life is good

Ahhh. I just got back yesterday from a great vacation [which I had really been needing] and although it got started off on the wrong foot [explanation to come on that in a bit] the rest of the time was great.


Today, back at work, I got the official offer of employment, and thanks to some great acting by me in the interview [i.e. 'life is hard on what I'm making now,'] and my stellar performance on the job so far, the salary they're offering me is more than what I was making at my last permanent job [a job which had me constantly at my wit's end.] Here's a quick comparison of this new job vs the last [permanent] one: Making more money, working only 40 hours, a manageable workload, better co-workers and bosses, quarterly and yearly bonuses, a MUCH larger company [so there's room for growth or transfer if I decide I'm tired of what I'm doing.] Oh yea, and I'm in a better apartment that costs less. So yea, things kinda fell into place, creating a great relief for me.



Now for the vacation:

First, before we even left for the airport, our flight had been pushed back from it's original 5pm whatever start time to 6pm. But we still left my place at about 3:30pm. Before I left I checked online where it showed that the flight was delayed and the departure time would then be 7:30. When we get into the airport at the gate it shows the departure time listed as 8pm. So already, we're 2 hours behind what the airline said. Well, everyone hurries on board about 8pm because there are thunderstorms coming and we'd like to get out before they hit. No such luck. As they are loading the bags someone notices some kind of tear in some lining in the plane so they have to have a mechanic come look at it. Because he's doing that, they can't load any baggage. Time goes by... he finishes looking at it and decides it's OK to go, but by that time it's already raining and before they can start loading bags again there is lightning. They close the ramp [because for the people on the ground it's akin to being in a swimming pool during a lightning storm] and we have to sit and wait. More time goes by... When the lightning FINALLY clears out, they load the bags and we miraculously start moving. Well, don't get your hopes up too, high, however... because of the previously closed ramp status there are 20something other planes ahead of us in line to take off. At a few minutes each, that adds up to another hour... because of the wind pattern they route us around the airport to the far side so we can be ready to take off, but by the time it's getting close to our turn, the weather has moved through, the winds have changed and they make us taxi to the opposite end of the airport. And it's not like Dallas is a little tiny airport. It's like... 20 miles from one end to the other. I don't remember exact times, but I know that by the time we actually FINALLY took off it had been 4 hours since we had gotten on the plane. THEN we still had the 2 and 1/2 hour flight to go. When we finally got to Utah it was 2 or 3 am [I don't remember exactly because everything was kind of hazy about then] but it ended up being a good 12hour voyage from the time we left my house until the time we got to my aunt Carol's where we were staying. I'd say that qualifies as the height of ridiculousness. We could have DRIVEN half the distance in that time. The rest of the trip, however, was wonderful. There was always something fun going on and we got to spend lots of time together as siblings [something I had been missing... a lot.]

paying for my wreck

My insurance renewal bill came today - first time since my accident last October, and it's over $200 bucks more for the 6 month period than I was paying previously. I don't guess switching providers would save me much... would it?

I'm slowly but surely getting things at my new place in order. There's still a good deal of chaos right now as I unpack boxes. I have had a surprising Lady-like obsession with cleaning every surface of my new place, though. The other day I took a wet cloth to the screen door on the patio - the cloth was BLACK by the time I was done wiping the screen down.

I just realized

As I was getting in bed I just realized that only the youngest and oldest siblings in our family are NOT moving this summer. Oh, yea, and the moves are also occurring in age order... well, that's depending on how soon Lana and Porter's closing happens. First me, then Clark/Guinevere/Ben, then L&P/crew. C&G are winning the "distance" award - for a Utah to Boston trip. Now it'll be a tossup for second between my 17 miles and how far L&P are from their new house.

what a crazy week...

It's really hard to live in the place where you're packing up stuff to move... because you still need a good deal of the stuff to live your daily life. I also found out today that the free move won't actually be moving as much stuff as I thought. Well, they COULD move everything but it would not have been free if I had them do it all.

So I'm probably going to be making at least a few trips back and forth. Google maps says it's 17 miles from one door to the other. Sounds about right... that's going to add up to a few miles, but oh well, that's what cars are for. Speaking of cars, of course, I knew that as soon as I washed my car [which I had finally broken down and done last weekend on the advice of the weather that it would be sunny for the foreseeable future] it would rain... and it did... now my car looks just like it did before I got it washed last weekend. It was clean for about one or two and a half days. Grrrr...

And finally for this post, my new job is going ok. The work can be repetetive, but I keep my mind busy by playing word games in my head with the people's names and the places. Most of the people there are pretty cool, except for one girl... She's not in my department, but her cube is just across a walkway from my supervisor's cube, which is next to mine. This girl talks SO LOUD, ALL THE TIME. I bet she writes in all caps on the internet, just like she talks. lol So yea, she bugs.

Time to start a new chapter

Another big life change is in the works. After getting laid off of an incredibly ridiculous and overly demanding job back in January I worked a few temp jobs, the most recent of which has already recognized what a smart, competent person I am and would like me to go permanent. So yesterday I went and found an apartment not too far from where the job is, and I'll be moving there next weekend [since my lease here in uptown will be up shortly thereafter.] The new apartment will still be an efficiency, but it's got more square footage, and best of all - a full size fridge, a dishwasher, a microwave, and even an included washer/dryer - NONE of which I had here. You're extremely limited in your food choices when all you have is a dorm-room fridge and a stove/oven. Oh, yea, it will also cost me about $45 bucks a month LESS than my current place, too.

I'll be a lot closer to a lot of my friends [who live in Plano and Allen] too.

About the job: I can see myself getting tired of the daily tasks pretty quickly, but at least they're easy, and it's a no-overtime environment, which will be awesome, since I value my free time. When you hit your 40 hours in a week, you go home! I left at 3pm last Friday. Also, you can wear jeans any day you feel like it [which will probably be every day for me.] Now all I have to do is round up a bunch of boxes so I can pack everything for the movers who are going to be coming next Saturday... uhg...