This is where I bitch.

So update, been a while.

I moved to this position, in charge of the online order database for the POD department, about 8 months ago now. I left two very capable women in the Collection department. However, the more experienced one is now moving off to the Twin Cities for a new job for her husband. The newer woman isn't quiet to the point where she can train new people. They asked me to split my time between current job and training / shadowing the new Collection Project Managers. One guy is moving internally and we'll hire a third. I will have to get up to speed on all of the projects the person leaving has going on, refresh my memory on how to do that job, and figure out a training/shadowing plan with the new people. I'll probably be doing this for 3-4 months. Stressful and adding a lot to my plate, because it's not like my current job will slow down, but it's another sign of the company's trust in me. And I am wrapping up my latest initiative in my current job, so as long as I don't start a new one, I have some time.

Along with this, the Wear house manager we had hired 6 months ago was let go last week. So I'm taking on some of his responsibilities. They might hire a replacement, but not for a while so we can see if we really need one.

They did reward my willingness to take on all of this with a nice raise, so I'm happy about that.

Otherwise I've been doing art for the Teen Wolf Mating Games fest. It's a 6 week fest, with a new challenge each week. Plus there is a bonus challenge and you get points for voting on the entries. At first I was stressing out about it, both because of the deadlines and the competition part. Seeing some of the art (it's mostly fic) and feeling like a looser because it's better than mine. But I've moved past that, realized it's all for fun and if i can't get an entry in, while it causes my team to loose points, nothing is riding on it, this should be enjoyable. Plus I've met a ton of awesome new online friends.

Other things are figuring out the summer vacation plans and when I can go north to see Laura and her family. Otherwise just trying to keep the weekends fun. Paul and I are exercising and eating healthy again, mostly so he can be fit for seeing his family in California this summer. And I'm really, really missing volleyball. The gay club here has put in two courts and the gay league I was in plays there now. Next summer I'm dropping softball (we've played all of 1 night in 5 weeks due to rain) and doing that instead.

We had our softball league skills clinic yesterday. The weather was great, I actually got pretty sun burnt. Didn't even think about putting on sun screen. Still, it was pretty fun. Arm is tired because I spent most of the 4 hours pitching. I was helping on hitting clinic.

I got to meet two of my new people, which was good.

We are supposed to have another clinic tonight, and as long as the rain doesn't hit us, it should be the same.

Today is crazy busy at work, I have like 3 projects in a phase where they are wrapping up, and two that are opening up a new phase. So lots of head juggling to keep all of my clients satisfied.

I had a good time this last weekend playing the the Felica softball tournament. All proceeds go to the AIDS network, which is always nice to be a part of.

The team was mostly people from the Monday night leagues, with a few others. I hadn't planned to play, but our friend Toni needed a pitcher, and it only cost me $10, so I said yes. I met a lot of great people on the team. While I had known a few of them from Monday's, I had only played with one before. And there were a few new people, some that made it sound like they would play next year on Mondays.

One guy I feel bad that I underestimated. He was smaller than me, kinda geeky, and I wasn't expecting much. Until he started hitting everything to the fence (the one in right field) and getting in field home runs. Just goes to show you can't judge a player by how they look.

I did end up getting stung by a bee though. It was hiding in my shirt and stung me in the arm when I put it on.

We ended up 4th or 5th, I think. We were playing really well in pool play, but lost our first real game, so was in the loser's bracket right away. We won three games there, but was finally taken out by a lesbian team from Madison. Good girls, and good players, so I wasn't too upset.

Last weekend was pretty good. Not restful in the least, but that is OK.

Paul and I headed up early Saturday morning and arrived at the family cabin at the lake around noon. We relaxed mostly, with a brief visit by my mom. The dogs seemed to like it up there, even if they both did pick up some wood ticks. (And they had been dipped too!) They did not seem to enjoy swimming. We got them life vests, but it did not seem like a fun time. I have videos and will post them after I get them to YouTube.

Sunday we helped grandma put together a new cabinet and did a few other house chores. Then we spent the afternoon with my sister and Jack. She's pretty big, due in a few weeks with baby number two. Jack is 3 and as energetic and sassy as that age is. Fun to play with still.

We came back Monday afternoon in time to play softball. Lost, and probably shouldn't have, but oh well. And this week has just been crazy busy at work. Not sure if it's cause I had a vacation day on Monday, or it was just a bad week. But I've been putting in overtime everyday.

Tuesday was Paul and my 5 year anniversary, and last night we went out for dinner for it. I had a gift certificate to the Mariner's Inn from work for my last birthday, so we tried that. The food was OK and the service was pretty bad. Which is odd, since we had heard quiet a bit that it was supposed to be good. Maybe it was an off night.

Softball is going well. Last week we lost pretty badly, but that team had a lot, A LOT, of really good hitters. 70% of the team could hit the ball to the fence. And since a decent amount of our players are new, that lead to large gap in our score. But in general we had a good time.

Last night we actually won. Last season we only won one game and that was by forfit. We have a pretty strong in field now. The outfield needs a bit of work, developing skills, but we were short a few people last night too. I pitched well and had some good hits. The team in general seems a lot of fun, both the people we already knew and the new ones. I think it will be a fun season.

I did hurt my leg a bit. I had pulled my left calf on Sunday at volleyball. And then sprinting around bases made it worse. My entire calf feels bruised.

Seems I'm turning into a once a week blogger. Things could be worse. A few random things.

We had the gay softball league draft night this week. That's where all (or most) of the coaches sit around and we take turns picking people for our teams, in an attempt to make all of the teams even for the coming season. It's a req league, so the goal is for everyone to have fun, learn softball skills, and there should be no team that can easily beat another. That doesn't always work and I'm annoyed at one coach. But I think we have a decent team. We only won one game last year, and that was by forfeit. But the group will be fun, I hope.


I'm no really winning books in contests from book blogs these days anymore. And there is a reason. Two really. Now that I have my tablet, I have a ton of free books I need to slog through, read and enjoy the good ones, try and delete the bad. So I only try for contests where I'm really interested in the book. And it seems that there used to be a lot more hard sci-fi, horror and fantasy on these blogs, and now it's mostly romance. Which I'm not interested really at all.


I'm still getting a handle on my new job. Still not sure why everyone says I'm doing a good job. But I've decided that as long as my boss, direct coworkers and the COO say I am, I'll just believe them. And I'll deal with it then, if I hear otherwise. I have no solid number or stat to judge my performance anymore, and this leaves me confused and searching for some justification for "doing good". But it sounds like customer service and project management don't really have one, I'll just have to learn to deal.

Oh, I did not sleep comfortably last night at all. My neck and upper back are a mass of knots. I did not get all of the things I wanted to get done this weekend, but I got some of them. Not a bad weekend over all. I'm not sure how busy next week will be. In theory my coworker is back working, but if is going to be out of the office, off site helping capture video and voice for a client. So I'm not sure how many of his clients I will still be helping him with. It could be a stressful week again.

Next week is either going to Milwaukee with exarian to drink beer (the #1 option) or playing in the Felicia softball tournament (if people beg me eoungh). We will see.

We had our end of the year softball party / grill out last night. It was crazy setting it up but it ended up going really well. I had to work until 5, and Paul until 5:30. It was set to start at 6, which means we were running around crazy trying to set it all up, and still were at it when people started showing up. Paul got hit hard by a cold shortly after people started to arrive, so I let him talk and be a host while I handled food (sanitary reasons). We had about 15 show up, not all softball players, also some friends. Everyone seemed to have a good time. I went to bed around midnight. Paul ended up hanging out with Jess really, really late. He then was a awesome boyfriend and did major cleaning (he went to bed at like 6am).

The best part, IMO, was some jello shots I made from a recipe Paul found. They are lemon drops, but they were made in hallowed out lemon rinds. Very fun.

It's been a great weekend so far. Mom, Jack and Laura arrived Friday night and have been here all weekend. They will go back to mom's house after lunch tomorrow. We went to the farmer's market and the Madison Children's Museum Saturday on Saturday morning. The museum was cool, but had way too many kids and all of the activities were to tightly packed. To much stimulation. Fun though. We hit up a park with a play ground after the mid day nap, and then went to Ella's Deli for supper. That restaurant is neat, but has a lot of trains and planes and cartoon characters flying around the ceiling. The outside carousel was a hit though.

Today we went to the Madison zoo (which is free) and had fun with my cousin Nate and his GF Courtney. Lots of animals and things to play in. Another park was found after today's nap. Then I grilled veggie, chicken and bison kabobs on the grill for supper.

Tomorrow we will either go to the botanical gardens or the geology museum, then lunch with Nate and Courtney again, then they take off.

It's tons of fun, but chasing a 2 year old is exhausting. I almost fell asleep at 8 when he went to bed tonight.

Tuesday is the softball team grill out at our house, and the we rest for a month (not really, but it's not a bad idea).

I think I'm getting a hang of this job more and more each day. Though I keep finding basic tasks and bits of knowledge I should know but just haven't had time to learn yet. Training it totally out of the window, it's learn as we go. I haven't pissed off any clients yet, so there is that.

Mom, Laura and Jack arrive tonight and will be here though Monday. I'm looking forward to it, it's been too long since I got to see them last. Laura is only in the States for another few weeks.

Tuesday will be our post softball team grill out at our place. Should be fun, Paul is already entered freaked out host mode.

I had thought I'd play in the Felecia Melton-Smythe softball tournament, but I'm having a hard time finding a team that needs people. And now I've been offered tickets to Milwaukee Beer Fest. Choices, choices.