job=death	Wednesday, June 18, 2003 1:34:02 PM
I can't remember the exact analogy from If Lucy Fell, so this is the best that I can do right now. Some of you know that my job situation has not been very good for a long time, even though I have not been posting it on my web site. Today, I feel like I have reached my last straw. Hopefully, I will snap out of this, but I really like claiming sickness and leaving for the day so I can go home, be miserable and break my diet with tons of chocolate. Brief history: Nov 2000: My job was great, making tons of money. May 2001: 6% paycut accross the board to keep everyone at Cambria. July 2001: Paycut didn't work and 1/2 of my co-workers were laid off. We still had the 6% paycut in place. July 2002: The manager of this office moved to DC. They made me the manager complete with more stress and responsibilities, but without any benefits (more money, vacation, etc). Totally lousy, but I couldn't do anything about it. Rest of 2002: Some of my co-workers were asked to go part-time, more got paycuts. Lots of stress. Never get paid on time, never know when we will be able to deposit the paychecks we get, never know how much will become an IOU note. March 2003: Introduction of the idea that we would all get paid on a 'sliding scale'. I fought this one and won that they legally couldn't do this. April 2003: Additional 20% paycut and loss of paid vacation (the day before I left for vacation I found out it would not be paid leave). April 2003: Start career counseling and decide to stay at Cambria until this is finished. May 2003: Have not been paid in a while. June 10 2003: Dick tells us that he can't afford to keep the programmers employed for the summer. Is laying one off of the summer and asks me and another co-worker to take unpaid leave. Eventually sweetens the deal to say it would be 2 weeks off each month on a rotating basis and will be paid at 50% each week. We take him up on this offer. My career counselor wants me to take time off to start writing, so I decide that I can afford to take this opportunity. June 14 2003: Dick gives the OK on this plan. I put it in writing for him to approve. Don't hear back from him. June 17 2003: Find out that the health insurance that I thought I had is not the health insurance that I actually have. Have to pay unexpected and large medical bills. Get my specs from the benefits person saying how much I would make on a 6%+20%+50% reduction. *ugh* June 18 2003: Dick is 'dithering' on the 2-week thing. Now, he wants to do this on a one month at a time basis, leaving no time to plan for anything. I have no idea why this whole thing is snapping inside me now. I think that it is finally a last straw situation. But, when he keeps doing this to us, I just don't know how to concentrate on work. I will update more when I hear more. I just needed an outlet to vent and my co-workers are already in the same boat as me.
Upstairs Neighbor Update	Monday, June 16, 2003 6:22:37 PM
Michelle moved to the seminary in February and I lucked into an upstairs neighbor that is very attached to his subwoofer that is played at a high volume at all hours of the day and night. After about a month, I called my landlord who sent him a firm note and told me that if I called a 2nd time, he would be kicked out. He responded with a less-than-apologetic note and turned it down a little bit. Mike decided that it was his personal mission to make him aware of his noise level by going up there a lot. I think it has been about 10 times in 4 months. This last time was about 2 weeks ago. Mike scared the hell out of me and I wasn't on the other side of the door. (This was even before his barber gave him a super-short haircut that makes him look like he is in the military.) My neighbor protested that his noise level wasn't bad at all, he didn't know what I was talking about, etc. That annoyed me so much that I decided that I would talk to my landlord the next time he turned on the subwoofer. *fingers crossed*, *knock wood*, etc. I haven't heard a peep from him since that day, other than his very loud footsteps. Thanks, Mike!!!!
A Sally moment	Monday, June 09, 2003 10:37:35 PM
"Oh my God! Oh my God! Yes! Yes!!! YES! YES!!!" was all my neighbors heard from me tonight. No, it wasn't what they probably thought. It was the Devils winning their 3rd Stanley cup in 9 years!!!!!!! This was the series of 3's. 3-0, 3-0, 6-3, 3-0 are the 4 requisite Devil wins. And the 3rd cup victory. I'm so excited!!! What a great Stanley cup battle! And, of course, the best team did in fact win. :)
Where's the Sun???	Wednesday, June 04, 2003 8:58:56 AM
This weather is ridiculous. I can't believe that it is June. When is summer going to get here??? I painted my toenails with one of my summer polishes - a cheery, bright summer blue. My toes mock me. I refuse to make my feet go back into socks and shoes and my feet are now the same shade of blue.
Just ask	Wednesday, June 04, 2003 8:54:28 AM
I just read my friend Pax's blog about his not-so-fun experiences so far with living in Philly. Yes, it is true that I had the same experiences when I moved here with the ridiculously de-centralized liquor stores. (Just wait until he tries to transfer his driver's license and license plates!) But, he has a large support network here with people who have moved from NJ to here and people who have lived here their whole lives. Just ask! Hopefully, after he gets my welcome packet about which stores to shop in and which to avoid, he will be happier. :)
Super powers	Thursday, May 15, 2003 5:08:30 PM
In the past 4 days, I've watched X2 and the Matrix Reloaded. It brings to mind once again that I was really meant to have super powers. Super powers and long, flaming-red hair. :)
More props for the Devils	Wednesday, May 14, 2003 11:41:23 AM
I was worried about them playing Ottawa. The Senators are a very good (and speedy) team and they won the first game 3-2 in overtime. I knew the Devils wouldn't panic, but this series is a nail-biter for me. Game 2 deserved a blog. Way to go NJ! 4-1 is huge against a really great team and a really great goalie. ("They didn't beat us, they butt-kicked us," Senators forward Bryan Smolinski said. -quoted from ESPN.com) A special mention goes out to NJ's goalie. It is sick how good Martin Brodeur is.
Bring on the conference finals!	Friday, May 09, 2003 1:12:58 AM
It has been another wild ride on the way to play for Lord Stanley's cup. This year, I think it has been particularly exciting. About 30 overtimes in this playoffs (including that 5 OT game by Anaheim-Dallas). NJ looking brilliant and very a gustsy performance by Scott Stevens right after his hospital visit. And how about the Minnesota Wild??? I have to tell you that I have been really rooting for the Wild. I just made Mike stay on the phone with me through the end of the game (12:45am) because they kept scoring while I was sitting on the couch on the phone with him. He was thrilled, let me tell you. It is not just that their coach has the coolest name (Jacques Lemaire) or that he coached the most awesome team ever to a championship. And it is not that they have the saddest uniforms (who picked those colors?) with the most unique logo (is it a wild cat? is it a sunset scene? see http://www.wild.com/ to weigh in.) I think it is that they just are so scrappy. I thought for sure that the Avs would roll over them. And when it was 3-1 (best of 7 for you non-hockey types), it seemed my pick was coming true. But, they fought back to a Game 7 victory. Then, on to the Canucks. There were some heartbreaking overtime losses and again, they found themselves down 3-1. Two comebacks have never been done before. But, they again came back, forced a Game 7 and won. This is going to be a very exciting Western Conference finals. The Wild (beating the 3 and 4 seeds) and Mighty Ducks (beating the 1 and 2 seeds) have been SO exciting to watch. I can't wait to see them play each other, even though the Mighty Ducks logo gives me the creeps (Friday the 13th movies - not that I watched them.). I was very hopeful that the Flyers would have beaten the Senators. Not just because it would have forced another showdown within my urban family, but also it would have been an easier matchup for them and given them home ice advantage. (Sorry fans, but the Flyers did not look very good these playoffs.) The Senators are a very strong team (#1 seed). But, I think that NJ (#2 seed) has the talent, passion, and defense to beat them and then show those newcomers out west how to become champions yet again. Yes, that is right. Just because the Wild are scrappy, doesn't mean that I'm turning on my Devils. :)
Unsolicited marketing	Thursday, May 08, 2003 7:48:56 PM
Mike and I were at the Wednesday night Bible study & dinner at my church and I was a little late (not my fault, but it is typical). The following is my supposition of how it all happened: Mike was at a crowded table of elders, deacons, and the paster and they quite naturally asked him why he had a beard. He told them he was in a play. My pastor (not the shy, retiring type) started recruiting everyone there to see Mike's play, including announcing it in the Bible Study. Here's the thing. It is a British farce type of play. People in and out of doors, girls in their Victoria's Secret best. The people at the Bible Study are probably not the sort of people who will enjoy it. Poor Mike. I could see that he was uncomfortable with the recruitment, but was powerless to stop it. What can you do? I think my pastor and his wife will like it if they decide to stop by.
My tenor	Friday, May 02, 2003 12:37:22 AM
My boyfriend is such a good actor. That's all. OK, you know me. I am too chatty to leave it at that. He is really, really good. You should see it if you are in the Philadelphia metro area. (click here for more information) I'm glad that I saw it alone first before my friends started judging my reaction with him kissing just about everyone in the show, including Renee Russo. :)
Music = Life?	Wednesday, April 30, 2003 5:20:15 PM
Hmmm. I wonder what it says about me that I have gotten completely obsessed with 2 songs lately. (Note: The obsessed with songs/albums is always my current state. Just ask former roommate Michelle. That isn't what I'm bringing to your attention. The point here is the two specific songs.) The first was the obsession-of-the-month in March. That was John Mayer's "Why Georgia". The bridge & chorus are as follows: Cause I wonder sometimes About the outcome Of a still verdictless life Am I living it right? Am I living it right? Am I living it right? Why Georgia, why? This month (OK, only for the last two weeks) it has been Evanescence's "Bring Me To Life". This chorus is as follows: wake me up inside wake me up inside call my name and save me from the dark bid my blood to run before i come undone save me from the nothing i've become bring me to life I usually (even when I'm not stressed) love navel contemplation songs and write them myself. I also like trying out songs that could be sung in church. (Yes, my church could handle Evanescence with aplomb and the lyrics are really close to a Christian's longing for Christ to wake them up inside. I'm still considering...) However, I think it is more that these songs are indicative of my state of mind. More confirmation that this career counseling is very applicable right now.
Weird dreams	Wednesday, April 30, 2003 12:23:38 PM
I wonder if I'm not getting into a deep enough sleep at night. I have been having some crazy dreams lately. The exact nature of the dreams will be withheld from the rest of the world out there, but suffice it to say that they were generally about romantic relationships. One of my college roommates was a big believer in dream interpretation and I know from what she has read that when you start dreaming about your job, your romantic life is about to change. Hopefully the reverse is true: when you start dreaming about romance, your job situation is about to change!
Misery loves company	Wednesday, April 30, 2003 1:01:34 AM
Most of you have heard about my job and the extensive pay cuts and other nonsense that is going on with it. We had a staff meeting yesterday and, suffice it to say, several people were ready to quit or excusing themselves to go off and cry. Mike IM'ed me before he left for his play rehersal and asked what I was up to this evening. I said that I was going home to eat dinner and cry and then go off and sob to Michelle. Michelle had other plans. Before I got home, she asked if I wanted to go see Frida at the cheapskate night at the 2nd run theater in town. I thought briefly that this movie might cause me to commit suicide, but decided that I need to go out. Off we went to see Frida and magically I felt so much better! It is amazing when you spend 2+ hours seeing how crappy someone else's life is that you realize that your life isn't so bad after all. I'm only suffering at my job, Frida suffered in every aspect of her life. (Hopefully, I'm not ruining this movie for anyone. You all know that many artists are tortured souls.) And, she managed to live a triumphant life in spite of her suffering. On my way from my street parking place to my apartment, I was asked 'How you doin'?' by some guy walking by. I said 'Just fine, thank you.' He stopped, turned around, said 'Y'know, it's nice to see a genuinely happy person around', turned back around and kept walking down the street. This must be why the 'misery loves company' phrase was coined. I guess it works.
Psychosomatic Me	Tuesday, April 29, 2003 11:00:41 AM
After Easter and the Italy trip, I found that I was rather violently ill throughout the week last week. (No, I am not pregnant.) I figured out that I just caught some sort of stomach bug over the holidays. I was fine for the weekend and all of the activities that I had planned and then everything repeated itself this Monday. I felt so awful that I had to go home early on Monday. After some reflection, I realized that my job is giving me this stomach bug. This is a repeat of 4th grade when I had a teacher who used to stand on her desk, scream at us, and beat a petrified rock on her desk. That stressed me out and I was always sick for school until my mom and dad pulled me out of that school. I am trying to relax more and breathe properly, but it is only helping minorly. I need a new job. Hopefully, the career counselor that I'm going to will figure something out for me.
Nukular again	Tuesday, April 15, 2003 7:51:27 PM
Mike and I returned from Italy yesterday and found out that the war is possibly over. See what happens when you go away? So, I was talking to my mom and she said that one of the reports on TV was talking about how impressed he was with the way that President Bush handled the war in Iraq. He said he was so impressed that he might just start pronouncing nuclear as nukular. :) She instantly thought of Mike. (See my 1/28/03 post.)