15 August 2008

Started out bad but ended not so bad

Ok i'm finally back at work today just long enough to get some bad news.
So everything was looking like it was on track, I got the information on my move for Alexandria and I heard my RPA (whatever that is) is going along nicely.  I then let the boss know my last day will be Tuesday based on all the move stuff and he comes back with a not if the job offer doesn’t come through, ok so now I’m paranoid.  Does he know something I don’t.  Damn it to hell, what’s next.  So now I’m trying to get everything in order anyway just in case everything falls into place because it’s better to be prepared and not have to be then to be scrambling.  Of course I only have an hour because we have to go to Ft Meade for our APAC tour and I’m running out of time.  Then I realize I don’t even know where we are going, no address or anything, lucky the Maj emailed me back in time with directions, it was close. 

So now I’m running out the door because with DC traffic you never know if you’re going to get to where you need to be on time if you don’t leave extra early.  As I am stuck in traffic on my way to MD, I get a call, it’s the official job offer BUT they weren’t aware of my GS 11 pay.  They ask me to send an email accepting the position naming the salary I am expecting.  Have to make sure that’s in writing, but of course I can’t do this until way later in the day as I have no access to a computer while heading to MD.  I’m anxious to get that email out so the paperwork can start rolling.  I finally get back from MD around 1400hr and I still haven’t eaten yet, stupid DC traffic and shoot off the email.  Thank goodness the person is still in the office and she replies with a confirmation of the salary I wanted GS 9 Step 7 and the position.  So it looks like things are flowing.

Oh yeah did I mention my boss is going to be gone the next week so if there is a glitch I’m in big trouble.  Hope nothing goes wrong between now and then.

14 August 2008

What, I'm posting this at the dealership cause they have free internet

OK so here’s the up-date for now.  I moved out of my friend’s apartment and into the hotel.  It is not a great hotel but it could be worse. At least there is a separate bedroom and a full kitchen but this morning there was an ant in the bathroom.  WTH on the 8th floor, how did it even get up that high.  Did I mention my legs are killing me?  I’m trying to figure out in what part of the move did I use my leg muscles so much that they are sore.  And of course my back wasn’t doing well either.  Oh we had a king size bed in the hotel and I still haven’t figured out why I still end up with barely enough bed to lay on when K is in it with me.  I pushed him all the way to the other side before I went to be but when I got up this morning I was almost hanging on for dear life to stay in the bed.  The breakfast that comes with it isn’t that hot either and I don’t mean the temperature; I mean as in not that many choices and no good ones on top of that.  At least at the Comfort Inn you can make your own waffles J

Anyway yesterday was also my last day with Kristen, work is going to be so boring without her there.  I wont even have anyone to walk to work with my anymore L

This week hasn’t gone to well.

Anyway, even though I turned down the Korea job, the hiring official emailed me asking me if I was worried about being essential personnel as a single parent, and granted yes I was but that’s not the only reason I turned down the job.  I am also worried about the health of both my parents and want to be able to get to them pretty quickly.  I just thought it was really nice of her to email me and try to help me through the EE issue.  I haven’t had a chance to email her back and let her know that wasn’t the only issue.  I really would have liked to go to Korea.  On another note, the AF job I was so excited about is still wanting to know if I am interested, and even though I am, I am excited about going to Ft Gordon, and I am just not prepared not to give it a try.  I am really sad about turning the AF job down I have wanted to work for them so long but in the long run I think it is a better choice even though one of my co-workers said I would get along great with at least one of the people in the AF shop L Damn it sometimes too many choices is not a good thing especially when they are all good.

Let’s move on to my car.  Oh yeah it’s time to talk tires.  So after extensive research on Consumer Report (I love that site), I decided on getting the Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S P215-60R16. I already know Michelin is not going to be cheap but I didn’t expect my bill to come to over $700 and I went to Sears (Costco was actually more expensive tire price wise anyway). And I still have to get my water pump and timing belt changed.  I haven’t asked how much that’s going to cost yet, because I may not like the answer.  Last time I had it done on my Honda it was about $500-600 so I’m hoping that it’s about the same for the Camry.  We shall see.  If I get a chance I may have time for an oil change today (then I can ask how much the other stuff will cost).

So back to Sears, so far (and I am actually still at Sears while writing this) I have not been pleased with the service.  My car looks like it is just sitting on the lift with nothing being done to it.  They know I’m waiting, even if I am a little doped up from my back meds.  I just want to lay down on their floor and go to sleep J they need cots for their customers who have to wait longer than 2 hours (by the way that’s what they told me it would take and it has already been at least an hour and some change).  Oh did I mention when I asked the guy about giving me a discount based on other services I had had done at Sear within the last year (this is what they told me before to keep my receipts so that could be subtracted as a savings) he said no and said I gave you a rebate for you to mail in (like he’s doing something for me, it’s from Michelin not them). I am regretting coming here, I should have gone to CostCo and paid the little extra.  (At least I could have walked around the mall and even gone to Starbucks to get some tea).  Oh well too late now.

Ok so by the time I actually post this I will have left Sears but all this still applies. (They could at least have free wireless internet, it’s not like they are close to anything else so nobody would sit outside trying to steal, I mean borrow it).    After I get my bill, I see why it’s costing me so much, the dude tried to be sneaky and add some extra warranty to the tires for almost another $60 WHAT, I made them give me a refund so now the cost was $650ish and I should get a $56 rebate.  Now it’s actually costing what I expects $600.

So now for more bad news, the cost for my Camry’s timing belt and water pump approximately $850-900.  Should have stuck to the Honda, yeah right.

One good thing about this Toyota dealership, they have free internet access for their customers.  I was reading some reviews about this one and they weren’t that great but the service I have received so far has been pretty decent.

Since I am writing from the dealership, you guessed it I am getting my oil change done.  Looks like the timing belt is going to wait until next week though or at least once my voucher gets paid (if I'm lucky it will be next week).  I may even get it detailed here because one thing the reviews did say was that the person at the dealership did a great job.  I will post a pic if it looks awesome after the detailing see if it's worth the hundred it will cost.

11 August 2008

Finally things are getting rolling

So even though I got my orders on Friday I couldn't get an appointment with the Transportation office until today.  And I wasn't even sure I was going to get there.  While there the fire alarm started to go off at least 5 times, WHAT THE.... but it didn't so I was able to have my appointment and of course nothing can ever go smoothly.
Since I am have a split pick-up I was told I might have to cover partial costs on one of my shipments WHAT!!!!! They are always trying to get you to pay for something.  Because my time frame is so short it was very hard to book.  I needed 3 days back in Hampton which it turns out will start the 25th of August or something like that and then I need one day here in Alexandria.  Of course these days are not confirmed as the transportation office I went to can not make those decision since they control neither spot.  I am hoping those days work out or else I will be stuck here in the DC area longer than I want to be :(
I wanted to go down to Gordon for a house hunting trip but time is so short that there is almost point.  After this week I only have next cause the one after that is all packing and traveling.  And this weekend will be filled with our trip to UNC to meet the football team.
Go Heels!!!
So I will be holding my breathe until the dates are confirmed.
On  a sadder note,my roommate and friend, Kristen, has her last day tomorrow.  I will miss her very much.  But I still want to push her off our balcony, she is going to Germany and I'm not.  But it should give her about a year to find me a position there :)  So work it girl.
Maybe if all goes well, I may see her one last time when she flies out of Atlanta (that means all my moving stuff has to go well)
So that's it for today not much exciting I know.