MetaChat - Thursday 3-point update

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07 July 2011

Thursday 3-point update →[More:]

1) Google+ has been a time suck the last few days. It's kind of hard for me to get my head wrapped around the interface, but I think I like it for now.

2) Going on vacation to visit the folks next week in Michigan. I will get to relax on a nice, sandy beach with good cooking, good company, and lots of beer. No internet though! Or phone service!

3) Last, but best: I GOT A JOB! I'll be working for the state teen pregnancy prevention campaign, with people I love and respect. The job starts out as part time answering a text message hotline for teens who have questions about their sexual health, and then will morph into a full time job working with school systems to institutionalize good, comprehensive sex ed. The last part is dependent on the organization getting a specific grant, but they're confident enough that it's in the bag that they already offered me the job. I start on Monday! OH! And I didn't even have to apply or interview for it. They just had me in mind when they created the position. I am so so lucky.

Whew!

post by: Stewriffic at: 06:52 | 44 comments

I am so so lucky.

OR you have unrivalled expertise and experience and would be awesome at the job... amirite? Congratulations!

1) Stew's sounds like my kind of vacation. Planning a similar one myself.

2) Really wish I had energy and inclination for work and am wondering where my oomph has gone.

3) About to have gravad lax and flatbread for lunch. This may be the high spot of my day though I now feel spurred on to create a higher spot this afternoon, somehow.

posted by altolinguistic 07 July | 06:58

Congrats, Stew! I am so happy for you. Both the mister and I had a "woohoo" for you last night.

1. In Atlanta on business, ate at the famed Buckhead Diner last night, it was quite good.

2. After we take care of our business, we are going to try to find the holy grail for tall people with big feet: a shoe store that caters to such behemoths. Evidently Atlanta has one, and I have mapped the trip from our hotel to said shoe store. My husband doesn't do giddy very well, but he's as close to giddy as he gets at the prospect of shoes that may fit his size 15 feet.

3. After our shoe shopping extravaganza, we are off to the Georgia Aquarium, which I hear is quite impressive. I love aquariums, big or small.

Have a good day, everybody!

posted by msali 07 July | 07:34

That's great about the job, Stewriffic, congratulations.

posted by JanetLand 07 July | 07:38

YAY STEW! Congrats on the job. :)

And yeah, Google+ is monopolizing what little time I have to be online lately. Wait till you iPhone folks get the app for it (it rolled out on day one for Android)... it's slick.

1. Work is making me insane right now. I'm halfway through a 3-week assignment with a notoriously flaky department, and my patience has just about run out. Counting the days.

2. For the last three days, our cat Kayla has taken to jumping into her litter box, hanging her rear OUTSIDE the edge of the box, and then doing her business. Luckily there's a mat in front of the box which catches everything, but damn, cat! Gross! Take a step further in, please!

3. At least the weather has given us a little bit of a break- now we're just hitting the low 90s every day instead of the high 90s. (That's around 33C instead of around 37C.)

posted by BoringPostcards 07 July | 07:44

On non-preview: *waves to msali!*

posted by BoringPostcards 07 July | 07:47

WHOOO HOOOO STEWRIFFIC! That's great news --- and well deserved!

1. I am sore. I added a zillion-million reps of light weightlifting into my physical therapy routine, and my arms are protesting. They are like jelly when I put down the weights.

2. Family reunion at Mom's house! My sister & kids arrived from Montana (her husband stayed home to finish a renovation project while the house was empty), and my brother's family arrived from Bulgaria last night. It's going to be a crazy month.

3. There is no third thing!

posted by Elsa 07 July | 08:06

1. Still can't get into Google+ which is a little annoying since I know like fifty Google employees and I've been sent multiple invites (that never show).

2. Back at work after a four day holiday/birthday weekend. Went up to Amherst, MA to visit my mom and sister, nice way to spend a birthday.

3. Loving my Kindle (b-day present), reading Zero History and will probably download Blood Meridian for the book club next.

posted by octothorpe 07 July | 08:16

1. I wish I had google+.

2. My work environment is crappy. It will likely end in me leaving, but not without opening a can-o-whoop-ass first.

3. Summer in Maine is pretty swell.

posted by theora55 07 July | 08:22

Yay Stew!

1. I got kudos from my boss today for being on top of things while he was away. :D

2. I'm hoping that the new meds to help with my sleeping issues actually help and don't do the horrible things I've read about.

3. The anxiety comes and goes. One step forward, a million steps back.

posted by sperose 07 July | 08:23

Stew, the job sounds really great; Congratulations! Nice to hear some good news.

posted by theora55 07 July | 08:23

1. Work is driving me crazy. For various reasons, I can't get anything done. My boss is out of the office next week; hoping the peace and quiet will allow me to accomplish some things.
2. I took June off from the gym for moving and class and now I feel terrible. Went back yesterday for the first time, did a teeny little workout. It's a start!
3. Still a lot of organizing to do, particularly with my clothes. I might try to tackle that tonight.

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 07 July | 08:27

1. Yay, Stew! What a perfect job.

2. I managed to catch up on my work despite having Friday and Monday off and no chance to catch up during the weekend. That probably means that I don't request enough work during the week, but it's enough for me.

3. in-laws are coming to visit this weekend. Looking forward to it.

posted by gaspode 07 July | 08:57

Whoo hoo Stew! In this market that's REALLY impressive and awesome!

1. Still no job for me. Interview today and I'm about 90% certain I won't get it - long story, but for once this feeling is based on more than just cynicism and despair. Yay. Actually it's okay: I'm not even slightly freaking out and I need interview practice anyway. I need a real job badly. Fuck Home Depot.

2. So I got my hair done in readiness for the interview and now I have bangs, or, actually, one asymmetrical bang and I like it.

3. Yesterday when I got home there was a squirrel sitting on my garden wall, chowing down on a ripe cherry tomato. Little bastard! I wondered why there hadn't been any ripe ones.

posted by mygothlaundry 07 July | 09:02

I, for one, want to see mgl's hurrdo.

1. blah

2. less blah

3. meh

No, I'm really not going to go into mine, because I don't want to be Capt. Bringdown again. But hi, I'm still here *waves* and I still love all you lovely people.

posted by Eideteker 07 July | 09:19

(Can someone spare me a google+ invite?)

1. Into the swing of summer. . .eating dinner in the yard, not putting a sweatshirt on for my bike ride into work, etc. Love early mornings in summer!

2. Trip to So Cal was very mixed. The purpose was to spend time with my mom, which means sitting and watching TV every waking hour. I took a nap at one time and woke up to Real Housewives of New York and I had NO idea what it was and it was just traumatic to come out of sleep to that. My mom has no real acute health issues, just an accumulation of age and being very sedentary for the past 30 years or so. It was hard to see. The upside is that I DID spend some time with Steve, my friend from Kona, whom I went to high school with. They might need a house sitter for Christmas. . .does not sound like a bad gig.

3. At work, we are closing 4 schools due to budget and enrollment and it is a shit tonne of work for all of us, to make these changes. I have to put together a pre-school playground from scratch before school starts, among other things.

(Congrats Stewie, and MGL, you'll get a job soon, I know it. . .)

posted by danf 07 July | 09:21

danf -- know what you mean, when I visit my family there is always tons of tv involved. Very difficult to get anyone to do anything else.

1. Not feeling well today.

2. Went outside for my break and sat down on a bench that proved to be still a little wet from last night's storm. Did not realize this until I got up again. Good thing I'm wearing black pants.

3. My house is too warm but the ceiling fan is working again, which helps. Would help even more if I were brave enough to leave the windows open at night.

[gives Eideteker a cookie]

posted by JanetLand 07 July | 09:33

Sending good vibes your way, mgl!

Good thing I'm wearing black pants.

JanetLand, that's a keen example of looking on the bright side.

I say cookies for everyone!

posted by Elsa 07 July | 09:36

Yay Stewie!!!

1. One of my bestest friends had a c-section this morning and I am impatiently awaiting baby news.

2. Really enjoying turntable.fm!

3. There was a house for rent in my price range in my neighborhood and I totally dropped the ball on scheduling a visit b/c the thought of moving is so awful. On the other hand, my current apartment is pretty awful. Sigh. I hate apartment hunting.

posted by leesh 07 July | 09:43

1) none of my google+ invites have gotten me in.
2) Not sure I want in anyway
3) Yay for job designed to fit you!

posted by Obscure Reference 07 July | 09:44

Congrats, stewriffic!

1. I have been enjoying our cool(ish) mornings. It's nice to be able to sit outside with a mug of tea in the morning and smell the enormous wall o' jasmine that is our fence.

2. There's, like, five weeks until our wedding. I've been looking up readings for the ceremony, as well as ceremony texts for the ceremony, and they're making me all teary-in-a-good-way.

3. I got my teeth whitened yesterday because I'm vain like that, and I'm now supposed to wear bleaching solution for 30min a day for at least the next two weeks. Except that I'm not sure I want them too much whiter, because I don't want to look bizarre. Except that the dentist said that if I keep up with the 2 weeks of bleaching, then my teeth won't get all yellow again for at least three years, and that not following through is what causes relapses. So I'm feeling all ambivalent about the whole thing, probably mainly because OMG do my teeth hurt. Stupid vanity.

posted by occhiblu 07 July | 09:59

1. Smoke from wildfire is still making it difficult to be outside until the offshore breezes pick up in the afternoons. With the severe drought and burning peat soil it is going to be around until we receive 6-8 inches of rain according to the forest service. Bleh.
2. New rescue kitty and Zeek (kitty) are doing pretty well after just one week.
3. Congrats on the job!

posted by mightshould 07 July | 10:32

Wonderful, stew!

1. In the neverending saga of "make all of your major life changes at once," we will finally be able to get into our new apartment (which I have never seen) tomorrow. Of course, the landlord (of both places) keeps telling us he wishes we wouldn't move this weekend because of traffic from a big event, to which we say, "Sure, no problem," after which he keeps on going as if we didn't say anything.

We love our landlords, but they do things like move the fridge and stove down two flights of stairs just so they can paint the kitchen. It's a two-bedroom apartment. Surely there's a better way.

2. I am FINALLY going to order our wedding invitations today. However, we have decided to use these as our reply cards.

3. In my quest to round up moving help, I called my cousin. He's great and we want to spend more time with him, but when we saw him at our reunion last week I was kind of shocked that this whip-smart guy who was headed to law school from a top college was now unemployed, living in his mom's semi-hoarder house and suddenly weighing a good 50 pounds more than he had last year.

We don't care if there's something "wrong" with him (hell, anything from "I'm burnt out" to schizophrenia is possible) or if he's just taking time off before he actually does start law school in the fall. But damn, it's really hard to know how to approach the fact that there is something very different about him.

posted by Madamina 07 July | 10:34

Hurray Stewie!!!!

1. Bronchitis/pinkeye still raging. Optho said pinkeye is viral and to let it run its course.

2. She also wants to check something else in six weeks. I was thinking about going to Rome to see the Kerouac painting, but this means I can't. If I did go, it would be by myself and I feel a bit leery of going to Italy alone....though I was menaced by a thug in Berlin in the middle of November.

3.Need to straighten up my place, but feel too rotten to do so. My vampire mother used to make me do this when I was home ill from school.

posted by brujita 07 July | 11:22

turntable.fm appears to be another one of those sites that won't let you in, but also won't tell you what it is they're not letting you in to. Bleh.

posted by Eideteker 07 July | 11:41

Oh, it's a site where you can play music for your friends and dj and stuff, you just need like facebook or twitter to get in.

posted by leesh 07 July | 11:43

Huzzah and congrats, Stew! They know how lucky they are to get you.

YAY octothorpe for thinking of MeTa Book Club uses for new Kindle (and congrats on it! They are most addictive.)

For me:

1. Really angry at the Bear. We had our second disfunctional fight in one week this AM. I don't know why we can't just FINISH a fight, i.e. get to the end and then talk. Topic at issue -- whether we spend enough time or too much together -- is pretty darn important to me.

2. I am looking forward to taking my gorgeous new bike, which looks like this, for a spin this Saturday.

3. I agreed to do a presentation, in cooperation with someone else, this fall. Already wondering why I haven't heard from other person and how much of this is going to fall soley on me. Usually I find that my drive to get things finished early, so they can be well polished by the time of delivery, means I do lions share of the work. Also, I seem to be doomed to work mostly with co presenters who are flakes.

posted by bearwife 07 July | 12:02

Sorry, bad job on link to bike picture. Here it is again.

posted by bearwife 07 July | 12:03

The job starts out as part time answering a text message hotline for teens who have questions about their sexual health

Congrats on the job, Stewie, but holy hell, I can't even imagine trying to explain sexual health by text. It takes me five minutes to type out "Will you stop at the store?"

1. I took a week off from work; just got back yesterday. We spent six days in a cabin in Lassen National Park. I realized that it was the first real vacation I've had since spring break in high school. It was awesome, and it was hard to come home.

2. Yesterday was a hellish first day back at work because of all of the emails, and because one of our new faculty hires, who was supposed to move out here this week, is just about the most neurotic person I've ever met. I've spent the last day and a half dealing with her. If one more person comes to me and mentions her name, I'm going to start throwing sharpened pencils like tomahawks. And even better -- her new office is next-door to mine.

3. But about an hour ago, the HR person came in to tell me that she was sorry I'd missed the staff award presentation while I was on vacation, because I was a nominee for the big award and the winner of the smaller award. I got monies for it! That made me really happy and sort of took the edge off of having to be sitting at this desk again.

4. Mr. Leafblower man is making vroom vroom noises outside my window, and he really needs to quit it.

posted by mudpuppie 07 July | 13:11

Congrats to Stew!

1. Because it's summer and many people are taking their vacation, I have now been drafted into assisting the front desk with routing calls during the regular gal's lunch breaks and other breaks. This is at an long-term elder care facility, and I think I almost lost a resident today. Everybody keeps calling at once, and the antiquated phone system is taking some getting used to. I want someone to hold my hand tomorrow when I spell her for her lunch and break again.

2. I found an Asian bakery nearby which sells steamed pork buns. There is an Italian bakery across the street. I am so glad that there are so many good and inexpensive eats to be had around here.

3. Many people are inquiring about the boyfriend's apartment sublet. We also measured at the new apartment last night. Can't wait to show off the floor plans for how we're going to arrange everything.

posted by TrishaLynn 07 July | 14:34

1. My new iPad arrived yesterday! OMFG I love this thing. I'm typing on it right now. The typing takes a little getting used to (I may get one of those rollable wireless keyboards for more extensive typing), but I don't know how I lived without a touchscreen like this before. I don't have a smartphone, so this is my first touchscreen experience. It's such a pleasure to scroll through web pages and select something with a touch. And books are a miracle -- it's so cool to turn pages with a flick of the finger, look up a word with a touch, and notate text (it puts a tiny virtual post-it note in the margin). It'll come in handy for work in the fall, too. Digital lesson plans!

2. In one week I'll be 45 (yikes). For some odd reason, I prefer it to 44 (I never liked the number 4). Last year I was worried about lay-offs, so we didn't go out, but this year we're planning a barbecue pig-out at a place near Jon's job. I love me some baby-backs. Then, in September, for our five-year anniversary, Peter Luger's! (Perhaps I think about food too much.)

3. Maybe I'll watch a movie. I have The Kids are All Right and I hear it's good. I love the summer.

posted by Pips 07 July | 16:03

Wow, 5 years already!! It seems like only yesterday! Congrats, pips and jonmc!

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 07 July | 16:49

1. The day started out on a sad note for me - unlike most people in London, I don't remember 7 July 2005 only because it's the anniversary of the Tube bombings. I remember it because it's the last day George and I ever spent together, in Ohio. Although we talked on the phone nearly every day after that, I never saw him again before he died the following November.

2. But life goes on for those of still here, so I turned the day around and met a friend after work for a 2-mile run.

3. After the run, I met up with a 8 of my neighbours (him upstairs not included) for Chinese food at the White Swan, probably the best Chinese restaurant in the area. We had a great laugh, and the food was marvellous. We ranged in age from 37 to 87. Although my upstairs neighbour is a piece of crap, I'm lucky that I have some really great neighbours around me.

posted by Senyar 07 July | 17:09

Oh, and congrats, Stewie!

posted by Senyar 07 July | 17:17

{{Senyar}}
Congrats stew!

1. Work is frantic this week because it's that time of year for public servants (when we have to prepare our minister to defend the department's budget before a parliamentary committee), which is always stressful.

2. One week to go before the Challenge! I've been training five days a week for six months and now it's finally here! We did our last big training session last weekend (walked 85 km over two days) and are reasonably confident that, barring injury or sudden illness, we'll make it to the end. There are lots of things that could go wrong, though and I'll be shattered if we are one of the 50% of teams that can't finish.

3. My longer-term employment is a bit uncertain and I get stressed about it at odd times. There's no risk that I won't have a job (I have tenure), but I like this job and can't see anything else around that I'd like to do.

posted by dg 07 July | 17:32

1. On a site visit and the worst thing happened: had a client emergency while I'm actually present. Usually phone/email offers a delightful distance and ability to take the time I need to figure something out, and I can actually talk to people. As a result, had to hand it off to someone else and hope. Boss is unhappy that I didn't alert him the moment it happened (even though I let him know when I found out how serious it was.) What unrealistic expectations. No, I will not tell you about every client problem. Trust me a bit, please?

2. Bone tired. Considering getting drunk in the hotel bar and then hitting the gym.

3. Got my grad school acceptance. I'm in!

posted by punchtothehead 07 July | 18:04

1. Finally had pho. I think I built it up too much in my head.

2. Visited a Buddhist temple. It was closed but had very inviting cats.

3. Got out on the lake, which was surprisingly clear of traffic. Weekdays may just be the thing.

posted by ethylene 07 July | 18:09

Congrats on grad school and employment. Woo and a hoo.

posted by ethylene 07 July | 18:10

1. Headache. *sigh*
2. Doggy still not over July 4, still having accidents. Much carpet shampooing.
3. OMG, I've applied to grad school and my letters of recommendation are coming in! Can the world handle an LP who is an MSW??? Can I handle this? LOLWTFOMGBBQ1111

posted by Luminous Phenomena 07 July | 18:13

And congrats Stew! May all manner of awesomeness float your way!

posted by Luminous Phenomena 07 July | 18:14

Wow, 5 years already!! It seems like only yesterday! Congrats, pips and jonmc!

Thanks, in advance, pinky... I know, can you believe it? If we'd gotten married the month we met, we'd be married fifteen years. The time does go by.

(((senyar)))

posted by Pips 07 July | 18:30

Congrats punch!

posted by brujita 07 July | 20:00

Congrats on the job Stewriffic! And the grad school, punch!

1. we are fostering motherless kittens from the local shelter. Our cats are scared of them, even though we have them seperated in a bedroom with a baby gate. This is an excellent summer project for my teenage kids and I am getting to know friends of theirs that i hadn't yet met due to the incredible magnetic power of cute kittens. My son posted pictures of the kittens on facebook and girls have been flocking over. These were feral and we took them on with the idea that they would get a lot of handling. It seems to be working.

2. Made a chocolate cheesecake to use up some cream cheese that had passed it sell-by date. it is almost all gone due to the giant influx of teenagers. I am very pleased as i will only get to eat a piece and really that is more than I need right now.

3. I have a side job tomorrow and it seems hard to do. I have gotten used to being unemployed and I like it. I don't mind being broke and am good at ignoring my own personal debt crisis. I heard from one of my former co-workers and the job has turned even more hellish since i was let go. Those that are left would like to quit and are envying me my ability to get unemployment due to lay-off. I am enjoying riding my bike everywhere, having time for 30 mile jaunts in the AM and then dozing off to a book in the afternoon. The yard needs weeding, though.
Job interview went fairly well yesterday, so this could all change.

posted by readery 07 July | 23:50

Yay Punchie!
(((((Senyar)))))
MGL--all in good time. Like I said, I am lucky. I live in the Triangle. There have been plenty of possibilities (not all perfect), and I understand that is singularly NOT the case in Ashville. Hang in there!

Thanks so much for celebrating with me. I'm still over the moon and looking forward to starting on Monday!

posted by Stewriffic 08 July | 07:00

Yay Stew!!
Congrats, Pips and Jon
((((((((Senyar)))))))))

1. Had a great visit with my favorite cousin who came up from Florida with his 14 year old daughter. She gets along great with my kids, and we all had such a nice time together.

2. Spent my day off with my childhood best friend, two of her kids, my kids, and best friends younger sister and her kids. We went to my friends' community pool, then had a barbecue, and had a blast.

3. Trying very hard to put things behind me that have taken up too much space in my head. Like Don Henly said "You keep carrying that anger, it'll eat you up inside, baby.."

posted by redvixen 08 July | 17:00

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