Yup, it’s official. I’m for-real laid off (again), as of the time I clocked out this evening.

So, what happens Monday? Welllll, after I sign up (again) for Unemployment, I’m meeting a couple of folks from The Company for lunch! I must be crazy (while I do not agree with The Company’s politics - or at least those of the local office, I did make some good friends during my time there) - or not.

Anyhow, using MY OWN PERSONAL Mac, I’ve created a pile of Procedures for their Quality System, created several templates, and then made a CD copy of everything I created (sigh, couldn’t do a bloody thing on that Company-provided technological abortion known as a “Thin Client” and that software & network disaster known as “Windows Server”). The whole problem is, there’s been no time to TRAIN anyone in how to USE or MAINTAIN what I’ve created! It would be easy if folks in general were literate in a few simple “tricks” of Microsoft Word and Powerpoint, but sadly, that is not the case here. As much as I love the folks I work with, I was aghast to find that all the original procedures & work instructions were created in Excel (and ALL CAPS)….. the Tech Writer in me took that as Opportunity and dove in and actually had some fun finding common steps that would become boilerplate in the template, setting up “picture placeholders” with “dummy captions” that would be simple to replace with real photos, then going out, hunting down all the equipment and photographing each item for the new procedures. When the person I was understudying saw what I’d created, she got really excited! Apparently, it was not *just* what she’d imagined, but BETTER! w00t! Too bad that all this came together in my last 3 days this week (I’d been working on these 35+ documents since - oh - January 11?)… and when she showed them to the Boss, his reaction was a sort of “oh, ok.” That’s all. He didn’t even acknowledge anything to me! *poof*

Quickie update:

School: Still going to school (one class, 2x/week, “Microbiology”). Nice excuse to take Nook out for bagels every so often!

Work: As of Monday 1/25/2010, I was informed that the branch is doing poorly (again) and that I am to be laid off (again) - unless business does a magical turn-around - this Friday is my last day of employment (for now). Don’t worry about me, I’m in good shape to get thru the next 18+ months of schooling (think positive: I don’t hear about acceptance for another 2-3 weeks…). If I need to fill time, I can always pretend to be a “home remodeler” and get this place cleared out and spiffed up!!

Dogs: Ernie & Alfred are still chugging along! They get me out for walks almost every day and see to it their Cookie Quota is always met. Alfred is also VERY insistent upon a regular bedtime (usually coincident with “not long after the sun sets”), which helps me to get up early (~5AM-ish) every morning.

Music: Still with the FSWE; we have the Red Cedar Festival coming up on Feb 27 (Okemos High School) and a pre-Festival concert tentatively scheduled with the Mt. Morris HS band on Feb 23.

GBEF: Still meeting on the 2nd Tues of odd-numbered months. Still doing mini-grants to help with the “extras” for education. Probably one of the most-efficiently-run groups I have been associated with, and a good & intelligent group of people.

Because I feel so helpless right now that I don’t have the “tools” to dive in and help In Person, I did a little digging and discovered that Doctors Without Borders’s facilities in Haiti have been destroyed. Since DWB is one organization that I not only believe in, but would seriously consider becoming a part of when I do earn my BSN (and get some experience under my belt), I chose to send them a donation. Use the following link to do the same, if you so choose:

Nook & I were discussing some variety of “stuff” today on our trip to Meijer (for a DIFFERENT variety of “stuff”)… amongst all that was how “House” is about an amazing diagnostician who resembles - in some respects - Sherlock Holmes (think addiction, incredible ability to associate apparently disconnected characteristics to create a result, etc) - and recalling that the individual that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle created the character of Sherlock Holmes was … get this … a physician who was an amazing diagnostician!!

As part of the whole story of the original personality, my understanding is that the physician upon whom Holmes was based was upset that Conan’s character was created as a detective, not as a physician… weird how that “palindrome” [of sorts - physician to detective back to physician] took, what, over a century to be completed???

Info about Nook’s upcoming Study Abroad (Summer 2010)

I’m smiling all over right now… Nook got her Official Notification of ACCEPTANCE to next summer’s Study Abroad for Forensic Anthropology in London… as in ENGLAND!!!

This is really exciting, as she will be living there for nearly 2 months, taking classes, and getting experience with Forensic Anthropological field work (including - if I remember correctly - a trip to Scotland Yard!… wonder if Interpol might show up in the itinerary, too?). Man… a lot of my favorite “cosies” (i.e., murder mysteries set in Great Britain) involve Scotland Yard (remember Sherlock Holmes’ Scotland Yard contact, Inspector Lestrade, probably the most-recognized, at least?? Along with about a bazillion others, familiar and otherwise!).

So… that raises an interesting conundrum for me: if I get accepted into the Accelerated Nursing Program, I’ll be in school at the time that Janet’s heading to the UK and won’t be able to visit; if I don’t, I’ll go over for a short period! I’ll play it by ear for now

Regardless, Nook has the opportunity of a lifetime for an experience not for the timid! *bounce-bounce-bounce-bounce*

I have to laugh - I have been AT BEST a very sporadic blogger of late… I discovered on my post just before this one (it was my equivalent of a “Groundhog Day” post: stick head out of that hole in the ground and see if the sun is out!) that a friend/former coworker’s spouse tagged me with the “Honest Scrap” award!!!

So, let me properly thank Candice at Wolfs on Safari for passing this award on to me. Candice, her husband Joel and their son Graham are on “TDY” (temporary duty yonder) in South Africa… well, OK, Graham has spent most of his life in S. Africa, so I guess Mom & Dad are TDY and Graham is in his “home country” ; they started this blog as a way to maintain contact with all the folks they’ve met during their respective professional lives prior to this assignment! What an adventure they are having!!

Rules go along with this award: Thank the person who gave you the award and link to their blog. Share 10 honest things about yourself. Present this award to others whose blogs you find brilliant in design or content.

Oh heck… guess I’ll pass it on to the following Honestly Scrappy Bloggers:

Agate Gal
Escapades of an Obsessed Runner
Petrified Lava
The Mouse Nest
Margaret and Helen

Now for “10 Honest Things About Myself”

1. Yes, my dogs frustrate me at times, and I’m sure there are times I frustrate them. But I love them dearly and they are the most loyal and loving non-human beings that I could hope for.
2. Having been laid off from work for 6.5 months gave me the opportunity to redesign my life; having been called back to work after that period of time has definitely convinced me that my intended “redesign” is the right way to go.
3. I’ve been a bad girl lately… have barely cracked a textbook for nearly 2 weeks. And I have a Pathophysiology exam on Thursday.
4. I am VERY proud of my two daughters - I know you know that! The fact that they are both in science-heavy fields of study and are not hesitating to try new ventures or work hard is something that I just about burst my buttons over! One’s waiting for official notification of acceptance to Study Abroad for Forensic Anthropology in London next summer, the other is looking at converting her current M.Sci. program to a Ph.D. program in Geology. Frankly, I love learning about what THEY are learning!
5. I am SO glad that neither of my parents insisted on “normal” dinnertime conversations while I was growing up. I learned so much about the medical terminology and about surgical procedures during meals - and that is coming in pretty handy with my current classes. Guess getting “grossed out” by medical conversations doesn’t run in my family - LOL!
6. I love my Honda CR-V. Apparently for all the right reasons, too. While waiting for its oil to be changed, I was “interviewed” by the new store manager at my local dealership (he/his family had previously owned & run GM dealerships until recently) about what I thought about my car (along with related questions); turns out he’s heard very similar stories from others. I was very interested to hear him say that he has seen in one day more people working on laptops in the Honda dealership (while waiting for their cars to be serviced) than he’d seen at the Chevy dealership in one year. Different clientele, that’s for sure!
7. One of my goals is to get out of Grand Blanc eventually. Why? Well, the entire country knows about Michigan’s economy - and most of that issue feels like it is centered in this county. I have things to complete first and eventually get this house ready to sell. If I can swing it, I would love to be in the UP - heck, they’ve been dealing with being the “red-headed stepchild” in the eyes of the State Legislature for decades, so whatever is going on up there has them in better economic position than the entire SE portion of the LP! IMHO, of course!
8. I hate doing housework. There’s always something more interesting & constructive & intellectually stimulating to do than to do dishes or laundry or vacuum or wash floors. I still get around to doing those chores, but I have to twist my own arm to do them. I MUCH prefer mowing the lawn, fighting with the weed-whacker, clearing the driveway of snow, washing the car, walking the dogs, etc.
9. I do enjoy cooking & baking. Just, when there’s just me and the dogs, I don’t do it. Like, why heat the oven to cook a one-portion-sized piece of something? Or how to re-proportion recipes so that I’m not facing the leftovers for a whole week? (If I freeze leftovers, I tend to forget that I’ve done that and they languish until frostbitten!) …and home-baked goods just get stale before they’re consumed…
10. I’m trying to figure out how I’ve managed to acquire a “green thumb”… used to be I could not keep a houseplant alive for anything! Now? I have a dieffenbachia that I’ve had to split into 3 pots; a “Peace Lily” that is now in 2 pots; a sort-of tree-like plant that I had to re-pot (larger); 2 vining (trailing?) plants that I’ve nicknamed “Rapunzel I & II” and have had to cut back drastically. Even have a dwarf sago palm that is getting bigger…. Two orchids; a bromeliad; and a “mother-in-law’s tongue” plant that is shooting toward the ceiling! Most of these plants did come from my late hubby’s memorial, so I do have some incentive to keep them going….

Poking my nose out of the ground for a few minutes to provide an update.

a) Classes going well, looking at A in Pathophysiology (my hard class) and most likely an A in Nutrition (not exactly an “easy” class, but the one I have had to designate my “sacrificial class” in the event of time crunches….)

b) Flint Symphonic Wind Ensemble: Just had our unofficial “Veterans’ Day Concert” at Independence Village (a retirement community) in Frankenmuth - the biggest audience at that venue in years!!! Also I am attempting to be “webmaster” for their site, working with legacy code from the prior/late webmaster (who did it all via Microsoft’s Frontpage application) and I’m sorting out and cleaning up the HTML code that was produced. Not to mention, working on cleaning up the formatting and making it “W3C Compatible”. Plus adding a “scrapbook” page with photos from concerts!!

c) Grand Blanc Educational Foundation is still percolating along. Next meeting is this Tuesday. (Why does EVERYTHING land on TUESDAYS??)

d) Looks like the Garber Classes of ‘76-’77-’79 are working on coordinating a “Decades Reunion” for the entire 1970’s decade of Garber Grads! And… guess who is one of the folks who got called upon to help coordinate…. yeah, me…. Fortunately, with at least 3 others…. (now if I could only get my BROTHER to a) get on Facebook and b) sign on as attending the Reunion next August, I’ll be doing OK!!! Do ya hear me, Bro?)

e) Work is going OK - primarily “order entry” for “Next Door”. Which is fine. It’s mindless, works with my part-time availability, and further convinces me to kick-ass with my classes to get into the Accel. Nursing Program! The Automotive Industry and its suppliers is just too unstable for my comfort right now….

Phase I: 8AM class. Home by 11-ish, let dogz out & fuss with them, lunch.

Phase II: Work by 12:30 (earlier, if possible). Home by 5-ish. Walk dogz, supper.

Phase III: Leave for band 7PM. Rehearse till 9:30. Home by 10-ish. Let dogs out and go to bed.

…of the employment sort.

As in, I got called back to work at the place that laid me off March 13, 2009! Six point five months of unemployment. Two classes completed, two underway. The Company is at least “accommodating” my class schedule, as well as everything to which I’ve already committed. Think I’m going to try to NOT exceed 30 hours per week while still in school.

My plans? Does this call-back change them? Not really. The call-back simply provides me with OPTIONS. I still intend to complete this semester and take the Microbiology scheduled for next semester AND make application for the Accelerated Nursing Program (new deadline is 12/15/2009, with notification in mid-February). That way, if that “carrot” that The Company dangled doesn’t materialize (or if the situation is unsatisfactory), I’ll still have that original plan in my back pocket. We’ll see.