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i am: 40...a capricorn / moon in pisces / libra rising...an old soul with a young spirit...older than i look...contemplating my 3rd tattoo...NOT a web designer...a lesbian...working things out with the g.f....a native iowan...a graduate of cornell college and ohio state...a critical reader and thinker...really rather shy...agnostic...an ardent feminist...a bleeding-heart liberal...a pacifist...and so not your average white grrl...
e-mail me
feeling generous? *grin*
Who Links Here
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December 18, 2003
blown away (in the windy city)after a busy week of juggling the full-time and part-time gigs (and deadlined projects associated with the former), conference presentation preparations, the wrapping and shipping of holiday packages to several points west, arrangements for clothing alterations, and whatever else arose, i headed to chicago on saturday for the conference. i'll spare you the details of the exceedingly and unnecessarily long trips and the disappointing hotel experience, but highlights of the trip included a successful presentation (during which i did not forget to breathe)...strolls down michigan avenue amidst throngs of holiday shoppers (i'm usually not a "crowd person," but i actually enjoyed the festive atmosphere)...crate & barrel...and, best of all, hanging out with the chicago people who were the real impetus for agreeing to present at this conference and take this trip in the first place:
* the very pregnant carla (the only friend from college with whom i keep in touch), her partner donna, and their twin 17-month-old girls, summer and sydney.
* lisa b, who has to be one of the kindest and loveliest people on the planet.
* deshi, the 4th blogger i've met "live" and with whom i shared a thoroughly enjoyable few hours over drinks, dinner, and conversation that felt like we've known each other for a decade, at the southwater kitchen. (nappi was supposed to meet us, as well, but we found out later that she had the flu).
i returned tired and completely unprepared for the server/computer problems (created by a guy who's clueless but won't admit it) with which our little department is now grappling...but all in all, it was a successful trip.
now, i just have to finish up a couple of projects with pre-holiday deadlines, work a couple of late-night shifts at the part-time gig, wrap a few more gifts, assemble and disguise one large gift, decorate the little tree, watch a lot of basketball, and enjoy some holiday time off with the ones one i love (even tho we're "on sabbatical").
12:54 PM
December 10, 2003
big decisionsso, you may be wondering about last week's interview, since i mentioned it in my last post but didn't elaborate. sporting a simple (and newly altered-to-fit) 3-button black suit and a pale lilac, sueded silk blouse, i met with 5 different people, including the vp and the director i met for coffee a few weeks ago, plus a coordinator who reports to them and both the president and senior vice president...i.e., all the potential decision makers and influencers. it went extremely well...i surprised even myself. when i talked to the vp to follow up a couple of days later (after, of course, the obligatory next-day thank-you e-mails), she told me that they needed to write a job description and post the position internally, via established protocol, but that she didn't anticipate having any qualified internal applicants and that she was planning to put together an offer package for me after that. everything may be delayed somewhat...i'm out december 15-16 for my conference and she's out december 18 until after x-mas...but it looks like i will probably have that decision to make, after all.
i don't make a big decision without a 2-column "pros & cons" list...on paper. when so many different factors are swimming around in my head, colliding and making a general mess of my thoughts, it's really the only way to go. these are abbreviated for the sake of space and discretion, and there may be more that i add later...but these are the big ones.
PROS | CONS |
| more $$ (~14%) | leave time (~1/2) |
| "director" title | employer-contributed retirement $$ (~1/2) |
| leaving bad boss | no ethnic diversity |
| learning new environment | leaving comfort zone * |
| helping hospitalized kids | more formal business attire ** |
| expanding responsibilities | medical coverage changes? |
| good vibe (?) | cubicle possibility?? |
| remaining close to home | parking (cost, distance) |
| quitting part-time gig | mac => pc |
| - | too much work for one person? |
| - | "coming out" an issue? |
| - | earlier hours |
| - | more traffic |
* especially when work is just about the only comfort zone i'm in right now.
** like i've said, suits ain't cheap.
this is one of those times in my life when i really, really wish i hadn't inherited one of my mother's most troubling and annoying traits: indecisiveness.
3:10 PM
December 08, 2003
so i'm a week late...i can't believe i'm blogging about thanksgiving a week and a half after the fact, but last week was SO crazy...my interview, late nights at work, even later nights consumed by post-work insomnia, gift wrapping...that i'm just getting around to it now. but you'll deal with it, right?
i actually had a lovely thanksgiving. i wasn't sure whether or not to believe her when sandra promised to come over at 7:30 a.m. in the fuzzy snowflake footie pajamas i'd given her for her birthday...but at about 8:30 thursday morning, i heard the front door, the rustling of grocery bags (she'd done the shopping, as i'd had a 8:30-12:30 shift the night before), and her feet on the stairs...and soon she was crawling into bed with me.
now, i know this sounds weird...not something a couple "on sabbatical" would be expected to do...but it just felt so right. i have missed her so much, and having her there to cuddle with all morning was a treat. we finally got out of bed at around 2 p.m. to start cooking. a spin on tex-mex that i dubbed "mexicohio" (yes, i really am that corny).:* cranberry-avocado salsa with tortilla crisps (let me know if you want the recipe...it was wonderful.)
* enchiladas (both shrimp and chicken) in green chile sauce
* corn salad (corn, red and green peppers, red onion, fresh lime juice, cilantro, and cumin)
* chipotle-cheddar mashed potatoes (which i made from scratch and which were quite fabulous)
* a creamy lime pie (from a mexican recipe web site that took about 5 minutes to make) very non-traditional, but delicious. we had fun cooking and spending the rest of the day together. our time together is so easy and so enjoyable, even now. until, that is...it's time for her to go home.
maybe someday i'll get used to this.
4:25 PM
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