Sept 19 - Life Lessons, Escaped
Life is odd and scary sometimes, when you least expect it. Today I had one of my CSR's call in sick, for a very personal medical reason. As it turned out the next day, it was a close call due to the nature of the medical diagnosis, which is all I can go into to respect her privacy. Brushes with reality like that can really hammer home how your life can change with just one bit of news and how you really, really have to pay attention when needed or you'll find out the hard way how fast things can change. Thankfully, she's going to be all right... and I often wonder how my life might have been different if I'd been given news like that, back in the day. Along with other thoughts, like losing a home, supporting my sister and myself while still a student, having to leave school, and more. The list goes on, but I've dealt with them all as best I can and still managed to be where I am today: sane, semi-healthy and my family safe. All the rest is moot, as I still have a future to discover.
Sept 20 - Hummingbirds
Sharing a vehicle is good for saving on costs and for the environment, but lousy for convenience some days. Today, for example: I was up at 6am to drive my dad into work in Victoria, to avoid the usual traffic logjam later on. We breakfasted at A&W, then I went back home to later drive back into town at noon, taking my mom to the hospital for a minor surgery in prep for later in the year to have her other knee replaced. I managed to time things well enough to pick my dad up early from work at the same time, so I was able to be home for most of the afternoon and evening. My activity of choice? Lounging on the hammock outside in the perfect weather: sunny, not too hot and not too cold with no wind and many a hummingbird chirping at me as they visited the two feeders we have on the balcony. They're quite chatty and don't mind coming in only a few feet away from us( as long as we keep still )to chirp away as they flit in and then off again. Their colours are amazing, different iridescent sheens depending on the light and angle - it's a real treat to be this close with so many of them each time I'm outside:
And just for fun, here's a mixup of a boat and a hammock that I just love:
Sept 21 - Downtown Daze
Another early 6am day again; this time I'm the one dropped off, as I'm helping out today at the downtown store to take some pressure off the manager there. We're still short-staffed, so I'm working as a CSR all day to let the manager actually get some paperwork done, as the company is still breathing down her neck regardless of the lack of staff and her anxiety medication; not a good combo. It's Social Assistance Day downtown too, so that made for a fun day standing at the counter all day cashing cheques. Which I don't mind, as the day goes by VERY fast and generally you have fun - the staff downtown all get along very well with 'their' customers so that makes for a genial experience all around. Tiring though, as I had a total of ten minutes all day for both lunch and a bathroom break... I'm not as young as I used to be and not in as good shape( relatively )so that made the end of the day hit harder than I recall. Still, it made a difference for the staff by being there in support, so that was worth it in the end. Nobody freaked out on me either, which I was also surprised at - I must be getting better at psychically calming people.
Sept 22 - Siblings means Sister
Some big family news today: it looks like my sister will be moving out to Victoria before a year is out, which is great! We haven't all lived in the same city for going onto ten years now, so it will be fantastic to have her here close to hand. I'm working on the logistics of things to see how it might work out; we may end up rooming together again( like we did back in university )or something else may work out for the both of us but it's too early to tell right now. It's strange to think that we get along as well as we do, compared to the majority of other siblings, but it's always been that way. Neither of us ever felt the need to torment each other that so many other brothers / sisters do, for which I'm thankful as we both had a much calmer and closer childhood than we might have if we were less... supportive, like these two:
Life is odd and scary sometimes, when you least expect it. Today I had one of my CSR's call in sick, for a very personal medical reason. As it turned out the next day, it was a close call due to the nature of the medical diagnosis, which is all I can go into to respect her privacy. Brushes with reality like that can really hammer home how your life can change with just one bit of news and how you really, really have to pay attention when needed or you'll find out the hard way how fast things can change. Thankfully, she's going to be all right... and I often wonder how my life might have been different if I'd been given news like that, back in the day. Along with other thoughts, like losing a home, supporting my sister and myself while still a student, having to leave school, and more. The list goes on, but I've dealt with them all as best I can and still managed to be where I am today: sane, semi-healthy and my family safe. All the rest is moot, as I still have a future to discover.
Sept 20 - Hummingbirds
Sharing a vehicle is good for saving on costs and for the environment, but lousy for convenience some days. Today, for example: I was up at 6am to drive my dad into work in Victoria, to avoid the usual traffic logjam later on. We breakfasted at A&W, then I went back home to later drive back into town at noon, taking my mom to the hospital for a minor surgery in prep for later in the year to have her other knee replaced. I managed to time things well enough to pick my dad up early from work at the same time, so I was able to be home for most of the afternoon and evening. My activity of choice? Lounging on the hammock outside in the perfect weather: sunny, not too hot and not too cold with no wind and many a hummingbird chirping at me as they visited the two feeders we have on the balcony. They're quite chatty and don't mind coming in only a few feet away from us( as long as we keep still )to chirp away as they flit in and then off again. Their colours are amazing, different iridescent sheens depending on the light and angle - it's a real treat to be this close with so many of them each time I'm outside:
And just for fun, here's a mixup of a boat and a hammock that I just love:
Sept 21 - Downtown Daze
Another early 6am day again; this time I'm the one dropped off, as I'm helping out today at the downtown store to take some pressure off the manager there. We're still short-staffed, so I'm working as a CSR all day to let the manager actually get some paperwork done, as the company is still breathing down her neck regardless of the lack of staff and her anxiety medication; not a good combo. It's Social Assistance Day downtown too, so that made for a fun day standing at the counter all day cashing cheques. Which I don't mind, as the day goes by VERY fast and generally you have fun - the staff downtown all get along very well with 'their' customers so that makes for a genial experience all around. Tiring though, as I had a total of ten minutes all day for both lunch and a bathroom break... I'm not as young as I used to be and not in as good shape( relatively )so that made the end of the day hit harder than I recall. Still, it made a difference for the staff by being there in support, so that was worth it in the end. Nobody freaked out on me either, which I was also surprised at - I must be getting better at psychically calming people.
Sept 22 - Siblings means Sister
Some big family news today: it looks like my sister will be moving out to Victoria before a year is out, which is great! We haven't all lived in the same city for going onto ten years now, so it will be fantastic to have her here close to hand. I'm working on the logistics of things to see how it might work out; we may end up rooming together again( like we did back in university )or something else may work out for the both of us but it's too early to tell right now. It's strange to think that we get along as well as we do, compared to the majority of other siblings, but it's always been that way. Neither of us ever felt the need to torment each other that so many other brothers / sisters do, for which I'm thankful as we both had a much calmer and closer childhood than we might have if we were less... supportive, like these two:
Guess which one is the sister there? :-) Seriously though, I'm thrilled that she's decided to pursue her dreams out in Victoria with us close by!
Sept 23 - Eye Want That House!
I've always liked the James Bond villains for their secret lairs, from which Dr. Evil of Austin Powers fame takes his points from. But what about real life? Are there places in the world, buildings even, that evoke the sense of spectacle and wonder that you get from some of the villain's lairs of bond fame? The short answer: yes. The long answer: soon - news has arrived that Naomi Campbell, supermodel, is having her Russian billionaire boyfriend build her a house on a private island that is like no other on the planet - and that's saying a lot! Check out this site for pictures and plans - all I'll say is that the place is designed to look like the Egyptian Eye of Horus from space, all by itself on a freakin' island in Turkey. How cool is that?
Sept 24 -Training and Jim Henson
Edit: I would be VERY remiss if I didn't mention that today was Jim Henson's 75 birthday... he passed away FAR too young, but he left a legacy of creative delight that has made life more joyous and fun for millions over the years. I know that I loved( and still do! )shows like Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock and The Muppet Show, as well as The Dark Crystal. Google designed their logo today to honour Jim, check out the video:
Not much to mention work-wise today; I spent a lovely afternoon indoors training on how to hire people to get out of the staffing crunch we're in( and have been for years, really ). It was useful and meant I was being paid while not serving customers, which I always like. Too bad I missed out on the mid-twenties sunny Saturday afternoon while doing so; the fluorescent lights inside the branch back room were poor recompense for actual sunshine.
Some welcome news from my new DM, who went out of his way to tell me how much I deserved recognition for the hard work I've done keeping the district intact( not part of my job description, by the way )in the last few years. A BIG difference from my previous 4 DM's( yes, four )in Victoria, who never counted all the things I did on TOP of the job to ensure that things worked in the area - my support role was only mentioned in passing and never reflected in my wages. An oversight I am tickled to see has finally been recognized... but we'll see how MUCH it equates to tomorrow when I talk to him again in detail.
Sept 25 - Thanks to Bugs Bunny!
While watching some morning cartoons this AM, I suddenly realized that some of my sense of humour AND my love of puns must have come from early Warner Brothers episodes of Bugs Bunny. How's that, you ask? Watch the episode entitled 'Compressed Hare' and see how many puns and other subtle comments you pick up on, as I obviously did as a kid, for years:
After a tiring workday, I was pleased to come home and hop online to give Nichneven some rein playing NWN. She was in fine form tonight, with the quips coming fast and funny - she went on for a spell about her extended family, who apparently cover quite a few dimensional area code, which costs a bundle in long distance. I think there's the makings of a second novel in there, so I won't say too much right now - except to say "Stay tooned!" or something similar. To bed early, for an early and long day tomorrow.
Oh, and I was told I DID get a tiny little raise today, which while a Good Thing, I also think is a sop to keep me with the company... as I likely won't be getting the Regional Trainer job. I haven't heard a peep about it yet and at this point don't expect to hear that I will, given the massive staffing crunch we're still spinning out of control on. At least the new DM is working to get new hires in the door and trained ASAP, but that will take at least 60 days, but if anyone else leaves, then the whole area will wobble like a house of cards...
