Is there anything better in the world?

Sure, it's a couple of months old, but isn't he cute?

Ugh. . .

As some of my reader might know, I've gone through some bad experiences over the past few months at work. It's been affecting my health, and I've been fortunate to use FMLA time to rest and recuperate. These past couple of weeks have been a bit of a wild ride for me. I found out three weeks ago that I was transferring to another department - great! I've been trying to move out from my current position all year. However, over the past month and a half, I've taken off some needed time for FMLA - not a problem, the doctor approved it and my administration office has been working with me on it. Several months ago, I scheduled last week and this week off as vacation time and did not plan on needing to reapply for FMLA time to rest. However, as I'm transferring from a union job to a non union job, it was pointed out to me that if I were to take the two weeks off as vacation, I would not be paid for it as vacation time is accrued monthly, not allotted in full at the beginning of the year (new policy that went into effect this year, of course). Fine, I cancelled my vacation, and reapplied for FMLA time. The next day, I was pulled into a manager's office and told that it looked "funny" that I applied for FMLA the same day I cancelled my vacation. Um, hello - what part of "I've got an ongoing medical situation and I had two weeks off" did they not get? Fine, I've been keeping my nose clean and working every day, up until yesterday. When I got into work today, I noticed that I've only been given three hours of FMLA time for the past week for each day I've needed to leave early - on days where I was gone more than three hours, I was listed as being sick for the remainder of the time I was gone. Okay . . . here's the deal. I've taken less time off these past two weeks than I have in the last month and a half - no one felt the need to mention to me that they were going to apply the strictest application of my allowance - I've had the same allowance for the past month and a half and no one seemed concerned about the amount of time I had taken off. Now, all of a sudden, when I've cancelled my vacation and I'm trying to live by their rules, do they change the rules on me. I can't wait to leave my present job. For the past five months, it's been nothing but soul damaging and heart breaking. I used to enjoy my job, and felt good about the work I did. I still work hard to do my job, but I'm afraid that someone has decided that it's better for the company to crush me before I can move on.

Ugh.

High School Muscial - The Reunion

I recently got an invitation to my high school's 15th year reunion. I got to thinking about the cover story I could offer (if television and movies have taught me anything, I need to lie big about how my life has changed. TV can't steer me wrong, can it?).

Okay, the last time most people saw me was at our 5th year reunion - so where to start? Immediately after leaving the reunion, my car was hit by a multi-millionaire nuclear plant owner who took me in as his heir. Then I later joined the flying Elvi parachute corps. After rescuing bigfoot and the loch ness monster from some nasty legal troubles, I tried to convince George Lucas to kill off Jar Jar Binks in the most inhumane way possible. He didn't go for that, but he did like my idea of sending Howard the Duck to South America to find a lost crystal skull. I wonder whatever became of that idea . I then singlehandedly convinced the Disney board of directors to fire Michael Eisner and appoint me as supreme ruler of Disney World, but after a nasty tussle with Sea World, I had to turn in my crown. With that said, I now moonlight as the Burger King, but that's only a part time gig. What I really do now is dress up like a bat and scare the living daylights out of criminals, that cowardly and superstitious lot! At least I did, until Warner Brothers threatened to sue. I now live the mild mannered life of an airline representative caught up in the day to day struggle of prices and seat dimensions and getting Auntie Amelia from Boca Raton to Schenechdady on a non-stop flight.