It's nice to hear you're doing a good job
A week ago today (geez, I'm always behind on this blog thing), I received my first evaluation at my "new" job. I say "new" because I've been here a year, but compared to my last employment, it seems like only a few months. I will preface this with the explanation that I only received one evaluation at the paper, and that was when the Boss from Hades was reining with terror and insult. So, even though my direct supervisor had given me an overall good evaluation, the main boss had to add his 2 cents in at the end, which was (paraphrasing), "you suck, you effin b*^%!" So, I was a bit nervous about getting an evaluation for the first time in four years.
But I was nervous for nothing. I got a really good evaluation, with my boss reiterating how much I had learned in just a year's time and how she completely trusts me with difficult design jobs from start to finish. She also talked about my social skills with both coworkers and clients and how I had patched a gap with our office and another group of people that works in our department. It was really weird sitting there for a half hour while someone told me good things about myself. I, sadly, felt like I needed to remind her of all my faults! I guess I felt like I didn't deserve such a doting. I mean, granted, I have completely worked hard and tried to learn things I've never done before, but I guess I just want to try to remain humble. I still have so much to learn in this industry... But like the subtitle says, it's nice to hear you're doing a good job.
Birthday boy
Friday the 13th (insert scary music here) was Chris' birthday. Our favorite M&A writer and I took the day off to celebrate. We traveled to Chattanooga where we visited Ruby Falls. Why? Because even though we've lived 30 minutes from the place most of our lives, we had never been there before and thought it might be cool. It was - both visually and in temperature. We got to see lots of stalactite and stalagmite, columns, calcium drips and, of course, the falls. We concluded that Mickey would have loved to climb around in the cave and especially around the waterfall. The temp was about 65 degrees through the whole cave, getting a bit cooler as you approach the falls - an extremely nice break from the 90-degree humidity outside. After visiting the waterfall, we enjoyed a little break at Coolidge Park, overlooking the river. Then we ate a great meal at Big River Grill. Chris got a dark brown stout to drink since the joint is a brewery as well. Everyone head over to Another Way to Waste Time Online and give Chris a belated shout out!
Your average weekend
Saturday brought the usual: Chris working outside on the ever-going project, me inside trying to catch up on house work, the dogs pacing around wondering when we are going to do something fun, an evening of dinner with friends we haven't seen in forever and a round of mini-golf with said friends (and Chris got in the batting cages and hit a few softballs at 60 mph; then he got in the 80 mph baseball cage and hit two, I think?). Sunday included church and a nice hike at Berry with the puppies. Sadie the Swimmer worked that reservoir like there was no tomorrow, and she and Jewels met some new friends while we were up there.
I'm getting fat, and it's OK
It's really weird looking down and seeing my belly pooching out. It's also weird not being able to button most of my pants. But what's the weirdest is that it's OK. Normally if things are getting tight in the pants region, I'm putting in more time on the pavement, the gym or my dance floor (aka my house when Chris is not there). But I'm not suppose to lose weight right now. Nope, I have to gain weight. That's an odd place to be, psychologically, when society is always telling you to lose it. As of the last doctor's appointment, I had gained 2 pounds. Considering I'm 3 months pregnant, that's pretty good. Of course, after a dizzy spell on Monday morning, my breakfast decided it didn't want to occupy my stomach any longer, which just made me spend the day wondering when this morning sickness bull crap is going to be over. I have felt better the rest of the week. Maybe I went out with a bang. We'll see!
The hair up there
The thing about highlights in your hair is that you have to get them touched up when the roots start showing. Considering my hair was also in need of a cut, I made a call to the wonderful hair person I wrote about in this blog. While sitting in a massage chair getting my hair washed (can you tell I love the pampering?), we discussed a former employee of the shop. This employee, who was apparently not very good considering she butchered my friend's head, had recently quit. Her reasoning: "I'm on a path of Christianity and I feel like this place is a hinderance to that path (or something extremely similar)."
In other words: "I'm an awesome Christian, and I don't feel like you all are. You see, I've been judging you ever since I walked in the door and feel like you all aren't as good as me. So I'll move on and find other holier-than-thou people just like me!"
This just makes my blood boil! Why do people feel they have to throw that they are a Christian in someone's face? Shouldn't I be able to tell by the way you live every day? Also, why do these same people feel they have to judge everyone else and make them feel like they aren't Christians, like they aren't good enough to receive the forgiveness that is available to everyone thanks to that Jesus guy they keep talking about (yet obviously know nothing about). I know some of you don't agree with my beliefs, but just know that my personal beliefs include not ridiculing you because you don't agree with me.
I'll leave you with a quote that I still remember from my DC Talk-listening days back in the day (that's old school right there): "The single greatest cause of atheism in the world today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips then walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds so unbelievable."
