Kevin's Watch

You're a good mum, Ali.

I'm not feeling this week or for that matter, the rest of this month. My boss is apparently gone for a month. I don't know how I feel about his (temporary?) replacement. I don't like not knowing what's going on. Meanwhile, I have 3 weeks to prepare for the annual inventory, full responsibility for the accuracy of said inventory, coworkers who break things faster than I can fix them, and a new boss who is a complete unknown.

In unrelated news, I finally have all the paperwork I need to do my taxes. I could do my taxes right now.

Yeah, they're going to wait until the weekend.

Put in for leave with the new boss.

Anyway, all mostly good, just tired. Uncle out of the hospital for what it's worth, not sure yet if that is good news or not.

Feels like we're suddenly very quiet. Where the hell is everybody?

--A

Sorus wrote:I was good at math as a kid, though I was never encouraged. Teachers taught rote memorization - math was seen as necessary, but not as something enjoyable. It occurs to me that I never had a teacher that liked math. I'm not sure I ever had a teacher that liked teaching.

It's a sad story.
Never having one teacher that liked teaching. Arggh.

Do ya have any friends around you who teach now, as an adult?
I have a friend who recently started teaching in the public schools fairly long-term, and I am in awe of how he pours out his heart in hard work to make things (kinda) work for his students.

Sorus wrote:Liking what you do - whatever that may be - is important. That's an understatement. There will be not-so-great days - that's inevitable - but there's no reason the elation should wane. And as long as you're enthusiastic about the subject, that enthusiasm will be contagious.

I don't know; I think the elation will wane because we humans get used to stuff, until it no longer seems remarkable. Who knows how this'll go?

But for now... Yay! And the enthusiasm doesn't all -just- rest on me... my students (just 4 of 'em) are there semi-voluntarily & bring their own enthusiasm.
And we get to do genuinely-interesting problems...

Aliantha,
Moving adventures... well, your decision of a bigger place for all 3 of you sounds like sheer sanity.
You gonna do Camp Nanowrimo?

Av wrote:Put in for leave with the new boss.

Sounds good, except for:

Sorus wrote:Meanwhile, I have 3 weeks to prepare for the annual inventory, full responsibility for the accuracy of said inventory, coworkers who break things faster than I can fix them...

And Av, yeah, sure, lotsa people have been afk a bunch I guess...
So whatcha gonna do about encouraging conversation here, huh, huh?

Avatar wrote:Put in for leave with the new boss.

That was, unsurprisingly, my first thought. Not sure how viable it is - he's just a temp from another location, and I don't know how much authority he has over such things. Also, not sure how long he's staying. Have heard 'a month'. The next three weeks will be about the busiest time of the year for me. After that would be an ideal time for a holiday, insofar as such a thing exists in the realm of not causing inconvenience. If he approves leave that doesn't start until after he's gone, will it be honored? Technically, yes. Untechnically, which is apparently not a word, no. I've had two vacations approved in the last six months, both of which I was forced to cancel. The unpleasantness surrounding the second time makes me very hesitant to ask a third time.

Why does this have to be so absurdly complicated? There is absolutely no reason for it.

Avatar wrote:Anyway, all mostly good, just tired. Uncle out of the hospital for what it's worth, not sure yet if that is good news or not.

Feels like we're suddenly very quiet. Where the hell is everybody?

--A

I hope it's good news. And yes, it is quiet. Where is Sarge? Where's Io? Where's everyone?

Change of season?

So...apply for all your leave to go into effect immediately after the 3 weeks. Demand they honour it in line with whatever regulations / policies / laws apply.

Find a new job while on leave, and resign immediately on returning.

Failing that, sell everything and come to Africa. Your currency is worth a lot, and you can find a job here.

--A

Avatar wrote:...sell everything and come to Africa. Your currency is worth a lot, and you can find a job here.

--A

"Director Donner won't like it, Yogi..."

Still, the unpleasantness of the last cancellation was under the old administration. Do try to leverage the new guy with a simple presentation of how long it has been since you had some holiday, how each of your last few requests have been blocked, and that simple equity calls for you to be granted this request for holiday

I had the most excellent coincidence the other day.

For the past month or so it has been bitterly cold and when I go shopping in the local market place there is a stall that sells the cosiest looking women's knee length stockings. I have actually been tempted to buy some, but heck, their women's stockings! I simply couldn't pluck up the courage to wear them.

So this week I'm in the market place and I bump into a bloke I've not seen for a while and we're chatting and catching up. I ask him where he was off to - he tells me he is here to buy socks. I mean right here, where we were standing. So he buys a bundle of socks. It is then I notice that the stall also sells men's knee length stockings. Absolutely amazing.

I'm now a happy camper and the proud owner of cosy men's knee length Argyll stockings.

Nice work, Rune! And hi, btw.

So I am pretty sure we have the new apartment, but it's not final-final yet. Still need to get the credit check done and stuff. Then we'll need to dicker with the office over moving day -- there's going to have to be at least a day of overlap so we can get our stuff out of our current place into the new one. And we need to get MagickMaker's stuff here from her present living space, and empty out the storage unit while we've got the truck, and...

And I need to buy boxes. It's gonna be a long month...

Moving sucks. Moving such a short distance is almost worse.

--A

Avatar wrote:Moving sucks. Moving such a short distance is almost worse.

--A

Agreed.

Rune wrote:I'm now a happy camper and the proud owner of cosy men's knee length Argyll stockings.

Congratulations. Now watch out for squirrels.

The convo some frames back was about being happy at what you do... Just what Stag of the Dawn and I were talking about today. He was actually talking like, "If we move back to America" and I'm like, wait, wuut? Why are you talking about this? He and I are both in the same place, we love what we do but there is way too much horse droppings to go along with it. If I could just be a teacher and not have to deal with grownups in my job it would be great. He spends literally about a day and a half a week just fixing broken things so he can do stuff. But I have never heard him initiate a conversation about other options.

Later, we went and looked at a building to rent or maybe buy. He needs more office space and our house is literally falling apart. We have lived here ten years and love it, but are ready to move to a location more suited to our life now. The building was a 3 storey with offices on the bottom and two flats. It was weird to think about renting a building, not a house or apartment or even an office. It would solve a lot of what stresses both of us out and help us move forward with some other things we want.

deer of the dawn wrote:The convo some frames back was about being happy at what you do... Just what Stag of the Dawn and I were talking about today. He was actually talking like, "If we move back to America" and I'm like, wait, wuut? Why are you talking about this? He and I are both in the same place, we love what we do but there is way too much horse droppings to go along with it. If I could just be a teacher and not have to deal with grownups in my job it would be great. He spends literally about a day and a half a week just fixing broken things so he can do stuff. But I have never heard him initiate a conversation about other options.

So. Frustrating.
(you know i hope you guys stay. but we both know y'all are the ones enduring it.)

deer of the dawn wrote:Later, we went and looked at a building to rent or maybe buy. He needs more office space and our house is literally falling apart.

deer wrote:We have lived here ten years and love it, but are ready to move to a location more suited to our life now. The building was a 3 storey with offices on the bottom and two flats. It was weird to think about renting a building, not a house or apartment or even an office. It would solve a lot of what stresses both of us out and help us move forward with some other things we want.

That sounds like it would be cool - especially if it fixes a lot of the stuff that is crazy and stressful.

Life seems exasperating over here right now. Four things went wrong yesterday: I went to two doctors & didn't get to see either one, car broke down, internet down, and John being sick. (he's a good bit better now..)
I'm super-frustrated about a situation one of my students has to deal with, but I'm not gonna go into all the frustrating details. :-/
Need to be really patient.

Yeah, it does sound cool. If you buy it, you could knock the flats into one residence. Or you could rent the other one out.

Not a bad weekend, busy Saturday but I made up for it by doing nothing but play games all Sunday. (Perhaps slightly to the GF's annoyance, to be honest. )

It's Monday of course, but I find the sting is largely removed by the fact that this is my last week of work before I take the holiday I so badly need.

I intend to be madly productive this week.

--A

Let us know how you get on with all that alleged productivity, Av.

So the adventure of the new apartment continues. The assistant office manager called me yesterday, all concerned, asking whether we still wanted the 2BR because he didn't have a completed application from any of us yet and thank goodness no one had grabbed the unit we wanted over the weekend. So I told him that I'd called last week because there was a problem with the online application portal and *they* were supposed to let *me* know when it was fixed, which they never had. He immediately sent me a pdf of the application, which I immediately filled out and sent back to him. Last night the girls filled out their apps, and I dropped hard copies of all three at the front desk this morning.

So I guess we have the apartment. Although they still have to run the credit check and whatnot. If he loses those paper copies, I will be seriously annoyed...

I'm not looking forward to moving, believe me. I've ordered a convertible dolly so we can move the bigger pieces of furniture more easily. And at least the building has an elevator...

Do you have some of these?



There are different brands, but those are the ones I used back when I did merchandising for Borders, which involved a lot of moving bookcases and whatnot. They're about the best invention since sliced bread. (Not as good toasted, though.)

aliantha wrote:Let us know how you get on with all that alleged productivity, Av.

Very well so far thank you. (Mostly.)

All I have left that has to be done is set up an application form for a new vacancy, put up a job ad, and write some content for our new site.

And I still have 2 and a half days to do it all. Of course, numerous minor crises and interruptions will no doubt crop up.

--A

No doubt.

Sorus wrote:Do you have some of these?



There are different brands, but those are the ones I used back when I did merchandising for Borders, which involved a lot of moving bookcases and whatnot. They're about the best invention since sliced bread. (Not as good toasted, though.)

Hunh. Do they work on carpet? Like standard apartment-issue carpet? I was figuring we'd upend the big furniture onto the flatbed dolly, but would be useful, too.

Oh! Linna, you asked me about Camp NaNoWriMo. I do need to write another book (final-final in this series, *finally*) but I'm not sure next month will be the best time to do it. We'll be unpacking at the start of the month, and then toward the end I'm taking vacation. So I may "camp" in May instead...

Hello, Io here, remember me? It's some time since I visited the Watch but contact from Cord Hurn today tempted me back again.

I seem to have lost interest in a lot of things since September when my head went ping. No impetus to do much on the computer, and I've just about kept up with what has to be done, voluntary and unpaid but there are people relying on me so I have to do it. Must buck up and kick start myself again.

The group I accompany had its first rehearsal last night since I was in hospital. I hadn't touched the piano since then and was a bit rusty at first but it gradually came back and I enjoyed the evening very much in the end. Trouble is I get so tired now, and I'm so scared my head will ping again that as soon as I get anywhere near tired I stop what I'm doing and rest. I've never spent so much time in an armchair than I have over the past few months.

I do hope that there will be something to visit ABQ for in October. My daughter has holiday booked and I have the papers to renew my passport. I wouldn't come on my own again so offered her an expenses paid holiday in America which she jumped at. It will be good to spend some quality time with her, and of course to see all my Watch friends again.

I'll try to get here more often.

Oh, discovered that the lad who does my gas boiler is a big SRD fan! I told him about the Watch, and he didn't know about the 3rd Chronicles although he has now bought them and is reading them.

Forgot to say, I'm on the list for keyhole surgery to have my gall bladder removed. A big relief that will be when it's gone. Should be some time in the next 16 weeks.

Io!

You've been dealing with a lot of junk lately, so you're entitled to as much time in that armchair as you want.

We'll work out October -- don't worry.

Iolanthe wrote:Hello, Io here, remember me? It's some time since I visited the Watch but contact from Cord Hurn today tempted me back again.

Go, Hurn!

Io wrote:I seem to have lost interest in a lot of things since September when my head went ping...
...Trouble is I get so tired now, and I'm so scared my head will ping again that as soon as I get anywhere near tired I stop what I'm doing and rest. I've never spent so much time in an armchair than I have over the past few months.

Being that scared of over-tiring yourself would stink.
I second what ali said about armchair time for you, though!

Io wrote:I do hope that there will be something to visit ABQ for in October. My daughter has holiday booked and I have the papers to renew my passport. I wouldn't come on my own again so offered her an expenses paid holiday in America which she jumped at. It will be good to spend some quality time with her, and of course to see all my Watch friends again.

That sounds neat!

Io wrote:Oh, discovered that the lad who does my gas boiler is a big SRD fan! I told him about the Watch, and he didn't know about the 3rd Chronicles although he has now bought them and is reading them.

Hehe, fun stuff!
I had an experience like that where someone I'd known for awhile had familiarity with some SRD!

Well, I'm having a slightly frantic-feeling day... my kids are bein' spazzy...