2nd Star to the Right :: Neverland. I think I want to live there.

I kinda feel like I've been on a mini-holiday this week - lots of stuff happened while I focused on my training. Two major things happened: Mr. Rogers went on to a happier place and my job was posted on the internal job board.

And while I say my job, I don't really mean my job. My current job (until I move to Chicago next week) is Advertising Coordinator. Basically, I get stuff where it needs to go, on time and done right. I'm good at it too - I'm uber-organized and a little bit of a perfectionist too. At the end of last summer, I began to get a little antsy in this job because I didn't really have any way to grow. Our department consists of writers and designers and people in charge and me. I'm not a writer and I'm not a designer and I don't have enough experience to be one of the people in charge.

Being the self-reliant individual I am, I worked on creating a bit of a career path for myself. I sat down with managing writer and designer, got in touch with an ad agency, attended a couple of seminars and did some research. I developed a position and a process for the department that not only would give me more responsibility and room to grow, but it would also help the entire department function more efficiently. We even had meetings and stuff.

My boss and new VP man were pretty gung-ho about the idea too. Both of them told me the processes were exactly what the department needed and that I'd be more than capable of handling it. But it never happened. I kept waiting, thinking maybe my boss wanted the new position to coincide with my performance review. But then that never happened either. The job or the performance review*.

Wednesday, I finally saw it - my job posting is online. But like I said, it's not really my job. The job listed online is a Manager position and five, yes FIVE, grades above where I am now. A manager position with no one to manage too. The job duties include nearly everything I proposed, plus a few more activities that are already being done by other managers in the department. And you know what else? None of my current job duties are listed there, which makes me wonder who is going to do the stuff I do now?

When I first found out, I was angry enough I started to shake. This is my job, the one I worked hard to develop and the one I wanted and thought I deserved. When I was done being angry, I felt insulted. Yes, we need this position in the department. So, if I'm not the right person for the job, why didn't they just tell me? You know, "Hey, Allison, we think you need a little bit more experience before you move into a manager position." I sooo would have been ok with that.

I'm beyond being angry and insulted now. My training this week has fueled my excitement for my new job even more, which is kind of over-riding all the hurt from the job posting. But I'm going to let my boss know that he really fucked up this time. And I'm going to do it my way.

9:28 AM | allison | # |

So, my uber-wonderful boss decidedthat I don't have enough to do this week. I had four email messages from him yesterday (while I was in training that he scheduled), 2 voice mail messages from him (while I was in training that he scheduled) and a stack of papers he placed on my chair (while I was in training that he scheduled). All of which, per another voicemail message from him this morning, really needs to be taken care of by this afternoon.

It's a shame that I'm about to finish my only scheduled break today (to attend more training that he scheduled).

1:29 PM | allison | # |

Updated:

Can my life get any more overwhelming than it already is? I submit that it cannot. But then again, I'm usually wrong about those types of things.

Things I've gotten done for the move:
1. Find new apartment
2. New utilities on.
3. Old utilities off.
4. Truck rental.

Things I still need to do before the move:
1. Finish training for my new job.
2. Finish packing.
~~3. Hire some big people to help pack up the truck.~~
~~4. Get my car to AAMCO so they can check the transmission.~~
5. Get my car into the shop for a tune-up.
~~6. Change my address with the Post Office and all my magazines/catalogs/etc.~~
~~7. Finish doing my taxes.~~
8. Ugh, I know there is stuff I'm forgetting!

Oh, and do all my day-to-day stuff in addition to everything else that has to be done for the move. No problem, right? Riiiiight.

4:56 PM | allison | # |

I've spent the past two days mingling and schmoozing at our annual Client Conference, where we invite all of our clients to Houston for a few days to learn more about utilizing all our services, get them aquainted with our alliances and generally give them a chance to make new contacts and network to their heart's content.

The keynote speaker at the closing luncheon was Frank Abagnale, of Catch Me If You Can fame. He told us a couple funny stories about his life on the run, the time he spent in three different prisons and closed with his decree that divorce is bad and his own parents' divorce made a lasting impact on his life.

I think a co-worker said it best. "We invited a known felon to speak to our clients?"

10:10 AM | allison | # |

Today, I celebrate the birthday of fellow Aquarians Rene Russo, Michael Jordan, Bille Joe Armstrong and Hal Holbrook.

And oh yeah, me.

8:17 AM | allison | # |

So, in college, I used to have a box cartoon in the student-run newspaper. The gig only lasted a semster, but I got paid twenty bucks a week to draw in a little 4 x 4 square. At the time I think I was hoping it would lead to some awesome cartooning career, but it didn't. Even though I loved my art classes and did fairly well in them, I didn't have the talent or the drive to pursue it professionally. I can chalk it up now to good experience and what my dad would call character building.

At any rate, today being Valentine's Day reminded me of one of my favorite boxes. At the time, it was very, very true. It's not so true anymore - I know now that I want and deserve someone special.

All I need now is his phone number.

8:34 AM | allison | # |

Dude. Sick totally sucks. I have never, ever been so violently ill as I was Tuesday night/Wednesday morning. Never ever. I have no idea what has brought this crap on. Yes, my tummy was making noises Monday, but it went away. And yes, I was feeling a little funny Tuesday after lunch.

But not that kind of funny. And that went away too. For a while anyway.

I'm feeling a little better today - I'm a little light-headed but I think that is because the total lack of fluids. And I'm shaky, due to the plummeting level of my blood sugar. I'm hoping to remedy that soon with a 7UP and a banana.

But maybe, I'll just go home early.

9:13 AM | allison | # |

The same co-worker that I had the discussion with yesterday about personal items in our workspace totally just made fun of me for sorting and then eating my Skittles by color. Orange, purple, red, green, yellow.

I do the same with M&M's. Dark brown, orange, blue, red, green, yellow.

Doesn't everyone eat their candy like that?

3:40 PM | allison | # |

Yesterday, one of my co-workers and I were talking about the lack of personal items in another co-workers' working space. I had never really noticed it before. Most folks around here, including myself, have an amazing amount of non work-related junk taking up room. This co-worker, has exactly four items. Two pictures, a small bowl of potpourri and a mug with a picture of the family dog.

You know what I have in my work space?
1. Three bottles of lotion, all different scents and varying degrees of fullness.
2. A picture of John Travolta, ala Saturday Night Fever, in all his white leisure suit glory.
3. Pinwheel.
4. Cute little CD rack from IKEA.
5. CD book.
6. Small hour-glass that was a graduation gift from my manager at Pizza Hut.
7. Magic 8 Ball toy that is shaped like Yoda sitting on a beanbag chair.
8. A real Magic 8 Ball.
9. Sun-visor from the YMCA of Greater Houston.
10. Picture of my mom marrying Elvis Presley during a fund-raiser at WCC last year.
11. Small plastic Astros helmut.
12. Small stuffed armadillo named Fufu.
13. Baseball cap with the company's logo.
14. White Sox keychain.
15. Play-doh Christmas tree.
16. Rubik's Cube.
17. Tassle from college graduation.
18. About two dozen personal photos.
19. Four drinking glasses
20. Blue silly straw.
21. Kleenex.
22. Fan.
23. Heater.
24. Plush red M&M hanging from my name tag outside my cube.
25. In my drawer: fork, knife and spoon; soda koozie, salt, walkman, mix tape, 3 boxes of raisins, box of birthday candles, aspirin, contact solution, ketchup packets, barbeque sauce from Chic-Fil-A, plastic syringe from when I had my wisdom teeth out, VISA purchasing card and one piece of Ghiradelli milk chocolate.

Wow. That's a lot of crap.

9:18 AM | allison | # |

Last night, my body rebelled against me. I've finally gotten to the point where my body reacts violently to deep fried, microwaved, grilled on lard griddles fast-food. After packing most of the day, I had an undeniable craving for french fries and a coke. And even though I'm working hard not to reward myself with food, I thought a Value Meal was well deserved.

So I consumed. I ate every bite of my #3 Value Meal as I watched Melanie Griffith tell Sigourney Weaver she's a bony assed bitch. And all was good with the world.

But about the time Dragnet ended, my tummy started rumbling. Literally. It was making noises.

Three gut-wrenching hours later, my body calmed down and all was well with the world again. And the moral of the story? No more Value Meals for me. I'm sticking strictly to The Colonel now. You know, because it's so much healthier.

8:55 AM | allison | # |

There is dancing in my cube today. I just found out that I got a really, really good deal on the truck rental. And the apartments I'm visiting in a couple of weeks? There are discounts on the rent to be had. And my flight home? Well, there werent any good financial deals there, but hey, I get to go home.

And it's not dancing like Sarah B. dancing - it's more like jumping-up-and-down-and-flapping-my-arms-I'm-so-excited dancing.

But it is still dancing. I think.

1:30 PM | allison | # |

It's officially official. My last day in Houston will be Wednesday, March 5. I've booked a flight, rented a truck and made appointments to view a couple of apartments.

I'm beginning to get a little excited.

Ok. A lot excited.

11:02 AM | allison | # |

In my continuing effort to slim down a bit (which is going quite well, thankyouverymuch), I've begun to eat breakfast again. Throughout high school and college, it was a meal I freqyently skipped. Mostly because I was constantly running late, but also because I'm rarely hungry in the mornings when I wake up.

Once I started working out in the mornings, however, all that has changed. For some reason or another, Billy Blanks really gives me an appetite. By the time I get to work, I'm usually quite hungry. Which brings me to my point, and yes I do have one.

Bananas. According to their advertising, "quite possibly the world's most perfect food." I agree - high in potassium, natural sugars, a bit of fiber and only 140 calories. Good stuff indeed.

But when I'm finished with my morning banana, I feel like I need to brush my teeth. See? I told you I had a point.

8:31 AM | allison | # |

I broke my car on the way to work this morning.

That is all.

Update: The car is no longer broken. There is dancing in the streets.

1:16 PM | allison | # |

So, I did it, y'all. I got the job. I'm on the track and it's headed back to Chicago. I'll be back in the land of freezing rain and gusting winds within a month. And I couldn't be happier.

Besides, this 70 degree weather in the middle of winter kinda freaks me out.

8:19 AM | allison | # |

Every morning when I get to work, one of the first things I do is check out other folks' blogs. I find them amusing, endearing and sometimes a little sad. It's nice to know that there are other people in the world, even if I don't know them personally, that are struggling with the same kinds of things I am.

Until just recently, I considered myself a fairly good writer. I've kept a journal for as long as I can remember and only started this blog as another outlet for some of my writing. I took handfuls of writing classes in college - creative, technical - anything I could get to fit into my schedule. I wrote a couple of short stories I'm fairly proud of and had a technical paper make it to the finals in a student publication annual. And I always found it easier to put what I was feeling down on paper before I expressed it verbally.

But lately, it's getting harder and harder to come up with the words. I don't know if I'm just hitting a rough patch or if it's time to move on to another medium. What's really cemented this feeling is reading what other folks wrote about the Shuttle Columbia tragedy. I was really moved by what they've written. I feel what they're saying deep in my heart, but I cannot come up with any words of my own to express it.

It's one of the few times in my life that I feel utterly speechless.

12:44 PM | allison | # |