Saturday, August 27, 2005

Touchdown San Francisco!

Wahoo - left my boss and coworkers behind for world's cutest almost 4-year old and she was so happy to see me, she unbuckled her carseat and did a little dance in the backseat! Man, is she adorable!

So I am at home (close enough) and happy to be here. My belly is full with a home-cooked meal and I am ready for sleep...but first, I must allow Maggie to pick out my PJs for the evening and a book or two for me to read to her. Then the sleep will come in a nice cozy bed in a temperate climate (did I mention it's 50 degrees here...AHHHH).

Not sure I will have time to write the next couple of days, but I will do my best for a longer post sometime during the week, folks!

Thanks for being patient!

What Day is It, Anyway?

Okay, I think I am losing my mind. I have no idea what day or time it is, just that we are getting on a plane in a few hours...I think.

So I get a couple hours to sleep (man I hope I can) and then we are going to have dinner and then head for the airport. After a 16-hour flight (I think), I will be in San Francisco and world's most fabulous niece will meet me at the airport...honestly, that's all that matters right now!!

Shopping - what a trip. For $161 US, I left with 3, super nice, strands of pearls. One for my mom for Christmas...SHHHHHH, and the other two for me. Now, this was after I spent 45 minutes helping my boss pick out pearls for this new girlfriend that he won't cop to...MEN!

Anyway, most of the conversations were him asking me how I knew what was good and what wasn't - c'mon, man...I'm a chick! We are raised this way (some of us are, anyway). It was comical and I think I may lord it over him for a while. Then, I had to help him pick out "sparkly shoes" (they are beaded slippers) for a coworker and again, the man was lost. I just hope Jen likes what I picked out!

Then we did the sleazy thing - we met a guy in a parking garage and looked through his pirated DVDs...and they aren't worth a crap, but they are only $1 a piece...a waste of 30 minutes, if you ask me.

Anywho, I'm catching some Z's before dinner and the airport - not sure when I will have time to write again...not that these are even posted yet :)

Friday, August 26, 2005

Pearls Before Swine

I'm operating on no sleep and am about to embark on a shopping spree. We have the hook up for great pearls and I, for one, am going to take full advantage!

We are heading to a local mall to a friend of a friend who has a booth to sell her jewelry. Plus, I'm sure we will buy a pirated DVD or two on the trip...

I'll fill you in when I get back :)

Thursday, August 25, 2005

Are We Done Yet?

I am SO ready to go home (well, to SFO anyway).

Another rousing success today, but the sleep deprivation is killing me. I am still under the weather and ready for my own bed.

The big boss is gone, and so is my boss' positive attitude. I knew he couldn't hold out forever. I need a vacation from this trip!!!!

One work-night left and it promises to be a short one. Is it Saturday yet???

Wednesday, August 24, 2005

2 Call Centers Down...1 To Go

So last night was a success. Not only did the meetings go well, but I think I may have impressed the new grandboss of my abilities. Nice.

However, I am getting sick of all the fish. I am ready for a real meal and one free of fishy smells.

I have nothing in me tonight folks - sorry to say. I gotta get some sleep.

More tomorrow :)

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

A Trip to Wonderland?

Believe it or not, I am now back in Manila. After work, we headed to the airport (and frankly, saw a sight that has scarred me for life) and caught a plane back here for days 3, 4, & 5. This was an interesting journey as it was me, Clay, Kevin, my boss, his boss and 2 other VPs (Kyle and Scott). This trip was insane as no one was on their best behavior...how fun!

So let me explain the game that lead to this disturbing bus ride. Jessee (my co-worker) commented the last time we were here that he was looking forward to counting the pee-ers...Cebu is very rural and people (mostly men) often relieve themselves on the side of the roads. Jessee, being the odd duck that he is, likes to count these people for sport. Our boss kept telling Jessee that he would not see as many as 3, however women count as 2 points and anyone taking a dump (pardon my bluntness) would count as 3 points. Jessee insists he has seen a 3-pointer before, but I cannot imagine that to be true...

Well, I spoke too soon. We are driving along and Clay cries out "OH MY GOD" and burries his head in the carseat. Of course, we all turn. And there, leaving up against a tree...well, let your mind do the rest. 3 points! Like I said - SCARRED FOR LIFE!

Enough about bodily functions.

After we checked into the hotel in Makati, some of us were hungry so we went to the buffet at the restaurant called Circles. Well, they had just transitioned from breakfast to lunch, which was a thrill! So we dug in. The boys got alcohol and I stuck with Coke (it is hot enough in this country, I need no alcohol to raise my body temperature at all)!

Well, the madness began. So my boss, has recently stayed in a great mood, which we all have determined means he has a girlfriend. Not sure how that happened, but he has dropped many a hint concerning dates, cooking dinner for someone, etc. I have a theory that this woman works with us, but my team does not buy it one bit. I'm actually determined to confirm my suspicions on this sojourn.

After a scotch or two (including my giving him crap for mixing a single malt with water and ice), he drops her name. Huzzah! I knew it. Victory is mine. Now, while you may not think this is evidence, it isn't. However, after he said her name, Kyle looked right at me and winked - there was my proof! I'm not done, but I know I am on the right track.

After a few more drinks, I found myself falling asleep at the table and decided I should head to my room (where it should be close to 5 degrees by now) and catch some Z's. Apparently, I was not the only one who felt this way as quickly the other 4 followed me out...

So here I sit, awake, looking for something to lull me into sleep...maybe the iPod will do the trick.

Goodnight all!

Only the Goofy Must Rule

Day 2 in Cebu, Philippines and I got to spend it with my new Senior Veep. Can I just say, he is a crazy man. Trading barbs with his direct reports and making light of just about everything, was so entertaining...it didn't hurt that my boss was a butt of a few jokes. I can get used to this!

So there was a big celebration here this morning - a real live pig roast. Okay, well the pig was really roasted elsewhere, but they hacked up that puppy right outside.

The reps put together a video and did a dance all to celebrate an award they won (plus it didn't hurt that the bog bosses were in town)!

We are about to head for the airport and I have to power down. Later gators!

Monday, August 22, 2005

Just Another Day at the Beach

So day one has come and gone. It was a long day in the training room teaching the new kids how to do something new. It was nice to show up at the office and have my name on an office door all my own...I feel so special :)

It can be nerve-wracking to stand in front of a bunch of people and try to teach them - I never really thought I had the knack for it. But today was easy as tomorrow comes the harder part.

Tomorrow, the grand-boss arrives and I get to attend all-day, high-level meetings and try to show I am worth my salt. The guy seems cool, but I think this may be the TRUE test for me.

So far the boss has been cool. The tempers have stayed pretty even and I don't want to kill him yet, but stay tuned, folks!

Sleep is coming early tonight!

30 Hours to Anywhere

So after worlds longest trek - even moreso since I am dying from a sinus infection - scary, but it feels true - and I finally get to the hotel and they put me in a smoking room...I already have a hard enough time breathing.

So they moved me - thank god! After an exhausting trip and a couple of fevers, it's nice to have a comfy bed and air conditioning once again!

My trip was not that exciting except for a run-in with a flight attendant who just kept insisting on putting raw seafood in front of me...it took me 5 tries and then showing my Medic-Alert bracelet to get him to take it away. However, not before me told me not to be hostile! How rude! Life or death, man...

So it is time for sleep...my long week begins with me trying to sleep during the daylight. At least I slept for 10 hours on the plane. Thank goodness for iPods!

More to come...

Friday, August 12, 2005

Missing the Left Coast

I have been back in Georgia for 15 months and it is about that time that California starts to beckon me home...

Granted, I was pretty much raised in Georgia and all of my friends and half my family is here, but the most important part of my family today is in San Francisco. The main problem is that while I love it here for all it's quirks, I get a lot of benefits from being here - most of all, cost of living. So what is the draw to SFO, you ask?



This is what one would call the sweetest faces of all time! And they are calling to me day and night.

Here is my dilemma...first, these kids are my life...my family. I have discussed with my brother my need for involvement and he is toally on board (it doesn't hurt them to have a babysitter living nearby). What I think it really comes down to is figuring out what works best for me and for them. So there are a couple of choices:

1) Stay here and earn my sabbatical (261 days) and during my sabbatical, go stay in SFO and find a job to move me back out.

2) Stay with EarthLink and find a job in Pasadena (this puts me 4 hours away)

3) Scrap it all and go live like a bum on my brother's couch :)

We'll see. Nothing is going to happen today...or tomorrow. It's just active thoughts in my head. I get pictures and I start to think about how close Maggie and I are and a lot of that has to do with my being around so much early-on. Will doesn't have that I and sincerly hope that Maggie talks to him about me all the time!

Thursday, August 11, 2005

Decisions, Decisions

So this week has been dragging along quite annoyingly and this morning is no different. At least today I get my snazzy new brain (aka Treo 650).

My boss has been particularly rude and cruel and driving me up the fucking wall!

Luckily, yesterday was a short day at work as I had to run some errands to get prepared for the trip to the Philippines. Basically, going to my 2 doctors to get stocked up on my meds and get medical authorizations to carry needles on the planes. No big deal, but time consuming and $40 a pop!

Then, thank god for Vessi, I chopped off my hair! It was over 2 inches too long and I had had no time to get it cut. It was like an enormous weight had been lifted and I feel much better now...and hopefully look better too!

I did get to talk to my sweet Maggie last night when she called me and said she needed helping making Zucchini Boats (stuffed zucchini) and then explained that eventhough she would make them (and she described to me how to scoop out the seeds, spread them out (sauté) and then putting "stuffing" in them), she wouldn't eat the stuffing as it was spicy and meant she would need to drink even more milk than she does already!

Now I ask you, how can your day not improve after such a sweet phone call? It's not possible :)

So here I sit, exhausted with a killer headache, having too much work to do and no time to do it in, completely hating my job, but loving it all the same...and even though it seems that someone is throwing me a lifeline, I will most likely say thanks but no thanks as I have not yet begun to fight and am not really ready for big change.

Sorry to ramble and not make too much sense here...it's been a rough few months!

Monday, August 08, 2005

Nothing Like a Boring Weekend

Have I ever mentioned how much I detest the phone...ironic really since I work in call centers, but I did do my best to get off the phones rather quickly? I am, however, quite good on the phone, I just hate it. At least if I have to talk on the phone, let it be with someone I want to talk to :)

So this weekend was pretty dull and boring from the outside looking in, but I loved every minute of it. It was laundry, cooking, cleaning, stitching, watching movies and mindless TV and not having to be anywhere at any time...it was fabulous! The OLN is showing Survivor reruns and even though I think I have seen most episodes (okay, except for that crappy season or 2 in the middle), I am sucked right back in. It's much better storing up 8 episodes before you watch...fast forwarding over eating of disgusting creatures and naked Richard Hatch. It makes for a mindless weekend, for sure!

Then, there was an interruption...the phone. ARGH! So much for the silence. Now who would call and ruin my perfectly perfect weekend? An Ex, of course. So it's been enough months that the bad penny has decided to turn up yet again. Now actually, that isn't really fair. He is a really good guy and he cares for me deeply, but each time my phone rings, I know it is him, usually defeated by life and looking for love again and wanting to get back with me.

Don't get me wrong, I care for him very much, but I just am not in love with him...believe me, I wish I was. He has family issues and therefore has grown up all screwed up and I have picked up the pieces enough for anyone in a lifetime. His parents would rather have me as their daughter than him as their son - how f-ed up is that, I ask you?

Anyway, we had a good conversation and I was not too harsh. He asked me to meet him for coffee, which was a repeat of the last time he called me. This time, I said no. Now honestly, I would love to say that it was will-power talking, but I was in grubby shorts and a t-shirt with my hair on top of my head with no particular order to it and absolutely NO makeup on at all...and my legs weren't shaved! My saving grace :)

So we ended up talking for quite a long time as I, for once, had lots of things to catch him up on...people moving out west, crazy turns in my job, a new nephew, etc. He wanted to fill me in on his current cheffing job and how he misses all his old friends. He said nothing about his dad, step mom or mom, but did talk about his sisters (which was nice as I know them all and had been seriously lacking for news). Then it started...why can't we try again?!

It is exhausting to have this conversation every six months, and I seriously considered changing my phone number. I love him; I'm just not in love with him. He will always be young and think that things will just miraculously work out no matter what the problems are. I need more maturity than that (I say this having drooled over 20-somethings in meetings the last 3 weeks). I just need to find him the right woman so he and I can remain friends. Problem being, I can't seem to find a man of my own, so I should probably work on that instead of helping other people's love lives.

Anyway...the hunt continues...without any time for hunting. I'm back at work, putting in my 60-hour weeks and wishing for a vacation or maybe just a little trip to Neverland!

Thursday, August 04, 2005

A Basic Lack of Time

Sorry it has been an entire week, but my time has not been my own for at least that long. Between this major project at work and helping organize and throw my friend Vanessa her baby shower, I really have not sat at a computer for more than 20 minutes at a time in the past 7 days.

In order to stay ahead of the curve, I took Friday off to make a baby shower cake and help my mom with her personal chef tasks for the week. The day was pretty long, but very successful.

Saturday was the shower and it seemed to be a big hit! We had great food, fun activities and great girl-time. Most importantly, the guest of honor seemed to be very happy and after all, that was the main goal of the day :)

Sunday was putting finishing touches on the cooking and deliver the personal chef food to the client. I have the Jeep, so it makes it very easy to deliver. After a very long weekend, I was almost happy to go back to work on Monday...until it was Monday and I was back in all day meetings.

So here it is Thursday morning and I am headed back to work for more meetings (luckily, I think I may get out halfway through the day). I do actually have another job I have been absent from for over 3 weeks. I'm supposed to travel to Manila/Cebu in a couple of weeks and I really do not have the time to spare...not that my boss gives a shit. Apparently, I don't already have enough to do so he keeps giving me more responsibility - not that my 2005 goals reflect ANY of them. I gotta get a new gig. Anything away from the nightmare that is my boss these days.

The bright side of travel to Manila is that it appears we are travelling through San Francisco...Maggie and Will time!!!! I made a pronouncement to my boss last week that said, if we travel through the SFO airport, then I am staying a couple days to see my family...honestly, it is the least he can do and he should NOT make me use vacation time for it...yeah, that won't happen! I'll deal - it will be happy Maggie and Will time and therefore it will be worth a little pain...note - I said little...

Well - I'm off to work and another long day and more exhaustion. I barely have time to breathe these days, much less sit at my desk...and unfortunately, there is not an end in site for 6 months...(sigh)