smittenbyu | Entries tagged with work

Do folks sitting in decision making roles not have a calendar on their actual desk or a virtual device? Like, why would you, a US based org have an event - a FULL day event May 30th. It would start 9AM and go full day. Why?! sigh...

May 29th is a national holiday - Memorial Day weekend. So, the event might be held in the Mid-West. It might require me to travel. So, why would you do that? Well, realistically, I think the dates will change as it gets into motion of actually organizing.

sigh.

Such an annoying thing to wake up to and return Monday to. sigh. But it always makes it look like I oppose whatever he puts forth. But whatever, I will be in Shenandoah camping. And dang it, they now have a cell tower and so have internet access. boo!

Current Mood: annoyed

So, I have never driven a car as part of my morning commute. If I drive, it's because we are running late and I drive D to school and come home and get to my home office. The days I go to office in DC - I walk D to school and continue walking to the bus stop (all of which is maybe a kilometer). The bus takes me to the metro station where I take the train into DC. Well, yesterday, I had to go to the office. We were going to be a few minutes past 9AM to school and D would get a tardy slip. She is also under the weather and so she couldn't run/rush. And my brain was already tired. sigh.

Hence, I got the brilliant idea - all last minute - as I was locking our front door - to drive her to school, then to the mall next to the metro station, park there and go in. Would save me 20 minutes of my commute. So, I did it. Went to work, had a productive day and came back by train and already I was making plans of whether to catch the bus or to walk to school and do pick up and home. I saw the bus was coming in another 13 minutes (actual bus ride is maybe 5 minutes). So, figured I'd walk - it's a 20-25 minute walk. Needed my steps for the day.

So, as I begin walking, I get a call regarding work and was on the call for half the walking time. Went to school, picked D up. She was so excited to be coming home with a viola!! She picked viola as her musical instrument of choice! She was so excited to show what she learnt and I had shared that I had just gotten some bad news about work and I was feeling a bit down. We walked home. I wanted to go and have a good cry. sigh - but was excited to hear her play. As I was getting closer to the house, I was wondering where N could have gone with the car. There wasn't anything in our schedule. hmm. Strange. We get in and N is in the KITCHEN!!

And then I smack my head!! I FORGOT I DROVE TO THE STATION IN THE MORNING!!!! So, I grabbed some food and charged my phone, while D played the viola. They haven't taught her how to use the bow but she tried. I could barely hear her as the bow was not tightened and nor had any resin on it. So, taught her that part.

I walked to the bus stop and then headed to the mall. Halfway, I realised I had forgotten my WALLET & PARKING TOKEN at home (switched my bag!)!!! *cry* So, got off half way, got on the trail and started walking back home. I was soooo tired. I called N to whine. He offered to come down on bicycle and drop it off with me. It would be a 10 minute bike ride for him.

So, I sat there, on a park bench - it was actually nice. I had my quiet time to ponder and process the phone call I got earlier. And it was 15-20 minutes and N hadn't come. hmmm... I did see him after that and there was a smaller bike behind. D came along too!! She was so sad for me. She came over and gave me a hug as she figured I'd need one. And they headed back and I walked to the mall.

Oh gosh. What a fiasco! What a waste. I did get in 18K steps though! I thought - oh the phone will be happy!! But all it said was I did 8K steps more than normal and I should conserve energy for the next day! ha!

I should really put in reminders in my phone if I do something different from the routine. sigh

Crossposts: https://smittenbyu.livejournal.com/1013223.html

Woot! OK! Now, I am excited over a cord for the second monitor! Of course, I won't get to actually use it till next Monday (as tomorrow is work at home day - where did the week go?!?!?!) BUT

Confirmed with the IT guy I was ordering the right product - turns out I had ordered the right one but theCompany sent the wrong product. No wonder I was so confused! I had blamed it all on busy September blues.

Got the cord free - used company credit card reward points!

Be delivered today to my home as used colleauge's Amazon Prime account - and Amazon is now testing out same day delivery in Arlington - so shipping is also free!!

Current Mood: silly

I cried reading this article Words of Wisdom from a Single Mom. Brilliant words and advice!

“Own your choices. Don’t feel ashamed about what you’re doing, trust yourself that you’re a good parent, don’t let anybody else shame you, and, certainly, don’t shame yourself,” says Jarrett.

So so true!! For every thing! I am forever grateful that both N & I work in organisations that value the person's life and choices. Both my immediate boss and higher up are child-free. And they both are supportive of our lives, whether it's taking care of my kid/family or pursuing a sport (like my colleague does). Whatever makes us a better employee and at the end a better person. I wish such a workplace for so many others!

It's amazing that in the world today you can do work (in some fields) where each of you lives in a different part of the world. Of course, the main challenge is figuring out a good time as the time differences vary. But it allows people to have flexibility to work from home/office/starbucks, etc. It's helped me immensely to be able to return work.

One thing I absolutely dread and I am finding out I am not alone is the amount of time spent on teleconferences, either through actual physical phones or Skype or GoToMeeting or whateverOtherWebPlatform. I didn't realise till I started work, how much I dread speaking on the phone. I get completely tongue tied and it's so stressful.

So, I prefer taking teleconference calls from home and not the office. So, I walk around the house before the call "loosening up" like I would before going up on stage for a performance. ha! Isn't that funny! I love the stage. I guess I like seeing my audience. I like people. I like being around them. I like the company. And that's one thing I miss the most about the current work style.

I do go to office twice a week when N is around. So, I do get my working-people fix now and then. One of the partners who join the call also have their office in DC. Sometimes (once a month) we go to their office instead of a teleconference. It's fun. It's nice.

I guess though, I wouldn't trade the benefits for anything else. And yet, in 20 minutes we have our weekly call. In the past month or two, I was just the note-taker, backstage-worker. Now, I am a lead on one of the project's aspect! yay! But it means I have to actually report on something lasting more than 5 minutes!! arrrrghhhh...

I dance and sing to, oh goodness I know, but to Shake it off! It's daughter's and my favourite song to get all our sillies out!

What is your work environment like?

December 5 – Let Go. What (or whom) did you let go of this year? Why? (Author: Alice Bradley)
(I have taken this from a past post I made...Just too busy to write up something new and fresh)

Work - My last day at office was May 13th. I had stopped volunteering at the museum early on in Feb as I couldn't stay up on my feet for so long. However, my work, I stayed on with it till ten days before my due date. That was as far as I could go take a metro and get to work comfortably. Many ask why not continue after. Aside from visa issues (the work was a voluntary job), I just don't think I could leave baby somewhere to go work - at least not in the first 2-3 years.

This was for some time the most common subject that would come up during conversations, which is also baby related is my decision to stay home with baby and leave the working world for now. Some have been supportive of the idea, some have suggested otherwise. Some have shared how it wouldn't work for them, some have given tips on how to cope with the change, and some have tried to convince me to not do that. It's the latter that has begun to bother me, as it steps on my toes.

It also bothers me that women in this day and age have to make such a tough decision. I would think in a society that has "progressed" so much would have a better support system for women who also want to pursue a career. In India, my cousins (sisters) have the support system from their parents or in-laws who stay home with them; hiring a maid is affordable and slowly they are also getting maternity benefits at the workforce in addition.

Yes, it probably would be very beneficial for our financial status for me to work and it would be beneficial for me not have a gap in my resume as I have seen my former colleague have a huge dip in her salary when she left the workforce for 10 years to care for her children. However, it's a choice we make. And I am fortunate that it is a choice that I can make. There are so many for whom because of circumstances, do not have these choices to even consider. And there are many who want to continue for the same of personal satisfaction. Whatever it is, what we enjoy today that our previous generations sought for, is the freedom to choose. It is not that the women previously fought for the right to work and so every woman has the obligation to work. It is having the choice to decide for oneself what one would want in life without being judged is what came out from the women's movement - at least this is what I'd like to think and hope for.

Anyhow, for now I want to give my all to the little one, and have gladly left the workforce. I have to find means to keep my mind sharp but that's another challenge for me to overcome. But I am happy to have left the workforce. Maybe that will change later on, but I will not think, "darn! I shouldn't have done this!"

Reverb 10 (#reverb10) is now an annual event, an inspired response to (and evolution of) #best09. It’s an open online initiative that encourages participants to reflect on this year and manifest what’s next. It’s an opportunity to retreat and consider the reverberations of your year past, and those that you’d like to create in the year ahead. We’re connected by the belief that sharing our stories has the power to change us. We look forward to reading yours.

The first time I am having coffee at work, my boss bought it for me as a treat and didn't think about cream/milk and sugar. She takes her coffee black. Oh dear lord! I took three sips and am already going nuts. woooo hooo... I should switch to coffee instead of alcohol to get a buzz! more cost-effective, no?

Yesterday we coordinated another seminar. This time the topic was on green building and designs, looking more towards commercial buildings. Interesting topic but the presentations were so dull. Most of them were mumbling through the presentations, either because they don't know how to present or didn't know the subject matter they were presenting. It was a bit disappointing for us as usually our seminars come out very well.

But I was productive. I was so good and run the day so smoothly and at the same time I finished reading the book I got from the library, The Reader. This book gave a very different perspective about the holocaust. It was different because it didn't share the story of the Jews, but it touched on the subject of how Germany dealt with it after the wars. Well, the book just touched the tip of the iceberg and I would love to find something that really went deeper into it. It also made me think of what would I have done in the same situations. How would one deal being in the situation that they were in. And the answer really is not an easy one. It was far from being as dull as the presentations were at the seminar and I was so immersed into the story itself!

Salt has been in the news a lot lately. It has become the bad guy after the hoopla over corn-syrup, trans-fat, etc. The use of salt in restaurants is ridiculously high! Trends also show therefore our tastebuds have now become so used to more salt that eating food the way it was done just 15 years ago would feel tasteless. N and I purposely reduce salt at home, when we used canned veggies or other products that has already salt in it. Personally, I can use more salt in my diet because on occasion my BP goes low. So, I add it onto my own plate. It's my choice to do so.

The Salt Institute (It was amusing to see there is a Salt Institute!!) obviously defends the use of salt and all this talk is too much hype. She recommends us to go to the many restaurants website and see the nutritional info listed and see if it's okay for you! Geez... going out to eat has become really complicated! Simpler solution would be not to add so much and let the customer decide how much salt they want in their food, no? Of course, salt is often used not so much for the taste but to preserve the food and chemicals that they add to the food. Maybe one should address that. I enjoy eating out and stuff, but am glad that husband and I enjoy cooking at home as a normal routine and eating out as an occasional social outing. I feel for the people who often are left without a choice and having to eat out all the time.

N and I are going to go watch Star Trek this week. I am not actually sure why I am going. I never really enjoyed Star Trek. I watched mostly because it's dad's favourite movie/series. He always encouraged us to watch it. So, I think I am going for that sentimental thing. And this would be our first movie at the theaters in over a year or more! We got a nice deal of buy-one-get-one-free! yay for freebies! Why is it so expensive going to movies? It's funny cause I used to frequent going so many times in younger days!

I have been enjoying watching the HBO Series, Botswana's No.1 Ladies Detective Agency! I should see if the library has the books and read it too! N says they did a pretty good job of replicating small towns in Botswana. And Jill Scott is just so cute in the series. I like her assistant detective! She is such a character!! Currently that's the only TV show I do not miss!

Today am planning to get out early and go watch an Indian historian talk. It looks interesting!

Current Mood: bouncy

I never check the mailbox here. There's never anything for me. The sign of residency is when you start getting junk mail. And that is all I get. N gets the bills and I am not that eager to open those up. Neither is he! ;) So, I checked the mail Saturday, got a bunch of stuff. And they sat by the shelf top by the door for two days. N is more efficient. He sorts through the very day and gets rid of the junk right away. I have no motivation really. This morning I thought why not. And there it was a few stamps on a big envelope from Malaysia. I knew what they were! My heart started pounding a bit in excitement. The contents were product of my work, of my creativity, my ideas, along with my former colleagues' works.

As I opened the envelope, there was a post-it pad with my former work logo and stuff on it. And a small note from LP. She sent along with the previous copies of the newsletters I worked on, the new ones as well. And I nearly cried in happiness. I read each and every article and was so proud to see it grow into something so beautiful and yet it kept some of the things from before. It was also wonderful to see the results of the projects LP & I set in motion. That was me. And to see the team I was part of smiling away, moving on, growing, doing well. I was part of that. How I miss being part of the workforce.

This package couldn't have come at a better time! I enjoyed though the last many months of solitude. But now it's time to get back. I am excited!

Current Mood: nostalgic

N's and my first year anniversary....wedding anniversary that is...is coming up soon! Oh my! How does the time fly!? We have no clue what to do. Initially we thought we would be in India at the time but that didn't work out.

My parents are ahead of the game. Their community hosts potluck dinners every month. So, this past weekend they picked the next hosts and that came to be my parents. Next month is a busy month for many and so they decided to do this thing every other month. And guess what, it turns out to be the day of our anniversary! So there will be a big party at home! My mom is very happy! Many of them last year tried to make it to our wedding reception but many ended up getting stuck in the floods or traffic (or both) until wee hours of the night. Some turned back and some reached at 11pm at night! So, mom is seeing this as a make-up for that night!! ;) I hope that it doesn't rain out again! At least here they all live next to each other, so they won't encounter traffic jam! ;)

For those of you who are married, what did you do to celebrate your first year?

the lifeguard has something against me, I think. I went for a swim today. Just as I step in the pool he declares "break time"! That was too much. I just pretended I didn't hear and carried on with my swimming. He knows the rules now. Am I mean? Probably. But I am not going to be sitting and roasting under the sun when he is taking breaks whenever he so pleases. grrr.. it later turned out he just needed to go change into his "lifeguard shorts". He must have just rolled out of bed this morning!

I have a possible interview lined up next week. keep your fingers crossed... i have everything crossed! yay! It's with a group I really would love to join! Lets see how it goes!!!

Current Mood: happy

The shoes have served me well for nearly 3.5 years. Yes, this one pair, worn at least 3 of the 5 day work-week! And they have been retired today running around in them of my last day at the office.. and can't imagine how i lasted so long. The whole day there was some excitement in me. There were times I felt it was just another day. Then there were moments of sadness of leaving. Then it was overtaken by the feeling of restlessness of when I could throw out the shoes!

And so the time has come. It will I believe hit me tomorrow, when I wake up and realise I don't need to show up to any office! And so now the work really begins. oh dear.

( the reason I am sick, with stitched up pictures )

Twig walks in to quickly check her e-mail at the stop-and-go PCs. Twig was once a stick. Stick has some flesh; on the other hand twig looks like the skeleton in your biology class with a layer of epidermis on top. Twig, is a former national beauty queen runner up. Vanity is her middle name. Twig drives Smitha mad and up the wall. Smitha & Spiderman are hence friends. Smitha however doesn't have Spiderman's superpowers and hence tries to walk the other way; easier on the back. Anyhow, people are different, and you accept them for who they are, mostly hoping that they do the same to you. But people surprise you. And in this case, she is the paying customer, you do what you got to do.

Smitha gets to leave the room to lighten herself in the washroom as Twig finishes up her computer work and begins to head off to wherever she is heading. A conversation takes place, where Smitha tries and not laugh:

Twig(in the sweetest girlish softest voice): oh hi Smitha! You have gained weight!
Smitha: oh really...
Twig: yeah really. I think you have gained weight!
Smitha: Finally! I have been trying ever so hard to add on a few pounds.
Twig: (utterly baffled look) oh really? You are so lucky then. (and she walks off)

sorry...am still laughing at the priceless expression on her face! ROTFL....

Current Mood: amused

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access to calendars
So this is my story.. of yesterday's adventure!
Excitement over cord - Round 2!
work, life, et al.
Work environment
Reverb10: Day 5 - Let Go
random thoughts on a caffeine high....
mail...
at least my parents are celebrating....
worn out shoes
beaches...PD
weight...

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Page generated Jun. 24th, 2025 08:46 am

The Adventures of the Little Indian Girl

Entries tagged with work

access to calendars

So this is my story.. of yesterday's adventure!

Excitement over cord - Round 2!

work, life, et al.

Work environment

Reverb10: Day 5 - Let Go

random thoughts on a caffeine high....

mail...

at least my parents are celebrating....

worn out shoes

beaches...PD

weight...