There's no beef in here. So you wouldn't really call it bell peppers and beef, now would you.

[in_the_blue]

wheatland_press and I had entirely too much fun today. While the kids (who are best friends and share the same birthday) were off playing Legend of Zelda: The Twilight Princess, we sat around and had tea and gabbed and blabbed and IMed each other from the same room, and then... I finally (after years of suggesting it) got her to watch Bebop with me. I figure if someone isn't hooked within the first ten or fifteen minutes, they're not going to like it no matter how much of it I inflict on them. So imagine my surprise when, after the first one, she wanted to see more.

Go us. Remember, ma'am, there are 26+1 in the movie. We'll have to take advantage of the time we have while we have it!

Then the four of us went out for sushi which was very cool. First, because I was really hungry and second because she made a few bell peppers and beef references (I like it when people pay attention) and third because we sat kitty-corner to the kids, so it was like Hannah and Nicholas had their own little dinner date going on and didn't have to interact with us. Our kids are growing up! How sad but yet how fascinating.

When we got back, Hannah and I did the all-American thing and watched American Idol together. When it was over, my beautiful bright almost-12-year-old asked if she could watch Keith Olbermann. Hell yeah! She said he's got the only news show worth watching because he tells it like he is. That's my girl.

Then she went to bed and me... I watched 4 episodes of Lost with lostinapapercup because clearly this is what we do together. I'm up through S2 #10, I think. I just saw Mr. Eko's backstory. *sigh* I know, I still have a way to go, but I'm so intrigued. Watch out, Deborah, this is next.

Tomorrow, Mitch gets back from Israel. I want to hear all about it, but I also want him to be able to get some sleep: he'll have been traveling for about 24 hours by the time he gets here. He seemed to have a good trip, and I'm very glad he's on his way home. But now... look at the time. I should get my ass to bed, but I'm up this late because tomorrow's the one morning I don't have to get up early on the rest of this vacation. I guess Friday morning, too, but I'm working Thursday and Saturday.

Yeah, time to hit the sack. I hope all of you had days as lovely as mine.

Comments

[blanket-cape.livejournal.com]

That sounds like the perfect way to spend a day. I'm glad to hear you all are doing well. :) And I can't believe Hannah is going be 12 soon!

[in-the-blue.livejournal.com]

You going to be around any time ever? We must have a get-together.

[blanket-cape.livejournal.com]

I plan to be around sometime! I would love a get-together. I miss you guys. :(

Actually, situations have changed a lot for me recently so I might start looking into finding a job up there in the next month or so.

[in-the-blue.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah? Tell me all about it - you want to email me? Need a place to stay? Just let me know.

[blanket-cape.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the offer of a place to stay. I do really appreciate it. :)

It is a long story. I could try to shorten it. Basically, this fall I planned on going back to school, quitting my full time job, and going back to more hours at Borders to support myself. Well, Saturday I was brought into the General Manager's office and told that because Zack and I were moving in together, they were letting me go. While it's Border's policy to some extent that Supervisors not date people under them (if "may prohibit" and "may elect" means forbidden), this is upsetting and sudden because we cleared the relationship before he was promoted. The GM even went so far as to say that we have both been good employees and we have never done or said anything inappropriate. So, it just feels a little unfair, though I can see their reasoning since we have lots of new staff now.

Anyway, this totally screws my plans for fall and there's not much in way of jobs around here. So I want to move back up there (and have been wanting to for awhile anyway). I think I'm going to start looking into jobs in the next few weeks to a month. I don't see the point in staying down here when I can attend PCC up there for my program, and not have to transfer as many credits. It's just a matter of starting the process, especially when we have to get two of us up there.

[in-the-blue.livejournal.com]

Well, that just sucks a whole lot. It sounds like they're being a little bit unreasonable, or that they got some smackdown laid on them from Up Above.

But up here = more job opportunities for the both of you, and there are more places to choose from to live and all that good stuff. I'm glad you're going back to school too. It'll be nice to have you around from a purely selfish perspective. And you won't believe how big Hannah is now. *sniff* She's not a little kid any more!

[blanket-cape.livejournal.com]

Probably. I can see the reasoning, but it stinks for everything to chance when we've been allowed for a year.

Yeah, definitely more opportunity. I'm prodding Zack to talk to one of the managers he knows at a store up there. I'm hoping he can transfer easy enough. We just need to wait for an opening. My job situation is a little trickier since I need something to work around school, but the school there is bigger so there are also evening classes. We'll figure it out.

I would really love to be back up there though. For my own purely selfish reasons too. Mostly I just miss everyone.

[in-the-blue.livejournal.com]

There are lots o' Borders stores here. I wonder what the turnover is at these places. Don't forget Powell's, too. The Cascade store has just moved up to Beaverton, right on Cedar Hills near Walker, so that's pretty easy to get to also. And yeah, you'll figure out about work: there's always a way. Always.

What happened does kind of seem like grounds for complaint, at least, and unfair dismissal especially if you have it in writing that things were cleared ahead of time, but I don't know if you want to go down that road or not. And if everything was just verbally okayed, then it's probably a losing proposition anyway. But at least housing is a lot easier here, and you weren't all that crazy on Corvallis anyway, so... yeah. Maybe it's just the kick in the butt you guys needed to make a move.

[blanket-cape.livejournal.com]

Very, very true. Don't forget our dear friends Barnes and Noble! :)

I'm not going to take it any further. We've been assured by the District Manager that this does not reflect poorly on either of us and that she is pleased with how professionally we're handling it. I'm leaving with dignity and a good reference, which was my biggest concern. But, yes, a kick in the butt is good. Now I just need to persuade Zack that now is the best time. He knows that we're moving up that way eventually but seems reluctant to tackle it this summer. We'll see.

Thanks for the ear to babble to about this. It's such a weird and unexpected thing to happen.

[in-the-blue.livejournal.com]

Everybody needs a babbling ear from time to time.

A lot of people are reluctant to make big changes, especially in the summertime because we have that whole "but summertime is for PLAY" thing drummed into our heads from school days. It doesn't always apply, but it is hard to get motivated.

You guys will do just fine. At least you're only an hour or an hour and a half away, instead of all the way across the country or something.

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

I'm surprised they just didn't transfer you to another store. It's not like 'good employees' are that easy to find in retail, especially since I know how corporations like to budget hours to avoid hiring full-time as much as possible.

It's good that you're handling it so well. Distressing, but not so much stressful, yeah?

[blanket-cape.livejournal.com]

They did offer to transfer me, but the nearest store is about 45 minutes from where I live and not really worth the drive.

It is a little stressful just given that I don't know what to do with myself come fall.

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

[sympathy hug]

[blanket-cape.livejournal.com]

Thank you :)