I now live in a beautiful loft apartment, converted to three bedrooms. We have 12 foot ceilings with two big windows that let in lots of natural light. The main living space is a big connected room with the kitchen and living spaces all combined Our television is actually a high definition projector shown on to about six and a half feet of wall. Watching movies is a thrilling experience, right from the comfort of home. It is already an assumed fact that we will be hosting the big viewing parties for the Oscars, Tonys, and whatever other awesome events taking place at any given time. I have no problem with that, I enjoy hosting people at my home.
It's also very, very dry. As such, any dust in the air clunks right to the ground. It's hard to keep the place clean because as soon as it's clean, another coating of dust covers everything within a day. The dryness wreaks havoc on my respiratory system and the past several mornings I've hurked up giant balls of phlegm after waking up. I have a humidifier now and I'm going to try that out tonight to see if there's any difference. There are three cats in the space. One of them has an odd quirk where instead of pissing in the litter box, he'll piss on the mat in front (there to keep kitties from tracking litter everywhere). If the mat is removed -- he won't pee there. He'll use the box. But then there's bits of litter all over the place. The long and short is -- it all requires a great deal of maintenance or the joint will reek of cat pee very quickly. Despite all that, though, I love the place, I adore my roommates, and home life is quite nice.
On to work and money... when last I checked in, I had accepted an offer from Company A. I spent several days after that second guessing myself until I started working. Those worries were somewhat founded when I realized that the job I would be doing wasn't exactly the job I had been pitched, the HR and benefits packages were actually somewhat restrictive rather than beneficial, and the systems and operational procedures were woefully out of date with no one particularly interested or motivated to correct them. It's a company that has a comparatively low bottom line -- so if a profit is being turned, everything's fine in their eyes. Nothing to correct, no need to evolve!
Ouch. I've just spent four years with a company that had the same philosophy, and they wound up bankrupt and had to sell themselves at a pretty cut rate. (their new ownership appears to really understand the industry, and good changes are being made at a quick pace...) Still, I'm trying not to judge too quickly. To be safe, I'm trying to keep the lines of communication open with the old company so if something comes up I can transfer back, but I'm never one to shy from a challenge!
Thing is -- I'm not sure what that challenge is yet. I was plunked in a temporary situation where they had a staffing crisis (one fired, one on vacation, one on a family emergency). That crisis has since evened out and now... I don't know where I'm supposed to be. I've asked. They don't know. They can't get their stuff together, and in the meantime I'm just floating around, trying to be productive and take up projects... but there's a pretty pronounced lack of direction here. I think I've made an error in judgment, but I'm trying to make the best of it I can.
The added bonus: I'm off unemployment, but the first paycheck doesn't arrive until the 21st. My funds are getting pretty low. I'll make it, but only just. I've had to continue lying low in the interim, having to put off plans for fun nights out with people I haven't seen in ages. But, as they might say in Avenue Q, it's only for now. I'll be back on the saddle in no time! Despite the challenges and roadblocks along the way... life is good.
