There is a light at the end of the tunnel.
I went to McHell yesterday and put in my two weeks notice. I was going to try to make it through June, but realized that I have several weekend events coming up that all fall on whichever day I work that weekend. The chance of me making it to any of them is about nil if I actually work my schedule first.
So I will work this weekend--I requested both days this weekend because I will be in VA next weekend. I have a paycheck coming this Friday, then the check for this weekend comes next Friday. It will be there when I return. I'll take them my clean uniforms and get my check and be done with it.
Hallelujah.
Now to find something to replace that little bit of income...
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Saturday, May 26, 2007
A note about that last posting, Solitude. That was written just shy of a year ago; right before I got to know Yaw better.
If you're tired of the way something in your life is going, state it, face it, and continue living. If you can change it, you will; if you can't, then accept it and stay or move on without it.
I've made a decision about the second job issue. Without or without something to replace the income, I will give my two weeks notice by the end of June. My body is no longer willing or able to put up with the strain of being on my feet in a poorly ventilated kitchen on a cement floor for 8 hours at a time. And I am no longer willing to put up with the new manager, so I am following my own advice.
If you're tired of the way something in your life is going, state it, face it, and continue living. If you can change it, you will; if you can't, then accept it and stay or move on without it.
I've made a decision about the second job issue. Without or without something to replace the income, I will give my two weeks notice by the end of June. My body is no longer willing or able to put up with the strain of being on my feet in a poorly ventilated kitchen on a cement floor for 8 hours at a time. And I am no longer willing to put up with the new manager, so I am following my own advice.
Solitude
It is more of a prison than a freedom to me.
I continue to wait, for what I don’t know.
But I will wait until it comes to show me the way out.
And then I will walk along beside it and share myself as much as it will allow.
And perhaps, this time, it will share as well.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Shopping Carts
It's a mystery to me.
You go to the grocery store, park in the back section of the parking lot, and walk all the way up to the store. You pick up a shopping cart and continue to walk all the way through the store to get everything you need. You make your purchases and push your grocery-laden shopping cart all the back to where you parked and unload all those groceries into your vehicle. A shopping cart return station is six feet from your car, and yet you leave the cart sitting exactly where you put it so you could easily reach the car with your groceries.
Is walking that much of an issue for you? If so, why didn't you park in one of the many open spots closer to the store?
???
You go to the grocery store, park in the back section of the parking lot, and walk all the way up to the store. You pick up a shopping cart and continue to walk all the way through the store to get everything you need. You make your purchases and push your grocery-laden shopping cart all the back to where you parked and unload all those groceries into your vehicle. A shopping cart return station is six feet from your car, and yet you leave the cart sitting exactly where you put it so you could easily reach the car with your groceries.
Is walking that much of an issue for you? If so, why didn't you park in one of the many open spots closer to the store?
???
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Things I like about coming home from work (aside from not being at work anymore):
-Counting the little lizard heads peaking out from under the window sills of my building.
-Turning my phone back on and listening to the butt-ton of music I have crammed in there.
-Seeing the sky, whether sunny, cloudy or stormy, in its usual Floridian splendor.
-Seeing the progress on the new Target shopping center, and thinking how excited Deb must be.
-Seeing flocks of Ibis pecking away at critters in the grass along the road.
-Getting home and being greeted by two fur-bellies who are anxious for dinner.
-Turning on the pc and reading emails from close friends and family.
-TAKING OFF MY SHOES. ;-)
-Counting the little lizard heads peaking out from under the window sills of my building.
-Turning my phone back on and listening to the butt-ton of music I have crammed in there.
-Seeing the sky, whether sunny, cloudy or stormy, in its usual Floridian splendor.
-Seeing the progress on the new Target shopping center, and thinking how excited Deb must be.
-Seeing flocks of Ibis pecking away at critters in the grass along the road.
-Getting home and being greeted by two fur-bellies who are anxious for dinner.
-Turning on the pc and reading emails from close friends and family.
-TAKING OFF MY SHOES. ;-)
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
The Surprise
So there I was, drudging away through a late shift that I took so a co-worker (Julie) could take her husband out to the Heart concert at King Center in Melbourne. I had a migraine that was two days old and I'd been drugged up on Darvicet and Tylenol off and on for the duration so far.
I got a call from my director. "I have Julie on the line for you."
"Julie?" I asked in complete puzzlement.
"Yes, Julie that works with you. You know, JULIE."
"Oh, OK. Thanks." Pause while she transfers Julie to me. "Thanks for holding; this is Kat." (My pseudonym at work is Kat.)
"Hi Kat, this is Julie. So, how's your head feeling?"
"Still pretty bad, but I'm making it. What's up?" (Aren't you supposed to be rockin' your tail off at a concert about now?)
"Well, crap. I was hoping your head felt better. Michael and I aren't going to be able to go to the concert because he's not feeling well and Tammy just gave me the OK to relieve you so you can have my tickets and go instead."
Pause to digest.
Pause a little more.
"You mean tonight? The Heart concert? The band I adore and was very sad that I couldn't afford to see?"
"Yep. I can be back in the office in about 30 minutes which should give you enough time to get there in time for them to get on stage. Tammy said you can leave as soon as I get there."
"Can you hold on a second?" Pause while I put Julie on hold. Then, shouting across Support "Yaw are you still here?"
"Yes, " comes back faintly from ASP.
"Come here please." Pause while he comes over. "Whatcha doin' tonight?"
"Why, what's up? How's your head?"
"My head's terrible. Do you want to go to a Heart concert for free at King Center? I won't take her tickets if you can't drive me. I can't be trusted right now."
"Uhhhh... Sure. When?"
"Opening act starts at 7:30, Heart comes on at 8. I can leave as soon as Julie gets here--about 30 minutes from the minute I get off the phone."
"Uhhhh... OK."
"Julie, see you in 3o minutes. You totally ROCK!"
Thirty minutes later, Julie arrived and off we went, flying down I-95 so I could enjoy one of my all-time favorite groups. And I did, and there was much rejoicing. Yaw enjoyed it too, for which I was thankful since he canceled his plans to drive me there and watch it with me. He sang along with a couple of songs, so I knew he liked at least some of their music. And as usual, they did a few covers. "Rescue Me" by Tom Petty, "Love/Rain on Me" by The Who, and two covers from Led Zepplin which I can't remember now but rocked my butt off while they played it.
I also partook of some of my typical people watching. Since my head hurt so much, getting up and dancing like I wanted to do wasn't an option, so I observed the people who did.
One row below us and a couple of seats over was a couple that to me appeared to be reliving their glory days as rock hounds. She had her hair in a high pony tail, wearing all black body tights with a loose black t-shirt that fell off her shoulders, and black Candies on her feet. He was in shorts, a casual button shirt and a backwards ball-cap. They were having a blast. I felt sad for them that they needed so desperately to relive their former lives, and yet jealous that they were so carefree and uninhibited while they simply enjoyed the music with their whole bodies. Their dancing was energetic and enthusiastic and just what I hope I would be doing if I felt better.
A few seats to their right was a man watching the show by himself. He didn't seem connected to anyone around him, but it didn't seem to matter to him at all. He did what I call "The White Bread Dance." He would slump his shoulders slightly and sway to one direction, bob there a couple of times, then repeat in the opposite direction. He was having a blast, without or without accurate rhythm.
Below him and a few more seats over to the right was a pair of ladies that I felt certain were part of a sorority; probably one of the more reserved sororities where the women are expected to be very quiet and polite and proper. Not all sororities are like that, but I have known a few that were, and these ladies definitely fit the type in my limited view. In their way, they were having an absolute blast. They were up and dancing (the rebellious floozies) and singing along with the music, and even put their arms up in the air and attempted to bang with the beat. Their dancing was more of a bend-at-the-knee-and-follow-with-a-shoulder sort of thing that was totally unrelated to the beat of the music. This was as wild and outrageous as they could get. They WANTED to be just like the (possibly slightly tipsy) couple down to my left, but they just couldn't get rid of those darned reserved habits. But they looked perfect and they didn't ruffle their hair or clothes while they danced, and as I said, in their way they were having a blast. So bravo to them, too.
I really wish I'd felt like getting up and being silly and dancing just to have fun. I know someone else would be observing me in much the same way I observed these people. They'd probably note that I have SOME rhythm, but I'm not consistent, and because of my size and shape, moves that I think are sexy probably look silly to them. And I wouldn't care a whit because I'd be having a good time and moving (sort of) with the music. And I'd be hoping that they get up and dance and feel the music with their bodies too.
I satisfied myself with tapping my feet, bobbing my head (TERRIBLE idea with a migraine, by the way) and tapping my hands and fingers on Yaw's knee, my knee, the armrest between us, whatever else was in reach. And of course I sang along with nearly every word, every guitar riff, every note from Ann's flute (the ones I could reach--Oh, wait. I could reach all of them). I enjoyed it to my fullest ability under the circumstances, and when I came in to work today I thanked Julie for the hundredth time and said to tell Michael that I was so sorry he had to miss, but I was so thankful to have gotten the chance to go.
I got a call from my director. "I have Julie on the line for you."
"Julie?" I asked in complete puzzlement.
"Yes, Julie that works with you. You know, JULIE."
"Oh, OK. Thanks." Pause while she transfers Julie to me. "Thanks for holding; this is Kat." (My pseudonym at work is Kat.)
"Hi Kat, this is Julie. So, how's your head feeling?"
"Still pretty bad, but I'm making it. What's up?" (Aren't you supposed to be rockin' your tail off at a concert about now?)
"Well, crap. I was hoping your head felt better. Michael and I aren't going to be able to go to the concert because he's not feeling well and Tammy just gave me the OK to relieve you so you can have my tickets and go instead."
Pause to digest.
Pause a little more.
"You mean tonight? The Heart concert? The band I adore and was very sad that I couldn't afford to see?"
"Yep. I can be back in the office in about 30 minutes which should give you enough time to get there in time for them to get on stage. Tammy said you can leave as soon as I get there."
"Can you hold on a second?" Pause while I put Julie on hold. Then, shouting across Support "Yaw are you still here?"
"Yes, " comes back faintly from ASP.
"Come here please." Pause while he comes over. "Whatcha doin' tonight?"
"Why, what's up? How's your head?"
"My head's terrible. Do you want to go to a Heart concert for free at King Center? I won't take her tickets if you can't drive me. I can't be trusted right now."
"Uhhhh... Sure. When?"
"Opening act starts at 7:30, Heart comes on at 8. I can leave as soon as Julie gets here--about 30 minutes from the minute I get off the phone."
"Uhhhh... OK."
"Julie, see you in 3o minutes. You totally ROCK!"
Thirty minutes later, Julie arrived and off we went, flying down I-95 so I could enjoy one of my all-time favorite groups. And I did, and there was much rejoicing. Yaw enjoyed it too, for which I was thankful since he canceled his plans to drive me there and watch it with me. He sang along with a couple of songs, so I knew he liked at least some of their music. And as usual, they did a few covers. "Rescue Me" by Tom Petty, "Love/Rain on Me" by The Who, and two covers from Led Zepplin which I can't remember now but rocked my butt off while they played it.
I also partook of some of my typical people watching. Since my head hurt so much, getting up and dancing like I wanted to do wasn't an option, so I observed the people who did.
One row below us and a couple of seats over was a couple that to me appeared to be reliving their glory days as rock hounds. She had her hair in a high pony tail, wearing all black body tights with a loose black t-shirt that fell off her shoulders, and black Candies on her feet. He was in shorts, a casual button shirt and a backwards ball-cap. They were having a blast. I felt sad for them that they needed so desperately to relive their former lives, and yet jealous that they were so carefree and uninhibited while they simply enjoyed the music with their whole bodies. Their dancing was energetic and enthusiastic and just what I hope I would be doing if I felt better.
A few seats to their right was a man watching the show by himself. He didn't seem connected to anyone around him, but it didn't seem to matter to him at all. He did what I call "The White Bread Dance." He would slump his shoulders slightly and sway to one direction, bob there a couple of times, then repeat in the opposite direction. He was having a blast, without or without accurate rhythm.
Below him and a few more seats over to the right was a pair of ladies that I felt certain were part of a sorority; probably one of the more reserved sororities where the women are expected to be very quiet and polite and proper. Not all sororities are like that, but I have known a few that were, and these ladies definitely fit the type in my limited view. In their way, they were having an absolute blast. They were up and dancing (the rebellious floozies) and singing along with the music, and even put their arms up in the air and attempted to bang with the beat. Their dancing was more of a bend-at-the-knee-and-follow-with-a-shoulder sort of thing that was totally unrelated to the beat of the music. This was as wild and outrageous as they could get. They WANTED to be just like the (possibly slightly tipsy) couple down to my left, but they just couldn't get rid of those darned reserved habits. But they looked perfect and they didn't ruffle their hair or clothes while they danced, and as I said, in their way they were having a blast. So bravo to them, too.
I really wish I'd felt like getting up and being silly and dancing just to have fun. I know someone else would be observing me in much the same way I observed these people. They'd probably note that I have SOME rhythm, but I'm not consistent, and because of my size and shape, moves that I think are sexy probably look silly to them. And I wouldn't care a whit because I'd be having a good time and moving (sort of) with the music. And I'd be hoping that they get up and dance and feel the music with their bodies too.
I satisfied myself with tapping my feet, bobbing my head (TERRIBLE idea with a migraine, by the way) and tapping my hands and fingers on Yaw's knee, my knee, the armrest between us, whatever else was in reach. And of course I sang along with nearly every word, every guitar riff, every note from Ann's flute (the ones I could reach--Oh, wait. I could reach all of them). I enjoyed it to my fullest ability under the circumstances, and when I came in to work today I thanked Julie for the hundredth time and said to tell Michael that I was so sorry he had to miss, but I was so thankful to have gotten the chance to go.
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