The first time I saw this sign I thought it said "PLEASE SOD OFF" so now every time I pass by it I giggle quietly to myself.
Showing posts with label Overdue Post. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Overdue Post. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Why I Left
So, about two months ago I left my job as a proofreader at local publishing company. My departure surprised my boss/friend, in such a way that I wonder if – Facebook birthday invitation aside – she really is my friend anymore. I thought I’d write a little bit about why I left, because, well, I don’t care if anyone who reads this dies of boredom.
There were a few factors that influenced my decision to return to my previous job at the government. Firstly, the economy. The publishing company I was at had already gone through one round of lay-offs, and a second round was imminent. Now, I like my security. The reason I left the gov’t in the first place was because I was only employed in a wage position, and not a permanent one. When I started at JWP and became privy to the whole merger/layoff business, I was like, um, huh? But that was months before anything really came down, so whatever. I figured I’d just wait and see what happened. So, when things got really serious, and actual layoffs started happening, I kinda panicked. And then, when the second round was hinted at, I panicked even more. And, just as I was reaching the apex of my panic, my old boss called and asked me if I wanted to come back. To the government. Safe. Secure. Though my boss, my boss’s boss, and my boss’s boss’s boss all assured me that my job was completely safe, I knew that someone in my department was going to have to go, and it wouldn’t have felt right if someone that I worked alongside, who had been there two, three times as long as I had, was laid off in my place. Call me strange, but my years in retail have ingrained the whole ‘longevity’ idea in my head… you know, first in, last out?
Secondly, anyone who knows me relatively well knows that I am very close to my Auntie Carol and Uncle Bob. They have done so much for me throughout the years that even if I spent the rest of my life kissing their feet I couldn’t fully pay them back. My Auntie Carol’s best friend holds a very prominent position with the Alberta Government and it was her who first got me my job there. Though, I like to think that while she got me the interview, I was the one who got myself the actual job, and kept it. You know, with my excellent work ethic and all. When I quit the gov’t to go to JWP, my Auntie was shocked, and was never happy that I made that decision, even though she appreciated why I did. So, during our weekly get-togethers, as news of the changes at JWP came out, my Auntie got more and more concerned. When I told her that my old boss had called me to ask me back, she was euphoric, and she really encouraged me to take the opportunity to return to the gov’t fold. Now, while this kind of pressure from a relative might not seem very healthy, or helpful, my Auntie Carol and Uncle Bob have filled a very important position in my life… they’re my surrogate parents. This might not be something that many people who read my blog can relate to, having fully functioning, relatively sane parents themselves, but my parents are, well, not exactly good representatives of their roles. I mean, my dad, when I was 16, moved to Lethbridge for work and then didn’t communicate with us for a good three months – we had no phone number or address for him, and he just didn’t call. Then, after my parents had been divorced for a few years, he remarried, and not only did he not invite my brother and I to the ceremony, he also didn’t tell us about the happy event until about a year after the fact. Also, my dad doesn’t know where I work, what I do, what’s important to me, and that for the first time in my life, I’m in love with someone who is in love with me. And my mother? Well, where do I begin? My mom had taught me how to mix her the perfect hi-ball before I was 12. She actually encouraged me to drop out of high school so that I would be able to work fulltime and help pay our rent. Over the last few years she’s developed a fondness for the whole booze and pills technique of attention-getting, and over a six month period I spent about 30 hours in emergency waiting rooms before I just stopped going. I’ve had to clean up my mother’s feces when she'd passed out and lost control of her bowels thanks to the laxatives she'd been taking to aid and abet her anorexia, have called in sick for her at her work, and was once woken up in the middle of the night by her fumbling at my door before throwing it open, slamming against the wall, and then collapsing face first into the carpet beside my bed. So, having two adults who actually care about me, and who have never lied to me, or manipulated me, or neglected me in any way, is something that I treasure. When they feel strongly that something is in my best interest, I respond to it much the same way other people respond to the suggestions of their parents. That’s why, when my Auntie Carol tells me how worried she is about me, and how she doesn’t want me to be without work, and how much more secure a government job is compared to working for a private company, I listen.
And, lastly, I really do like the work here. It’s stress-free, deadline-free, and fun, in some bizarre way.
As for why I left so quickly, it’s not because I “hated” anyone there. Obviously not – I love everyone from JWP. And I miss them, because, well, it was nice having a group of people around me with a similar sense of ironic humour. Plus, nobody at my current job reads OR cares about Dooce, or The Bloggess. My last Friday at JWP was just a really terrible day. Ever since the news that I’d handed in my notice had been circulated, I felt really awkward, and out of place. I may have been overly sensitive – okay, I probably WAS -- but it felt like I was being treated differently by people I thought were my friends. And, nobody was making any gestures to show otherwise. Then, when the lunch hour came around and a group of coworkers (friends?) went out for lunch without inviting me, I got pretty upset. There’s always a twinge of wanting to be included in things, but this just seemed about a trillion times worse… I didn’t want to be there for another week of similar emotions. So, contrary to cutting my notice time short because I hated my coworkers, I did it because I cared about them so much that not feeling like I was one of them any more – even if it was by my own design – hurt a lot. And, the subsequent lack of contact with my favourite friend has been even worse.
If it is any consolation, my current bosses are both idiots who like to talk to their staff like we’re in kindergarten; nobody here trusts eachother, and thinks everyone else is a spy sent in by upper management; and my job situation, thanks to the Alberta Government hiring freeze, is more unstable than if I’d just stayed where I was! So, there you go.
There were a few factors that influenced my decision to return to my previous job at the government. Firstly, the economy. The publishing company I was at had already gone through one round of lay-offs, and a second round was imminent. Now, I like my security. The reason I left the gov’t in the first place was because I was only employed in a wage position, and not a permanent one. When I started at JWP and became privy to the whole merger/layoff business, I was like, um, huh? But that was months before anything really came down, so whatever. I figured I’d just wait and see what happened. So, when things got really serious, and actual layoffs started happening, I kinda panicked. And then, when the second round was hinted at, I panicked even more. And, just as I was reaching the apex of my panic, my old boss called and asked me if I wanted to come back. To the government. Safe. Secure. Though my boss, my boss’s boss, and my boss’s boss’s boss all assured me that my job was completely safe, I knew that someone in my department was going to have to go, and it wouldn’t have felt right if someone that I worked alongside, who had been there two, three times as long as I had, was laid off in my place. Call me strange, but my years in retail have ingrained the whole ‘longevity’ idea in my head… you know, first in, last out?
Secondly, anyone who knows me relatively well knows that I am very close to my Auntie Carol and Uncle Bob. They have done so much for me throughout the years that even if I spent the rest of my life kissing their feet I couldn’t fully pay them back. My Auntie Carol’s best friend holds a very prominent position with the Alberta Government and it was her who first got me my job there. Though, I like to think that while she got me the interview, I was the one who got myself the actual job, and kept it. You know, with my excellent work ethic and all. When I quit the gov’t to go to JWP, my Auntie was shocked, and was never happy that I made that decision, even though she appreciated why I did. So, during our weekly get-togethers, as news of the changes at JWP came out, my Auntie got more and more concerned. When I told her that my old boss had called me to ask me back, she was euphoric, and she really encouraged me to take the opportunity to return to the gov’t fold. Now, while this kind of pressure from a relative might not seem very healthy, or helpful, my Auntie Carol and Uncle Bob have filled a very important position in my life… they’re my surrogate parents. This might not be something that many people who read my blog can relate to, having fully functioning, relatively sane parents themselves, but my parents are, well, not exactly good representatives of their roles. I mean, my dad, when I was 16, moved to Lethbridge for work and then didn’t communicate with us for a good three months – we had no phone number or address for him, and he just didn’t call. Then, after my parents had been divorced for a few years, he remarried, and not only did he not invite my brother and I to the ceremony, he also didn’t tell us about the happy event until about a year after the fact. Also, my dad doesn’t know where I work, what I do, what’s important to me, and that for the first time in my life, I’m in love with someone who is in love with me. And my mother? Well, where do I begin? My mom had taught me how to mix her the perfect hi-ball before I was 12. She actually encouraged me to drop out of high school so that I would be able to work fulltime and help pay our rent. Over the last few years she’s developed a fondness for the whole booze and pills technique of attention-getting, and over a six month period I spent about 30 hours in emergency waiting rooms before I just stopped going. I’ve had to clean up my mother’s feces when she'd passed out and lost control of her bowels thanks to the laxatives she'd been taking to aid and abet her anorexia, have called in sick for her at her work, and was once woken up in the middle of the night by her fumbling at my door before throwing it open, slamming against the wall, and then collapsing face first into the carpet beside my bed. So, having two adults who actually care about me, and who have never lied to me, or manipulated me, or neglected me in any way, is something that I treasure. When they feel strongly that something is in my best interest, I respond to it much the same way other people respond to the suggestions of their parents. That’s why, when my Auntie Carol tells me how worried she is about me, and how she doesn’t want me to be without work, and how much more secure a government job is compared to working for a private company, I listen.
And, lastly, I really do like the work here. It’s stress-free, deadline-free, and fun, in some bizarre way.
As for why I left so quickly, it’s not because I “hated” anyone there. Obviously not – I love everyone from JWP. And I miss them, because, well, it was nice having a group of people around me with a similar sense of ironic humour. Plus, nobody at my current job reads OR cares about Dooce, or The Bloggess. My last Friday at JWP was just a really terrible day. Ever since the news that I’d handed in my notice had been circulated, I felt really awkward, and out of place. I may have been overly sensitive – okay, I probably WAS -- but it felt like I was being treated differently by people I thought were my friends. And, nobody was making any gestures to show otherwise. Then, when the lunch hour came around and a group of coworkers (friends?) went out for lunch without inviting me, I got pretty upset. There’s always a twinge of wanting to be included in things, but this just seemed about a trillion times worse… I didn’t want to be there for another week of similar emotions. So, contrary to cutting my notice time short because I hated my coworkers, I did it because I cared about them so much that not feeling like I was one of them any more – even if it was by my own design – hurt a lot. And, the subsequent lack of contact with my favourite friend has been even worse.
If it is any consolation, my current bosses are both idiots who like to talk to their staff like we’re in kindergarten; nobody here trusts eachother, and thinks everyone else is a spy sent in by upper management; and my job situation, thanks to the Alberta Government hiring freeze, is more unstable than if I’d just stayed where I was! So, there you go.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
b. July 8, 1983
If someone had told me back on that fateful day when Dani interviewed me for a job at Carlton Cards that we would one day be best buds, that she would be someone I share all my secrets with, and that we would even travel to VEGAS together, I don't think I would have believed them. But, sure enough, that's what's happened. Working in retail again would not have been bearable if it hadn't been for Double Deuce, and life as I know it would not be halfway as fun if she wasn't a part of it.
Dani, you make me laugh with your crazy sense of humour, and of course, all those times you're just being your unintentionally amusing self ;) You are so sweet to me, and all the little thoughtful things that you do and have done to make me smile are appreciated more than I could ever express. You have the most beautiful smile of anyone I've ever known, can BS with the best of 'em, rejuvenated my appreciation for BSB, and are the perfect mixture of maturing adult and child-at-heart. If this was a yearbook, I'd write "never change"... and I'd mean it. I love you, pretty girl! And if you ever change our plans for an imaginary date again, I'm going to scratch your new blue iPod! And tell Nick Carter that you have Syphilis.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Age of Aqueerius!
Last Saturday was the Edmonton Pride Parade (yes, TD, we realize you sponsored the event, but you don't OWN it) and it was SO fun. I wasn't feeling ultra-festive, but fortunately my best friend knows when I'm trying to wiggle out of a social engagement and refused me my out (heh heh). Anyways, I'm incredibly thankful that I was there and part of something so amazing and fun and so full of life, love, and colour!
It was especially meangingful that I was there because, while I would have gone anyways to show my support for the members of the GLBTQ community that I love, I'm also a member of that community and felt especially proud to be there. Which is what the day is for :o) I just wish my Lianna had been there, because it is the one time of the year when we could have held hands on Jasper Avenue without feeling like it might not be a good idea.
It was especially meangingful that I was there because, while I would have gone anyways to show my support for the members of the GLBTQ community that I love, I'm also a member of that community and felt especially proud to be there. Which is what the day is for :o) I just wish my Lianna had been there, because it is the one time of the year when we could have held hands on Jasper Avenue without feeling like it might not be a good idea.
Am I the only one who doesn't feel that this float offers an extra bit of incentive for joining Team Edmonton sports club? Tee hee ;o)
Josh's good friend, and my friend too (though I haven't seen him in forever!) Sean was somewhere on the Queer Bus... a good friend of HIS owns The Empress Ale House, which hosts Beers for Queers. Apparently it's super fun, and since it's practically right down the street from me, I'd better make it there at least once this summer...
I loved this float! So bright and rainbow-licious!
Loved this one, too... for the same reason as the pic above :o) Colour and balloons and smiles and boys in speedos! Yum! The guy in the blue one put on a little show for spectators at the beer garden at Winston Churchill Square!
Yum! Suckers are the perfect Pride Parade treat :o)
Well, except for the obvious eye candy ;o) My two favourite boys sporting their Pride Day beads!
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Bits and Trips
Contrary to popular opinion, Farm Town isn't the ONLY thing that's kept me from updating my blog of late. Truth be told, there's been quite a few things happening in my little world - quite a few things involving quite a LOT of emotional turmoil. I tend to shy away from any sort of creative expression in times like these... firstly, because my general mood always taints everything I touch. And, secondly, I need space and a serious amount of elapsed time before I can get enough perspective on things to be able to share about them.
So, yeah. To avoid incomprehensible ramblings, I've simply avoided writing anything at all. But, today I'm feeling a tad gregarious, at least in a bloggy-type-way, so decided to put forth an update, of sorts.
This is the face of an allergy sufferer. See the redness under my poor little achy nose? PITY ME!! It's been about two months of constant sniffles and sneezes now, and I'm about ready to hang up my hat and just plain call it a day.
Someone started a fire in the dumpster behind my building. At least, I assume someone started it. Intentionally. Because I think everyone around me is secretly an arsonist. Waiting to slice open my achilles tendons and set me on fire when I least expect it.
Josh and I went to Elephant & Castle last Friday. I got the Bangers 'n' Mash because it sounded fun. When it came out, the first thought I had was, I need to get a picture of this for Kelley because this meal would make her ill on SO MANY LEVELS. So, here ya go, Kelley :o)
And, at some point when I wasn't quite paying attention, Edmonton bloomed... and along with it, my heart.Monday, June 8, 2009
My OTHER Job
For those of you who don't share an office with me and have yet to be subjected to my new favourite hobby, allow me to introduce you to...
Farm Town! Above, you will see "me", or at least, my Farm Town alter ego, cleverly named "Natalie" to disguise my true identity. Next to "me" is my new goat, given as a gift from one of my Farm Town "neighbours" some time yesterday. His name is Billy. Obviously.
Below, my farm :o) Please keep in mind, people, that it is a work in progress. Even now, I have roses and carnations blooming, and a field of sunflowers to tend!
The newest addition to my farm is the barn... it sure does add something to the scene, doesn't it?
And, here "I" am again, this time flanked by my spotty dog. On the other side of me is my water well. Sure comes in handy!
So, yep, I'm sure into Farm Town. Gives me something fun and completely inconsequential to occupy my time with, and for that, I'm thankful.
Farm Town! Above, you will see "me", or at least, my Farm Town alter ego, cleverly named "Natalie" to disguise my true identity. Next to "me" is my new goat, given as a gift from one of my Farm Town "neighbours" some time yesterday. His name is Billy. Obviously.Below, my farm :o) Please keep in mind, people, that it is a work in progress. Even now, I have roses and carnations blooming, and a field of sunflowers to tend!
The newest addition to my farm is the barn... it sure does add something to the scene, doesn't it?
And, here "I" am again, this time flanked by my spotty dog. On the other side of me is my water well. Sure comes in handy!So, yep, I'm sure into Farm Town. Gives me something fun and completely inconsequential to occupy my time with, and for that, I'm thankful.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Tea Anemone
For bookclub a couple of weeks ago we went to Steeps. I had to get that kind of tea that comes in a little wrapped bundle that, when it is steeping, unfurls like a flower blooming. I mean, how cool is that!? And then, when the little bundle is done opening up, that is when your tea is pretty much ready for drinking! It's like a rice cooker, but, instead of rice it is tea, and instead of cooking... well, you get what I'm trying to say ;) Anyways, the taste was okay, but the tea leaves kind of creeped me out.
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