4-12-11 Tuesday (Code Of The Day)

Have I mentioned the “dress code” at work lately?  I may have said that it was business casual and with jeans on Fridays.  Recently we were told jeans were OK all the time.  On Saturday, a guy was wearing shorts.  On another day, a teammate wore flip-flops and jeans.  I’m not sure where there limit is but I’ve now went to shaving every other day.  I’ve been wearing my hoop earring for weeks too. 

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Even though we’re allowed to wear jeans, I still prefer khakis and a polo.  After I snapped a photo of me I decided to get one of Dasher.  As I took the photo he decided to stretch his neck which created an interesting E.T. pose.

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ET

And just a couple of more pics of our pets:

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Thanks for humoring me.

I’m off tomorrow and have been told the our lot will get graded!  Michelle emailed “Just found out that the grader will be here tomorrow to get the site padded up and ready for the foundation crews once we have permits.  Basically, they will be out there with a bobcat moving a lot of dirt around (every little kids dream job!!!).

4-9-11 and 4-10-11 (Pushy Cars)

Saturday: Jim dealt with the car/Jeep at Monro today while I worked.  Squeaking brakes is still an annoying issue with the car, meanwhile the Jeep had it’s multiple oil leaks repaired.  After work (8pm), I caught a ride with Mike at work, picked up Billy and met Jim at Red Robin for dinner.  After dinner we rode back to our house for some Playstation games like Price is Right, Family Feud, and wine which isn’t a game but does accessorize games quite nicely.

Sunday: At some point I looked out the back door and realized how green everything had become!

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We met up with Beth at Mimi’s for brunch.  Mmmmmmmm.  I had some sort of Passion Fruit Mimosa thingy while Beth and Jim had regular Mimosas.

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The food was yummy.  We all enjoyed it. 

 

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Above/Below: I stopped off to the restroom and met Jim and Beth outside.  Beth was explaining something to Jim and being very animated.  Naturally, I snapped a photo.  It looks like she’s pushing Jim’s car but she’s not even really behind it.

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We stopped off at Monro to pick up the Jeep.  While Jim settled up with Monro, Beth and I browsed Garden Ridge.  We may have tried on a hat or two.

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We used the Jeep to help Beth move a mattress.  After moving a few items, she treated us to Cold Stone.  Mmmmmmmmmm.  We unBethed and went on to Adams Homes.  Our sales rep, Michelle, had told us that the spec home of our house was sold.  Before the new owners close and take possession, we wanted to take more photos.  I took more photos and walk through video.  Sometimes we don’t remember how many drawers are in a kitchen or the bathroom or where there’s a light or vent.  The video will serve as a reference.  It’s separated into two videos with a total of about 6 minutes in footage.  I started uploading them to youtube and then thought I’d post them for you to see however it’s slowing down my internet connection and will take a long time.  If you really want to see it, let me know and I’ll start an upload before I leave for work sometime.  It’s not narrated since it’s not a tour.  It’s more like a documentary of house.  Winking smile

Off to Walmart and then home to finish off the last of the Farscape series.

2011-04-10 026Above: FAIL.  A neighbor’s mailbox repair.

Speaking of fail, this sign was posted in the elevator at work:

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Seriously?  The person who took the time to put it in the frame didn’t see the screwed up text?

4-8-11 Friday (Repair Shop Tours)

2011-04-08 004imageMonday I unpackaged the Nerf guns and darts.  Using my handy-dandy label maker (yes I own one) I labeled a plastic shoe box and each gun “Feel free to use, return to Garret”.  I wrote my name on each dart so that hopefully as they fly around all over, most will be recovered.  I brought my Nerf gun dart “kit” to work.  It’s not as slow as Saturdays are so it won’t get as much use until the weekend.  On the right is coworker, Erinn, with one of the guns.

2011-04-05 001Earlier in the week the other digital frame I ordered from eBay had finally arrived.  I loaded it up with RVing photos and left it for Jim to take to work for his desk.

Wednesday was my day off and naturally I had a list of things to do.  The power of procrastination.  I did get a few things done.   In June of 2009, we had new tires installed on the Jeep at Discount Tires in Amarillo, TX.  Looking back at the paperwork, I discovered free lifetime wheel balancing and tire repair.  After 582.3 loads of laundry, I went to Discount Tires and they patched the tire quickly.  Awesome service today and awesome service when we had tires installed on the BMW back in February. 

It was time for lunch.  Off to AAA in Huntersville I went.  I met up with Ruby and we went out for lunch.  I also chatted with one of the area managers who happened to be at that location today about all the recent upper management changes at AAA.  This is the guy that when I worked at the Rock Hill location, I had to drive 45 minutes each way to unlock the doors and he ended up being late.  (see here).   

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I went home, did some more laundry, and then went to Monro to have them check the Jeep for an oil leak.  Last week, they added some dye to the oil so they can use a UV light to see where the mess is.  3 leaks.  Oil pan, valve cover gasket and rear main seal.  It will cost us about $600.  I have to talk to Jim about it. 

As I left Monro, I realized I had been to 3 different auto repair shops in one day.  Strange.

On Friday, the Star Wars PS3 video game sold for $20 + $4 S+H.   Yay.  I spent $35 on it so that’s not too bad but why is that every time I bid on the damn thing I couldn’t buy it for that price?  I was hoping for $25 + $4 at least.

Other photos from the week:

2011-04-08 005Above: Erinn and Jasmine

2011-04-05 002Above: Kaci… she can’t sit still.

2011-04-08 003Above: Me with my new reusable and microwaveable coffee cup that actually perfect for some hot tea.

Not much else to tell and what I have told is probably unworthy of a post.

4-1-11, 4-2-11, 4-3-11 (Week In Review)

Friday:

Happy April Fool’s Day.  Really.  It’s a good day because my health insurance starts up.  I still need probably 2 root canals since the last time (I haven’t been able to chew on my left side in months).  Jim has changed his health insurance to be on my plan which has better coverage for a better price.  If you remember, we moved here because Jim got a job with the same company I work for and at one time I was his “dependent” on this same insurance plan, now it’s reversed.  His current employer didn’t offer domestic partnership benefits.  Another reason I like my company.

I listed my Star Wars: Force Unleashed II game on eBay today.  Yep, that’s my big accomplishment for today.  Well, I guess maybe emptying the dishwasher was a little more?


Saturday:

My first Saturday at work!  I worked 11:30 to 8.  The good thing about the schedule is that my classmates have the same schedule other than the weekday day off (Wednesday or Thursday).  We were warned by more seasoned sales bankers that Saturdays can sometimes be slow with up to 20 minutes between calls.  It did definitely vary today.  5 minutes to 20.  I find it a little annoying that most everyone works Saturdays and that even using a PTO day for one is rarely approved.  For me to have off that day I’d need to take it as unscheduled time aka call out sick.  They’re pretty good about that too.  No need to act sick or anything.  Just say you’re not coming in and that’s all.  

So… how did we pass the time at work.  We all stand up from our cubicles and chit-chat until we get a call.  We toss paper airplanes too.  Some bankers even had beach balls to toss around.  Fun stuff.  A supervisor walked around with a huge box of éclairs too.  I can’t say it enough; this company rocks.  There’s always going to be things that aren’t quite so stellar but the “whole’ is what it’s about.

imageAbove: I swiped this from co-worker, Renee’s, Facebook page.  This is Jessica, my lunch buddy.  Yes, she’s got a paper airplane instructional guide pulled up on her computer.  Caught!


Sunday:

We tried a new restaurant called Harrisburg Family House.  We saw a review for their pancakes so off we went.  I had an ham and American cheese omelet.  There’s not too many different way to prepare that so it was just as expected and what I wanted.  Their biscuits were tasted.  Jim said the pancakes were “OK” and the sausage gravy and biscuits seemed to lack sausage and flavor.  We’d probably go back though.  The service was excellent.  It was our first time in Harrisburg and yet it was only 15 minutes away from us.

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While awaiting our meals I glanced over and saw our new home builder sales rep, Michelle, looking at me.  What’s humorous about this is that we just saw her a couple of weeks ago at the Babies R Us store parking lot.  We promised her we weren’t stalking her.  Small world.

We got over to Walmart and I did it.  I bought two Nerf guns, extra darts and a beach ball.

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While I shopped, Jim went in search of baby stuff for his future nephew.  So I bought toys for me and he bought baby clothes.  Funny.  While at the check-outs, I waited in line while Jim looked through Hot Wheels cars:

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This week had been all about getting the vehicles service.  Despite our brake woes with Monro since May 2010, we still brought our car there for brakes which is also squeaking.  I’m thinking they’re using cheap-ass brake pads and I guess we get what we pay for.  We left the Jeep there to get battery terminal ends replaced, oil changed and a steering stabilizer bar to take care of the Jeep’s “death wobble”.  Yes, the “death wobble” is a popular term amongst Jeep enthusiasts and had been plaguing Jim and I for months and months.   It’s now been fixed for under $200!  Yay!

Later, Mike and Billy came over for dinner and Buzz Trivia.  We had a blast!  I won a game and Jim won a game.  Sorry boys… better luck next time… loooooooosers.  I did not take any photos this evening.  I had MANY glasses of wine and was barely able to prepare my delicious pork roast without accidently serving up some cat.  Clea?  Where are you?  Uhhhh, entertain yourselves.  I need to check on my cat.

3-31-11 Thursday (Lee or Lindsay)

imageHappy Thursday!  I’m starting this entry off before work.  Sometime today I realized a difference in my own work performance now as compared to the start of week #4.  I remember watching a phone banker and seeing her fly through different screens.  I remember admiring her ability to listen or hold a conversation while clicking and looking through various programs.  I didn’t doubt that I’d too be just as confident a navigator when it was my turn.  I was reflecting on the past 2 days of non-training and realized how I’ve grown.  I’m better.  I’m faster.  I’m more confident.  They had the technology.

imageI’ve also realized that this position might just be what I’ll be happy with for a long time.  So many classmates are taking college classes or even have a degree in something not-so-banking oriented.  The way I read into it is they’re not planning to be here for the long term.  Maybe this is my final destination and yet the first stop for so many others.  I’m a phone sales banker.  The saving grace here is that I’m not making outbound calls.  I’m not a telemarketer.  So far I’m liking this whole situation.  The money is OK.  With incentives the money is even better.  The company is awesome. 

imageThe hours… I hate… or do I?  I’ve only worked 2 days on my new schedule.  I’m thinking I might just like the new hours.  Maybe instead of 12:30 to 9, an 11:30 to 8 would be better?  If I went in at 7:30 or 8am, when I got home I’d just sit around being tired and basically waiting to go to sleep.  With my current schedule, I like the non-drowsy morning time at home to do stuff and in the evening when I get home, I only have 45 minutes to “wait” for bedtime.  I don’t know if any of that makes sense to you.  Re-read it, I’ll wait.  Maybe.

imagesJim and I decided that he’d be better off to keep his current hours for now.  We’ll revisit his options of a schedule change in the future.  For now, we need to give the whole situation time to fall into place… or out of place if it doesn’t work.  I’m gonna get a little blubbery though.  He said to me, “I miss my Garret-time.”  We’ve been together for over 11 years.  It was so sweet.  It’s nice to hear stuff like that from time to time.  A few weeks ago I made our sandwiches after dinner for tomorrow’s lunch.  I stuck a post-it note in with his sandwich.  It was a love note.  We’ll leave it at that.

CoffeeWell, today is end of month and that means… nothing to me.  I love that.  I also love that I’ll be working 40 hours.  Not 50 and definitely not 60 like AAA.  Breaks and lunches are scheduled to a T.  It is important to take them as close to the scheduled time as possible to be within guidelines.  For my 12:30-9 shift, I get two 15 minute breaks (2:30 & 7) and a 1/2 hour for lunch.

That’s all I got…