| You've Changed 48% in 10 Years |
 You've done a good job changing with the times, but deep down, you're still the same person. You're clothes, job, and friends may have changed some - but it hasn't changed you. |
| You Are An INFP |
| The Idealist You are creative with a great imagination, living in your own inner world.Open minded and accepting, you strive for harmony in your important relationships.It takes a long time for people to get to know you. You are hesitant to let people get close.But once you care for someone, you do everything you can to help them grow and develop. You would make an excellent writer, psychologist, or artist. |
First the house, more things went wrong, but at least we're moved in. Traveling to Chicago this weekend for Rachel's birthday which is very badly timed as I could do with spending the time emptying boxes. At least I get time to NOT unpack. I guess that's good. So here' sthe latest:
- the parking fine was $160 not $45 as I thought
- the dishwasher doesn't work - I found this out just before I lef t this morning. Works fine, but there's no water - I was on a conference call and wondreed what the smell is....I stopped it, but now it bleeps every 45 seconds. yeah! Hopefully they'l lhave fixed it by the time I get back on Sunday afternoon.
- Cable - turns out the guy who did our cable lied...and should have installed the box. I guess we'll be complaining.
- We have too much stuff. We need to get rid of at least another 30% of our stuff....and get more cupboards.
On the exercise front, I'm doing really well. I now meet regularly with my trainer, Billy. As a triathelete he pushes me to my limits, although noticing changes already. The pilates and yoga class is great also. Would like to add one more session, but not sure when i can do that at this point.
I'm fed up as I'm stuck at the airport, having put my charger i nthe hold. typical! thankfully I have my PSP with all the seasons of Men Behaving Badly on them. I'm just hopping on here as I have a moment to update.
Trev also seems very distant. I'm hoping it's to do with the move and stress....we'll see. Hopefully I can talk with him this weekend.
OK, we're in....we moved in our stuff from the lock up and the movers turn up today at 8am.
only thing so far is our air conditioning doesn't work....and we have july temps at about 85 degrees. Oh well, it took a while to convince them i wasn't totally stupid and only a woman so didn't know about such things...but they believe me now. Hopefully fixed this morning.
More later.
We're hoping, we're all packed, I've cleared my diary, and we're hoping to get a call saying we can move in. I can't wait. i'm hoping we can sleep there tonight........will keep you posted!
Well, obviously we were spending a lot of time thinking about it this year....September 12th, 2006 was our decade anniversary of moving to America. In some ways time has flown, in others it feels like forever. Some thoughts that spring to mind:
- the kids were 13, 14 and 16 when we moved, they're now 23, 24 and 26....grown up adults. We moved at a particularly difficult time in their lives. Thanks to the schools they attended, they settled in well and acclimatized relatively quickly. We're so proud of all of them. I still find it hard to believe they're all in their mid 20s now.
- Trev enjoyed his job traveling then, a few jobs later he's doing the same kind of thing. Loving the stress and being in the middle of it all. However, he's also now looking towards retirement and figuring out what that means to him. I struggle to see him not doing much and not working...the only time in the decade that he didn't work he drove everyone nuts. I'm sure we'll figure it all out.
- Me? I gave up work, was Mum for 3 years ensuring we all acclimatized well. We had a stable home and lots of home cooked goodies. I think this was instrumental in why we stayed so long....because we got comfortable. I've also had a number of jobs - some I've learnt things more than others.....this latest one is by far the most challenging.
- Friends....we've met some great friends along the way. Some have dwindled, but others survived and stood the test of time. BJ and Paul, Penny, Kathleen, Caroline, Amanda, Debbie, Nikki, Amelia, Greg and Theresa, Sue and Pete, John, Pete and Diane....there are loads more, but it's great to have a list. I'm not one for huge numbers of friends.....I'd rather have a few and it mean something. This means a lot to me.
- Holidays....from our first trip to Chicago when we first arrived, to a 2 week vacation in Turks and Caicos, we've seen quite a lot of the country. The most spectacular by far was the Grand Canyon....makes you realize how small you are in nature's eyes. I'd still like to see Yosemite national park, Niagara Falls, Alaska, Hawaii but there's plenty of time for that.
- Language.... so flipping different. You'd think that with both countries speaking the supposedly same language, it would hav been easy. But oh no....it's been so difficult, and continues to be. There are so many words that you just can't remember. Think it's easier for the kids as they were younger when they moved, but I'm amazed at how I still screw it up for time to time. I do now catch myself saying zee (instead of zed) occasionally, or mispronounce route (UK = root, US = rout).....but that's what makes it interesting, eh?
- Will never become a citizen while GWB is President. What a pillock. Mind you, given that we've still not got our Green Card, I'm probably jumping the gun a bit. I still feel very English, I lvoe it when I visit although some stuff frustrates me. I love the freedom America has given me, especially as a woman.
Not sure what the next 10 years holds.....but looking forward to it!
So....we moved hotels again today - what joy. There was a plus side though.....it's right between IKEA and an outlet mall.... and Trev was in Orlando at work and doesn't get back til tonight. I was on my own...................so, I went shopping.
Not really sure what i thought the Burlington Coat Factory was....but I DEFINITELY thought it would have oodles of coats. I was quite disappointed. i did however manage to pick myself up a coat for the winter. I'm been obsessing about walking everywhere in the cold and that all my Iowa and Missouri coast only came to my butt. This one is full length. That, along with the number of shoes that I've bought I'm all set.
I'm still getting into the groove of dressing appropriately at work....I just can't bring myself to wear a suit every day, but I know that I should. I have about 3 suits, 2 additional jackets, but just haven't got around to it. It's bad enough that I have to wear posh pants.
OK, off to go pick Trev up.
Well, we got approval for the occupancy permit for the condo.......that's the good news.
Bad news? We can't get the keys until next week. the builder's "guy" is out on Monday, so we get the permit on Tuesday....which means the movers can't get their stuff there until Wednesday.
Oh yeah....and the moving company wants to charge me $150/day for the delay. I've got my lawyer trying to get money for it....but we'll see if that materializes.
hey ho, at least next week we'll be there - finally!
I don't know what to do. I've got this project manager working for me, and i can't figure out a way to communicate with her. It's driving me nuts. usually i don't have any problems, but it's possible I'm expecting too much....but every time I think that, I think of other people (including myself) and i don't react that way.
The biggest issue I have is that I send emails as i would usually, she finds it intimidating, gets overwhelmed, and then continually tells me that she's got too much to do. she also emails me continuously with questions.
I've tried so many things but it's not getting any better.....
Things that drive me nuts:
- i can't just forward her emails for information; a) because i get too many questions but more importantly b) she gets freaked out by the volume of emails
- I have her be responsible for something because I never know where she's at....
- I try and explain the bigger picture to her so she underestands strategy of the group, and then how it relates to the daily job and she tolerates the conversations then ignores it
- She doesn't even TRY and figure otu what to do....she thinks I have all the answers
How the hell this person will ever make a project manager I have no blinking idea..... and that's what she wants to do. Everything is too difficult. Everything takes too long.... She doesn't even try and manage me. If I behaved like her to my boss I'd be out on my ear.
I'm at the end of my tether....and don't know what to do.
I've created:
- templates for her to work from
- created a high level strategy document so that I can demonstrate our deliverables for the business
- i spend 2 hours a week meeting with her
- I've clearly laid out her job responsibilities
Maybe I don't look at the glass half empty and that's the issue....all I know is i cannot continue.
So, in Trev's absence i sat with the lawyer and we did all the paperwork to close. We now are officially in so much debt I want to cry. The apartment's gorgeous though, so makes it worth it.
However.,.....
they still have not received the certification of occupancy. Apparently the step between the balcony and the living room is half inch too big. They were fixing it today, and we're hoping when they take photos to the city office tomorrow that we'll still get it. I have the movers set for Saturday, so we'll have problems if this doesn't work.
Keep your fingers crossed.
Watched a great movie ....a chick flick I admit, but good none the less. It's called "In Her Shoes". It has Shirley McLaine, Cameron Diaz and Toni Collette - was surprisingly good.
An advantage of having HBO in your hotel room.
We're still planning on closing Thursday....keep your fingers crossed.
Well, I was going to write about dumb stuff I see in NY/NJ all the time, but just now that all changed.
You would think late in 2006 gone are the days of inequality and assumptions about what people do for a living. I'm seething.
Here I am sitting at my desk at 7.30am...as I do any morning I'm in the office. I'm checking email, looking at blogs, paying bills, getting my to do list together. What happens? Some freaking dude comes over and asks me where a key is to open a particular office. When I mention that Peg (our admin) may know....he agrees:) Doesn't sound too bad right now - but it was his whole - oh yeah, you're the woman let me ask you. Bear in mind there were 2 guys about 5 paces away.......
Not that I have an issue with being an admin.....but why assume that because I'm female and sitting at a desk - that I AM the admin. I run the damn department.....that's why I'm annoyed. He just assumed.
Sucks.... now I'm in a bad mood all day. Guess I'll dream of our condo....and I'll feel better:)
It's looking likely that we'll close on Thursday at 3pm. I've got the movers arranged for Friday and vacation for Friday and Monday...... I'm taking that the lawyer is asking me to pick her up to take her to the close that it's looking good. Very very happy........at long flipping last. I can't wait!
Also booked a trip for the 22nd to go to Chicago for the weekend as it's Rachel's birthday.
Well, we're still waiting on the condo. We're in the Double Tree hotel, courtesy of a cheapish deal on Travelocity and airmiles. We have that til Saturday. After then, we're toast. We're supposed to close on Thursday - here's hoping. this is so stressful - not having clothes, or stuff, or even food for a simple cheese sandwich (not that I'd eat it, but Trev would).
On a funny note, we had to do laundry this weekend. this hotel didn't have a washing machine so we had to find a laundromat - oh joy! Anyhow...what I didn't realize as we were sorting laundry is that Trev had 2 bags - one for the dry cleaner and one for the laundromat. I picked up all my work trousers and put them in the bag thinking we were heading off to the laundromat. Last night at about 6.30pm (Sunday, after the mall is shut) I'm looking for my stuff for the morning (primarily because Trev's normally asleep and I have to get ready in the dark)....I can't find a single pair of bottoms anywhere......... oh well, luckily I had a black pair of capris that are kinda OK. Off to Macy's on the way home to restock my closet. Yeah!
I know we're not home because it's been over a week since I've been back from Scotland and the pics aren't loaded on a website - I've really gotta get that done tonight....otherwise I forget.
Actually had 2 trips to the gym this weekend. Met with Billy (my trainer) again - he thought it was funny I couldn't walk for 3 days after last weekend. Yeah yeah - well luckily I'm not hurting this week so that's good. I also did the yoga class - I'm not particularly good at it, but it helps me stretch. Maybe that's why I don't hurt as much.....who knows. With any luck this time around, I'll be losing weight...esp with all the walking I'm doing.
On a more sombre note, it's very weird being in NYC on 9/11. Not that I didn't take a moment to remember 9/11 every other year, but this year is particularly poignant for me....as I now live here. Everything's going on as normal as far as I can tell....just took a moment to think about it.
That's it from me... bye
Well, still no news on the condo - they've delayed AGAIN. Now the final inspection will be Friday or Monday....but we've heard that before. once again i'm regretting not leasing the last apartment for September...right now we're stuck in the doubletree hotel using all the airmiles we were going to use for Australia. Hey ho....I guess it's better than money. Craigslist hasn't turned up anything yet, but I'm still hopeful.
Work is still crazy. When you think you have one thing going on, something else comes along to set you off. Nice thing is that the time I had in Scotland, no one could get hold of me. Fabulous. while i did work (it was planned) it was creating high level missions and objectives, and how they will deliver on the plan. My to do list is alos complete and that really helps.
I'm also worried about Trev. There's something up - I can't place it, he says there isn't but my gut says all is not well. I'm starting to obsess over it and I know i shouldn't but I know something is up.....I'm hoping it's just the unsettled world we've been living in the past several months - however my gut says it's not. Can't place it, we've not argued or anything, and it appears normal....just again, relying on my gut. Worrying as we're about to go into debt together. Hopefully this feeling will subside....he's off again this week to Michigan, and then Florida next week....so I'm getting used to being on my own.
The car is doing Ok and we need to get it taxed. Still on the fence about whether we should give up the Lexus and get a more "sensible" car now that we're only driving it once a week.
On the gym front, my trainer is great, although on Monday and Tuesday i could hardly walk....taken a couple of days off and will be back at class on Thursday. Feel better between that and eating much more healthy. I've given up cereal for breakfast and replaced it with fresh fruit. Lunch today was sushi (yeah!) and I had a takeout salad from mcDonalds tonight. Did have bad stuff as I have oodles of chocolate here....but hey, i good the rest of the time.
OK, off to sleep - gotta get rid of this jetlag.
Oh my! I worked out with my trainer on Sunday....and I can hardly walk. Must mean that I'm doing something right, right?
I think I'm canceling my next session which is due tonight though:) Haha....
I can't believe a week went by so quickly. We seemed to do a lot, and then not much....all at the same time. I visited:
- Floors castle
- Edinburgh castle
- Glenkinchie distillery
- Shopping
- Kelso
- St Boswells and Melrose
- Edinburgh and Glasgow
Plus loads of other stuff. We ate in loads of great establishments, although at one point we did drive around for nearly an hour and not finding a single pub to eat in. hahahah.
I have to say, being without the internet for a whole week was hard. I didn't realize how much I relied on it to chat to people, check bank accounts, read news, update this blog, read other blogs and of course, work. I did manage to do some work while I was away, mainly in the line of getting my to do list in line...and only one thing I didn't get to.
I didn't get to see my friend Lorraine which i'm sad about...and I wish I'd remembered her phone number to call her while I was there. However, i will find another time to go and see her, maybe a weekend directly into Manchester or something. That would be awesome.
i certainly am rested and am glad of the time away. I missed Trev like crazy, and am glad I'm home. Mum and Dad are off to Turkey this week, so they have a quick turnaround to get laundry done etc before they leave.
On the shopping front, I did really well until we got to Glasgow on my last day. However, when I got to Marks and Spencer, I found a few things that I "needed". Hahaha. Even then I thought I was doing OK, until I had to go to the airport for internet access on Friday night. There I found a Dorothy Perkins - and promptly found 3 pairs of shoes that I had to have. I went from having enough bags, to having to squeeze stuff in like no other. hahahahahahah
On the condo - STILL NOT READY. We're now in a hotel....which is draining the budget somewhat. I wish we'd now just paid the money and got another month of the last apartment. Hopefully we'll close this week - so we can move in at the weekend.
So much for updating while in Scotland....can you believe I managed to not have access to email or the internet for a full 7 days? Talk about feeling like your right arm was cut off....however, did get in the groove after a while.
I'm sitting in the airport waiting to come home. here's my airport story....I'll leave more of the details for when i get home.
So, I managed to fly over a week ago - 1 bags to check in, and a rucksack on wheels as my carry on. Not over populated and OK. So, admittedly I had more stuff when I returned (clothes, handbag, and copious amounts of chocolate!). So, at security before checking in they inform me that my hand luggage was too big. Now we're not talking about the kick ass wheelie bags....it's just a normal sized rucksack - headphones, PSP, laptop etc.
So, I am now sititng with a handbag that's over full, a cushion, laptop,money etc.....and apparently that's ok to carry 10 things.....just 1 bag though.
Blinking brits.....
