Saturday Catching Up
Saturday, December 8th, 2007 08:34 amLast year, I requested a really pretty teapot for an xmas gift. The one I wanted was green with tiny ceramic pinecones scattered around it. It has a classic teapot shape. Well, after using it a couple of times, it just sat on the shelf all year long. I thought maybe we'd quit using it because it seems too xmas-y for year round use. Then I got the white one a little while ago, and we've used it frequently. Hmmm. Last night, I came home from work and B had made me a pot of tea in the green pot. Well, silly us, we didn't drink it last night, since I wanted to go for dinner right away (hungry!), but it was there when I got up, so I thought I'd reheat a cup. Now I know why we stopped using this pot. No matter what I do, when pouring out from this pot, a puddle of tea forms on the tabletop. Arrrgh. I even tried pairing a saucer with the pot to catch drips, but it never worked. After 2 cups poured this morning, I've realized this pot is destined to be admired instead of used. ::sigh::
The kids and I got flu shots right after Tday. B won't be getting any kind of vaccines until he's completely off the immune suppressants. It's almost been the 2 weeks to take the full effect. So far, Mavis, B & I seem to have come down with minor colds. I woke up with a sore throat due to drainage. yech. The tea is helping alot.
The xmas village is nearly complete - just a little more "snow" is required in 2 neighborhoods. The only thing left is deciding what to do about the stair rail. We even have a tree in our room this year (last year's fiber optic tree), and lots of sparkly ornaments dangling from the two ficus trees at the end of the bed. Plus blue bubble lights in the giant schefflara in the corner. When we're in the bed with the xmas lights on, the "sky" is awash in northern lights! It's really cool.
Also - no phone interview yesterday, and no explanation why from HR. But my mgr said not to worry, something must have come up and she'll get back to me.
Things to do today: Get "snow,"
I am a dork sometimes. The interview tomorrow is a phone interview, so I will not be driving to Milwaukee after all. Yay, actually, because yesterday I drove to Lansing, IL and today I am in Waukesha all day. It will be good to not have to drive again tomorrow.
Also, here's an unexpected development. There is a way cool position open at CH2M/Hill in Milwuakee - Regional manager of project controls. It has been offered to the guy who got the position I interviewed for in Jan. He's turning it down, but thinks I'm a good candidate - from the sound of it, it's extremely similar to what I was doing at RMT (most of the time). It's a desk job just inside the city limit (no downtown action). It could be a job you'd retire from, if you didn't mind the commute, or if you were willing to eventually move closer (like after the kids graduate HS). It doesn't hurt to throw your hat in the ring just to see where you stand, right? Plus, it could give me leverage with JCI.
Interview Friday
Tuesday, December 4th, 2007 01:25 pmSo, I'm going to need to take a bunch of vitamin D between now and then to make sure I am as chipper and positive as I can possibly be. Because yesterday was the first noticeable day of my annual winter funk. By the timing, it appears that January 18 or thereabouts wil be the first noticeable lessening of the winter funk. Unless the vitamin D helps me shake it sooner.
In Other News
Friday, November 30th, 2007 03:37 pmThe dishes are here! The dishes are here! LOL, I know it's ridiculous to be this happy about 7 white plates, but this means that we now have 12 of everything: Dinner plates, Luncheon plates, Dessert/Bread Plates, Soup plates, Salad bowls, Fruit bowls and small Ramekins. I found plates to match the white Sheffield we already had at Replacements.com. At first I thought I was only going to find 5 plates there, but those were the "perfect condition" plates. They had plenty of slightly imperfect plates for us to order the 7 we wanted, and the total bill with shipping was only $82. The slightly imperfect plates are actually in better condition than our existing plates. Including the teapot and the saki set, I've spent $224 for what feels like a brand new set of all white fine china. Pretty good, huh :) Any other china collected at this point will be funky/weird pieces (although I don't really see a need for egg cups) or colorful serving pieces.
I had to call a co-worker today and the first thing she said to me was "happy almost-welcome to the company" :) then she said, "I'm so glad we're getting another woman in our group." Since she's the Regional guy's right hand person, I'm taking this as a fairly strong indication that it's all over but the paperwork.
My feet are cold. I suppose it's because the building is cold, because the temp is dropping in preparation for the big storm they've been promising us. I dont' mind stormy weather on the weekend because it means I don't have to drag myself out of the house unless I really want to.
This weekend we'll be putting up the christmas decorations, indoors and out, weather permitting. I guess we'll be sorry we didn't do it last weekend if the weather gets bad, but we just weren't ready to switch from autumn to winter yet. Tomorrow will be the day the christmas china comes out of the cupboard. So we'll have had 2 meals on the complete white set before putting it aside for 31 days. That just means I have something to look forward to in Jan! (besides the new job responsibilities and lower insurance premiums)
And DH and I have plans to see a movie together sometime this weekend. The last one we went to alone was Serenity...
LJ's new policies on adult content and needing your age verified are kind of annoying. I'm not sure I'm annoyed enough to quit paying for an upgraded account though. I did enter my birth year as 1900 in protest. I'm old enough to see adult content, and I get to skew all kinds of statistical analyses. That's the best part.
Come on 5:00!!
So sometime very soon, I expect they'll offer me the position, making official what I've been doing for them the past two years. I expect the new position will require many more hours in the car, traveling around the region, but the frequency and duration hopefully will stay similar to what it was over the summer. The benefits are really good. I'm looking forward to ridiculously low insurance premiums to balance out the past two years of ridiculously high premiums. I'm not so crazy about the prospect of working 40+ hours every week, when I've gotten quite used to < 36 hrs/wk. I'll need a reliable car with good mileage to deal with the travel. Fortunately, Ruby will be paid off in April, so that's not a huge hardship - but car insurance will definitely go up with 3 cars to 3 drivers. I'll have paid vacation and 13 paid holidays per year (9 standard and 4 floating). There is a bonus plan. There are matching contributions to retirement funds. There is a Dilbert mentality in many locations. ::sigh:: So, I will return to the joys of corporate slavitude, in return for a quicker payoff of the medical bills and a faster realization of the remodeling and redecorating goals. And vacation! Vacation is good.
PSA - Add to your Resume'
Monday, April 9th, 2007 08:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
synecdochic posted a PSA today about volunteering for LJ and she mentions how potential employers get really excited in the interview and want to hear all about it. I know I've got some smart, resume-building friends on my flist, so i thought I'd point y'all toward this opportunity. It sounds fun and educational, and if i had any time at all, I might play around with it a bit, but for now all I can do is enable my friends :)Still Employed...
Monday, February 26th, 2007 09:20 pmHe said the experience was the deciding factor in a very difficult decision. So that's something, and I'm still working on all the same projects I was last week, because there's more than enough for the new guy to work on anyway. If I *had* gotten the job, I'd probably have to drop everything I'm doing and switch gears. I still wouldn't mind getting some paid vacation, but I guess that can wait. If they start needing more of my time, I'll get a big, fat raise this year anyway :)
It's about time
Saturday, February 17th, 2007 09:08 amThey practically chained me to the computer to get me to fill out the first app. B had been in the hospital the week before, and I had other things on my mind. They got 55 applicants that time, and didn't interview any of them. Decided they couldn't fill the position until they had more backlog. Strung me along on it through May, when I realized we'd maxed out our out-of-pocket amount, and quit worrying about changing jobs for the rest of the year. In Oct, they asked me what I wanted to do, keep on as hourly or apply for something permanent 2-3 grades lower than what I was doing (with the corresponding cut in pay). I told them about the insurance issue, and said I wanted to wait till the end of the year to make any changes. They were okay with that.
In Dec, they got rid of my former supervisor on the Library job, and had to find a replacement for him, but didn't post the position until Jan. I tried to apply, but tech difficulties intervened. Then they pulled the posting, "for revisions." So they put it back up on Feb. 7, and I finally managed to get my updated resume turned in. It turns out the revision was an increased grade level. So instead of applying for a Project Manager position, I applied for Sr. Project Mgr. More pay, sure, but also more stress and responsibility. As in, "if you don't meet your financial objectives, we will can you." So much fun.
OTOH, even if they don't give me the Sr. position, they've got lots of work to be done and not enough bodies to do it, and I'm involved in about 8 projects, with 4 of them being officially assigned, so I should have enough billable hours to stay employed for awhile longer. They need a Sr. & a regular PM dedicated to WI, and they need some kind of PM dedicated to IL, and they're only interviewing for one of those positions right now.
Pros: Permanent status means *vacation* & holiday pay, a steady paycheck, regardless of hours of billable work, cheap and comprehensive medical insurance, and other typical benefits. It would be nice to take more than 1/2 a day off at a time. No more stressing about getting enough hours, or being told they don't need me at all. Stability. Getting access to systems & training I need to do my job effectively, but haven't had because I'm a temp. Wearing a nicer wardrobe.
Cons: 40+ hours/week when I've spent 14 mos working 28-32 hrs. No overtime pay (not that I got many opportunities for it as a temp). Less flexibility with where and when I work. Work-related Stress from scrutiny of every damn thing I do. Dealing with practically non-existent or non-functioning work systems - I can't believe an international company of this size and success has such lackadaisical operating procedures. Having to drive all over WI for work again. In my own car. Having my current supervisor be my actual boss (I'm not the only one who feels this way). Being expected to *want* to climb the ladder. Buying a nicer wardrobe.
Yeah, not sure how this is going to go. But if I get it, I'd like to think I could stick with it until Rupert graduates at least. Stability would be a welcome thing in my life right now.
Got the Job!!
Monday, November 21st, 2005 07:42 pmSpent the late afternoon running all over the west side, signing papers, peeing in a cup, renting a car...
I start at 8:00 am tomorrow.
Whew! What a whirlwind. But, paychecks get cut weekly, so pretty damn soon I'll putting more money into the account than I'm taking out. A nice reversal after the past 5 months.
Maybe I'll even spring for a paid LJ account... whatever would I do with 100 icons? ::innocent look::
ETA Remember this? Hmmm.... I think I'm going to need a new shirt to wear to that interview. Something with long sleeves and buttons, but not white. ::nodding head::
I couldn't find anything that was both in my price range and my size, so guess what I ended up wearing? A white shirt, LOL. Black twill pants with a navy blue, zip front blazer, and a white pullover. sheesh.
Actually, the interview format was very interesting to me, because it's a contract position, so the interview was totally focused on "can you do this job?" instead of on "how well do you play with others?" or "where do you want to be in 5 years?" I think I showed my stuff pretty well.
Everybody send me good vibes, kay? I'd love to get this gig. It'll start right away and last until about June, and it's scheduled to be 4 days per week. What could be better?
Plus, I got to go over the blueprints, and they're putting up a lovely building. It's a LEEDS project, meaning high emphasis on energy efficiency and recycling, and they even salvaged some very old maple trees from the site. They're using the old maple for the librarian's desk/casework, which is just too cool.
Cosmo has been whining at the window earlier and earlier everyday this week. Today, he began at 3:00, when the bus with his boy doesn't arrive until 4:09. DH said, "maybe it's not the bus he wants, maybe he's wondering when you're ever going to take him for a walk again." So I figured, the pavement is dry, the sky has blue patches and the temp is above freezing, I better get moving. I mean, I'm sure there will be blue-skied, sunny days again in the next 3 months or so, but how many of *those* will be above freezing, huh?
Unfortunately, I was only able to do a mile today, because of the cold and being out of practice. But I figure, the gear will be getting heavier and heavier, which will make up for the shorter distances.
Today is ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif){kind=small}
bzdchris's birthday, so all y'all better give her some love!! ::smoochies and hugs to bzdchris ::
Monday, I have an interview for a contract CM job; they need an Owner's Rep for a library project in Cross Plains. I'm crossing my fingers for this one. It seems to be tailor made for my/our needs. Except for the fact that I'll need some kind of vehicle right off the bat. But hey, car shopping is fun.
Can someone explain to my why people stalk other people on LJ? What is the point? Do they just get some kind of sick pleasure out of causing people to have to make their journals "friends only?" Do they get together and brag about how many journals they've caused to go locked? It's got to be a pretty small life that gets made bigger by this type of behavior. ::sigh::
Hmmm.... I think I'm going to need a new shirt to wear to that interview. Something with long sleeves and buttons, but not white. ::nodding head::
Status Report
Wednesday, November 2nd, 2005 12:11 pmI imagine that when the weather gets yucky, I might be motivated to go back to yoga regularly. I love yoga, but I haven't been in the right frame of mind for it. I like it early in the morning, while the house is quiet. But to get that, I have to be doing it at 5 am or 530 at the latest. I'm not so crazy about this time slot. Yes, yes, I could do it after everyone leaves the house, but then it wouldn't be early and meditative. It would seem more like exercise than balance-seeking. Does this seem dumb? It seems dumb to me, but I can't seem to break the mindset.
I also fantasize that I'll be motivated to walk/run the stairs in the house a few times a week. This is plausible because we have 3 sets of stairs in the house, so it would be a decent circuit, if somewhat boring.
As for calorie control, I've come to the conclusion that the only place I can really ditch calories is in the alcohol department. I'm really quite the lush. I like a beer in the afternoon. Or at least while I'm cooking dinner. Unless I'm cooking with wine, which means I'll want a glass of that. If I'm making something that's going to be accompanied by vodka, I want wine while I'm cooking that too. If I have a martini with dinner, I'm going to want at least one more after dinner. If there's a liqueur in the house, I'll want it for dessert. I don't usually eat dessert, but I can almost always be convinced (like it takes any effort) to have a nightcap/dessert drink. After two martinis, I tend to lose judgement about how many more I should have. So really, one drink per day should be my limit. And if I manage to do that think of how many calories I won't be consuming! Because really, if I drink something besides alcohol, its water. Maybe herbal tea. I might have some juice on Sunday morning, or a glass of silk or milk instead of a snack, but that's pretty much it. No sodas, no coffee. Oh. Eggnog in the winter, but that usually replaces a snack or dessert or alcoholic drink. Sheesh, I forgot eggnog season was upon us. When we go out to eat, we 99.9% of the time go where there is a good bar of some kind. No Perkins for us, LOL.
Most of our friends know we eat pretty healthy stuff. I don't snack much, we don't keep a lot of traditional snack food in the house. Tortilla chips, cause we're all addicted to salsa. Popcorn. Some crackers. We all eat way too much cheese, but we also eat more veggies than most people, and lots of fruit. Whole grains, not a lot of meat, and we try to go with fresh and home-made as much as possible. We don't do a lot of cream sauces, but we're hitting the season for scalloped potatoes & pork chops. That dish is a serious downfall. We're pretty low fat all the time except for cheese and winter dishes that require milk and cheese. So it's the alcohol I have to cut back on. Oy.
I have successfully navigated the first Epic "hurdle." This is the first time they've asked me for more info. It's actually less info than was on the on-line application, but it's a hard-copy form I have to fill out and send in. Maybe they want to analyze my handwriting? Maybe they want to see how quickly I'll respond to the request? Who knows. I think it will be interesting to speak to them about the job even if I don't end up with it.
I'm trying to get the MAPC website posted for review, but I am too much of a dummie I guess. I'm positive that it's something relatively minor, and all it would take is someone who has published a web before to come over and point and say, "hey, you do it this way, ya big dummie." Any takers? Come on... you know you want to abuse me. ::bwg::
Mavis announced yesterday that she passed her test to get her temporary driver's license. EEEEK!
Rupert is 13 on Friday (11/4) and his big brother is 30 the same day. More EEeek!
Job Search
Thursday, October 27th, 2005 02:43 pmOne was very depressing because it was a PM/Estimator job in the plumbing arena, requiring no advance knowledge of plumbing (I actually have some) because they are willing to train OTJ. And the minimum requirements were a degree in CM (I have) and 1(!) year of experience. For this lowly entry-level position that they are recommending recent grads apply for, they are willing to pay up to $50k per year. That is more than I made in my last job (base), and it took me nearly 20 yrs to get to that level of pay!! But yeah, I applied, because it's close by, and the money is good, and they're promising a regular and reasonable schedule.
Today, while walking the dog, I decided to spend one hour applying for jobs that I had found online today. I think I identified 4-5 interesting looking things this morning. It took me over an hour just to complete the online application for one job! Epic has this deceptively simple looking on-line application, but you have to enter your SAT score. And your Cum. GPA. And your Major Cum. GPA. After 20 yrs, who remembers this shit? I'm just lucky that I'm anal enough to still have the original results of my SAT (1300 - if you were wondering), and an unofficial copy of my transcripts (3.48), but they didn't identify my major cum. GPA, so I had to figure it out myself (no change). Then you are supposed to "copy and paste" your cover letter and resume into the 2 last boxes. Well, they strip out every bit of formatting, and you have to go in and clean up the mess so it's legible, and when you're applying for a job outside of your field you need a killer cover letter, so it's drawing board time anyway, and man. Did that take a long time or what?
I've been banging my head against the Epic wall this past year, applying for anything that looks likely. They claim they are willing to train extensively, and all they want is someone who can demonstrate previous academic and professional success. That's me! I mean it! I'm the one they want! But no. They've always been all "thanks, but no thanks." So we shall see. Because you all know that I would be the perfect new Event Planner for Epic. Right?
So I guess I'll apply to the rest of these jobs tomorrow, because now it's time to go back into the basement and work on cleaning up another pile of neglected stuff.
due South! Yay!
Friday, July 22nd, 2005 07:02 amtexasbek is the coolest person I know on LJ!! Yesterday, I got a package from her, the first season of dS on DVD! Yay, bek! Yay, me! I've already <strike>inflicted my family with</strike> watched 4 episodes. heee. So much better than the copies of copies of VCR tapes someone made from TV and sort of attempted to edit out commercials.
And they arrived just-in-time, because we just finished with all our West Wing DVDs, so now we have something to watch <strike>every night </strike> when there's nothing good on tv.
Today, I'm hoping to hear from Countrywide about my home equity line of credit application. If they turn me down, I've got to figure out how I'm going to pay for the $5000 repair (engine replacement) to our car. This, on top of the $1800 we spent last week. And me without a real job, and DH hating his job too. We're both looking at the classifieds again. <sigh>
But I have dS to watch, so it will be a good day, no matter what! Thanks Bek!!
So why doesn't the cool strike thing work for me? Waah! I'm disappointed.