Case, you need a Karelian Bear Dog.

My friend has a Newfoundland that she needs to find a new home for. She also lives near where we are moving. She says he scares them off for the most part. We are thinking of taking him, once we move.

I have considered a Karelian, but I don't know where I would find one of that breed.

Oh man, we had an Anatolian Shepherd when I was a kid. Beautiful dog, and I don't even like dogs.

I was offered a lift into work today, from a man who saw me limping out of the pub. He wasn't going my way, but it was the fact he asked which really made my morning. What a lovely thought.

Oh and one of the artists brought some Arnica in for me.

If I believed in Fate or God I'd think that perhaps this injury was meant to make me appreciate that there are wonderful people out there who will give and give and ask nothing in return. I don't, but the realisation is a positive one anyway.

Dogs, schmogs. Get a cat!


Attachment 19515

heehee, I'd forgotten about that picture.

They (the college to which I applied) just called me back. I'm meeting with the Director on Friday.

OMG this is really happening????!!!!!!!!?????

I am FREAKING out!

I'm not in a great mood today (not feeling well, house is a mess, payday can't come soon enough, etc., etc.), but a couple of cute things cheered me up, if only for the extent of my commute. A bunch of kids pulled up in a school bus while I was waiting for the SEPTA bus, and began smiling, frantically waving and yelling "HI!" So of course I had to smile and wave back. Later on, a little old lady nearly ran into my bus with her car, and didn't even notice. Another little old lady who was on the bus remarked, "I am elderly myself, I am 85 years old, and I know I shouldn't be driving. Some other elderly folks just don't know when to give it up!" :lol:

Congratulations, Shawnee! You deserve to be appreciated for your skills!

Go for it!!!

You're freaking out now?? Just wait.. get the job... hand in your resignation.. and see what the reaction is. "Don't let the door hit you on the way out", or "Oh Shawnee we luuvvv you don't leave we can't manage without your." Either one will drive you straight up the wall.

Whoo Hoo! Great news

The thing is: I used to love it here. I still love my cow orkers, and my boss is often like a big sister to me. 7 years ago, I feel like this job saved my life. It's going to be very hard to leave.

On the other hand, this is the rest of MY life, and I have to do what's best for me. As they keep piling more and more on, with no relief in sight, I pull away more and more. I've lost pride in my work, and I've lost the desire to do it at all. This is not like me. I love a good day's work. I've essentially given up, which makes me miserable, which makes me give up even more.

It's not just the money, for sure. It is almost as if the job were designed especially for me, and when I found out in the interview that it is a new position that will be fine-tuned as they ("we" perhaps) see how it evolves, you could have knocked me over with a feather.

I've sold myself short my entire life. At (almost) 44 years old, is it possible that I am empowered, that I finally feel that I have accomplished something very important for myself?

Yep, lots of introspection going to be happening in the next few days. ;)

Thanks for your well wishes, Dwellars.

Outstanding!!

Blue, I love it when those kinds of things happen. (not the not being in a great mood part...the good stuff you said.)

Awesome, Shawnee! I had a dream I worked with you the other night, btw. Maybe this means I am getting a new job, too? I doubt it. :) But anyway, congratulations!

Heeheee...I hope you're working with Good Shawnee and not Bad Shawnee! :)

Oh yeah, blue, it is great when you're feeling down and something funny or cute happens. I lost my cat and was looking for him and I talked to Ruth, one of my older neighbors, and she told me about this ad in the paper. Without going into details she made me giggle.

Kids, old people, and animals. Gotta love 'em.

So much for Thursday.





j/k!


That's awesome! Don't sell yourself short. They don't mess around with time wasting space fillers at this level. They *think* you can do the job, they *want* you to do the job. They want you to convince them that they made the right choice. Sell yourself!!

I know! They said they would let me know Thursday (either no freaking way are we hiring you, or please come meet the Director who must give the final say-so) but they called today. I was surprised.

The way we do it, if the person has made it to the "meet the bigwig" they have made a decision and, short of punching the director in the face, I have the job. OR, it is down to me and one other and it's like the last round of America's Next Top FA Administrator.

I'm very very happy for you S123. Regardless of the outcome of this opportunity, you will benefit greatly. You get the job (YAY!) or you don't (boo) *but*.... wait for it.... you get the knowledge that you do have what it takes to compete in this area, that you are valuable to other organizations and perhaps most valuable of all, that failure is not so awful that you shouldn't try. I don't want to hex you, but I'm serious. You've already won a great victory. If you get the job, it will be a double victory.

Congratulations!

Thanks! :)

I found a few minutes in my insane life to stop in and say hi. so hi. and while i'm here i'll answer all of the questions that i'm sure you had for me in other threads.

yes
yes
only if it's blue
no
not on tuesday's
only once and then i learned my lesson
yes it burns
tw still just like a broken clock
it will fall further
why yes, Jinx DOES have a fantastic ass
a penny saved is a missile for future use
12
rectum
McCain
7 minutes, I think
at least 4 times a day

That should be it. See you all next time.

Yey! Hi Lookout :)

Nice goin Shawnee. *smiles*

Shawnee you're a star
Go in and wow them

Well done you x

Thanks!

Hi cousin! Thanks for answering my question about if you like corpse cock or not (answer: only if it's blue.)

:)

I "found" Diz last night.

I was worried because I saw him on Thursday morning as usual, but he wasn't around when I came home Thursday night. I had a quick search, but I was working. John said he'd heard him so I tried not to worry.

He wasn't around Friday morning either, so I fretted all Friday until I got home. No Diz and his food wasn't touched. So I went into worry-overdrive and started searching in earnest. And then I heard him - his little voice was calling from outside the window. I stuck my head and and checked the street - nothing. Then I turned to the right - yes, the noise was coming from the flat roof of the pub - Diz was crying down at me.

OMG!

John treated it as neither drama nor crisis, just went and got a ladder and started up on the lowest point, the kitchen extension. In the end it took three ladders, John, me and one of the customers who happened out for a cigarette. John and Nick got blooded, although to be fair to Diz it was just his patented death grip rather than any malice on his part.

I brought him back in and we cuddled until I had to start work. He got special attention again this morning - I was lying reading with my leg and and Diz was all snuggled up with me.

Poor John. We've been nothing but trouble since we arrived!
Still, he got to see what the view from the pub roof is like before he left :)

Three cheers for the cat rescuers!

Making me happy today was Henry the seal (or sea lion, I don't know the difference if there is one and some articles about him use the terms interchangably).

Henry is a wild seal who has been hanging out on the beaches of Adelaide for at least 6 years. He has become quite comfortable with having humans fairly close. There is a good article about him here.

Anyway, after watching the footy grand final, I took a brisk afternoon stroll, rock hopped out to the end of the breakwater at Glenelg, and there he was in all his furry, blubbery glory, flopped on some rocks, just chilling out and enjoying the late afternoon sun.

I could get quite close - probably closer than we're legally supposed to - until he sat up and yawned and exhaled vigorously, which I took as a sign to step back. He was quite relaxed as abuot half a dozen people wandered out and back to ooohh and aaahhh at him.

Alas, I didn't have my camera with me (which is the personal fault of some twit in a mobile phone store but that is another story) so I couldn't take a photo :( .

But he was so cute I just wanted to pat him! However, I also wanted to not have my hand bitten off so I didn't pat him. Instead I just stared at him for half an hour and spent the rest of the evening with a big goofy grin on my face.

Big update here, been a bit since i've been around. But I'll update all short n' sweet, cut the fat.

I left 84 Lumber after almost three years. Got into Professional Broadband, Inc. (PBI) as of late, a contractor for Comcast.

I install in the field, HD Cable, Internet, and Phone to residential customers.

Everything from a simple telephone line for an elderly lady to an HDMI setup for the Steelers & Penguins players.

Long story short, get to the goods, I'm going from $22K a year to around $60K. So, there. ;)

We watched The Man from Snowy River tonight. Lil' Pete says "This is the horsey movie!" Apparently she watched the thing at my folks place a couple times when she was 3 or 4 and asked us to show her the horsey movie several times over the next couple years. We had no idea what she was asking for until ten years later... tonight. She was sooooo damn happy.

That's awesome.

Cool - an Australian classic.

There was movement at the station, for the word had passed around
That the colt from old Regret had got away,
And had joined the wild bush horses - he was worth a thousand pound,
So all the cracks had gathered to the fray.
All the tried and noted riders from the stations near and far
Had mustered at the homestead overnight,
For the bushmen love hard riding where the wild bush horses are,
And the stockhorse snuffs the battle with delight.

The rest.

FStop, it sounds like you made a good move. I hope you're enjoying your new job.

What's making me happy today?.......ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!! Is there a "What's making you pissy today?" thread??

Take your pick ...
this one
or
this one!

I thank you. But others won't. What would a woman on PMS say when she has a place to vent? Nothing pleasant, I assure you. :headshake

Dropping sociology class!!! :D

Cats!

Hely is getting more comfortable in here. She is still focussed on me, but happy to come in when I am not here, just for the company. She's sitting on my boss's desk right now, grooming herself, whereas before she would only sit on mine, or under it in a bed I made her (out of a bag and old clothes!). JT isn't in today, so I'm not worried about shooing her off, she'll come back to me when she's ready.

Diz last night gave me a lesson in how cats' minds work - not like ours!

A big spider came into the room - only big by UK standards, but it was a proper charlie-walker. Knowing how Diz loves to chase anything that moved I tried to point it out to him. Of course he was more interested in the ends of my fingers than what I was pointing at, stupid cat.

In the end I poked the charlie-walker with a stick and it scuttled off, engaging Diz's interest. He scrabbled about with it for a while, then it managed to find refuge under the door. Diz wouldn't give up on it even then, and went from one side of the door to the other trying to make it play again.

A bit later, when he had returned to bed, worn out, I went to see if I could find the spider. His legs were poking out from under the door in a way that suggested he wasn't going to use them again. So I took the same stick as before and poked him out, retiring to bed myself while Diz did something interesting to make him disappear (nom nom nom).

The funny thing was, Diz went back to the door a couple of times last night, as if it was a spider dispensing machine. And again this morning. Despite having chased the spider there himself, he seems to assume that because there was one spider under the door, there might be more.

Bless.

Glad you found Diz , SG. I'm thinking of "unfinding" Gaines right about now...he's really ticking me off! ;)

Met with the Director Friday. I'm the only one she's interviewed. She said they were starting to think they were way off base trying to get someone to fill the unique niche of my (major) area of FA knowledge. This is why, the last time they posted (have tried 3 times) they made it a professional position and revamped the duties of the other FA officers. Still, it was just a fluke that I happened to check their website that day.

Now it goes through HR. I wonder if my rough and rowdy past will catch up to me.

I made a list of pros and cons concerning a job change. To be honest, the list of cons is very very short. The drive (which turns out to be not bad at all due to my current location near the interstate, and them being right off the interstate) and the fact that it's new with new people. I've hit it off with the committee and the director, famously even, so I know that would pass. The other thing is my misguided sense of loyalty to this place. I will miss my boss, but I know even she will not be here forever. I talked to a friend whose wife just left here for higher ground (and he has been herer for years), and he talked about how they lull you into that sense of duty, and that we're just a big family, but the loyalty is not mutual. It's true, and I'm sad to say, because at one point this job meant everything to me.

This morning already I've been reminded by half a dozen things that I'm not happy here. Regardless of my love for most of my cow orkers, I haven't been happy for quite some time.

Let's see: more money, less of the crap I hate, more support from the college for technical improvements and staff needs, a new start. There really isn't much this place could do to keep me.

So that's where that's at. :)

Great stuff Shawnee!

Yeah don't fall for that corporate loyalty crap. They'll keep you on exactly as long as it suits the corporation, and a good manager will cause you to fell it's because they're loyal to you. The same one will regretfully let you go when they have to.

I have no doubts that you will make new friends in your new place.

Oh the tiiiiiimes, they are a changin'...

It's made for you.
Sure there'll be a period of settling in - there always is.
But it sounds like such a great move.

Where are you at in the process now?
Have they made you an offer, or is it dependent on references?

It is now in the hands of Human Resources...background check (at least I have to fill out a paper, I wonder if they'll really do a full blown check as I am currently working at a state instititution) and check references.

I've already mentally cleaned out my office. ;)

It sounds like the job is yours if you want it - if they've advertised three times and have found only one possible candidate, obviously you fill a very unusual niche they need filled. In fact, you could probably hold out for more money.

I know! I'm going to be visiting Flint's thread a la money talks.

How high above "minimum starting" should I ask for? I mean, all they can do is say no, right?

Hey, Shawnee! Great! Make it a double and get a new HG, too! :) Srsly. I know it's hard to do, but once you get the hang of it...

It's a BeaUtiful day in the neighborhood!

I talked to my First Born this morning as he drove back up to school (he went to see the Bengals lose to the Browns yesterday) and my Second Born is doing really well in his junior year. I have GREAT kids! YAY!

Congrats!

I have negative thoughts creeping in that something is going to go wrong.

Nothing could possiblee go wrong Shawnee... congrats on your now brighter future.

Rosetta Stone spanish is making me happy today. The kids love it. The boy filled a notebook page with words he learned today and they are asking if they can work on it even when it's not on the schedule... "on Saturdays and stuff?".

Yay!

Rosetta Stone is really good. We've got a couple languages you can do for free through our local library's website if you have a card.

Thanks all! Can't let myself sell myself short once again!

I have thought about trying out Rosetta Stone. Are the programs geared toward particular age groups?

Stunning news of the better-than-expected variety. Our condo that has sat empty for about a year now is due to close tomorrow afternoon. According to the HUD statement received today we will be getting a little more than $2K over what we expected.

My Grimbley cat, I need to learn how to do a video and post it on da tube....he's so funny when I am watering the plants. Bengals really do love the water.

Horse dude is making me happy too, he's lovely. :)

Great news Shawnee....::::out with the negative, in with the positive::::

No I don't think so. There are 4 pictures and you click the one that you think matches the written/spoken prompt.

Nothing can go wrong. Nothing can go wrong. Nothing can go wrong. Nothing can go wrong.Nothing can go wrong. Nothing can go wrong.Nothing can go wrong. Nothing can go wrong.Nothing can go wrong. Nothing can go wrong.Nothing can go wrong. Nothing can go wrong.

Things always get hairy from time to time. Have faith in yourself that you can handle whatever comes up.

Make a list of things you have overcome in the past. This will help you remember that you have the ability to work things out.

Thanks so much to you all. I have caught myself "stinkin' thinkin'" and my theory is that I so believe something will go wrong, I make sure I remind myself what a loser I am so that when it does I at least can wallow in my worthlessness. This is the trait I have been working on overcoming, and I don't want to lend any more credence to the idea of self-fulfilling prophecy.

Funny aside though: sometimes I'll play a silly little game in the car: the next song that comes on relates to (insert whatever event I want it to describe.) On my way to my 2nd interview, I turned on the radio and We Are the Champions was in the middle of playing, so I said "OK, the NEXT song is my omen song."

Next song was Tom Petty--"Baby even the losers, get lucky sometimes."

:lol: Have you even known such a weirdo who isn't afraid to admit it?

Here's what you can do with bad thoughts: visualize the bad thoughts being stamped repeatedly with a big, red CANCEL stamp, and say to yourself "CANCEL, CANCEL, CANCEL." Feel the feeling that you have cancelled those thoughts and don't have to worry about them anymore.

Shawnee, you remind me of me. Recently some really great things have come to pass for us and I catch myself thinking that something major is going to go wrong...or that I don't deserve it...

But, I also have this fear that if I think about it going wrong it is more likely to happen...so it sort of keeps me in balance.

Are there too many voices in my head?

Anyway, don't fear. All will be well. And remember...even if something goes wrong with the new job (which it won't) you are still no worse off than you were before. :)

I'm lucky to know you all, seriously...thanks! :blush:

Making me happy today
Something awaited, but not expected arrived. Wonderful wonderful, I feel loved.

And I had my 6 month probationary appraisal today
It went so well - yes they want to keep me

I don't think I mentioned it here, but my 3 month one went really badly
JT had picked up on some of the issues I was having with the artists and the fact I wasn't used to being tied to a desk for 8 hours - I'm front of house effectively. She said she wanted me to seriously consider whether I felt it was the right job for me, and that EEA would support me if I decided it wasn't.

I - of course- took this to mean they wished they hadn't employed me but was too ashamed to sound anyone out about it. Instead I put my head down and worked damn hard, in the process realising the issues I'd had had already passed by the time of the meeting, and that JT was trying to be supportive and not rejecting me.

Anyway, that's water under the bridge - we've talked it through twice now and I am happy here, there was only a period of about 2 weeks where I was questioning if I was in the right place and that was more to do with being so ubnhappy at HM's.

The positive response I got today and the fact I could talk with such confidence about my achievements in the last six months laid that ghost to rest.

And I love that my boss is a spunky, pushy Australian who wants me to better myself. And thinks I'm great, and funny (I asked her tonight why she was dressing up, she said, "It's the Stevie Wonder concert! [networking event]" I said, "I know... but he can't see you!")

lol

It's like the time Bush waved to Stevie when he came out on stage.

Yay SG! :)