Sore Subject

Don't I know how to rough up a touchy subject. For me, racism has been always something that you saw on TV. Some kinda after*school*special about how to treat others. Or some horrible crime you see on the news in a big city. Growing up where I did, it in no way was a every day reality. It hardy touched my life at all. I kinda knew moving down here that would change a little.
Since moving here and seeing the way some things are. I started to say that people overly use the racist card. Some people try to point the finger at anyone that won't move the world to please them. Saying if they won't do whatever that they asked, that person is racist! Which is a bunch of bullsh!t. Alot of people need to lighten up, and realize what year it is. If I look at you funny, its probably cuz of the saying written on your shirt, or cuz your spilling out of your pants, it's not because of your skin color. Get over yourself.
I am polite to everyone I see, until your rude to me. If your really nice, I will be super nice to you. No matter what color you are, or gender, or age, or how funny lookin' you are, or how you smell, your nice to me, I'm nice to you. Kinder garden stuff really. I become "racist", if you can call it that, against certain individuals, as per they act and speak towards me. Like I said, you act like an @ss, I can too!
Anyways, what really got me going on this, is I am being discriminated against myself. At work of all places. I won't even get into the Mieneke company we went to, that advertised on their business card, that they are owned and operated only by minority. So I already know if I apply, they won't hire me, just because, I am white. That seems real logical. People were maybe racist against them, so lets be racist to the rest of the population on purpose. Yup, that's the way to bring the south out of this stupid bickering alot of them seem to be in.
I have two woman at work, that obviously hate me, just because I am not of the same race. I know there are more, they are just not as open about it to my face. These two in particular are trying to get me fired. Sweet of them isn't it. I am sure you can hear the disdain through my typing. It makes me upset. I spent most of Thursday at work, crying all day. After hearing what lies they told about what happened the day before. How on earth, asking someone to shut a door, so I don't have to smell their cigarette smoke, when they aren't in a designated smoking area in the first place! And asking someone to OK it by someone else, if they take socks! How that turned into me being rude and swearing at them?! They just down right lied through their teeth, to of course, someone else that dislikes white people. I don't have much of a chance. Mike already asked me if I wanted to be taken off the schedule. I wanted to say yes. But the b*tch in me said, no. I don't want them to feel like they won and achieved their goal. I know there were already rumors swirling around everywhere. They are all a bunch of gossips, and some of it got back to me. The story has probably now warped into her slapping me first, and I then jumped her and pulled off her hair piece!

Part of me cares, and part of me doesn't. I know the truth of what happened. And as I always try and tell Mike. Karma is a b*tch in heels, and it will catch up with them. I made out a written statement today so they can read my side. Not that alot of them care, but, they are going to read it anyway. I was in the right every step of the way. I don't know how much longer I will keep working there, especially if it keeps up like this. But they haven't chased me out yet. I was mostly upset, because, I was raised different. I don't treat people that way, so don't treat me that way.
Don't get me wrong, not everyone down here is like that. It's mostly those older then my generation. And it depends on the areas you go into. Those two women are just two jerks in a longgg line of really nice people. We are in a city, so figure the math, bigger population, higher percentage of jerks. This experience however has cemented our decision to move out of the city, and more into the country. :-)
Thanks for listening to me vent. I needed that, I feel better now.

Naughty Dog

I think I said before that I work part-time. Mike needed someone to work for him that was dependable, so he recruited me. I work a couple of days a week. I started a few weeks ago. This is something new for Toby, being home with just the kitties all day (without his mommy).

I have to say that he has been doing fantastic. This is from the dog that constantly had "accidents" in the house, a couple times a day for the first couple weeks. When that got better, it was still a problem when we left him alone, he has abandonment issues. He was abused by his previous owner, and very sick and timid when we first adopted him. He immediately clung to me, and never let me out of his sight.

He has really done a 180. And as far as leaving him alone...as long as we let him go out and do his business before we leave, and are sure to leave the curtains open in the living room, he is good for the day. (We learned the hard way about the curtains having to stay open, you can ask the poor blinds he destroyed while trying to look through them, woops!)

Anyways, leaving him alone is no big deal now. He sits contently in the dining room and watches us leave, so that he can quickly run to the window and watch us drive off.

However, the last couple weeks have been a big problem when I go to work. I don't really work a set schedule. One week I might work Tuesday and Thursday. The next I might work Monday and Friday. So it's not like he is learning what days I work or don't. Toby now seems to know I am going to work when I wake up early with the alarm and shower. He doesn't leave my side from the instant I climb out of bed. That in and of itself isn't that unusual. What is, is that he tries to make me late for work! On any other day he runs out in the yard, piddles, and runs right back to the door to be let in and get a goody. When its a day that I am about to head into work, the little booger won't come back in the house.

Like this morning...I let him out, and after 5 minutes (way too much time for him) I try and call him in, normally he would come running. Nope, no Toby...so I go out in the cold and try and find him. There he is, standing in the back of the yard in the woods. I call him again, he just stands there next to a tree and looks at me. "You can't tell me your not done yet, if I gotta go out there, your in trouble!" I yell. So he 'pops-a-squat'. When he's done, I call him again...he looks at me with refusal. At this point Mike is bugging me about the time, we gotta go. Toby knows this, which is why he is procrastinating. So I pretend to ignore him and go inside (that always works). Nope, he stands next to his tree, trying to see what my next move is. "Get over here now!" he finally comes running at me, full speed! Leaps onto the deck, I think 'yes, I got him!', only to watch that lil' goober turn just as quickly around and leap off the deck. Erggg! I was frustrated and laughing, I knew he was waisting time. He spent the next couple minutes running around me outside as fast as his little legs could pump. Before he finally decided he couldn't prolong the inevitable anymore, and reluctantly came inside with me. It's been like that every morning I go to work for the last couple weeks. Toby, Toby, Toby, *shaking head* what ever will we do with you?

Not a fun weekend.

Mike's first weekend off, in quite awhile, was a bust. I have been sick all weekend, sore throat and the works. Michael spent most of the weekend exhausted. He worked all night on Friday, didn't get home until 4 am on Saturday (a 21 hour day, holy cow!) Although, we did get the lawn mowed and the trash to the dump, and I put another 2 coats of paint out on the balcony. I don't feel like we got much done. We spent the rest of our time lounging around the house. Which was probably warranted, but still. Alright, I will stop griping! Hopefully next weekend will be better.

Sexual Harassment In The Workplace.

This was just too amusing not to share. Mike works as an Account Manager, overseeing the employees that clean a nursing and rehabilitation center, and he has been continuously sexually harassed at work. All by little old ladies!!! hehehe....First time was a lil ol woman who commented on his "nice butt!", Mike didn't know what else to do but say thank you, and asked her to try and not comment on it again. Then another one went and asked the receptionist about his "status". Got a good laugh outta that one. Last but not least, another lil ol' lady just went right up to him and grabbed his rear end!! Which he politely asked her not to do ever again.
My goodness, I didn't know I would have to be fending off lil ol' women!!! hehehehe

Who's the boss?

Mike's now the boss, at his new facility that is! Yesterday was his first day on the job, he already fired someone and has two interviews for new employees today. Mike now has his own office!! Which needs some desperate TLC, and organization...which I was there last night to assist with. After clearing out the junk, painting, and getting some nice pics up, it will be much more cozy. :-)

Movin' on up!

Mike will be going on to his last week of training next week. Training to be Account Manager for Healthcare Services was suppose to be 3 months long, but my hubby is so super at it and smart as a whip they will be giving him his own facility on August 11th! He was only in training for a little over a month. So proud of him, and he is so happy, and we are so happy for him!!!

Old Job, New Job

Mike after his last day of work at his old job, goodbye construction...
...and Mike after his first day at his new job!!

Cleans up nice, huh?! :-)

Updates

Been a little while since my first blab :-) But updates are in order. First, so happy to say that my parents and the B finally arrived safe and sound in their new homes down south! After a long drawn out process they finally have their houses! Spent a few days there helping unload PODS, which they were the only people who actually came through on everything that they said they would do, I might add. I would recommend them anytime! Also we were able to get the rest of our stuff we had to leave behind in NH! That was a huge relief! I had forgotten half the stuff we own, hehe.

More good news, after many interviews Mike has landed a great new job!! No more construction!!!! To both of our relief, his poor body will now get a break from getting beat up everyday, and that also means less laundry for me :-) That's always good! And more ties for him.

All in all everything is going great! Expecting many visits from family over the next few months, can't wait! We are settling into our new home just fine.