| Stoked. |
[17 Jun 2008|06:42am] |
I'm stoked on landing a job professionally writing with a team of (what appear to be) awesome dudes. I'm also stoked on quarterly bonuses, raises for being "kick ass," and little dogs in the office.
I'm also stoked on increasing my annual salary by 17K.
Working as much as I will be is going to be intense, but hey, if it's doing something I love then the days will fly, the money will accumulate, the debts will be paid, and then I can venture into the world of independence.
There's a lot of stoked-ness in this.
http://sarah-reece.blogspot.com
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[26 Feb 2008|08:39pm] |
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I haven't felt this burnt-out in a long time. Something has to change.
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[06 Jan 2008|01:22pm] |
I feel like I haven't updated in forever... so I'll just recap my holiday:
-Christmas: Christmas was good. My sister and her husband came into town to spend the holidays with us which was nice. I got some Visa gift cards from my parents, new earrings, a new jewelery box from my dad, and some tights and other clothes. Christmas in itself was pretty boss. Dustin got me Super Mario Galaxy, Guitar Hero III, a new ring (which I get compliments on daily; it's sooo cute!), a new bag, and other stuff I'm sure I'm forgetting. Jasmine got me some shoes and some new earrings. I also gave out a load of sweet gifts. I got Jasmine this really neat M.C. Escher book, this necklace charm that has to do with hating your job (which she does), and I owe her a grinder once we actually get to a head shop. I got Dustin the Star Wars Vault, A Star Wars pop-up book, an R2-D2 trashcan (which I'm pretty sure was his favorite gift), Starscream (the Wal-mart exclusive), and of course I gave him one gift early, which was the Japanese Megatron that he wanted. I gave decent gifts to my family that they enjoyed, but I know I spoiled the crap out of Dustin, which he deserves, because I feel like he's been working so hard lately for everyone else but himself, and he deserves to get all the nice things he can necessarily afford right now.
-New Years: Jack had a New Years party this year which was a lot of fun. I hadn't seen Landon since my birthday, so it was nice running into him there. There were a bunch of people over there, but for some reason it didn't feel like the eve of the new year. Instead it felt more like a social gathering for the sake of a social gathering. I don't know. It just didn't feel the same. Ever since I turned 20, the holidays haven't felt nearly as magical.
Other than that, things have been okay. I felt kind of sick earlier this week, and I left my day job early because of it. By the middle of the week the skin on my back felt really tingly and weird, and I was getting a small cluster of bumps on my back. I went to the doctor on Friday and it turns out I have SHINGLES, the adult version of chicken pox. I'm still confused as to how this happened, because according to webmd, after a child has the chicken pox, the virus stays dormant inside the nervous system until heavy onset stress causes it to erupt. I don't think I've been too stressed out lately, but I could be wrong. Either way it's fucking up my nerves in my back and making it nearly impossible to move around. If my clothes rub up against my body for too long it starts to hurt, and don't even ask me to ride around in a car. It's also frustrating because while I'm in so much physical pain right now, there's no real visual proof of my misery, aside from a few bumps on my back that look like mosquito bites. But I must say that having a prescription for Valtrex filled at Walgreens was pretty amusing. Who knew they used straight up genital herpes medication to treat shingles?
This weekend has been boring, and I've been pretty much bed-ridden all week. I don't want to move.
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| My new job. |
[05 Dec 2007|05:48pm] |
Well life has been pretty okay for the most part. I do the same things every day, but I don't mind.
At my job I have two bosses. The first boss, my immediate supervisor, is Lee. She just turned 30 and has a 13 year old daughter and a 2 year old son. She told me her life story while we were setting up a retirement luncheon for someone from the pack room. She's only had two jobs her whole life and got married when she was 17 (she's since divorced this guy but is still best friends with him). She's really easy to talk to and is all about laughing and having fun. She also takes the cheapest route when it comes to EVERYTHING and I admire her for that. She's taking advantage of my employee discount, that's for sure.
My second boss, who probably should be my immediate supervisor, is Sylvia. Sylvia is older (I can't guesstimate her age so much because, as you know, black don't crack), and way more professional than Lee. She's very reserved, and can be a total bitch if you cross her. I have yet to cross her. She's been nothing but nice to me since I started (she even gave me a birthday card). I go out of my way to help her out a lot during the day, and she's definitely appreciative. I'm pretty sure she thought I'd be like all the other admins, but I'm pretty diligent and fast when it comes to assignments for the day.
My superior, but not supervisor, is Sarah. Sarah Finger. She likes The Office and Grey's Anatomy and clothes and cupcakes and laughing and playing, too. She's been friends with Lee for nearly 20 years. She's our customer service rep and deals with unhappy donors all day. I do Donor Reaction and Injury Reports for her, which includes notifying Johnstown, PA of any known DRIRs for the previous collection date. Now some of those things are just insane. Just a few weeks ago I reviewed one that described a man pulling the collection needle out of his arm and blood squirting everywhere. Intense.
Those are the co-workers I probably interact with the most while I'm at work. I'm beginning to feel less like a newbie and more important.
One of my new jobs is taking donor eligibility calls. I tell prospective donors what qualifications they have to meet, and I get calls from all over the country. It's stressful sometimes, but I love it.
I know my job seems boring and redundant, but it really isn't. I have primary duties in the morning (sorting mail, sending e-mails, accounting for QC sheets, answering phones, etc.), but I'm given a new assignment almost daily. My favorite is creating these weekly grammar sheets. Our staff is terrible with grammar, so I get to make these neat little cheat sheets for grammar. I also get to listen to music, talk on the phone, read, take a day off if I want to (which I'm doing this Friday), and go play with my co-workers, who can be really fun and silly sometimes.
I was really beginning to think that the only benefit of this job was the moral pay-off at the end of the day, but in actuality, it has been a lot of fun. I don't really envision myself going anywhere else just yet.
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| Heh. |
[27 Nov 2007|03:45pm] |
Is it wrong that I'm only two months into my new job and I'm already seeking a promotion?
I need more work! I need more pay! $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Other than some trips and falls, life is pretty awesome.
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| Wooo! |
[17 Nov 2007|09:34pm] |
Things have been awesome!!!
Boyfriend is awesome.
Olive Garden is awesome.
My So-called Life is awesome.
TNBC 3-D is awesome.
Job is awesome.
Co-workers are awesome.
Pictures are awesome.
Spending all day on the phone is awesome.
Talks of promotions are awesome.
Bosses who love me are awesome.
MONEY is awesome.
Tutoring English is awesome.
Writing papers is awesome.
MLA is awesome.
JASMINE MARIE FOUNTAIN is awesome.
My birthday is awesome.
Microsoft Office is awesome.
House sitting is awesome.
Cats with wonky legs are awesome.
Spiced rum is awesome.
My party was awesome.
Good friends are awesome!
WOOOOOO.
One thing that is not awesome:
Holiday meeting tomorrow aka retail during the holidays.
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| Whew. |
[10 Oct 2007|01:09pm] |
I just received a reassuring message from First Financial informing me that my credit card payment this month was indeed on time, and that I will not incur any late fee. This is me wiping the sweat from my brow. Let me tell you, credit cards are a necessary evil. I've experienced many heart palpitations due to credit worries, but ultimately, a 738 credit score is worth all the stress and e-mails. Civic Hybrid, you're so much closer to be mine thanks to timely, consistent payments and accrued debt!
I received my HR packet from ARC, which makes the employment jump an even greater reality.
Dustin and Nick got their apartment. They move in next Monday, the same day I start my orientation. Change is good. Change is great. I'm excited for them. Almost as excited as I am about Dustin having an excuse to get a new bed. Hurray for bigger rooms!
There are a few things I'm very excited about, mostly in the world of entertainment. They are:
Minus the Bear this Thursday. I bought the tickets two days ago, and I'm very excited to be seeing them again. It's been a few years, but from what I can remember from the last time at Alley Katz, they put on a very good live show. I'm sure Dustin will be impressed, too.
Across the Universe. I sent an e-mail to The Naro about a week ago inquiring as to whether or not they were considering Across the Universe for their fall lineup, since, while perusing their next month schedule, I noticed there were several "TBA"s. They replied informing me that while they weren't going to be picking up the film, it was going to be released nationally this Friday. I'm still struggling for updates, but am confident that I will see this movie before it hits DVD. Edit: I just checked, it opens this Friday, and I'm going to either try to see it Friday after work, or Saturday during the day.
Nightmare Before Christmas 3-D. Okay, I'm going to go ahead and consider this part II of my trials to see this movie. Last year I checked fandango.com DAILY, only to find out that the nearest location playing this was D.C. This was extremely disheartening, especially considering my love and admiration for Tim Burton surpasses any respect a gratitude I hold for any director (well, except Miyazaki). The idea that one of my favorite animations was being released in 3-D made me obsessed, and ultimately depressed that I would never get to see it. I mean, I had to consider feasibility into this whole shebang, and this was definitely not within my financial realm of possibilities. But now, NOW, I have another chance, and I have already researched times and places, and so far there is at least ONE opportunity to see it in VB on the 18th at midnight. I've already penciled it in.
Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. To keep with the Tim Burton theme, thanks to George, I've finally seen the trailer for this. It looks phenomenal. Thanks to perezhilton.com, USWeekly, and various other gossip couriers, I've seen a few on-the-set photos of Johnny Depp in his ST gear, looking as delicious and creepy as ever. I'm very, very excited about this.
The Darjeeling Limited. Natalie Portman. iTunes.com. The end.
Then, of course, there are November anticipations (such as my birthday, Brand New, etc.), but I'll wait until said events draw near before getting excited about them.
Aside from all of the movie buzz, there isn't much else going on in regard to things I'm particularly stoked on. Relationship's good, friends are good, work is work.
The Ant Hill has a show this Saturday. You should go. Their EP is amazing.
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| Discouraged. |
[09 Oct 2007|10:24pm] |
I'm currently immersed in Tila Tequila's quest for love on MTV.
My brain.
Why do I love this woman so much?
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| Straight word of mouth. |
[03 Oct 2007|01:15pm] |
I just finished watching this VH1 "The Last Days of Lisa Lopez" special and it made me really sad. She was always my favorite member of TLC, and to learn about her intense spirituality and belief in fate, numerology, astrology, humanitarianism, and self/physical betterment makes me admire her that much more.
Speaking of which, I've decided to try a water detox. I've been feeling like crap lately, and it's time for a change.
I also think I've finally completed my fall wardrobe. I'm very happy with that.
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| Here's to my foot in the door. |
[25 Sep 2007|09:25pm] |
Well I've officially landed a new job. I think luck was on my side due to the fact that I was pretty mum about the whole thing. I only told maybe a handful of people and a couple co-workers. Trish is pretty much the only person at work I confide in about employment endeavors, probably because she's so ready to help me out and is always browsing jobs in my field. What a nice little lady!
Anyway, it's with the American Red Cross, and I'll be working as the Administrative Assistant to the collection's manager. My future boss is articulate, bohemian, and really friendly it seems. I think I'll like it there. The perks aren't bad, either (THREE WEEKS PAID VACATION, WASSUP?). Because of a flub on my background check (I was supposed to have done it a few weeks ago, supposedly.. who knew?), I won't be starting for a couple weeks now. I've sort of put in my "notice" to B&N, so my hours are officially being cut. I close a few nights next week, and can probably pull a full time schedule the following week, and then I will be in the training program.
My life goals as of now are to successfully complete the training program for this position and transition from coffee connoisseur to a super secretary. In January I'm going to go for my Associates in Web Design and hopefully be able to land a 70K job within the next two years.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
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| "I can't believe I almost forgot my name. She took it from me." |
[23 Sep 2007|10:24pm] |
I've completely fallen in love with Miyazaki all over again. Dustin bought me "Howl's Moving Castle," and while it's not an original Miyazaki storyline, it's so wonderful and visually stunning. He's an amazing filmmaker, artist, director... ahh! I love him sosososososososososooooo much. Now I'm watching "Spirited Away" again and I'm probably going to watch "Nausicaa" after that. Blah, blah, blah.
My family had a cookout since my sister was in town and she brought over her new dog and we had her friends and Godson over.
( It was fun. )
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[21 Sep 2007|11:19am] |
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I'm excited about my future.
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[03 Sep 2007|06:31pm] |
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Even though the idea of "summer being over" isn't necessarily a thought I've pondered since before my senior year of high school, in essence, it is. I've officially been pushed into the throes of job researching, resume writing, skill exhibiting, and classified searching. The hardest part of this entire experience is actually settling on what I want to do. Everyone around me (and by everyone I mean my parents, or parent, rather) says I "need to get my foot in the door." But the question is, what door do I want to open? According to myth, an English degree can get you anywhere, and I'm really hoping for a payoff after four years of college. I read poetry, I gobbled up (and vomited) British lit, I scanned whole novels overnight, I wrote probably an excess of 2,345,078 words in essays, research papers, articles, responses, and I'm wondering how I can apply those skills to a career that I'll ultimately love. The only things I've wanted to do with my life really are make films, adapt novels, write short stories, and take photographs. The unfortunate reality is that I can't get away with working a 7-3:30 making coffee every day to support my creativity with a 20K debt (and a crazy mother) looming over me.
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| A few things.. |
[30 Aug 2007|01:09am] |
-Turns out the average salary for a Technical Writer in the state of Virginia is around 40K a year. Something I could definitely live off of, and something I should be looking into. But a part of me is soooo set on finding the ultimate money-making career while still maintaining a sense of mental health and well-being. I'm too picky, and I shouldn't be. There are perfect careers to be found, and I just have to deal with the shitty "early jobs" first.
-I've worked 6 days straight. I have two days off. Fuck.
-I straightened and re-arranged my room. I'm going to work a little more on organizing later.
-I have a lot of books. About 1/4 of them are books I haven't finished. I told myself I'd finish these books by summer. Where did all of my post-school free time go? Was there any to begin with?
-Jasmine and I are doing a photo shoot tomorrow. I'm excited. George also wants me to photograph him sometime soon. I need to put this camera to work.
I'm exhausted. Time for sleep.
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| Wonderful! |
[14 Aug 2007|02:44pm] |
I'm taking a break from re-arranging my room to talk about Dustin for a minute.
He's seriously so amazing. My back has been killing me lately, probably from work and being so tense the past few days, and he has been amazing; getting me pain medicine when I need it, being quiet so I can sleep, and rubbing my back for as long as I need him to.
Today hopefully we'll be able to spend time with David and Justin. I miss them a lot.
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[12 Aug 2007|04:21pm] |
I'm waiting on Jasmine to call me so I can meet her up at Fusion to talk to some dudes about getting a new tattoo. This tattoo has been dancing around in my head for a year or two now and I'm finally talking about getting it done. Dustin and I went to B&N to look through books for the perfect image and I found it. It's so cute, and embodies everything that I held dear as a child (library visits, cute animals, a "friend" to keep me company while I was getting my cavities filled).
Last night Dustin and I went out on a date and I finally saw Transformers. It was excellent, and I wouldn't mind seeing it again. Bumblebee <333.
Things have been okay. Work is alright, looking for a new job seems prosperous, and who knows when I'll ever get around to cleaning my room.
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