Sprite (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
spritechan) wrote2012-01-23 12:46 pm
spritechan) wrote2012-01-23 12:46 pm
Weekend, Townhomes and Quitting jobs.
Last night, winter tried again to be successful. There was about 4 inches of snow on the cars this morning and Steve said he was 20 minutes late to work because of the traffic. It is quite slooshy outside as the temperature is in the mid-20's and the snow is fluffy. The worst was that it freezing rained before it snowed, so I ran my car for like 20 minutes to get it at least melted off the windows - the scraper wasn't helping.
This weekend I spent mostly to myself, even when I was with people. We hung out at the bropartment on Saturday evening but I just sat quietly and read the third book of the Hunger Games. Well, I DID almost put Scott's head through a wall. He chews SO LOUDLY in normal life (one of my MAJOR pet peeves), but that night he decided to chew gum so it was NEVER ENDING. Right when I was about to move entirely across the room, he spit it out. Thank god. On Sunday I picked up the nanny kids, seeing them for the first time in almost 2 years, and we went back to my place and watched Avatar: The Last Airbender the whole time. They played with the kitties and laser pointers, but were generally very quiet and well-behaved. It was a marked change from the endless energy they had as 6-year-olds, that's for sure! But it was probably a rare change for them being able to watch hours of tv on a cold, dreary winter day. When I picked them up, the only comment I got was from Micah, who said I looked different (which I do - last time we were together I was blond and didn't have a nose piercing). Jen, their mom, ran up to me and gave me a hug. It was very sweet. I'm babysitting them again on February 5th, probably doing the exact same thing with the kids.
On Saturday Jenna and I went to the townhome place, and were immediately disappointed when we discovered that the woman we talked to messed it up and our appointment wasn't on the lady, Anna's, calendar. However, we sat in their "business office" while we waited (it has a computer with high-speed internet, copy/fax machine, and some plush chairs, all for tenant's free use) and went over the floor plans again and wrote down our top 5 choices. We also discussed several things regarding our desires and where our cars will go, etc. We each have a vehicle, but Steve has a station wagon and Jenna drives a CRV, so Nick and I would likely get any garage space anyway because we drive sedans.
Interestingly, when shown paper copies of the floor plans and when Anna pointed out that if both bedrooms have connected bathrooms guests will have to go into someone's bedroom to use the facilities, our top choices changed. We looked at two units. Both were decent, but we fell in love with a two-level called Lakeland. It's actually three levels as the townhome itself sits above a MASSIVE garage that could comfortably fit three cars (but is designed for two). Also, I know this is probably taken for granted by most, but it has ITS OWN GARBAGE AND RECYCLE BINS!!!!! This is HUGE because my current apartment DOES NOT have recycling, and I hate it. Also we have to bring our garbage down to a scary dumpster about a hundred feet away from our apartment, so Steve is usually the one who does that as I don't feel safe going that far by myself. Especially because it gets dark so early now. And it's cold.
Anyway, it's a little over 1300-square feet, and there's a living room as well as a den, with the kitchen inbetween. There's a washer and dryer in a closet in the den. The kitchen is compact - designed to be able to spin in a circle to use all the counter space without having to feel burdened. There's a breakfast bar surrounding the kitchen too. The next floow has the bedrooms. Jenna and Nick will be getting the "master" bedroom (13'6x14', whereas ours will be 12'x13') and the connecting bathroom. Because they have a linen closet in their bathroom, Steve and I will get the majority of the closet between the rooms. Steve and I will have individual closets (this unit doesn't have walk-ins, which is fine) in the bedroom. The biggest downside is that it's only 1.75-bath, so Steve and I only get a shower stall. This is only a burden because we shower together as routine, and there's not a lot of room XD
As for the pet policy, on paper it doesn't state the cats have to be declawed. We're still debating on telling them or just sneaking the cats in. But Anna loved us and we talked video games and boyfriends and what we like about living spaces. We signed a Future Occupancy Agreement that states that if a unit becomes available in the months that we specified (May-September) we will take it up to a certain price (which we listed at $1400, but Anna said we will pay around $1200-$1250 maximum). Then we had lunch with the boys and squee'd over how amazing the townhome is and how gorgeous and how much we all want to move RIGHT NOW. But even if we could, it's just not feasible or smart to move in the winter. So we wait.
On top of this, Steve and I had a very serious talk about my job this weekend, and it was decided that I'm going to quit. I plan on telling my supervisors by the end of the week. Originally Steve and I thought a month would be sufficient time for them to tie up the loose ends, but today while looking through my schedule I decided it would be best to work through the end of February, just so we'll all have a little less stress. The job is very dictated by the months. We debated the merits of doing those last two months to make my one year, but I don't think I'll be able to hold it together until then. I'm cracking already as it is. I have begun applying to various retail positions in the interim (the most exciting at the Hustler store in Minneapolis - I've ALWAYS wanted to work at a specialty store like that), as well as hospital and paraprofessional jobs. I loved my job as a para even if the school system's kind of a bitch, and Steve got really excited because he thought it was great when I was a para. I only ever left the job because I couldn't drive the 40 miles to Shakopee and back every day anymore once I moved.
But I've decided that I am done with mental health, probably forever. At least with adults. I love mental illness in theory, but hate it in practice. Haha. I also don't feel as bad leaving now that they fired an amazing colleague for fraud. She has a domestic partner, like a LEGAL domestic partner, but he's male. She had him on her insurance as it had the option, but when they found out he was male they flipped out and said it was only for SAME SEX domestic partners and that it was HER choice not to get married. And said she committed fraud. And fired her. It's bullshit and they're losing a great worker and person. Oh, and she's 8 months pregnant. And will have no benefits at the end of this month. Nice.
I know it's risky to not have a job already lined up, but with the time I have left and the nature of the job, prospective employers won't be happy to earn I have over a month left, and I don't have a lot of time to job hunt. Steve and I have enough money to float on for at least a month or two, and we'll be getting our tax returns in a couple months. My history with finding jobs is in my favor, but there's still the fear of not having one. And I won't have benefits for awhile. Getting my IUD then was a good move.
This weekend I spent mostly to myself, even when I was with people. We hung out at the bropartment on Saturday evening but I just sat quietly and read the third book of the Hunger Games. Well, I DID almost put Scott's head through a wall. He chews SO LOUDLY in normal life (one of my MAJOR pet peeves), but that night he decided to chew gum so it was NEVER ENDING. Right when I was about to move entirely across the room, he spit it out. Thank god. On Sunday I picked up the nanny kids, seeing them for the first time in almost 2 years, and we went back to my place and watched Avatar: The Last Airbender the whole time. They played with the kitties and laser pointers, but were generally very quiet and well-behaved. It was a marked change from the endless energy they had as 6-year-olds, that's for sure! But it was probably a rare change for them being able to watch hours of tv on a cold, dreary winter day. When I picked them up, the only comment I got was from Micah, who said I looked different (which I do - last time we were together I was blond and didn't have a nose piercing). Jen, their mom, ran up to me and gave me a hug. It was very sweet. I'm babysitting them again on February 5th, probably doing the exact same thing with the kids.
On Saturday Jenna and I went to the townhome place, and were immediately disappointed when we discovered that the woman we talked to messed it up and our appointment wasn't on the lady, Anna's, calendar. However, we sat in their "business office" while we waited (it has a computer with high-speed internet, copy/fax machine, and some plush chairs, all for tenant's free use) and went over the floor plans again and wrote down our top 5 choices. We also discussed several things regarding our desires and where our cars will go, etc. We each have a vehicle, but Steve has a station wagon and Jenna drives a CRV, so Nick and I would likely get any garage space anyway because we drive sedans.
Interestingly, when shown paper copies of the floor plans and when Anna pointed out that if both bedrooms have connected bathrooms guests will have to go into someone's bedroom to use the facilities, our top choices changed. We looked at two units. Both were decent, but we fell in love with a two-level called Lakeland. It's actually three levels as the townhome itself sits above a MASSIVE garage that could comfortably fit three cars (but is designed for two). Also, I know this is probably taken for granted by most, but it has ITS OWN GARBAGE AND RECYCLE BINS!!!!! This is HUGE because my current apartment DOES NOT have recycling, and I hate it. Also we have to bring our garbage down to a scary dumpster about a hundred feet away from our apartment, so Steve is usually the one who does that as I don't feel safe going that far by myself. Especially because it gets dark so early now. And it's cold.
Anyway, it's a little over 1300-square feet, and there's a living room as well as a den, with the kitchen inbetween. There's a washer and dryer in a closet in the den. The kitchen is compact - designed to be able to spin in a circle to use all the counter space without having to feel burdened. There's a breakfast bar surrounding the kitchen too. The next floow has the bedrooms. Jenna and Nick will be getting the "master" bedroom (13'6x14', whereas ours will be 12'x13') and the connecting bathroom. Because they have a linen closet in their bathroom, Steve and I will get the majority of the closet between the rooms. Steve and I will have individual closets (this unit doesn't have walk-ins, which is fine) in the bedroom. The biggest downside is that it's only 1.75-bath, so Steve and I only get a shower stall. This is only a burden because we shower together as routine, and there's not a lot of room XD
As for the pet policy, on paper it doesn't state the cats have to be declawed. We're still debating on telling them or just sneaking the cats in. But Anna loved us and we talked video games and boyfriends and what we like about living spaces. We signed a Future Occupancy Agreement that states that if a unit becomes available in the months that we specified (May-September) we will take it up to a certain price (which we listed at $1400, but Anna said we will pay around $1200-$1250 maximum). Then we had lunch with the boys and squee'd over how amazing the townhome is and how gorgeous and how much we all want to move RIGHT NOW. But even if we could, it's just not feasible or smart to move in the winter. So we wait.
On top of this, Steve and I had a very serious talk about my job this weekend, and it was decided that I'm going to quit. I plan on telling my supervisors by the end of the week. Originally Steve and I thought a month would be sufficient time for them to tie up the loose ends, but today while looking through my schedule I decided it would be best to work through the end of February, just so we'll all have a little less stress. The job is very dictated by the months. We debated the merits of doing those last two months to make my one year, but I don't think I'll be able to hold it together until then. I'm cracking already as it is. I have begun applying to various retail positions in the interim (the most exciting at the Hustler store in Minneapolis - I've ALWAYS wanted to work at a specialty store like that), as well as hospital and paraprofessional jobs. I loved my job as a para even if the school system's kind of a bitch, and Steve got really excited because he thought it was great when I was a para. I only ever left the job because I couldn't drive the 40 miles to Shakopee and back every day anymore once I moved.
But I've decided that I am done with mental health, probably forever. At least with adults. I love mental illness in theory, but hate it in practice. Haha. I also don't feel as bad leaving now that they fired an amazing colleague for fraud. She has a domestic partner, like a LEGAL domestic partner, but he's male. She had him on her insurance as it had the option, but when they found out he was male they flipped out and said it was only for SAME SEX domestic partners and that it was HER choice not to get married. And said she committed fraud. And fired her. It's bullshit and they're losing a great worker and person. Oh, and she's 8 months pregnant. And will have no benefits at the end of this month. Nice.
I know it's risky to not have a job already lined up, but with the time I have left and the nature of the job, prospective employers won't be happy to earn I have over a month left, and I don't have a lot of time to job hunt. Steve and I have enough money to float on for at least a month or two, and we'll be getting our tax returns in a couple months. My history with finding jobs is in my favor, but there's still the fear of not having one. And I won't have benefits for awhile. Getting my IUD then was a good move.
no subject
And that's such a dick move to fire someone 8 months into her pregnancy. =\
no subject
I've actually got an interview for a local hipster fashion store today, and was automatically accepted into a school district's subsitute Paraprofessional pool and have orientation Monday XD
And OMG YES. Especially because they BLINDSIDED her with it. And today released a "clarification" on the spouse policy. It's fucked up!
no subject
What did Micheal's crafts do to make you that angry. O.O I like that store...
Hmmm, is that legal to fire her for that? I mean, straight people can get domestic partnership right? Does it really matter what gender her partner happened to be? Could she sue them for wrongful termination? Maybe she can still get benefits.
no subject
I still go to Michael's regularly and love the store as a whole, but at the time I lived in ND and was promised that, as the person who had a 7-hour drive to see family, would get preference to have the Wednesday before and the Friday after Thanksgiving off. Instead, NO ONE got EITHER day off (and seriously, it was a college town in the middle of nowhere), so I had to drive 14 hours round-trip in a horrible and incredibly stressful snowstorm because of shitty work in which I was paid $6.25/hour. I just wasn't able to forgive my boss for that and stubbornly avoided them.
BEFORE she was fired, the woman went as high up as she could in our company, even having to request special access to files that should be public to avoid this sort of thing, and contacted the Department of Human Rights and Services, and was basically told that while the language was ambiguous, the assumption is still "same-sex" = "domestic partners" and that as a het woman she has the option to marry and therefore doesn't deserve domestic partnership rights. Silly turnaround of discrimination, isn't it?
And now that she's fired, the language has been amended:
"Spouse
Definition of spouse is determine the meaning of the word “marriage” means only a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife, and the word “spouse” refers only to a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife.
Domestic Partner
Defined by the following criteria:
• We have a long-term committed relationship of mutual caring and responsibility for each other’s common welfare;
• We intend to continue our relationship indefinitely;
• We are:
o Same sex adults;
o Not legally married to another;
o Each other’s sole domestic partner for at least the previous 12 months;
o At least 19 years of age;
o Legally capable to enter into a contract; and
o Not related by blood closer than permitted by marriage law in our state of residence;
• We share a residence; and
• We are jointly responsible to each other for basic living expenses and have included with this Agreement documentation of at least two of the following:
o A primary beneficiary designation to each other (e.g. will, life insurance).
o Health case power of attorney for medical emergencies.
o A significant joint asset (e. g. bank account, home, car).
o A significant joint liability (e.g. loan, credit card, mortgage)."
So now there is absolutely no ambiguity. But I can assure you, she never meant to do anything illegal, and wouldn't have approached them with a serious question abotu her insurance had she have known she was doing something wrong! DUH!!! She purposely called attention to it; obviously she thought there was no issue.