Flibbertigibbet

Strange Behavior

As we all know, I have a preoccupation with what other people are doing. This is just part of what it means to be a flibbertigibbet.

Anyway, I was just in the restroom here at work (Yes, I'm talking about the bathroom again) washing my hands and two men walked in and they were deep in conversation. I stepped over to dry my hands and one stepped up to the urinal and the other stood a few feet behind him and continued talking.

Yes, one man was urinating and the other man was watching him urinate while they talked about, I dunno, database connectivity and API's or something.

I have gradually shifted to the point where bathroom conversations don't bother me. I don't care if people talk to me while I'm at the urinal and they're conducting their business.

But I am not yet to the point where I am confortable with someone, anyone, following me into the bathroom while I do MY business and they just watch.

I mean, if we HAD to keep talking and could not possibly rest for a potty break, I would at least expect my friend to stand at the sink and perfunctorally wash his hands so that he's not just standing there watching me pee.

Of course, I am not really shy about peeing in front of people, so it wouldn't stop me from doing what I need to do, but it would still strike me as peculiar. I don't need an audience and providing an audience to urination or defecation is, well, odd.

Shocking New York Thing #1

So, I love New York, but this is really taking some adjustment for me. The first thing that really, actually SHOCKED me about New York is this:

People actually give money to beggars.

I'm not kidding. I was on a train a while back and this woman came into our car with a sign saying how her husband left her and she has no job and all that. Then, she made herself cry and then proceeded to deliver a monologue of her woes and asked everyone for money.

About a half a dozen people in the car stood up and gave her DOLLARS. Not change, but dollars. I'm not even kidding, she made almost $10 on my car alone.

Then, last week, I was in San Francisco with some New Yorkers and this obnoxious woman in a wheel chair came onto our train in the airport and asked for money and BOTH of them gave her some dollars. She made $4.50 off of our car.

I can't believe this.

I regard beggars with open disdain. It's not that I'm uncharitable, it's just that I hate beggars. I don't mind the people who play songs or rap for me as much, but I don't give them money either.

Although, I was in the village earlier today and I heard a group of people singing "Why do I fall in love" and they sounded really great and I was tempted to go find them and give them a dollar. I didn't of course, but I thought about it.

But why in the name of all that is good in this holy land of mine are people giving money to beggars? This kills me.

Blogging Delayed

Well, I am safely installed in NYC, but everything is still pretty bonkers. Work is fun, but I will be in California for most of the next two weeks and so I won't get the global interweb at my apartment until I'm back.

This means that blogging will be light, if at all, until then.

Hope y'all are having as much fun as I am!

Countdown Ends

Today is my last day at Micromega Corp.!

I've cleaned out my office. I've marked my calendar with red X's.

I still haven't been informed by my boss of my "transition plan" so everyone is getting referred to her for questions. I'm wrapping up my final projects and requests.

I turn over the car to my buddy later today. I'll deposit that check and my final paycheck.

As excited as I am right now, it really doesn't feel like it has all sunk in yet. I think when I see my empty house and realize that I won't be back here on Monday, then it will be more real to me. Actually, I'm not even sure what that means.

I'm sort of anticipating some emotion like worry or sadness over leaving people who really have become my family and friends over the past five and a half years. But I don't know if that is realistic because any worry I may have is insignificant to what I will gain: a life in the city of my dreams with a great job, a cool apartment, and a million opportunities.

But the thrill of anticipation is rising. I do feel that much. It's like when the rollercoaster comes to the very top of the hill and slows to a stop just before...

Start spreading the news, I'm leaving today
I want to be a part of it - New York, New York
These vagabond shoes, are longing to stray
Right through the very heart of it - New York, New York

I wanna wake up in a city, that doesn't sleep
And find I'm king of the hill - top of the heap

These little town blues, are melting away
I'll make a brand new start of it - in old New York
If I can make it there, I'll make it anywhere
It's up to you - New York, New York

New York, New York
I want to wake up in a city, that never sleeps
And find I'm a number one top of the list, king of the hill
A number one

These little town blues, are melting away
I'm gonna make a brand new start of it - in old New York
And if I can make it there, I'm gonna make it anywhere

It's up to you - New York New York

I'll talk to y'all later.

I have things to do!

Countdown: 2 days left!

Work is getting more frantic. People are sending me urgent requests, begging me to have them completed before I leave. My calendar is filling up with appointments and calls from people who want me to handle their consultation, product demonstrations, pricing proposals, and whatnot instead of some yet unknown.

My boss has yet to inform me of my transition plan.

If you can only have one great love, then the city just may be mine. And I don't want nobody talkin' shit about my boyfriend.

Carrie Bradshaw Sex and the City

Damn right. Look out, Manhattan. You are soooo own3d.

I Can't Believe This (Live Project Runway Blogging)

Santino's collection kicked so much ass.

Hands down he's the winner of this finale competition.

I hate him so much, but his collection was... WOW.

Update 1: So wrong. I can't believe they cut Santino. His was the best. It was completely uncharacteristic of what he has done all season.

Update 2: Chloe is too Falcon Crest and Daniel's collection was bland. These shows always make the wrong decisions.

Why Bosslady is Mad

In talking with one of my coworkers, I think I know why bosslady is angry with me: I only gave her two weeks notice.

This is true. I recieved the verbal offer on February 22nd and on the 24th I accepted it. 15 minutes after accepting it, I called her to give notice because on the 16th, that's a week from tomorrow, I have to have my stuff moved up to NYC and be sitting in my new office.

Of course, I didn't tell her that I was giving notice as soon as I could reasonably do so. And I suppose I could have asked my new company for more time. But after losing that six-figure income in December for asking for three weeks and knowing that my new job needed someone in the chair ASAP to work on their 2nd largest account, I wasn't willing to do so. So, I can accept some of the responsibility for giving so little notice.

But is two weeks really that little? I don't think so. It's pretty standard. Bosslady also didn't ask me for that information and didn't bother to tell me that it was disappointing to her. So, ultimately, I do think she's behaving irrationally.

Countdown: 3 Days

Just three more days at Micromega Corp.! YEHAW!

A car is useless in New York, essential everywhere else. The same with good manners.

Mignon McLaughlin

So, my boss assured me on the phone when I gave notice that I am a valued employee here at Micromega Corp. and that she is sad to see me go. But her actions really aren't supporting her claim:

1) She has scolded me for trying to make sure that the team is updated on my projects.
2) She has scolded me for trying to help resolve new issues that are afflicting the team.
3) She has scolded me for trying to make sure that my projects are transitioned to others before I leave.
4) She was in the office the past two days (usually she's in California) and she didn't say four words to me.
5) She actually invited the other managers out to lunch with her -- except me.

I'm not begging for more work and I had plans for lunch that day already, but that she seems to be avoiding me and even excluding me from fulfilling my duties as an employee of this company (Yes, I will dutifully fulfill ALL of my responsibilities until I walk out of the office on Friday including proactively finding solutions for problems I discover.) it does not appear that I'm actually all that valuable at all.

Even if I'm not that important to the company, it's still shocking that a manager would act that way to one of her employees. I'm amazed that she has managed to achieve the position of vice president right now.

Freak Out! Freak Out! Freak Out!

Ok. Just four more work days. That doesn't bother me.

This weekend I went apartment shopping and I found one I like. Actually, I found two but someone else beat me to the other one, but that's OK. I have a place to live in NYC now.

This week, I have to pack up the stuff I'm taking with me. As for the rest of the stuff, I decided that whatever my friends don't buy, I'm donating the charity. I'm not going to bother moving furniture up there. I'll just buy new stuff when I get there.

So, on Tuesday, I will start driving and on Wednesday I will arrive, get the keys and move my stuff into my new home.

IN A WEEK I WILL NO LONGER LIVE IN GEORGIA!!! IN A WEEK I WILL BE OUT OF MY HOUSE!!!

This is astonishing to me. I just started looking for a job like two months ago and now I'm mid-way through the biggest move of my life. It's exciting and a little daunting but mostly really exciting.

Countdown: 7 Days

New York Taxi Rules: 1. Driver speaks no English. 2. Driver just got here two days ago from someplace like Segal. 3. Driver hates you.

- Dave Barry

Just 6 working days counting this one! Woohoo!

People are saying that they're worried about what will happen when I leave here, but they're not actually doing anything that indicates that their fear is real. I think it's clear that they are just liars.

That's ok, though. I am sooooo over this place. And I am sooooo excited about the new place.

I may have found a property manager for my house. I've found a buyer for my car. And I'm headed up to NYC this weekend to look at apartments. Everything is coming together!

Yehaw!

Not So Money, Baby. Really Not.

I have learned that there are real live swingers/wife swapper people working in my office.

Could you just die!

And I now know this about them and I can't look at them without thinking about how they sleep with each other's partners.

Ewwwwww!

This is exactly why I prefer to be oblivious to people.

Countdown: 8 Days

Up in the heights of the evening skies I see my City of Cities float In sunset's golden and crimson dyes: I look and a great joy clutches my throat! Plateau of roofs by canyons crossed: windows by thousands fire-furled-- O gazing, how the heart is lost in the Deepest City in the World.

James Oppenheim "New York from a Skyscraper"

I finally have a couple of leads on property managers for my house. This part of the process is really starting to worry me a bit. Of course, all the other things I've had to do have been very quick and easy. Making a couple of extra calls shouldn't be TOO hard.