bunchofgrapes | One of these days, I'll get a real vacation.

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One of these days, I'll get a real vacation.

So I got the position I wanted at work, which is basically the same position I had before with the same manager but now we're in a different division. It'll actually be really good--once we learn the new business. It's a huge organization (well over half a billion) but just about everyone is local. After having the majority of our people disbursed all over the world for the last seven years, this will be nice. My office will be moving from the Tyson's/McLean area to Herndon in a couple of weeks and that's also good because Tyson's traffic is already bad and it's about to get worse with the Beltway and metro expansion. Herndon is closer to home and while the traffic isn't great, it's better than going to Tyson's. So, that's all the good news. The bad news is that last week I was supposed to be on vacation. I got to enjoy two days of the week--except for the two hours I had to work Monday night. The rest was spent on conference calls. This new group is very well structured--much more so than my previous group--so they scheduled lots of training sessions. Oh, and I've come to realize that stress makes me sleepy. I mean, narcolepsy sleepy. It's not good.

On the two days I did actually get to take off, I did yard work. Hit two garden centers on Monday and bought a whole lot of plants. Then I spent the rest of the time getting them into the ground or planters. I have a large balcony off my master bedroom so I do a lot of containers around a small fountain. And now that the Willow tree has filled out, I can sit out there and enjoy the plants and the fountain and the solitude. It's really very lovely and yet another reason why I can't bring myself to sell this place.

Had hoped/planned to get the fic done but it just didn't happen. I did manage to get over a hump but I just haven't been able to focus on it.

Yesterday I went to Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs Semifinals. I had only one ticket option, section 113, Row B, Seat 1, and it wasn't cheap--double what I paid for Game 7. But Row A is on the ice and Row B might as well be on the ice. I sat in a folding chair in the VIP section. Pat Sajak (Wheel of Fortune guy) sat six seats down from me (he has nice hair). Between periods they handed out stat sheets and the little officials that sit in the penalty box walk right by us, nearly slipping on the ice. It was unfreakingbelievable! Man, the players are huge! And when they crash into the boards? Yeah. A couple of times we were freaked out by a puck flying right at us--and hitting the plexiglas. It was awesome! I was watching the highlights of the game tonight on NHL Live and on the news and I could see myself. Seeing yourself on TV is such a weird feeling. Cool, but weird.

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So will you get the days you had conference calls back as vacation days, or will you lose them? I'm jealous that you have your flowers planted already and are getting to enjoy them and your balcony. I won't be able to plant flowers for another 3-4 weeks. I could do some hanging planters but I would have to bring them inside every night. Your balcony sounds beautiful.

I just love going to any kind of pro game. I haven't seen a pr hockey game in years, but I can imagine how much fun a playoff game could be. Great seats make it even more fun. Hope TV didn't add 10 pounds on to you. LOL.

The sun is out and we might hit 60 degrees. I'm going golfing.

I don't really lose the days. Well, I do but I don't. I can take the hours another time but unless it's a day here or there, I won't get another chance at a real vacation again until the end of June. I haven't had a real vacation, where I get to take time off and not have to have the days interrupted by work, since...I don't remember. Early last November, maybe? I have something like 450 hours of accrued vacation to use. I keep accruing until I hit 500 and then I lose everything over 500.

I need to take pics of the balcony. Right now everything is so, so green because of all the rain we've had.

If the TV added 10 lbs, it was to the back of my head. Whenever they showed the right net and widen out to show all of the near circle, the back/side of my head is in the picture. And I'm obvious (to me) because I'm on the end and I'm the only one in the shot with a visible Ovechkin jersey.

Glad to hear everything worked itself out at work for you. Nothing in the world gets me more stressed out than work. Out here, it's even worse. You're doing the same workload, with a lot less people and resources. Stress for me keeps me awake for nights on end.

The guy I'm replacing out here is a huge Pens fan, and was pissed they lost yesterday. He also can't watch the games either, so it's makes it even worse that he catches the score on ESPN.com

Oh, and the TV network over here, AFN, has CSI on one of it's channels, but the episode they are airing this Wednesday will be Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda. That's how far back they are. And while at work, we almost always watch the news, for 12+ hours.

Edited 2009-05-03 14:20 (UTC)

After reading your post about the heat and the dust, I resolved to not complain about the heat at least until you get back. But luckily the heat's gone now, replaced by lots and lots of rain. Seriously, it's like Seattle here now and I'm loving it! But anyway, I gotta say, you win for crappy work environments. I hope the time goes pretty fast for you. I guess if the days are busy, it will.

The two teams I hate the most are the Pens and the Flyers. When the Flyers played the Pens, I was for the Flyers. I hate Sindy Crysby.

Sucks about AFN carrying old CSI. Any chance you can watch the episode online?

Funny you should mention hating Crosby, the Pens fan can't stand Ovechkin. So it's a mutual hate thing.

That's a big negative about catching CSI online. I already tried to watch on CBS.com, but the network is too slow. It's OK, it'll give me something to look forward to when I get home. Youtube is blocked too. At least I can get on here and the forums, so I'm grateful for that.

Complain all you want about the heat. That way I know someone is suffering with me. We are actually supposed to reach 100 here in the next couple of days. But I'm really not looking forward to July and August at all. I work kind of quasi swing-shift. So part of the day is spent sleeping through the heat.

I have a feeling that this deployment is going to suck big time. Normally I don't mind being out here. But it seems like I have an awful lot to prove when at work this time around. It seems the person I'm replacing did a beyond outstanding job while he was out here. So, I don't think those shoes will be filled very well. First thing I have going against me is that I am a female. Second, these people at work have been used to him for the past 4 months. So, yeah, tons-o-fun. Guess all my higher-ranking counterparts will be extremely disappointed when he is gone. Just when I think I can do my job well...

On the bright side, I'll make some serious $$$ while I'm out here! :)

(Sorry for the bitch session above.)

I totally forgot to mention/comment on Sophie and the test results...so glad she is going to be OK. I got wrapped up in leaving and whatnot and didn't comment.

Yeah, Pens fans hate Ovechkin because he's such an emotional player and he's mean to Sindy. Oh, and he's really, really good and generally smokes the Pens. Fans of all teams hate Crysby because he's a whiner. Even the players voted him as the biggest complainer. During tonight's game he whined to the officials about all the hats on the ice after Ovie's hat trick. There's a reason he's called Crysby.

And it's okay. You can bitch here any time. I get the whole "having to prove yourself extra hard because you're a female" thing. I'm sure you'll be kicking ass and taking names in no time.

I just don't want to turn your entries into a pity party. That is what my own journal is for :) I'm glad that I do have someone else ouside of family to vent to, so thanks!

Yeah, the proving yourself thing. I should be used to it by now. I've been in almost 9 years, but it still can be frustrating. Thankfully, the group of people I work with every day are good. They realize it's going to take me a few weeks to truly get into the swing of things. And are willing to help me out. Even though I'm close to being the lowest-ranking person on the floor @ E5. Most are O's, but they are good O's, not dicks.

I do feel you on the lack of a "real" vacation though. When I took leave last month, most of it was spent on base. I looked at my leave days count the other day...63.5 I think was the count. I'm not going to be taking any leave for the next 4 months, and we get 2.5 days a month. So, yeah. But like you, we have a "use or lose" thing too. The upped the number to 70 days. I think it used to be 60 or something like that.

Again, thanks for the place to vent!

Edited 2009-05-05 13:26 (UTC)

Good grief, they do love foiling your vacation, don't they? I hope you get to make it up later. And the traffic situation does sound better.

So who won?

Caps won, 3-2. They play Game 2 tomorrow night.

The most fun I had last week was getting together with you guys. I was able to take off Monday and Tuesday but I worked my butt off in the yard.

That is such a great icon.

Saturday was amazing! We really ought to do it more often, but that's what I always say.

He does look adorable in his hockey uniform. Then again, he looks adorable out of his hockey uniform too.

We should do something for Lara's graduation.

We should, yes. Surprise, or talk her into it?

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The triffid reference made me LOL! I'm going to have the same problem though. With all the rain we've had this past week, I'll have to cut my way out of the house at the rate everything is growing.

Once I get past the learning curve and complete chaos of the next two months, I think this is going to be a good job. First challenge though is surviving tomorrow morning.

Boo! Boo, I say, for foiled vacation plans. These are the very thing we need more of...and rum. Waaaay more rum. And chocolate. Don't forget the chocolate. Let's take a vacation to the Caribbean to find rum and go by was of Switzerland for the chocolate. Agreed?

Edited 2009-05-04 03:53 (UTC)

Count me in, matey! Rum makes mojitos and after enough of those, I won't care about foiled vacation plans. And Switzerland for the chocolate is perfect as long as we can hit Italy for the gelato on the way.

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Definitely fresh, never dried. I grow a couple of pots of mint just for the mojitos. And the more mint the better.

YAY for work working out.

But Boo for not getting a vacation.

I am feeling very sleepy (it must be because the end of the semester).

YAY for going to a cool game and getting some yard work done. :)

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One of these days, I'll get a real vacation.

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