Odds & Ends

Been awhile since I posted. My London trip is almost exactly a week away. Looking forward to time off almost as much as I’m looking forward to roaming around London. On top of the usual “traveling alone?” questions, I’m now getting “will you go somewhere different next time?” questions. Sure, eventually. It’s not like I’ve exhausted (nor will come close to) Great Britain anytime soon. But I hope next year I may be able to see my way to go to Rome. If I could have gotten an airfare closer to what London was, I probably would have gone that way this time. Although London, having been there and knowing the ropes, was far easier to jump on for a spur of the moment trip.

Last week, I interviewed for and received an offer for a job at a company in Roswell. It was very nearly the same job I have now. That was one of the things that ultimately factored into my decision not to go. It was a very small company, and believe me, I heard the pros and cons from that from everyone plus some of my own concoction. I think that I would have done very well without the rules and layers of management that come with a large corporation, but right now I need that stability in my life. Maybe once I’ve finished operation eliminate debt I will be more willing to go out on limbs, especially if they are limbs that provide something truly different than what I’m doing now. Still, it was incredibly nice to land a job on the first interview I’ve had outside of Equifax in six years. I’ve interviewed internally, but interviewing somewhere that they only have what’s on paper and what you tell them and getting an offer is a whole different thing. This little boost to the ego did allow me to go discuss a raise with my manager. The layers of management mean that the answer has yet to filter down to me, but the confidence boost is still appreciated.

When I come back from London, I’ll have a new kitten! Pandy can never be replaced, but the house has seemed very empty without the pitter-thud of cat-feet since she’s been gone. Bear has stayed with my parents as he is a very social cat and would not adjust well to being alone all day while I’m at work. This past weekend, a neighbor back home found a SMALL black kitten in their yard. This gutsy little stray is probably about 5 weeks old. My Mom was going to add him to the small crew of outdoor cats she has if he would stay. I helped her bring him home and knew he was to be mine. Haven’t come up with a name for him yet, but my Mom who will have the next couple of weeks to get to know him is working on it and so am I. Bear has met him, of course, and isn’t sure what to think. He hasn’t really been around kittens in years. Our youngest indoor cats at home are around 4 years old. Bear is between 5 and 6 years old. Bear is still so playful that I think once he realizes the newcomer will play with him, he’ll enjoy his new company.

Spent the evening cleaning the house. A side-effect of not having the cats around is my delaying cleaning that should be done. Without the added pressure of tidying up after the cats, I’ve slacked off too much. So, making up for lost time before I sneak out of the country next week. It’s much nicer to come back to a clean house!

Have been woefully slack on photography the past week and a half. I accidentally screwed up my camera. Trying to clean it, I snapped a flat cable that went to the rear controls. Was quite peeved with myself. I managed to find the necessary part on E-bay and got it working again Thursday night of last week. In the interim, I somehow foolishly convinced myself to also get an upgrade camera. Should arrive Thursday. Assuming I can learn it swifly enough, My Olympus C-5050 will be going to London with me next week. And, assuming I like it as much as I expect I will, my Dad will get a surprise of my old camera as a gift. He’s mentioned a few times wanting a digital and my Olympus C-3000 is really a nice camera – beyond the beginner’s needs in features but still capable of quite simple point and shoot.

There are times that I believe I have all the worst of my families. Parts of my family are incredibly tight with their money, probably beyond reason. Other parts can spend money like drunken sailors. So, how do I combine these disparate personality traits? Like some sort of bi-polar disorder, I swing from sitting on my money to tossing it out the car windows at high speeds. In the course of a month, a new camera and a trip to London (airfare, hostel, transportation, etc.). Put a fork in me, I’m done!