Aaaanyhoo....most of you following me on here (as if anyone really reads it anyway) see my constant updates and photos on facebook so I won't bore you and repeat it all! lol
For everything Liam - check out my facebook! lol
This year I've taken on the project of taking over the PTO website for Leila's school. I'm super duper excited to have a "job", something to do, to be responsible for, to have a purpose (not that raising our son isn't a purpose but it's a thankless job sometimes! lol). I'm proud of what I've done so far and excited of what's to come! Check it out: http://www.munfordelementary-pto.org
I've also enrolled back in school. One reason - I'll need a bachelors degree to get it on base and climb the ranks. Another reason - as long as I'm in school, my student loans will be deferred. Terrible huh? Racking up more student loans to avoid $250/month payments! lol
This is what SUCKS about being middle class. We/Josh makes too much for an economic hardship deferment (with my not working). We/Josh made too much to get much help from the Pell Grant. We/Josh make too little to pay for it all out of pocket though.
Anyhoo, I'll be going to Western Governor's University and finishing up my Bachelor's degree. My associates is in Business: Accounting & Finance. I'll be getting my BS in Business: Human Resource Management. That will help make me a well rounded businesswoman! :)
But, when I do go back to work, it will be on base! I'll hold out for a job there before working at another small business or commuting to Memphis. Nothing against small businesses or the papers I have worked at but everything is so...ugh! The people making decisions have no idea what they're doing and they don't consult with the people who DO the jobs and deal with the customers. And heaven forbid a WOMAN have a suggestion or an opinion (although I think that mentality, the inferior woman, is more of a southern thing)! Everything is a game of politics and smooth talking where everyone is afraid to be honest. The games, the favoritism, the attitudes, the lack of organization and discipline...just not my cup of tea AT ALL. Been there, done that for the last 3 years...no thanks!
Now, if I were in charge of a small business where my opinion was valued, then maybe. Haha! But where I was...psssh! Again, no offense to the papers I once worked at...there were MANY aspects of my job and the company's that I absolutely LOVED! I didn't like doing the publishers job (reports, budget, meetings, dilemmas, etc) and not being paid for it. I didn't like going from Bookkeeper at the local paper to Accounts Receivable Manager at the corporate office without a raise...nevermind the 1.5 hour commute EACH WAY to Collierville! I'm not one who needs praise from superiors but to not even get a thank you...ugh! Being expected to do EVERYTHING on time and in perfect condition...annoying! Looking at what my job position did when I was hired versus what I was doing when I left...insanity! And making the same pay doing the job that was once split between 3 people, frustrating.
Then the economy took a dump and the newspaper/advertising industry was hit HARD so I knew it would never EVER go anywhere. I had no desire to be publisher, ever! I had reached the highest level I could at the local level and felt so under-appreciated! I know it appeared to others that I did nothing, I couldn't get anything done on time, my desk was a disaster, etc. If they only knew...
I do sometimes wonder if I did the right thing, leaving a job I truly loved to stay at home and raise Liam. But then, I'm reminded of the door-slamming welcome I received from 'the boss' when I popped in for a visit after Liam was born. How very mature, right?! I'm reminded of the many hours I spent working from home, uncompensated, so I could keep my head above water the next day at work. I'm reminded of going in early, working late, dealing with annoying customers, etc. But then I think of the wonderful people I worked with and the customers I knew by name, who's accounts I straightened out and who's legal affidavits I got to them, all the old paperwork that I digitized (which made life much easier!), the end of the month crunch (as stressful as it was), the luncheons, the weekend events, etc.
I think what I miss most is the adult interaction, be it good, bad or ugly it was interaction! lol
I miss hearing Sherri's stories about her crazy sons, Miss Debbie's stories about growing up and her cooking and the updates on her parents, Cup O Noodle lunches, Messing with Tammy Lynn about his love for Sheep, dealing with the nutty snack man, swapping pictures of fur-babies with Ash and Sara, taking care of Mr. Hadley and they City's legals, talking with the "usual" line ad people, laughing at everyone trying to make it up the hill into the parking lot in the snow, Fletcher Farms, TJ's Cleaning...lol
Fortunately, I still get to hear all about Jenna's cute little sayings and see pictures of Rylee and Tyler (gotta love facebook!) but it's not the same as hearing it and seeing them every day.
And then there is the Star...the good ole days at the Star. Christina, Tina, Thomas, Calvin, April, John and I. I think back to what drove me away from the Star into the arms of The Leader and it boils down to one woman - Jill! I wish I were strong enough to handle her. I loved the good ole days with the old gang! The starbucks runs, lunches, chit chat, all of us working as a great team getting everything done and having fun every second while doing it!
Had I not left the Star, I wouldn't have met and had all the great experiences with the people at The Leader - including those that have come and gone! Fortunately, I've kept in touch with the Star folks and don't get doors slammed when I visit them! Bwahaha!
Oh, and The Leader/AHP owes me big time for saving them a lot of money and headaches! Do you know how easily I could have said I was coming back, then not come back and collect unemployment/disability?! Instead, I took the honest road and did what was best (I thought) for the company and the employees and gave 6 month notice!!!! I was expecting to get a formidable replacement to train that could keep up what I had worked so hard to achieve. Uh, no. One week before I was scheduled to leave, they hired someone. She tried to quit 4 times in the two weeks I trained her. I even stayed an extra week working part time to assist in the transition. She asked me to stay longer, and I would have....if my boss, the publisher, would have asked me. But he didn't. She ultimately ended up being fired and all that work training her, all the notes she took, all the knowledge she may have soaked from me....gone.
Oh, how I would love to go in there, temporarily, and fix what has been broken! lol
Not likely to happen as long as HE'S there. Even if he wasn't there I don't know what I'd go back. I know how things go when someone leaves...they get blamed for everything. Goodness knows how much junk was talked about me to the customers and employees after I'd left. I've heard some of it and it's so far from the truth. But when people don't know what they're doing or what they're looking at, it's easy to cover their butt to the customer by blaming the person who is no longer there. Sorry, not something I ever did unless I knew for a fact it was something the previous person did mess up. lol. But it's those same people who I know blame the world's mess on me that put on a happy face and act all cheery and friendly to my face. The same people who, if it weren't for me fighting for them to stay, wouldn't still be employed there. The people who were so quick to throw me under the bus that I've stuck my name and neck out for.
Such is life I suppose. Live and learn and boy have I!
But I honestly don't know what I did or didn't do, but he didn't like me very much (Mr Boss man). He rarely talked to me. Never asked my opinion on things (the one who'd been doing the job for 2 years). I don't know if crap was talked about me at the different levels of the company, if I intimidated him, or if because he knew I was leaving didn't care about my thoughts? It's not often that I don't get along with people. I'm really good at working things out and accepting of the fact that not everyone is going to 'get' me. I don't expect everyone to like me but geesh, as the boss, at least pretend! lol No need to slam your office door when I stop in.
Why oh why did Ron have to leave?! :(
Even as interim publisher, he was fantastic!! :) He totally understood the quirky dynamics of our office and the people in it. He knew what he was talking about on the operational level in all departments! He asked questions and listened to what everyone had to say!
So that was a big ole long vent...that nobody is likely to read which is why I feel comfortable posting it! lol
So, yeah, I want to work on base. Policies galore. Job security. A strict job description. Great pay. Local. There will be drama and politics everywhere. I know that. There will be backstabbers. There will be bosses with sticks up their butts. There will be good times and bad. There will be times I miss being a stay at home mom. But at least it will be on a base with thousands of people, for a company that employs hundreds of thousands (or millions?), the federal government, on a big ole military base...not a tiny 15 person office! haha
Ok, I'm off to bed.
I'll save the 'To Stay at Home or to go to work?" internal argument for later! :)
1 comment:
Darin goes to WGU - have fun. The schedule is so weird, but he likes it! His stepdad also earned a degree there. Good luck!
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