Today I hate work

I've had a no-good-very-bad-horrible day today at work. 

(Ha!  In my writing dyslexia, 'today' came out 'toady'.  I knows me some toadies.)

By 9 am, I was already frustrated to the point of tears.  I'm buried at work and things aren't so hot at home.  I seem the only one who can make things happen either place.  Aarrrgh!

Yesterday I got a curt invitation to a meeting about a software project I'm involved in, an invitation with no details.  (I'm the tech person for the project, doing installation and configuration and support.  And the person who is the project manager has ditched, leaving me holding the bag.)  I went to the meeting and was ambushed with questions from 25 people.  I handled myself well, but I will not go to one of those meetings again without knowing the agenda.  I don't like bows and arrows pointed at me.   I like to be prepared, with answers shielding me.  Next time, I will decline this invitation.  And this may slow down how the progress on this project.  (Translation - this group needs to not bite the hand that feeds them.)

My company is insanely political.  I don't do office politics well.  I can't lie or suck up.  I don't keep a file on everyone I work with. Instead, I have this unreasonable expectation that I will do a good job, and if I do good work, I won't get kicked in the teeth for it.  Yes, it's crazy, I know.  But that's the kind of gal I am.

I need some time off fiercely.  Some ALONE time.  No work crap, no home crap.

And to top it off, the access to blogs at work has been severely restricted.  How dare they restrict my little bit of fun!  So I'm not reading Jane or Melissa or Martha or Heather or Jen or ANYONE until I get home.  Damn.  I mean, I need to get my snark on before lunch!  What's a girl to do?

On the home front, Curly is recovering.  His arm is very sore.  I tried to get him to hold still for a picture of his scabby arm, but he wouldn't do it.  He went to his psychologist yesterday, which is better than not going.  Now if I could take him to his psychiatrist and then force feed him his meds, we'd all feel better.  (My dad used to go off his meds periodically.  It was BAD.  I used to ask Mom if she could slip him some Zoloft in his coffee....)

And I'm mindlessly crocheting, still.  It's all my little mind can manage.  It's soothing.

Why can't I just relax?

PS This made me laugh and laugh.

MIUAYGA

Been thinking about earrings and tatting some things.  I'm using a revolutionary technique I'm working on perfecting called MIUAYGA.  This acronym means Making It Up As You Go Along.  As you can tell, it's highly technical and only for the most advanced tatter.  (Not!)

This is something I'm playing with using 1" plastic rings.  An Indian co-worker likes this, says it looks like Indian jewelry.  It's a little big for earrings for me.  Just my opinion.  That could change.

This is another earring in progress.  No plastic ring involved.  I'm thinking this will be be more my style.  It's kinda hard to tell what it will look like when I'm through - next post.

Today Moe requested my home-made pizza.  So I made 2 of my yummy deep dish pizzas for the Stooges and DH. They love this.  The crust is to die for!  (Let me know if you want the recipe - it's easy!)

Curly has been giving us major fits lately.  He really needs some inpatient assistance and is in denial of his issues.  Yesterday he ran away.  He didn't go far - he has no money, no car, very few friends.  (He's alienated his old buddies, and it's really sad.  Most of his current friends are drug buddies.)  Fortunately, he wandered back home about 6 am this morning.  It was cold and I think it was hard last night for him.  Reality bites.

He's been more cheerful today, and a bit more contrite.  I'm not sure how long - or if - it will last.  But it was nice to have him be funny a bit, instead of yelling or worrying.

Actual conversation between me and Curly a few minutes ago:

Me:  Why are both your hands in your pants?
Curly: Dude, I'm holding my balls.
Me: !!!!
Curly: I'm a guy, it's what we do. Besides, some evil hawk might come and snatch them.

Curly can be very, very funny.

Today as I was coming home from the grocery, I heard an NPR broadcast of this group of songs in a White House concert.  I was singing along the whole time.  John Mellancamp sang "Eyes on the Prize", and I was belting it driving home.

When they got to this song, I was singing through tears.  It's a great song.  I can't sing this song without crying.  I am such a sap.


But doesn't Joan Baez look great?

Scott Adams knows my life

What was the date of Friday?  It sure as hell felt like Friday the 13th.  Not a good day.  Not good at all.

My life has turned into something very close to a Dilbert comic.  This is the one from November 16th.

Here's why it's my life.

For the last 20 months I've been working as an "acting" lead/supervisor for my technical group.  I've been told I'm to get the real job as soon as they post it, and they have never posted the job.  Since I've been officially "acting", I've been getting the extra pay as if I really had the job.  But TPTB keep jerking me around on posting the job.

Friday my boss pulled me into her office and told me that I was no longer being the "acting" person, that I didn't have the technical skills.  (Funny how I had the skills all along.) Now, I've never had a bad review and the user community I support (all the core financials, GL, AP, Purchasing, etc.) loves me.  So it seems that my management wants someone who have the skill set of my Oracle contractors (who make $50K more than I do and won't take the salary cut) plus have the interpersonal/ manager skills to be the lead.  Frankly, I have more technical skills than the people who actually hold lead positions in my area.  AND the little PC girlie I mentioned before?  She's been given twice the technical training - on the company dime - that I have.  And I'm a regular employee, she's a contractor.  I've begged for extra training.

Anyhow, my paycheck is suddenly being shorted $500 a month.  At a time when things were really, really short to begin with.

And then my boss asked me if I would mind continuing doing the job without the pay. 

And of course my response was an emphatic NO.  Those folks have brass balls.

I told my boss I was leaving for the day to work on my resume.  I cried all the way home.

After I got home, the middle school called me to tell me that Moe had gotten into a fight and would be receiving in-school suspension for two days.

And then we discovered the problem with our dog Abby. 

We've had Abby for over 2 years.  She was full grown when we got her from her prior owner.  The vet checked her out, saying she was in fine health and had been spayed.  She's sweet and very good natured, a smart dog.  She's a golden retriever/chow mix.

At supper time we discovered that Abby had given birth to four puppies that look suspiciously like the white pit bull up the street.  Damn.  All I can see is money being spent.  Shots, puppy food, spaying, etc.

Abby's a good mom and is very protective of the puppies.  She's an outside dog, but we've brought her and the pups into the basement.  Of course, the Stooges are delighted about puppies.

They weren't so happy when I told them about the money situation and how it will impact Christmas.  I'm still employed, but this is a real bite.  And this economy is so bad right now.....

We'll manage.  We always do.

Rain update

Thanks so much for the concern and warm thought that came my way after my last post. We are fine here, just going a bit stir crazy at the moment. For us, this is an inconvienence, not a tragedy. I've been through much worse! But it's going to be a while before I can get into work. Our county alone has 150 road closings. Tons more throughout metro Atlanta.

Here are some pictures.

Above is an aerial view I-20, still closed. See the diagonal line in the water across the lower left corner of the picture? That's where the water is rushing over the median wall, going from westbound side to the eastbound side of the interstate. All lanes are under several feet of water that is rushing fast - that's waves up under the sign. I'm concerned that the road bed is washed out.

This is I-20 looking west at the Chattahoochee River. Six Flags over Atlanta is on your left. As you can see, the roller coasters are under water. More pictures are here (if you can get it to come up).

I'm home, trying not to kill the kids. And let me tell you, some of them need a killin'!

(I just checked - as I wrote this, TPTB opened I-20! So I can escape the kids tomorrow!)