Nyrial

I’m waiting for Enovia to quit being stupid in class today. As usual, I’m held up by technology that is supposed to make our lives easier. Keep in mind too, this is a classroom environment, where everything is supposed to be sterile, and work properly, but no, it has to be stupid.

I should be working on my final drawing for my perspective class, but I’m out of ideas and the whole thing is boring me. If I could afford to take the D I would, but Boeing wants a C, so I have to do it, just so I don’t have to pay them for the class. I don’t know why I thought pursuing concurrent bachelors degrees would be a good idea, it puts a lot on my plate. More than I should be eating Yes, I shouldn’t be eating this crap! I say that a lot lately. It’s been hard to put the stress eating on the back burner recently. Next term I don’t have any classes that will require me to do much critical thinking though. I am also planning on taking the summer off from my engineering tech classes. I need the break, it’s been too way much. I may take the summer off from the graphic classes as well, but that’s still up in the air, it’s all online.

I’m tired of being broke from only working 40 hours a week too. We get by, but my checking account is starting to cry, they should have left me in my old group where I was busy and productive, at least I was accomplishing something instead of staring at my computer attempting (unsuccessfully) to look busy, when all I was doing was playing on facebook or doing homework. Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise, as I was able to successfully complete my chemistry class without having to hurl myself off of a cliff, but I still wish I didn’t feel like I perpetually on the chopping block at work because my group doesn’t have a clear statement of work yet.

I wish I just cared. I don’t anymore.

Those of you familiar with my employment situation know that I work for a very large aerospace company based in the Puget Sound area. Last year was a contract year for both major unions. There are the “good ol boys” also known as the machinists union, and “The Wimps,” which would be the nerds.

Coming from a state which unions drove a stake into, crucified, and then threw in a hole full of tar and feathers, I was, needless to say, VERY unhappy with the fact that I would be forced into union membership. For reference, I am a member of The Wimps.

Last year, the good ol boys decided that the company offer wasn’t good enough, and struck for 57 days during the 4th quarter.  They finally came back, with no REAL progress in the new contract, and happily accepted a 5000 dollar, or 10% of their yearly salary (whichever was greater) bonus.  They ratified their new contract the day that our negotiations were to begin. Typically, I was told, we build on what they give the good ol boys, and get a bit more.

Apparently, this is not true.

Not only did we NOT get a signing bonus (their excuse, well, you guys participate in the EIP (more on that later (embedded parentheses)), our raises over the next few years are significantly lower than the good ol boys,. Basically, as my lead put it, we bent over and took it like good little engineers.

So last Wednesday, we post a 54 million dollar loss for the 4th quarter. BIG surprise, right? Since we didn’t work on or deliver any airplanes for 57 days. And now, the good ol boys union has the gall to say that it has absolutely nothing to do with the strike. Incidentally, Wednesday we find out that our EIP (employee incentive plan), which is tied to profits, has been cut to 6 days, rather than the 10 they got last year, because we lost money in the 4th quarter.But this has nothing to do with the strike! REALLY! Because you know, if we had delivered oh, one or two more planes, we would have made that money back.

So, thanks a lot you greedy machinists bastards for taking your fat bonuses and screwing me out of mine. I hope it was one of you militant bastards whose truck I dented in the parking lot the other day. By the way, there was NO dent in mine.

If I had a picture of me flipping the bird, it would be… here.

a long time since I wrote anything here. I apologize for that, things have been kind of crazy with the holidays, work and school starting back up. I’m taking a Saturday morning chemistry class, in addition an online class about how to learn online, and economics.

So I’ll make this quick and get to the good stuff. 5 more pounds till the 100 pound mark (since surgery, not including pre-op loss) I feel damn good about myself.  I’m actually stealing Dan’s jeans, which makes him unhappy, but since he had to buy new ones anyway, its ok. I can almost get those on too, give me about 15 more pounds and I think it will happen.

Work has been busy, we have a lot of restructuring and other crazy goodness going on. I’m still not sure who my manager is now. But I just keep doing my job, and hope someday to have a “hi, I’m your new manager, nice to meet you” email. Joe.. something.

I’m getting back into workouts hardcore, it’s all part of my master evil plan.

So, without further ado, here is the Christmas/Holiday picture goodness :

The calm before the storm, thank you to the many generous family members who made Christmas so wonderful for my kids.

Santa Came!!

That weekend, we visited the Seattle Children’s museum, it was our first time there and the girls had a blast!

So as you can see, we’ve been very active lately. We have several upcoming visits to look forward to from both family and friends, and we’re really really hoping to be able to get home sometime this summer. The most challenging part will be finding a house/pet sitter that isn’t intimidated by the birds and is willing to stay for a week.

I worked from home yesterday, so I didn’t have a chance to share my shopping trip success story with one of my coworkers. He’s been one of my biggest supporters during the pre-diet, and post-op phase. He makes sure I stick to the exercise, and asks me about it on a regular basis, it kind of shames me into doing it when I’m slacking.

Naturally he was thrilled for me, and very encouraging.

Anyway, I just wanted to give a shout out to Martin.. He and the other people I work with are part of the reasons I still love my job after almost a year, and the encouragement and interest about my progress that I receive on almost a daily basis from him really help when I’m feeling discouraged because the scale hasn’t budged for a week, or when I just need to vent about missing things that other people take for granted..You know, the good things in life, like beer and chocolate.

I don’t have much to write about today. My life isn’t very exciting, and I don’t do anything that would be considered interesting to most people. I would rant about stupid people, but I’m feeling far too mellow right now to really care. See, I spiked my coffee today with about 2 ounces of caffeinated coffee, when your stomach is the size of a hard-boiled egg, and you haven’t drank much in the way of caffeine for almost 8 months, a little caffeine goes a long way. It’s like the alcohol effect, it doesn’t take much. Well, I’m coming down from that now, but not in a bad way, I just sort of feel, normal. While I’m contemplating getting a refill, I think it would be best to wait, as I don’t want the effect to be dulled next time I feel I need a hit.

I’m trying to be faithful to NaBloPoMo, but it’s hard when you don’t have much to say.