What a difference a year makes

It's been one year now since I was laid off from the care center.

At first I was sad-- angry. Then... after quite a long time, I was suddenly really grateful.

I've not been back there since that fateful day. But I can imagine that its pretty much the same way it was when I left. Some things just never change.

I had wanted to move on for a long time. I felt trapped. Stuck.

Loyal? Maybe.

It took a boss (who disliked me, regardless of if he'd ever admit it) finding a loop-hole to get rid of me in order for me to be gone. And its okay. Really. They couldn't fire me for work performance (though I'm sure I made a convenient scape-goat for things that wrong the first few weeks) and that comforts me. I took pride in what I did. Tried to improve things. I was able to provide tons of information to my employer before I walked out the door. Left them without any un-finished business, undone assessments, etc. My data was current. My splints were clean and organized. My paperwork was solid!

My only fear now is that my personal file is in a cardboard box in a bathroom somewhere. Please, for the love of all that is holy, let someone have filed last year's employee files in the organized cupboards I created before I was canned.

This past Monday I received a "bling" for my name badge in honor of my upcoming one year anniversary at The Lab. How fun to think its already been that long since I found my way to them. A year full of constant positive feedback, monthly 1:1s with a supervisor, endless oportunities to expand my knowledge-- the list could go on and on.

I feel bad for others who have experienced that same 'trapped' feeling and don't know how to make a break for the sweet freedom that could await them. Fear is a powerful emotion. It can really keep someone from reaching for the stars.

And, in my opinion, the stars are the best place to be.

Ms.B

Facebook Gaffe

Wow. Every working person has had their fair share of good bosses and bad, myself included. And even a good boss can piss a person off from time to time, I'm sure. But the gal in this image I received via e-mail must be a total idiot. Seriously. For those of you who haven't seen this yet, enjoy.



Apparently this is a REAL Facebook entry by some gal over in Britain.

If I knew who this boss was I'd give them a high-five for their snarky and victorious reply. I'd also bop this gal on the head.

Twice.

Ms.B

Magic

No, not the rabbit-in-a-hat-kind, but the geeks-who-play-cards kind.

It's our new entertainment at The Lab on Saturdays and Sundays when we've hauled bootie and finished all our processing early. I never understood the game before, and there is still a lot of learning to be done, but a fancy little 'blue deck' has been created and slowly but surely, Ms.B is going to figure this game out!

I am also trying to build a red/white deck all by myself. I have no clue what I'm doing, but it sure is fun. A whole lot of planning and organizing goes in to making a deck. And then, once you have a perfect set of cards, you still have to be lucky enough to pull the right ones in the right order when you play. Can I just tell you how annoying it is when you KNOW you can beat the person you are playing... if only that darn mana would come out of your deck!? HA!

A few folks at work told me the game promotes devil worship. I don't understand where they are coming from. It's a card game with wizards and dragons and gnomes. I suppose those folks think Harry Potter will corrupt me too. But that's okay. They are welcome to their beliefs. While they are praying for my soul each Saturday/Sunday night, I'll be at a table with a large group of great friends having a whole lot of fun!

By the way, this is my favorite card. It's nearly useless in the game, but this little guy is sooooo cute! I call him Timmy!



I love you, Timmy!

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*

Economy in Crisis

Day after day I read articles and headlines broadcasting how companies across the country are cutting 10,000 jobs here, 20,000 jobs there.

My company only had to cut one job.


Mine.


Ms.B

Needing a Vent

*rolls eyes*

Once in a while I need a good bitch-fest. This is one of those times.

I would REALLY like it, if, when I leave the office, my co-worker would give a damn about watching my desk. Moments ago I ran to help someone check the mail and while I was gone, another resident raped her way through my desk til she found the few pieces of sugar-free candy I had left and helped herself.

I realize we can't keep an eye on each others' desks 100% of the time but the gal HAD to have been standing at my desk for quite some time to find what she did. And she's a BIG gal. Kind of hard not to see her moving out of the corner of your eye.

Eva didn't even apologize for the situation. I think I won't worry about protecting her desk from now on, either.

What? Someone pissed in your chair? ...That sucks.

Can't wait til I'm old enough to use deaf and blind as an excuse too. Must be pretty convenient.


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

Every time a bell rings...

... an angel gets her wings.


I've been sitting here trying to type this entry for quite some time. I keep getting a few sentences into it and deleting what I've written... re-wording what I've said, deleting again... Imagining a different... hell, I don't know. I guess the best approach is just to spit it all out. So please forgive any spelling and/or grammar errors because I really need to get this venting done or I just might burst.

I've seen people who died before. I've been to funerals. I've seen them in hospitals where they would soon die. But this morning was the first time I've ever witnessed the entire "person drops, ambulance comes, clothes are cut off, tubes/needles/CPR" death before. I was okay during. I'm okay now. I'm not shaking. I'm not crying (yet). But I can't get my brain to wrap around the idea that she's gone. She was born in 1920 so I can't deny that she's had a ripe old life. Up until this morning when she tipped over dead she was a regular ol' firecracker of a woman. The morning has been crappy as it is with my 30-minute commute taking 1.5 hours and it being Monday on top of it all. Not that I should complain because obviously MY morning wasn't as bad as hers.

I guess it all boils down to the fact that I loved her sassy spirit and will miss her very much. I was already emotional to begin with since the anniversary of my Grandma's death was just a day ago and I was already a little down in the dumps.

What a shit-fest of a day. And its only 10:30 a.m.. Where is a silver lining when you need one?


Ms.B

Learning as I go

I made the comment to two people. Only two. Two that I trusted. But today, when I spoke to my boss he repeated my comment back to me. I'm not ashamed of what I said. I stand by it, even. And I'm not in trouble for saying it.

But I had said it in confidence to those people. Secret.

And now I've learned my lesson.

As Forrest Gump said, "That's all I got to say about that."

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!)

*laughs*

Last week in Operations Meeting, the Boss Man said we all needed to start being more professional and start being on time to our meetings. The following two days both he and the assistant administrator came late and left early from meetings that are supposed to be mandatory.

Today, when 1:30 rolled around and the meeting was supposed to begin there were only four of us in the room. The administrative leaders were not amongst them. They came five minutes later.

I promise I am typing this with a huge smile on my face. It's all I can do not to giggle out loud and distract my co-workers. Good grief!!

Silly Care Center.

Blinded!

There are some visuals that you want OUT OF YOUR HEAD! Moments ago I experienced just such a horror.


I had pulled out all the furniture and boxes around the moldy desk in our office and cleared the storage bins on top as well. The floor-guy here at the care center was kneeling on the floor scrubbing the mold with some anti-bacterial cleaner.

I turned to see the progress he was making and instead got an eye-full of butt crack.


Scarred. For. Life.

G. ROSS

We discovered black mold growing beneath and behind the extra desk in our office. No wonder we're all trying not to get sick (and semi-failing!)

Blech! What a mess. This building is trying to kill us... again!

Do as I say...

.... not as I do.


Boss Man (Wednesday Staff Meeting): I am putting my foot down. We need to get serious about our meetings. Staff need to be there on time. These meetings are mandatory. And I don't want to hear any cell phones ringing in the middle of the meetings either. It looks really bad when someone leaves on a phone call and doesn't come back. I'm pretty sure most phone calls can wait. Let's step up the professionalism!



Any guesses on WHO it was during today's General Staff meeting that showed up late, then left a few minutes later when his phone rang? Yes, and he never did return to the meeting...

I know he's the boss. So he's exempt from the rules and all. But when you say one thing, and do another, it doesn't exactly reinforce what you said. Does it?


Ms.B

Oh!

I nearly forgot, but Congrats to DH on getting the job that he applied for. It is a career position that will pay for his future schooling and bring us one step closer to achieving the long term goals we have for our family.

Come ooooooon, Adoption Benefit!!

Red-Head Temper has simmered...

and I'm not as pissed as I was earlier. But I am still frustrated.

Thank goodness I had this blog to vent to or I might have kersploded!


Stockton will have a REAL reason to be pissed tomorrow. He's going through that all too important rite of passage that all our pets take in order to stay with us at the Haven. DH will continue to be the only fertile member of our zoo.

I'm bitter.

Learned something new about myself

Ya know, I always describe myself as one who likes to "fly under the radar" as far as work is concerned. I enjoy just doing my thing, improving things where possible and being left alone. In some ways this job has been that for me. Unfortunately a boss that ignores you while you do your thing has a few draw-backs. Not only do you get no acknowledgment in general... the only feedback you get is negative. No notice of all the extra stuff I'm trying to do: keeping two departments afloat and working as a floor staff as well while we're short. No, I get yelled at and given mean looks in the hallway because the supervisors are not helping me get the staff in for fingerprinting. (If you haven't lived in-state for 5 consistent years it is policy to fingerprint upon hire.) There is a list of six people who need these fingerprints done. Only 6! And their hours are goofy. Graveyards, only 5-10 p.m.- half shifts, etc. I've been reminding the supervisors to get their staff in for fingerprints for fucking weeks. I can't do it alone.

Apparently I need to hold people's hands and do their jobs for them. Because the three I'm doing already aren't enough. And I better get cracking on it soon or I might get yelled at in front of my co-workers. Again. With no chance given to explain myself.

Shit.

DH!

PLEASE get this new job you've applied for. Please swap into it and get settled so that we can figure out how we are doing financially!!

I need to know how we will be doing so that I can quit this flippin' job of mine and find something closer to our house. I'm not going to drive 30 minutes each direction every day to be treated the way I am. I can't do it anymore.

No wonder my health is poor and I dread coming to work.

SAVE ME! PLEASE!!


Ms.B

Flames and Pitchforks and all that Jazz...

A co-worker has her radio tuned into a religion talk show this morning and its driving me completely insane.

I'm positive that she would turn it off if I asked her to. But I don't want to deal with the look in her eyes that says "Ms.B, you are a sinner!"

I'm a poosie.


Ms.B

Missing Mischief

Mischief isn't at work today (or likely much of this week at all!) because of the passing of her father. So far as I know it was unexpected.

Mischief, we miss you and hope you and your family are doing as well as can be expected at this point in time.

My poor friend. I'm sad that her heart is broken right now.


:(

Ms.B