OPS 3

Today was my first day of my temporary job. I went into the job agency to sign up for substitute teaching. The woman mentioned that there was a data entry job available, but I said "nah, I think I"ll sub." We went through the paperwork, I signed paperwork for the umpteenth background check, and I contemplated yet another pre-employment drug test. Then, I watched the required what to expect in the classroom" video.

I saw scenes of kids questioning the teacher's authority, a teacher not knowing what to do when a procedural question came up, and the requisite "don't touch the kids" message. As I watched, I kept thinking about how much I didn't like dealing with those things in my classroom, and how much harder they would be in another person's classroom. I thought about all the lax, good times teachers I have worked with, and wondered what I would do if I had to sub. for those people.

And then I went and asked about the data entry job again. I took it, and I get to wear jeans.

Before I go on, let me just say it is the 2nd most boring job I've had in my entire life. My other job this summer was more boring because they didn't have anything for me to do, but this tedious. However, there are things that make it infinitely better, like it's temporary, I can read a book during lunch, and I can listen to my iPod while I work.

So here's what I do. I work for a bank, let's call it Schmells Bargo. And I work in a room that has signs saying "Ops 3" though no one has actually told me which department I work in. Ops 3 sounds vaguely KGB though, so that's kind of fun.

The bank gets a discounted rate for mailing if their addresses all meet a certain standard from the post office. So, it's my job to go through pages of addresses, and check them against the USPS website, then maybe change them in the database. I say "maybe" because out of the 326 I checked today, only 10 were able to be changed.

The place itself is above and beyond my previous job this summer. There are windows, the walls are not prison grey, and the lighting is good. Oh, and there is a tv in the lunchroom, and food made by people other than myself.

The people are kind of interesting. The guy who sits next to me is sort of a combination of a teacher who used to teach in the room next to mine, and the comic book store guy from the Simpsons. He's slightly rotund, has weird stubbly facial hair, and listens to a Discman. That's right, a Discman. And, he's not the only one. Apparently MP3 players have not made it to Ops 3 yet. Anyway, the best part is that he listens to Billboard Hits CDs on his Discman.

So that's Ops 3, at least day 1. I may have forgot to mention the free coffee and my ergonomic foot rest.

More Kitty Goodness

This post is all about my cats. If you don't like cats, or the fact that I am now a cat lady, so sorry. Actually, there is nothing else going on here right now. I'm still job searching, it's still going badly, and so it's all cats all the time.

Cow is home from her surgery, and doing fine. She may have picked up an eye thing at the vet's though. Here's a picture of Jason using her as a floor mop:


Princess Pantaloons had the run of the house while Cow was at the vet, and she loved it. She even miraculously didn't hide in the basement when Cow came home. Right now they're even sleeping on adjacent couches, only 6 or 7 feet apart.

They're both pretty darn cute.

Weird Dreams

Lately I've been having some odd dreams that I wake up remembering vividly. Here are a few of the oddities:

1. Teacher nightmare: Even though I'm not going to be teaching this year, I'm having the normal teacher back-to-school nightmares. Last week there was a class full of under-achievers, and on the first day I was so frustrated my face turned red and I was physically unable to speak.

2. I had a bizarre dream a few nights ago. I was somewhere, maybe church, and was guilted into hosting at my house this guy who had just been let out of prison. What I actually remember though is that in the dream we were sitting in my living room, and I saw Cops was on tv. I didn't want to watch it though, because I didn't want to make the convict feel bad.

3. My cat is getting her claws out on Wed., and I've been having some guilt about it. So last night I had this dream that I went to the vet, and they made me watch the surgery. They didn't put the cat completely out, but they gave her the gas like you get at the dentist. Then, as each claw/digit came off, the doctor threw them on the floor, and kicked them under the operating table.

Weird.

The clear challenge winner!

I know Cheeto's owners won't see this for a while, as they're traveling and about to visit me, but I think Cow may have won the challenge to be the softest cat in the world. I'm petting her right now, and it's true.

Princess Pantaloons vs. Cow

Remember how Princess Pantaloons wouldn't leave the basement when I first got her? She's doing it again. At least this time she isn't behind the dirty fridge. Instead, she's behind a pile of boxes. It's much cleaner there. She doesn't seem to understand that Cow is supposed to be a companion for her. She somehow has confused her with an enemy invading her territory.

Cow, on the other hand, seems completely at home in the house. She's explored everywhere, and is comfortable running around all the furniture. Her favorite place to lay seems to be the piano.

Cat Lady

Meet the newest member of my household:





I think I'll call her "Cow." I got her because I think Princess Pantaloons needs some company when I'm gone. I'm hoping it'll reduce her need to sit on or next to me ALL the time.

Cow is long-haired and silky. Right now she has somewhat of a mane around her neck...I'm guessing they shaved her at the Humane Society. I do love a cat when it's shaved like a lion.

Keeping Busy

If there is one question I'm tired of, it's "So, what are you doing in Sioux Falls?" I know everyone means well, but it sucks to have to say "Um, I'm not sure yet..."

So yes, I'm still filling out applications and searching for jobs. I think substitute teaching will start soon too, so that'll keep me busy. In the meantime, I've found plenty of things to do and organize around the house. Here's visually what I've been up to:

Finding a chandelier to replace...

the fan I can't stand.

Picking out "Paradise" and "Dancing Green" to replace the mint and fuschia fiasco.
Organizing my bookshelf by color (inspired by John)

Polishing up a Goodwill $3 lamp (again, inspired by John)

Hanging out at my new patio set.

Finding a sweet green shade on clearance to go with my Goodwill lamp.

Hanging a new cellular shade in my bedroom. The crazy broad who lived here before had a hideous green and pink striped number up there. If you look closely you can see that I couldn't get down the board the old curtain was attached to....she probably super glued it or something.

I picked out and put up house numbers (inspired by the UPS and pizza guys).

I painted the...house decoration? that was left on my house.

More painting of house decorations, and choosing and having my brother install the blinds in the front door and window

Things that didn't make the photos were changing the door hardware to match, furniture shopping (lots, but no buying) and wrangling a beeping smoke alarm battery off of the 14 foot ceiling at 12am with the assistance of a 6' ladder, a skylight opening pole, and a coat hanger.

So that's what I've been doing.

Backtracking

Okay, so the family reunion isn't so bad. In fact, I was up last night with all the grandchildren until about 2am, playing Mafia. Good times.

?!?!?!?!?!?

This weekend, for the first time ever, I am going to my family reunion, on the crazy side. I've always been conveniently busy when it's happened before, but seeing as how I moved home to be closer to family, it was difficult to miss this year's festivities.

So, yeah, it'll be i-n-t-e-r-e-s-t-i-n-g. Know that Douglas Coupland novel, "All Families Are Psychotic?" Yep. Actually, I've said it before, but we're much more Flannery O'Connor-esque. The stories I could tell...Maybe there will be a few after 3 days at a hotel together.

But, I have a plan. Here it is:
It's the magic cooler! Guaranteed to take any event and make it into a party. Thank you, magic cooler, for making family gatherings more...delicious.

Sioux Center Burning

So yesterday I was minding my own business, looking at an armoire in a furniture store in Sioux Center. The lady who was helping me was walking toward the front of the store to look up a price when she said "Oh my gosh, something is burning!"

I didn't quite believe her, but then I heard some explosions. Indeed, something was burning.

It turns out a tanker with ethanol started on fire, causing a series of explosions. As you can see from the picture, it was also dangerously close to other containers full of fuels.

It turns out the story even made national headlines, at least in a Fox News Story.