Posts tagged thursday theme
Brain Bubbles Returned
Always learning.
Going to that bar one time with that person I thought was a friend.
‘nuff said.
We have a habit of getting in the car and heading off for vacation. Lots of road-trips as I was growing up and there have been lots with my own family.
Sometimes we call them our “hippie vacations” because we just pick a direction and go. We don’t book hotels or set a destination, we just stop where the inclination takes us. This has caused some angst with 16 who likes to plan things.
When we were first married and money was tight, going for a drive was an adventure. Sometimes day-trips, sometimes longer.
There were bumps along the way….
- Bombing along the back-roads in our first car, getting lost and finding our way home at 2 or 3 am with 24 (then 5 or 6) asleep in the back. It was just a ragged little car but it was sporty enough and was a thrill to drive.
- Getting a craving for the outdoors just a bit too early for the season and finding ourselves stuck in the snow on an old logging road in the mountains. The little contour we were driving at the time was not meant for off-road adventures. We didn’t have cell-phones then, 2 kids in the car this time. We had just seen two bears and were trying to dig ourselves out of the snow with a little pink shovel. Adrenalin was pumping a bit. Luck was with us and another driver came down the road, better equipped and in a vehicle more suited for the road. He hooked up our car and dragged us to a more drivable location.
- Going to visit family and being young (stupid) decided we could make the drive after working all day. Flying across the center embankment, spinning and sliding across the highway going the opposite direction changed our mind and we decided to stop for a bit. Kids asleep in the backseat through the entire incident then waking up to play when we stopped. I think I would consider this one the worst trip we have had (even the spiders in the pool couldn’t make the other trip the worst).
- Heading to the coast with no timeline and no bookings. Creating some stress for 16 but it was such a nice trip. Saw a few things that we never stopped for before in our rush to get to the destination.
- Pointing the car east and promising ourselves that we were going stop at every “big thing” that we found along the way. Went down memory lane and visited a city I had lived in but had never been back to. Saw the location and set of a favorite TV show. Spiders in the pool (never going back to that place).
Road-trips are our specialty and we are coming up on an epic one. Definitely not a “hippie vacation” lots of careful planning for this one.
Excited, nervous and at times downright terrified. I am sure you will all hear about it along the way.
The ocean evokes a lot of emotion for me, good ones, probably largely in part to my grandmother shown in her favorite place - by the ocean. The ocean was the regular destination place when I was growing up and I lived by the ocean for awhile.
I am a water sign and even if you don’t believe in that nobody can deny I was a water baby.
It doesn’t matter if I am wandering a beach listening to the sound of the icebergs and ice shards dragging across the pebbles and shells in a cove in Nova Scotia. Splashing through tidal pools in Southern BC, snorkeling in Northern BC (being burnt to a crisp by the sun). Even body surfing with seals in California.
Taking a deep breath when I get off the plane in Victoria on a work trip the urge to dive into the ocean is almost overwhelming.
Layers of sounds, different colours of the ocean depending on its mood or location. Laying in the sun warmed sand, investigating the variety of life present or finding wonderful treasures. A version of heaven for me (along with the mountains).
It just isn’t the same at a lake or in a pool.
Spearing a piece of chicken from the sizzling frying pan and immediately popping it in your mouth is not a good plan.
Ouch!
I didn’t/don’t have a relationship with my father. It is has always been a bit of a void.
I had a step-father but he isn’t worth talking about or the air he breathes.
When I think of Father’s I think of Corvidae30 and my father-in-law.
Both fantastic men and wonderful Dads.
Different parenting styles, but both strong men who show their love and pride in their children all the time.
I heard a saying once - Any man can be a father, it takes a special man to be a Daddy.
Both these men fall under the Daddy category.
23
tree
hearing the cracking limb beneath your feet
uh oh
I went on this business trip once to see some amazing speakers. Sat with people who were CEO’s of large corporations and was close enough to an ex-President I could almost touch him. Actually had visions of doing that and getting tackled by his security detail. I decided against it.
The flight was fantastic, when I arrived at the airport a car was waiting. I got a bit nervous when they pulled into the hotel area because I thought they were at the wrong place.
The car door opened and a young doorman in a uniform offered his hand to help me out, called me by name and directed me to where I was to check in. I watched my luggage being whisked off as I headed to the doors that were opened automatically by more uniformed young men.
I got to check in at a different desk, apparently no line ups for me.
I was a VIP.
Got to stay in an amazing room that might have been larger than the main floor of my house. Had a brush with the Governor General in the elevator. People addressed me by name and tried to anticipate my every whim.
When I walked towards doors they were opened and cars were waiting for me to take me to where I wanted to go.
I was headed for the “Big Time”.
Or so I thought….
My brush with the big time will always be an amazing memory…but I am not meant to be there all the time. I prefer my privacy, anonymity, the comforts of my family.
I am definitely more country bumpkin than silver spoon.
So I had a conversation with my boss yesterday about career paths and what career paths the people on the team have (including me).
She basically said there is none.
I am at the top level for my team and will never advance unless she leaves. Probably not even then because I would have to train to become a Project Manager and manage another team as well. Which holds no interest for me and actually makes no sense. Apparently the only career path for my team is as a jumping off point into another team and another career.
I knew all along she didn’t get the concept of what we did. I seriously didn’t realize just how oblivious she was.
She completely invalidated the skill set of her entire team (writing, business analysts, process developers), and completely demotivated me all in about one minute, with one sentence.
I am having a really hard time seeing the point of continuing with everything I have been doing. I have a team meeting in about an hour, where the team can brainstorm ideas and problem solve. I know I am going to spend that time with the words “Your boss thinks you are all copy/paste monkey’s with no valuable skills and you have zero career prospects in this field on this team.” racing around in my head.
I did tell her that she didn’t get what we were doing yesterday, and she didn’t even understand how I could say that.
It is very sad because this team was “my baby”. I am the one that saw the need. I am the one that presented to the Director’s/VP that we needed the team and what a team like this could accomplish. I wasn’t ready to manage a team at the time and managing a team has never really been my goal. This team has some great potential, and some great people on it, but it isn’t going to go anywhere because we have a manager that doesn’t come from the field, has no clue what we are doing, and refuses to even try to listen to what her team is telling her.
Even if this new opportunity doesn’t turn out to be something I want to take, I think I have removed the veil of hopes for this team from my eyes and will definitely be looking elsewhere. It is very sad, feels like a loss, but I also realized how much brighter I felt yesterday afternoon after I had this discussion with the boss and finally acknowledged what I have probably known for awhile.
Making progress…
I might vomit.
11 is going to a young writer’s event today, I never thought I would be saying that about him.
With his difficulties with people, reading and writing this is a huge thing. I am terrified for him and I think I will be super stressed all day.
Things he will have to overcome:
- Being in a strange place and finding where he needs to be.
- Crowds of others.
- Nobody he knows with him all day.
- Writing.
- His anxiety.
- Time.
When he has time and his tools he is a fantastic writer, wonderful story-teller. He doesn’t really have either today. He will do it I know. When he puts his mind to something he always does it and does it well.
I am still stressing.
We have told him how wonderful it will be, we have been positive about it. He is scared but we aren’t letting him dwell on the negative. We are telling him to look for the fun. Tonight we will celebrate his accomplishment.
A year ago, maybe even 6 months ago he would not have been able to do this.
Making progress.
Edited to add: He volunteered for this, surprising everyone.
I think this was grade 2 or 3.
I look like I am getting ready to cause trouble.
