Category Archives: work

So What’s Up Doc?

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So What’s Up Doc?

So now that you know about the lost domain what else has been going on? There’s a 6 month gap from November 2021 to May 2022.  It seems only fair that I explain at least a little.

November 2021 to January 2022

This absence was work related. I tried again (twice) for a promotion at work. This makes 3 tries.  I was passed over again with really bogus excuses. I won’t say what I think of the hires but suffice it to say they are much younger than I. Neither hire has hit 40 yet and I clock in at 71.  I’ll let you draw your own conclusions. 

To add insult to injury not only was I passed over for the promotions but I was told that I won’t get any more raises unless I change positions since I’m “capped out” where I am. That creates an issue for me. How do I change position if you won’t give me the jobs I apply for? It also occurred to me that this was the first and only time in my long work history that I haven’t gotten  a position  I applied for easily. As for the job I’m in, I’ve won every award they have for my position.  I was depressed and angry. Since I make it a policy not to bad mouth my employer I wasn’t in much of a mood to write anything. 

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February 2022 – April 2022

In February I came down with a cold. I coughed and sneezed and wanted to sleep all the time. I was so wiped out I took a week off from work as vacation where the cats and I just snuggled and slept. When I finally got in to see the doctor she thought I had Covid. I had to argue. After all I was vaccinated and boosted. I was still having my groceries delivered and only went out when I absolutely had to. And then I had a mask. 

Balboa

Balboa

My doctor’s answer was you didn’t end up in the hospital so your vaccines did what they are supposed to.  But after that happy statement she went on to tell me she thought I had “Long Covid” and that it could be a year or more until I was symptom free. She is just full of good news. If I’m short  of breath walking across my living room at sea level, what will happen when I’m at 9600 ft in Colorado?

 

As if to add insult to injury I developed an abscess under a bridge. The dentist gave me an antibiotic. The pill was big enough to choke a horse but it’s a good thing she did because the root canal specialist can’t see me until May. Without that horse pill I’d have been in a lot of pain!

May 2022

During this hiatus from writing I did attempt to accomplish some things. Because I didn’t feel well the bathroom was a real point of pain. I never liked the wall paper. Not only was it ugly but it wasn’t even put up properly. The cats had started trying to pull it off the walls. So I decided it was time to bite the bullet and update/redecorate the bathroom. But that’s a story for another day! Stay tuned!

 

 

 

 

 

Dreaming about Retirement

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Dreaming about Retirement can Make it Real

So I’ve always been told that when you write down your dreams it gives them substance. It makes them real and possible. I’m a lot like the  Grasshopper in Aesop’s Fables.  I’ve worked hard but I played hard too. I haven’t planned ahead. I always figured there’d be more time. I’ve had a lot of fun but now when I think about retirement I don’t think I’m ready. So I’ve been dreaming and putting together a 5 year plan in my head. It’s time to put it in writing.  Make it real!

The 5 Year Plan

The first thing I need to do is develop a source of income. It doesn’t need to be a lot, just a bit to supplement  my social security so I don’t have to raid my savings account. And I do plan to keep on traveling. I’m thinking a e-commerce site maybe using my photos as a base. The downside is that everyone is a photographer these days with cell phones and all so I need a twist.  I’m looking into cards, puzzles as well as photos. I like the puzzles but to make them affordable I will need to make them, not farm them out and for that I need a work space. Which brings me to where I would live.

Location Location Location

I currently live in a condo. It’s convenient but small. If I want to have room to work I will need more space. Plus I have arthritis in my knees so getting up and down the stairs on laundry day is getting hard.  So in a couple of years I’ll update the condo, fresh paint, new rugs etc and put it on the market. Hopefully I will make enough from the sale to purchase another place. I don’t really care what state I’m in as long as it’s affordable. I’d like to stay in New England but property values may make that impossible. This little project will have to evolve as time goes on.  I see a cottage/cabin/ranch- one level. A small home with one bedroom and a work space. There needs to be a washer/dryer hookup and I’d like a fireplace.

Maybe a log cabin? Or a Manufactured home? 

Amenities

Simple needs. I would want high speed, reliable internet, cell phone service and some type of TV. Sounds simple but I might end up very rural to make it affordable and those perks may not be as easy to come by. 

So anyone who has been through this, I’d love to hear from you. I’d really like suggestions for a side income. I think that’s the #1 priority. What do you think?

 

Working From Home

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So You Want a Work From Home Job?

I bet you thought a work from home job would be great. I bet you’ve even searched job sites to see what might be out there. No more long commute. No more getting dressed up.  In most cases it was customer service phone work or stuffing envelopes but now a pandemic has hit and whether you want to work from home or not, here you are. Is working from home as great as you thought it would be?

 

 

Not What You Expected

So your office is closed and you’re at home. You still have your tasks and skills but you also have your dog and cat and your 2.5 kids underfoot. Yes your children are home from school and not just in the afternoon. Schools are closed so they are home with you all day, everyday. Maybe you have a spouse that is willing to help out. But maybe your spouse is “essential personnel” so he/she is still getting out of the house for work and that leaves you all alone with your dog and cat and 2.5 kids. How’s that working for you?

What is your Coping Strategy?

In my state the liquor stores are still open. They are considered essential services. I guess someone in power knew the realities of working from home with children would push sane adults to the limit. It’s hard enough to entertain energetic young ones without trying to juggle your own work. Are you a one or two fisted drinker? 

I Used to Work from Home

 I didn’t have kids but I had a cat.  Every time we started a video meeting my cat had to climb onto my desk top and peer into my computer camera. Now instead of seeing cats and occasionally dogs interrupt meetings it’s children. Somehow children just don’t interrupt quite so quietly. 

I Feel Your Pain

So my parenting co-workers I don’t envy you at all. You finally have the chance to work from home but not in a peaceful, quiet, atmosphere. Your kids are the ones living the dream. No school! But just think of all the wonderful stories you’ll be able to tell your grandchildren! You may not have had to walk to school in a blizzard, up hill, both ways but you survived working from home with children and pets. 

 

 

 

Marvelous Marvin- Atlanta

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Marvelous Marvin has Arrived

Marvelous Marvin arrived on my doorstep earlier than expected. He actually made it in time to go to Atlanta, GA with me. He must have galloped across Alaska’s Tundra to make it to the post office in time.Moose scrambles up the bankHis ETA was Friday 1/10 but on Tuesday 1/7 my doorbell rang and there he was. He didn’t even have time to say hello to cousin Merle before I had him packed away for Atlanta.

Marvin at the Marriott

We were staying at the Marriott Marquis. What a huge hotel! But even with 20+ floors not all of the attendees could be accommodated . We had folks in the OMNI Hotel at the CNN Center, the Sheraton, The Hyatt Regency and The Westin Peachtree Plaza. As you can see this was a very big deal. Our closing dinner and Party was so huge it had to be held in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium!

The Atmosphere was Electric

This was my 5th Redferno (that’s the name of the annual convention) and Marvin’s first. The energy was vibrating like it was about to explode. So many people that all embraced the same corporate culture here in one place, together, to celebrate our success and get a peek at the future. Music blared from every meeting room. The joint (as they say)was rockin’ . People were cheering. Its like being dropped into the middle of an Amway convention. It can be quite a culture shock. It was for me the first time I came. I was interested to see how my team mates would feel about a moose in their midst.

Marvin at Thrive

I chose to introduce Marvin at a smaller venue. Our Boston Market dinner was Wednesday evening at a restaurant called Thrive. I was more comfortable introducing Marvin to just my team before any of the other teams found out about my stowaway. Marvin immediately charmed everyone. Of course Marvin couldn’t go to the meetings but he would be able to join us again for the really big send off party on Friday.

Resolutions Anyone?

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Resolutions or no?

Are you big on making New Years Resolutions or do you just say no? Personally I don’t think I pay much attention to an annual To Do List that I’m probably going to blow off in the first 2 weeks anyway.  Doesn’t everyone plan to lose weight? How many times is that going to be on your list? But I do think taking stock of your life and where its going is a good idea. Seems to me quarterly would be better than annually but maybe I just need to do it more often to stay on track.  Here’s a few of the things I am working on for 2020. I’m not sure of they are resolutions , goals or just wishful thinking.

Work Resolutions

Work is a big part of my life so I’m starting there. Work has been pretty scary in 2019 so I am anxious to take more control. There have been a lot of changes and more to come in the near future. Like I said, scary. Will my boss be the same? Will I need to change roles or apply for another position? Will I end up working for someone I don’t respect or trust? With all the reorganization anything is possible. So to combat my feelings about all this upheaval I  want to be better organized. I want to be pro-active. If I am aware of a problem then I want to take steps to correct it. I want to develop a training program, not just wing it. I want to standardize procedure so everyone knows what to do. I want to lead a strong and united team. 

Health Resolutions

My hip replacement was a 100% success. My doctor has given me 2 thumbs up but now I need to worry about my knee.  X-rays show that the pain I have going up and down stairs is real, not a figment of my imagination. It shows degeneration to the point of bone on bone.  You guessed it, I need a complete knee replacement. Pretty soon I’ll be the bionic woman. My doctor says we may be able to delay the surgery with cortisone shots and exercise. He suggested PT again. But tops on his list before he’ll do the surgery is weight loss. I’m trying. I’ve been working diligently on that since July but it’s 2 lbs off 1.5 lbs back on. Not much progress. I guess I’ll have to make more of an effort in 2020.

Fun & Hobby Resolutions

I haven’t been a very fun person in 2019. I got quite lazy during my hip recovery. I put travel on the back burner and did absolutely no weekend adventures. As a result I didn’t take many pictures and didn’t have much to say here. So aroundustyroads suffered and so did my companion blogs, dustyroadsphotos.zenfolio.com and dustyroadsphotos.com . I will try to make a better effort in 2020. More adventures= more posts. 

Friends  & Family Resolutions

As any member of my family and many of my friends will tell you, I’m not a warm fuzzy sort. I forget birthdays and anniversaries. I didn’t send my Christmas cards last year or this year. I don’t go visit anyone. I’m always busy, busy , busy. But I hope they know that I love them all and worry behind the scenes about the trials they face. I should show them more often that I do care what’s going on in their life and if I can help at all I want to.  There have been so many losses both in my family and in my friend’s that we …I….need to cherish those that are still with with us. Life is too short not to. 

So What about you?

So now that I’ve shared my thoughts, fears and aspirations for 2020 what about you? Will you take time for any self reflection?