel. I can wander around the house in my pjs with no thought to when I have to work. I can make my dinner (for work) with plenty of time to spare. I can take a nice long, hot shower and stand in the hot water if I want. I can cook, I can clean, I can take a walk to the mailbox or sit in my bed with a cup of coffee all morning.

No worries.

No pressure.

My mom emailed me this article. Wow, I am on the fence with this one. Not really. I was surprised how quickly I went to the side of the employer. Personally if I let on (to anyone) at work that I not only had an online network, but I talked about work on it and then gave the confidential information to someone I didn’t trust whole-heartedly, well then they kind of deserve it. On the other hand, it is freedom of speech. (this is the only reasoning that I could agree with) Yet, no where on the constitution does it say, “protects me from getting fired.” Did we not see what happened to Bill Clinton when his personal life interfered with his professional life? Hello, didn’t these people read Dooce? Even the chief can be fired. Not to mention, it is on the internet, not just hear-say. It can be printed and will forever be available to whomever comes across it. Every time I blog about work, I overly think, if someone read this how would they feel? Then, I either spin the dice or delete it. You can’t have it both ways. In addition, I do not (under any circumstances) think it is an invasion of privacy. It’s on the internet people. What is private on the internet?

Apparently I have been barking up the wrong tree when it comes to design software. I was informed that the newest and latest software to learn according to the marketing/advertising arena is InDesign. Anyone familiar? Oddly, enough I actually have that software on my mac. Who knew? (apparently not me)

I can’t figure out if there’s something in the water or if it’s maybe the change of weather. But what is up with the blatantly rude customers out there??? Yesterday, I had a woman (and I quote) say, “I have never experienced so many self-invloved people than in this state.” Did she realize that (1) she is speaking to someone who lives in this state and (2) as she is saying this she is about as self-invloved as possible by the sheer volume of her voice.

And today, for at least ten minutes I had a woman talk to me as if I was the gum on her shoe saying things like, “Doesn’t anyone work here who knows anything… (and) … Everytime I come here you people run me around the store like I have nothing better to do.” OMG! This from a lady who had no idea what she needed, but every suggestion I gave her turned her into an even more disagreeable person.

I actually start to just hear a fog sound instead of a voice. That rude tone is just a deal breaker for me. And I think I am pretty patient. (but then again, that’s just me)

I have to be honest here. It doesn’t matter what you age, you have no right to speak to people in a tone that speaks of imbicility. Remember that customer service people are trying to help you.

At work we have a sign that says, “Please put in time off requests before (insert two weeks ahead) by (insert date of two weeks before time off request).”

For example: Say I want to take a vacation February 14-17. I would need to have my time off request in by February 1st.

I heard today from a coworker that it can take up to two weeks to have time off approved. That is - if they approve it at all.

Uhm, what?

Am I missing something?

I swing by the current manager on duty’s desk and so casually say, “Hey just a quick question. I put in my time off request recently and followed the instructions on the sign. (which I am kind enough to point to - just in case) But I just heard it may take 2 weeks to be approved. Pause for response.

She nods and says that could be. What were you asking for. A week of paid vacation. (Seriously, who knew this was even an option? They pay me to go and take a vacation. If I had known about this I would have signed up a long time ago.)

I guess I thought it was easy. Don’t they just put in my schedule as vacation, as they would normal working schedule? (hind sight, this probably sounded ass-holic, but whatever)

Well, it isn’t hard. We do just enter it into the computer, but the big boss has to sign off on it.

Hmm, okay well thanks.

Dumbing it down for me - In order to have time off, I must put the request in two weeks in advance, then wait two weeks to be approved, then maybe actually plan a vacation - for the next day.

Uhm, still don’t get it.

Assumption: Work does not want time off to be had for employees. Or maybe just not make it easy. And oh, forget it if I want to take time off with a friend that happens to work with me. Two people off at the same time, CRISIS.

I will brief you on what happens after I have the conversation with the boss to see if (and when) my time off is approved. And you know I will be having that conversation.

update

They are not approving time off right now. Uhm that would have been nice to know months ago. But that’s just me.

Christine just reinvented her blog and holy crap it looks SO good!! Go take a look and leave her a comment telling her what you think. I am so jealous! It looks awesome and I really enjoy her recipes.

Last weekend Target had a great deal on cereal. Buy 5 Special K items and receive a $5 gift card. I bought 5 Special K Cereals - Fruit and Yogurt - which are normally $2.68, but were on sale for $2.38 each. I bought 5 at $11.90. Then take off the $5 gift card. I spent $6.90 on 5 boxes of cereal, which equals  $1.38 per box. Incredible deal!!

Remember those summer dresses I was telling you about? I finally broke down and wore one the other day while I was out shopping with friends. I felt so girly and pretty. AND comfortable. How cool is that? What’s more - This guy was driving by in a convertible and almost ran up onto the curb looking at me. I never let on that I noticed this guy, but it totally made me laugh.

I bought a plant two weeks ago - and it’s still alive. Granted, it has wilted quite a bit, but it’s still going. I am very happy. If I can keep this plant alive for at least a month, I will buy another plant. And I just LOVE plants. They look and smell so wonderful. It’s such a simple pleasure.

A couple of weeks ago, I broke down and purchased a couple of things that I felt were things I had been saying I was going to do to make my life that much easier. I am so glad I did so. Not only did it make me purge a bunch of crap that was just piling up in my living room, but it also cleaned up a major area of my aparmtent. I bought a big ass George Foreman grill to use when I had company or when I was grilling something larger because the last time I had people over I had to cut off a quarter of the burger to cook two at the same time. I bought a shelving unit to organize the mountain of crap that had built up in my office. Lastly, I bought a set of Pyrex dishes for baking. I usually just go to my parent’s house to cook when I need a certain dish, but now I can cook at my own home and then take food over after it’s done.

One of my girl friends recommended that I try the Bertolli Pasta Frozen dinners. I am hesitant to try anythign that is frozen anymore simply because if it has an expiration date of two years from now, it can’t be very good for me. Not to mention I have really cut back on eating pasta. It’s just too heavy and not something I really enjoy lately. But after all that, I did in fact buy one the other day. I made it for dinner last night. Sadly, it was REALLY REALLY good. I had the Bertolli Oven Bake Stuffed Shells in Shrimp Scampi.  And yes, I will be buying that one again sometime in the future at least until I can figure out how to make it myself much healthier.