March 2010

Different Interpretations

28 March 2010 By crazymrsnancy 9

"Chéri, you know how much I'm already missing New York City lately, and also how we've been staying at home to cut expenses?"

He lifted his eyebrows and turned to look at me. "Yeeeeees?"

"Well, I was thinking: Why don't we plan some New York themed, at-home dates?" I could picture it - cooking an italian meal together, eating at the dinner table, while listening to italian music. a.k.a. The Little Italy Date. Maybe have a drink and watch Rent, snuggled on the couch. a.k.a. The Broadway Date. Or light a candle, pour a couple of drinks, listen to Jazz music. a.k.a.... I don't know how to call this one, but it's definitely NewYorky to me. That's what I was thinking.

He shrugs. "So you mean, you want to go stand on the deck outside and take a bunch of pictures; Pictures of the shed, pictures of the neighbors' houses? And then, you want to come back inside and go shopping in your shoe rack, and pick purses out of your purse collection? I could sit in the hallway and be a dirty person sitting on the floor..." 

I laughed SO hard... I'm still laughing about it as I'm writing this hehe.

Spouse With Benefits

26 March 2010 By crazymrsnancy 7

Steph is doing pretty freaking awesome with freelancing. Well, awesome for our bank account. Not so great for his sanity and overall health. He has been working almost every waking hour for the past 3 weeks, and he has even pulled some all nighters to meet deadlines. The IT freelance industry can be so "feast or famine". Thankfully, this was a little feast, but would we be able to handle a famine? But the biggest disadvantage of freelancing, for him/us, is the lack of medical benefits. What's worse than one of us having no benefits? The both of us having no benefits. I would only have benefits if I were employed there for 6 months.

So yesterday, Steph received an offer from one of his freelance contracts, and he accepted it! HOLAAAAY SWEET RELIEF!! I can't tell you the piece of mind that having a regular second income to expect, on a regular basis, brings me. I am really proud of him, especially for making that 'sacrifice' for us. He's still going to freelance on the side, but his dream was to work on his own 100% of the time. We're just not ready for that, and thankfully, he saw it too.

In other news, I went to bed ridiculously late yesterday, for a Wednesday. They were having a silent auction bake sale at work, and for some reason, I'm a way better baker in my head than I actually am. I was up past midnight, baking cinnamon bun type of things. Hopefully the people who placed the winning bids on them weren't too disappointed. I did put them in really cute packaging! I'm still loving my job, but people aren't too Stepford-ish anymore. In fact, in the last couple of days I've found that a lot of people are either grumpy, have a bad stomach flu, or a bad cold. If I have to catch one I hope it's grumpy. Oh and today I received an email that said that  they had a supp. cheque for me, could I come get it on the 2nd floor? Oh HELLS to the Yeah! I picked it up, and my mind was racing with possibilities : Did they decide to not keep some back time? Did they miscalculate my first 3 day cheque? Would I be able to finally afford something frivolous again? I waited until I had reached a reasonable cheque-opening distance, because I didn't want to appear desperate. I finally looked at the amount and I guess I could take suggestions as to what I could frivolously spend $6.34 on? hehe.

Like a little girl with a big crush

20 March 2010 By crazymrsnancy 6

There is no greater wisdom than well to time the beginnings and onsets of things. --Bacon. [1913 Webster]

I think that my ex-coworkers are beginning to feel my absence in the office. I think they even miss me, if the emails and phone calls are a tell-tale sign. The dishes are piling up in the kitchenette, the courrier isn't being sent regularly, the lotto pool has stopped... I know all of this because S called me at work on Thursday. 

At my ex place of employment, there are two regional offices coordinators; One of them was my boss, and he is retiring in April. The other one was to become my new boss then. The other one was apparently visiting our my ex-office, and he told my ex-coworkers that he was just about to put me permanent. Are you freaking shitting me? After 8 years of being on contract? S told him that not letting me know that golden little tidbit before I accepted my new job offer was a crappy thing to do to me. He said that I was gone so fast, that he didn't have the time to do anything, which is true, I admit. I was gone out of there SO fast, after my boss threw me a freebie by reducing my 2 weeks notice to 3 days. It's the least they could do, after stringing me along like that for 8 years.

S said that they begged him to re-offer me that deal, that I might change my mind and come back. (And honestly, I would seriously consider it. I love my new job, but I'm not a big risk taker when it comes to my budget.) Apparently, it's too late. The executives have decided to take my position and salary and send it to their new Northern office. My ex-coworkers have been told to make peace with the fact that they will not have another receptionist/assistant ever again. The front door will now be locked 24/7, a doorbell will be installed, and they will open on appointment only. Wow.

At first, I was upset. With teary eyes, I was reminiscing about our inappropriate jokes and our TMI conversations. But then I focussed on my new job again, and decided that there's no use dwelling on the woulda-shoulda-coulda. All I can do is hope that "everything happens for a reason" and that this really oddly timed job switching thing happened for a reason.

I don't want to jinx it, but I truly, honestly LOVE love love my new job! My new coworkers are SUPER nice, happy individuals with interesting lives. It's actually eerie how happy most of the employees are. Was I just too used to the overwhelming negativity and low morale at my last job? My new coworkers made me feel welcome right away. Everybody seems to like their job, and they act appropriately professional. I can't foresee anyone asking me to draft a personal child custody proposal and send it to their lawyer, anytime soon. I know this is going to sound totally premature, but I could honestly see myself hanging out with some of them outside of work. Some of these people really inspire me.

I feel like I'm making a contribution. I help communication products go through all of their approval steps, I love catching and fixing errors, and get a little thrill when our finished product is approved by the Minister's Office and/or when I'm sending our news releases to all the atlantic medias and submitting them myself on our website media room. You all know me, isn't that sooooo me? Being around a mix of artsy and professional people, dealing with written pieces, and contributing a tiny bit online? This job was made for me. And the best part is, I really may actually have a chance of climbing the ladder there a little bit; They encourage it strongly.

I really really really would be so blessed if I was able to stay beyond the 3 months. I would be ecstatic. I feel like a little girl who has a big crush, except that my crush is my new job.

I never realized how often I need to fart during business hours

12 March 2010 By crazymrsnancy 8

Until I had to learn to how to fart ninja style. When I started my new job, one of the stressors for me was only having a public washroom with three stalls as an option. Seriously, ask anyone with IBS! Three stalls is even worse than a lot of stalls. Because there are only three, you'll either see who goes in or who comes out and guess who farted. So you have to try to time it when no one else is in there and look under the two stalls before you let 'er rip.

I have the worst luck for getting the washroom to myself. The worst is walking all the way from my cubicle, which is on the other side of the floor, to the washroom, with clenched cheeks, anticipating the sweet relief of flatulence, only to get there and having 2 other women follow me. What do you do? Do you try to do the fart when they flush thing? I tried once, and my timing was horrible. Do you try to hold it in until they leave, and they end up standing in front of the mirrors forever, flossing and applying lipstick? 

I have a small storage room on the back wall of my cubicle, where I keep all the publications, displays, advertising stuff etc. But we also keep office supplies in there. What if I slipped in, tooted my horn, closed the door and sat back at my desk, only to have a coworker come running to the little room for some office supplies and be hit in the face with essence de merde?

How do you deal with colonic melody and its pungent bouquet at work?

Tomorrow I'm on my own!

04 March 2010 By crazymrsnancy 7

My three day training is complete over. Tomorrow I'm on my own. So scared. Some tasks we haven't even had the time to do yet! GAH! I'm thinking positive though, and I think I'm going to like it. How could I not? The people there are SUPER nice. What they do is really really interesting; I could see myself working there as one of the agents (writers), in a dream world. There's the requisite hot guy, the loveable guy your dad's age, and the guy who you can hear fart and burp in his office all day long. There are free water coolers and a pretty amazing location downtown in an pretty great building. I love going to work in glass elevators, having the option to book a manicure during lunch break at the spa downstairs. And the sweetest most adorable boss ever. The only blip on cloud 9? The girl going on assignment, the one I'm replacing (who's goign to replace a girl who's replacing another girl... that place is like dominoes!) keeps repeating that she has every intention to come back in 3 months. So three possible outcomes for me in 3 months : 

1 - She decides to stay there, and I get to stay there, which I think seems like a good fit, so far.
2 - She decides to come back, but I find something else open there while I'm there.
3 - Being without a job in 3 months. Obviously the extremely sucky option.

Choir was amazing tonight. It was on Wednesday since it had been postponed because of the storm last Monday. Our choir director is so charming, passionate about the music, and hilarious. I laugh as much as I sing there. There's a new guy who joined the choir last week. Oh. My. God. You should hear his voice. He's a bass 2. His voice is so ridiculously deep and beautiful, he mesmerizes all the girls. When he sings, my ovaries melt a little. His testosterone bounces off the church's walls and ceiling.

Here's hoping that I survive the rest of the week on my own! 

This seems really accurate for me.

02 March 2010 By crazymrsnancy 3

The Dewey Color System® is now the world's most accurate career testing instrument.
This report based on your personality traits indicates your two most enjoyable day-day-day occupation skills. It’s a summary of the full report, the Color Leadership Evaluation 5.0.

“Studies indicate workplace enjoyment is the key to success. So as you read, consider only “Was I mostly having fun at work?” Disregard your present and past employer’s environment.

 

Best Occupational Category

You're a CREATOR

Keywords

Nonconforming, Impulsive, Expressive, Romantic, Intuitive, Sensitive, and Emotional

These original types place a high value on aesthetic qualities and have a great need for self-expression. They enjoy working independently, being creative, using their imagination, and constantly learning something new. Fields of interest are art, drama, music, and writing or places where they can express, assemble, or implement creative ideas.

CREATOR OCCUPATIONS
Suggested careers are Advertising Executive, Architect, Web Designer, Creative Director, Public Relations, Fine or Commercial Artist, Interior Decorator, Lawyer, Librarian, Musician, Reporter, Art Teacher, Broadcaster, Technical Writer, English Teacher, Architect, Photographer, Medical Illustrator, Corporate Trainer, Author, Editor, Landscape Architect, Exhibit Builder, and Package Designer.

CREATOR WORKPLACES
Consider workplaces where you can create and improve beauty and aesthetic qualities. Unstructured, flexible organizations that allow self-expression work best with your free-spirited nature.

Suggested Creator workplaces are advertising, public relations, and interior decorating firms; artistic studios, theaters and concert halls; institutions that teach crafts, universities, music, and dance schools. Other workplaces to consider are art institutes, museums, libraries, and galleries.

2nd Best Occupational Category

You're an ORGANIZER

Keywords:

Self-Control, Practical, Self-Contained, Orderly, Systematic, Precise, and Accurate

These conservative appearing, plotting-types enjoy organizing, data systems, accounting, detail, and accuracy. They often enjoy mathematics and data management activities such as accounting and investment management. Persistence and patience allows them to do detailed paperwork, operate office machines, write business reports, and make charts and graphs.