Monday, January 05, 2009

Me back

I just can’t face going back to work at the moment and facing truly mean people who revel in the unhappiness of others. I haven’t felt this way about a job since I worked for PWsleaze years ago and knew that it was time to make a conscious moral decision NOT to work for a company that didn’t understand the nature of the word “integrity”. Funny that corporate "conscience" doesn’t extend past the corporate PR/BS strategy (to look good/win contracts) to translate into decency towards a company’s employees. (yada yada) All this means that I have just extended my vacation by a few days to readjust myself before going back to work.

So now I have insomnia. I tried to eat some Dancing Deer brownies (made near Boston yet available at TSC), but that just upset my stomach. I’m also on Phucking Cat Watch – as the cat has taken the opportunity to dump on my welcome mat – and several other places – while Desert Dawg and I were not on duty. My terrace is covered with chili powder and orange slices. Bastard cat from hell!

I arrived a few days ago on the kick-ass United flight from Virginia. A semi-inebriated (and quite large) firefighter (ergo the “firefighter” t-shirt) sat next to me and immediately asked me digging questions about my marital and financial status. Best to keep to firefighting, dude. “I don’t see a wedding ring… Oh, you’re not married? Can I borrow some money? Seriously can I? ….. At the risk of not sounding too bold – want some of my nuggets?” WHO brings chicken nuggets on a plane?! Ok 10 year olds perhaps. The smell just isn’t plane-worthy. Yuck. Maybe I understood it wrong and it was a double entendre for the other nuggets. I don’t know. Luckily, his tummy full of (beer?) and nuggets, he drifted off to sleep for the next 10 hours. I can usually sleep on the plane, but this trip had me missing my family so much that I found myself waking up on and off.

It was a great trip. It was one of those trips that felt like I was there for a month (in a good way) and that in actuality – didn’t last very long. It was just wonderful. I spent time with my sister and my mother and my nephew. I still haven’t gotten my brother in law to say “I love you” yet when I do, but I am working on it. I have a feeling that he is from a family that doesn’t let it out that easily; similar to my 86 year old aunt. I say it all the time because I think you should let people know when they are dear to you.

I saw “Marley and Me” twice while I was there – and bawled my eyes out (right along with everyone else in the audience) both times. My nephew sobbed. I loved that movie. If you can get ahold of a bootlegged copy in Kuwait, I highly recommend it. The only people in the audience who weren’t crying was an Indian family who didn’t get the whole dog thing; which made me wonder how it would go over with a Kuwaiti audience. It is a very American thing to have a dog at some point in your life – and to love it like a family member. Even cat lovers have dogs at some point. It is part of growing up. It definitely taught me discipline and respect for living things. My step father dragged me out of elementary school one time to go home and give my dog (a black lab) water because I had forgotten. I never forgot again with any animal (or my nephew while I was on watch). {Just a disclaimer here: Please don’t write to me to discuss the religious ramifications of dogs in this part of the world. Heard it before, thanks. Personally, I think a lot of dogs are cleaner and kinder than a whole lot of people and a lot can be learned from them. As for angels not visiting your home - well, everyone is entitled to their beliefs and I have mine too.}

The weather was gorgeous in Virginia. I saw a snow shower – nothing that stuck to the ground. My sister, husband, and my nephew all went to Vail to go skiing. I didn’t want to go because it would be too much travel to pack into a short vacation. They said it was beautiful and they have never seen so much snow before. They did get snowed in at Denver airport and ended up taking a hummer stretch limo to Vail. They had vodka and carry out from Taco Bell so it wasn’t such a terrible trip.

It was a very nice Christmas. I think the one gift that was the best was a star machine that I bought over the internet (cool site called Perpetual Kid - www.perpetualkid.com) for my nephew. It is amazing and I wish I had one here. Maybe I’ll buy one. So cool. It is a laser light show, but of stars and clouds in random, moving effects. It looked like the heavens. Totally cool. I never know what to get people who have everything so I try to find different stuff.

So now I am back in my new apartment and feeling completely lonely. I miss the crowded house a lot – just having people around. I think I’m getting too old for this living alone stuff – although I do like my space.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi,
welcome back to kuwait and wish you a very happy new year
. I recently came across your blog and check regularly ever since. I find your blog very cool !!!
take care
neth

Anonymous said...

Glad to hear you had a good vacation in Virginia, sorry that you're not upbeat about your job. Maybe it's time to look around, start sending out resumés? My sister-in-law in DC worked for PWC...boy, did she think poorly of that place. Then again, she's a bit difficult.
Schlumberger Boy

Anonymous said...

Cracks me up how all the corporations are giving great lip service to CSR and creating meaningless programs, and still wasting incredible sums of money because of poor planning and sheer waste.

Welcome back, Desert Girl. Do you still love the new apartment the way you did? Any ideas for renovations, upgrades? Did you do any daydreaming in the big box design stores? :-)

Anonymous said...

Me glad you back.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Anonymous said...

Do you drink?

-Anon

Abid said...

What part of Virginia did you visit? I was in Elkridge MD for the winter.

Desert Girl said...

Hi Crystal Neth (tee hee). Thank you for stopping by and the nice compliments.

Schlumberger Boy: Always nice to hear from you! I am already looking around. I think a lot of Americans who have worked for PWC have had unpleasant experiences there, but then again there are also quite a few who just seem to love it (until they are mistreated anyways).

Intlxpatr: Ditto on nice to hear from you! I’m still loving my apartment, but at the same time, I am liking the notion of moving back to the US perhapsee this year. I do love the bigbox stores – and being able to drink and have choices that aren't dictated by others. I think the time might be right. Yeah- you’re right about the CSR. I wrote a white paper about what true CSR is and how it should be implemented. I got a look like I have 2 heads.

Anonymous (1): Thank you and the same to you my friend.

Anonymous (2): OF COURSE I DRANK. Duuuuuh.

Abid: Our house is in Northern Virginia not too far from Tysons Corner. 5 minutes from Dulles Airport. Hope you had fun in Maryland.

Anonymous said...

hey ,
i think u mixed me up with another person. my prev comment was the first time I wrote to you.
hope u r doing better ( homesickness) :)
neth

Anonymous said...

you get used to the homesickness, i suggest stay in contact via skype. i t really helps :)

Anonymous said...

" Personally, I think a lot of dogs are cleaner and kinder than a whole lot of people and a lot can be learned from them." - totally agree with you. And I’m a Muslim!:)

To those who say that “ angels not visiting your home … etc” I respectfully disagree :)Convenient bullshit!

-NBZ-

Anonymous said...

OK we are having cat problems too, My idea is to get one of those sound blaster thingies that they have at the toy store, the ones the blow at soccer games and makes your head fall off and shoot it at the cat when I see it, several times. Next those sticky mouse traps will make the cat remember a terrible experience at your door, maybe put some chili powder on the sticky trap Gail