Wednesday, April 27, 2011

It didn't go away...

...my crankiness.  Well it did sort of.  But then I got home and it came back.

Like seriously, is it that friggin' hard to let the dog out when you get home?  I mean I know you're going out afterwards, but he was home for an hour at minimum.  Frick, it annoys me to no end!

I am, however enjoying talking to no one and having some alone time tonight.  Ahhhh silence, I've missed you!

Getting to know you

I'm slightly cranky today.  Likely from being up so late at dance class.  Either way I'll stuff the grouch back inside, smile like I mean it and get on with my day. 

Welcome to the new 2011 edition of getting to know your family and friends. Here is what you are supposed to do, and try not to be lame and spoil the fun. Change all the answers so that they apply to you. Have fun and be truthful!

What colour are your socks right now? Pink with hearts (My Valentine's Day socks...I think I need to do some laundry lol)
What are you listening to right now? Lite 96

What was the last thing you ate? A bagel from Tim Hortons

Can you drive a stick shift? Yup :)

Last person you spoke to on the phone? Last night my mom

How old are you today? 29

What is your favourite sport to watch on TV? If I must Hockey, but I'd rather not.

What is your favourite drink? Pina coladas, vodka ceasar, wine

Have you ever dyed your hair?  Frequently

Favourite food? Alfredo lasagna, red velvet cake, cheesecake, pizza, chinese
What is the last movie you watched? It's been so long I don't remember.  I tried to get R to take me to Black Swan on Saturday night, but we would have been late, so I tried to get him to rent Life As We Know It, but he took too long. 

How do you vent? Rant in emails/texts, cry, swear, blog

What was your favourite toy as a child?  I honestly can't remember, my little ponies maybe.

What is your favourite season? Spring or fall.

Cherries or Blueberries? Cherries

Living situation? R, myself and Chiquita!

When was the last time you cried? I dunno, couple weeks maybe.

What is on the floor of your closet right now?  oh man!  Uh, suitcases, clothes baskets, hangers, storage.

What did you do last night?  dance class

What are you most afraid of? Snakes and spiders.  Yuck!

Plain, cheese, or spicy hamburgers? Cheese

Favourite dog breed? Hmmm no fave really, Chihuahua

Favourite day of the week? Saturday

How many provinces/states have you lived in? 2

Diamonds or pearls? I'm all about the diamonds.

What is your favourite flower?  Any flowers!!  Lilies, roses, tulips

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Tid bits

I've been so busy.  More than usual.  And I've been working insane hours. 

I took Thursday and Friday off last week since I had 2 days of over time banked.  I don't work over time, at least I'm not supposed too, but I've had so much to do here at work that I've had to, just to attempt to stay caught up.  (Which I'm totally not, by the way).

I went to my sisters in BC.  It was great.  The weather sucked, but we had fun.  I had a nice visit with my sister and the kids.  They are so funny.  The things that come out of their mouths kill me.  The littlest one, who is 2 wanted some fudge.  After she had already had a piece and it was after bed time, but company was over.  When my sister said no, she yelled back at her, ANGRY, ANGRY, ANGRY and took off.  It was hilarious. 

There were tons of moments like that all weekend. 

Back to work Monday and I ended up working 14 hours.  I had to travel to our other branch to do COR Audit Interviews with employees.  Bah.  It was a long day.  Yesterday I was in a Workers Compensation Course in the morning and ended up work another 1.5 hours overtime to just get the bare minimum done that HAD to be finished.  I'm tired today. 

We keep moving today however.  I have a meeting in an hour and then 9 interviews here.  Tomorrow there are 11 interviews as well.  I figure by the time next week is over, I'll have enough banked time to cover another 2 days off.  Meh, oh well though, at least it will be finished :)

Other than that, not much happening.  R went dancing last night, I stayed home.  I needed to get some sleep, I'm wiped and fighting off a cold.  I recieved my acceptance letter from the University Monday night!!!  Woo Hoo!!  I need to read into it a bit more, find out what the next step is, it's quite confusing. 

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Busy

Today is R's birthday.  I've been so busy preparing for it and for my trip away in a few days that I feel super behind.

Saturday we had Chloe instead of our usual Sunday's.  It worked out fine, we took the dog to the dog park and kid and dog ran all over, both got super muddy and had fun.  I did laundry, we cleaned up, then we went to the garage and cleaned both our vehicles.  It was much needed!

Sunday R got me up earlier than usual and took me for breakfast to a truck stop diner.  Lol, it was actually very good and a quick meal.  Then we drove through some of the older neighborhoods in the city and looked at houses. 

After we went and viewed the house we are waiting to see if we can rent.  We both want it.  Bad.  It's very cute and spacious.  It needs to be painted and a few things, but we wouldn't move until June 1st so we have plenty of time since it's empty right now.  R knows the owner so we are just waiting to see if they will lower the price to what we want to pay for it.  Keep your fingers crossed!!

Sunday night I made a frozen cake for R's birthday - it's soooooooo good! I can't wait for birthday cake tonight!  lol. 

After work yesterday I had to buy him a card, pick up some shampoo, find my ipod, cook supper, clean up dishes, download some music for a new road trip CD.  Which I accomplished, but the damn CD won't play in my SUV for some reason...grrrrr.  Then I did all the prep and made meatballs for supper tonight. 

I'm wiped.  Tonight we are having a birthday supper, then dance class, then when we get home after 10, I need to pack since I'm supposed to leave tomorrow.

And it's supposed to snow.  Right.  Perfect. 

I'm so ready for this small holiday.

Friday, April 8, 2011

I suck at self portraits

It took me a very long time to cut my hair.  I started 6 months ago when I cut off 8 inches.  Yesterday I cut off another 8 inches.  Keep in mind I take HORRIBLE self pictures, but just look at the hair...lol. 

Here is the before:


And here is the after:


I realize you can't really see what's left of my hair in this pic, but you can see there is wayyyyyy less of it (and that I was tired by this time of night, and my make up is smudged, lol, nice).  So far, I think I like it.  When I got home it was poofy and all over, but once I tamed it with a few bobby pins, it's much better.  Funny though, washing it in the shower this morning was STRANGE!  There was no hair there lol. 

I wanted to look more mature - as in closer to a professional, but not older.  Hopefully I achieved that.  We'll see what the work reactions are.  Haha, so far I've only seen men and not one has noticed.  :)

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Differences of Opinion

Yesterday was a trying day.  I left mad, upset, frustrated.  Most of the day went well, but it ended in a difference of opinion that was not handled well. 

I work with the department managers on a daily basis.  I have certain job responsibilities that require things of them to send to me.  They resent this on a whole, but I deal with it, as it's part of my job.  We just did a huge benefit change-over.  And by we, I mean me. 

When I moved here, we were up for renewal of our benefit carrier.  In that they did such a poor job and the rates jumped up over 35%, we started looking for a new carrier.  Had various presentations, picked a carrier and ran with it.  They required tons of information from us, I had to coordinate meetings with every. single. employee.  TWICE.  And the companies total almost 100 employees.  It took some organization but I managed and it went over rather smoothly, so that was great.

I had to send out emails to the managers asking them to coordinate thier departments to meetings and send me the names of the groups so I could organize the people.  The second time/meeting, didn't go as well as the first.  I had sent out the email, but 2 of the managers, with the most staff, didn't bother to reply and send me the lists.  The day before in the managers meeting, my manager, the GM asked if I was set up, I had to tell her no and why.  So she gave crap to the 2 managers, who in turn, one started to yell at me - in front of 6 other managers that I didn't ask for that information and if I had asked then it wouldn't been an issue and why couldn't I communicate with them when I needed something. 

I bit my tongue and didn't say a word, because really there was no point in arguing about it.  When we left the meeting, my GM asked for a copy of the email I had sent, requesting the information.  I gave it to her, which included a line from me asking for their lists.  He later came and applogized me to.  However, I don't think that when you yell at someone in front of other people, a private applogize cuts it. 

Futher I don't believe in management discipling or yelling at someone in front of other people.  Again, poor management in my eyes.  Bad managerial skills.  Anyhow, I let it go.

Yesterday it happened again.  This time because the girl I trained in RD was here getting more training, I happened to be in that department walking through, she asked me a question.  I answered it.  The manager got mad and said that he refused to train her the next day if I was going to answer her questions and he was going to stop wasting him people's time.  In front of his staff, then he stormed off.  A few minutes later, I had to walk by his office on the way to mine, so I said, she asked me a question, he still insisted he was finished training her and that she was to spend the day with me today.  I said no, he said yes, I said no and walked away.  Straight into my boss's office and told her the story. 

She went and spoke with him and he agreed he handled it wrong.  She said he might appologize, which he hasn't and I don't expect he will.  Seriously though, I can't get over his attitude.  It's so frustrating. 

Either way, I was upset and mad last night.  Today I'm mostly over it, but I am avoiding him and I won't deal with him directly any further. 

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Happy Birthday to me

I was given a gift today.  Not the traditional kind of gift, but an offer.  An offer of future employment, an offer of longevity.  A career. 

The controller of our company came to speak with me.  There is currently a junior controller in the accounting department, he is working on his applied degree.  Once he finishes he will continue working here and will complete his CMA.  It will take him approximately another 3 years of combined work and schooling. 

The controller came and told me that after I finish a big project that I'm working on right now (until the end of April), that he would like for me to work in his department and assist.  This way I can get a more general knowledge base of the different positions in the accounting department.  And if I was interested, I could take my applied degree and start towards a CMA designation. 

I had to sit back and think about what this means. 

He approached our GM and asked her if he could speak to me about it.  Meaning, they are thinking of me long term with this company.  That they will pay for my education.  That they want me to grow with the company.  I knew that I would be here for long term, I knew that if the woman whose on maternity leave (whose position I'm covering until April 2012) came back that I would still have a position in this company.  I know that they will make a position for me, or migrate me wherever they need help or need me to be.  But being approached by the controller of the company on his own ideas of future career possibilities within this company, well I'm a bit shocked. 

I guess they've noticed my hard work - in the 4 months I've been working in this office and the almost 2 years with the company. 

I love my job.  I really do like what I do.  But more and more I realize that my life is on an up-swing and making this choice, to leave, to move and start over, well it was a good thing.  Better than I could have imagined. 

I feel honored and humbled a bit.  I feel like I'm in the right place, at the right time and baby - I'm gonna work it, 'cuz I've busted my butt for years to get here, to this place.  I'm not going to take it for granted and even though R and I joke that one day I'm going to be vice-president of this company (even though such a position doesn't exist...yet), more and more it looks like I might not be that far off...

Monday, April 4, 2011

Procrastination and Silly Arguments

I hate arguing with my partner.  It upsets me to no end.  I used to hate to argue with C, but then it started happening more and more often and soon it was such a part of our life that it didn't upset me anymore.  Sure it was annoying and difficult and gave me headaches, but I didn't cry anymore.  And that relationship ended.  Now I'm not saying that I didn't care anymore, but I just started to hate that life. 

It pains me when R and I argue over anything.  Especially silly things.  He is a procrastinator.  Big time.  It makes me insane.  I don't sit still.  Ever.  Not even when I sleep. The background...

Yesterday we had Chloe.  I had been to a baby shower on Saturday, then it snowed like a foot and a half so we didn't get a lot done.  I was tired from running all week and then pushing yesterday.  I didn't start the laundry until Sunday morning.  We got up, R made breakfast and then he left to go pick her up.  In the meantime, (it takes about an hour usually, yesterday it was an hour and a half), I did laundry, cleaned up breakfast dishes, vacuumed the floor and the rug, did general clean up.  It's an un-written rule that I do the floors and he mops.  I wash and separate the laundry, he cleans the bathroom and helps me put the clothes away. 

Anyhow, so while we have Chloe he doesn't help me.  With anything.  I cooked, I did dishes, I did everything.  Which usually I'm ok with, as long as he helps me later.  So, fast forward.  We like to watch Celebrity Apprentice (ya I know...lol), but it was 2 hours last night, of which I wasn't planning on spending 2 hours watching TV, but whatever, so during the commercials I would get up and go switch the laundry, put away the dishes, etc.  And he just sits there. 

Then when we go to bed, we end up arguing about it.  And I end up crying.  I hate arguing with him.  It scares me.  And we tend to argue over this stupid stuff way too often.  I feel like I work hard at keeping our (very small and crowded) space clean and tidy, he feels I make him feel bad for not cleaning like I do.  But his procrastination makes me insane!  Did the floors get mopped or the bathroom cleaned yesterday?  Nope.  Why?  Because he put it off and then it was really late, too late to do it.  Ugh, so frustrating.

In other news, tomorrow is my birthday.  29.  I realize it's young, but in some ways I feel old.  The last year of my twenties.  I had always imagined I would have more accomplished by now.  I wanted to be married, I wanted to have a child or be pregnant, I wanted to be living in my own home.  I don't have any of those.  And as I get older I realize that there is still time, but if I let myself I still feel panicked.  Either way, I'm sure hoping 29 is better than 28 was...

Happy Monday.

Friday, April 1, 2011

Internal Memo's and Titanic

I had the joy of emailing out an internal memo this morning. To all staff in both locations of the general manager, aka. my boss.


The memo indicated that due to our Corporate brand (we are a truck dealer franchise) we must change our hours of operation to 24/7. It was a pretty serious toned email and the staff bought it for about 15 minutes lol. Fun though. I've recieved several emails about it already. I generally don't like Aprils fools or pranks or jokes, but this one was cute.

We finally went to the titanic exhibit last night. Very cool.



This was my boarding pass. We were each given one. Technically this is the front of mine and the back of R's. At the end of the exhibit, which took about 1.5 hours to go through, you could look up on a board to see whether "you" survived. We both did :)

For some reason, blogger won't let me upload more than one photo right now.  I have R's boarding pass too.  Stupid. 

Anyhow, there were some really cool artifacts.  Eye glasses, light bulbs, clothing, dishes, it was awesome.  If you ever get the chance to see it, GO!