In early May we were informed that several production lines from my plant would be moving to Mexico. The six-month notice time is almost over, and the ax will soon be falling. Until people actually begin to be laid off, no one knows exactly who will be affected. There is a complicated bumping procedure that will happen, and eligible people will be offered early retirement packages, so depending on what order things are done in, and what areas go first, I might or might not be caught. It's possible that I could stay, though with my line being one of the ones going, I'd have a different, possibly lower-level job. It's also possible that I could be laid off, which is a scary thought since I have a car payment that is bigger than my house payment. Current rumor has it that they are having trouble with my particular line down South, so my job might not be affected at all for awhile. Though the thought of job-hunting and unemployment payments and making do on less is scary, I would just like to KNOW. The hardest thing is going around not knowing if you'll be affected or when. The average age and years of service are high where I work, so there are many who would be eligible to retire, and some already plan to do so. But I don't have that option.
I need to work harder at that winning-the-lottery plan!
Saturday, October 14, 2006
Traded Up
| The other day I took my 1-year-old PT Cruiser for an oil change. It had not quite 8800 miles on it so I was a little early, but I had the time, and it was Ladies' Day and all, so why not? My previous car was an Ford Escort station wagon that I raised from a pup. It had just seven miles on it when I bought it, and it served me well -- most of the time -- for almost 10 years. In spite of the repair costs it incurred in its later years, I never fell out of love with it. I just knew, though, that it was about time for something really bad to go wrong with it, and I was finally in a financial position that I could buy a "big girl" car. So I sold it, and bought my PT. My PT is a beautiful pale gold, with a sunroof, satellite radio, CD and tape players, power seats, windows, and locks (none of which I had in the Escort), and lots of nice little features, like the overhead compass/outside temp thermometer. It still makes me smile every time I drive it. Oddly, I don't miss my Escort. :) I keep the PT clean with trips to the fancy car wash, where you walk along a hallway and watch the car going through the wash, then a half dozen cute young guys hop in and clean the windows and vacuum it and put in a "new car" air freshener. I am also being careful to get oil changes right on schedule. I pulled into the oil change place, and they ran my license plate on their computer, and greeted me by name when I got out of the car. He asked if I was still at the same address (yes), and then asked if that was still a 2005 PT Cruiser (um, yes, last time I looked it was). These places are always out to sell you some filter or service that you suspect you don't really need, and today was no exception. I sat in the waiting room listening to them. One guy called out the mileage, which was 8797. After a pause, the other guy said, "That's all?" Still, he pulled the air filter, searched his stock for a replacement, then called me out to look at the "dirty" one. It's a rectangular type, and it looked almost as clean as if it had just come out of the box. There was a small dirty area on it about the size of a ping-pong ball. I've seen dirty air filters before (remember, I had my Little Red Momcar for 10 years) and I know what a dirty one looks like. The guy looked at me like he was sorry to have to give this little speech, but he launched into how I could see that my air filter was getting dirty, and that they recommend you replace it every 10,000 miles, and did I want a new one? I looked at him and said, "I haven't even driven it 10,000 miles yet." With this look that said "sorry, but I have to ask, even though I know it's a stupid question", he asked, "Well... do you want me to replace it... or just put it back?" I suggested he put it back. After the oil change, I took the car for a wash, and feeling like a responsible owner of a well-maintained car, I put it carefully into the garage. The next day at work a bird with digestive problems apparently hovered over it for some minutes (there's nothing like looking at bird poop through the sunroof), and then the next day it poured rain. Hey, I tried! | |
Wednesday, October 4, 2006
Looking Younger
OK, so now that I'm of *ahem* a certain age, I've been paying a lot more attention to those commercials for firming-lifting-fine line-reducing-miracle creams. Not that I NEED that sort of thing, you understand... it's just research. Anyway, I bought one awhile back to try it. It promised to make my skin younger-looking. Well, it did! Sort of. I mean, acne IS a younger look, but it's not exactly the one I was going for, you know?
Saturday, April 1, 2006
The Cool Office
I had a really good day today at job #2. I started my day with 3.5 hours at job #1, then took myself and my office clothes to job #2 to change and start work there at 9:00. I was wearing jeans, steel-toed shoes, glasses with side shields -- the whole deal. I told my boss I came to work in my Factory Barbie outfit and now I was going to change into my Office Barbie outfit. Contacts, a little makeup, dress clothes and shoes, and my nametag, and I was ready for clients. And I had a day full of those.
I had appointments at 9:00, 10:00, 11:00, 2:00 (who didn't show up until 2:40), and 4:00. The 10:00 was a finish-up from the other day (a big return, with two states' returns as well), and the 4:00 was just a start that will be finished next Saturday. I really love it when I help people get a good refund, and that happened every time today. At this point in the season it's not as common as in the beginning, because people who wait to file usually do so because they are going to owe (or think they will). I also heard about a compliment I got from someone whose taxes I did a couple of weeks ago. They are acquaintances of one of our receptionists, and they commented to her that they were pleased with the job I did for them. And the recep mentioned it in front of the boss, too, which was nice. :) I call our office "the cool office". Unlike other offices in town, none of the preparers are territorial, or unwilling to finish another preparer's return (you spend your time, but don't get paid for the return), or unwilling to help someone else with a question. The other day another preparer spent about 30 minutes working with me on an out-of-state return, staying past the time he had planned to leave, because I wanted another pair of eyes to look it over and see if they interpreted the rule the same way as I did. We joke with each other, sometimes kid each other (even in front of clients if the situation allows it), and have each other's backs. It's just a nice working atmosphere -- business-like when called for, but not formal. And I learn something new all the time.
Tomorrow one of the receps is having a birthday party for another recep, so I need to get out on my Saturday night and find a gift, and also pick up the veggies I said I would contribute to the feast. And then later, just when I'm already sleep-deprived, I'll set the clocks ahead an hour and go to bed. Housework will all have to fit into tomorrow morning or after supper.
I had appointments at 9:00, 10:00, 11:00, 2:00 (who didn't show up until 2:40), and 4:00. The 10:00 was a finish-up from the other day (a big return, with two states' returns as well), and the 4:00 was just a start that will be finished next Saturday. I really love it when I help people get a good refund, and that happened every time today. At this point in the season it's not as common as in the beginning, because people who wait to file usually do so because they are going to owe (or think they will). I also heard about a compliment I got from someone whose taxes I did a couple of weeks ago. They are acquaintances of one of our receptionists, and they commented to her that they were pleased with the job I did for them. And the recep mentioned it in front of the boss, too, which was nice. :) I call our office "the cool office". Unlike other offices in town, none of the preparers are territorial, or unwilling to finish another preparer's return (you spend your time, but don't get paid for the return), or unwilling to help someone else with a question. The other day another preparer spent about 30 minutes working with me on an out-of-state return, staying past the time he had planned to leave, because I wanted another pair of eyes to look it over and see if they interpreted the rule the same way as I did. We joke with each other, sometimes kid each other (even in front of clients if the situation allows it), and have each other's backs. It's just a nice working atmosphere -- business-like when called for, but not formal. And I learn something new all the time.
Tomorrow one of the receps is having a birthday party for another recep, so I need to get out on my Saturday night and find a gift, and also pick up the veggies I said I would contribute to the feast. And then later, just when I'm already sleep-deprived, I'll set the clocks ahead an hour and go to bed. Housework will all have to fit into tomorrow morning or after supper.
Friday, March 31, 2006
Work Work Work
This afternoon I was asked to work OT every morning next week. This surprises me a little since this week was the end of the quarter. (End-of-quarter OT is common, but not the first week of the next one.) So far I'm only scheduled for 17 hours at job #2, but that could change as the tax deadline approaches.
I almost never turn down OT at job #1. For one thing, we do OT in the morning before the regular shift at 7:00. This was originally started during one summer, when people asked if they could do the OT during the cooler part of the day, and it just stayed that way. It's nice because we still get out at 3:30 PM (it's hard to watch everyone else leaving while you stay for two more hours, otherwise). It's also nice for the company because almost no one can say they have something else to do so they can't do the OT (the exception being people who have daycare that doesn't open until later). But it means that I have to get to bed by no later than 9:00 in order to get up at 3:45 AM. Which often sucks. But it's just impossible to justify sleeping instead of making almost $35/hr., you know? I'm mostly OK with the long hours and the short time for errands, preparation for the next day, etc., but I have to admit it can be tough sometimes, too. When your biggest fantasy consists of having time for a 1 hour nap, it's kind of sad. :)
During the two-job season, I am pretty much only home long enough to sleep. I have Sunday afternoons, normally, to get everything ready for the following week -- groceries, laundry, snacks, cleaning. Note that "cleaning" is last. That is why my house usually looks like a truck drove through it. A truck that pees on the hallway floor. My boy cat, Maxx, believes that litter boxes should be optional in certain circumstances -- like he doesn't want to bother. So I'm constantly cleaning up after him (he has his own stack of "pee-pee towels" that get washed separately from everything else), and I spend almost as much on enzyme solution as I do on my water bill.
People have called me a workaholic, but I honestly don't do it because I can't stand not to. I like having the extra income (travel bugs are big eaters), and I'm trying to improve my eventual retirement income picture by contributing more to my pension, 401(K), and Roth IRA, too. And I'm at a point in my life that I can work more without taking time away from anyone else. Lots of times in the past, when the kids were younger, I often felt guilty being gone so much in the evenings. But at that time it was a necessity. I looked at people who lived alone and thought it would be nice to feel like you could be gone at night (or late overtime), without shorting anyone. I do have to say, though, that I never missed a school program for one of the kids.
The other thing is, I really love my second job. My main job is more physical -- I stand and walk all day. At job #2 I use my brain -- and I love dealing with the clients (most of them, most of the time). I feel like I'm learning something AND teaching/advising at the same time. I feel like more than just a body pushing parts down the line. And I LOVE it when someone's tax return comes out well and they are excited or surprised. :) I've already decided that this will be my "retirement job". Anymore, no one gets by on just their savings/pensions, etc., and even though I could see myself having time for a lot of projects that I have neglected over the years, I also think that I could be bored if I didn't have a job. A seasonal one would be great. In fact, even if I win the lottery and no longer need to work fulltime, job #2 would still be fun as a diversion. :)
I almost never turn down OT at job #1. For one thing, we do OT in the morning before the regular shift at 7:00. This was originally started during one summer, when people asked if they could do the OT during the cooler part of the day, and it just stayed that way. It's nice because we still get out at 3:30 PM (it's hard to watch everyone else leaving while you stay for two more hours, otherwise). It's also nice for the company because almost no one can say they have something else to do so they can't do the OT (the exception being people who have daycare that doesn't open until later). But it means that I have to get to bed by no later than 9:00 in order to get up at 3:45 AM. Which often sucks. But it's just impossible to justify sleeping instead of making almost $35/hr., you know? I'm mostly OK with the long hours and the short time for errands, preparation for the next day, etc., but I have to admit it can be tough sometimes, too. When your biggest fantasy consists of having time for a 1 hour nap, it's kind of sad. :)
During the two-job season, I am pretty much only home long enough to sleep. I have Sunday afternoons, normally, to get everything ready for the following week -- groceries, laundry, snacks, cleaning. Note that "cleaning" is last. That is why my house usually looks like a truck drove through it. A truck that pees on the hallway floor. My boy cat, Maxx, believes that litter boxes should be optional in certain circumstances -- like he doesn't want to bother. So I'm constantly cleaning up after him (he has his own stack of "pee-pee towels" that get washed separately from everything else), and I spend almost as much on enzyme solution as I do on my water bill.
People have called me a workaholic, but I honestly don't do it because I can't stand not to. I like having the extra income (travel bugs are big eaters), and I'm trying to improve my eventual retirement income picture by contributing more to my pension, 401(K), and Roth IRA, too. And I'm at a point in my life that I can work more without taking time away from anyone else. Lots of times in the past, when the kids were younger, I often felt guilty being gone so much in the evenings. But at that time it was a necessity. I looked at people who lived alone and thought it would be nice to feel like you could be gone at night (or late overtime), without shorting anyone. I do have to say, though, that I never missed a school program for one of the kids.
The other thing is, I really love my second job. My main job is more physical -- I stand and walk all day. At job #2 I use my brain -- and I love dealing with the clients (most of them, most of the time). I feel like I'm learning something AND teaching/advising at the same time. I feel like more than just a body pushing parts down the line. And I LOVE it when someone's tax return comes out well and they are excited or surprised. :) I've already decided that this will be my "retirement job". Anymore, no one gets by on just their savings/pensions, etc., and even though I could see myself having time for a lot of projects that I have neglected over the years, I also think that I could be bored if I didn't have a job. A seasonal one would be great. In fact, even if I win the lottery and no longer need to work fulltime, job #2 would still be fun as a diversion. :)
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Getting Started
So... am I supposed to have a mission statement here or something? Not going to happen. I'm not even sure how I'm going to use this or how often or how well....
The basic fact about me is I'm busy. I've been working overtime at job #1 for most of the days this year so far, which means I rise (but NEVER shine) at 3:45 AM, get to work by 5:00 AM and work until 3:30 PM. Then, from January to April I work several evenings a week (and at least one day a weekend) at a tax preparation firm, a job I really love. I won't name either company, but you've heard of both.
In my "spare" time I travel. About a month ago I made my third trip to Ireland, this time with my son. Last November I went to China. I write real journals on these trips. When tax season is over, I'll finally be posting the pictures to accompany the two most recent trips. I'd like to get to Spain, maybe in September, but we'll have to see how work shakes out over the summer. And I probably should be a bit more adult and responsible, and do things with my money like install new flooring in the kitchen, or a tankless water heater... and I should do more responsible things with my vacation time, like paint the hallway and clear out a couple of decades of accumulated junk from the basement and my computer room (and the small bedroom, and the garage). But...what fun is that?
My master plan is to win the lottery so I can concentrate on travel and sleep. :) Yeah, good luck with that one, right? So for the time being I work.
The basic fact about me is I'm busy. I've been working overtime at job #1 for most of the days this year so far, which means I rise (but NEVER shine) at 3:45 AM, get to work by 5:00 AM and work until 3:30 PM. Then, from January to April I work several evenings a week (and at least one day a weekend) at a tax preparation firm, a job I really love. I won't name either company, but you've heard of both.
In my "spare" time I travel. About a month ago I made my third trip to Ireland, this time with my son. Last November I went to China. I write real journals on these trips. When tax season is over, I'll finally be posting the pictures to accompany the two most recent trips. I'd like to get to Spain, maybe in September, but we'll have to see how work shakes out over the summer. And I probably should be a bit more adult and responsible, and do things with my money like install new flooring in the kitchen, or a tankless water heater... and I should do more responsible things with my vacation time, like paint the hallway and clear out a couple of decades of accumulated junk from the basement and my computer room (and the small bedroom, and the garage). But...what fun is that?
My master plan is to win the lottery so I can concentrate on travel and sleep. :) Yeah, good luck with that one, right? So for the time being I work.
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