Monday, July 31, 2006

Woo hoo!

Last day today and it was very hectic. No worries, because it's over. It's all over and I'm happysad. Happy that I have something to look forward to. Sad of course because it's the end of an era, so to speak. I spent 8 years working there. A quarter of my life to date. Wow. I actually had to bust out the calculator to work it out, just to make sure. I will still be working with them on contract. *shrugs shoulders* Works for me.

Tomorrow, I have a day off and I intend to take full advantage of it. Plans include riding the bayou with DH (6 unforgiving hilly miles) on our bikes, and a whole lot of lounging.

Wednesday, new job begins! New possibilities, new challenges, new ways of thinking, new things to learn, new things to do. I cannot wait.

Saturday, July 29, 2006

psssst

I got the job.

I start on Wednesday.

bwahahahahahaha!

MDSJ, I am finally free.

Friday, July 28, 2006

Friday Cat Blogging


Behold! Princess Mia Bella chomping on some new grass. She loves her grass. Posted by Picasa

Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Through the flood

Holy cow, was it raining today! I had my interview at 9 and the rain was just lashing down. It was a slow drive but I got to the exit for the building at 10 til 9. I was 0.8 miles away. Those last 0.8 miles took me half an hour. I called them when I got off the freeway, and told them that I was almost there and might be a little late because of the weather. They told me to take my time, be careful. When I made the u-turn, the feeder road on the other side of the highway was flooded. Yikes. I have a car car, not an SUV or a truck. I inched my car along, till I got to the ramp for the freeway, then I saw a stalled out 7 series BMW on the feeder, I got chicken and got on the freeway again. I took the next exit, which led me to the building next to the building my interview was in. It was a car dealership. I thought, well I'll park here and go to the next building. The dealership itself was flooded. I had to get out of there. So I went around again again. On my second approach, I could see more cars going straight on the feeder, so I thought I'd chance it. I saw a Maxima up there, so I thought I could make it.

Oh.
my.
gawd.

The water was so fricking high! I was shaking, gripping onto the steering wheel, hoping that I wouldn't stall out. The intake on my car is really low. I just went as slowly as I could. It seemed to take forever but I got out of there and was on dry road. What a relief. I was still shaking when I pulled in to the parking garage and parked.

And then. The Second Interview.

I met with the Head Guy and chatted with him about all sorts of stuff. I think it went very well. I am very, very, very hopeful. I met with the other person that I would be working with and everybody was very positive and cheery around the office.

Yay! Fingers crossed!

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

2nd interview!

Second interview with Company #3 is set for tomorrow! Yay! I would skip about but my back is still paining, I mean, hurting. I can't take the pain meds because then I won't be able to drive. I took the pain meds last night and did not have a psychedelic experience like I did the last time, of which I was glad, but these were different pain meds. Didn't really do much for the pain in my hip though. Damn hip. I'm too young, I tell you.

Monday, July 24, 2006

Glutton for punishment

So I go to the Doctor about my pitiful back. It's torturous driving over there. The sitting hurts, the shifting of gears hurt, using the clutch hurts, pressing the accelerator hurts, but I make it over there. The actual seeing of the Dr. is very swift. She's a lovely woman, originally from Hong Kong and we get along really well. She thinks I might have pulled a muscle. I decide that it's time to get wonky hip x-rayed and tell her that my insurance ends on Monday. She concurs and sends me to radiology where, immediately upon entering the room, I find that I have in fact wondered into the third level of hell.

The waiting room is packed. There is nothing to read but handouts on catscans and fluoroscopies and the facility license as issued by the
Texas Department of State Health Services. I wait one hour and check with the lovely and most professional and calmest front desk lady I have ever seen. She tells me that there are still seven people ahead of me. Oh my. I decide to go to lunch and come back. I get back 1 hour later and there are still 2 people ahead of me.

Then, then the facility takes lunch. Closed from 1 pm to 2 pm. Excuse me? Oh, it's not the whole facility that takes lunch, just half the staff. Oh, that's alright then. Finally, at 2 PM, they call my name and it's my turn. Yay. The actual x-raying takes like 2 minutes, then I wait and then they tell me I'm free to leave.

I'm just glad that I wasn't the dude who came in from Shreveport, LA to get an x-ray. Why he had to come all the way to Houston, TX (a 5 hour drive), I don't know, but he was letting everybody know that he waited so long he felt like walking back to Lousiana. Hah!

Last Week begins today!

Yay!

Yes, yay, because I really do want to change jobs, but not so much yay at the prospect of being unemployed August 1st. I have to be positive or else I might be too miserable to see opportunity when it comes my way and I'm expecting it to arrive this week.

In other news, I have sustained a laundry inflicted injury. I have mangled my back while bending down to put down the laundry basket and I am going to the doctor today before my health insurance ends next monday. Perfect timing, eh?

Friday, July 21, 2006

Friday Cat Blogging

Behold! Princess Mia Bella is playing in her box. The box her sweetheart gave her.

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

On my way

On my way to my interview with Company no. 3. Fingers crossed.

Whee!

::Update 8.10PM::
I think the interview went well, I met with 3 people at the firm consecutively. It seems a very intersting company with a very interesting culture. I could definitely see myself there. They will let me know next week if they will be inviting me back to meet with the President. Hope so. Until then!

Monday, July 17, 2006

The weight. Part Deux.

I have 2 weeks left at my job and I still haven't found another job. I'm getting anxious. I've been diligently doing what I need to do, but I haven't had an offer yet. It's a bit nerve wracking.

I'll be having a bit of a pity party today. Please pass the chocolate.

::Update::
Timeframe: 5 minutes after initial post
*Please note*
Pity party has been canceled due to unexpected invitation for an interview on Wednesday.
Thank you.

Friday, July 14, 2006

I think I just

I think I just rolled my ankle while sitting at my desk. Is that possible? I know I've turned over in bed and dislocated my knee, once or twice. But it's been ages since that's happened, and it always pops back in. These are the shoes I'm wearing today. It hurts a little when I move my ankle a certain way. Very strange. Posted by Picasa

Friday Cat Blogging

Behold! Princess Mia Bella hanging out in the computer chair. Posted by Picasa

Thursday, July 13, 2006

What a difference a day makes

OK. When I got home last night, DH and I had Mr. Shiraz over. We had lovely conversations, had some cheese and crackers and fantastic homemade pizza for dinner. DH had a talk with Mr. FB, I didn't speak to him as I was too busy talking to Mr. Shiraz.

The printing situation got sorted out and should be ready this morning. DH is getting his direct deposit c**k-up sorted out. We found out that there was an electrical fire at the District's head offices in the brand new facility that is not even a year old. They have no computer access and only one working phone line, I'm guessing, in the department that handles payroll, not the entire facility. That would be rather shocking.

On the job front, I'm waiting to hear back from the people that I interviewed with at the beginning of July, I know that they have some protocol to follow, so I'm not too anxious. I've been applying daily to multitudes of positions, but no calls for interviews yet. Trying to keep the faith here. Hopeful, hopeful.

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

The week, thus far,

Monday: Mid afternoon, I receive a frantic voicemail from the mother (who live is Singapore) of a very dear friend because she is trying to get in touch with the brother (who lives in Houston) of her daughter (who does not live in Houston) who is having an emergency c-section in a state in the north east part of the U.S. Baby and her mother are fine. Friend's mother in a bit of a tizzy, as expected. Brother: on another planet.

Tuesday: Late afternoon, I recieve a collect call from the
Harris.
County.
Jail.
from a friend who we shall call Mr. F. King Brilliant. Those in the know will know who I'm refering to. Not my blood or my husband, of course. Apparently, Mr. FB has gotten himself detained by Houston's Finest and has granted me the honour of disentangling him from his predicament.

Did you know that in the City of Houston, when one gets arrested it takes between eight to ten hours to get booked and then once your bail gets posted at 3.16 in the morning, it takes another four to eight hours before you are released?

I didn't know that. Good thing I was not the one in jail, just the one traipsing around the City of Houston at 2.30 in the morning, downtown is so peaceful at that time on a Tuesday morning, with a superscowling husband in tow, who God bless him, was absolutely appalled at the indignity of it all. As was I. But then I'm not Mr. FB, am I?

Wednesday: 10ish in the morning, Mr. FB calls to apologize (again) and offer thanks (again). I bark, he whimpers and our conversation is to be continued. Later in the morning, things are looking up. The print job that I have been working on is ready for pick-up from the printer. Six thousand bi-fold brochures. This is good news because it needs to be shipped to Philadelphia to arrive before 7/15/06. Wonderful. I'm just about to leave to go to the printer, who by the way, is part of the School District that turned me down for that job that I was hoping for at the end of June, but I digress. I'm just about to leave to pick up the brochures when she calls to tell me that, oops!, all 6000 brochures were folded in thirds instead of halves. They now have to reprint all 6000. Bugger.

Then, DH calls me to tell me that his direct deposit has not been directly deposited into his bank from said School District that he also happens to work for. Bugger. Although it is summer, DH's special program is still operating and he still requires salary for his work. After calling and going to speak to the appropriate people, he discovers everybody in his school has suffered the same fate. (whatever consolation, that is) In the meantime, I am trying to access the website of the (useless) School District but for what ever reason, the site is down.

Apparently, the entire District has been struck down by some sort of electrical outage and there is nothing anyone can do. Luckily, the payroll officer at DH's school called to tell him that he had readied the information neccessary to submit to the District in order for DH to get his direct deposit but he just can't do it because of the previously mentioned outage. I wonder if this outage will affect the 6000 brochures that I need printed by tomorrow? Bollocks.

My week, thus far.

Sunday, July 09, 2006

Zinadamn

So World Cup 2006 is over and what a way to end. None of my favourite teams were in the final four, but having to choose between Italy and France, of course I chose France. Vive la France!

Who knew that Zidane would be ejected for of all things, headbutting another player (Materazzi). It was all a bit surreal to watch. According to DH, the rumours* are swirling on the internet as to what exactly Materazzi said to provoke the headbutt.

Who knows what really happened? It just seems to be an unfortunate way to end the World Cup, apparently it was not A (good) Time To Make Friends for Zizou.

* dirty rumours like this one

Friday, July 07, 2006

Friday Cat Blogging


Behold! Princess Mia Bella daydreams about her sweetheart. Posted by Picasa

Thursday, July 06, 2006

By popular demand

Ta-dah! Please direct your attention to the photograph showing one packet of McVitie's Milk Chocolate Digestives. They are divinely simple chocolate covered biscuits (cookies). Very tasty, indeed. I'm sure you can find them anywhere you get imported British food. In Houston, they sell them at our neighbourhood supermarket (Kroger), before I found them at Kroger, I used to go to the Indian Grocery store. Yes, I went to the indian grocery store to buy English food. You can also find them online at various online stores, but I can't be bothered to go to that much trouble. And there you have it. Please discuss amongst yourselves.

Monday, July 03, 2006

There's nothing better


Than a hot cup of tea with McVitie's Chocolate Digestives. Nothing better I say*.


*sorry Ally, I know how you feel about Digestives.

Potential #2

I'm off to my first interview with potential #2. I'm very excited/nervous. I'm sure it will be fine. Will post what happens after! Till then.

::update 12:39 PM::
I believe the interview went well. I had lovely chats with all four interviewers. Same as the previous interview. I believe interviewers travel in packs nowadays. All seemed lovely and bright and asked some tough questions and I hope I impressed them with my answers.

Then, they surprised me with a test. A flash test. No worries! I was up to the challenge. I feel confident and calm.

Actually feeling very zen now.

:)

Saturday, July 01, 2006

Both my teams lost today!

England lost. Brazil lost. So now I'm wondering who to root for?

DH says I'm bad luck.

Bad luck wind been blowin' at my back
I was born to bring trouble to wherever I'm at

England vs. Portugal

[live blogging]

Bah!

PSO

Bah!

[/live blogging]