Three words.

Cold. Tired. Grumpy.





I need coffee. I'll give it another few minutes, and then I'll make some myself if I have to.

Update: It is now 4 pm. I never got myself coffee and my hands have been cold all freaking day. Why are we running the a/c? My body is achey and I'm working on a small headache. At least I got some work done today. Not that I really felt like it...

Ghost in the machine

The following videos demonstrate the vicious antagonism exhibited by my cat towards the Canon printer I have. She seems to think it is posessed by demons. She'll stand on the top of the desk and poke her head into the paper output every time we go to print something. She hasn't attempted to destroy the machine yet, but I think it may be because she's waiting to develop fully opposable thumbs.

A change will do some good

I had this ranty post all typed up in a flurry of angst and fury this morning and something told me to just put it in draft and walk away for a minute. I'm calmer now, but full of anxiety. In my fit of fury I did two things: First, I vented to my boss about something that's been a problem for a while (namely, the supervisors not knowing their own accounts and relying on me to supply the information for them, which means that on more than on occassion that I may have processed something through the "wrong" account because I was relying on my best judgement and I'm not a damn mind reader), and second, I inquired about my pending move upstairs, and I was told I would be moving at the same time the new business manager would be starting. She accepted the position, and starts in January, so I had an "Oh crap" moment where I saw that looming in front of me. I've been expecting it, but now it seems like more of a reality instead of a hypothetical, and I'm not as prepared as I should be.

So the fiscal manager and I have a meeting next week to draft a job description, finalize roles, and determine what detritus of my time down here I get to drag upstairs with me. I have a lot to do between now and then...

The timing is good, though. I've been getting more easily frustrated lately at my coworkers (some of them have been giving me static for a while, and are surprised that they're now getting it back in spades) and my boss has been mildly sympathetic so far, but it's time to move on so that I can learn some new things and do something more worthwhile with my time. Since I'll be upstairs in the shark tank, I'll have to watch my back, of course, but I'll be closer to some of the people I've developed a "network" with (as the boss likes to call it). I'll walk softly and carry a bang-stick.

I don't know whether they'll supply the computer, or if I'm going to be able to take the one I have now, so I'll have to back up my files just in case. I've already been asked by the people I'll be sharing the suite with to pick out which little office I want (yes, I'll get another office with a door...I'm spoiled now), because they've known longer than anyone else that this was being planned. I may not get the office I chose, but I'll be too busy to mind - and as long as it has a door plus four walls and a ceiling, that's all I ask. I couldn't give a darn about a window - I don't need some creepy squirrel peeping in at me or having to witness the reproductive habits of pigeons while I'm trying to work, anyway.

I haven't decided on a decor theme for my space - I'm not carrying over the theme I started down here, since it'll feel too much like I never changed locations, and it's kind of a half-a$$ed attempt anyway. I'm open to ideas! I was thinking "retro" everything, but I'm not sold on that idea yet...it just gives me an excuse to go to the flea market.

Speaking of change. My husband was told yesterday that because of the holiday, hours were being cut back at his second job. He was told he doesn't need to come in until after Christmas. So I'll have him around on the weekends all this month, which hasn't been the case for about three years. It's a weird concept for us to wrap our brains around, and I'm pretty sure that by the end of the month he'll be out of his mind with boredom and I'll be desperate to get him out of my hair, but we're going to try and make the most of it and spend some time together.

We took the little guy to visit Santa at the mall last night. It was a surprise, and when it came time to go and talk to the big guy, the poor kid was nervous. It took a little coaxing to get him over to Santa, but he was able to ask for everything on his list, and Santa was a pro - he said all the right things and reminded my son that he and the elves would do their best to fufill his holiday wishes, but couldn't make any promises. Then we hung out with an old friend of my husband's who is a manager at Macy's and who he'd fallen out of touch with a little. It was cool to reconnect and now they have plans this weekend to hang out and catch up.

Buyer's remorse

We got our Christmas tree from the local big-box hardware store last night. We considered getting another artificial tree, but they were a little on the pricey side, so maybe in a couple of years - when my son's excitement over selecting and installing a live tree has lessened. I let the boys pick the tree this year, so we ended up with a different kind of pine than usual, and a much taller tree. I'm partial to fraser fir, because of the smaller size and sturdy branches. The downsides to a fraser are that the needles are very sharp and the trees have a lot of sap, which gets everywhere when you're getting the tree decorated. Well, last night after dinner we get the tree out of the truck and haul it into the house. I'd pointed out to my husband that the trunk was curved when he was having the chosen tree bundled for transport, but he figured that it was just the very base, and it wouldn't be a big deal when the tree was in the stand. Wouldn't you know it - the WHOLE trunk of that tree is at an angle. We reset the tree in the base three times, and still couldn't get it to not have a lean. We ended up putting the tree in the stand a little off kilter, becaus what would in any other tree be straight judging by the poisiton of the trunk in the stand meant that ours was leaning at a precarious angle. Even now, set up and decorated, the tree has a little bit of a lurch. We've decided that it gives the tree character.

Manners matter!

There is a young "lady" here to see one of the supervisors. I say "lady" because of the way she is splayed out on the chair in the reception area, with her leg over the arm of the chair and her other leg, clad in a dingy flip-flop, tucked up under her on the seat of the chair. Sweetness, this is not your bedroom. You (and the rest of your posse who have already displayed considerably questionable judgement and behavior) are here for a meeting, not to daydream about which of the Jonas Brothers is your secret boyfriend. You might want to act more appropriately. As in - like the grown up you're supposed to be.

The word on the street is that over the weekend there was an incident at the library that's adjacent to my building. This incident apparently involved two individuals supposedly "gettin' it on" in one of the quiet rooms. The only room that *just happens* to not be fully enclosed by glass. I guess the hallowed stacks of higher learning just do it for some people? Sometimes this place can be so full of surprises...and a high "ick factor", too.