Last Day of Work

...FOREVER! Or -- for a week.

On the to do:

- Secret sewing project

- sew a tote for my yoga mat

- get my hair done

- begin wedding invitation design

- finish at least one other wedding project

- spend one day doing something outdoorsy with J and the dogs

- Spring cleaning

- have future in-laws over for dinner (menu: TBD)

- SLEEP IN

- take J's grandfather out for a day of fun

- go to the beach

- enjoy one day of complete laziness (date: TBD)

Random Factuals of the Moment

- My company's new health plan had an incentive to register for a free pedometer to upload your daily steps, eventually leading them to give you a discount on your plan. Or something. I didn't care because I was blinded by the new pedometer...it's so beautiful. I've worn it every day since...even though it's pretty bulky on my waistband. I love the challenge. Today's count? Over 13,000.

- When we say goodnight to the babies each evening, J insists that Mary needs to hear her name both first and last. As in, I'll say, "Goodnight, Mary. Goodnight, Leo." And J will add, "Goodnight Mary." He says it comforts her. We end up giggling about it every single night.

- I had a work lunch today with a very interesting group of gentlemen, including a foreign liaison officer from Singapore. He was very, very smart and nice. I got to spin class tonight and lo and behold, there he was, on the bike next to me. I wonder how long we've been sitting next to one another without knowing it. He's better at jumps than I am.

- I've finally started reading "A Thousand Splendid Suns." It may be the best book I've read in years. I love it and don't want it to end. If anyone can recommend a book to help ease the pain, please share.

- When we were designing our wedding website, music was a huge decision. We needed one more song to add, and I wanted, "Heard it in a Love Song" by the Marshall Tucker Band. Yes I know it's actually anything BUT a love song, but it was also the first song on the radio when we got back in car after the hike when J proposed. :) Followed immediately by "Power of Love" by the one and only Celine Dion. Both songs now have a very special place in my heart. PS, he'll deny it now, but on that euphoric drive home, we both belted out that Celine song. 'Cuz I'm your laaaaaaaaaadyy......and you are my maaaaaaaaaaannnn.....

- I was heartbroken yesterday at some very, very upsetting work news and spent my evening in a seriously sad funk. Today I came home to a clean house full of good smells and a "German feast!" that J had prepared...and there was no more funk to be found.

- My friend was just certified to be a yoga instructor after a 15-day session in Arizona. She's a vegan now. With crazy-toned arms. So when she offered freebie classes to her gals this month I jumped at the opportunity. It was my first ever instructor-led yoga class and I loved it (yes I realize I'm 10 years late jumping on this bandwagon). I'm still sore from Tuesday night's class. Yay for making it into crow pose!

- I can't stop listening to "Cold December" by Matt Costa. It's been one of my highest play counts in iTunes for a few years now, but I've recently found myself on another kick.

- I'm going to Berkley's second birthday party next weekend. Cannot believe our wee baby niece is turning two...I remember meeting her when she was just a mere 8 days old. She's not really turning two though, since she was born on Leap Day, after all.

- My favorite water bottle broke yesterday at the gym. I mean, it really broke. I went to take a sip and it squirted ALLLL over the guy on the elliptical next to me. There was an awkward moment where we both just kind of slowed down, glanced at each other, and then went back to working out. On the hunt for its replacement, I could not find a perfect water bottle. I have two of the metal ones, yeah yeah, I'm over that trend**. As far as I'm concerned, they always make my water taste awful, I don't like the smell, and they're not easy to open when you're in motion. I think I could make a cool million designing a sturdy liter-sized BPA-free plastic bottle with a easy to open squeeze-y cap.

**No offense to those of you who enjoy the metal water bottles.

On the eve of my birth...

It's interesting.  There's only one thing I want this year for my birthday:

PLEASE SOMEONE OFFER ME A JOB.

Preferably tomorrow.

-----------------------------

Update: I was offered a position yesterday.  Official title: 'Nanny to the most adorable baby boy ever.'  The one and only Ryan James, who just turned one on Saturday, which makes me think about the weekend I met him.  Turns out I suck at salary negotiations and I offered to pay his mama for letting me hang out with him.  Darn you, useless miles between us!  I'd be there first thing Monday morning, Winsteads.

Laugh, Smile or Frown

Things that made me laugh in the last 24 hours:

- We bought a new grill this weekend.  The old one belongs to our landlord.  I asked her if we could throw it away since it crapped out.  She said yes.  But she also reminded us not to throw away the propane tank.  What??? You mean those things are disposable?

- There is a serious "sidler" at work.  He normally sidles right up to my desk and scares the crap out of me.  Today, he sidled up to my cubemate and gave someone else a heart attack for once.

Things that made me smile in the last 24 hours:

- At father's day dinner, J's Granddaddy asking me if I wouldn't mind splitting some of my potatoes with him -- he only wanted a small taste.  So sweet, I'd give that man ALL of my potatoes if he wanted.

- Having J tell me that I'd invented his "New favorite chicken recipe EVER!"

- Opening my eyes this morning to see Leo's face about two inches from mine.

Things that made me frown in the last 24 hours:

-  Being told, "At this point people, it's best to go ahead and cancel your 4th of July weekend plans.  You'll be working."

Snowed Out

Being snowed out is the opposite of being snowed in.  Let me elaborate.

On Friday at work, in the 70 degree weather, the inclement weather email came out, warning everyone about potential winter weather conditions on Sunday/Monday.  Ok, sure.  It's 70 degrees outside! Saturday's all-day nasty rain threatened to dampen (but did not) Berkley's first birthday party and then later going to watch J's mama performance (she's in the symphony's choir).  But more on that later.

The rain continued alllll day yesterday, too.  It kept us inside most of the day.  Last night during my phone date with LEMonade things finally broke loose.  I'm sitting at my office, starting to work on our design when -- LIGHTS OUT.  The balcony door blew open.  The pure blackness surrounded me and I started freaking out a little.  After bidding a sudden adieu to Miss Lauren, I set out in the blackness of the condo, arms outstretched and using my cell phone as a mini flashlight, looking for J or the babies.  We lit every candle we have, and it was a beautiful little haven...albeit freezing and very quiet.  We decided to play Clue because it seemed like the right thing to do, but then realized 3 players are needed -- dang it!

Then this morning.  Oh this morning.  J had to be at work at 6, and I figured if there was snow on the ground, he definitely would've said something to me.  And since he left for work with a regular good-bye kiss, I figured I'd be on my way to work shortly.  So the snow on the rooftops, balcony, streets and cars was a huge surprise!  The wind's a howling out there, blowing flurries around.  The blue-gray skies were ominous when I took the dogs outside, doing my best to avoid the scenario running through my head:  being pulled down the arctic street by my newly-transformed huskies...mush! mush!  This girl's snow boots were in the backseat of my car...fantastic planning, right?  As I scraped the 2 inches of snow and ice off my car I couldn't help being grateful for my Midwestern roots.  I looked around at my neighbors and a few were using make-shift scrapers.  One was using a teeny squeegee.  Being my father's daughter, I've got a 3-foot-long monster that just busted right through this East Coast snow.  

I started to inch my way down the road.  A few intersections were a little slick, but nothing I couldn't handle.  I turned onto the entrance ramp of the Midtown tunnel to find a neon-clad VDOT worker detouring traffic away from the entrance.  CLOSED.  Try again later.

I've called my boss and informed him I'll be trying again at noon.  Have to say, it's the first time I've wanted to go to work, and not been able to get there.  Pity.  Now I'll have to squeeze in another cup of coffee and a snuggle with the pups during some righteous daytime telly. 

Adult Math

Remember back in high school, or if you were really terrible at math like I was--even in college, when you used to screech to your teacher, "But I'll never use algebra in my adult life!  I'm going to be the editor of Vogue!  I don't need math!  This is so stuuuuupid!"  Well kids, I just thought I'd write an a quick note saying that no, it wasn't true after all.  This girl used math this weekend.  I shall write it in the form of a word problem, which were always the ones that stumped me.

Stacy received her paycheck.  If she had 20 hours of overtime on this paycheck, she can figure her after-tax hourly rate, X, by subtracting her normal paycheck from this monster paycheck, and then dividing a bunch.  Once she figures X, she can multiply that by the amount of hours she anticipates to work this pay period.  We'll call that amount Y.  Y is precisely what will keep her going as she heads to work today, having worked the whole weekend, and will be working this Sat/Sun again.  She'll be looking forward to spending some of Y on an oil change for the car before it breaks down and also a spicy new dye job for the hair.  That is, once she figures out how to get off work before dark...

Have a great day!

Crestfallen

You know what, that's one of my favorite words.  

And the only reason it's the title of this post is because there was not a flake of snow to be found today.  A flurry here or there, but no snow.  And wouldn't you know, every.single.school. in this region was closed!  Every public school in the Seven Cities--closed, even the universities!  This is the stuff we Kansans used to dream about...closing school on the chance of snow.  It made me laugh a little.

Because I had been hoping to not have to go to work today at all, and since that somehow made me early to work, and due in part to a really good review I got today at the office = I left early.  Not really early, just the time I used to leave before these past two months have claimed my personal life.

I don't know what I'll do with my time!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

Southeast Virginia is under a severe winter storm watch.  We are expected to get between 2-5 inches of snow tonight.  Now, all you Midwesterners might be scoffing at that number, but for this part of Virginia, that's enough to shut down all government facilities.  YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS!  

It means I get to work from home.  You thought I was going to say it means I'm off for the day, right?  Oh, you're so silly.

No Show

In between running down 4 flights of stairs to the basement to do laundry on my one day off this week, and also having to take the dogs on walks in freezing drizzly rain, I've decided to be lazy for the remainder of my day.  Yesterday almost killed me.  I also found out I'll be working all of next weekend.  At least 12 days of straight working ahead of me.  I'm not built for this kind of stuff.  I need sleep.  I need rest.  I need me-time.  I need time to nurse the beginnings of this cold knowing if I actually get sick I would let everyone down.

So for the rest of the evening, I'll be spending me-time.  With the dogs.  On the couch.  Jamie, I know I said I'd call you tonight, but girl, if there's ever anyone who could understand my need to not talk today, it's you.  Friend, we could talk (or not talk) forever.  I promise I'll make it up to you.

In happy news, the newt has been found.  In sad news, Fig was more like a newt-crouton when J found her curled up in the corner.  We gave Sir Isaac a talking-to. It was sad seeing him all alone in his tank, but now I'm back to bare-feet and taking confident steps down the dark hallway.

Hard-up for Allergy Meds

Since Christmas, I've heard at least four of my coworkers talking about how they've gotten new puppies for their kids.  Since puppy talk is like crack for me, I always immediately stop what I'm doing to ask a string of questions about the new bundle of joy.

What did you name him/her?

What color?

Don't you just love the way their paws smell like Fritos?

As we're in the break room pouring our morning cup of office-coffee-sludge, one of my favorite colleagues who we will call "M" was in the middle telling me all about the new pup he bought for his two kids when he sneezed.  Sorry, he tells me, he hasn't been able to stop since they got the dog.  He's afraid they'll have to get rid of the dog, and his son is just heartbroken. Ahh, a parent with allergies was one of the reasons I didn't have a dog until high school...I understand allergies.  I had to help.

"Do you take any allergy medicine?" I ask.  "I wouldn't be able to have my dogs if it weren't for my Allegra-180...it's a miracle drug."  By this time, M's boss has stopped by to nuke his oatmeal and top off his cup of mud-colored-sock-juice.

"Really?," M tells me in between sniffles, "Because I take Cialis for my allergies...and I haven't been impressed so far--"

I didn't even get to hear what came next because his boss's roaring laughter interrupted everything.  I didn't even have to pretend that I didn't know Cialis is a male-enhancement drug because his boss shouted out, "YOU DUMBASS--That's NOT going to make you stop sneezing!" 

At the sight of M's crimson cheeks (no doubt embarrassed that he'd had a slip of the tongue in front of the only 26-year-old female in the place, fearful that he'd get sent back to POSH training) I tried to be nice and say, "I'm sure you meant Claritin, right, well no, Claritin sucks.  You need the full-blown Allegra."  Apparently my use of "suck" and "blow" in the same breath only seemed to get his boss laughing harder than before.  Finally I joined in and had a good deep laugh, too. But the three of us were forced to catch our breath and get real, since after all the break room in a government facility is always hopping, you can imagine the looks were were getting. 

I managed to squeeze out, "Seriously though, before you break your son's heart, you should try to get some."

"My wife is a doctor so maybe she can get on top of that."

I couldn't help it.  I mumbled a quick, "That's what she said," and headed back to my desk...realizing I'd already laughed way too hard for a Wednesday morning at work.

The Pros and Cons of Working Late

So we've stepped right into busy season at work and I'll be working extended hours as well as mandatory Saturdays for the foreseeable future.  Possible Sundays.  I can honestly tell you the first thought that ran through my head was, "Is it too late to get a weekend job so I can tell them I have to work?" followed by a close second, "What if I taught Sunday School?" tailed by a reluctant, "Yes, I'll be here..."

In preparation of my new lifestyle, I'm tallying up some good old pros and cons:

Pro: 

1. They feed me a delicious lunch every day.  So I'm saving money by not having to pay for my own lunches, and if I can continue to order a salad then I'm being healthy.

2. The workday flies by so fast that it actually feels shorter than when I work 7:30 to 4.

3. The delirium sets in at 4 and the rest of the day is spent in a daze.

Con:

1.  I am home for like 3 hours and then I've got to go to bed.

2.  My laundry is piling up.

3.  Poor J is picking up my slack with household duties.  I tease him sometimes that he's the best housewife ever.  I'm realizing now that he's actually THE best.  He cooks, he cleans, he tends to the pooches, coordinates necessary evils like visits from the Terminex man, the cable guy, today's window installation.

4.  I feel like time is flying by.  These are precious months to me and I feel out of control and like I'll wake up tomorrow and it'll be the day before Lauren's wedding.

5.  I'm turning into a whiney baby.  Reference how long my cons list is growing.

In non-work news, my mother's dearest friend Betty Nell passed away earlier this week.  It's been a sad time at the Nickels house and I wish I could be there for my Mom and Dad.  She's been sick for quite some time and she was "ready" as I guess you could say.  When I visited her while I was home, I was shocked at how much she'd changed since I saw her when I was at home this summer.  She's seriously in a much better place now, and there's never been a time I thought I'd say those words and mean them.  The only things that's comforted me about my parents' grief is the day before she slipped into a coma-like sleep, my parents went over to her house and made a big waffle breakfast for her and every one of the gang that was taking part in caring for Betty Nell.  I know they'll be able to cherish that memory forever.  I need to stop whining now and get myself to work.

Who's that girl?

I have a post-it in my cube at work entitled, "Names I've been called this month."  On the list are such names as Judy, Christy, Chrissy, Shelley, and Stephanie.  I used to joke that my own grandmother calls me Stephanie (this is true) so I will in fact answer to it.  It could be going through life as the typical brunette girl next door that has led me to believe that I've either not got a memorable face, or I don't make enough of an impression to be remembered the first time around.  I've been introduced to people several times over and they never seem to remember me.  After 26 years I've learned to deal with it.

 

A few weeks ago, when I started dialoging with the printer I was using to print Alexe's business cards, this feeling started to subside.  The owner kept looking at me funny, saying she didn't recognize me, but she felt as if she knew me.  I said, "Nooo, I've never been here before...?"  She shrugged it off.  The next day when I went back to pick up the proof, she said, "Ok, I know that I know you, but I don't know how...this is driving me nuts."  As one of her employees asked me who designed the logo on the card because she really liked it (ME! Woohoo!), the owner spun around in her chair and shouted, "AHA!"  She pulled a post-it out of a file folder and handed it to me.  It had my name scrawled on it with a date from 2006.  I'd called from work for a price quote on a job.  We hadn't even accepted their bid, we'd gone with another company.  But she remembered my name from two years ago.  I was so impressed.  I immediately made up my mind to make them my new printer of choice.

 

This morning, I was walking with my team back to the office from a ceremony.  An older gentleman stopped me and said, "Excuse me, but is your name Stacy?"  He of course asked my whole name.  I said yes.  He said, "I don't know if you remember me, but I lived across the street from you when you were in kindergarten.  You were friends with my kids."  And of course I remembered him because I loved his daughters, and hated when we moved away because I couldn't play with them anymore.  He works in my building now, and while that was so bizarre to me, what was more exciting to me was that he'd recognized me.  They'd come to visit us in SC, but it's safe to say the last time I've seen this man was when I was 6 years old.  He'd recognized me.  Maybe I am starting to look like myself after all.

Hot off the press

Project one: CHECK.  My first, and technically second, job...done!  Lex, you're going to love them!

Breadwinner

Congrats to my incredibly handsome, smart, hilarious, sensitive, witty, two-job-offers-in-one-day gettin' boyfriend.  Bring home that bacon, J!

Pure Excitement

The top 2 reasons I haven't concentrated all day:

1. This time tomorrow I'll be in Springfield! I can't wait! I'll have driven down with Jamie...having chatted about all sorts of things. We'll probably have eaten a late lunch at Mr. Yen's (Laura, you're totally invited to join! I actually require Springfield-style cashew chicken...and you do know they call it "Springfield-style" because it truly only exists there, right?) And after that, it's all about Ryan and Laura. I cannot wait to see him and hug her and then see her and hug him. I'm bringing J's camera so I can get better shots. See you tomorrow, girlfriends!

2. My biznass. At this point, I've done some serious business planning (on my own and with one LEMonade) and I'm ready. I'm not going to start operating under said business name, to be shared at a later date, because of financial, legal, and tax purposes. Soon, friends, soon. Until then, I'll be buying my future web domain, learning myself up on how to run your own business, and teaching myself Flash all hours of the night. Oh, and I'll be doing business as myself, which is legal. Prepare yourselves, this is going to consume a LOT of my free brain time.

Hello, Lover

iMac,
24-inch
Part Number: Z0FH
3.06GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
2 GB 800MHz DDR2 SDRAM -2x1 GB
500GB Serial ATA Drive
NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GS w/512MB GDDR3
Accessory kit**

**I'm not sure what comes in that accessory kit, but I hope hope hope it's $2500.

After giving it some serious thought, I've decided to take the plunge. I'm going to buy a Mac. I'm going to officially start freelancing. I'm going to officially embrace my title as graphic designer. Especially when you consider how once I leave my current job I'll have no legal rights to use any of the images/logos/publications I've designed and created over the past 2.5 years. They belong to the government. I cannot "profit from government property."

I'm excited for all the possibilities this will bring. I've really become a fan of a few design websites where the artist blogs about their design process, sharing what they're working on, etc. I seriously hope to do this one day.

Topics for discussion: What I'll call my business. In the coming months I'll have to apply for a sole proprietorship and I'd love to hear what you guys think before I share my thoughts. :) Let's discuss. Go!

Missing the boy already

I am supposed to be at a conference right now. The 2008 Joint Warfighting Conference. Why am I not there, you ask? Please refer to the name again. Ugh. I went this morning, had a bagel and some coffee, made some small talk with Bob, ate a cookie, sat through a briefing about health programs for soldiers, and high-tailed it out of there. I did, however, stop by the General Dynamics booth and picked up a gratis red beach mat. Isn't that nice? My employer gave me some tchotchkes! Thanks, GD!

I came home and took Leo to the kennel so I don't get caught in rush hour later taking him out to the beach. There was a new kennel attendant...Leo did not like her. He was shaking and had his tail tucked, and kept glancing at me like, "Don't you dare leave--don't you DARE!" But I did. And right before new girl took him around the corner to go back to the play area (that's what I tell myself it's called) he jumped up at me, like trying to jump into my arms. I reached out and kissed him and touched his swirly spot on his chest, and said, "Bye, buddy. Love you." And I almost choked up. It never gets easier leaving him.

The only comforting factors in this are two-fold: right now Mary is sitting beside me, staring at me with her lovely human eyes and crossed paws. She doesn't get dropped off to J's parents' house until tomorrow evening. Also, this time tomorrow I'll be in KC. And my dad told me that Ruby will sleep with me if I want. Umm...yes, please.

Well their luncheon will be over by the time I get back out to the beach. Ugh. Hopefully they have more cookies.

A mover and a shaker

I hate to go on and on about work, but I thought I'd share some positive things today.

1. I designed a retiring Army Colonel's program today...normally I don't do the "small stuff" like that, but I've always really admired this guy. His daughter goes to K-State and he always comes by to tell me what she's up to, etc. I put a lot of effort into it, and made the normal military collage page look particularly stunning, in the likeness of a scrapbook page. His wife had written all the captions on the backs of the pictures he gave me to use, and I loved what she wrote so much that I scanned those in, too, and used her words. I think it'll make him weep like a baby, and that's where I get joy out of my job.

2. I was so stinking busy today I didn't get a chance to write anyone back (Lex, Berkley was amazing, and how much do I love you for sending me a fresh fun fab springtime mix? I can't wait to listen to it!!!), but it was one of those busy days where everything fell into place. Every single thing someone asked me for, I either already had it done, or was almost done.

3. I got a phone call from HR today asking for some information so they could complete a PROMOTION PACKAGE. They didn't talk to me about my new salary yet, but if it's my salary + ANYTHING, I'll be better off than I am now. So excited.

4. On my way out of work today, I stopped to talk to like my ONLY friend in the building and we were discussing vacations and what not and I said, "I'm going to Tennessee next month and Kansas in June," and this girl (who I've seen before, and admittedly wish I'd spoken to the first time so there wouldn't be that weird I've seen you before but we didn't speak thing going on) stopped and said, "I hate to interrupt, but I'm moving to Kansas in August...Fort Leavenworth?" So we introduced ourselves, and I promised to find her tomorrow and give her the low-down on the LV. Or something. But it was nice to have the possibility of a new friend. Funny how at 25 I'm still tickled when that happens.

5. Because of #3, the boyf and I are going out to din-din to celebrate. I just got home from el gym and am one sweaty beast, so I need to get freshened up and beautified...because I feel like wearing my highest heels tonight, ladies.

Happy Earth Day, world.

Wiley Coyote

This morning began with me nearly hitting a coyote, wolf, or otherwise equally ferile dog on the highway. Just last week, I instinctively tapped my breaks when a bird refused to fly off the road and J said, "Stacy, that is a bad idea! That's just a bad idea to do that, you could wreck!" and in between giggling about how odd he said it, I explained that it was instinct for me to do it. I was behind a girl in high school driving one time, and a squirrel ran out in the road and she clipped it with her back tire. I was so traumatized that I cried. It was awful. Equally awful was the time I was driving through my neighborhood after dark and there was a small white chihuahua (eating roadkill) and I almost hit that guy too. Knock on wood, I've never hit an animal while driving and I'd like to keep it that way.

So back to this morning, when this beast (that, by the way, made Leo look like a full-bred Pedigree German Shepherd, in juxtaposition to its scraggly wild dog mange-yness) crossed my path while I was going 50 and he was going 40, and I don't know how to do the math (Jamie, think Wally, and "I'm going on a trip") but he very nearly lost his life. It was a close call, and once I got all the sensation back in my body after going numb with adrenaline, I thanked God that the creature was a fast lil guy.

Today it's 85 outside. I left work at 2:30. I also took a long salad lunch with Bob, and that was nice. Especially because we rediscovered our love for Wilson Phillips. After work, he called to tell me he wants to throw a Wilson Phillips/Beach Boys party. It would revolve mostly around the music, but girls could pick one member of WP to come as, and guys would come as a Beach Boy. Yeah, that's what kind of friends I've got. :) Tonight, J and I are going to marathon walk the dooogies around Ghent. We're going to pack mini bottles of vino in Leo's backpack and take them to the park and have a little wine picnic. My happiness level is over-flowing.

Highlight of my day, pun definitely intended

The setting: a business meeting, in which real business was being conducted...about business. With business people present.

The time: about 3:30PM EST

The comment that stunned me into silence for anywhere between 3-7 seconds: (stops talking business, turns to me and says,) "I've just got to say it, Stacy, I know that's close to your natural hair color, but I really liked your hair much better when it was lighter."

My reaction: "Umm...thank you?"

Sooooo on that note...I'm going to bed.