(no subject)
This past week has been filled with highs and lows.
Since I'm in bed feeling sick among other things, I thought I'd still try to be productive and at least post an update and welcome my new friends! So hello everyone and sorry it took me this long to post an entry after adding you all.
In addition to feeling sick, I had some problems with my laptop and internet connection for the last week so I haven't been able to get online as often as I would have liked but my laptop has been fixed for the most part and even though my internet connection has been temperamental it seems to be working fine at the moment. I've had my ASUS laptop for over two years and it's been pretty reliable but was repaired a few times because the back panel and hinge kept coming loose. At first it didn't seem like a big deal but eventually it caused the wires to rip when I don't get it fixed right away. One time the wires ripped so badly that my laptop couldn't connect to the internet then eventually couldn't even turn on anymore. This time when the back panel started to come loose I brought it back into the repair place that replaced my whole back panel and keyboard the last time and the dude there was happy enough to fix things for free this time but recommended that I should probably get a new laptop at some point. I'm trying to hold off on getting a new laptop for as long as I can because I really like this one and don't want to deal with getting used to a brand new one so I guess I'll just have to be super careful in the meantime.
Charlie also got attacked by Boomer last week and I'm still a little traumatized from seeing it all go down. Boomer is a dachshund mix that has boarded with me before and never showed any signs of aggression towards Charlie or other dogs. I know he got nervous around big dogs but other than that he was fine. So when his owners asked if I could watch him again I agreed. Things started off normal and on the second day of his boarding that's when it happened. I was sitting at the dining room table on my laptop getting some work done and Charlie and Boomer were next to me just lounging around and playing with toys. I heard some growling and started to get off my seat and before I knew it there were loud barking, snapping and growling noises and Boomer had Charlie's neck locked in his jaws. I tried to separate them but couldn't do it fast enough because Boomer's jaws were just locked onto Charlie's neck and he wouldn't let go. When I finally got Charlie free I saw some blood around his neck and immediately started freaking out and crying. I called an emergency vet clinic and they pretty much told me Charlie should be fine since there weren't any deep wounds or even punctures, he just had a little nix. They recommended I just clean off the blood and put a little Neosporin on him and he should be fine; Boomer was up to date with all his shots and since not a lot of skin was broken Charlie should be fine. I guess it looked worse than it actually was but because there were some spots of blood I was worried. Charlie seemed like his usual happy self right afterwards too but I wasn't taking any chances. I kept Boomer and Charlie separated and got in touch with Boomer's owners who then arranged for a pet sitting service to come pick him up and stay with him in their own apartment while they were out of town. I know Boomer probably didn't intend to hurt Charlie and he seemed to understand that he did something wrong because after I yelled at him he had his tail in between his legs and was trying really hard to show me some affection. After Boomer was picked up I asked the owners if they wanted me to refund their money since Boomer didn't complete his boarding with me but they said that because Boomer caused me and Charlie a lot of trouble I should just keep the money. This has been the scariest thing that has happened at Pawsitive Petcare and seeing my baby Charlie get attacked like that has made me want to take a step back and a little break from Pawsitive Petcare. The holidays are also around the corner which means we'll be traveling so the break couldn't come at a more better time.
Another piece of bad news that hit me this week is that my uncle in Vietnam is getting open heart surgery so my mom will be flying down there to help out our family while he undergoes the procedure. Surgeries are always costly so I'll be sending him some money along with my well wishes. The only thing anyone can do in these circumstances is to stay strong and positive so that's what I'm trying to do.
Now with some better news, I got offered the job as an administrative coordinator for the mergers and acquisitions advisory company! They called me in last week for another interview, which I didn't think went very well because I met with the CEO and owner who was super stern and didn't smile once while speaking to me and was very suspicious of why I wanted to make this career change. He made me feel really nervous and at that point I didn't think I made a good impression but after that I had a quick chat with some of the other employees and was called in again to speak to the manager of operations and she simply asked me if I wanted the job and I responded too enthusiastically or almost desperately YES! She replied saying "well we would love to have you on board our team" and then within the week I started. My first two days I only came in for three hours a day to train. There was so much to learn and it was a little intimidating, for example part of my job is screen and transfer calls so I took my first call, followed the procedures for it and this dude was calling to talk to our VIP but when I transferred him to her, she was asked if I got the spelling of his name, me "no" (but he had a pretty simple name that could probably only have been spelled two ways, which I did type both into the database to look him up first and he wasn't in it) and she said well next time get it, these are the things you're supposed to do. Eeeps, this is a total different world for me and I'm nervous because I really want to do a good job and prove to them that they took the right risk in hiring someone out of the field. I received a training manual which I could have spent more time reading and studying but between feeling sick, trying to keep the apartment clean and wrapping up my last few days of work as a life skills educator things have been pretty hectic and I just didn't have enough time. But I'm still confident in my abilities to get things done and I'm going to work my butt off to excel in this new realm. So far I'm really loving the job though, the people are friendly and the building is super fancy. I love that I get to dress up for work again, have my own office and that I have people waiting on me, i.e getting my coffee for me, escorting me up and down the elevators, opening my doors and all that jazz. However I do have to get more familiar with the downtown area because I can't keep getting lost grabbing lunch or finding my way to the train lol. Additionally I also got offered a job to work marketing and promotions for a start up company. I was late two weeks ago for the training session which I've been kicking myself in the pants for because I could have started by now but today I attended the training and will be starting next week. It's a fun part time job because I'll be going to all the hot spots in Chicago to promote and look forward to meeting new people and getting more familiar with the business world. Of course the pay is really good too and my new jobs definitely pay more than my previous job.
My last few days at my old job was bittersweet. One coworker came in during my shift and bought me lunch. When she called and asked me what I wanted, I said "you don't have to buy me lunch" and when she insisted I told her I'll just eat whatever she brings me. Unfortunately she ended up bringing me all the things I was allergic too. Honey dew slices and seafood salad (which contains crab so both gave me hives), but I was able to eat the croissants and enjoy the mineral water. I didn't say anything but ate what she brought me and broke out in hives later haha. My other coworkers have been buying me pumpkin spice lattes every day during my last week and generic lunches that I wasn't allergic too lol. They wanted to get me a card too and all sign it but since the crazy coworker is back she was trying to steal it so they all emailed me their well wishes instead. The clients of course were not on their best behavior and continued to threaten me and turn up. I also trained the new employee and she became quick friends with me. I'm glad she's tough enough to handle the job, is a fast learner and isn't one to take bullshit from anyone, which of course is essential to the job. During my exit interview I told HR about how the crazy coworker shouldn't have been allowed to return after inappropriately touching a client, creating a hostile environment for me and my coworkers and also stealing money from our budget. They obviously don't care about her behavior that's why she's back and told me at that I don't have to worry about her anymore because I'll be leaving which is besides the point but whatever. It feels so good to leave that toxic environment and not have to be hyper vigilant or ready to be on the defense when things pop off. Serving state wards and juvenile offenders was definitely challenging and I'd like to think that my work with the Chicago police and community advocates contributed to stopping the violence in the city. My employment as a life skills educator definitely taught me how to keep my temper in check and helped me develop some patience. Now that it's all over it's going to be so refreshing to respond to my first name again instead of my last name and although my new job is going to be difficult with all the new things I have to learn, it's time I put myself first instead of helping a population that puts my safety in jeopardy.
The wedding planning is also coming along. After the second dress shopping visit I believe I found the dress! The next step is to get fitted for it and then purchase it and get it altered to fit me. I also found my bridesmaids dresses! Me and Lawrence are doing an engagement photo shoot next week and were looking at renting a castle out to have our ceremony and reception. It's hard not to get overwhelmed and stressed with all the details that need to be planned out but I'm trying to take things one at a time and utilize my bridesmaids' help.
So yeah things have been busy on my end but now with my laptop functioning again I'll be coming online a lot more and you'll all hear from me more often.
Since I'm in bed feeling sick among other things, I thought I'd still try to be productive and at least post an update and welcome my new friends! So hello everyone and sorry it took me this long to post an entry after adding you all.
In addition to feeling sick, I had some problems with my laptop and internet connection for the last week so I haven't been able to get online as often as I would have liked but my laptop has been fixed for the most part and even though my internet connection has been temperamental it seems to be working fine at the moment. I've had my ASUS laptop for over two years and it's been pretty reliable but was repaired a few times because the back panel and hinge kept coming loose. At first it didn't seem like a big deal but eventually it caused the wires to rip when I don't get it fixed right away. One time the wires ripped so badly that my laptop couldn't connect to the internet then eventually couldn't even turn on anymore. This time when the back panel started to come loose I brought it back into the repair place that replaced my whole back panel and keyboard the last time and the dude there was happy enough to fix things for free this time but recommended that I should probably get a new laptop at some point. I'm trying to hold off on getting a new laptop for as long as I can because I really like this one and don't want to deal with getting used to a brand new one so I guess I'll just have to be super careful in the meantime.
Charlie also got attacked by Boomer last week and I'm still a little traumatized from seeing it all go down. Boomer is a dachshund mix that has boarded with me before and never showed any signs of aggression towards Charlie or other dogs. I know he got nervous around big dogs but other than that he was fine. So when his owners asked if I could watch him again I agreed. Things started off normal and on the second day of his boarding that's when it happened. I was sitting at the dining room table on my laptop getting some work done and Charlie and Boomer were next to me just lounging around and playing with toys. I heard some growling and started to get off my seat and before I knew it there were loud barking, snapping and growling noises and Boomer had Charlie's neck locked in his jaws. I tried to separate them but couldn't do it fast enough because Boomer's jaws were just locked onto Charlie's neck and he wouldn't let go. When I finally got Charlie free I saw some blood around his neck and immediately started freaking out and crying. I called an emergency vet clinic and they pretty much told me Charlie should be fine since there weren't any deep wounds or even punctures, he just had a little nix. They recommended I just clean off the blood and put a little Neosporin on him and he should be fine; Boomer was up to date with all his shots and since not a lot of skin was broken Charlie should be fine. I guess it looked worse than it actually was but because there were some spots of blood I was worried. Charlie seemed like his usual happy self right afterwards too but I wasn't taking any chances. I kept Boomer and Charlie separated and got in touch with Boomer's owners who then arranged for a pet sitting service to come pick him up and stay with him in their own apartment while they were out of town. I know Boomer probably didn't intend to hurt Charlie and he seemed to understand that he did something wrong because after I yelled at him he had his tail in between his legs and was trying really hard to show me some affection. After Boomer was picked up I asked the owners if they wanted me to refund their money since Boomer didn't complete his boarding with me but they said that because Boomer caused me and Charlie a lot of trouble I should just keep the money. This has been the scariest thing that has happened at Pawsitive Petcare and seeing my baby Charlie get attacked like that has made me want to take a step back and a little break from Pawsitive Petcare. The holidays are also around the corner which means we'll be traveling so the break couldn't come at a more better time.
Another piece of bad news that hit me this week is that my uncle in Vietnam is getting open heart surgery so my mom will be flying down there to help out our family while he undergoes the procedure. Surgeries are always costly so I'll be sending him some money along with my well wishes. The only thing anyone can do in these circumstances is to stay strong and positive so that's what I'm trying to do.
Now with some better news, I got offered the job as an administrative coordinator for the mergers and acquisitions advisory company! They called me in last week for another interview, which I didn't think went very well because I met with the CEO and owner who was super stern and didn't smile once while speaking to me and was very suspicious of why I wanted to make this career change. He made me feel really nervous and at that point I didn't think I made a good impression but after that I had a quick chat with some of the other employees and was called in again to speak to the manager of operations and she simply asked me if I wanted the job and I responded too enthusiastically or almost desperately YES! She replied saying "well we would love to have you on board our team" and then within the week I started. My first two days I only came in for three hours a day to train. There was so much to learn and it was a little intimidating, for example part of my job is screen and transfer calls so I took my first call, followed the procedures for it and this dude was calling to talk to our VIP but when I transferred him to her, she was asked if I got the spelling of his name, me "no" (but he had a pretty simple name that could probably only have been spelled two ways, which I did type both into the database to look him up first and he wasn't in it) and she said well next time get it, these are the things you're supposed to do. Eeeps, this is a total different world for me and I'm nervous because I really want to do a good job and prove to them that they took the right risk in hiring someone out of the field. I received a training manual which I could have spent more time reading and studying but between feeling sick, trying to keep the apartment clean and wrapping up my last few days of work as a life skills educator things have been pretty hectic and I just didn't have enough time. But I'm still confident in my abilities to get things done and I'm going to work my butt off to excel in this new realm. So far I'm really loving the job though, the people are friendly and the building is super fancy. I love that I get to dress up for work again, have my own office and that I have people waiting on me, i.e getting my coffee for me, escorting me up and down the elevators, opening my doors and all that jazz. However I do have to get more familiar with the downtown area because I can't keep getting lost grabbing lunch or finding my way to the train lol. Additionally I also got offered a job to work marketing and promotions for a start up company. I was late two weeks ago for the training session which I've been kicking myself in the pants for because I could have started by now but today I attended the training and will be starting next week. It's a fun part time job because I'll be going to all the hot spots in Chicago to promote and look forward to meeting new people and getting more familiar with the business world. Of course the pay is really good too and my new jobs definitely pay more than my previous job.
My last few days at my old job was bittersweet. One coworker came in during my shift and bought me lunch. When she called and asked me what I wanted, I said "you don't have to buy me lunch" and when she insisted I told her I'll just eat whatever she brings me. Unfortunately she ended up bringing me all the things I was allergic too. Honey dew slices and seafood salad (which contains crab so both gave me hives), but I was able to eat the croissants and enjoy the mineral water. I didn't say anything but ate what she brought me and broke out in hives later haha. My other coworkers have been buying me pumpkin spice lattes every day during my last week and generic lunches that I wasn't allergic too lol. They wanted to get me a card too and all sign it but since the crazy coworker is back she was trying to steal it so they all emailed me their well wishes instead. The clients of course were not on their best behavior and continued to threaten me and turn up. I also trained the new employee and she became quick friends with me. I'm glad she's tough enough to handle the job, is a fast learner and isn't one to take bullshit from anyone, which of course is essential to the job. During my exit interview I told HR about how the crazy coworker shouldn't have been allowed to return after inappropriately touching a client, creating a hostile environment for me and my coworkers and also stealing money from our budget. They obviously don't care about her behavior that's why she's back and told me at that I don't have to worry about her anymore because I'll be leaving which is besides the point but whatever. It feels so good to leave that toxic environment and not have to be hyper vigilant or ready to be on the defense when things pop off. Serving state wards and juvenile offenders was definitely challenging and I'd like to think that my work with the Chicago police and community advocates contributed to stopping the violence in the city. My employment as a life skills educator definitely taught me how to keep my temper in check and helped me develop some patience. Now that it's all over it's going to be so refreshing to respond to my first name again instead of my last name and although my new job is going to be difficult with all the new things I have to learn, it's time I put myself first instead of helping a population that puts my safety in jeopardy.
The wedding planning is also coming along. After the second dress shopping visit I believe I found the dress! The next step is to get fitted for it and then purchase it and get it altered to fit me. I also found my bridesmaids dresses! Me and Lawrence are doing an engagement photo shoot next week and were looking at renting a castle out to have our ceremony and reception. It's hard not to get overwhelmed and stressed with all the details that need to be planned out but I'm trying to take things one at a time and utilize my bridesmaids' help.
So yeah things have been busy on my end but now with my laptop functioning again I'll be coming online a lot more and you'll all hear from me more often.