On a roll early Sunday

It’s not quite Sunday yet really.. it’s almost 1AM.  Well, I guess that’s almost officially Sunday.  I had shut down power, finished the last of the dishes to be washed in the kitchen and told Alan to pick up Angel and transfer to the room.  He simply moaned a reply and he’s back snoring on the couch.  So I rebooted and decided I still have enough juice in me to keep posting.

Rainy Saturday.  We went to the North Fork region of Long Island with some friends to go wine tasting.  Not that I did.  Since I was breastfeeding, I opted not to.  But the real reason was one of us had to watch Angel — and since these were Alan’s friends, I let them have fun, I took care of my baby.  I didn’t really mind.  I missed taking care of him — more so since I have been leaving the office late all week, and by the time I got home, finished cooking and sat down to dinner, Angel would be asleep within an hour of my arrival.  We had that hour before he slept, and an hour after he woke up before I left for work.

We visited three wineries, two of which Alan and I have been visiting since 2000, Pelligrini and Pindar Vineyards.  The third, Osprey’s Dominion, was a discovery.  We took Angel around at Pelligrini but he started to nap by the time we got to Pindar and Osprey’s so we stayed in the car.  Then off to our favorite outlet mall, Tanger.

First stop, as always, was the Ralph Lauren store.  I didn’t see anything to my liking but Alan got me a sweater blouse.  I picked up our favorite Onion and Pepper relish along with the Artichokes laced with Merlot sauce from Harry and David.  (Perfect sauces to add to food to help you cut corners in cooking.  They may be a little pricey but well worth every penny.)  I resisted the urge to stop by Ann Taylor and walked straight to GAP, and was I glad I did because their jackets were down to 30% of the original value, and I picked up a few items.

We transferred to the other side but didn’t really get anything much there, except for a couple of chocolate bars from Lindt I wanted to share with my friend, Sin Yee.

It’s been a productive Saturday.  Some offices are celebrating Monday’s Columbus Day holiday (something optional in the US), but I have work.  We didn’t get confirmed for back up childcare so Alan is staying home, but we’re all set to travel to and from the city with Angel from Tuesday to Friday.  We’re still waitlisted for Thursday, but we have already agreed that I will take an emergency day off if we don’t get in.  (The boss will just have to live with it!)

I already made up my mind about doing pancakes for tomorrow’s breakfast.  (I’m trying to remember without going to check the pantry if I still have any of the gourmet banana walnut pancake mix left.  If not, I have Aunt Jemima’s original.)  I haven’t quite gone as far as lunch just yet.  I don’t know how the weather will be so I don’t know if we’re going to get the chance to go out beyond doing the grocery.

It’s Alan’s birthday on Thursday. My honey will be 39 years old — and while I haven’t planned a party this week, we’re going to celebrate it with Angel of course.  (Oops, speaking of the little tyke, he’s stirring..)  Another typical weekend at home — just enjoying resting with my boys.

 

A blog lull

I can’t believe it’s been days since I posted.  I have been religiously putting entries into this particular blog because it has served as my voice on the web.  Things have been hectic at work.  I have been too tired most days.  Not that I haven’t been posting in my PinayMom on Motherhood blog or my newfound space on Friendster, and definitely not for want of anything to write.  Things have just been very chaotic in my world of late.

I have started to look for a new position in the company after my boss and I had a conversation last week.  To make a long story short — it basically wasn’t working out between us because she couldn’t give me the flexibility I needed to be able to balance work and home.  After 2 years and 4 months, it was time to move on.  She was upset and was trying to be diplomatic about it — she prefaced it with a line about understanding how my son is the most important thing in my life right now, but while she would like to be accommodating, she just cannot offer me the flexibility I needed.  I calmly told her that Alan and I had been talking about the possibility of my needing to look for such a position for the long term.  In short, we came to an agreement that I would transition out of my current job and she would start looking for a new assistant.  I realize now that the remark must’ve caught her offguard.  When I asked her if 4-6 weeks was a reasonable transition period, I think she took it to mean I was giivng notice when I was actually just clarifying how much time I had to find a position before I would be forced to go elsewhere.  In the end, I felt relieved in a sense because this is something I’ve been writing about for months now. 

I immediately revised my resume and sought out positions on our company intranet.  I applied to at least 3 and this week, I met with two of the hiring managers.  I know that I definitely want to stay in the company.  I’ve spread the word and have come upon additional opportunities, and I think it will be a matter of choosing the boss I will want to work for in the future.

After a week and 2 interviews, they have yet to internally post my position to enable people in the company to apply for the job.  Not that we’re expecting applicants because my boss does have a reputation in the company.  In the 6 years or so she has been there, I am now her 6th assistant, and I lasted 2 years 4 months.  (Divvy up the 3 and a half or so years between the other 5, and you’ll get a sense of how that reputation goes.)

I’m lucky to be looking at a time when there are at least half a dozen openings in my position.  There are other posts open but then I am wary of applying for them lest I get underrated.  I know I just want to find a job that will enable me to work with more flexibility — allowing me to leave work at 5:30.  Occasional overtime is okay.  Another difficult boss would not be an issue but it would be nice if I could get someone more easygoing this time.  Hopefully someone who is more generous in acknowledging the kind of work I do as well.

I am not a perfect assistant but who is?  I try.

So hopefully in another 3 weeks, I would’ve found a new boss.  I probably wouldn’t have a replacement yet by then, but as one of the Senior HR people I confided in told me, I am not beholden to stay in my job despite an offer for another position just because they have failed to fill the position.

Meanwhile, the boss has been shooting off her hostility — more so now that she doesn’t even have to try to be nice anymore because we’re parting ways anyway.  The first few days after our conversation, it felt like she was really overflowing with loathing and wanted to get rid of me that minute if only she had a replacement.  Well, I’m over it.  Now I don’t care if she fumes or reacts because I have to leave early next week as Angel will be in daycare.  She’ll just have to live with it until she finds someone new — whenever that may be. 

So I’ve been busy cleaning up — sorting through files I should’ve cleaned up when we transferred from our old department to the current one.  I hope to be done with the “housekeeping” in two weeks, before I finalize a move.  It’s time to move on — and that’s exactly what I’m doing.