Hurrah for Cla!!

I got a call back about my interview yesterday. I was offered the job at the Optometrist's office! I went by there to check out their scrubs so I would know what to purchase, then I went into town and got my new uniforms! SH will be so happy because on Tuesdays, we wear BAMA scrubs. hehe. The place is really pretty and everone on staff there seems really sweet. During my interview yesterday, the doctor had some patients to see so I spent an hour or so hanging out with the other employees. They showed me around and let me sit in with a few patients. That is the most computerized office I have seen in some time. It sure beat the crap of the other eye place I recently worked at. We will not mention the name, but you can find it if you read through some other posts. Anyway, I start Monday and am pumped. I won't be teching, I will be working in the Optical dispensary for now. I don't have much experience with glasses but I do know some basics so I am sure it will come easily to me. YAY JOB!!!

On Monday, I decided to go into town and do a little shopping. I had to make a pit stop at the yarn store to see and touch all the yummy yarns. While I was there I made the decision (Mother of Purl, you are gonna love this) to try knitting. The owner suggested I start with a thick yarn and a simple scarf to get me going. I guess I had delusions of grandeur when I said "how hard would it be to go from crocheting to knitting socks?" I was a little disappointed that they didn't have ANYTHING in the way of crochet books. I got everything home (after a long wait downtown because the battery in the truck died, another long story) and tried to figure this knitting stuff out. I am still quite confused, but I have done several rows on something that could actually end up being a scarf. At this point I am having trouble keeping the thread high enough up on the needle for the next stitch. I think I have the cast on, knit stitch and purl stitch down though. I have got to get a library card sometime soon so I can see what the TTown library has in the way of knitting/crocheting books. I just hope my crochet stuff doesn't get too jealous!!

Here is the yarn I got.

This is my progress so far.

On a bit of a sad note, SH's parents went out of town for a few days and when they returned, Noah wasn't there. This was on Monday. Still no Noah as of last night. Yesterday morning I was standing in the kitchen and something caught my eye outside. I saw a black cat with white feet playing on the hill. It was chasing a butterfly. It looked exactly like Noah. I had to think to myself, you did see that right? I went outside for a better look but couldn't see it through all the tall grass. I kept looking and after a little while, I saw the grass move and eventually saw the cat. I whistled and called for it, but it acted as if it didn't hear me. It then turned and walked away. I am still wondering, did I see that cat? Was it Noah? Why didn't it respond to my calls? Was it his spirit saying goodbye? Or was it simply a cat that looked a lot like Noah?

Mini VaKay and a few newbies

SH and I did a bit of work out of town at the end of last week, then made a side trip to visit some friends. We haven't seen them in almost a year and a lot has gone on in their lives. It was great to catch up. We also managed to eat like pigs! Everyone knows that there are no diets on vacation.

I finished up a few more crochet pieces, but since several are presents, I can't show them all.

This adorable halter top is for a friend's daughter who will be celebrating her 8th birthday next month. Nothing like starting a present early!! I saw the pattern and knew she would love it. You can find it here. I love the colors!!

This sweater will be going to my husbands cousin who is expecting a little girl soon. I figured that since I been making stuff for every other pregnant person on the planet, she should get some things too!! This pattern can be found here. (about halfway down the page)

I finished a shawl for myself but it is so large I haven't taken a photo of it yet. Maybe I will get SH to help with that.

I have an interview at the end of the month for a state job and am expecting a call for another job as a leasing agent. I am not holding my breath, but am still hopeful. I don't know how much longer I can be a SAHW and not be pulling in a paycheck!

Oh Baby!!

I found out earlier in the week that a dear friend of mine is expecting! I told her before she got knocked up that whenever she was with child, I would make her whatever she wanted. She has requested blankets. I had previously started a Hooded Blanket and finally found the yarn I needed and finished it this afternoon. I also have made a Afghan and Hat set that are ADORABLE. The blanket has a hole in it so it can be attached to a car seat. Too cool. I am currently working on a rippled blanket and have a few more ideas up my sleeve. I don't know whether or not to post pics. Mommy-to-be, do you want to see your baby items or do you want them to be surprises?

I finally applied for unemployment last week. I really should have done this ages ago but I seriously thought I would have a job by now. I should know in another week or so if they will accept my application.

I am still working out like a madwoman. I am doing at least 30 minutes on the treadmill 5 days a week and 20-40 minutes of cardio/yoga/pilates 5 days a week. WHEW. I have only lost 3 lbs. but I guess you have to start somewhere. must.keep.at.it.

We get to puppy-sit this weekend!! Disco is super excited about having a playmate. We will be keeping a friends puppy while they are in Florida at DisneyWorld. I only hope Baraka doesn't think we are adding another dog to our family. He had such a hard time when we got his sister!!

At least I don't have a tum-ah!!!

I have been having headaches and migranes for quite some time now. There is really no rhyme or reason when they hit, they seem random. I finally saw a doctor about them. She sent me off for an MRI and bloodwork. In the process of taking my blood, the nurse gave me a major crack bruise. LOVELY! During the MRI I also was gifted with yet another crack bruise when they added the contrast. I have been doing my best to keep that arm covered when I leave the house. :) My results from the bloodwork and the MRI were both normal. I have been given a Rx for a medicine to take at the onset of a migrane. I haven't taken one yet and am a little anxious about taking one. I was informed that about 30 minutes after taking the pill I will experience some interesting side effects. My heart will start to race and I will get flushed. This is the medicine getting into my bloodstream and starting to take effect. She told me that she just wanted to let me know so that I won't freak out when I start to feel the side effects. These pills aren't cheap either! Six of them were $120.00!!! I sure hope they work.

Still no word about jobs. I found out some crappy news about one of the jobs on campus. I was their first choice for the job. BUT, a higher up involved in the hiring process didn't like the way the other administrators were interviewing. He went over their heads and hired a friend of a friends wife who needed a job. Now let me add that this woman knows absolutely nothing about computers and the university system. They will have to train her from the ground up. ARGH!!! I do know that they will be opening yet another position, basically to take up the slack from this lady. I will have to reapply and reinterview. That should be a barrel of monkeys.
I have registered for another test so that I can be eligible for another state job. I would much rather prefer a kush state job over one on campus, but I am not going to be picky at this point.

In all my down time, I am still working on blankets. Most recently I started working on ablanket for the MIL. SH mentioned last week that his mother would LOVE a blanket for Christmas. We went to get the yarn and I started working immediately. I had 14 days to get it done since we will be doing family christmas Saturday. I had 80 squares to create, attach them into strips 8 squares long, attach the strips together, then finish the entire blanket in 5 rows of stitches. I finished the last 14 squares yesterday since I ran out of 2 colors of yarn. While waiting for more yarn, I managed to get most of the strips done. Today I have 6 major connections to sew and will hopefully get started on the finishing. I have never done a blanket of this caliber in this amount of time. WHEW. I will be glad when it is finished. Will get pics soon.

Still unemployed

SH and I finished up our x-mas shopping this morning. It felt so good to have that chore complete! I picked up the mail on our way in and there was a letter from Troy in the stack. Oh goodie!! News about the jobs!!! Wait a minute sister. Not so fast. I had to read the letter twice to make sense of it. The position I interviewed for last week has been filled. SHIT. Oh well, still no word yet about the interview yesterday....until I checked my voicemail. YUP, they filled that job too. DOUBLE SHIT. What gets me is that I had two friends associated with each of these jobs who were pulling for me. I am seriously at my wits end. I had a little mini breakdown after getting the double thumbs down today. Why is it that the only place that was interested in me treated me like crap and paid me even less? Why will nobody hire me? I am at a complete loss.

One month and counting

I have been unemployed for over a month now. I am really getting anxious about finding a new job. I have made several charity blankets and am almost at the end of my rope...no pun intended. I took a trash bag full of blankets to a local charity last week. I am working on another one right now. This one is a round blanket. I have seen several patterns for round blankets and wondered why one would want a round one. It just seems that it wouldn't cover the body well. Anyway, I wanted to give it a try, nothing wrong with learning a new pattern. I had an interview today for a job at the University. I had another interview last week for a different job at the University. Lord knows I have applied for almost every job they have open. Surely something will pan out...right???!!!???

On a positive note, Christmas shopping is almost finished. We managed in record time this year. We started actually purchasing gifts last week and have 2 more small gifts to buy. We also managed to buy while sticking to a budget. We should do it this way every year!! I didn't get to do my usual "home/handmade gifts" this year. I didn't really have the time/money/desire to think about that kind of gift anyway. Maybe next year. I thought about compiling recpies for a cookbook as the homemade gift. When I started looking at publishing, I realized that I should have started a few months ago. I think I am going to do that for next years X-mas. I sent out a mass email entitled "call for recipes" to all my friends and family and have the highest of hopes that they will reply with their family favorite recipes to add. I am pondering the title for the cookbook now. It wouldn't be anything super fancy, just a collection of recipes from people I love. :)

I QUIT

I decided earlier in the week that I would quit my job on Friday. I realized that with an "end in sight", work was much easier. I wrote a letter of resignation Wednesday afternoon. I decided (with a little help from Mother of Purl) to go ahead and just finish out Friday and leave the letter and all my stuff on the Supervisor's desk after I clocked out. I knew that if I told her Friday morning, one of two things would happen. Either they would be rude and mean to me all day, or she would try to talk me out of leaving. I am not very good with confrontation like that and I knew I wouldn't be able to deal with a conversation like that. Luckily we were slammed yesterday afternoon, so when I clocked out, the supervisor was still in the main office. I didn't have to deal with her. I hated that I had to leave my new work buddy, but she understood my decision. She is really in the same boat I was in except she had an even longer commute! We exchanged email addresses and I hope to keep in touch with her. It certainly feels good to be away from that place now. I feel so free!!!
BUT, I am jobless again. I applied for a job here in town Wednesday and am going to keep my eyes peeled. I don't expect to find anything right away, but I hate being the unemployed member of the household. We are just gonna have to tighten our belts for a little bit.

The charity blanket should move along quicker now. I started another strip this afternoon and have made quite a bit of progress on it. I keep forgetting to take pictures!!! Must do tomorrow.

Faboo news on the home front!!!

I called SH while I was on my way home from work and he was out shopping for steaks and Champagne for dinner. I asked why on earth were we eating so high on the hog on a Tuesday evening. He told me the good news. He has finally been hired on as a full time employee (WITH BENEFITS) at Troy. We both worked there for ages and they never really wanted to hire us on full time. Lord knows, that would have taken away from their football budget!! Apparently with a few threats that would have meant closing the department, they agreed to hire him!! I am so happy this finally worked out. This makes me a little happier about keeping my crummy job. This week has been bearable at work and I know I can soldier through if I really want to. I am still going to look for other job opportunities though! I would love to be making more money for the work I am putting out.

HIP HIP HOORAY SH!!!!!!

overworked, overwhelmed and underpaid

comic from: http://www.toothpastefordinner.com/

The past week at the new job has been exceptionally trying and exhausting. I have been thrown into the pit to so to speak and have been extremely overwhelmed. I don't have a problem working with the patients, I just am still not familiar with exactly what tests to do when and things like that. They are teaching us stuff but everyone does things differently and certain docs prefer certain forms/tests/ways of stating things. I really feel like Peterman from Office Space. I have found that the technicians that work alongside me do all the work and basically bring in all the money, but we don't get jack in return. We have those stupid morale/teamwork building meetings too. BOOOORRRIIINNNGGG. We even have our own Lumberg except there are two of them. Chris and Barbara. One is the gum nazi and the other is just a bitch. Neither of them works "the floor" or deals with patients. They are basically paper shufflers. They both work upstairs, wear suits, have nice offices and drive nice cars. They are the ones making all the money that should be ours. I found out yesterday that we have to stay late 3 times a month and have to come in EARLY too. Come on folks, I have to get up at 5:30 just to get there by 8. I seriously doubt I can get up much earlier and keep my sanity. Conversely, I get home at 6 even though I get off work at 5. Just what I want is to stay another hour at work!!! The pay seems virtually non existent once I fill my gas tank. I haven't made this kind of pay in over 10 years. I also didn't have nearly the workload, commute or stress. I think I am going to continue looking for jobs elsewhere. One of the new girls that started the same day as me shared some interesting news. Apparently "the test" to move up one notch on the ladder, will max out our pay at 12.50 an hour. Again, really not a lot of pay for all that the responsibilities and drama. She and I both had been at jobs that paid quite a bit more than now and we both are making commutes of at least an hour. It is funny how when I interviewed they made the job sound so much better. Enough griping about work...it is the weekend.

Back to the toe-lio, The bruising has oddly migrated to other areas of the foot through the week. After a full week on my feet, yesterday morning I noticed that toe was itching. I took off my sock and was shocked to realize it had swollen and looked like a vienna sausage. I vowed to stay off it as much as possible and keep it iced all weekend. Of course my new health insurance policy won't kick in until I am "off my probationary period" at work, which could be up to 90 days depending on how they think I am doing. Unfortunately because of this, I can't go to the doctor and have it looked at. I was supposed to go watch the Bama game today at a friends house but backed out to spend time with my foot up.

I even attempted to do some exercising this afternoon and realized how bad I am out of shape YET AGAIN. I am now only able to workout 3 days a week and with toe issue it makes it more difficult and I can only do pilates in the floor. I guess I will go back to being a lard ass.

On the crafty side, I haven't made much of anything lately. I did make a pair of earrings the other day to wear to work, but I have been so tired after work I have just want to eat and go to bed when I get home. I am contemplating pulling out some crochet yarn and get to hooking. :)

I noticed this morning that "little" Disco (aka Gigantor) grew overnight! We were weighing her on our bathroom scale. The last time we weighed her (with SH holding her in his arms), the scale wouldn't register. I assume it topped out. At last weight, she was 80 lbs. She is only 8 months and I think she will go through one more growth spurt. I can only imagine what the rest of her litter weigh since she was the runt.

The new job

I have been completely overwhelmed with oculary learning this week. It has been AGES since I dealt with eyes and eye related stuff. Even then it wasn't nearly as in depth as now because I worked with an Optometerist instead of an Opthamologist. I have been given a stack of handouts to read/study/learn. I will eventually take written tests on this information, in the event I want to get certified. I have taken pages and pages of notes and just this morning retyped them into a somewhat legible document. I have even gone so far as to get definitions for all the bolded words in my study guides. Retyping my notes has helped me become more familiar with the info too. As far as dealing with patients goes, I have been given the ok to start taking basic histories (Hx), acuities (VA) and such. We were in training all day yesterday and I really think my brain stopped working at about 3 o'clock. Too much information for one day!!!! I really hope that I learn as quickly as they want me to, and learn how to follow their procedures correctly. The staff is very friendly and almost all the girls on the floor with me are nice and easy to get along with.

Another good thing happened last week....SH got a call back from a job he applied for. He has an interview next thursday. I really hope he gets the job!!!!!!

Less than 12 hours to go

before I start my new job! I am so anxious about it and obsessing about things that don't really matter. For example...which door do I go in?...front or back? Where do I park?...out front or on the side? Will I have a locker or will I have to leave my personal stuff in a drawer somewhere? I know everything will be ok and I will do well at the job. It is just the anticipation of the unknown, and my Worry-wart acting up.

I doubt I will have time (or access) to a computer at work so chances are good I won't be able to post during the week. Lord knows by the time I get home I won't want to do anything but eat dinner, relax and get ready for the next day. I really hope SH can find a job soon so we will be able to move closer to our work. It would save several hundred dollars a month in gas money and would return a couple of hours to my day. :)
I also have to take a test for a state job this weekend. I took another one last week and should have the results back sometime this week. Ya never know, something better may roll my way.

I got the job!

I returned a call to the Opthamologists office this morning and was offered a job! I was given first choice of three jobs they had open. I took the one with the most possibility for growth. I start on September 4th!!!!! YAY!!!

Job Offer!

I finally returned calls this morning to the Opthamologists office and the Insurance company. I had been unable to get in touch with both those contacts for days now. I have scheduled an interview with the Insurance place tomorrow a.m. The job sounds like an absolute no brainer, but I will find out more tomorrow. The woman at the Opthamologist told me that they were goinng to offer me the job. I told her that they were still #1 on my list, but I did have another interview to go to. I told her I could come by there after my interview. I guess we will talk logistics like pay and insurance in the event I accept. I am on the fence about which job is going to be best and the most lucrative. I will have to think this through over the weekend before making a decision. I am excited and scared all at the same time. I guess everyone gets that way when it comes to a making a big life change like this. At lunch today, my fortune in the fortune cookie said: You will take a chance in something in the near future. Interesting.

Hmmm, maybe I need to something to take my mind off the job hunt. :)

I may be re-employed soon!

I got another call from the Opthamologist's office today. I didn't recognize the number so I didn't answer it. I will call them back tomorrow. I am really hoping they offer me the job. I remembered something in the job description about a sign-on bonus. I will be sure to ask about that tomorrow. It would kick much ass if the bonus could pay off my surgery loan. Then I would be able to go ahead with a new vehicle purchase. ROCK!! I have also been involved in a a rousing game of phone tag with another job possibility. This is an HR position. I know I could do it but I don't know if I would really enjoy it.

On the crochet front, I have finished mom's wrap and it looks great. I ended up with 2 1/2 extra skeins of yarn since the yarn I chose didn't have the weight listed on it and I am still kinda ignorant as to weight/length in skeins. I am gonna use the leftover to make another wrap for SH's mom. Doily #2 is completed and is being blocked at this very moment.

Classes start back at the college tomorrow and I am sooo not excited about that. I am so tired with dealing with college students. The best time in this podunk town is summer, when all the students are gone. I have refused to buy a parking permit since chances are prety good that I won't be able to find a parking spot. They continue to build dorms and increase enrollment but can't figure out that they will need more parking. Go figure. If it ain't football or elementary school teachers (aka sorority girls) it don't matter.

In the bag

After a sleepless night last night (i'll tell ya about that in a minute), I rose dark and early for my interview at 8. I arrived at the office and was rudely greeted by a teenage receptionist. She gave me a dirty look, then proceeded to give her teenage cohort deskmate another look like "what does this old lady want?" Whatever little beotches. I have been menstruating longer than you have been alive so take your dirty looks and shove 'em up your ass. Insert snide smile here. Beotch #1 called "S" and I was instructed to start filling out the job application, she would be by shortly to talk with me. That sucker must have been 8 pages long. I wasn't quite finished when S showed up and took me back to another room where we could chat. We talked jobby-job stuff and then she offered to show me around and let me shadow some of the technicians. I dazzled her with all my answers and she seemed really happy with all the experience I have. Seriously, I think I blew this interview out of the water and feel very positive I will be getting a job offer soon. She said she was going to check my references, do a background search (no problem since I am a perfect angel) and would then get back with me.
The job itself isn't too much different that what I did previously at Dr. McA's. There are several more instruments to learn how to work since this is an Opthamologist instead of an Optometerist, but I really think I would do great at it. I did mention to S that everything was a little overwhelming, but of course with any new job it will be. She laughed and reassured me. Get this, they even get to wear SCRUBS. That is so freaking great. You have no idea how much I love the idea of wearing PJ's to work every day! No need to buy fancyshmancy work outfits. No need to plan the night before what you will wear the next day. In this case it would be a choice between the blue scrubs the blue scrubs or the blue scrubs. The office has a yearly allowance THEY PAY for your scrubs. ROCK. S also mentioned that Wednesdays are only half days. That gives the employees time to do doctors appointments and errands. Also Rock!
Nedless to say, I shot my interview out of the park.

Lets see how SH's interview goes. He is taking a power nap now and will be getting ready for his in the next few hours. *Spoken like Tony Little in the Gazelle commercial* You can do itttttttttttt!!!


Oh yea, I completely forgot to elaborate about the sleepless night. I tried going to bed early to get my beauty rest. LOL. What a crock. I went to bed around 10. I tossed and turned for a while and as soon as I was almost asleep, Baraka decided that he needed to go out. This seriously went on for HOURS. When he wasn't asking to go outside he was panting. He wasn't hot, he does this for attention and it is extremely annoying. At 2:30 I had had enough. I jumped out of bed ready to beat his heinie and I slipped on the carpet and busted my ass. I let him out and he ran directly to the woods. He had to poop. OK. FINE. SH heard the commotion, woke up and offered to watch for Baraka and let me get back in bed. He closed off the bedroom so Baraka would'nt bother me. Instead, Baraka tap-danced on the linoleum outside the bedroom the rest of the night. He really isn't a dancer, We call it tap-dancing because that is what it sounds like he is doing. Sooooo, neither I or SH got much sleep last night and we are exhausted. Maybe I need a nap toooooo. :)

j-o-b interview!!!

I got a call yesterday afternoon about a job I had applied ONLINE for on Sunday. I called the woman back a few minutes ago and I am meeting with her bright and early tomorrow morning. I am actually kind of excited about the possibility that I can work in the eye-related field again. The job is for an opthalmic technician at a large surgical center. I think I could do it easy cheesy. I am also excited about the possibility of getting to wear scrubs to work instead of dressy clothes. Ahhhh, dressing that requires no thinking. I like that! I am keeping my fingers crossed but not holding my breath.

UPDATE: SH has an interview tomorrow too!!! I am preparing a celebratory dinner of s'ghetti and vino to ready us for our interviewin'. mmmmm.

Werk?

toothpastefordinner.com

This is how I felt at my job. :)

Last day

Today is the big day. The last day at my job. I have already cleaned off my desk and taken the last plant down to the truck. As I was leaving last night, my supervisor's supervisor stopped me and invited me to lunch with her today. Kinda scary! I have no idea what we will talk about since I usually do best in a crowd. Oh well. I can do it. I keep in the back of my mind a glimmer of hope that she will be extending my position another few months, but I am not holding my breath. I don't want to have a big hoopla surrounding my leaving today either. I hope I can slowly and quietly slip out the door. I hate goodbyes. I just hope a new job rolls my way soon. I don't know how long I will be able to stand it at my old job. I would rather stick forks in my eyes than deal with college students again.

Heres to one more day at the office!!! :)

The last Monday at work

Today is my last Monday at work! Tomorrow is my last official day. When I arrived at my office this morning, I was shocked at how empty it looked. I had kindaaa forgotten that I had slowly been taking stuff home to make for an easier last day. I still have a few plants a calendar and an oil lamp to schlepp home. I contemplated not even coming in today since I have enough leave, but I had a chiropractor appointment at 8. I knew I would feel much better once he cracked, twisted and electroshocked me. I got my sleepy ass out of the bed and got moving. Unfortunately last night was YET ANOTHER sleepless Sunday night. Sounds like a Bangles song. I tossed and turned until at least 1:30, then once I fell asleep I proceeded to wake back up every 30 minutes. The dog had to go out sometime around asscrack thirty. He doesn't do this on weekend nights, only weeknights when all the adults have to go to work the next day. ARGH. Soooo annoying.

Anyhoo, enough bitching. I worked on my charity squares this weekend and even did a few in Tunisian stitch. I think I will have a nice variety when they are all finished. I ended up leaving my yarn at the office over the weekend so I ended up using up some leftovers from other projects I did in the same colors! Yea for destashing!!!

New post

Mother of Purl told me I needed to update my blog. Done. :)

Seriously though, my time at work has almost come to an end and I am none too pleased. I started gathering my officey stuff together and have taken an armload of it down to the truck each evening. I had no idea how much stuff I had amassed over the past 7 months. It consists of four plants, two blankets, a desk lamp, toiletries, tchotchkies, magazines, books, training binders, crochet supplies, a RioGrande catalog and a plethora of work related paperwork. Where on earth am I gonna put this stuff now?!?! ARGH.
Dont.want.to.go.

Another thing. I need a neeeeewwww crochet project.