Removing the weight

So.... ironically, the only weight issue I have that doesn't involve decreasing numbers, is my body weight. Gym is paying off in that my body shape is changing and I'm looking better. The weight hasn't moved. I'm not so fussed about it now, because the body difference is becoming more evident.

Day to day at work, I do a number of tasks that are fairly small and don't take a lot of time individually. Together, taking into account that it's possible I can have 20 or 30 of these requests in a day, it takes up much more time than I physically have, and disallows me to get my 'real' work done. On Friday, I sent out an email to all the people who send through these requests, giving them the rights to do the majority of that work themselves. In the past, they've given me the jobs and I've passed on the request to the people who get them done. Now, they will go directly and I'll just be notified of the jobs when they're done. Sooo much pressure will be gone and I'll have more time to get my job done properly. I felt more positive about my job as soon as I hit the 'send' button. And I have two interviews on Monday with candidates wanting to be my full time offsider. I'm seeing a little bit of light, for a change.

I checked out a share apartment yesterday. It's closer to work, closer to gym, and $70 a week less than what I'm paying here. It's a really nice two storey, three bedroom place, sharing with one guy (who has his two kiddos over every Wed night and every second weekend). I met him and his kiddos, plus the girl who'll be moving out. They're nice people. There are a few downsides to the location (have to keep my car on the street, not all that much room for the cats to go outside, a bit of street noise from the bedroom), but for the financial saving, I'll deal with those. I'm nervously excited. I haven't shared with a male I don't know since 2003, but the guy seems nice enough and his kids are smart and seem fairly well behaved, so it might just work out ok. And I can start to feel a bit more financially secure again.

Finally, G is going on a holiday to NZ next Wed, for a week and is going to use that time to figure out what he wants to do about getting himself out of the mess he's in now. I hope, for his sake, he comes back ready to make the decisions he has to make, and follows through. And it'll give me a break from the whirlwind of drama I've been caught up in these last few weeks. Life shouldn't be so complicated. For me, it's not. I'm just sayin'...

How to complicate things 101

Oh, the tangled webs we weave...

G moved out from K just before we met.
G moved in with Cousin N.
G and I had one conversation the day I started at the gym, and we both lost our brains.
G had no intention of going back to K and so was openly socialising with me.
K went through G's phone and found messages from me.
I told G we need to cool our heels a bit.
K knows I go to G's gym.
K and G have a bit of a 'don't ask, don't tell' thing going on and always have.
G told K he wants to try to reconcile, although now he thinks that's not what he wants.
G doesn't know what he wants.
K thinks things are better than before, because G won't tell her he might have been too hasty in his decision, because he doesn't want to hurt her feelings.
G and K agree they're happier living apart.
G mentioned my name to Cousin N, in passing, over dinner not long ago.
Cousin N decided to join the gym and met me yesterday.
Cousin N asked G where he spends his time when he's not at her place.
G told her he spends his weekends at place x and some weeknights at place y.
That didn't go down too well (Duh!)

Meanwhile, the anti-me knows I'm looking to move out from here.
He offered me a room at his place.
I said no, because a) it's too far from work b) he has rotties that would eat my cats.

I saw Dr Ruth today. I told her everything that's going on. She thinks I'm handling everything well, considering, and will come out the other side alright, no matter how it all turns out. I think she's right. I'm seeing it all from a pretty detached view. I'm not stressed or anxious about any of it. Not sure why or how that is. It just is.

She asked if I was thinking that anything with G or the anti-me would turn serious, or if that's what I wanted. "Oh, no! I'm the only one of the lot of us who's seeing a psychologist! At least I know I have issues. I'm the only sane one in all this."

Or maybe I'm not...

Quick update on the idea

G knew I was going to see the anti-me on Sunday afternoon/evening. He pretty much stalled our catch up time to make it difficult for me to go, considering it's an hour drive to J's place from mine. We were meant to meet at 12, have lunch, drop some pamphlets and go home. We met after one, had lunch, checked out a bookstore, bought books, checked out a sports store, bought shoes, had lunch, dropped by the gym, then dropped pamphlets till after 5. I was tired anyway, so I rang J and said I would go see him another time. To my surprise, J said he'd come to my place. G text me later to see if I was home, or out. I said J was over. Well...

He was all pouty and jealous on Monday morning at gym, even though he acknowledged he had no right to be that way. By last night, he was fine again, but confused by the fact that he got jealous. So...

It came about that I invited him over for dinner and we talked about things. He said he was serious about considering moving in if I got the townhouse I want to rent. Financially and logistically, it makes sense for both of us. Emotionally? I dunno. A bit of an intense conversation was had, with him finally saying, "I'm really confused. Please don't let me fall for you". Aaaarrrrrgggh!

Um...that's all I have time to post for now. Gotta get back to work. According to our accounts dept, yesterday was the end of the month (who knew?!), so I have financials to finish now that I thought I had a week to do. Yay!....not.

An idea

A good one, or a bad one, I'm not sure.

G and I letter box dropped pamphlets for his gym in an area of my suburb that's a little more wealthy than most of the rest of it. Last week, I was looking for a new place to rent and found one, going ridiculously cheap, in that area. I've made an appointment to see it on Wednesday night.

I have advertisements on two share accommodation websites to see if I can find someone who'll move in with me. G was impressed when he saw the place (2 storey, 3 bedroom townhouse) and asked how much I'd want the second person to pay.

I told him. It's less than what he's paying to share with his cousin at the moment and a lot less than what he was/is paying where he was living previously. He said he was seriously considering sharing with me. I suggested K (with whom I'm trying to help him stay together) might flip her lid over that idea, even though he's told her I'm pushing him in her direction.

He thinks it makes sense to move closer to work and pay less rent since he's not in the best financial position right now. I think it makes sense to have someone I know I get along with and who can tolerate me and the cats. Both of us would be paying less rent than we are now. Both of us would be closer to work. It would save me the drama of interviewing potential housemates and the stress of having to come up with the additional $$ if I didn't find someone straight away.

But is it a good idea, or a bad one? The pros and cons are about even. When push comes to shove, I doubt he'll follow through, but it was certainly an interesting conversation.

My girl, her girl

The lovely Sara, with the just as lovely Rebecca Samantha.
I miss my girl.


















M(onica), I forwarded you an email with a link to Sara's photo website. Mel, I sent it to you as well, but it bounced. Email me and I'll try it again? If anyone else from 'the board' wants the link, let me know and I'll send it to you.

Gettin' a rep'

I got an email this afternoon from one of the girls in my social group.

"Hi there is anyone mad enough to go rap jumping with me??? (Abseiling) Run face first down a 7 storey building."

I replied, "I'll do this. Sounds freakin scary (ya know how I hate heights!), but what the heck!"

"Yeh I knew you would be up for it."

One of the guys I work with asked me what stops you at the bottom. I joked, "your face". He said he'd pass. Another one said I'm becoming a thrill seeker. Dunno about that, but I'm definitely putting myself outside my comfort zone a lot more lately.

Horse riding tomorrow is starting to seem almost sedate. :-p

Ian, come home, so I can start doing regular things like going for cake and coffee again.

Anti-dote

J (anti-me) has been contacting me again. I've been invited to dinner.

If there's a lesson to be learned in all of these things happening lately, I'd like to know what it is, so I can hurry up and learn it.

Ms Fixit needs a new toolbox

A guy I met online, and I, a few years back, used to say we were fix-it people; we meet people, get close, teach them lessons, help sort their issues out....and watch them move on to have (apparently) good relationships with other people. It happened often enough for both of us that we saw a pattern forming. I'm doing it again.

I met G at one of the more stressful points in his life. He's literally cried on my shoulder in my house, in public and at the gym. One of those times, it was because I pointed out how he'd done the wrong thing by me. It was a relatively small thing, but if either of us told anyone, they'd think he was a pretty crappy person who needed a good smack to the side of the head. I wasn't saying it to hurt him, rather just to get him to see things he wasn't seeing. The other times, it's because I pointed out how he'd done the wrong thing by other people....and himself.

It's hard to watch someone trying to do the right thing, but in doing so act in ways that are potentially destructive to themselves (even harder when some of those destructive things make you feel good). G has an idea of who he wants to be and what he thinks he should be (as opposed to what he actually wants, which he can't specify). I'm finding it difficult to let him find his path and not coach each step of the way. I give advice and wonder how much of it is because I want that outcome for him and how much is self-serving. What I offer as far as support is ideas for him to consider saying and doing in order to get the result he wants.

On the flip side, I question if that's really what he wants to do....because can you really say you want to do something when you don't know for sure if it's going to make you happy anyway.....and when you're still doing things in direct opposition to your goal? I can say I want to do something, because I'm pretty sure the outcome will make me happy, even if I don't know for certain. But if I can't answer that question with at least some certainty, I probably should be thinking about it more, before I go off and do it. Maybe that's just me...

So....here I am, wanting to see someone achieve what it is they think they want, but getting something myself from the things they're doing that don't help that cause. I like having someone to talk to. I like having someone hug me while I'm watching a movie - not in a romantic way, but just to be held. I like having someone who'll ring up just to see if I want to hang out. As twisted as it sounds, I don't mind being second to the person he thinks he should try to be with. As hard as it is for me to comprehend, I believe him when he tells me how highly I rate in his life. And yet, I'm pushing for him to be with someone else. Their history suggests things won't turn out the way he wants, but he's got to discover that himself.

Being completely honest, I am getting some kind of satisfaction from being a sounding board and a place for support. It's a little overwhelming that he has the emotional connection to me that he says he does, and it's a concern. I told him today that it's detrimental to what he says he wants, and he agrees, but he says he has no intention of giving that (me) up either. I was surprised to hear they've discussed my involvement with him (yeah, weird). He says she understands and knows the circumstances. I guess I'll find out how she really feels in a few weeks, when we're all at a major function together, if we don't meet sooner. I told G she shouldn't feel threatened by me in any way. His reply was that he sees me as much more than a friend and it would be difficult for him to see me as only a friend. Hmmm...

He told her no matter what happens, he's not giving up our friendship. Yep, if you know me, whatever reaction you're having to that statement now, it's probably quite similar to mine. I guess my side is a little more self-serving. It's good to have the company (with limits and boundaries), without the hassle of a relationship, as selfish as that sounds.

G knows I don't want a relationship with him, coz, let's face it, the guy is a huge risk with major issues, and I don't need that. And he says some really clueless things that, although honest, do sting. Heck, he told me something he told her and I'm surprised his head remained on his shoulders and he's still alive. But as a friend and as a person, he's great, and like him, I don't want to give that up. We're simultaneously very bad and very good influences on each other.

I suppose there's no real point to this. I've just had a lot of time to think this weekend. The situation is not about to change, because I don't think any of us want it to change in any major way right now....or we're not ready for it to change.

I guess everyone does what they need to in life, to get by, till they're ready to do what they have to do to get where they want to be.

Family part 15 - In sickness and in health

Mum told me yesterday that my eldest sister (the overweight sociopath) had been taken to hospital by ambulance again. It sounded like one of her regular ailments. This morning, mum rang me asking for the number of the hotel my niece works at in Italy, so she could contact her. We chatted a while and I gave her the number. She sent me a text this afternoon saying my sister had had a stroke, but she was coherent and can talk. Not good, but at least she has her speech.

I feel bad, because.....well, because I don't feel bad. In fact, I've been teary because I feel nothing. In distance, I'm the closest person to her, but I have no inclination to drive the three hours to see her. Nor do I want to call, even though mum has given me the number for the hospital.

She's done so many negative things to me, directly or indirectly, and almost all of her issues are self inflicted. It's hard to be empathetic or want to be supportive. Mum enables and excuses all her bad behaviours and calls her "my baby". The woman is 47.

I dunno. I feel awful for my niece. Mum said she sent her a carefully worded text message in case she couldn't get her on the phone. She's having a hard enough time as it is. She knows what her mum is like and some of the awful things she's done (even to her quite recently), but she's still her mum and they do have a good relationship.

I'm responsible. I'm self sufficient. I look after myself - mostly. I just can't feel sorry for someone who's never helped themselves, always made excuses not to, and continues to the wrong thing by most of those closest to her.

Ever since she got sick last year and spent a considerable amount of time in hospital, I haven't expected her to last more than a few more years. She's just not physically or mentally healthy enough. And 47 ain't old by a long shot! (Heck, I've got an ex who's that age now!)

But I didn't expect her to have a stroke. Considering her lifestyle, I'm not sure why that didn't occur to me.

I dunno. It's surreal and maybe I'm still processing, but right now I just feel bad because I don't feel empathetic.

It's a lot of work

My Tuesday meeting with the CFO was put off till yesterday afternoon. I can't say I was looking forward to it. When it came time to actually talk about everything and lay it all out, I had so much to say that I didn't know where to start. I think my first sentence was something like, "I really wish I had something positive to say, but really, I just want to see the light, because there isn't any right now..." That got the ball rolling. The outcome wasn't entirely what I wanted, but better than I expected...or maybe I'm just waiting to see what happens from here.

On the plus side, I'm being given a full time offsider. Travis has not been able to put in as many hours as I've needed, but I did offer him the job. I had to and I'd like him to be able to take it, but I don't think he will. He has too many other things going on in his life and would find it difficult to commit to a full week. I need consistency and I need support, so it looks like I'll have a new offsider soon. I just have to find the time - make the time - to write up a position description for the agency.

I said I hated the fact that I constantly feel like I'm trying to catch up and not getting done what I need to get done. I said I would not pay my offsider peanuts - I want someone competent. I also said I could go work in the city and get paid more than $10K+ more to be a PA and have less stress. I explained that the feeling in our dept is every man for himself and that because we have no boss on site, we have nowhere to go for support and that when we do, we don't get it, because he's not in touch with what's going on day to day. I wasn't as harsh as I'd intended to be, but I made my displeasure on a number of issues known. Every point I made was written down by the CFO.

At the end of the discussion, I leaned forward across the desk and said, "So, what exactly will you be getting back to me on?" Yep, ballsy (for me), but surprisingly well received. Now I just wait to see what's delivered.

Our boss was in the office this afternoon. He barely even acknowledged me. I wasn't surprised.

At least when I have the appointments with the agency staff for my support person, I can have a chat about them putting me back on their books, too. Interesting times ahead...

Brace yourself!

Five minutes, nine seconds tonight.

G did ten minutes, ten this afternoon. He was stressed and obviously had lots of pent up energy to expend.

F, one of the other gym regulars did seven, fifty on Saturday. He's an alien.

Most of the other people in the gym think we're nuts. I think we are. I had no excuse, except that the guys were pushing me and I couldn't say no to the challenge.

No, that's not me! Just a pic I found on the net.

A 'girl break'

I truly never understood how incredibly unorganised and unprepared boys can be till this weekend.

Three of us packed up a car and drove to a pub at a half way point on Saturday morning, to wait for the 4th girl on our trip. Somewhere between the car and the stools at the bar, we decided to change our names to boys' names. We'd all managed to wear similar clothes - boots, jeans, tight shirts and vests. We looked like lumberjacks, so we gave ourselves manly names. Bruce, Roger (me), Trevor and Simon (the obligatory gay in the group). And ordered lattes.

We drove to the camp ground (part of a gorge in a national park) and discovered a large number of people already set up with campsites and fires. We set up as far away from most of them as possible, which turned out to be one of the better spots in the whole area. I don't quite understand why everyone has to congregate together, when the idea of camping is to be away from everyone else. Anyway...

We set our tent up and got our fire going. I think we were also the only ones to actually bring our own firewood. Most people were going around collecting what they could off the ground. Not ideal when it's been raining. So we ate, drank, overdosed on marshmallows. S is a chef, and she'd made fettuccine and a fresh pasta sauce, so we had that for dinner. She also made chocolate hedgehog slice with about a third of a bottle of cointreau. That was dessert. And it was good!

After dark, two boys turned up and attempted to pitch their tent next to us. Attempted. In the dark. Their biggest torch was about the size of a pen light. Their tent fell down on their first try. We laughed. It finally stayed up. It was only a small two person dome. They walked back up to their car and we heard a loud motor noise. They carried down a double size blow-up mattress. Before they even reached their tent we were rolling around on the ground, because it was obvious that the mattress was bigger than the opening of the tent. Assistance was required from two of the girls, who helped to sort of fold the mattress and squeeze it inside. At one point, one guy yelled, "It won't budge. It's stuck on something", to which the other replied, "It's me. You're squashing me!" Funniest thing we've seen in a long time! (Under the light of our lanterns and spotlights.)

Watching them try to start a fire was almost as funny. For a moment, it worked. Keep in mind, we had ours blazing for hours by that time. The boys had steaks for dinner. With barely any fire heat to cook them. In the end, they chopped them up into tiny squares and tried to heat them in a fondue pot. Yes. We laughed our arses off when they told us that! Eventually, we invited them to our fire. They gave us their marshmallows. Once they sat down, they told us they'd set out much earlier in the day, but got lost and ended up back where they started. When they told us they were accountants (and only 21yo), we laughed again. (Ian, you're not the average accountant, so you're not included in the stereotype.) At least they were laughing as much as we were. They said they were hoping to have a "man break" and that when they got home they'd be telling their mates the opposite story - that we were the ones that needed rescuing. We said maybe next time they might have their man break.

On the other side of us were three teenage boys. They had a good fire going and had food...well, teenager food - two minute noodles, packet carbonara, milk and gatorade. True. (And obviously supplied by one of their dads, who drove down to pick them up at 8.30am this morning, and who was rather concerned when we joked that they'd been drinking. Oops!) These boys were a little more prepared than the accountants, but still came to us for assistance when one of them cut his hand badly. Lucky I had big, square bandaids for him.

During the day, they played with a frisbee. During the night, they played a spotlight game (which we supervised from a distance, to ensure they didn't kill themselves in the dark). Our tents were at the base of a rather steep drop of about 10-12 metres. One of them tried to climb down the slope while playing their game. He didn't realise that the last couple of metres was not a slope, but a drop....and went crashing down onto the fence that our tent backed up onto, and into our bag of rubbish - luckily not impaling himself on the fence post. We, and his mates, asked if he was ok. No noise...and we couldn't see him. Eventually, he got up and we all breathed a sigh of relief - after rushing over with torches and lamps to see what he'd broken. Thankfully, he was ok. He'd only lost his mobile phone. Why he had it in the dark, in an area that didn't have mobile service, I have no idea. Miraculously, the boys found it a little while later. Stupidly, all three of them kept using that slope behind our tent to try and play their dumb spotlight game. Methinks boys should be proud of themselves if they manage to live to 21. No wonder that birthday is a big deal for most people.

Yesterday, we did a hike, with a bunch of other people in our social group, in another national park about an hour's drive from where we were camping. It took three hours and was pretty hard going for all of us. (I'll post photos at some stage.) Two of the girls went home after that and S and I stayed for a second night in the cold.

On the way back to the campsite, we stopped by the pub we met at on the first day. Who knew we'd be overnight celebrities? We became 'the camping girls'. All the regulars were there again. Those who weren't there the day before had heard about us. We were asked how we were doing and they all wanted to know all the details of our time so far. It was amusing when we realised the tough guys in the pub thought we were cool adventure chicks.

The 'man break' accountants only stayed one night. All that bumbling and effort to just pack up the next morning. Last night, most of the other campers had gone home, so it was just me and S, the teenager boys and one other group of campers way down the other end of the camp site, away from us. It was much colder than the first night, but we had a bigger, more kick-arse fire than the first night. Strangely, we were also a lot warmer in our tent and slept better, but maybe that's because we'd also hiked for three hours during the day.

It started to rain in the early hours of the morning and was heavy for a while. This is the second time I've been camping where it's been fine the first night and rained the second night. The only bad thing about the rain is packing up wet, muddy camping gear.....oh and having to trek up the hill to the toilet block in the cold and dark wasn't entirely pleasant, but it was part of the adventure.

We packed up and drove back to the town with the pub at about 10am this morning. There was only one place open for breakfast, so we ordered coffees and egg and bacon on toast. We drank our coffees. Twenty five minutes later our food hadn't arrived and we were hungry and pissed off. Knowing the pub opened for lunch at 11.30, we chose to ask for our money back...just as they had our food ready. We said we didn't want it. It shouldn't take almost half an hour to cook a damn egg and a bit of bacon. We got our money back and walked around the town for a while, till the pub opened, so we could get a decent meal.

Again, when we walked into the pub, we got treated like celebrities. It was weird, funny, and kinda cool. The regulars were impressed that we handled the cold and the rain better than the boys and asked when we'd be coming back again. Next time, we'll practically have to be beating off autograph hunters and doing radio interviews. I asked what goes on in that town and pretty much nothing does. It's one of those 'pass-through- towns. No wonder we were a novelty.

I'm sure there are other stories I will remember and might post as I remember them, but that's about it for now. I had an awesome time and I'm nowhere near ready to go back to work tomorrow....my body is weary.

Another early morning, tomorrow, as I get back into the groove of 6am starts at the gym. It'll be an interesting day. I just remembered I have that meeting with the CFO to 'air my grievances'. Guess there'll be some list-making done before 11.30am.

Roger, Celebrity Adventure Chick
(signing off from her Girl Break)

Camping in the cold

Yes. It's winter. Yes. I'm going camping with a bunch of girls. Yes. We're going to freeze our arses off. It's possible it will rain. But it will be fun! And we're prepared.

We even have hammers, fire making materials (plus fire putting out materials) and an axe. Between just two of us, we have enough stuff for about 4 people, including almost 30 litres of water....you know, just in case we get lost in the wilderness and have to survive on berries and water.

Why would a bunch of girls go camping in winter? Coz we can! My sister rang tonight and asked if I was in "some sort of weird adventure group". Um...something like that....

S, who I'm driving up with, mentioned that it didn't have to be girls only and boys could be invited. And spoil the fun? Hell no! We'll talk about them instead.

Other than going camping for three days, I have nothing exciting to report. G came over last night and watched (half) a movie with me. We were too tired to watch the whole thing, so he left to go home just before 10pm. That's what you get when one person owns a gym that opens at 6.15am and the other gets to gym at 6.10am and bashes on the door to be let in out of the cold. Ya have to go to sleep early. I'm liking the being friends and not being intimate thing.

Oh, I broke my prone brace record at the gym...coz I know you all are sooo interested in keeping up to date with that. My first effort? 3 minutes, 3 seconds. Second effort? 4 minutes, 8 seconds. Made the guys spin out, coz they hadn't seen a girl do that before. (Yay me!) The best guy so far in our gym has done 5 mins 22 secs (except G, who did 6 mins 30 secs). It hurts. A lot. Try it, if you're into self inflicted pain. Not that I am, or anything....

Oooh, almost forgot. The charming manager who gave me a one line reply to my email had a closed door meeting with our team leader today. We didn't think that would bode well for the afternoon. Our team leader never has his door closed. When we got back from lunch, a few of us found out we'd been hand picked to have one on one meetings with that manager next week to 'air our grievances'. Hmmm... So that's what I'll be doing at 11.30am on Tuesday. Wish me luck!

Ok, I'm outta here. Have a good weekend. I'll be back next week with 'camping with the girls' photos.

Just call me Kath

Can't say I entirely agree with the percentages, but the text is interesting. Borrowed from RisibleGirl.

Your Score: Katharine Hepburn

You scored 11% grit, 9% wit, 57% flair, and 28% class!

You are the fabulously quirky and independent woman of character. You go your own way, follow your own drummer, take your own lead. You stand head and shoulders next to your partner, but you are perfectly willing and able to stand alone. Others might be more classically beautiful or conventionally woman-like, but you possess a more fundamental common sense and off-kilter charm, making interesting men fall at your feet. You can pick them up or leave them there as you see fit. You share the screen with the likes of Spencer Tracy and Cary Grant, thinking men who like strong women.

Link: The Classic Dames Test written by gidgetgoes on OkCupid, home of the The Dating Persona Test

Life

Dr Ruth is retiring mid July. I'm distressed. She's got a list of other people I can see, including another lady she recommends....but I don't want to see someone else. I don't want to have to start over with someone else. I'm going to need to see a psych coz my psych is retiring!

G, my gym coach is ....well, it's interesting to watch someone going through things and doing things they just should not be doing, want to smack them over the head about it...but I'm trying hard not to put my two cents (two dollars?) in. I know I made the right decision to cool things off. Still, we're maintaining a good friendship and he's still kicking my arse in the gym. I broke the girls record in the whole gym chain for prone brace yesterday (and wasn't even trying as hard as I could), so I was pretty pleased with that. I haven't done anything purposefully competitive like that before. He's opening the gym this afternoon for me to go train while he does some paperwork. Sometimes being friendly with the boss has definite perks.

Speaking of perks, I now have one massive freakin tv in my lounge. I would never have bought myself something so big. To get it for free after the painful week I've had made my day. It was interesting to have my account exec in my house and see the more personal side of him. I think I'm really going to like dealing with this new company. (Oh, and it looks almost confirmed that the 21yo from my previous reseller will be working for the new one soon. Woohooo!)

Oh, other funny thing....J (account exec) sent me a text before he arrived saying he also had a 32 inch tv in case the 42 inch didn't fit in my lounge. This guy is going to be good for perks, methinks.

Making today all that more eventful....the anti-me sent me a text. Very chatty, just like no time had passed. Strange.... I'm curious to find out why.

On the flip side

I did a bit of quick wheeling and dealing on Thursday, after deciding that I would turn up to work. 'Twas a good choice to make. But let's back track a moment...

On Wed, before I blew my stack, I got an email from one of our business units with a legitimate gripe. It also included a solution to a problem. As a joke, he wrote that if it saves the telco some dollars then he wanted a big screen tv and free pay-tv for life. I forwarded the email to our supplier and said if anyone was getting a free tv, it was me.

On Thursday morning, I got a phone call from the supplier, laughing that he'd just received an email from his supplier that orders over a certain quantity would receive a free 42 inch plasma tv. The catch was the offer lasted 48 hours, from the day before. I typed out that order faster than I've done anything else in that job! I made up a legitimate sounding excuse to order almost 3 times as much stock as I normally do and got it approved. In my defence, it will make life slightly easier for all concerned, long term....it just wasn't completely necessary right now.

Hearing that I was still in a foul mood and unmotivated today, my supplier rang up and sang "you are my sunshine" to me. I thought that made my day...till he also told me that the tv had already arrived!

He's delivering it to my place on Sunday! Woooohooooooo!

I told him I needed a holiday and he said, "You wait, next week, I'll get an email about a trip to Thailand". I replied, "Thailand, Bahamas, south of France...I'm not fussy..."

I do need a holiday. Badly. A free big-arse tv will do for now.