So pissed off my head is about to explode

So pissed in fact that I've composed an e-mail to my boss & HR. Names have been changed to protect the asshats I work for (not that this can't get me fired anyway). Also please note this is the angry version. I'll be cleaning it up and stuff.

It’s been six weeks since we had our conference call on May 16th in regard to my poor report card. At that meeting it was agreed that the Mother Hen responsibilities would be moved over to one of the other admins and that I would be receiving a new job description as well as a new version of my yearly goals and objectives. I have not had any communication on any of these action items to date.

I would also like to talk to you about your expectations for administrative coverage since this was one of my failing grades on my report. Today (Friday June 27th) LuLu left at noon for the day, leaving coverage for the rest of the day to me. She did not give me the courtesy of notifying me (so I could go get lunch from the café) or insuring I was available to provide coverage for the rest of the day. This left me with no choice but to work through lunch, which I know you prefer I not do. I also didn’t put in the hour as OT because you had previously informed me that any OT charged to overhead would be denied.

In our last Department Ass Kissing Meeting the new Summer Hours which one of the other divisions instituted was mentioned. We were told that was something we would not have since we have an option to get every other Friday off. As an admin I didn’t think I was eligible for this option. I was told that I wasn’t allowed to “bank” hours to leave early on another day during the week. This program requires that hours are banked for two weeks to get the Friday off. Can you please clarify why I am not allowed to do this within the same week?

There is a blatent double standard where lunch coverage, "banking" time, and leaving early are concerned. Because of my poor report card I feel that I’ve been held to separate rules than every one else in the company. In some regards, that is fair, but when it comes to company policies and procedures, all employees should be treated equally, which I am not.

I also feel that I should be allowed to work from home on occasion so I don’t have to use my PTO. This past week, Lulu worked from home, using her home computer. Again, this is something that I don’t feel I am able to do.

I should be afforded the same opportunities as Lulu.

Ok so that's the gist of it. I know it's not as angry as it should be. There should be a lot more Fuck You's for me to clean up.

Still I never know when I’m going to be reprimanded for something I have or haven’t done. I'm afraid to come in late; afraid to leave a minute before 5 pm and rarely go further than the courtyard for lunch so I'll be back on time.

I am physically ill Sunday evening and Monday morning at the thought of having to go to work. Friday afternoons I am more often than not, left here alone between 3 & 5 which pisses me off to no end. Right now there are 3 other people here and I know they will all be leaving within the next 45 minutes. But they'll sneak out the back door (which they never do normally) so I won't know they're gone.

The job hunt continues, but there are very few Admin jobs that are direct hire. I need the health insurance. Xanax does not prescribe itself.

Rant over for now. I had a whole other entry and everything for you. I'll post it tomorrow.

WIP Wednesday

Here is the Pineapple Scarf. I love it. LOVE LOVE LOVE (All you need is love ba da da da dum) oops… sorry.

For pattern and yarn deets see entry below.

Lace Ribbon is still getting longer. I thought I’d take a photo so you’d see how long it’s got. I’m still in love with the pattern and the yarn.

Since life is a little calmer this week, I plan on taking a couple of days to work on the boys afghans. I showed them to my Mom and Dad and they liked the cammo one I’m making for DN1 and got a kick out of Haps Jr for DN2. No progress as of today from the last time I showed them to you, but hopefully there will be a small amount for next week’s update.

This coming weekend I’m going to put forth a concerted effort to do two things:

1. Find the yarn and finish the Bomb Shell tank I started 2 years ago. I only have the upper back, neckline and tank edges to finish. It shouldn’t take me too much time. Especially since I’ll be stuck waiting for my new dishwasher to be delivered. Yeah new dishwasher!!! Boo – asshole delivery/installation guys who took advantage of me being a woman this past Saturday and said they couldn’t deliver. I’m still steaming and will tell all later.

2. Find the extra skein of Rowan Calmer I made Soleil with last year and crochet up the excessively plunging v neck with a little decorative something or other, and lengthen it with a crochet border that plays off the lace on the bottom of the edge

Mostly tho, I started a new lace project. Once again I’ve jumped into another Knit-a-long. This is also with the Loopy Ewe and her summer KAL is to use DIC Baby (lace weight). I really like Seascape (in the Summer Knitty). So that's what I started yesterday. So far it's fairly straight forward. We'll see what happens when I get to the more involved charts. I'm sure it will knit up just as easily.



I think it's going to be beautiful! I have till October 1st to finish, which I think is totally doable.

Orien Rose Update

Everything went really, really well. Go over to Roberta's blog for short but suscinct details. Thank you for adding your prayers, vibes, energy, etc.

Manly Men

On Friday I dropped off the baby sweater which was for my mechanic and his wife. They’ve been friends with my brother forever, so I wanted to do something nice for them and this “oops” baby.

I walked into the store front and handed the package to Bob and he was so grateful and a little embarrassed. Then he asked if he could open it. Huh? It’s his kid too isn’t it?

He pulls out the little sweater and he was so thrilled. When he asked if I made it and I said I did, you should have seen all the commotion behind the desk. All these mechanics were huddling around him ooohhhhing and aaaaahhhhing and “WOW! You made that?!?!” It was like women at a baby shower, let me tell you. I have NEVER in my life got a reaction like that from a bunch of men on anything I ever knitted. Not even from my family.

I don’t have a picture of them standing around with Bob in the middle holding up the sweater because that would have discouraged them for life. Heh

I'm still laughing about it too.

Blogging for Orien Rose

When I worked at the job I love to call the ass crack of hell, there was a small group of people who worked there that I became friendly with. I wouldn’t have lasted there the 3+ years I did without these few wonderful people.

Anyway, Roberta is one of those few people I considered (and still do) a friend. Mostly we keep in touch by reading each other’s blogs and commenting. But once in a while, for whatever reason, we re-connect and it’s like there was no lapse in time, like we just talked last week.

She sent me this yesterday and since I’ve helped ya’ll when I can, now it’s my turn to ask for your thoughts and prayers.

The internets are huge, but despite this, we’re really a small community with a lot of power. We’ve all seen what the power of knitters can do. So, I’m asking a favor for a friend of a friend. Roberta and her sister sent the message below yesterday. It’s the least I can do to post the information and say a prayer and ask you to do the same (say a prayer, send positive energy, think good thoughts, or whatever you feel most comfortable with) for Orien Rose.


"Orien Rose is a miracle. She is a nine year old girl who, just over a year ago, was in a horrific boating accident. There was skull, facial, and brain injury. Really bad stuff. Tomorrow morning, Tuesday, June 24th, she is having surgery, and we are looking for as many people on this earth as possible to simply think of her, and send positive energy.

You should see her now; have a look at this article from the other day. Orien is an exuberant and hilarious kid, and the interviewer doesn't even mention how she burped the entire alphabet for him.

If she were doing only half as well as she is the doctors would still be baffled by the speed and thoroughness of her recovery.

She is alive, well, and burping today due to teams of skilled and dedicated paramedics, doctors, nurses, and therapists, the fierce dedication of her parents, and the power of community. Orien Rose has been prayed for by Christians, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, and Santeros, she's received energy from witches, Reiki masters, and anyone willing to simply hold a positive image in their minds for a moment.

Tuesday morning she faces the final hurdle: Replacement of the missing portion of her skull; a coordinated effort by neurosurgeons, plastic surgeons, and infection control specialists. AND by the people who've been sending her positive energy of myriad forms for this past year.

Orien, her father, asks that people put a reminder on their alarm clock. A reminder to just think about Orien Rose when you wake up. They check into Hasbro Children's Hospital in Providence, R.I. at 6:30 AM (eastern time) and the procedure begins an hour or so later, and it will go on awhile, so whatever time you get up will be fine.

You can read Christine's blog about Orien Rose's progress, and their progress as a family.

Feel free to repost this on your blog, or link here, or write your own version in your own words (or all three).

Oh! And now that I think of it, if you do go to Christine's blog, leave her a comment. I'd like to see her blog crashed by the spike in activity.

Thank you for being part of this very real miracle. As soon as we hear about the results of the surgery, we'll get a follow-up post out.

Deborah and Roberta Lipp
~Basket of Kisses
~Property of a Lady
~Roberta's Voice
~Ultimate James Bond Fan Blog "

And thanks from me - for letting me hijack my own blog for a moment.

Tales from the WIP heap

And it is a heap, believe me.

Work has been kicking my ass and my parents arrived on Wednesday to attend a wedding this weekend. It’s been busy.

Here’s an update of some of the things I’ve been working on:

The boy’s blankets; There was no way I was putting an afghan on my lap the last couple of weeks, even in my house which has central air. No. Way. So there was no progress there.

My socks for Dad for Father’s day:
Yeah. I was knitting at one of the ball games the last couple weeks and my SIL asked me who the socks were for. When I told her they were for my dad she said she didn’t think they would fit. That he wouldn’t be able to get the sock on. Well, now I’m second guessing myself about them. I just may finish them and give the socks to her. Blue is her favorite color. Why do I have so much trouble knitting socks for my dad?

Lace Ribbon:
It gets longer and longer.

Pineapple Scarf:
This is my latest obsession. There isn’t one thing about this scarf I don’t love. It’s going to be one of those projects that I blow through, like the last crochet wrap/scarf (I finished in 2 days). And I love the yarn. I’ve never used Nashua yarns before and this is their organic cotton. It’s soft, has really nice stitch definition, and the colors are real pretty. I’d use this yarn again any day.

And once again the use of my lap for the photoshoot. But the black pants work!

Thanks to Justine at Anglefire Studios, I’m obsessed with this Japanese Crochet book.

That’s where the pattern for the Pineapple Scarf comes from. They have really creative stitch combinations in their designs and I’m hooked. There are about 6 things I want to make from the one book I purchased. I’d even make them all out of the Nashua Organic Cotton since it works up so nicely.

Yeah, I know I have many other WIPs or should I say UFOs around the house. I do intend to get to them because I want them to move from my year end unfinished list to the finished list.

But I keep starting new stuff. This must stop.

Bezzie – this is for you. A picture of the finished and blocked baby sweater.

Yeah, taking pictures at work again... ;-)

Finito!

The baby sweater is finished and needs a couple of snaps sewn on and it will be ready to wrap up and deliver (pun not intended but HA!)

Pattern: Baby’s First Tattoo
From: Stitch & Bitch Nation
Yarn: Numma Numma Baby Boo in Strawberry, Banana, Kiwi (LOVE IT!)
I didn't block it last night like I wanted to but I still love it.

I wanted a cardigan pattern for this baby sweater and I thought this one was cute and would lend itself to lots of other yarns.

Hat for Alex #1 for this month.

I used left over STR Heavyweight for this hat. I think the color was Lunasea, which is so pretty and striped so nicely on this hat. Two more to go for June!

Kiparoo Farms Crochet scarf/wrap

I got the pattern and the yarn when Shannon and I went to MD S&W last year (2007). The yarn isn’t from the Kiparoo Farm people because the cost would have been insane. So I found this yarn and fell in love with it (sorry, I forget who the vendor was). 14 months later I get the itch to crochet it. I pull everything out and realized that the pattern is so badly written that it made no sense after “Chain 36. sc next 2 rows”. I needed to put my thinking cap on and worked out what the pattern should be and ran with it. I think it came out great. The yarn is nice and drapey and I’d use it again in a heart beat.

What have you finished lately? Anything?

Holy Hell!

Has it been two weeks since I last posted? I suppose it has, but it sure doesn’t feel like it.

The weather has felt like hell tho.

During the heat blast 10 days ago, I was going to log on and leave a message that said “hot”; in small letters like that so you knew it was an effort to move, type, breathe, and even sit. Well that was truer than I realized. I was out in the 100F degree weather from 11-2 both Saturday and Sunday. That’s when DN#1 was playing in the town’s little league playoffs. It was so brutally hot. I even drank Gatorade (which is so gross tasting to me).

So he won his games on Sat and Sun and then his team moved onto the next game on Tuesday (cooler temps – like 90) and they won that one too. Thursday night (in the 90s again) was the big game to decide which two teams went on to the championship.

This caused a dilemma. Jen, Bezzie and I had been planning on meeting up at Anglefire Studios for their WWKIP day. But if DN#1’s team went onto the championship, it was going to be played on Saturday. I let Jen and Bezzie know of the possible conflict and teased them about knitting at the game and they both said “Tell us where and when and we’re there.” I love them for that!

They lost Thursday night. It was a heartbreaker too because the ump sucked. Even the field ump (ref?) agreed that he was pretty bad, so you know it wasn’t just us parents and aunt who thought so.

WWKIP day was on! Bezzie even told Karen from Cooknknit where to meet us. She brought her son and Chunky and Karen’s kiddo played non stop for a good three hours. At first we thought we were going to be the only knitters there, but a few more ladies showed up and set up their chairs and tables (brilliant!) or sat on the floor or the steps of the gazebo by the LYS.

I finished the baby sweater but I needed a bit of knitterly opinion and moral support before I crossed the finish line. Then I started a Hat for Alex and finished that after I got home. Pictures of them and of another FO tomorrow when I have a minute to take pictures of them.

Clockwise from bottom left: Bezzie, Karen and two lovely ladies whose names I can't remember for the life of me, and Jen who is standing.

The boys practicing the next Xtreme Sport of Gazebo Scootering.

The rest of the knitting ladies!