Moi?

When DH pointed this license plate out to me this morning on the way to the University I couldn't believe my eyes. A plate dedicated to me!! Or maybe someone else out there just likes the idea of a punny nickname. Its far more thrilling to imagine my fame, of course.

The lady who emerged from the car when it parked was in her mid to late 50s, at least, and had lovely silver hair. Not exactly the young, sassy thing I anticipated when I first saw the car. lol Maybe she really is "behaved".


Ms.B

p.s. Ms.B does not condone any stalking done by anyone who might know the actual owner of this plate. No--no, stalking is bad, m-kay?

Wowsers

I didn't realize until my last post that it had been over a month since I updated. What a slacker I am!

Not that anything super interesting has happened, really. Bo is growing like a weed, our weeds are growing like Bo and all is well, in general.

DH spent a week in Canada while I stayed home and puppy-sat.

Work is going well. I am almost out of my "6-month training" period and will soon be eligible for bonuses if I can get my productivity high enough. I am praised for minimal-to-none errors and my Work Flow Coordinator consistently gives me positive feedback. I can't tell you how nice it is to hear good things after going 8 years with a boss who only gave you feedback in the form of yelling at you when you messed up on doing something (possibly even something you'd never been told to do and/or not been shown how to do!) Refreshing.

DH and I have Harry Potter tickets for next week, too. Very exciting. We'll double date with our movie-friends and have a splendiferous time. :D

And that is it, I think.

The End --- of this update.


*bows*

Hipaa Shmippa

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act

In my line of work I see many many bits of private information that can NOT be shared with anyone unless they work with me and have a need to know the information in order to perform their job duties.

Because of this I am annoyed as hell that I can't share the nitty gritty details my exciting experience at work today. Samples, left and right. Blood, poop, fluids, stones... even babies in jars. I see all sorts of gross/exciting stuff come through the lab. It's thrilling at times. Sooooo interesting.

Today the friend who often sits behind me tapped me on the shoulder and showed me his paperwork.

Friend: Do you think it could be him? It's a rather distinct name. I doubt anyone else has it! And look at the hospital these samples came from!

Ms.B: *looks* Wow! And his birthday--- the age is totally right!

DH: *looks at paper too then goes to his computer* I just 'googled' his name and the birthday online matches your paperwork. It's totally him!

Friend/Ms.B/DH: !!!!!!


Today, I held a little piece of Hollywood in my hand!


Ms.B

::::facepalm::::

Not that it will surprise anyone, but we've added to our zoo yet again. Anyone who knows us well was probably taking bets on how long it would take us to fill the void that Chloe left in our lives. Well, call in your bets!

WOOF!

I've never had a BIG dog before... until now. We talked ourselves out of the Great Dane puppy we'd been looking at and went with a rescue from the Humane Society. She's still a beautiful girl: 8 months old, brindle with white patches on her chest and front paws. A mix of something with Australian Cattle Dog. She appears half dane or boxer... And despite being female, she's very calm and relaxed. What a good girlie. DH has decided to call her Afton.

We DO plan to downsize one more time as well. If you know anyone who likes snakes, send them our way!

We wanted to bring her home tomorrow since it is the first day of our off-week. But the gal at the counter said if we applied for her today, we had to take her today. Nothing a quick stop at the pet store couldn't handle, though. She slept in her shiny new kennel this afternoon while we took a quick nap before our shift (soooooo tired!) and she'll be fine in there tonight while we are gone again.

My parents are gonna freak out.


Ms.B

Wow

Sometimes my life needs guidance by outside forces. Having my position at the care center absorbed by other departments was one of those nudges.

I spent the past few years at the care center hating my job off and on. Knowing that I should look for a better company, yet feeling loyalty to residents and staff that I had been with for almost eight years. Now that the company I was loyal too for so long decided this loyalty was one-sided and sent me on my way, I was forced to do something I had been contemplating doing for so long. It must have been destiny, really, since things have worked out so well.

Before I even had all my personal items boxed and in my car that final day, I knew where I would go. And I did. I came home and applied that very night. I'll refer to this wonderful new place as "The Lab" for lack of a better or more creative name. Granted, its more than just 'a lab', but the nickname will suffice. It's been less than a month and I'm already started at my new company. My new CAREER, even. Day One of Orientation was today. Here are the main things that stood out for me from all the info I had to soak up:

1) Over 100 people applied for my specific position. I was chosen. I was called the "Cream of the Crop" today. I can't express what that did for my self-esteem.

2) The Orientation I did for new employees at the care center was put to absolute SHAME by the amazing, enjoyable, high-tech training I had today. Wow.

3) There is a free gym at my new workplace, complete with free personal trainers. The only part I'll have to pay for are the massages. $10 for 15 minutes. Nice.

4) No matter WHAT subject I study, The Lab will pay at least 75% of my tuition. If I enter a med tech position, they will pay 100% of my studies. I could take sign language. Or art. Or foreign language. Home Economics. Doesn't matter. They'll reimburse. They want us to further our education! They would offer the same benefits to my spouse too (and any future children!) Of course, DH is already employed there.

5) Ergonomic Specialists will do whatever they can to make sure that my work station is suited to MY specific needs. Amazing. I couldn't even get the care center to get me a new chair, let alone a computer for my desk. I had to provide those things for myself if I wanted them.

6) I have a fancy name badge, complete with colored photo, that grants me access to numerous computerized doors that will only open for authorized personnel. High Tech fun!

7) The cafeteria there is awesome. Decent food, too. And vending machines everywhere full of rather healthy looking goodies. Oh, and those machines take credit cards, for the record. Oooh. Aaaah!

8) The benefits at The Lab are AMAZING!! Seriously. I'll learn more about them on Tuesday but more than one person in my training today admitted that they had applied there specifically for the benefits that are offered.

9) The Lab has been given the honor of being one of the Top 100 Companies to Work For by a well-known magazine in recent years. Finally, they received a letter from the publisher saying that because the government technically owned The Lab, they couldn't be placed on the list any more. Otherwise, they'd still be listed, I'm sure. Apparently they are the top lab in the country. Sweet deal!

10) I only work four days a week. Four 10-hour shifts. And down the road I'll have the option to work 7-on/7-off if I want to. Both of those are improved hours. Yes!

______________

There is so much more I could say, really. But I'll sum it up with

"I'm SO FREAKIN' EXCITED!!" --- *ahem*

I still miss the care center. I keep thinking of things that should be getting done, then realize its not my worry. Part of me hopes its all happening so that everything goes smoothly. Of course, the little devil on my shoulder is glad a few things will go un-done and cause problems. I want them to miss me and regret sending me on my way. After all, I was good to them for a long, long time. And I'd have stayed that way for a long while to come, I'm sure. But they were fools and let me go.

And now, I feel like I've won a prize somehow.


Ms.B

As the World Turns...

these are the days of my life....


I'd been thinking life was a little dull lately. Not bad. Not change-worthy. But not exciting enough to blog about. Recent events have changed that. Now I'm not even sure where to begin. Each of these topics could be an entire entry in their own right. But instead I will condense them together since my inspiration for blogging has faded as of late and I don't want to lose steam before I share everything.



#1) Chloe. Still broken. But she can now wag her tail. Progress! We've decided to wait until her pain meds run out before making a decision on her long-term potential in our home. My father made her a "wheelie" (VIDEO to come if I can get my act together!) and we hope to help her settle back into a routine very soon. For now she's still stuck in the bathroom where she can continue to heal without wizzing all over our carpets.


#2) I've been sick. Not just "Oh, the flu" sick. No no. It's the embarassing sick that you can't go to work with. Must. Stay. Near. Pottie. I won't go into further detail for fear I'll scar someone for life. No fun. But I've had distraction in the form of:


#3) Mischief/Worm Girl. She began reading the book series "Twilight" and has discovered her inner teenager. It's cute. She giggles! She beams. She GLOWS over those books (and movie! "Hello Doctor!). I've NEVER seen her act like this before. If only there was a way to bottle this effect. I'd be rich. RICH!!

#4) ZINGER of the week. I no longer have two brother-in-laws. I only have one. The second has decided he she prefers to be a sister-in-law. Being as far away as we are from DH's family, it won't affect us as dramatically as it will the rest of his family. In general they will be very supportive, I think, though you can never predict how someone will react to news like this. "I'm going to tell you something very important, but first, you must promise not to punch me!"

I hope by the time we go to visit, she's living in her new form so that its easier to call her "Jordanna", as she wishes. I won't be as liable to slip up and call her by her former male name if she's looking feminine. Apparently she will continue to be married to her current wife even after all changes go into effect. Is "transgender lesbian" a proper term? Obviously I'm rather ignorant to such a life style but I suppose I will get a crash course in the near future. Am I really so cool about it as to mention it on this blog and not be totally freaking out? I have no idea. I only just received the news today. Perhaps I'll leave the "!! ?? !! !#@$!@#$"s to Jordanna's ex-wife and grandparents. After all, she told DH on the phone today that she felt that out of all the sister-in-laws, I'd be the one who was the most understanding and accepting of the situation. How can I get all wierded-out when such a compliment has been payed to me?

I'm understanding. I'm accepting. *preen*

Besides, I only have to sit back and let her be who she feels she is happiest as. She has to change her entire life around (work, school, KIDS, ex-wife, current wife, etc....) and re-program her family to accept who she is. Get them to acknowledge who she is now and realize she doesn't want to be who she was before.

I am normally a very sympathetic and empathetic person. I can usually put myself in someone's position to get an idea of how they are feeling. But I have NO idea what it must be like to feel you are trapped in the wrong body.

Every time I type "she" on this entry my brain back-fires and tells me that is wrong. Not "wrong" morally, necessarily. Just not the right way to refer to the loud, broad-shouldered, MANLY brother-in-law I had up until this morning's breaking news.

I hope she is at least a PRETTY woman. For her sake. Though, if she looks better than me in tights and heels, I will kick her ass!

Ms.B

Year 4 Begins

I found the cutest leather-looking box at the store after work yesterday. It was perfect for DH's anniversary gift. Hooray.

He seemed to really like it. He liked what I put inside of it too.


Yay.

Carnival 2008.... OVER!

Last year we procrastinated until the last second, threw together a carnival, and made more money than ever before.

Having learned our lesson, we once again procrastinated until the last second, and once again made more money than ever before. $500 more than last year. Win!

Next year we plan to get the carnival ready a week after it happens. That is a guaranteed way to put ourselves over the top, yes?


(Thank goodness its over. It's fun, but a lot of work and stress. Boo for work and stress!)

One Word!

Wii!

New Toy

Playing the part of a grown up and doing things like having cars and purchasing a home has cut into my "fun money" for the past year. Luxuries like new cell phones are rare. Unless, of course, your contract ends and they need to bribe persuade you to subscribe for an additional two years.

SWEET. New Phone.

The Pantech 3Cb arrived in the mail a week ago. It's so cute. So tiny... so flip-phoney. Up to this point I've only ever owned candybar style phones. I hope I can keep track of this thing. It's so itty that I might just misplace it and never find it again! Maybe it will fall from my pocket and I'll vacuum it up before I ever realize its missing. HA!



The hubby searched high and low on-line for the face plates (since I had expressed interest in having the orange one) and could find nothing. Then he stumbled across a message board that had a post by someone who said they had purchased them at a local phone store. DH swung by the one near our house on his way to work. The employee there said they no longer sold the face plates. (AHH!) But then he wandered into the back room of their shop and returned holding a store display that had every single color on it. He handed it to DH and said he could take it for free. All we had to do was undo the diamond-plated, hard-as-steel flimsy screw that held them on the stand.

I am sure the novelty of changing the color of my phone will die down in a few weeks but for now its amusing the hell out of me. Orange, no green, wait, blue, or maybe red. Yes, today its red.

Any suggestions for tomorrow?

Ah... HEAVEN!

Each time I attend a concert, I leave the venue thinking "That was the best show I've ever seen."

But really, THIS was the best show I've ever seen. I'm normally a fan of more upbeat music but Josh Groban was AMAZING! There is nothing quite as satisfying to the soul than a performer who can take their radio hit and reproduce it live in a fashion that is better than the studio version.

*happy sigh*

Prediction #1 came true. My ears are still ringing. Prediction #2 fell flat. The only person who lost their top was the husband of the woman next to me who tore his shirt off to get the attention of their friends on the other side of the arena. !!! Oh my! Thank goodness they spotted him quickly and the man quickly re-dressed himself. I almost died from laughing.

The crowd was already buzzing with anticipation for the show when a charming man with a killer British accent introduced himself and explained that OUR SHOW was the one that was being filmed for the DVD Special of Mr. Groban's AWAKE tour. That announcement was the one time during the night where the crowd went into a bit of a teenie-bopper frenzy. I expected panties and bras to go flying... and maybe even a pace-maker or two!! Yowsa.

But honestly, it was a great show. Josh Groban is a talented man that delivers an amazing performance that showcases not only his soft-as-velvet pipes but the musicians on the stage with him. I could gush about all the fun moments here in this blog entry but I have the luxury of being a little lazy and just saying "Buy the DVD this winter."

And just maybe you'll see me on it... though you'll never know. Mua ha ha.


Ms.B

*throws her bra on stage*

EEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.................!!!!

DH and I are on our way out the door to a Josh Groban concert. I'm so excited. It should be a good concert.

Prediction #1: DH will scream louder than I do at the show.

Prediction #2: I will be able to throw my bra further than he throws his. *wink*



Ms.B