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bydolem
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Location: United States
Interests: Practicing and studying Christianity (I'm a work in progress); spending time with my family and friends.
Expertise: Incessant hopeful romantic and lifelong positive thinker about everyone but myself.
Occupation: Administrative
Industry: Real Estate
Message: message meEmail: email me
Website: visit my website
Member Since:
3/26/2006
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| Back when I was working ten hour days due to my overtime project, my eating schedule got thwarted. I would eat breakfast around 9am-10am, then lunch was around 2pm-3pm. Dinner was usually around 8pm and I would have a snack when I got home around 10pm. The shift change definitely affected me....I was drinking a lot more caffeine
When the overtime project was put on hold, my eating and sleeping schedule suddenly changed. I was exhausted all the time while working so much, and now I was able to "catch up" on sleep and eat at regular hours. I still don't eat lunch until 1pm or so, but breakfast and dinner are pretty standard.
On New Year's Eve Eve (Tuesday), I went to lunch around 1:30 p.m. The building we used to rent space from is just across the street, and we have a Subway, Charlie & Barney's and a pizza place to choose from. A flatbread sandwich sounded good so I stopped by Subway, grabbed a sandwich and took it back to work to eat at my desk.
When I got to the lobby in our building, an elevator door was *just* about to close but the gal ahead of me held it for me. We were joined by a guy too. When we reached his floor, the doors opened and he got out, and we headed up to the gal's floor. We reached the floor, the elevator stopped, and the doors made a "CLUNK" sound but did not open. For just a moment there was silence, and then when the usual timeframe of the door opening passed and then some, I looked at the buttons and saw that her floor button was no longer lit but mine was. The elevator continued up to my floor, stopped, and once again we heard the "CLUNK" but the doors stayed closed. We both said "Hmm..." and watched as the elevator descended to the parking garage level, stopped, said "CLUNK" and once ahead did not open the doors. At this point, we looked at each other and realized we were in trouble.
Did I mention I had left my cell phone at a friend's house the night before? *sigh*
We sat down on the floor of the elevator and I pressed the "HELP" button. A recorded voice instructed us to sit down on the floor, remain calm, and indicated that the distress call had been received and help was being dispatched. A couple seconds later we heard a live voice and I stated that while the elevator was going to the called floors, the doors would not open. By this time we had been up and down the building at least three times, stopping at various floors----8th, 11th, parking level, lobby, 3rd, 4th, parking level, lobby, 6th, parking level, 3rd...and I was getting very nervous and queasy. I introduced myself and found out the gal, named L., works on my former floor for one of the attorneys that I knew. We joked that this is how people become bonded for life, and even end up in each other's weddings. I stated that I was married so sorry, and L. said she wasn't so I would be in the running. She asked about my holidays, we talked about our favorite gifts, etc., as the elevator continued on it's trek up and down the building.
We couldn't decide if we were relieved or not that the elevator was functioning. If it were stuck we might be concerned about it plummeting. As it were, we were a bit nervous, a wee bit scared and I was getting more and more queasy. I joked that at least I had a sandwich, so if we got hungry later I would share it. L. had her cell phone with her and just as she prepared to call the security desk, the elevator stopped on the lobby level and H., the security dude, knocked on the doors and said, "Helloooo! Anyone in there? Are you okay?" I said, "H., this is M. We are okay but the elevator keeps going to called floors and the doors will not open!" He said for us to stay calm, that the elevator repairman was there and working on it. About this time, the elevator shot back up and we were off again.
A few more rides later the elevator stopped on the second floor and the doors opened! We scurried up and jumped out, suprising a coworker who was waiting for the elevator to arrive. We told him what had just happened, but he simply shrugged and said, "Well, they are probaby just testing it." I looked at L. and we both said, "Good luck getting out!" I leaned over the balcony and called down to the lobby where the security desk is "This is M. Me and L. are out of the elevator!"
Not wanting to ride again, we headed for the stairwell. Our stairs well are secured in that you can enter them without your ID badge, but in order to exit the stairwell on any floor, you must have your ID badge. When we reached the stair well, we realized that L. had to walk up six flights, and I had to walk up nine. We made it about two before we became winded and started rethinking our plan. But everytime I thought of heading back into the elevator, my palms got sweaty. So, we trekked up to six and I, being very out of breath, decided to try the elevator for the next five floors. L. then realized she did not have her ID badge with her, so if I left the stairwell, she would have no way of exiting it. She was afraid to get in the elevator again, and I couldn't leave her stranded in there. Besides, what if *I* got stranded in the elevator again, this time all alone?
So, we steeled ourselves and completed our ascent to our respective floors. By the time I reached my floor, I was winded, sweaty, shaky and nauseous. The sandwich no longer appealed to me. I just wanted to lay down and die. Truly.
Once I got to my desk, still lightheaded from the elevator ride and the spiraling of the stairwell, I thought about how much more unnerving the ordeal would have been without L., without the knowledge that help was simply a button call away. We have twenty-four hour security, and that day I was made aware of just how important that is.
If nothing else, I've learned that I am seriously out of shape. But then, how many people can tackle nine flights of stairs without being winded? | | |
| I realize it has been many months since I updated my blog. I apologize. This last year has had its ups and downs:
Up: I landed an overtime project that paid time and a half..
Down: My nine-year-old niece M. was diagnosed with a rare and very aggressive form of bone cancer.
Up: The hospital is near my office which allowed me to be with my niece and her Mom a lot while she was there.
Down: Due to budget constraints, the project was put on hold halfway through.
Up: We were able to go to Holiday World prior to M.'s diagnosis.
Down: M. broke her arm shortly after we arrived at Holiday World, and walked around all day with what we were told (by the EMT at the park first aid clinic) was a bad sprain.
Up: We had a wonderful Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's with our families.
Down: It's almost over and we will soon be back to the old grind.
Up: We are employed and have food, shelter, medical care, love, and most of all...hope.
The economy certainly has impacted our business. When the economy takes a nosedive, retail suffers. As our CEO said at our holiday party, "We'll be okay. Don't worry. Let me and R. worry. You just keep working hard, work a little smarter, be a bit more conscious of what you are doing and why, and we'll get through okay." I have never "lost" a job and I certainly am doing all I can to ensure that I don't lose this one. Our two EVPs are retiring, and their admin tells me she will most likely be let go. She has been with the company well over twenty years and I know she is no where near ready to retire. *sigh*. It's so hard, the way the corporate world works. One day you walk into work, and at four o' clock in the afternoon you are called into the boss' office and....you no longer have a job. It just stinks. :(
Rather than our big luncheon with the big ticket giveaways, we had a mix n' mingle type of gathering at the Indiana Roof Ballroom. There was a band (same one who did our SyF 10 year anniversary celebration, lots of 70s music, actually quite good), finger foods (chicken tenders, mac and cheese, potato cakes, pasta bar, breadsticks, veggie trays, salad, scrumptious desserts, etc. The big giveaways were replaced with gift card awards given to the highest winners in the "gambling games" (roulette, blackjack, poker, etc.). Usually everyone's name is put in a drawing for gift cards, but this year they actually sold raffle tickets. I was disappointed by this, as it seemed that in the economic atmosphere they would have been more sympathetic to people not having a lot of money to spend at the holidays. But then again, they did cater in food and have an open bar, and I know neither of those items were inexpensive. Still, I didn't purchase raffle tickets as it just seemed like a waste, and I'm pretty sure I have conviction about gambling that extends to raffles, even if the money does go to our employee association.
The party was employees only from 3pm-5pm, and then spouses were invited to attend the 5pm-7pm block. I left at 5pm to head out to spend time with family, as the music gets louder and the crowd gets rowdier the last two hours. There are just some things I do not want to see my coworkers doing...one of them is getting intoxicated and the other is dancing, and that certainly happens at these venues.
I attended the party for a couple of hours because I wanted to help show our employer that we appreciate having a celebration at all. They could have just cancelled the whole thing in light of the economy, but the word was they didn't want people to feel unappreciated. I always enjoy the dessert table the best...they have all these different variations of cheesecake, fudge, lemon bars, etc., all in these bite size servings. It is just so indulgent and festive...I adore that dessert table!
So at this point I am still employed and still pinching myself that I have a job that pays my parking, provides excellent medical, dental, vision, disability and insurance benefits (not to mention ten vacation days, five sick days, a personal day and ten paid holidays). And P. continues to be generous as a boss and as a friend. She is truly one of the smartest people in the company...and she loves helping others learn. :)
I don't know what the coming year holds for me, our company or anyone else. All I can say is 2008 could have been worse and could have been better. Not unlike every other of my 39 years.
Here's wishing everyone wisdom and joy in the coming year! | | |
| A new sculpture located in front of the building where I work. Said employer is proud to be a sponsor of one of ten sculptures presented by The Indianapolis Arts Council and the artist Chakaia Booker. The exhibit is called Mass Transit and the sculpture is titled "Gridlock", made of rubber tires and stainless steel. The exhibit will be on display until April 2009.
For more information go to: www.paindy.org/booker
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| For Christmas, the people I support, P., B., J., and K, gave me a $50 giftcard for P.F. Changs. I had never been there before, so I was really looking forward to trying it out. I had heard everyone talk about how yummy their lettuce wraps are, but heard their salads were so-so.
So the hubby and I headed out one evening for dinner. It was a bit cool and rainy, but such is the weather it seems when we go out. I took a few photos as we entered the restaurant:
First there was the HUGE stone horse:
The neon sign, which was actually well done:
The dining room was so pretty. I like nothing better than a pared down dining room. The food should be the center of attention, the table should not be cluttered. I'm all about the basics when it comes to dining areas:
We had potstickers for an appetizer. They reminded me of dumplings. Very tasty.
I had the Mongolian Beef with brown rice and hubby had the Schezwan Chicken with white rice. Both were very delicious. We ran into a guy we used to work with who is now a server there, as well as another former coworker who was dining there with her family. For dessert, we had a wonderful slice...no, a HUNK...of cheesecake.
It was the first meal in a very long time that I was able to sit, relax, unwind and enjoy every single morsel of food. The server commented that she could tell I was savoring my meal and that it made her happy to see people really enjoying themselves.
When we paid the bill, I said, "Thank you P., B., J., and K for dinner!" as I put the giftcard in the bill holder. :)
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