The Monday Morning Blues
I'm actually still in Chicopee right now. Was supposed to be in work, however, prior to leaving last night, I ate something that didn't quite agree with me so I turned around, spent the night and will be heading back shortly. But, to rewind a little...
Thursday night, I ended up going back to the beer fest. I was all packed up and really had nothing better to do, so I went back there. I ended up meeting up with Delia and some of her friends. Half of them were really Asian and the other half were really Hispanic so naturally, I fit right in. Actually they were all pretty cool. Nice to finally know some people outside of work that I can hang out with.
Then Friday it was back on the road. On the way in, I stopped in Albany to hang out with Sarah B. Got back into Chicopee around 9ish to watch the boys from the Hall make it to the next round of a pool tournament at Market Square. Naturally, we had a few beers, then headed over to OTB with Putnam for a couple. Then afterwards Dave and I went to the Fifth Alarm. The owners' wife, Donna, was telling everyone how we were the nicest guys and she hasn't seen us in months. So much for the "I'm from Canada, this is my first visit here" schtick. After a few shots and a couple beers, we ended up closing the joint and I came home and went to bed.
Saturday it was off to Fenway. Got up, still hurting from the night before but I walked it off like a pro. Loaded up the cooler, then drove to Gilbertville with Martin to pick up Teddy and Chipper. They opened the Hall up for us at 9:30, had a beer and a Kamikaze, then got going. Our seats were very good. 3 rows behind the Sox Bullpen. Man, what a hot day. The game started off good, but the bullpen shit the bed on us. We stuck it out, then went over to the Beer Works as the T would have been too packed. Why wait 2 hours in a train station when you could wait those 2 hours at the Beer Works? Teddy was pretty cocked up (what a surprise) but was getting kind of annoying. But as he was buying, who were we to complain? He had this baseball he bought to get an autograph. Since none of the players signed it, we signed it for him. Then we convinced him to go up to a few girlies at the bar and have then sign it. Nice segway to get a number or two ;-). Then we headed back and stopped by Charlie and JoAnn's for a couple more. Teddy was getting beligerent which didn't help the rest of us since we were a little under the weather. Got back to the Polish Hall around 11-11:30ish I believe, that asshole was passed out. Couldn't move him. Even yelling in his ear didn't wake him up. We were going to leave him under the pavilion. But Chipper was able to get him up and Dawn, the bartender took him home. Haven't heard back from him yet. haha. Then afterward, I got a call from my friend Sarahmarie who was out with some of her friends, so I stopped by Whip City in Westfield for 1 with them, hung out for a while, then came home and went to bed. What a day.
Sunday I was up an at em early than I wanted to be. Cleaned out the empties from the truck, and soaked it down with some Febreeze. Then I ended up hanging out with Heather in West Side for a little while which is always fun. Not too sure whats up with that. I am fine with being friends and all but I have the feeling she wants more again and well, I dunno. She's a good girl and all and there are some feelings there but, that's not something I want to pursue at this time. After that, I went up to Pulaski Park to hear Belina. They sounded pretty good. Came back to my parents, who had company after the dance, for some food and then got on the road around 8:15. That's when I realized something wasn't sitting to well with me. So, I'll be heading back in another hour or so.
All in all it was a pretty damned good weekend. Got to spend some quality time with my peoples. Now I have to look forward to dealing with the bs waiting for me in the office. I tell ya, coming back home is a bummer cuz I always have a blast but know there's so much shit waiting for me to put up with back at the office. And the 5 hour drive back makes it seem even worse. A couple of people this weekend were asking how long I'd be up there for. The more time goes by, the further I am leaning to this October. I have to renew all my stuff then and beyond that point, I don't think I'm going to have the job security I need. If my ability to live in that country wasn't dependent on my having that job, I would definitely not mind staying up there another year. However, we're merging with another part of the company and I got an email Friday night saying another part of the company had just been sold off. That, coupled with the fact that they are always trying to cut money, mainly in my department seeing Maynard's CS group can handle all our tasks, with the exception of the French stuff, makes it uncomfortable for me. I need to have 1 more manager on my staff. Whether it be someone above me or below me it's a need. I find myself doing the work of not only upper management, but also lower supervisory stuff all on a middle-manager's salary. The experience and know-how I am getting is great, but there's a lot to handle there and for every thing I accomplish, there are two more obstacles waiting. If I had someone below me to handle the smaller, day-to-day things it would be great so that I can focus on the big-picture stuff which is where my lack of experience requires me to work a little harder. Or, on the flipside, I could have someone above me doing that stuff and serving as a mentor while I do the stuff I've got 5+ years experience doing. Right now, there's too much, no relief in site and considering that merger coming up, my counterpart in the other part of the organization has been with the company for almost 10 years and is a Canadian citizen, well, my comfort level decreases more and more every day. Making it to October isn't a problem but beyond that, unless I can get some guarantee in writing that I will be guaranteed a job through 10/2006 and can expand the management team in my department. That won't happen. If it does, well great, I'll be back in 2006. But right now I'm about 90% positive October 2005 it will be.
Talk to you all later in the week.
Thursday night, I ended up going back to the beer fest. I was all packed up and really had nothing better to do, so I went back there. I ended up meeting up with Delia and some of her friends. Half of them were really Asian and the other half were really Hispanic so naturally, I fit right in. Actually they were all pretty cool. Nice to finally know some people outside of work that I can hang out with.
Then Friday it was back on the road. On the way in, I stopped in Albany to hang out with Sarah B. Got back into Chicopee around 9ish to watch the boys from the Hall make it to the next round of a pool tournament at Market Square. Naturally, we had a few beers, then headed over to OTB with Putnam for a couple. Then afterwards Dave and I went to the Fifth Alarm. The owners' wife, Donna, was telling everyone how we were the nicest guys and she hasn't seen us in months. So much for the "I'm from Canada, this is my first visit here" schtick. After a few shots and a couple beers, we ended up closing the joint and I came home and went to bed.
Saturday it was off to Fenway. Got up, still hurting from the night before but I walked it off like a pro. Loaded up the cooler, then drove to Gilbertville with Martin to pick up Teddy and Chipper. They opened the Hall up for us at 9:30, had a beer and a Kamikaze, then got going. Our seats were very good. 3 rows behind the Sox Bullpen. Man, what a hot day. The game started off good, but the bullpen shit the bed on us. We stuck it out, then went over to the Beer Works as the T would have been too packed. Why wait 2 hours in a train station when you could wait those 2 hours at the Beer Works? Teddy was pretty cocked up (what a surprise) but was getting kind of annoying. But as he was buying, who were we to complain? He had this baseball he bought to get an autograph. Since none of the players signed it, we signed it for him. Then we convinced him to go up to a few girlies at the bar and have then sign it. Nice segway to get a number or two ;-). Then we headed back and stopped by Charlie and JoAnn's for a couple more. Teddy was getting beligerent which didn't help the rest of us since we were a little under the weather. Got back to the Polish Hall around 11-11:30ish I believe, that asshole was passed out. Couldn't move him. Even yelling in his ear didn't wake him up. We were going to leave him under the pavilion. But Chipper was able to get him up and Dawn, the bartender took him home. Haven't heard back from him yet. haha. Then afterward, I got a call from my friend Sarahmarie who was out with some of her friends, so I stopped by Whip City in Westfield for 1 with them, hung out for a while, then came home and went to bed. What a day.
Sunday I was up an at em early than I wanted to be. Cleaned out the empties from the truck, and soaked it down with some Febreeze. Then I ended up hanging out with Heather in West Side for a little while which is always fun. Not too sure whats up with that. I am fine with being friends and all but I have the feeling she wants more again and well, I dunno. She's a good girl and all and there are some feelings there but, that's not something I want to pursue at this time. After that, I went up to Pulaski Park to hear Belina. They sounded pretty good. Came back to my parents, who had company after the dance, for some food and then got on the road around 8:15. That's when I realized something wasn't sitting to well with me. So, I'll be heading back in another hour or so.
All in all it was a pretty damned good weekend. Got to spend some quality time with my peoples. Now I have to look forward to dealing with the bs waiting for me in the office. I tell ya, coming back home is a bummer cuz I always have a blast but know there's so much shit waiting for me to put up with back at the office. And the 5 hour drive back makes it seem even worse. A couple of people this weekend were asking how long I'd be up there for. The more time goes by, the further I am leaning to this October. I have to renew all my stuff then and beyond that point, I don't think I'm going to have the job security I need. If my ability to live in that country wasn't dependent on my having that job, I would definitely not mind staying up there another year. However, we're merging with another part of the company and I got an email Friday night saying another part of the company had just been sold off. That, coupled with the fact that they are always trying to cut money, mainly in my department seeing Maynard's CS group can handle all our tasks, with the exception of the French stuff, makes it uncomfortable for me. I need to have 1 more manager on my staff. Whether it be someone above me or below me it's a need. I find myself doing the work of not only upper management, but also lower supervisory stuff all on a middle-manager's salary. The experience and know-how I am getting is great, but there's a lot to handle there and for every thing I accomplish, there are two more obstacles waiting. If I had someone below me to handle the smaller, day-to-day things it would be great so that I can focus on the big-picture stuff which is where my lack of experience requires me to work a little harder. Or, on the flipside, I could have someone above me doing that stuff and serving as a mentor while I do the stuff I've got 5+ years experience doing. Right now, there's too much, no relief in site and considering that merger coming up, my counterpart in the other part of the organization has been with the company for almost 10 years and is a Canadian citizen, well, my comfort level decreases more and more every day. Making it to October isn't a problem but beyond that, unless I can get some guarantee in writing that I will be guaranteed a job through 10/2006 and can expand the management team in my department. That won't happen. If it does, well great, I'll be back in 2006. But right now I'm about 90% positive October 2005 it will be.
Talk to you all later in the week.
posted by Surviving In The Burbs at 6/06/2005 09:34:00 AM
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