1989 - Mahomet, IL, to Champaign, IL
1992 - Champaign, IL, to Urbana, IL
1994 - Urbana, IL, to Urbana, IL (yep, you read it correctly)
1994 - Urbana, IL, to De Soto, IL
1997 - De Soto, IL, to Streator, IL
1998 - Streator, IL, to Urbana, IL
2000 - Urbana, IL, to Bloomington, IL
2003 - Bloomington, IL, to Tolono, IL
2008 - Tolono, IL, to Urbana, IL
2010 - Urbana, IL, to Lincoln, NE
10 moves in 20 years.
*cough*
Do we need any more proof that I am nuttier than a Baby Ruth bar?
Nope, didn't think so.
! Selling the lawn mower via Craigslist today.! Buying new pots and pans...with the BBB gift card I received last week. So it's like they were free.! The company of good friends while packing.! Musical soundtracks! Ice-cold diet Pepsi! Central air-conditioningThe countdown has officially begun - one week from tonight, I will sleep in my new hometown!!
This Friday is my last day of employment. There was a small pizza party for me last week but I am told that I will be feted again with bagels on Friday morning. Because nothing says "party" like bagels and cream cheese. Oh, and I'm told there will be a gift.
For some reason, Jean Jean the Office Queen felt compelled to tell me that the donations for my gift have been generous. Surprisingly so in two cases, she said. So of course I tried to guess who. I did guess one of the people...which the Office Queen revealed to me by the flash of panic/surprise/recognition in her eyes. I told her she probably shouldn't take up poker.
Last night, Mary Alice was driving us to the Salvation Army Thrift Store for cheap blankets ($15 for 4 blankets - I figure I only need 12 more to have enough for the move *sigh*) and I was telling her about my conversation with the Office Queen. Chattering away, I turned to glance at her and gasped. Because
SHE KNEW SOMETHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
From the cat-who-ate-the-canary look on her face, I knew instantly that Mary Alice was in on it.
Which meant that the Office Queen had been in contact with her.
Without my knowledge.
Unbeknownst to me. (Unbeknownst...a word that just doesn't get used enough.)
Behind my back.
Now, Mary Alice and the Office Queen have met a number of times but they are really just acquaintances. The realization that they were communicating without going through me blew my mind.
Once that information had settled enough that I could breathe again, I pushed. I probed. I interrogated. I weaseled. I wangled. I charmed. I pumped Mary Alice for information with everything I had.
Mary Alice was a rock. She admitted only that there has been communication with the OQ but wouldn't give anything more. Nothing. Not even a crumb.
Because she knows I love surprises. I have been twisting this around in my head all morning. What could it be? WHAT could it BE?? I will enjoy thinking about this until the moment the gift is put into my hands. And Mary Alice knows that makes it all the sweeter for me.
I love that girl.
"Life has to be a little nuts sometimes.
Otherwise it's just a bunch of Thursdays strung together." -- Rumor Has It
It's another one of those days when I have to fight to remember that my glass is more than half full. So, digging deep to find 5 things that bring me happiness:a good hair daya beautiful, hot, sunny summer dayP!nkmy sister's dog, Mocha, who LOVES me - is there a sweeter balm for the soul than a dog's silent adoration?my newest nickname, Auntie Pip, coined by my favorite (ok, only) nephew
deep breath
I have been putting off writing about the latest development with Himself because I am still trying to come to terms with it.
In fact, I still can't bring myself to tell you exactly what happened. All I will say is that Himself made some choices that now make it impossible for us to be anything more than friends. He didn't do anything illegal or abusive but his actions have permanently changed our relationship.
It’s three weeks before my move to Lincoln and instead of just obsessing about how much packing I have to do and whether all the pieces of the moving puzzle will fall right into place when they are supposed to be there, and instead of happy dancing around in anticipation and excitement…I am either walking around in an emotionless fog or spontaneously breaking into tears at the drop of, well, nothing.
I am still moving to Lincoln. I have said all along that I had no idea if/how things would work out with Himself. I want to go to UNL and get my degree in event planning. Now I know that the other half of my dream is dead – I know how things (didn’t) work out with Himself. Now I will turn my focus completely to my education and professional goals.
Himself doesn't think anything needs to change between us, but I have set up clear boundaries with him: We can only be friends. Himself said he will respect my boundaries and I know he will. In the moments when I am completely honest with myself, I know that I can’t maintain a “just friends” relationship with him. I love him too much for that. I think I am waiting until I have the chance to say goodbye in person. I want that. I deserve that.
But I will say goodbye. When I am ready. And that will be MY time, not yours, not my sisters’, not Himself’s. MY time. And anybody who doesn’t agree with my timeline can piss off.
So, there it is. I believe Himself has always been honest with me and that he has made some seriously stupid choices…but maybe I am a naïve fool. I don’t know. Honestly, I don’t care. The situation is what it is and I am reacting to it in a way that is true to myself.
Dear Coworkers:
I like parts of all of you. But as a whole, singly and collectively, you irritate the living shit out of me to no end. Here are a few reasons why:
I do not care about the goings-on in your bowels/intestines. All I need to know is that you are not feeling well. Frankly, I don't even care about that unless you are not going to show up for work.
70 degrees is not an acceptable ambient temperature for office workers. It's July 1st - I should not have to wear a sweater to keep from shivering. I do not like being reduced to stealthy hops to the thermostat while you are in the ladies' room but that won't stop me from doing it.
I am weary of the New Age-y piano Musak you evidently need to make it through the day. It is like Chinese water torture to me - plink...plink...plink... Our office should be a democracy, not a dictatorship.
Yes, esteemed upper-middle-aged and senior citizen male professors, there are women who work here. Women whose positions are seen by many as subordinate to your own (even though the people who really get it know that secretaries rule the world). These women, however, are not your wives or mothers. They were not hired to make your coffee or to wash out your cups after you have consumed said coffee. Wash your own damn cup! (And I will refrain from outing you, Dr. R, the one who wipes his powdered-sugar covered fingers on the couch each Wednesday during Donut Hour. Apparently your actual mother never taught you that the world is not one big napkin.)
You may have noticed that we are in an economic slump. The current and looming effects of the slump are often manifested as a look of panic in the eyes of our erstwhile fearless leaders. We have all been asked to do whatever we can to reduce costs. So I ask you, why do you feel the need to turn on EVERY SINGLE LIGHT in the building? The conference room has not been used since last week but you diligently turn on all of the lights each morning. I am curious - is your own home visible from outer space?
It's true, I will be resigning my position in a few weeks. This grumpy missive notwithstanding, I have not yet succumbed to the dreaded short-timer's disease. I ask that you cease and desist attributing my don't give a shit professional demeanor to a sudden lack of concern for my job or the work we do here. My attitude is not any different today than it was 4 years ago. I didn't give a shit then, either have always comported myself professionally and will continue to do so until the last minute hour day week pay period minute I work here.
Ever so sincerely,
Violet
