feel free to ignore this
Hello, Livejournal. It's been awhile. Right now I just need to get my thoughts and feelings out of my head and focus them into something a little more constructive. Or rather, less destructive. That's where you come in, my friend.
True, I had forgotten you for quite some time. I took Facebook as my mistress, but you were patient. You knew I'd be back one day when I really needed you. How right you were!
Here I am with thoughts and revelations aplenty. For example, do you know why I emphasize the importance of birthdays? I can recall the dates of birth for peers from as far back as kindergarten. It is my savantism of sorts. I believe it has to do with my own quest for the "perfect birthday" that always seems to escape me. I've had birthdays past forgotten by my parents, spent alone, often times spent writing (forgotten) papers and cramming for exams, and dealing with various issues. Last year I found out I was furloughed and first discovered my stolen S.S. identity crisis.*
*In the end, after over 6 months of failed GBI investigations, SSA verifications and numerous credit report inquiries, etc. it was discovered that everything originated in a clerical error at some point whereby a worker merged my information with that of another record, deleting all of my info and replacing it with hers. Yay.
This year, however, might just take the proverbial cake. It started on Feb. 10 when I found out via my former roommate that there was an issue with our realtor. Needless to say, there is a lot of legal hassle and they are trying to cheat us by using a combination of intentionally vague legal jargon and the knowledge that we will probably not shell out the cash to hire a lawyer to contest their claim, despite the fact that we would very likely win.
Yesterday was actually quite pleasant, despite being thrust into confusing, unorganized and unfamiliar waters. The morning was spent tracking down missing Burmese weavers. They were finally located after a fellow coworker and I drove all the way to their apartment to pick them up only to be told that someone else got them moments before. Then off to do an ESL class/NPR segment (air date currently TBA). After ushering the Burmese weavers safely back to their homes, I was recruited to "take clothes to a small Haitian lady in the Burn Unit at Grady." Wonderfully specific, right? Thank God I found a coworker who scribbled down something on a piece of paper for me that was similar enough to the actual patient's name so that it only took a few nurses to figure out the intended recipient. All in all, it was a very rewarding experience, despite having to deal with the heart of Atlanta, traffic and heels. And I even had the opportunity to meet the woman (who only spoke French - I wish I could have had more interaction with her than my basic "Bonjour").
Today was more like the 10th. I awoke with the warning of snowfall during the midmorning hours. After consulting with my mother (and bed), I decided to email my superior (who was either out of the office again today or just unresponsive per usual) as well as a coworker in charge of volunteers for my ESL classes telling them my decision to stay home. As it was not even 8 in the morning, I chose to send an email as there was little chance they would have arrived yet. At the time it hardly seemed practical for me to drive an hour only to teach for one or two hours (if my students even showed!) then drive back. However, not too long afterwards the start of the storm was delayed until noon. The score rested and mother/bed 1, conscience 0.
Ideally, the coworker was to see the email and call the volunteer scheduled for the day to tell her class was canceled. This did not happen as the coworker was busy and unable to check her email until 12:45. Then she proceeded to email me with a very passive aggressive note telling me that I should have called her cell phone (the number I did not have at the time) as well as the volunteers (again, she has their contact information, not me) to inform everyone of the cancellation, as the volunteer for the day did show up earlier. She then continued to say that she didn't want to lose their volunteers because we (by which she clearly meant *I*) inconvenience them. She seems to be forgetting, of course, that I am an unpaid intern working a 3/4 to 1 hour drive away from home out of the goodness of my heart and desire to learn about the trade so to speak - in short, I am the same as the volunteers that she is so afraid of alienating. I'm also still trying to figure out why she never called me when she realized I wasn't around, given that she definitely had my cell phone number.
After receiving the email (and responding with an email of my own laden with profuse apologies) and armed with the coworker's cell number, I called her and offered to call and personally apologize to the volunteer, but was flat-out refused saying in a rather cold manner "it was unnecessary and fortunately the volunteer was very gracious about the whole thing, but I'm busy, I have to go [click]." At this point, hormones courtesy of Aunt Flo kicking in, I was pretty upset.
Then the snow really hit hard this afternoon and I couldn't get to the store to get my birthday dinner plus I have a feeling that my present to myself (a really nice haircut in time for JET interview on Tuesday to fix the mess my ex-stylist created) will be canceled tomorrow as well. The worst part, though, is how much I want to tell this coworker that she ruined not only my birthday, but the first one I've spent with both my parents in 6 years and likely the last one I'll have with them for several to come; the one I wanted and had planned to be "perfect." But I can't as that wouldn't be professional. Being an adult sucks.
And there you have it. My rant. I hope it wasn't too incoherent. Sorry for unleashing it on any unsuspecting readers, but it feels damn good to write it down and set it free.
True, I had forgotten you for quite some time. I took Facebook as my mistress, but you were patient. You knew I'd be back one day when I really needed you. How right you were!
Here I am with thoughts and revelations aplenty. For example, do you know why I emphasize the importance of birthdays? I can recall the dates of birth for peers from as far back as kindergarten. It is my savantism of sorts. I believe it has to do with my own quest for the "perfect birthday" that always seems to escape me. I've had birthdays past forgotten by my parents, spent alone, often times spent writing (forgotten) papers and cramming for exams, and dealing with various issues. Last year I found out I was furloughed and first discovered my stolen S.S. identity crisis.*
*In the end, after over 6 months of failed GBI investigations, SSA verifications and numerous credit report inquiries, etc. it was discovered that everything originated in a clerical error at some point whereby a worker merged my information with that of another record, deleting all of my info and replacing it with hers. Yay.
This year, however, might just take the proverbial cake. It started on Feb. 10 when I found out via my former roommate that there was an issue with our realtor. Needless to say, there is a lot of legal hassle and they are trying to cheat us by using a combination of intentionally vague legal jargon and the knowledge that we will probably not shell out the cash to hire a lawyer to contest their claim, despite the fact that we would very likely win.
Yesterday was actually quite pleasant, despite being thrust into confusing, unorganized and unfamiliar waters. The morning was spent tracking down missing Burmese weavers. They were finally located after a fellow coworker and I drove all the way to their apartment to pick them up only to be told that someone else got them moments before. Then off to do an ESL class/NPR segment (air date currently TBA). After ushering the Burmese weavers safely back to their homes, I was recruited to "take clothes to a small Haitian lady in the Burn Unit at Grady." Wonderfully specific, right? Thank God I found a coworker who scribbled down something on a piece of paper for me that was similar enough to the actual patient's name so that it only took a few nurses to figure out the intended recipient. All in all, it was a very rewarding experience, despite having to deal with the heart of Atlanta, traffic and heels. And I even had the opportunity to meet the woman (who only spoke French - I wish I could have had more interaction with her than my basic "Bonjour").
Today was more like the 10th. I awoke with the warning of snowfall during the midmorning hours. After consulting with my mother (and bed), I decided to email my superior (who was either out of the office again today or just unresponsive per usual) as well as a coworker in charge of volunteers for my ESL classes telling them my decision to stay home. As it was not even 8 in the morning, I chose to send an email as there was little chance they would have arrived yet. At the time it hardly seemed practical for me to drive an hour only to teach for one or two hours (if my students even showed!) then drive back. However, not too long afterwards the start of the storm was delayed until noon. The score rested and mother/bed 1, conscience 0.
Ideally, the coworker was to see the email and call the volunteer scheduled for the day to tell her class was canceled. This did not happen as the coworker was busy and unable to check her email until 12:45. Then she proceeded to email me with a very passive aggressive note telling me that I should have called her cell phone (the number I did not have at the time) as well as the volunteers (again, she has their contact information, not me) to inform everyone of the cancellation, as the volunteer for the day did show up earlier. She then continued to say that she didn't want to lose their volunteers because we (by which she clearly meant *I*) inconvenience them. She seems to be forgetting, of course, that I am an unpaid intern working a 3/4 to 1 hour drive away from home out of the goodness of my heart and desire to learn about the trade so to speak - in short, I am the same as the volunteers that she is so afraid of alienating. I'm also still trying to figure out why she never called me when she realized I wasn't around, given that she definitely had my cell phone number.
After receiving the email (and responding with an email of my own laden with profuse apologies) and armed with the coworker's cell number, I called her and offered to call and personally apologize to the volunteer, but was flat-out refused saying in a rather cold manner "it was unnecessary and fortunately the volunteer was very gracious about the whole thing, but I'm busy, I have to go [click]." At this point, hormones courtesy of Aunt Flo kicking in, I was pretty upset.
Then the snow really hit hard this afternoon and I couldn't get to the store to get my birthday dinner plus I have a feeling that my present to myself (a really nice haircut in time for JET interview on Tuesday to fix the mess my ex-stylist created) will be canceled tomorrow as well. The worst part, though, is how much I want to tell this coworker that she ruined not only my birthday, but the first one I've spent with both my parents in 6 years and likely the last one I'll have with them for several to come; the one I wanted and had planned to be "perfect." But I can't as that wouldn't be professional. Being an adult sucks.
And there you have it. My rant. I hope it wasn't too incoherent. Sorry for unleashing it on any unsuspecting readers, but it feels damn good to write it down and set it free.