I like to think I am really funny and creative

I sent this e-mail out to the entire agency....I can't begin to tell you how many people thought I had a chronic illness...

From: Miranda
Sent: Friday, March 13, 2009 11:57 AM
To: Everyone at work
Subject: An unfortunate condition....can you help?

Teammates -
I've recently come to realize that a condition I've been not-so-blessed with for several years has flared up over the past few months. It appears as though the only thing that has aided in keeping this condition (Fatomahthighs) under control in the past has been proper diet and exercise, both of which I have been unsuccessful in maintaining for more than a period of approximately 3 days. In my quest for controlling Fatomahthighs, I've determined that I am in need of some sort of accountability (apparently the scale is not enough) and perhaps a partner (or several for that matter) to encourage me to increase my activity level. Knowing the above information, aren't you excited to help?!

Here is what I would like to see happen:
1. You e-mail or call me if you are interested in participating in a little contest.
2. I collect all names of those interested and form two groups/teams.
3. Each team will have a team go-getter to encourage participation and to give updates on which team is winning.
4. Over the course of about 4 weeks each individual will document their activity levels (more information about documenting activities forthcoming!)
5. The team with the most points (again, more information forthcoming!) WINS!

Now, you may be wondering what, exactly, the winning team will win. I haven't a clue. However, I can tell you that it will be awesome and creative and...well....probably something homemade....that is, unless someone has a better idea.

So what do you have to do? You need to e-mail or call me by next Wednesday (3/18/09) so I can divvy up the teams and get all of the rules straightened out. The contest will officially begin on Monday, 3/23/09 and will end on Sunday 4/19/09. Don't worry, POST attendees! If you want to participate but don't get a chance to tell me prior to heading out to the Academy, just write down your activities (duration + activity) and shoot me an e-mail when you come back and I'll add you to a team! Simple as that!

Ready? Let's do this! Miranda :)

a blog with words

Alison said I should write a real blog - one with words. Really, I've been meaning to do it for awhile, but October has been hell. Pure hell. I spent almost 2 weeks working from home about 3-4 nights/week and even spent a Sunday evening writing a report that was due to Court 2 days earlier. I hate asking for help from anyone, especially my supervisor, because I don't want them to think I can't manage my time. This is totally not the case because I am awesome at managing my time. It's just that the Court is not always so great at giving me sufficient time to get my job done. So I just ended up working from home rather than asking for any sort of comp time. I hate that. Whatever. Finally, on Monday, I went to work and had 2 things on my calendar instead of 20. I had time to organize my files on my desk and file the inches of paperwork that I somehow managed to pile up on my desk. I breathed, and it was great.

That being said, the one awesome thing about October is that I was nominated by one of the Court clerks (I don't think I'm supposed to know it's her, but she told me) to be October's Employee of the Month. The funny thing about this is that there are many, many people who work for the Agency for years and years and never get nominated and selected, but this is my second time being selected in six months - April and October. There are some jealous and bitter folks around the Agency. Oh well. I am pretty much awesome, and I don't really care what they think. I will continue to be awesome at my job even if other people think they are more awesome than me. Even better is that the Employee of the Month gets to take 4 hours of flex time for the month. So tomorrow I am going with Josh's mom (in town from eastern Idaho) to Brooke's school to help decorate for "Wild West Night" and to go to the Halloween party and watch the parade. I'm taking the whole damned day off and I can't wait!

On a completely different note, Josh and I are going as Dog the Bounty Hunter and Beth (the wife) for Halloween. I have the most spectacular costume EVER. I just finished "tailoring" Josh's jacket into a vest and convinced him he needed to buy some black pants and wear uncomfortable shoes for the occasion. I am hoping to win the iPod Touch at the party by having the best costumes. Photos to come, but probably without words. Sorry Alison!

I don't know what else to mention. Really, work has been so incredibly busy that my life has revolved around it and I can't seem to think about anything else. I am really, really, really hoping that my caseload doesn't shit on me over the next few weeks. Oh, and I am taking on a different type of caseload (well, 1/2 different caseload) soon and have to learn how to do work/supervise them all the while continuing to manage my current caseload.

How's that for an update?

Ouch

My mouth is on fire. I went to my favorite Thai place to grab lunch on my way home today. I ordered Pad Prig King (chicken) and ordered it a 2/5 on the spicy level. 2/5 is good enough for me over there - I like to taste my food and not just the spiciness. Anyway, I'm kind of a cheapskate when it comes to tipping if I'm not eating there. I didn't wait around and get soup like they offer to people who order take-out. If fact, I walked over to the bank to get some cash while it was made. So, I didn't tip. I'm pretty sure those $*&@ers made it more spicy than a 2/5. My mouth is on fire and I hardly even tasted the food because it was so hot. But I was SO hungry that I couldn't NOT eat it. Ouch.

Oh well, we are taking Brooke to the Fair today. It's not my favorite place, but it will do. Plus, it's not like 100 degrees outside, which is nice. It's more like 82 and that is much more pleasurable that being a sticky, sweaty mess. I'm going to go get myself to looking cute and head out the door. Oh, and I'll probably have another beer, in hopes that it will calm my mouth a little bit.

FYI - it's Thursday and at 2pm I had already worked 40 hours. So I got the rest of the day off. I have to show up for Court tomorrow at 8:30 and then I get to leave to go rafting with teh fun folks from Josh's office. And we don't have to buy the beer! Yippee!

playing guitar...

I just played guitar for the first time in months. No really, MONTHS. I don't think I've played since October...and it felt good, friends, GOOD. I think I played for 2 hours in the house by myself, then put Virginia away for a few minutes. I made bloody marys for myself and Josh, then serenaded him in the garage while he played with his RC cars and attempted to put them back together. I know it seems weird, but we both seem to have remembered that we like to do different things and we are both getting back to doing the things we really love to do - separately - and I like that. Silence is golden sometimes. We never really seem to talk about our hobbies, but we have been great about respecting those interests. I like that...a lot.

On another note, I have to go to the POST Academy for Probation Officers starting tomorrow at 2pm. I'll spend two weeks away from home (except weekends) at the Academy learning how to do my job in a better fashion (at least, that's my hope), but am sad that I have to be away from my "family" for such a long time.

And lastly, and I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before, I have perfected my bloody mary recipe. They are soooooo delicious! Man, thanks to Zeitgeist in San Francisco, I have learned that adding horseradish into my mixture has really improved the recipe. Yum!!!

Overheard by one of the Marshalls this AM:

Kid: "Man, she's tight." (not in a good sense)
Mom: "Yeah, just be glad she's not your PO!"

(Man, I love being a hard ass sometimes.)

I feel like I'm good at my job.

And what I mean by that is that I finally feel like I've made a difference somewhere. I'll briefly explain, without the details. This kid's relative called me yesterday really concerned about the kid in school, etc. and wanted a referral to a tutoring program or something that might help the kid out. The only thing I could think of that might work is this religious program that offers services for all sorts of kids from different backgrounds and they provide transportation. Anyway, I (ever so lightly, as this is a gov't agency I work for) explained the program and mentioned the religious base and gave the relative the contact information.

The relative called me tonight to thank me for the referral to the program and to let me know that he called the place and the kid is going to transfer there for school. And I did this referral without staffing the case with anyone and without hesitation and I'm proud of myself.

That's all.

I'm working late tonight (yeah...working...) so I can go to SAN FRANCISCO on Friday afternoon with Josh and Claire and Mike!!! Can't wait.

Things to be happy about

1. People telling you how awesome you look. I went with Josh to his company Christmas party (complete with free drinks and free cab rides home!) and it seems like every time I turned around, someone was telling me how skinny I look. It pretty much made my day. The next day, Josh sent me a text that said, "Everyone keeps talking about how good you looked last night." Ahhhhhh.....

2. You're apartment not catching on fire. The night of the aforementioned Christmas party, the building next to my apartment burned down. It down right stinks - they had just done a bunch of remodeling, etc. I'm just happy that the apartment with a ton of my stuff still in it didn't burn down...well, sorta. The insurance money for a new bed would have been just a little bit nice :)

3. Being productive. I was able to get the rest of the big stuff (minus the couches....those will go later this week) out of the apartment and hauled a bunch of stuff to the dump. I cleaned up a ton in the apartment and managed to through an amazing amount crap into the garbage.

4. Feeling sore from being productive. Moving all the "big things" from the apartment to the house combined with an extra long pilates session makes for a sore Miranda on a Monday morning.

5. Doing your job and doing it well. I'm still getting the hang of this whole Probation Officer bit, but I feel like I'm actually getting things accomplished in a positive manner (albeit, in an untimely manner last week) and it's not going unnoticed...and that makes me happy.

6. The end of the semester. This one was tough....I'm glad it's over.

You told me to...

So I'm going to work with my hair like this today...

(blame Alison and Claire if you don't like it...much like my clients,
I take no responsibility for my actions.)

I'm soooo excited!

You may remember that around the time of my birthday, I purchased a new bag from my friend Alison, who lives in Chicago. My polka-dotted hand bag is perfect for day trips and those times when I need (read: feel like I need) to carry more than just my wallet and phone. In other words, it was perfect for my old job, where I just needed something to hold a few extra things, like a book or the newspaper and my ever important nano.

Since I started my new job (gasp) over 3 weeks ago and have found that I need to carry much, much more with me everyday. I now have a work issued cell phone and palm pilot, keyboard for my palm pilot, case files to carry to court, office keys, and random training materials that I have to carry with me everywhere. On top of that, I now have a crap load of Weight Watchers books to tote (yes, I finally gussied up and joined the WW plan), books for class, and every now and then, my MacBook to bring with me to class. In other words, I have outgrown my fabulous polka-dotted work bag.

Enter: Alison. I e-mailed her a few weeks ago with my dilemma and explained exactly the type of bag I need (read: think I need) for work and/or school, complete with an explanation of why I need a velcro on all of the pockets (which I need many of) and why I need a flap (if you lost your wallet on an airplane on your way to the middle of nowhere South Dakota, you would need a flap on your bag and velcro on your pockets too). Amazing as she is, she designed a pattern, picked out fabric, and sewed it up for my sweet ass (that I like to think has become sweeter since W). She posted the pictures and I CANNOT WAIT for it to get here!


Here is a preview:





But you can see the rest of the photos here.

2 really good things and 2 sort of shitty things.

1 really good thing: my job.

I rule at my job so far. Today I finally felt like I was able to do part of my job without supervision. Kind of. I suppose I should preface by saying that these past 2 weeks have been full of lots (and I mean LOTS) of observation. There has been very little "doing" going on. I guess I was OK with that, except that I've been really, really excited (and antsy) to start the "doing" part. So when I was reviewing a case of mine and my supervisor came in, I thought she'd tell me to come watch her do something....again. Instead, she pointed to me and said, "I need you to do intakes." Upon further findings, I was informed that she really doesn't know much of the process and that I needed to fill in because 98% of the probation department was at a conference. So I did it. And later I found out that I did it really well and productively. I felt awesome.

Later, while observing Detention Hearings, another supervisor pulled me aside to explain the terms of 24/7 supervision and other release terms to a client. I would have assumed that I should someone supervise me while doing this for the first time, but she just let me have at it.

Later, my most direct supervisor told me that I was "glowing." I said it was because I finally felt like I had a grasp on my position and was really excited to be doing my job.

And it's the truth.


1 shitty thing: my hair dryer broke.

This is the second one I've gone through since about May. I don't know what the problem is.

The other shitty thing: my professor doesn't really want to acknowledge the fact that I'm in his class.

I hate the fact that he gave me permission to take an incomplete in the class last fall, yet after 3 prompts to send me the supplemental readings that he's been sending to everyone else, I have yet to receive anything. I'm not technically on the roster, but he has my information from the past 2 times I've e-mailed him (the third prompt was at the end of class last week). Top that off with the girl who drives me nuts and you've got one pissy Miranda.

The other really good thing: money.

I'll be the first to tell you that I haven't had any for a really long time, but today I got my dividend check in the mail from State Farm and have an extra $72.10 in my pocket and with my first paycheck coming on Friday, I'll actually have money leftover when I buy my new tires for my car. Hmmm, maybe now is a good time to buy that hubcap that I've been missing since last fall...or an iphone. Hmmm...choices choices.

back to work...

...but not without some fun first!

1. After surviving a family reunion without a bit of booze to pull any of us through, Josh, Adrianne and I went to see "Superbad" at the theater. I thought I was going to die of gut-wrenching laughter and found myself up heaving in the seat a few times during some scenes...completely worth it.

2. My friend Kristen swapped me every season of Sex and the City and a mix CD of Neko Case and Kasey Chambers in exchange for the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, which I had borrowed it from her boyfriend). I have yet to pop in a season of SatC, but the mix CD is amazing.

3. I managed to row through bigger rapids than I've ever rowed before, which made me pretty damn proud of myself. This is a bigger deal for this particular trip because Josh wasn't sitting behind me telling me to push with the left or pull with the right--it was all me, baby, watching where he and his dad had gone before me and attempting to do the same..not without some swearing, however, when I thought I was going to hit some rocks. I didn't hit them. I did well. And I was rightfully P-R-O-U-D (and hopefully Josh was too).


and now non-hobby related information...

1. Reporting for my first day on the job this morning, I knew that one other girl was starting with me. What I hadn't prepared for was the fact that it might be someone I knew. Yup, Hafsah and went to high school together, graduated the same year, happened to recognize each other, and actually seem to get along....weird.

2. Class started tonight too and I can already tell that one girl is going to drive me nuts....but that's probably because the one time that I met her this summer, she shoved her hand in my face and told me to get away from her. I sincerely hope that she's not in my Thursday night class (or I might have to kick some ass).

What to do when your boyfriend goes out of town

Tuesday: Make dinner, rent movie, drink lots of beer at home alone.

Wednesday: Interview for new job, work, nap, hang out downtown with friends, drink lots of beer at home alone.

Thursday: Wait and wait and wait to hear about new job and get frustrated about hearing nothing, work, nap, give guitar lesson, borrow Harry Potter 7, fall asleep at a decent hour.

Friday: Work, clean apartment, jump up and down then cry (with excitement) about getting a new job (hooray!), drink wine with an old friend (Shauna) at home, attend 10 year high school reunion, talk to people I'd never thought I'd see again, get called "the cuter Miranda" by Mandee Merrill Jewel (one of the aforementioned former classmates), watch former classmates hit on Shauna at the bar, get aforementioned classmates buy me beer and shots.

Saturday: Sleep in and wake up (still drunk) at 11am, make killer spaghetti sauce, get great news that another friend from my high school years (though, not my high school) will be in town next weekend, celebrate Josh's sister's birthday without Josh, go to bed entirely too late.

Sunday: Revel in the fact that I managed to convince a bunch of people that I will make a good Juv. Probation Officer and the fact that I'll finally have a career instead of a job...wow.

jobs

I just received a message on my phone from the assistant manager of the "center" where I recently applied for a position and interviewed. Mr. S said, "I want to thank you for applying and interviewing with us, unfortunately, we had to give the position to someone else. I will tell you that you DID finish with the highest score, but unfortunately, we are not able to accommodate your school schedule. Again, thanks for applying and don't hesitate to call with questions. Good luck." (woo hoo, I'm awesome!)

I have to say, I'm kind of relieved. I wasn't sure I'd take the position if it was offered to me, due to my school schedule (they couldn't guarantee that I'd have Tuesday and Thursdays off this fall for classes). Plus, I'd be working until 10 pm on the nights that I didn't have class, including weekends and holidays. But now I don't have to worry about it. In fact, maybe Mr. S can turn my application over to the people in charge of another opening I'm interested in....hmmm....either way, it looks like I'm still job hunting...
So does this mean he can turn my application over to