Out cold

man the post that I still need to finish keep piling up. I have this illusion that I will get to it all next week while I am in Tampa for training. But I just wanted to post at least a teaser

Here am I with one of my furry assistantsas you can see I do on occasion work in my PJ's - I am totally loving my new job and not just because I can finally pay my bills when they are due and still have money afterwards.

This waited for me when I got home from Charlottesville yesterday.Grumpy was nice enough to open it and make sure it arrived completely (I know some of you think he did that to get the first pick but I promise he was not after my treats!)

Otherwise I am happy to announce no new speeding tickets despite that my rental car was bright yellow and a sports car. I had ever fricken cop tailing me marked and unmarked but luckily it had cruise control so there was nothing they could do.

I am still sick - seems like everyone is sick. I got the bronchitis version so lots of coughing up green yucky stuff.

The downside

The downside
Originally uploaded by dino0477.

Well the downside of having a job where you drive a lot is as you can see i got another ticket. Crap there goes my paycheck

mhhhh what to say

I know I have been scarce and I haven't visited/commented as much as usual but who knew I was going to have to work this hard ... ;). Actually I am loving my new job - whats not to love I get up, let the dogs outside turn on my computer and am at work. I get to go play with the pups in the yard. Fix meals when I like, take a nap when one is needed and so forth its awesome. Hell I didn't even leave the house once until Wednesday!!! And they gave me cool new toys - here is my office - note the 2 computers I have my private one in the office so I can watch Tivo and chat if I feel the need
They also sent me this cool Xerox workstation and a leather bag for the laptop. My docking station is coming Tuesday as is my security token.

I loved not having to go to work at night - well I did work the past 3 nights but thats not going to be that way. I had told the Germany place when they had asked I could work Valentines day, well I also worked there Friday which is my usual day and then today at the Italian place. I had tried to get out of it as I really wanted to get some more training classes for my new job out of the way but the girl that said she'd work for me couldn't oh well. I have to say it was a very lucrative week hell I made a bit over $180 just tonight!

Anyhow Grumpy and I spoiled ourselves this week. We got a few cool things including something for vacations. We also got this water purifying system hooked up to the house. It even has this reverse osmosis thing in the kitchen so its like getting bottled water from the tap. Well I got a headache so I am turning in. I'll try to come around and visit tomorrow.

PS this is the hotel I'll be at for a week while training in Tampa - niceeeeeeeeeeee.

autch

autch
Originally uploaded by dino0477.

I am so annoyed. After sitting all day reading and learning the robes for my new job I decided to take the pups for a walk. As we are walking down the street all of a sudden these two little jappy dogs run right at us. It took all i had to hold mine as those little once more or less attackt us. Finally their owners came out of their house and got them. This pisses me off - why can't they make sure their dogs aren't getting out of the yard??????

my "American Dream"

Today was a bitter sweet day while it wasn't my last day at the doctors office it was kind of my official goodbye. I got my goodbye card signed by everyone in the office and my poem. My manager is really good with poetry and writes a poem when someone leave. Here is mine.


I had a hard time not to cry when she had me read it out loud. Then when I got back to my desk I had a huge present sitting upon top. A bag - one like all the monitors have it was the goodbye present from my manager and a sweet card. I am glad that my new boss gave me the okay that I can help out until the Doc is settled so its not an abrupt change. Not sure if I could handle that since the office had been my home for 7 years.

I would have never thought that this would be where my life was heading kind of funny how a small decisions impacts your entire life.

When I came over in the summer of 1999 - I had a student work visa and J. had proposed to me so we were planning on getting married after he finished tech school in Wichita Falls TX. I came over a month before he was finished and worked in a English Pub in Old Town Orlando. The owners didn't like Germans so I was used as dish washer while they were at the place - but as soon as they left they the bartenders had me come out of the kitchen and wait tables. In August I took a flight to TX where J. picked me up. We had planned on getting married Friday after his graduation but since I was not allowed on base unless we were married we moved it to that Monday. The wedding is another story - after his graduation we left for Illinois from where we left via car for Virginia where his orders landed us here in Newport News in a dingy apartment less than 2 miles from my current house. After we got settled I opened the phone book and saw that there was a German Restaurant and decided to call and see if they need a German waitress. I worked there throughout the years while also working at Busch Gardens and even as a bill collector for SEARS.
One night in November 2000 I had this couple that ended up being one of my last tables. We were talking and while telling them how I ended up in the US and so forth it turned out he was a doctor that worked mainly in the field of HIV and infectious disease and had founded the AIDS foundation here. It was interesting as I had grown up in the AIDS foundation my mom had founded back in Germany and ran it up until I left to come here. At the end of their dinner this guy offered me a job to work for him as research coordinator. I thought he was nuts - I mean come on who is going to offer a waitress they just met a job as research coordinator??????

I didn't call him for 3 months. But eventually I got tired of the bill collector gig and people yelling at me and cursing me for doing my job and I called. Turns out timing was everything as one of their coordinators just handed in her 2 week notice. My manager wasn't all convinced that I could do the job and the two other coordinators made sure that I knew I wasn't as good as they were as I did not have a college degree - but long story short I was the one that prevailed.

Turned out I was good at being a coordinator I did well with the patients and the people the Pharma companies sent to monitor us. I met a lot of people through out the last 7 years and when I finally finished my degree one of those people sent my resume to her HR department recommending to hire me. Two of the three people at the interview that followed were people I had worked with over the years too - that and my work record got me my new job.

So here I am getting ready to start the next step in a career I never even knew existed and all because I chatted with one of the tables I served dinner to. From dishwasher to Clinical Research Site Manager for Pfizer - not bad for 9 years in a new culture/country.

why would you be that stupid?

I know I know I owe you a few posts. Its been a bit hectic around here. I finally got my new office cleaned and set up - well I have a desk and a chair and a lamp so all the essentials. For some reason they can't get my phone line to work but the guy is coming back out Thursday night.

I am getting quiet excited I had a little orientation call earlier today and can't wait to start. I also found out that I am allowed to help out in my current job until he hires someone or my patients are finished.

For a minute last week it looked like he had someone. I was working as a nurse as our nurse was on vacation and I checked in the dad of one of my former coworkers. I asked him how she liked her new job and he said she hadn't started it to which I replied to bad she doesn't want to work here. Well he must have told her as she called the Doc mere hours later. So by Wednesday they made her an offer and it looked like she'd start Monday. This would have been great, while she is not my favorite person she does know the ropes and my patients would have been okay. However, by Thursday she had not called back and when the Doc called her at home he was told she is busy now and can't talk to him ???????? Anyhow she hadn't called by Friday and Monday I told them I can stay and finish out my patients. Then today I heard from the office manager that that chick called Tuesday afternoon and wanted to talk to the Doc or my boss - but the Doc is on vacation and according to the office manager the job is no longer open anyway. I just don't get why she'd screw herself this badly. I mean if you call someone for a job and they offer it to you - you don't just not call them back for a week! Besides the other job she had gotten was in research to but as an assistant - she never even told them she had worked here or used the Doc as a reference - why???? I mean his reference and letter of recommendation helped get me my job and his name is well know in the research community. She is young if research is what she wants to do then she shouldn't slam the door on him. We'll see how this plays out.

In other news I am almost ready to turn our stuff over to the tax people which is huge for me normally I don't get this far until the first of April. Which would be good as Grumpy's car wont start unless you push it and mine died on me 3 times yesterday on the way to work. He is going to get an "new(er)" car with the return leaving me with the SUV in case my car dies.