Thursday, October 3, 2002. Entry #186

Well September was a total wash, wasn't it?

I generally avoid meta posting - posts about posting - so I'll just exclaim my disgust at myself and move on.

Things have changed. Hopefully for the better.

All the politics and crap at The Pet Store came to a head last week and Lisa had no choice but to quit (it was one of those quit or be fired sort of deals). The district manager came down hard on Lisa for what really amounted to a lot of made up reasons, over the objections of the store manager, Lisa's direct boss.

The details aren't important, but they are ridiculous enough for Lisa to be making some calls to Labour Standards because her legal rights got stomped.

Anyway, she's now looking for work. I helped her get her resume and cover letters together, and she's been hitting the web hard looking. Next week she'll hit the pavement, assuming nothing comes of her efforts this week.

Shouldn't be that hard. She's got two and a half years management experience in a retail store, which, given turnover in most of those places, makes her practically a lifer. She's been there for five years - with the exception of the three months we spent in Medicine Hat in the middle - which shows she's able to stick with a place and doesn't leave when things get tough.

Lisa's biggest problem, and the one I think really caused her the most problems, is that she is completely unable to kiss anyone's ass.

Lisa will never be someone's 'Yes-man', because if she thinks something is wrong or isn't working, she will say so. In loud tones. So when everyone is sitting around a boardroom table nodding and chirping happily about the president's latest announcement, she's the one with a frown on her face and her hand waving in the air for attention.

Long-time Pet Store employees either learn to keep their heads down and their lips puckered, or they find work elsewhere.

And that's what happened.

All the big fears are threatening to rise again, both in Lisa and myself. The fear, the guilt, the self-doubt... it's all there. Lisa's had trouble sleeping all week, and that, of course, translates to long nights for the both of us.

But Lisa has a far better chance to get a job than I did. Retail in this city is still booming, and qualified managers are worth their weight in till receipts. Trick is, she really doesn't want to go back to retail, but her chances of getting a non-retail job she's qualified for are much slimmer. So we're torn between a regular paycheck and her happiness.

Anyway. We'll be fine, but your prayers and/or local job leads will all be appreciated.

I had a minor high point this week. I was checking the bank account in preparations for updating our budget, and noticed a small change. My student loan, which had been a regular $67.34 automatic withdrawal from my account for the last three years (and $134.87 for the three years previous) was only $50.55.

Which means that that was my last payment. I'm free. My six-year debt is paid off in full.

How weird. I'm now clear of one major debt.

This is the first milestone of debt payment. In February, I'll be making my final payment on my consolidation loan, my MasterCard should be empty by then, and by this time next year my VISA should be clear. The money I'll save can be diverted to my last remaining debt, the huge whack of cash I still owe my folks.

This was only the first milestone, and the cash difference is a small one. But it feels good, you know? It feels damn good.

On Survivor: Well, Tanya got the boot, and she was Lisa's pick in my office pool. I didn't expect it. Sure she was sick and all, but she wasn't anywhere near as useless as Jan or Ghandia. I always wonder, when I watch the antics of the castaways, if any of them ever watched any of the previous damn seasons. Before the merge, you cut away the useless ones. After the merge, you cut away the top dogs. You gather yourself an alliance of middle-of-the-road guys and that'll get you through to the end.

My picks for tonight: If Chauy Gahn loses immunity, I say Jan is hooped. If Sook Jai makes their first trip to the Tribal Council, I'm hoping Robb will get turfed. I think it's more likely that Sick Stephanie will go, but I'm predicting Robb will get on everyone's nerves more.

One Year Ago Today: I was nearly done my hiatus, but in 1605, Li Tzu-ch'eng, the Chinese revolutionary, dethroned the last Ming emperor.

Two Years Ago Plus a Day Today: The Return, where I arrived home from my business trip to Toronto during the Olympics, and gave my analysis on the ending of Big Brother. Like anybody remembers those losers now.

Mom Rating: 1.5 out of 5. Mom thinks Lisa losing her job is awful.

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Take me home, big fella