Oh, So NOW You Like Me? HMPH!!!

Yesterday was the last day of my internship.  I said teary goodbyes to the new ladies I had met, and I bought doughnuts for the crew as well.  (Next time I'm bringing a quiche or something, hardly anyone ate them.)  At lunch, the manager asked me to come into her office.  It was only the second time I had met her.  She apparently doesn't spend much time in the office, which I prefer.  I don't like to be micromanaged and generally prefer to work at my own pace and get the job done.  Anyway, I thanked her again for her hospitality in allowing me to intern, told her I learned a lot and regretted having to leave.

All good things to say, I guess, because they asked me to stay.  :D

Now, I'm not there now.  There is about to be an open position because the lady who trained me is leaving this Friday.  The manager asked me if I would be interested in her position, and I of course said "Yes!"  She told me that if I followed proper protocol and applied for the position, it was mine if I wanted it.  So now I'm just waiting for it to pop up in the intranet at work so I can attach my resume and get called in for an official interview.

The bad parts:  OY VEY THE DRIVE TO ORLANDO IS GOING TO COST ME A FORTUNE!!!  It is such a long commute.  I spent between 2-3 hours a day in my car last week and I did not enjoy it all that much.  However, the office is relocating to a closer spot (I'm telling you the building I was in was filled with asbestos or something.  I was sick the entire 6 days I was there!) which would cut the commute by about 20 minutes.   Then, in about another year, the coders will all be at home.  So it would be about a year of commuting and I'll be back at home coding.  I'm thinking it's a good amount of time to invest.  Unfortunately, next school year is the year that Bucket will be at the house by himself in the mornings.  I'm not so sure about leaving him alone.  And you know there is no daycare for 8th graders!  Not that I'd put him in one; he'd be furious.  I'm not sure what to do about this situation at all.  You see, I can stay home until he leaves for school at 8am.  But that means I won't make it into Orlando until 9:15 to 9:30, which means I have to stay at work until after 6pm, which means I won't be home until after 7pm every day, and that is NOT COOL AT ALL  MY FRIENDS.  What to do, what to do?  At least in summer I can leave early, the kids will be sleeping and I don't need babysitters during the summer at all.

The good parts:  The money.  I still haven't talked to anyone about pay.  Oh, let me correct that.  I did my best to find out, but I think all my coworkers must be secret agents at their second jobs because I got no info whatsoever.  But I know it's more.  Just not sure how much.  Will it cover my fuel costs?  Oh, and the work.  I don't know how this happens, but the pay is better and the work is easier.  I loved it.  I am not always about an easy way out, but there is so much less drama in coding than where I am now.  No screaming patients in a lobby.  No frantic emails at 5am.  No constant phone calls.  At least in the area where I was, pathology, it's really just you, your computer, the occasional phone call, and unlimited coffee.  (Ok, I made that last part up.  Hahahaha)  I absolutely thrive on just WORKING, just give me my computer and a comfy chair and I will code my little heart out!  Plus, it was nice to just get out of the house.  I did enjoy being social and talking to actual people IN PERSON and getting dressed up.  I also enjoy being in Orlando.  I think Orlando can be a cute little city and to prove it, here are a few shots from the top of the parking garage:

Well, it's not NYC, but it'll do.  And yes, it was a beautiful day on Monday when I took these.  About 85 and sunny!

So, this is the outfit I wore when I was "offered" the coding position.  Honestly, I thought I looked great, but not liking these shots at all.  I'm offering the butt shot for a reason: this is why I don't wear pants.  I have a serious tukkus and skirts hide the voluptuousness of it.  Because seriously, I should only wear these for my husband.  I had no idea how...round...I was from the back and now I'm thinking, holy crap, I wore these ALL DAY in front of PEOPLE and they SAW MY BUTT.  ~faints~

I'm thinking I might still be able to pull off this top with a black a-line skirt. 

It has ruching on the side which I think is really cute.  I do not like the sleeves at all.  Either sleeveless or to the elbow, please!  I don't understand the popularity of cap sleeves at all.  Unless you have thin muscular arms, it looks good on no one!

And this is why I don't wear pants!

Oh, and just for kicks.  Hercules the cat sleeping inside of of Mr. R's speakers.

Oh, well let me get to the reason why I named my blog post what I did.
Today was my first day back.  I expected hell and it was delivered promptly.  I did my best to remain cheerful and got my work done.  None of my managers even welcomed me back.  In fact, only one finally emailed me, and it was close to 4pm at that point, and only because I emailed her several times with a problem account for the next day.  Fine, whatever.  However, I did receive an email about how "I'm a wonderful asset to the team, I know you can get this schedule under control."  Darned if I did not roll my eyes so hard that I gave myself a headache.  I've been on this team for ten years.  Ten years!  Only now that I'm within a few weeks of graduating from college and getting my national certification do I get kudos and emails about how special I am?  Why do I have the feeling that the only thing they're worried about is training my replacement?  I have been given the bare minimum in raises for the past ten years.  The hospital does a cost of living wage increase every year which I do appreciate and I know I am blessed to have a work at home job in such an awful economy.  Yes, I know these things!  But to know that you worked your tail off, worked off the clock to help patients, worked through your kids birthdays, your anniversary, Christmas Eve, recitals, birthday parties, car accidents, field trips...to get the bare minimum raise that even the slackers get?  It hurts.  And makes you wonder why you bother, but a person like me can't help to do their very best.  It is ingrained in me to do my best at all times!  So I sucked it up and prayed for a better raise next year.  And didn't get it.  And so on, and so on. 

I'll be grateful forever to my department for taking a chance on a 25 year old mom of three with no experience except for waitressing and telemarketing.  I've learned to be a good employee, to work super hard and take my job seriously.  But I think after ten years, I'm ready to move on, and hopefully not be remembered as the flighty 25 year old girl, but as a mid 30s professional career woman.  Yes, even at home!