Still working on getting all setteled in here in Texas. I am glad to be away from the horrid hospital where I worked in Pittsburgh, but I am starting all over here and there is the learning curve. That lovely period of time where I feel like a total idiot until I find my routine and know my way around a little better.
The people here at this hospital are very nice and I remember the last time I worked in this area the one thing that stood out was how friendly everyone was sepecially for being a red state.
The apartment is okay - I mean it is an apartment. The furniture is random and not my taste and I am sleeping in a queen size bed. I miss my dogs and just all the things I had back home. I am having a difficult time finding a routine. I have been running, but the damn rain here is making my run days inconsistent. My times have been horrible and I really need to work on that.
I am here until the end of December and I have a little time to get everything in gear.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Monday, September 20, 2010
Cable and no happy
Another issue I had on the road was setting up cable/internet. The complex I am placed has an exclusive contract with AT&T U-verse and my first few calls to the account manager went unreturned. This is a no-no in the land of Zane.
Finally get a hold of the AT&T guy and I am told that nearly two weeks will pass until I am installed. The two weeks ended today and I have never been so happy in my life. I am hooked up again and things are finally right with the world.
Since I rolled in here I have watched (on DVD) the entire Lost, Glee and started on Mad Men series.
There will be a big fat complaint letter to AT&T regarding the horrid customer service, but not today. Today I am surfing the net and watching television! I am planted on this couch until I pass out from exhaustion! Life is good again!
Finally get a hold of the AT&T guy and I am told that nearly two weeks will pass until I am installed. The two weeks ended today and I have never been so happy in my life. I am hooked up again and things are finally right with the world.
Since I rolled in here I have watched (on DVD) the entire Lost, Glee and started on Mad Men series.
There will be a big fat complaint letter to AT&T regarding the horrid customer service, but not today. Today I am surfing the net and watching television! I am planted on this couch until I pass out from exhaustion! Life is good again!
Finally!
Where to even start!
I left Pittsburgh on the 8th at a wee early hour and headed for San Antonio. It took all of two days for the trip and the drive was fairly smooth without too many events.
Since I was a day early I decided to quickly reserve a room at a Howard Johnsons Express. A few Orbitz clicks later the room was booked and a few hours later I arrived in San Antonio.
I arrived at noon and the check in for the hotel was 2pm. So I stopped for lunch at Chili's where I enjoyed a lovely bean burger and a few frosty Sam Adams! Yumm! A hair after 1pm I arrived at the Howard Johnson's express.
I pulled in the parking lot and immediately had more than a few second thoughts, the place was a dump! But, it was cheap and only for one night. I decide to cowboy up and go inside. I walk in the lobby and at the counter was a middle eastern fellow very briefly glanced up at me from his paper. I walk to the desk and tell him I made a recent reservation. He glances at the computer and confirms by saying my name. He looks me up and down and turns to look at the clock on the wall and proceeds to tell me the room will not be ready for 90 minutes. I noted the time was 1:20pm.
Okay, I was tired and obviously being fucked over. So I say, "okay I will go." He asked, "are you going to return?" I tell him, "wait and find out."
I go next door to the Econolodge and get a room right away for less money. I tell the manager who is behind the desk about what happened next door and she tells me, "that sounds fishy."
The killer thing was the lot at the Ho-Jos was ghost-town empty. The Econo was what it was and in the morning I was clean and ready to make the final few miles to the apartment.
Later, I discover that the Howard Johnson's charged my card and refused to refund. To make a very long story short, a few phone calls to Orbitz and the credit card company accompanied by several lies by the Howard Johnson's desk staff they will be removed for the local Orbitz. See the middle eastern manager stated he was there when I walked in at "8:30am demanding a room", the reservation was made at 10:00 and the same card had the Chili's bill on it at well. The Orbitz people caught them in the lie and then the Ho-Jo manager attempted to back track.
In the end, my gut instinct about the place was spot on from the beginning!
I left Pittsburgh on the 8th at a wee early hour and headed for San Antonio. It took all of two days for the trip and the drive was fairly smooth without too many events.
Since I was a day early I decided to quickly reserve a room at a Howard Johnsons Express. A few Orbitz clicks later the room was booked and a few hours later I arrived in San Antonio.
I arrived at noon and the check in for the hotel was 2pm. So I stopped for lunch at Chili's where I enjoyed a lovely bean burger and a few frosty Sam Adams! Yumm! A hair after 1pm I arrived at the Howard Johnson's express.
I pulled in the parking lot and immediately had more than a few second thoughts, the place was a dump! But, it was cheap and only for one night. I decide to cowboy up and go inside. I walk in the lobby and at the counter was a middle eastern fellow very briefly glanced up at me from his paper. I walk to the desk and tell him I made a recent reservation. He glances at the computer and confirms by saying my name. He looks me up and down and turns to look at the clock on the wall and proceeds to tell me the room will not be ready for 90 minutes. I noted the time was 1:20pm.
Okay, I was tired and obviously being fucked over. So I say, "okay I will go." He asked, "are you going to return?" I tell him, "wait and find out."
I go next door to the Econolodge and get a room right away for less money. I tell the manager who is behind the desk about what happened next door and she tells me, "that sounds fishy."
The killer thing was the lot at the Ho-Jos was ghost-town empty. The Econo was what it was and in the morning I was clean and ready to make the final few miles to the apartment.
Later, I discover that the Howard Johnson's charged my card and refused to refund. To make a very long story short, a few phone calls to Orbitz and the credit card company accompanied by several lies by the Howard Johnson's desk staff they will be removed for the local Orbitz. See the middle eastern manager stated he was there when I walked in at "8:30am demanding a room", the reservation was made at 10:00 and the same card had the Chili's bill on it at well. The Orbitz people caught them in the lie and then the Ho-Jo manager attempted to back track.
In the end, my gut instinct about the place was spot on from the beginning!
Monday, September 6, 2010
Packing...
Drink me many to beers. Bad morning feel very me. Yes, I have been living like a slob the past few days since my liberation from the bowels of hell.
My manager at the place (who is a very nice person) called me once she had my resume. I agreed to be available this week if they had a dire need, but I knew there was no way in hell I would step foot back in that place unless it was as a patient and I were taken their against my will.
So I have been hitting my favorite pub and seeing a few Pirates games. Oh the life of the unemployed - I could seriously get use to this...
Yesterday and today I have been in packing mode. I have my dining room table covered with clothes and stuff that I am packing for my 1500 mile drive to Texas. I will begin work in a week and it is a three day drive there. So I am milling about deciding what absolutely must go and what can stay - tougher job than I thought it would be.
With the house on the market and expecting an offer any day there is much to do in the next few months. What I take to Texas is what I am going to have until I reach mu final destination in MS sometime in March. So clothes and other items are going in storage for almost six months. This is why these decisions are so important.
I dread the drive, but I am a bit excited to return to Texas. I know my way around and there are many places I am excited to see again along with a few people.
My manager at the place (who is a very nice person) called me once she had my resume. I agreed to be available this week if they had a dire need, but I knew there was no way in hell I would step foot back in that place unless it was as a patient and I were taken their against my will.
So I have been hitting my favorite pub and seeing a few Pirates games. Oh the life of the unemployed - I could seriously get use to this...
Yesterday and today I have been in packing mode. I have my dining room table covered with clothes and stuff that I am packing for my 1500 mile drive to Texas. I will begin work in a week and it is a three day drive there. So I am milling about deciding what absolutely must go and what can stay - tougher job than I thought it would be.
With the house on the market and expecting an offer any day there is much to do in the next few months. What I take to Texas is what I am going to have until I reach mu final destination in MS sometime in March. So clothes and other items are going in storage for almost six months. This is why these decisions are so important.
I dread the drive, but I am a bit excited to return to Texas. I know my way around and there are many places I am excited to see again along with a few people.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Specks of crazy here and there
A few nights ago I was working and starving. It was one of those shifts where all anyone seemed to talk about was food. So after work I called a friend and forced him to go with me to chili's to grab a quick bite and down tons of beers.
We got to chili's around 8:30pm and stayed until almost 10pm, but I wanted some more to drink so we drove to my home and walked to a nearby pub. This particular pub maintains a collection of unusual beers on tap that I cannot find anywhere else and I have grown to love their selection.
The night was not particularly busy in the pub and we got a seat at the end of the bar. The perky and super nice bar tendress came to greet us immediately and of course she recognized us as regulars.
In the bar was a fellow about late twenties or maybe early early thirties who was drinking and seemed to be having a good time. The odd think was he was wearing sun glasses at close to 1100 pm. Not just any old glasses but the welder type of glasses that old people are so fond of.
That was not the only odd thing about the dude. He was also wearing a hoodie. Something like 90+ degrees and the sun glass wearing dude is wearing a hoodie.
As our time there stretched into a few hours the sun glass hoodie wearing guy spoke to us here and there and later he just sat there and stared at us. Gave me the heebie-jeebies. Within 15 minutes he was face down on the bar and the people around him did not seem all that concerned. It was at this time we had our fill of way too many adult beverages and walked back to my house to sleep it all off!
***************************
Today, my home had a way too early showing so we decided to take the dogs to the park. Thirty minutes passed and we headed back to the house. We noticed the showing was still taking place. So we popped around to the alley way to sit on the curb and let a little more time pass.
Ten minutes passed and I had my friend walk around to the front while I had the dogs with me. While he was gone this woman appeared from no where.
This woman was a black lady in her fifties wearing what I think was a dirty track suit. Again another hot day and another questionable outfit.
She peered around and saw me sitting on the curb in the ally and said:
Crazy: "Oh, you here taking a break?"
Me: "sure"
Crazy: "Well, I think I takes me one too."
(she walks to the opposite curb and sits down)
Crazy: "I think I partied way too much last night."
Me: "hmm"
Crazy: "You looking to sell on of those dogs."
Me: " Uh, no."
Crazy: "..cuz I could use me one a those dogs like that."
It was at this point I was scanning the area for my escape route. The my friend comes back and we decide rather quickly to take the dogs and enter my house through the back yard. As we walked away I could still hear the crazy babbling about something. I have a sneaky feeling she was on something. Safe bet! However, I was off the clock and not dealing with crazy on MY time.
We got to chili's around 8:30pm and stayed until almost 10pm, but I wanted some more to drink so we drove to my home and walked to a nearby pub. This particular pub maintains a collection of unusual beers on tap that I cannot find anywhere else and I have grown to love their selection.
The night was not particularly busy in the pub and we got a seat at the end of the bar. The perky and super nice bar tendress came to greet us immediately and of course she recognized us as regulars.
In the bar was a fellow about late twenties or maybe early early thirties who was drinking and seemed to be having a good time. The odd think was he was wearing sun glasses at close to 1100 pm. Not just any old glasses but the welder type of glasses that old people are so fond of.
That was not the only odd thing about the dude. He was also wearing a hoodie. Something like 90+ degrees and the sun glass wearing dude is wearing a hoodie.
As our time there stretched into a few hours the sun glass hoodie wearing guy spoke to us here and there and later he just sat there and stared at us. Gave me the heebie-jeebies. Within 15 minutes he was face down on the bar and the people around him did not seem all that concerned. It was at this time we had our fill of way too many adult beverages and walked back to my house to sleep it all off!
***************************
Today, my home had a way too early showing so we decided to take the dogs to the park. Thirty minutes passed and we headed back to the house. We noticed the showing was still taking place. So we popped around to the alley way to sit on the curb and let a little more time pass.
Ten minutes passed and I had my friend walk around to the front while I had the dogs with me. While he was gone this woman appeared from no where.
This woman was a black lady in her fifties wearing what I think was a dirty track suit. Again another hot day and another questionable outfit.
She peered around and saw me sitting on the curb in the ally and said:
Crazy: "Oh, you here taking a break?"
Me: "sure"
Crazy: "Well, I think I takes me one too."
(she walks to the opposite curb and sits down)
Crazy: "I think I partied way too much last night."
Me: "hmm"
Crazy: "You looking to sell on of those dogs."
Me: " Uh, no."
Crazy: "..cuz I could use me one a those dogs like that."
It was at this point I was scanning the area for my escape route. The my friend comes back and we decide rather quickly to take the dogs and enter my house through the back yard. As we walked away I could still hear the crazy babbling about something. I have a sneaky feeling she was on something. Safe bet! However, I was off the clock and not dealing with crazy on MY time.
Sun in T minus 3 hours
It is 0400 and sleep is nowhere to be found. I woke up to make the requisite visit to the bathroom and upon my return to bed (and the ensuing fight for pillows with the dogs) I cannot sleep.
My mind is swimming with way too many things to be able to sleep.
1) I turned in my notice yesterday without speaking to the people in the office and it was a shortened notice.
2) I have not actually signed the contract with my travel company and the new recruiter is slow to respond to my emails.
3) My old recruiter with another company found a position in a state that is much more convienant and preferable than the one found by the non-emailing recruiter.
4) There is an early showing of the house - a third showing to the same couple and this one smacks of a soon to be made offer.
5) Two more homes on my street just listed - although mine shows a million times better, so it may not be such a bad thing.
6) I am technically unemployed in this horrible economy.
7) My legs hurt from a particularly strenous run yesterday.
I am sure I could list many more reasons as to why I am awake at 0400 in the morning, but my desire for coffee is now out weighing my desire to blog.
My mind is swimming with way too many things to be able to sleep.
1) I turned in my notice yesterday without speaking to the people in the office and it was a shortened notice.
2) I have not actually signed the contract with my travel company and the new recruiter is slow to respond to my emails.
3) My old recruiter with another company found a position in a state that is much more convienant and preferable than the one found by the non-emailing recruiter.
4) There is an early showing of the house - a third showing to the same couple and this one smacks of a soon to be made offer.
5) Two more homes on my street just listed - although mine shows a million times better, so it may not be such a bad thing.
6) I am technically unemployed in this horrible economy.
7) My legs hurt from a particularly strenous run yesterday.
I am sure I could list many more reasons as to why I am awake at 0400 in the morning, but my desire for coffee is now out weighing my desire to blog.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
I am ready to Jump!
I walked out the door and turned on my Ipod and glaring in my ears was "Jump" by Madonna the first line I heard, "There’s only so much you can learn in one place
The more that I wait, the more time that I waste."
Hearing these words as I walked away from the hospital for the last time was a bit empowering. It was not the worst place one could work, but it smelled of hospital death. Years of poor management and every day you went to work more and more staff had quit and more units had been closed.
Someone told me the other day, "it is sad when you come to work and discover one of your friends has left for another job and this happens pretty much every week."
This week is to be the biggest exodus from the facility as people were resigning in order to have Labor day off before starting a new job.
I am off until the 13th and there is even a slight chance I will be working by the 9th. Though I should not mention that possibility as it is a wild long shot and I have a position in the bag now.
So, for two weeks I will be jobless and making no money. Even though I could never get full time hours at the facility I just left. I was sent home after four hours on my very last day!
The one bright spot is that my last working shift was spent on my favorite unit in the hospital and my last walk home was spent listening to some good music.
The more that I wait, the more time that I waste."
Hearing these words as I walked away from the hospital for the last time was a bit empowering. It was not the worst place one could work, but it smelled of hospital death. Years of poor management and every day you went to work more and more staff had quit and more units had been closed.
Someone told me the other day, "it is sad when you come to work and discover one of your friends has left for another job and this happens pretty much every week."
This week is to be the biggest exodus from the facility as people were resigning in order to have Labor day off before starting a new job.
I am off until the 13th and there is even a slight chance I will be working by the 9th. Though I should not mention that possibility as it is a wild long shot and I have a position in the bag now.
So, for two weeks I will be jobless and making no money. Even though I could never get full time hours at the facility I just left. I was sent home after four hours on my very last day!
The one bright spot is that my last working shift was spent on my favorite unit in the hospital and my last walk home was spent listening to some good music.
Freedom!!!! Sweet Glorious Freedom!!!
It is crisp and warm, the ink has yet to fully dry and yet it gives off an intoxicating smell that I just cannot explain. I am giddy with excitement and the page finishes its last few lines of text and it getly rest in the printer basket.
This is it what I have been dreaming about since the beginning of the year. My resignation sits just inches from my greedy little hands and nothing could make me happier at this moment.
I had planned to give a full two weeks notice, but events moved at a much faster pace than I accounted for and thus I am giving a few days notice. It actually comes down to the fact this will be my VERY LAST SHIFT! Woo Hoo!!
I should feel some pangs of guilt for not providing much notice, but I don't. The hospital feels no guilt for cancelling my shifts at a whim, for mismanaging the organization and closing the hospital - so fuck 'em!
We had a discussion about responsibility at work last night. The hospital can cancel multiple shifts a week with no recourse we can take against them. They can terminate you without notice or even a reason. However, they frown upon more than two call offs in a year and expect a minimum of two weeks notice for employees leaving. Why should everything be on their terms in at at will state? Hell, they should be grateful I let them know that I am not coming back.
The place has been sad lately. With the expected closing of the ED and considerable downsizing in progress you never know which unit will be tagged for closure on any given day. So far, five units have been closed - the latest being a med/surg unit. I am guessing the next to go will be one of the stepdowns. People are finding other jobs and it is getting difficult to staff some shifts.
The facility is actively hiring for the ED and other departments. Seriously! They will hire in September and be shown the door January first. Who wants that job?
Oh well, at least I am released back into the wild! I am returning to travel nursing for the next three months. I have a break in December and return to full time employment in January. Sweet!
This is it what I have been dreaming about since the beginning of the year. My resignation sits just inches from my greedy little hands and nothing could make me happier at this moment.
I had planned to give a full two weeks notice, but events moved at a much faster pace than I accounted for and thus I am giving a few days notice. It actually comes down to the fact this will be my VERY LAST SHIFT! Woo Hoo!!
I should feel some pangs of guilt for not providing much notice, but I don't. The hospital feels no guilt for cancelling my shifts at a whim, for mismanaging the organization and closing the hospital - so fuck 'em!
We had a discussion about responsibility at work last night. The hospital can cancel multiple shifts a week with no recourse we can take against them. They can terminate you without notice or even a reason. However, they frown upon more than two call offs in a year and expect a minimum of two weeks notice for employees leaving. Why should everything be on their terms in at at will state? Hell, they should be grateful I let them know that I am not coming back.
The place has been sad lately. With the expected closing of the ED and considerable downsizing in progress you never know which unit will be tagged for closure on any given day. So far, five units have been closed - the latest being a med/surg unit. I am guessing the next to go will be one of the stepdowns. People are finding other jobs and it is getting difficult to staff some shifts.
The facility is actively hiring for the ED and other departments. Seriously! They will hire in September and be shown the door January first. Who wants that job?
Oh well, at least I am released back into the wild! I am returning to travel nursing for the next three months. I have a break in December and return to full time employment in January. Sweet!
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