Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Thus Ends 2008

The 'rents, tired of the cold after acclimating themselves to Los Angeles heat (and out of vacation time) are heading back to CA tomorrow. My vacation (haha, vacation, haha) is over and I'm back at work. The presents are opened, the tree is just waiting, awkward in the post Christmas blues, to be put away. Winter decided today to remind us why we want to move away.

However, Solstice has come and gone, so there' s a part of me that just looks forward to the extra few minutes of light every day. Florida is only three weeks away, and I found four other jobs in Oregon to apply for last week. Things are definitely good now that holiday stress is over, but I'm still sad to see my parents go so damn far away afterward. I know most people think I'm weird for it, but my family's close. I like it.

I have a four day weekend coming up (starting tomorrow at 3pm WOOHOO): my plan is to hide in my house and watch both seasons of Rome (the best HBO series EVER), newly acquired from the present extravaganza last week. Hey, some girls have Mamma Mia, some girls have Sex And The City...I have (relatively) historically accurate TV. Plus Ray Stevensen and Kevin McKidd in very little clothing. I'm a geek, but I'm still a girl.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

MN

The high today was 4 degrees above zero. 4. whopping. degrees. We were below zero until about 3pm. The temp came up as the snow fell, which was pretty and disgusting at the same time. I left work at 6, hoping if I waited the traffic would let up a little.

It didn't. After a couple of quick stops I finally made it home at 8:45pm. God I hate this city. I loathe idiot drivers who only get worse when it's raining or snowing. I hate that my house is cold no matter how high we turn up the heat and how much plastic goes on the windows, simply because the windchill is -40. I hate that my poor dog, who normally loves snow and winter, runs outside to go potty and can't even finish before his feet start to burn with the cold (evidenced by the astounding three legged dance he manages to do while doing his business...I keep waiting for him to tip over).

Anyway, enough with the ranting. I have three, count 'em THREE, days left until my Christmas vacation. Woohoo!

Haven't heard back from the dream Portland job yet, but I'm holding out hope since I submitted my resume over Thanksgiving weekend and the holidays are often sort of crazy for an HR department. It's still posted as open on their website, so I'm not giving up yet. I'm determined to get the hell out of this state before next winter. My husband is all about that...if one of us got a job today he'd be ready to pack up and move (regardless of the practicalities of driving a moving truck over the rockies in winter).

I've been working on getting my office re-set-up the way I want it so I can shut my door and get some serious writing done, but between readying the house for Christmas stuff and work I've been too damn tired to get my brain in gear in the evening. Maybe it's time to try that 6am writing habit...then again, I'm off all next week. SO glad I saved up enough vacation to do that again this year...I so need it.

And a month later, Florida with hubby and Erin. Having fun to look forward to is all that's gotten me through the past week or so. That and the idea that it's almost over. Ugh. Year end in the insurance business is stressful as hell.

Tuesday, December 02, 2008

Peeping!

I've been on the board in my homeowner's association for almost three years now. During that time I've gotten to know quite a few of my neighbors, if not by name at least by sight. Tonight's board meeting completely blew me away with the level of creepiness.

We have a particular homeowner who is consistently late with his dues. Upon collection notices, he often emails the board or the management company and threatens legal action while using a supposed disability as an excuse why he's behind. Thereafter, he generally pays in full and the cycle starts over again.

The guy lives across the driveway from me. I mean, DIRECLY across the driveway from me. We've met and spoken a few times and I always got a "Warning! Warning!" feeling from him, but figured as long as he stays on his own side of the space it's all good. My husband is just annoyed by him altogether.

Our townhomes are set up so that the master bedrooms face the driveway. Today at the board meeting I discovered teh man is a total peeping tom. As in, he has binoculars and cameras going at all times. Neighbors caught him pointing a camera from his front door into my next-door neighbor's window. They told her about it immediatley, and I"ve never seen her window unshaded since. And all I can think is that I need to increase the level of curtainage we have in OUR bedroom, because now I could paint the fucking things black and still be weirded out.

So this asshole who apparently runs a really bad porn site, claims to be neurologically disabled which excuses him from his responsibilities, is home ALL the time. And watching everyone he can see with his telephoto lens, or whatever he has in his room.

FUCKING EWW! A couple of people told me they've caught him peeking in their back windows. He's never done it to us, but I suspect that's becuase we have a very large, very loud, and very scary-looking dog who pays close attention to people in HIS backyard.

I wonder what the laws are here, becuase if I ever actually catch him peeping I'll be calling the cops. And maybe punching him in the face.