Status Report, Week 3 in New Job

Another Lovely Project

Here is my shrug. It is shiny, made from ribbon, lots and lots and lots of nylon ribbon. I still haven’t worn it to work. I need to get brave. Yes, I know myhair looks like crap. And Icarius the Shawl is rising quickly and will take flight soon. I am on Chart 4 of 4 charts! However, the 4-row border has incredibly complex instructions, so I may not finish this weekend, though that is my hope. Dang it, the next issue of Interweave Knits is here and it has ANOTHER shawl in it I would like to make. I just don't want to have to make it in sage green, too. I wish someone would take pity on me and trade a ball of sage green Zephyr for any other color whatsoever.

What’s Going Well

I am enjoying meeting some new people and seeing what a lovely community the tech writing contractors have formed at ALE. It is so nice that the ones who have left are still connected to the little community, and that the new people (like me) are welcomed. To see how people adapt to the strange surroundings and manage to thrive and feel creative is one of the many things that lately have cheered me up. The people here are so kind and helpful to each other, in an environment that could be cut-throat and competitive! I think we all know how much we each have had to go through to get here, and what a struggle it will be to find something after our time is up here—we can’t help but wish each other well. And it is just nice to make new friends and get to know different people who do not have a lot of baggage attached to them.

(Of course, I still love so many of my “old” people—baggage and all. Especially the old coworkers—but I am seeing that I thrive and do better if I keep out of their work issues, and just interact on family and personal ones!)

Yes, a number of things have served to give me more optimism lately. Some of the stories that are told in Chicks with Sticks on Wednesdays and in the informal gatherings on Saturdays at the yarn store, about how kind people can be to each other, or how tolerant they can be of the foibles of others—those cheer me a lot. I have been in conversations this week that remind me that, perhaps, some of my recent experiences might not be typical—people who act kindly really CAN be kind people, not people trying to get something out of you, use you, or undermine you. Bring on more of those!

And I just had a really nice phone call with my wireless company, which, after I whined about how poorly they treated customers from the company they recently merged with, ended up on me getting three new phones AND a fancy-ass one for me that is pink, plus more than double the minutes. All for an additional ten bucks a month. Dearest Partner and Oldest Boy will be getting camera/video phones that also play the radio—like they will ever use that—which they won’t without headphones, which I did not shell out for. It will be very necessary to explain that it costs me if certain teens send pictures.

What Could Be Improved

Oh boy do I need some help with concentrating in the new environment. I sure hope having music will help. I did crack out my fancy noise reducing headphones, and they do a good job drowning out the air conditioning sound and SOME of the chatter, but I need to totally drown it out. One of my flaws is a low level of patience sometimes. I am more patient than a lot of people, but when it is up, I have a hard time reacting mildly. I am just feeling like my personal space is being assaulted.

I am still looking forward to a week in which I get the income I expect and things are stable. My pay for my first week of work was STILL AWOL when I got paid today, but thank goodness I got a call this afternoon and it will be here next week. Another piece of good customer service directed at me! I sure can use the funds, so I can start my big savings plan. And still no unemployment check. I guess I will write that pittance off. But, even a few hundred would help pay off the Visa bill sooner rather than later. Boy howdy, I just can’t get over the money panic that has held me ever since the ex went away. Even last year, when I had income, I knew it was temporary and was rushing to get all those things done (fixing my teeth and all) before it went away—I guess I knew subconsciously that the project would not last as long as they said it would. Sigh, when I finally DO write about all that, it will sure look different with the benefit of hindsight.

And, I guess I am going to have to keep working to improve how I deal with the partner’s idiosyncratic reactions to things, such as blaming the poor dog for existing and lying on the floor, to be tripped on in the dark because the Big Man will not turn on lights when wandering through the house. I turn on lights. I pay the bills. I’d rather have a live pug than the world’s smallest electricity bill.

translation: Kathy was driving me nuts talking. I had a really nice chat with Lee about how to deal with it, and thought, this guy is sure a good friend. Friend.

Comments

Tina said...
I will most likely be able to trade a ball of black zephyr for a ball of green. I'd like to finish Icarus (I've been calling it "Icky" for short) just to be SURE I have enough (good god, I SHOULD have enough), but then I'll trade ya.
Friday, July 28, 2006 8:52:00 PM

Barbara said...
Relieved with you at the end of your poverty, and that you're actually enjoying the job. Praise be! Is there any chance we're using the same cell provider and you could coach me on the words to use? We're looking at buying three new phones. Actually, our company has been really nice to deal with, so we'll probably have to pay full price.
Sunday, July 30, 2006 10:06:00 PM

Suna said...
Barbara, I am on Cingular. Tina, you rock.
Tuesday, August 01, 2006 4:03:00 PM