Another day done. Another evening with DB and nieces. DH and I have actually kind of enjoyed the company. I came home to find DB walking Peso down the road. Not just the driveway but down the road. Then he loaded her in and out of the trailer several times. I have to admit, I enjoyed and appreciated that someone else was doing it.
For the first ever, I called DH on the way home and said, 'I'll be home in five minutes and I'd like a Bailey's over ice." Just that kind of day. Yesterday, I found out that my boss was to put in her letter of retirement today and will tell the rest of her staff tomorrow. She told two of us before she told her boss. Then several of us got an email recapping a teleconference where the as$$$$$$e in Chicago basically told us that he was taking all of our work except one area by next September. I was not happy because it went to people that didn't really know for sure about their jobs and they find out that way. I was emotional all day today. I just kept thinking "thorns" "thorns" "thorns" all day long to remind myself to trust in the roses. Then my bosses' boss called me up to his office to ask me how I am doing. So I unloaded on him about how angry I am about the whole integration thing and how angry for my staff I am and how the people in Chicago are just being cruel. It was "you asked so let me tell you how I'm really doing" kind of talks. However, I did tell him that I'm there to do a job and to make sure my people do their jobs and right now we're not able to do that anymore because of all the fear. I think we are finally going to get stay bonuses put in place. I told him too that I just wanted to go back to work and do what I'm hired to do. I know you all have to be sick of hearing about this too.
And this is on top of one of my payroll staff going missing. She last worked last Monday. She called in sick for three days then silence on Friday and Monday. And she wouldn't return phone calls. Five hundred phone calls between my boss and the HR staff to decide what to do because technically, after the two days, we could terminate. Then I got concerned about the area of town she lives in and knowing that she lives with a new boyfriend - what if she weren't really okay? We were going to send a detective out today with a letter so that he could access if there was an abuse issue or not. Fortunately, she called in this morning and talked to my boss. She admitted to having an emotional breakdown. She is one of the ones that knows for sure that her job ends April 1. That on top of personal issues.
I have to go back and reread something - what's this about Valerie taking truck classes? Sorry about the frostiness with Bill and possible truck problems.
Karen -
Lilion -
Ruth - Great to hear from you.
Sorry for the abbreviated relies. Time for me to head off to bed. to all!
Wow Terri, I get to set and laugh about all the going-ons at my office, knowing I'm not involved and that my job is secure. I can only imagine the stress you are going through.
Valerie, I missed something too!! What do you mean "Trucker School" ? And I was geetting ready to ask about how your job search was going.
Lillion, Love your Halloween icons!
Ruth good to hear from you. Yes working in a doctors office sometimes mean you have just enough knowledge to be dangerous!!!
Angela, Karen, Thin and everyone else. Keep up the good work and Hang in There!!!
Well, I'm in a better mood today, though not by much. I suppose in the grand scheme of things 4 lbs isn't the end of the world. Still ticks me off though.
Terri: Thanks for the I suppose I needed a and a too for all my whining yesterday! I'm so sorry your job is so stressful right now. I am constantly holding hearings with guys (and gals) who've lost their jobs, sometimes due to layoff, sometimes due to downsizing. I swear sometimes, getting a notice on your support is the death knell to a career. Is your position being terminated too? Or are you personally safe being in management? Either way, I totally understand the Bailey's...some days you just want to drop!
Barbara: Thanks! I love Halloween and finally learned how to upload images from my computer. I think I'll change them on and off until the big day!
Angela: Motivation is hard to come by these days. I'm just awfully tired of worrying about my weight...but then I have been since last November, which is why I'm not any thinner than I was then! Here! Maybe she'll help!
I'm seriously thinking of looking for another job. 12+ years I've been here and I really like my job...I just hate the current boss, all the restrictions and the total lack of leadership. We currently have a dictator, not a leader. I started to fill out an application yesterday, but it was asking all this stuff about my college credits - I don't remember how many credit hours of psychology I had! That was 21 years ago! I barely remember what my major was! So I quit and decided I'm going to get copies of my college and law school transcripts and update my resume. Then we'll see who goes first, me or the director...because if he gets the axe I won't want to leave anymore.
Ladies, got to run. I miss those of you who aren't posting! How 'bout a little , just to let us know you are still lurking???? Pretty please!
LILION, don't worry, those few pounds up are just temps. You've come so far and they just cant stick around for long. I hope that both those pounds and that bugger boss of yours both disappear suddenly and painlessly!
TERRI, It's really sad that those idiots are so insensative to the real lives of the real people that they're playing with! I hope all their personal stock portfolios collapse and the courts double all their alimony payments!! Those are probably the only things that can affect the jerks. Oh, and I hope they get gout and/or the shingles. ( I don't know what shingles is/are, but I hear it's miserable.) I wish I could offer you more comfort. I certainly hope that a voice of reason is heard from the mother ship soon. It's overdue! I'm thrilled for you that Peso is making such great progress. It's wonderful that your DB is even getting her on & off the trailer! Any chance DB wants to bid on the girl???
As for my truckin' school, I'm not sure how I DIDN't blabber on about this. A couple weeks ago I took a road test in a semi tractor/trailor for a company that hauls LOCALLY petroleum tankers. I used to drive semi by myself before Bill & I got married. He's only got a Class "B" license so we've been driving a 40' straight truck (a semi tractor with a permanant box instead of pulling a trailor behind.) SO, I haven't driven a semi in 8 years. The test drive was really bad, because I'm SO out of practice handling a semi. The job pays $50,000 once I'm done training, and it's a local job (hopefully with good benefits) so it was worth going back to truckin' school to tune up my skills. The alternative jobs all paid half of that at best, IF they were full time, and none of them were.
I've had a **** of a time trying to find a school that could take me. They were booked up for weeks or rediculously priced. One called on Tuesday morning and said that they could have a trainer for me on Wednesday, but the price had gone up from $300 for four hours to $400 dollars for 4 hours! I took the deal, because basically I'm losing $1000 for every week that I can't get back to work. I went for the first session yesterday (Weds) and for the first 2 1/2 hours I drove like an idiot! I was beginning to think that it would NEVER come back. But for the last hour or so I did MUCH better! The trainer even said that if the tanker job doesn't pan out, I should come apply at the school... as a trainer! I said "You're joking - I can't even DRIVE and you want me to TRAIN?!" He said "Don't worry, we can teach you." Of course it pays dirt. No wonder there's a shortage of trainers. I paid $100 and he gets $11.50 of that. It was a nice invite anyway. So, I'm going back on Friday for some more work on my turns in a truck with the same transmission as the tanker company trucks. That should take me to a point where I can go back and re-test and get the tanker job. Not my dream occupation, but it will pay the bills, get a monkey off my back, buy my independance AND keep me at home.
Hopefully the benefits are good enough that I can have a colonoscopy and mammogram and put my mind at ease there. I have a funny ache down by my pelvis on the left side that's been there off & on for year & a half, or 2 years, but it's becoming more noticable. No insurance anymore right now. I'm old enough that that's very scary!
I posted a hysterically happy post on the main thread related to how well my workout class went this morning. I won't go over it all, but suffice it to say that I'm feeling/seeing some great improvements as time goes on - and I DID THE WINDMILLS TODAY!!! Ca-CHING, Cha-cha-cha!!
I hope everyone else's whole day goes even better than my morning went... of course, that probably means y'all are gonna win the lotteries in your home states. TERRI & LILION will have to split theirs, but oh well! See you later.
Yes, I'm still lurking. My house is set on its foundation and it won't be long now. I'll most likely be in by Thanksgiving. I desperately need to find my motivation. I didn't feel THIS fat when I was 349! I'm so out of control. I keep looking for a start date, a way to get moving, motivation, steam, MoJo, anything! But yes, I'm still lurking.
This link MAY work. If not, and you really want to see the house progres, PM me on here or email me at AOL
I had my check-up yesterday with the GYN Dr. I swear he looked young enough to be my grandchild. LOL! As Lilion had mentioned it could be, it is a rather large cyst. One that he is concerned about because of the way it looks, so now it is on to surgery as soon as they can get the operating room. Ugh! He is not sure that it won't have to be an open surgery, hope not. I am not looking forward to this at all.
I hope the rest of you are doing well, hang in there and keep losing! I will keep you posted as I can. Take care, Ruth
Hey, Java Turtle, good to see you! Your house looks like it's coming along great. You have to be so excited watching it come along. How soon until you think you can move in? THAT's a big job! I hope you find your focus again soon. I know both those feelings: On target and IN to the process, or Way off & unable to quite get back to the process. I hope you can set a start date and take control in the very near future!
RUTH! Oh my! Surgery is always a little scary I imagine, but this sounds like something that's totally cureable. I bet once it's taken care of and gone, that you feel better. I hope that it goes very quickly and smoothly and you recover in no time! Please do keep in touch and let us know how you're doing!
Had another good workout this morning. I love the instructor, she's great, but she's never said anything to me about how I'm doing. I'm like a little kid - I thrive on feedback now and then. Today I told her as I left how much the workout had strengthened my knees, so that when I was driving that truck with the killer clutch the other day that I had almost no pain, and even that faded in a few hours. She told me with surprising enthusiasm how well I did and how hard I tried. Being as large as I am, I can't go anywhere near as low on the squats & things, because I just plain have so much mass to hold up or move. I didn't think she'd even noticed actually - she focuses on the routine and looks like her eyes are closed most of the time. I just felt great to have her say something the way she did about my effort. Major NSV.
Scale is up 2 pounds again this morning. Piffle! I must have built that much muscle, had a smidge too much sodium, and been a little short of sleep. Today I'll keep on burning the blubber, drink my water, and go to bed early - so that tomorrow at WI the scale will have no choice except to be polite. Well, you know that silly scale - moody son of a gun!
LILION, have you been getting enough sleep? I know that if I'm running on too little sleep it effects the scale by even 3 pounds sometimes. I hope that adjustment you're making in Flex or activity points will be just the ticket to get that goofy scale past it's spell of grumpiness.
TERRI, it's finally Friday. Last day in the mad house - for this week at least. I hope it's a relatively quiet day, leading to a smooth weekend and a good price at the sale. (Or is that next weekend?) I hope you have some quiet time this weekend to just play with your ponies, brushing & such. It's almost like meditating to spend private time just grooming sometimes.
BARB, how's the office adventure lately? I hope you're doing well.
KAREN, How you doin'? Focused and just jammin' away at this or what?
EVERYBODY ELSE - speak up! You lurkers, too!!!
Hey, did I tell you I just got called for jury duty for the first time in my life? Great timing - just in time to mess with my new job! Oh well, just gotta do my part to dole out justice - not fair to leave it ALL to LILION!
Boy has it been a busy, BUSY morning! I didn't get lunch until after 1 - Hope that keeps me from wanting my snacks later!
Valerie! Great NSV! Gives me the opportunity to use this new smilie! Have fun doing your civic duty! I always wanted to sit on a jury actually, but they don't let lawyers...I think they're afraid we'll know when the Judge makes a bad call! The weight is hanging in there at 240 - apparently not a "fake" WI...but I'm cool now...back to it!
Ruth: I'm so sorry that you are going to need surgery! I hope that they can just do the laproscopic type...that's pretty easy on you. Take care and
Mary: Hello my turtley friend! You know, you may not have felt this fat at 349...but that's probably one of the reason why you were 349! I know that when I was at 328 it was largely (pardon the pun) because I didn't think about my weight at all! You are thinking about it. You are trying to get motivated. You are lurking here and and you are wanting to get back on that horse! That's the difference and that's what'll get you going again!
Well, Friday at last! I have a wedding to go to tomorrow and a wedding reception - where I'm sure fattening food will abound! I will probably go to the office for a bit on Sunday. I am STILL so far behind! And I also still have Halloween costumes to finish! Speaking of all I have to do - I better get moving today!!! Love to all!
Hello everyone! You lot are so encouraging, I don't know what I would do without you. I really like being able to see before and after pics and see everyone's compassion towards those who need it.
I had a 3 pound loss this week at my TOPS weigh in. Only 3 more pounds until I won't need the adaptor on the balance scale!
I really wanted peanut butter and jelly this week. It is one of my favorite foods but I hadn't let myself have one since I started losing. My friend told me not to deny myself, just don't O.D. on it. So, I think I will have a half a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for breakfast for a couple of days this coming week to see it that helps my craving.
Lilion, I hope getting your transcripts and such will make you feel a bit better. I tried to leave this place a few years back, and when I had a job offer I ended up deciding to stay.... but knowing I *could* leave was a very good feeling.
Valerie, No insurance sucks. I'm glad you'll be getting back to work relatively soon so you can have things checked out! Gotta take good care.
Yes, my motivation has been low. But this morning the scale was down a few pounds.... don't think it'll stay that low, but maybe I'll have a one or two pound loss to report for the 2X2. That should help a bit with the motivation. Thanks for the cheerleader, though!
Okay, gotta get some sleep so I can be a good girl and get things done tomorrow. It's homecoming weekend here on campus, so it'll be hard to find parking and come to school at all, so I've got to pack up all my grading and such and take it home for the weekend.
Hope everyone has a great weekend! Stay OP! I plan to, and if I can, anyone can
Just a quickie to let you know that I'm still alive and haven't fallen off the face of the earth.
I was without my computer for a couple of days as #1 Son rebuilt it for me. It was just getting slower and sslloowweerr and ssslllooowwweeerrr as the days went by. He said he rebuilds his about once a year and since I'm on mine all the time for business it really needed it. Unfortuneately, it's not running any faster now that it's rebuilt so I think it's probably time for a new chip. I'm hoping he can find one to fit my motherboard so I don't have to buy several parts. Did I lose anyone in that conversation? I lost myself, but I was just repeating stuff HE said............... doesn't mean I understand it either.
Terri: sweetie. I'm sorry your job is so stressful. Sometimes you just have to say 'screw it' and work your 8 hours and come home and forget about it. I know it's hard. Honey has gone through takeovers like that twice and it IS NOT fun. Use those wonderful animals of yours as stress relief like Valerie said. I know when Max curls up next to me on the sofa at night, running my hand through his soft fur is as much a treat for me as it is for him.
Valerie: WOW! I didn't realize you were going back out to drive again. I must have missed that part too. Have you been doing any "shopping"? I'll bet you don't have much time for it. *Have fun on the jury. I was on a "mock" jury once and it was alot of fun. I've never been called for the REAL thing but always thought that would be fun too as long as the trial didn't have to do with kids being hurt. Then I'm afraid I would be VERY bias.
Lilion: Did the late lunch help with the snack attacks? I tend to go too long before eating for the first time in the day and then I can't seem to stop. Hope your day went much better.
Mother: CONGRATS on the 3 pounds! Good for you! On the PB&J, sometimes you just have to give in a little bit to your craving. Otherwise when you try to eat around it, you're not satisfied and you'll eat MORE and still have to give in eventually. Did that make sense? It doesn't sound right when I re-read it, but I knew what I meant.
Angela: Hope you have a great weekend. It sounds like the campus will be hopping if it's Homecoming weekend. Sounds like a good plan taking all your supplies home with you. Just think, you can curl up on the couch with a good movie in your PJ's and grade papers.
Turtle: Glad to see you checking in. How exciting that your new house is almost ready. Great that you'll be in for the holidays. It will be fun to decorate a new place.
Ruth: I'm sorry to hear that surgery is necessary. Hopefully it can go laproscopically so you won't have such a long recover period.
Barb: How ya doing, lady? The office must have calmed down. The last time you checked in you didn't have a story from the zoo.
Karen: Great job on getting 60 pounds off! You go girl! That is AWSOME!!! Here are some obscene carrots just for you!
:c arrot:
Well girls, the Mets didn't make it into the World Series. So it will be St. Louis against the Tigers. Are you Missouri girls big baseball fans or can I go on and on about my DetroitTigerswithout making you feel bad??? They haven't been in a Series in 20 YEARS, so this is exciting. It starts tonight!
GoTigers!Go Tigers!GoTigers!
Mom is feeling some better. She's actually gotten out of the house a couple of times this week. Her "bouts" tend to be in the evening. After supper or later. She was doing alot better and then stopped taking her pills and had a really bad night so I guess she learned THAT lesson pretty quick. I took her to the gastro guy and the results of the MRI are no blockages so there is not surgery in her future. That's a good thing. We see MY new doctor for HER on Monday so we've been collecting test results to take to her. We don't see the Endocronolist about the enlarged Adrenal Gland for another couple of weeks but I don't expect that to turn into more than treatment of some kind.
Honey is still doing rehab faithfully. He's talking about sticking with it even after the insurance won't pay anymore. They have a plan over there where you can continue going for $87 a month. If you go to a gym they usually want you to have a membership for BIG $$$$ and this place they'll still monitor you and help with intensity and heart rate where at the gym he'd need to hire a personal trainer if he wanted that service, so he thinks this might be the better choice.
I didn't do much in the way of jobs this week since running with mom last week AND trying to work my butt off so I pretty much just fluffed off this week except for today when I was at the theatre most of the day playing "showgirl". We saw Flags of Our Fathers. If you're a history buff you'll probably really like it. I used to love war movies/stories but that was before they let you see all the graphic gorey stuff. It was nicely done.
Well, my dears, it is almost 2:00 AM and I'm a pumpkin! I need to hit the bed so I can function in the morning (ok, later on today! ). See you all soon. Love ya bunches!
Valerie, Yup, having to get very focused these days. Dang it, wanted to find a cool smiley here, but I seem to be having problems again... sorry.
Mother, on that PB&J...why not try at least getting a healthier version. One of the switches I made was to whole peanut butter, no added oil, salt or sugar and then just mashing some ripe berries and putting that on top instead of the sugared jelly...YUM!
Thin, thanks for the "chorus line". *wink*
Lilion, have fun at the wedding, do A LOT of dancing and... STEP AWAY FROM THE CAKE!!! LOL
I'm up early for Saturday morning. Working on paperwork. I couldn't sleep. Too much on my mind.
Work got a little better for the rest of the week. Not easier but better. After my discussion with the COO (my bosses' boss) and my peers said similar things to him, he went to the CEO and they set up a meeting in Chicago on Monday to push hard for a "restart on the integration and back off" discussion. Its all the unclear messages that we are getting that is causing so much stress. A big driver in it too is my boss' announcement of her retirement come 1/1/2007. She planned it to help save our jobs. She really is leaving at a bad time of year but she did it to hopefully throw a monkey wrench in the full bore integration plans and to make it so that without her, they really can't afford to lose any of her direct reports. So mean that she can be, she's doing her best to take care of us on her way out the door. Which with all her vacation time and extra time, her last day of work of 11/15/06. She's been sharing with the COO her version of what should be done with her department - which is for all the financial reporting to eventually be under me. According to her, he's agreed to her face. Now whether he's blowing smoke or not remains to be proven. I'm not holding my breath. However, while the negative stress might be reduced somewhat, the stress is still there to learn everything I can before she's gone on 11/15. Cripes, I'm too old for this. I will have to be extra careful to not let this overtake a healthy lifestyle.
The sale is this weekend. We're headed out around 10 am this morning just so we can get her down there and in the stall. Maybe give people a chance to see her before she gets in the sale ring. She doesn't actually sell until tomorrow so we're staying all night down there. (Lilion - down there is Columbia). I dread it. Mainly from the standpoint that so many things can go wrong and she gets hurts. I hate loading horses in trailers and hauling them - makes me a nervous wreck. I'll be glad when this is over.
Mom has taken a load of stuff to her new place and I believe only one more load to go. She's back home this weekend and she may be gone to the new place by next week. I kept telling her I would help if she would just wait but she's bullheaded. It is kind of a relief if she does go ahead and do it herself. I just want her to be safe and okay. More than anything, I want her to feel happy again.
Geez, once that is over, what will I be stressed about besides work? Uhh, maybe NOTHING! Which I am more than ready for.
DH saw his doctor yesterday. DH has lost 37 pounds this year and the doctor is really pleased but wants him down to 180. Another 45 pounds. Doctor recommended he think about a weight loss program and recommended Weight Watchers or Slim 4 Life. But then the doctor said its the time of year when you really can't start a diet so now DH thinks we're not going to start anything until after 1/1/07. What a moron doctor. I explied to DH that the doctor is a moron for telling him that because it shouldn't be about a "diet" but a healthy lifestyle that is everyday not seasonal. I'm not paying for Slim 4 Life. DH was harping about how he needs to know exactly a seven day menu plan so he can shop and cook for it. Well, used to do that and he would say that he didn't want to eat that or else wouldn't buy what was needed at the store. I drug out the South Beach books and he didn't want to talk about it because that is not what the doctor wrote down. I'm taking them with me and when I have nothing to do this evening, I'm working on seven day eating plans for beginning on Monday.
Thin - Good luck with the computer. I used to be able to do all that stuff with my first computer but the way they are built now, you almost have to buy new ones to get faster and better. Good thing for DS! Glad to see that your mom is doing better. And glad to see that you're getting her to a new doc and helping her. Sometimes they just need a good daughter! That is great that your DH is sticking with the cardio rehab. I'm a Missouri girl but not a big baseball fan. Not really a big Cardinals fan either. But DH will be watching the WS.
Karen - Good idea about the PBJ. I never would have thought of that. Might try it myself!
Valerie - Actually, the truck driving thing doesn't sound like a bad idea. Thanks for all the encouraging words. Its great to see you back to working out hard (encourages me) and seeing progress on the scale (encourages me to hang in there). I've been called to jury duty twice and was disappointed not to get picked.
Angela - Congrats on seeing good results on the scale. Happy grading this weekend! So are you a red pen kind of grader? I had an advanced comp instructor who was just brutal. I didn't want to be in the class anyway and I am NOT a creative writer but he was just mean about everything I wrote. I ended up dropping the class it was so demoralizing.
Mother - on your loss. That will be a great victory on the scale in just three pounds! You're doing great. Enjoy the PBJ!
Lilion - Enjoy the wedding and indulge in having fun, not the food. Don't undo all the good work you've done lately. Sometimes just taking the steps to prepare yourself for leaving the job helps - even if you don't actually change jobs. Knowing that you can makes a difference. So if you did change, would you go to a private practice?
Ruth - So sorry about the surgery! Hope its the lapro kind and you're back to yourself again very soon. We miss your regular posts.
Mary - Loved the pics about your house. You must be so excited.
Barbara - Good to see you checking in too.
Well I'm ready to go back to bed. Its raining pretty good now so not sure how that will impact our trip this morning. Great. Just to add to my anxiety.
Mother, the end of the 2x2 is Monday and yes, you report it on whatever the current number thread is then. I imagine it will be #99 by then as this or the next is probably the last post on this thread.
Great to hear from you.
to all!
and a 
too for all my whining yesterday! I'm so sorry your job is so stressful right now. I am constantly holding hearings with guys (and gals) who've lost their jobs, sometimes due to layoff, sometimes due to downsizing. I swear sometimes, getting a notice on your support is the death knell to a career. 
Is your position being terminated too? Or are you personally safe being in management? Either way, I totally understand the Bailey's...some days you just want to drop! 
Here! 
Maybe she'll help! 
I said "You're joking - I can't even DRIVE and you want me to TRAIN?!" He said "Don't worry, we can teach you." 
Hello
My house is set on its foundation and it won't be long now. I'll most likely be in by Thanksgiving.
I desperately need to find my motivation. I didn't feel THIS fat when I was 349! I'm so out of control. I keep looking for a start date, a way to get moving, motivation, steam, MoJo, anything! But yes, I'm still lurking. 
Have fun doing your civic duty! I always wanted to sit on a jury actually, but they don't let lawyers...I think they're afraid we'll know when the Judge makes a bad call! 
The weight is hanging in there at 240 - apparently not a "fake" WI...but I'm cool now...back to it!
Speaking of all I have to do - I better get moving today!!! 
Love to all!
Did I lose anyone in that conversation? 
I lost myself, but I was just repeating stuff HE said............... doesn't mean I understand it either. 
that she can be, she's doing her best to take care of us on her way out the door. Which with all her vacation time and extra time, her last day of work of 11/15/06. 
She's been sharing with the COO her version of what should be done with her department - which is for all the financial reporting to eventually be under me. 