My Life- Thoughts and Happenings

Yes, I know. And he is going through some things right now. He is thinking to change his major from engineering to music. Completely floored me! So we have been having conversations about how to choose studies that will lead you to a good living. I just don't think music is realistic - especially because he only took 3 years of piano from age 8 through 11 years old. (He wants to do electronic music or something like that).

He thinks he can make all this money from doing concerts. Sheesh!

He has a totally negative view of what it is like to work for someone else. He wants to have his own business.

It is so striking to have him say those words, because my ex said those same words the whole time we were married. But, what my son does not understand- my ex worked really really hard for 20 years for a very large company. So he got great benefits and a healthy salary before he quit and became self employed. Which means, we bought property and built up a decent retirement account beforehand.

So I talked about financial stuff with my younger son. He needs to remember that he will need a steady job when he leaves school, because school loans will come due. He will also need to buy health insurance if he is self employed - not cheap, here in the U.S.!

He thinks it would be awful to work under a boss, but I told him that there are negatives to working for yourself as well as positives. For me, I like being able to go home at night and not take the job home with me (mostly).

Whereas, my sister started her own business a few years ago. I have not seen her for a few years because of that. She can't get the time off. And she even had to work on her birthday (Christmas) which made me sad for her. But- she left a great job in the financial sector to start up her business - and I don't think she regrets it...

He didn't want to hear any of my advice. At least we had a nice dinner together. And then he went to his dad's...

Sounds like a typical 18 year old. Lol. And then they fall on their ... and learn a few things.

So true.

At least my older son has his profession. He did lose a job at age 20, which was humbling to him. So now he is (hopefully) taking this job more seriously.

Okay, enough whining.

Today I am going to tackle some clutter at my place. I have a week before I have to return to work.

My ex stopped by to give me a payment on the truck I sold him. We chatted about our sons. He had encouraged the younger one to talk with me about his visitation schedule, but our son didn't listen. Which was unusual, because through the years he has tried to be very fair. ("Since I stayed 2 1/2 days with you, I should stay 2 1/2 days with dad").

So I feel better that my ex at least tried.

My ex had not heard about the possible change of major. So I guess I spilled the beans on that. But it is good for his dad to know, too.

I also told him that our son was running out of spending money at school - or at least he hadn't organized it on how he would get access to what he needs. So my ex is going to talk with him about budgeting, and arranging automatic transfers from his savings account so he gets access to the money.

It is good to be on the same page. We have become pretty good parents together since the divorce and we try to be consistent between the two of us.

I didn't get much cleaning done today - I just didn't get it together.

But I did watch some great professional development videos and I did some reading.

I walk with my friend C on Friday, so I better get more done tomorrow.

Came across this hilarious piece today. I like this writer!

https://medium.com/@karengberry/shopping-at-the-used-man-store-part-2-3438dffbd1cd

Great writer!

Back from break today. I was actually ready to get back to work.

The building was so cold - it takes so long to warm up!

It was so nice to see everyone and it was a bit of a relaxing day with some meetings sprinkled in.

Tomorrow the students come back.

Life has been intense lately. Work is especially intense, as there is a very incompetent contracted employee that has made my work life a living h#ll. But I am holding strong on my expectations, as I should. It would not be ethical if I let it go. I have given feedback to the employee.

When that didn't work, I included her boss in the conversation. Her boss talks nice, but doesn't seem to address the issue. He admits there is a problem but wants us to ignore the results - but I cannot do that, nor is it realistic.

I spent the past few weeks meeting with other affected professionals, who have also spoken to her boss - quite firmly pointedly, apparently. Ultimately I suspect this person might lose her job, but that is certainly not my intention. I just want her to take responsibility for her mistakes, learn from them, and do it right the next time.

But all she has done is- deny the issue until I showed her proof, then ask me who I think I am to tell her how to do her job, then blame the issues on her assistants but deny she did it, then says she won't do it again. And she seems to have done it again - a person with a master's degree that should understand about such things and cleary does not.

I'm so done with the stress of it all, but I feel somewhat relieved after a lengthy phone conversation with a higher up person today, who is taking this all very seriously. Finally.

And, on a different note, my niece is getting married. I'm excited to be able to see my siblings this spring!

Lastly, my cat just brought me a dead rat through the cat door. Ugh. Glad it was dead. He was so proud, and dropped it at my feet. I heard that odd muffled meow, and went to investigate, and...

My friend J, whom I've known for 30 years, has become financially unstable. She owns a condo, but the fees have gone way up. Her mortgage is reasonable, but she had no idea about how condo fees can rise so drastically.

She does subbing, so she doesn't have a permanent job. Her choice.

But now the jobs are drying up, and she is very burnt out anyway. She thinks she will not have enough money to pay the mortgage and fees this month, for the first time. I'm worried about her. I hope she looks for a permanent job.

I've been concerned about her work choices for some time.

Spoke with my older son. He has a new girlfriend! A law student. He knows how to pick them-- last gf was a forensic biologist or something brainy like that. It was fun to catch up with him.

Spoke with my older son. He has a new girlfriend! A law student. He knows how to pick them-- last gf was a forensic biologist or something brainy like that. It was fun to catch up with him.

haha he does know how to pick them

I did chuckle at the rat ... hmm been there lumi lol xx

She does subbing, so she doesn't have a permanent job. Her choice.

 

But now the jobs are drying up, and she is very burnt out anyway. She thinks she will not have enough money to pay the mortgage and fees this month, for the first time.

Do you think the higher HOA fees will make it more difficult for her to sell the condo, if the need for her to downgrade her living situation arises?

Do you think the higher HOA fees will make it more difficult for her to sell the condo, if the need for her to downgrade her living situation arises?

That could be, and I thought about that. But - she lives in the Portland area, and I have heard that housing costs have gone way up. The tech sector has been moving in. Nike and other big companies are not too far from her, too. So, even though her condo is old and in dire need of updates, and the condo fees are outragous, I think she could sell it.

Also, she does have another bedroom so she could get a roommate. It is full of boxes and junk tight now. But in a pinch, she could at least share her space for some money.

I will NEVER buy a condo. The people on her condo board were residents. They had no professional knowledge. They farmed out work to management companies that didn't do the maintenance and yet took a bunch of money (and couldn't account for it). This happened again when they fired one mgt company and hired another. No oversight.

So now the deferred maintenance is really urgent (water seeping into exterior walls from windows ) so they had to up the condo maintenance fees to get it done.

So basically you are putting your faith in the expertise of the people on the board - who may very well be incompetent or even con artists.

I had an extra day off today - my contracted days are slightly different than my coworkers. I worked late last night on a project and probably could have used today to continue on it.

The really incompetent worker (Let's call her Stacey) had a meeting with me and it was on a positive note, so I finally think I am making progress with her. I still need to meet with Stacey regarding blatant errors on a different project she did last fall and up to this week, but I think she finally gets it.

Anyhow, I'll need to carve out some time to meet with her regarding that, but I am really hoping she will own up to her mistakes so we can get the data deleted.

OMG, my cat brought a live rat into the house and let it go!!! It went under the piano and I flushed it out so Fortunately he caught it and I chased him out the door wit it in his mouth. Ugh. It was not a full grown one.

That cat. About an hour after the rat incident, he brought a live mouse in and let that go. I have no idea where it is now. But better to have the mouse than the rat!!

Oregon has had the usual rainy weather - typical winter weather for us. So no polar vortex, thank goodness. But- we may get a bit of snow in a few days. It would not likely stay around, as the forecast is below freezing at night with above freezing in the day.

I'm on this committee at church. Our members of the committee have dwindled down to 4 people, but really 3 1/2, because one person travels all the time.

Today another church member pulled me aside to complain how we were doing things. She is not on the committee, but she used to be. I told her we (volunteers) were doing the best we could, and offered her a spot on the committee. The answer- "Oh no, because so-and-so is on the committee and I can't work with her". Sheesh. People.

That cat. About an hour after the rat incident, he brought a live mouse in and let that go. I have no idea where it is now. But better to have the mouse than the rat!!

I slept on my couch for two nights over the same thing. `They' brought the mouse into my bedroom and that was the last I saw of it. Two nights in a row, crashing and banging as two cats chased the mouse in the middle of the night.

Day 3, I come home from work and find a dead mouse on my bedroom floor.

I got to move back into my bedroom.

Good luck!

Your cat is teaching you to hunt. 😂

I slept on my couch for two nights over the same thing. `They' brought the mouse into my bedroom and that was the last I saw of it. Two nights in a row, crashing and banging as two cats chased the mouse in the middle of the night.

Day 3, I come home from work and find a dead mouse on my bedroom floor.

I got to move back into my bedroom.

Good luck!

I keep hoping to find a dead mouse, but no go. It had run under the entertainment center, and I wonder if it died back there. I may have to move it (big heavy hulky thing) this weekend. Sigh.

There are no signs that it is around at all.

Your cat is teaching you to hunt. 😂

Lol. Ugh... I really do need to hunt this out!