Here I am!
It has been noted that I have not posted in some time. Which, of course, is very true. But I have had a lot going on here, and honestly posting about it hasn't been much of a priority for me, so much as just getting through the busy-ness alive and no more insane than I started.
As you may know, I recently began two major changes in my everyday life. First, I got a job, working as a Merchandising Specialist for Best Buy. Well, -actually- I work for Mosaic Sales Solutions, the company that Best Buy employs to manage the merchandising of their DVD and some of the Music departments. I applied for the job around the end of July, and within a week I was hired. Donna, my boss, is a flighty woman who is absolutely wonderful to work with .. she's just highly distracted by everything she must have going on. She's DM for the area, and her district seems to span a wide area, including parts of both North and South Carolina.
My job entails going into Best Buy and making sure that certain fixtures (endcaps and displays in the 'racetrack') as well as the feature walls and the brand centers are set up properly, and that the in-line section, where the bulk of the stock is, is neat, properly displayed and in alphabetical order. I also handle the 'budget' cd sections in my store, as well as the music add signage and the music DVD section. It's not really a difficult job, but it is perfectly suited to my compulsive need to set things in order. And since it's not full time, it lets me keep the house in some semblance of order, and cook meals for me and honey and Brandon.
In the last week or so I went from my DM wanting to ease me into things to having to cover for other stores .. a store almost 40-miles away one way no less, and having to quickly get trained in a second program (I started with movies, now I'm doing music too.)My paycheck for last week is over $200 before taxes. Part time. Which is delightful. All I really need this job for is to pay the car payment and insurance, and to give myself spending money. And with a reflow coming up (where the movie section of a store is completely redone from beginning to end) and after that, the holidays, I can expect my hours to increase to possibly near 30 a week. Which will be a wonderful thing, even if it will be somewhat tiring.
In addition to my job, I joined Jason in enrolling in classes to finish an Associates in Arts degree. Not that I don't already have an AS, but it's been 11 years since I graduated from college, and I know damned well I need to start over a little. They're taking most of my credits regardless, but Is till feel it best to retake some things. I'm considering retaking a couple maths, or at least one, and probably an English course. As it is, I'm taking 4 classes. 14 credit hours this semester. I'm taking Spanish 101, Solar Astronomy, Wester Civilization 101, and Art Appreciation. A pretty full load for my first time back, but thus far, it's looking pretty easily handled.
So that's where I have been. Our anniversary came and went without much fanfare. Jason got me flowers and washed my car for me, and that was pretty much it. We're still doing well with Weight Watchers. I've lost 18 pounds since July 1st. Jason has lost over 20, and Brandon has lost over 25. We're all walking now, at -least- 4 times a week, for 30 minutes at least. Tonight we walked Cherry Park, which is a much more strenuous walk than the park we usually go to, but it felt good to get moving. I'm looking forward to after Labor day, when my self-imposed yarn diet will be over, as there are several projects I want to buy the yarn for, and now that I have a paycheck again, I can buy it. And to cooler weather. I'm about dying to be able to open windows again.
I have been seeing -lots- of wildlife lately, which is strange for me. Like, wildlife I don't ordinarily see. Hawks on telephone wires, and deer standing at the corner of two roads. A whole flock of vultures on the side of the road. A praying mantis big as my hand sitting on the door to my store. A couple of cranes flying overhead, and a few in wetlands on the side of the road. And cicadas just crawling across the path tonight when we were walking. Like, just sitting there. Do-dee-do! Weird. But I've never seen one before, not up close and personal, so it was kinda cool.
As you may know, I recently began two major changes in my everyday life. First, I got a job, working as a Merchandising Specialist for Best Buy. Well, -actually- I work for Mosaic Sales Solutions, the company that Best Buy employs to manage the merchandising of their DVD and some of the Music departments. I applied for the job around the end of July, and within a week I was hired. Donna, my boss, is a flighty woman who is absolutely wonderful to work with .. she's just highly distracted by everything she must have going on. She's DM for the area, and her district seems to span a wide area, including parts of both North and South Carolina.
My job entails going into Best Buy and making sure that certain fixtures (endcaps and displays in the 'racetrack') as well as the feature walls and the brand centers are set up properly, and that the in-line section, where the bulk of the stock is, is neat, properly displayed and in alphabetical order. I also handle the 'budget' cd sections in my store, as well as the music add signage and the music DVD section. It's not really a difficult job, but it is perfectly suited to my compulsive need to set things in order. And since it's not full time, it lets me keep the house in some semblance of order, and cook meals for me and honey and Brandon.
In the last week or so I went from my DM wanting to ease me into things to having to cover for other stores .. a store almost 40-miles away one way no less, and having to quickly get trained in a second program (I started with movies, now I'm doing music too.)My paycheck for last week is over $200 before taxes. Part time. Which is delightful. All I really need this job for is to pay the car payment and insurance, and to give myself spending money. And with a reflow coming up (where the movie section of a store is completely redone from beginning to end) and after that, the holidays, I can expect my hours to increase to possibly near 30 a week. Which will be a wonderful thing, even if it will be somewhat tiring.
In addition to my job, I joined Jason in enrolling in classes to finish an Associates in Arts degree. Not that I don't already have an AS, but it's been 11 years since I graduated from college, and I know damned well I need to start over a little. They're taking most of my credits regardless, but Is till feel it best to retake some things. I'm considering retaking a couple maths, or at least one, and probably an English course. As it is, I'm taking 4 classes. 14 credit hours this semester. I'm taking Spanish 101, Solar Astronomy, Wester Civilization 101, and Art Appreciation. A pretty full load for my first time back, but thus far, it's looking pretty easily handled.
So that's where I have been. Our anniversary came and went without much fanfare. Jason got me flowers and washed my car for me, and that was pretty much it. We're still doing well with Weight Watchers. I've lost 18 pounds since July 1st. Jason has lost over 20, and Brandon has lost over 25. We're all walking now, at -least- 4 times a week, for 30 minutes at least. Tonight we walked Cherry Park, which is a much more strenuous walk than the park we usually go to, but it felt good to get moving. I'm looking forward to after Labor day, when my self-imposed yarn diet will be over, as there are several projects I want to buy the yarn for, and now that I have a paycheck again, I can buy it. And to cooler weather. I'm about dying to be able to open windows again.
I have been seeing -lots- of wildlife lately, which is strange for me. Like, wildlife I don't ordinarily see. Hawks on telephone wires, and deer standing at the corner of two roads. A whole flock of vultures on the side of the road. A praying mantis big as my hand sitting on the door to my store. A couple of cranes flying overhead, and a few in wetlands on the side of the road. And cicadas just crawling across the path tonight when we were walking. Like, just sitting there. Do-dee-do! Weird. But I've never seen one before, not up close and personal, so it was kinda cool.