Busy, busy, busy!

This week is shaping up to be extremely busy at work. That is fine. Makes the days fly by or so I can hope, right?

One of my co-workers just lost his grandmother. She has been very sick and has fought like a champ, but alas she lost her battle. At least she is at peace now.

I already had my own long to-do list, now I have some of his. I don't mind, this is not a complaint. Just giving an idea of what my week will look like.

Then I got two free tickets to the Astros game on Friday night. I haven't seen a game (live) in years! They were in the Astrodome then.... I have never been to Minute Maid Park. Now I just need to find someone to go with me. :)

I got a lot done this weekend though I still feel like I have a ton of cleaning left to do. I got a lot of the clutter cleaned and that was the really important part! Still a few "hot spots" to clean but overall, much better. I feel lighter! Good feeling!

I did a bit for myself this weekend; like I mentioned below, I got a pedicure. First one in at least 3 yrs. Long overdue and much deserved. It felt good. I also bought a few things for myself and just got several errands checked off. Visited family and relaxed!!!

I think I am ready for my busy week. I love my job (though ready for some new challenges) and at least it keeps me busy!

Exhaustion!

Okay so it is our busy time at work so I am coming home just flat out tired each day. Then it is my second (or really first job).... being mom!


Sooo I haven't had the energy to even think of anything to blog about nor go to many of my favorites to comment... but I am trying to get there.


I will just do a quick 5 things for you!


1. Remodel update: We finally passed the inspection! and they did the insulation today! Drywall on Monday and the contractor is going to drop off samples for me to pick tiles and my counter tops. I also need to pick the paint color! We are close!


2. H had a cyst removed today. Yikes! that was gross. He is doing okay.


3. K is going to the Homecoming Dance tonight. When did she get so grown?


4. L has a cut on his finger that got infected. Gross. I didn't even know he had a cut on his finger. I normally clean them, put anti-bacterial stuff on and bandage. Nope, he shows me once it is all gross and infected.

5. It is like what 6 wks since Ike came through and we still don't have a fence. Many, many, many people do not. Again, still lucky because some people don't have a home anymore or their house is just a wreck.... but given the limited amount of damage we had, I thought the fence would be back up by now. I threatened the dog today "If you get out one more time, I am not coming after you." Okay, don't tell him but I will....today we were lucky because there were other dogs out in their own yard so he got really distracted with smelling butts. I then took him the long way home. He is now sleeping in his kennel.

Some news

I got a new car!!!!! That is right no more Big Green Monster!

I got a Saturn Vue. Sorry no pics right now. It is beautiful!!! I am so happy. Soo, soo happy. Most of my cars have been used. This is only my second new car.

In other news, I am heading to California tomorrow for work. I will be back on Friday. No computer from Tuesday until Friday when I get back.

Yikes!!!! How will I survive? No blogs. No message boards. No emails. No Goofball .... unless we somehow manage a call. Though I can check emails on my phone, it is a little hard to reply, not impossible just hard.

Soooo that's it from me.

Home sweet home

I am back from my work trip. Did you miss me!??!

It was a successful trip! We had a big recruiting event and it was good. It was great. We had just few hiccups that were super easy to fix. Nothing major and nothing that was in our power. Interviewers and departments wanted to change rooms, interviewers and add interviews. So it was fine. Easy peezy and I was not nearly as tired or drained as I normally am after these. I got to talk with many of the candidates which is both good and bad. I actually get to liking them and then it is a bit heartbreaking (for lack of a better word), when they do not get picked up. We have just a few openings and we had a ton of great, great candidates this time.

Tuesday will suck because of it. Tuesday is our selection meeting. Then I have to send out the decline letters.

But, I did get to see some of our success stories from past events. See this was my first trip to our headquarters and so I haven't gotten to meet many of the people I helped get hired. It was awesome to meet them and they were just like "Wow, you remember me" (meaning their name).

In fact, one candidate had come to a visit that I was able to attend last year in New Orleans. I remembered him but sadly he wasn't selected. When he was on campus in the Fall, the campus team asked me about him because they saw he came to the other event. The concern is "Why wasn't he picked up?" I said that it was just bad timing and he was a great candidate that we would be crazy not to look at him further. He got an offer after that! I was soooo happy for him! I have no idea why. It is like I know him but I just have this sense about some people and I thought he would be good employee for us. Anyway I got to talk to him and he was just so surprised that I remembered him so I was telling them how I see their names over and over, that once they come, I just have to put the name to the face...then I see their names over and over because I am in HR.

Sooooo anyway, good event. I love my job. Can you tell??? I love working with the college kids and I love doing these events. No matter how tired they make me normally.

Then the kids did well. They stayed with my parents. The puppy stayed with them too. My mom just kept saying what a good puppy he is. So smart and obedient. He walks well on a leash, etc. Is it bad that I missed him a teeny, tiny bit more than the kids? Don't get me wrong I missed them like crazy but..... well....

And just for Margaret, I am going to add some video of him soon. Just not ready with it yet. Maybe for Wordless Wednesday.

That's it from here. I had hoped to write while gone but I didn't have a lot of internet time. I do plan to write something almost everyday still. So fingers crossed, I will keep it up now that things are back to normal.

Now off to get caught up on blogs!

Travelin' for work

Tomorrow I'll be back in New Orleans for the third time in about 6 mths. Not sure if I'm looking forward to it or not. I mean on one hand yeah cuz they have great food, it is a different city and I get a break from the kiddos. But, then I will be working my tail off! and I will miss my kids and while I don't normally see Goofball during the week, I know I will miss him in a way too cuz I know I'm hours away. I know I'm weird, oh well.

Anyway, back this weekend.

EJ has left the building.

Can you hear that?

It is the sound of mom getting a much needed break!

So the dad came alllllll the way from The Big D to get the kiddos. I wish I could say I was happy about that. Oh I am but it meant having him in my house. He has always been an ass about my cats and my housecleaning.... and my weight and a ton of other issues that I could see the gears turning in his head.

As it is, he told me that if he had these cats, he would have fed them to a couple rottweilers. Seriously? You're an asshole!

I don't care. I get a break. I have been so busy at work. Beyond busy! So I really need the rest.

Gonna spend time relaxing (read - sleep), some cleaning and then some time with Goofball too.

That's it. That's my plan. It sounds excellent to me.

FYI - I am going to be uber busy from now until Thanksgiving so if I'm not commenting to your blog, its lack of time and energy, not lack of interest!!!!! And, if I'm not writing much in my own, its pretty much the same reason. I'll be in New Orleans next week! Goooood foood!

The lotto dream

Okay admit it, we all have one. I do. You do.

But, I used to kid myself, make myself believe that I would continue to work after I won. I would need to stay busy after all, right. And, no matter how much I won, I would work.

Bhahahaha! (laughter heard round the World)

Yeah, maybe, just maybe that would be true.....But, I seriously doubt it and especially not after the last couple of weeks at work.

I seriously have been coming home emotionally, mentally and physically drained. Not to mention my drive home is plagued by the most horrible traffic known to man. Okay it isn't thaaaat bad but it is very near close.

And, now that my babies are home, I don't want this kind of feeling. I want to come home and enjoy them. I don't want them to have a tired, stressed out mommy to deal with and then wish they were back with their dad and his girlfriend who both had far more time for them then I have in a loooooong time! (And no I am in no way jealous, I'm just saying they were able to be home for them and make dinner and be a "family"). K made dinner tonight!!!! I was sooo thankfully to her. She is a good girl.

And, then there is a day like today, I got to see Goofball at lunch. Oh that was nice to see him. Yeah and I'm acting like I haven't seen him in weeks when really it hasn't even been a week yet since the last time. Anyway, he looked amazing! even more than usual. Could I separate work and him for even an hour? Not very well and I feel a little bad, not completely because I know he understands but crap, I didn't even tell him he looked nice. Have I mentioned he is the first guy that actually makes me all over hot?! No, I haven't? Oh well, I have a hard time keeping my hands off of him, but whatever.

Sooooo anyway, do you think it is a good thing that work has me so drained? Would you call that a good day at the office? I know I will have to get to bed earlier tonight or I will NOT wake in the morning. Plus I want to have breakfast for a change that isn't a bar. No not alcohol but like a nutritional bar thingy.... I think I will need the fuel to get through the day.

Voodoo Doll curses?

When we were in New Orleans in June for work, we had a scavenger hunt. One of the items was a Voodoo doll. Well most people, I think, didn't keep them or even attempt to "put a curse" on someone. However, one of my co-workers did. Why? Because she was drinking a bit tooooo much. She was also pushing my buttons all night but that's another story.

So fast forward to today.... All last week and so far this week has been kinda the whole Murphy's Law at work. If it was going to go wrong, it has.

One of my other co-workers and I decided it was B and her voodoo doll. So if that is the case, how the heck do I get rid of the spell?! Or at the very least, please just say a prayer, cross your fingers, say a chant.... whatever that the spirits that I pissed off, have found enough revenge that they move on to the next victim.

:)

Did you know.... Shift Happens

Something they showed in a meeting today as we gear up for our College Recruiting.

A case of the Mondays

Do you just wake up and think, this day is going to suck?

I almost never actually think that, and I didn't today either. While I do whine and complain sometimes, overall I see the glass as half full. I look at things mostly through Rose colored glasses and fully believe that I live under a rock. I hate conflict and drama and all things change. I like things to be even and steady, no surprises.

So my weekend started out great. I went over to my parents for a bit. Hung out. Got free dinner. Always a good thing.

Get home.... check my work blackberry..... WTF? I forgot to do something big! I didn't order catering for an Intern Event we had in our California office for the night before. And why did it take you all day Friday to tell me???? Not that I could have done anything about it but now I have to think about it all weekend.

The rest of the weekend was fine. Just didn't sleep much Saturday because I slept over at my parents so doggie sit for them. Hard to sleep in a "strange" place.

Sunday night was the highlight of my weekend and really my week, always.

Then Monday morning rolled around. I woke up with the worst headache ever. Not from a hang over, you have to actually drink alcohol for that, right? No just sinus pressure and maybe a little dread over the day.

I had to sit through Intern End-of-Summer Presentations, which actually I like. It is one thing I truly look forward to with the Summer Intern program. But, it meant being out of my office pretty much all day.

So I get there thinking that my worst problem would be that the room we were using for the presentations might not have a telephone for dialing in to the conference bridge that I had set up so that anyone that couldn't make it to the presentations in person could hear them and there is a link so they can view them (Meetingplace is the coolest thing).....

Well I get there. Telephone. Oh perfect. Oh look a microphone too, hadn't thought about that. Double perfect. Oh this is going to be GREAT!

Well it was time to get started so I dial up the meeting..... "This is not a recognized ID. Please try again." WTF? Are you kidding me? Okay don't panic, maybe you dialed wrong. Try again, smiling still. No dice. Crap, crap, crap..... Come to find out somehow my meeting got canceled in the system. How? I don't know. Usually I would get something, but nada.

From there things just got worse and worse. It was like Murphy's law.

But, ya know, none of the problems were in my control. I just had to laugh them each off. I survived. The presentations, themselves, were awesome. The Interns really rocked them out. Great, great job all of them! I thanked them for being flexible with the changes and problems. Thanked the managers, supervisors, mentors and co-workers that came out to listen.

Then I went back to my office. I got very little actually done.

But, the one thing I needed to do, check the phone bridges for all the rest of the Intern Presentations days (6 more days worth) worked. According to the Helpdesk, they are all present and accounted for. So crossing fingers that we don't have a repeat. I changed a few of the other problems we had (not enough food, not enough drinks, forgot to have a timekeeper)..... and then hope that the other problems don't come up either.

Soon the summer will be over. We will be back to College Recruiting and the Summer Intern program for 2007 will fade and the 2008 season will look so far away!

I can't wait!

Back

I'm baaaackk!!!

It was a blast. I'm exhausted but will blog soon. Also a little behind on making the rounds with comments but I'm trying to keep up and read everyone!

Thanks for stopping by!

Stuck in the land of the sick

So the youngest has been sick for the last two days. I am going fucking nuts! Climbing the walls. Got cabin fever.

Mostly because I know I should have been at work the last two days. I have waaaay tooo much to do! We have a million things going on. I am not a workaholic by any means but I know I need to get my job done. Sometimes I do work late, sometimes I work long hours but it isn't often.

But, ya know what else I noticed this week, I hate being a single mom. Okay wait, not a single mom, I actually like that (freedom, no fighting! no tension!).... but I hate that the dad lives so far away! The fucker! Oh well, again, he is missing out. But, it does suck not to have a back up. Back up is usually my mom but she had surgery on Monday. Thankfully she is doing well.

L should be able to go back to day care tomorrow! That is good news because we have two large events next week and I need to get back to get everything ready! Catering, gifts, make sure the room is set up, make sure everyone knows where to go! make sure everyone's shirts came in. Get shirts to all the coordinators. Etc, etc. etc! Plus all my other daily stuff.

Somehow I know it will all get done. Tuesday's event will go great and at least I will have some time before the one Thursday, plus its in California so there is less for me to do.

Send get well vibes to the boy and don't go insane vibes to me!

Job Update

I got it! I got it! I got it!!!!!!!!!

Finally some security. Finally some benefits! FINALLY!!!!!!

This time last year I was an unemployed single mom. This year is very different. What will next year be like? Hopefully just more of the same. Get my feet under me a little more. New car, start saving for a little bit bigger house. Some day a real vacation!

Thanks for all the well wishes!

(Can you tell I'm excited?)

Interviewing tomorrow

This time last year I was unemployed. I had lost yet another contract job.

So the story goes in Aug 2005, I started working at a hospital as an Admin Assistant.... I worked there as a temp employee for about 8 mths. I interviewed for the positions and they hired someone else. That's fine. Next job, I worked there only about 5 weeks before I was told I did not get that job either. Why? I don't know. I think this place would have kept me but I know the boss was worried the drive was too much for me and when I got my degree I would move on.... Since that's what the person before me did. Honestly I would have moved to be closer to that job and I would have stayed forever. I loved it!

Then I was out of work for about 5 weeks before getting my current job. Its another temp job. So I started there in June 2006 so not quite 11 months. I love this job! It is with a major oil and gas company. I'm in HR. I love HR. They have awesome benefits. Awesome pay. An awesome culture.....

So tomorrow I have to interview for the position. There are two other candidates, I think. Anyway, I know I'm a good employee. I am more marketable this year. But, I am still nervous as hell!!!!!! How much would that suck if I didn't get this job? I have been doing it for all this time and have gotten a lot of praise.

I will post an update as soon as I know more but yikes! I'm nervous!!!!!

Hello from New Orleans

Hey y'all!

So I'm here in NOLA and so far having a great time! We didn't work yesterday because our flight was delayed a bit, then shuttle to the hotel took a while and then traffic. So we got to the hotel, chilled for a little bit and then grabbed some lunch. Back to the hotel for a bit.... late dinner.

It was fun just walking around the French Quarter yesterday.

I have only been here once and it really shouldn't count because we only kind of drove through. The ex had looked at a transfer here versus Fargo in 2003..... We didn't care for it then and decided Fargo was the winner.

Anyway, loving it! Missing having internet 24/7 though..... It is weird how much I miss it, but I think it is the people I miss not so much the internet. Some people I talk to daily and is my main form of communication with them. Sad but true!

Oh and I'm totally going to gain 10 pounds before I get home! Goooood foood! Had fried oysters last night.... Wish I could have had a whole plate of those babies! Then gumbo was lunch. Totally yum-o.

Well that's my NOLA update. Be back soon!

Out for the week

I will not be blogging this week! I will be out of town for work. Whoohoo.

Kids with my mom and the cats.... well the kids and my mom will go over twice a day to check on them. This is mostly because the kids will still be riding the bus each morning and afternoon.

Soooooo don't miss me too much! I doubt I will be back writing until Sunday of next week.

Have a good week, readers. Oh and wish me luck! We have a huge event happening on Friday that just has to go great (not perfect, nothing is perfect!)

Took kids to work

Today was Good Friday, schools closed, day care closed but mom had to work. I figured since this company does a 9/80 schedule (half the office is off on Friday) and it being Good Friday, that few people would be in the office. So I decided I would take just L to work... well that turned into taking both boys and just as we were leaving this morning, K woke up and said she was going.

Okay fine.

Then turns out my supervisor brought in her oldest daughter so thank goodness that I wasn't the only one and actually I saw a few other people with kids there today.

And even though we were there from 7:30 - 3, they were surprisingly good. There were moments I was almost regretting bringing them in but in the end it worked out great!

I don't know that I would do it again anytime soon but it wasn't the disaster I was sure it was going to be.

Then a job update. You may or may not remember this is a temp job for me and I have been hoping for it to go perm..... The process is that they have to post the job, meaning that it is open and anyone can apply. Then they do the interview process and then the selection. Meaning I have to do all of that and meaning that I could lose this job. I found out today that one of the other contractors (different department) was just replaced. She applied but didn't get the job. Yikes!!!!

So anyway my supervisor was working on getting the job in the system yesterday and today she was finishing up the last steps. So I will be applying and hoping for the best. All I can do at this point is my best. I have worked really hard and a lot of people recognize that and compliment me. But, in the end, someone could come along that "looks" better. This job has also had a lot of turnover and they said I am the longest person to stay. That could be a good sign, right?

Then this coming week, I will get to travel for work! To NEW ORLEANS!!!! I cannot wait. I'm hoping this means that they want to keep me but again, no guarantees. Just wishing and hoping.

I will keep you all updated.

The cursed shipment

Tomorrow we have a College Recruiting Event at our California office. I have been trying to ship the "end of day, thanks for coming" gifts to our office out there. The first box lost. Thanks DHL! You Rock! Second box is now delayed somewhere and I just have this feeling.... a bad feeling that it is going to be lost too.

Don't ya just love days like this!? (hee, heee.... ) I can cry and get mad, or I can laugh.... well I decided to laugh!

Of course that doesn't get the gifts there but I am working on another plan.

Work Stuff

If you don't know, I have been working a temp job since mid-June. This was after a kinda bad year of getting turned down (for permanent positions) and used as a temp at other places.

Well since the start of this, the plan has been for them to turn it into a full-time, permanent position.

Today I found a position that I would like to apply for with the company (a different part, its a big, big company). I talked to one of my co-workers about it and she said I should apply and not wait. Well then another co-worker mentioned that the job might be available very soon. Turns out he is pushing hard for me to get the job. We didn't get time to finish talking about it so we are talking about it more tomorrow. I'm also going to talk to him about this other position.

So it looks like I am going to start the job hunt. Time dust off the ole resume and update it. I am down to one class before I will get my degree. I am so excited! This is going to help.

New Year! 2007!

Well it is officially the new year. In this year something amazing will happen.... I will finish school!!!!! I am very excited about this.

This means tons of changes. I first need to make some decisions about my career. Where am I going to go with it? This of course depends on what happens with the current job. Will it become permenant? Will it end? Will I have to look for another this year? Now if this one is offered to me as a permenant job, I will take it and make a new decision later on. If not, I will start the job hunt but this time with a degree in hand! I really hope it offers some new opportunties for me.

Then on to other things for the year. I can't wait to finish school so that I can regain some life back too. Like making dinner, spending time with my children in the evenings. Hopefully having more time to do hobbies: painting and reading! I want to teach my oldest son about amateur radio.... not that I know much about it now but I plan to learn. I have already started to look for books and websites that will help me learn. I'm going to teach my youngest how to ride his new two-wheeler. I want to take my daugther to get a pedicure and manicure, do some fun girl stuff with her.

Other things I want to do is try to take better care of myself. Baby steps, baby steps. I need to make some doctor's appointments. I need to learn more about this herniated disk. I want to be able to workout again. I have gained so much weight because I can't right now. So once I understand my limits or whatever, I can do this. I could probably walk, right? But, maybe very careful with the sit-ups and push-ups, etc. But I just don't know!

I also want to get my debt under control too. My student loans will come due this year. I have debt from my broken car. I would also like to replace that car this year. It will need more repairs and I just don't know if I want to put more into it. I may keep it though for another year because..... I want to do some things around the house. New blinds (stupid cat! broke them!). New flooring in my bathroom and maybe even the kitchen/dining room and laundry room. I would also like to do some painting, get new bedding for my room, get some art or somethings for the walls..... and a lot of landscaping.

So I made no resolutions for the year but I have goals and things I am looking forward to.

Happy New Year to you all! I hope that you have some goals that you will keep and have a great year. Happy, healthy and fun 2007.