Unemployment

...is a many-splendoured thing!! Last Saturday, I thought the worst thing in my life was that I had put Joel on the Greyhound back to Visalia after two month's worth of visiting. Tuesday afternoon, I discovered just how wrong I was. Apparently, my boss, for whom I have been working six months, randomly informed me (over the phone)that I was not quite meeting her needs in terms of support, not surprising considering she'd never really explained what those needs were. She went on to express that she understood that I missed Joel (!!!!! What kind of an employee does THAT make me if I moon around so much about missing him, which I wasn't doing?! I was no worse than any other time I haven't gotten enough sleep, am stressed out by my boss, and feeling cranky!!) and thought that perhaps I ought to take the rest of the day off to evaluate my priorities. Um, hello? Two days of grouchy productivity suddenly signal that my priorities are... what, out of line? To whom? Unfortunately, this was not the end of the lecture and I got to hear all about my failures, even after I had asked not to discuss it just then, as I was preparing to explode all over the office and dismember, well, not the dogs-I like the dogs-but perhaps a filing cabinet. I managed to hold my tongue... at least until she'd hung up and I'd called Mom. Then, the dogs left the office in a bit of a hurry when I began screaming. Loudly. Luckily for me, my mother understands and didn't take it personally.
New paragraph. I called several people, most of whom encouraged me to vamoose. I thought I could stick it out, until Thursday, when her behavior more than clearly communicated her loss of trust in me (for what, the money I hadn't stolen? Perhaps the books I'd been balancing with little or no training from her? Or maybe because... because... oh, for crying out loud, I don't know, it just made me stinking mad). I'm not going to work for someone who doesn't trust me, and so yesterday, I gave notice. I cannot tell you how unbelievably relieved I feel. I'm more relaxed than I've been for six months. A good sign? I believe so. Did I mention that my car blew up on Wednesday? And that apparently my apartment complex won't let my cousin, who is already living here, well, live here? And believe me, Wednesday and Thursday were not good days. At all. Not even a litte. Ask Joel. But Friday and today (my birthday, by the way), ah, words cannot express. Melodie made me crumpets for breakfast and between her, me, and Bri, we consumed nearly a dozen. My mom is getting a new car and selling me her old one... which means I need a new job. Soon.
In closing, I'm really, really, really sorry that nothing else has been posted in so long. Don't worry, my garden is doing well, excessively well in the case of the pumpkin. Oh wait, you guys haven't heard... ahhhh, well, that's another post. I leave you with this chorus (courtesy of Mel... a friend):
Unemployed, how I love to proclaim it
Unemployed as effective Friday
Unemployed I am free now from *boss's name*
I can dance and fling flowers all day!
Unemployed
Unemployed
No more screaming boss to ignore
Unemplooooooo-ooooooyed
Unemploooooooooooooooooooooo-oooooooooooooooyed
And yes it's effective Friday!!!!!

P.S. Is this long enough to prove I'm not dead?
*crackle crackle BOOOOOOM*

*furtive glance*

...and so I can't understand why everyone keeps saying it's been so long since I last posted when anyone can see that it's been in the last six months! Sorry guys, I've been moving into an apartment with my brother and getting adjusted to the job and, well, I just haven't had fast enough net access to be honest and I hate waiting for things to load. Don't worry, RatIck (oh, I think I like that one), I've bought some of my plants and now I'm just waiting to get moved in so I can concentrate on the little backyard that will soon be my Garden of Eden. I've decided that I'm going to have a vegetable garden so I can experiment with things like heirloom plants and different planting styles, and I'll just fling flowers around to brighten things up. Okay, I'm really soory, I have plenty of things to blog about, but I have to get back to work. Bye!

Just waiting on that diploma...

...which, apparently, I didn't need to get a good job. My current job was garnered from my secretary skills rather than my college education. A bit of angst before the news: I don't want to be a bookkeeper for the rest of my life... I don't think... I want to use my Spanish and Latin American Studies background and do good and travel and help people and travel and see things!!! Am I going to have a comfortable, mediocre life? Are my professors right and I should go to grad school? Argh!!! Where is my direction?!?!?! (How was that for negative and depressing...)

So, my professor emailed me and I got an A- in that Econ class, by the grace of God. This means I am happy, but will still not graduate with honors because I am .01 points away from a 3.79. .01 points!!!!!! And it's my own fault, too. Should have just taken out loans to begin with and I would have been done before now with a 3.9. Wow, I'm really feeling whiny today or something.

Some of you may have picked up on the vibe that I was/am thinking about moving to California. Well, when I got back last week my boss informed me that she intends to raise my pay to $15 an hour and when we get four more clients, she's going to give me medical insurance. Odds of my finding a job in CA that offers me anything remotely close? HA! So for now it looks like I'll be moving in with my brother and we'll just see how things develop. I wonder if the State Department's Latin American Division needs a secretary or a bookkeeper...

And finally, I have seed catalogs. Yes, you all know what this means. Soon, when I know where I'm going to live and all that, you will be receiving updates on the weather (by the way, it's been freezing cold and snowy here) and the state of my garden. The thrills never stop, I tell you what...

Diseased

For those of you (Mandy!!!!) who have noticed my lack of posting, I have but one word: mononucleosis. That's right, after managing to avoid that dreaded disease in high school when I was supposed to get it, I came down with it two days before that Aforementioned Day and didn't really move that much over the next week and a half... minus the road trip to Visalia that my parents hijacked (thank heavens!!) and which I spent vilely ill. Since the incubation period is 4-6 weeks, it looks like I contracted this lovely little number during my holiday visit in V., and in fact, Joel is supposed to find out today whether or not he has it, since he started having weird symptoms about the same time. *heavy, heavy sigh* Isn't my life supposed to be coming together right now, rather than falling apart?? On the plus side, I started a new job as a bookkeeper's assistant the Tuesday after I got sick, but my boss is being really cool about my hours being short for a bit as I try to avoid a relapse. This is harder than it sounds since I don't feel nearly as sick as I did, and I don't realize I've overdone it until it's too late. Ah well, such is life, I suppose, although I really hope that none of you EVER get this. *sighs again* Good life and good health to you all!

` nhbgmjyutnfryujhmn

The above is the noise my face makes as it hits the keyboard. I have been unbelievably ill for the last three days, with fever, swollen gland, stuffy nose, periods of utter and complete exhaustion, accelerated heart rate, the works. I had a recital for a friend yesterday and started sweating so badly that I thought I might drop my violin, but things turned out well and her mother even commented that on stage I didn't even look sick. Mum always did say I should have been an actress. So, CrazyLady, I'm afraid this is my cheesy apology for not emailing you sooner. I was going to do it this weekend but lacked the energy necessary to press that many keys.

I realize that some of you probably thought that this year I wasn't going to do a Valentine's Day tirade because my heart had been tenderly wounded by gentle Love's arrow, to which I reply "HA!" Valentine's Day still stinks and Joel and I have mutually decided not to celebrate it more than his calling me to sing his song "Valentine's Day is a Drag." Oh, I have a card for him and everything, but he's not going to get it until he's not expecting it. Once again, I would rather have my significant other SURPRISE me someday when I'm not expecting it rather than simply because he has to. V-Day should be about showing love to everyone, and not in some commercially-exploited manner either. Oh hey!! Why don't we declare Valentine's Day an official "Go Volunteer" Day?! I'm not hearing a very enthusiastic response out there... Oh well, I guess I'll just have to go back to bashing the day itself, and conveniently enough, someone else has done that for me here: http://msn.match.com/msn/article.aspx?articleid=5861&TrackingID=516311&BannerID=544657&menuid=6?GT1=7778
I totally concur with these points, minus the one about dating around. So there, Hallmark!! Have at thee, oh exploiter of singletons' feelings of loneliness and couples' indoctrination that romance must be scripted on a certain day!! Anyway, I have several other things to rave about and hopefully I won't keep you waiting too long.

PS Can anyone explain how to embed the hyperlink within the text? I tried and failed.

I'm DONE (the second middle)

And yesterday I turned in the final report for my Mexico internship, so, as fas as I know, I am done with my paperwork, minus my exit counseling for my loans. *sighs* And isn't it great having THOSE hanging over my head... Anyway, I think I'll go get myself some lunch. Hope you all have a good weekend!

I'm DONE (the middle)

Just so you all know, the econ stuff is all in. Now I just have to wait and see how awfully I performed on the tests, which does concern me quite a bit. Right now I'm finishing up the last of my final internship report which I'm turning in tomorrow. I'm also looking for work, either here or (fine, I'll admit it in public) in California. Life is just so stinking complicated once you have to start growing up!! I have to pack up all my stuff and I already have a garbage can full to get rid of, not to mention a bag plus of clothes to donate to Goodwill. And I'm barely even started yet. *sighs and covers eyes* You've all survived this, right? Right?!? Okay, enough whining, I need to get going, but thank you all for your support and I tell you that someday I will become interesting again.

Tolu, I PROMISE I will email you and I'm SO sorry I haven't yet. Please, please forgive me!!!