Good Night, Sleep Tight...
I have a few half-written posts that I never got around to finishing! I really want to start writing again. I miss it!
I have a few half-written posts that I never got around to finishing! I really want to start writing again. I miss it!
Written by THIGHS around 1:16 PM 1 comments
I haven't gone to the gym in a week, drank and ate with abandon over the weekend, and somehow lost 3 pounds.
I really need to stop weighing myself. It's not healthy to be obsessed with the scale. The inconsistency definitely takes a toll on me mentally.
I will measure my success by how my clothes fit, how my stamina has increased, and my overall well-being.
I really did feel good going to the gym through August. No reason to let a stupid scale ruin it!
Written by THIGHS around 7:48 PM 0 comments
I'm smiling because I'm so happy I decided to write. Of course the reason I came on here isn't a reason to smile, although I have to admit it is pretty ridiculous.
Written by THIGHS around 9:00 PM 0 comments
I painted this monstrosity. It looks like a vase of weird nipples.
Written by THIGHS around 4:31 PM 0 comments
Written by THIGHS around 1:03 PM 0 comments
This week was stressful because it's all out in the open that my London project is going to be late. Management meetings, emails, grumblings, finger pointing, the works. My stomach has been in knots.
Thankfully there were two very nice things today.
My boss Tank is super supportive and is doing what he can to help take the heat off me and hit our last ditch go/no-go date of mid-April. No matter what happens, I can honestly say I am so happy to have met him. He is an all around great guy.
Another all around great person is this woman, Kay. We've been on two big projects together and she has always done an amazing job. We were never especially close, but very cordial. The past few weeks we bonded over turning 40. Then sadly, her father passed away, so I'd check in with her to make sure she was okay. Her family is in India, so I felt bad she was in mourning so far away.
Today she came by my desk and handed me a card. She said it was for my birthday, but she kept forgetting to give it to me.
She walked away as I opened it. There was a nice message and a TD Bank gift card inside! It didn't have an amount on it, but still, wow!! It was such a thoughtful and completely unexpected gesture that I was a bit in shock. I went running over to her desk and thanked her profusely.
A little while later I wrote her an email saying how much it meant to me after a hard week and how kind she was for doing this. She wrote:
"You are welcome. You deserve to be treated special!"
Whaaa?? Me?? SO SWEET!
I felt weird immediately looking up the gift card amount, so I waited another hour or so. I was still so surprised by it!! I figured maybe it was a few dollars for coffee or something...BUT IT WAS $50!! What the hell? I can't believe it!
This week really sucked because I feel like a complete an utter failure. Then Kay just came out of left field and made me feel like I matter, that I'm actually a nice person, not some awful dragon lady fuckup that people hate working with.
Kay gave me so much more than $50. She made me feel appreciated, liked, and worthy.
That is priceless.
Thank you so much, Kay. It was the perfect gift at the perfect time.
Written by THIGHS around 9:08 PM 0 comments
I'm starting to look for a new job again. It's painful because I tried really hard at Harpoon, but it's not working out.
It's also not as easy to look for a job this time around. I don't know if it's because I'm older, have much higher salary requirements, or am medicated. Maybe it's all three. I still get those intense impulses to quit without a job, but now I have a little more self-control. I definitely want to leave as soon as possible, however I have to be patient. It'll take more time than it did in my 20s and 30s.
Nothing essentially bad happened. It's the same as it's always been with me and my jobs - I have high expectations, they are not met, I become so stressed out that I get sick, and I leave. I've been in therapy since 2005 and I still can't figure out how to detach from work, how to say "it's just a job". Work has and probably always will be the trigger to all of my issues because it's the one area of my life I can't control.
Now I don't mean I control MD or my friends or anything. By "control" I mean I actively created those relationships and worlds. I chose my inner circle and thankfully, they chose me too. At work I can't choose anything.
The funny thing is on paper I SHOULD stay. Here are the pros of my current position:
1. I really like what I do. I've always loved problem solving and helping others. I also love the creativity of coming up with new processes and applications.
2. My boss Tank is the nicest guy in the world and has been very supportive.
3. I am paid well and have excellent benefits.
4. I've been sent to Paris and London numerous times for my projects.
5. I can work from home whenever I need.
6. I basically come and go as I please.
7. Every business person I've served to date is pleasant and appreciative. That's huge when you're in IT.
8. I've come a looooong way with managing my emotions and not lashing out, although I really do want to tell people to fuck off.
9. I learned a ton about business analysis, systems, and project management.
10. Lastly I've made good friends, but this doesn't really lead to me staying at a job because I know I will always keep in touch with the ones who matter.
The cons:
1. My job relies on development. I design a system, DEV has to complete it. This is the problem at Harpoon - our DEV department is highly lacking efficient talent.
2. Because DEV doesn't deliver, I have to repeatedly apologize to the business for delays. That's the hard part of being a business analyst - I have to woman up and accept responsibility if my project isn't going well.
3. My London project isn't going well. We aren't going to hit our deadline. I really tried to get ahead of the DEV issues, but I failed.
4. I do not want to fail, but senior management sets us up to fail. They set unrealistic timelines despite knowing the resource issues.
5. I had success with two projects and never once received the "standard" completion bonus that others received.
6. As glamorous as traveling the world sounds, I'm tired. I don't want to make any plans. I just want to veg out all the time. I miss doing stuff.
7. There is sexism in the department, but that's everywhere. Frankly most men don't know what to do with a strong and assertive female co-worker. Yes I'm emotional, but fuck you.
So that's it. It's time to go again, but now I'm stuck trying to figure out what to do.
Ideally I win the lottery and go to art school and grad school full-time and finally become an art therapist.
WOW. I typed that last sentence REALLY fast. I didn't even know I wanted to still do art therapy. WOW. I'm really surprised right now.
Holy shit, that's AWESOME!
Okay, okay. Shit, wow. I don't need to win the lottery to do this. I just need to be financially set.
Alright, what do I need to do?
1. I need savings. Portugal wasn't that expensive, but Hawaii will be. Also we owed a lot on our taxes this year. Step one - save money.
2. I can't sign up for classes if I have to travel this often. Step two - find a job with no travel requirements.
3. MAKE ART EVERYDAY. Even if I'm not in school I need to open myself up creatively.
4. Research programs.
5. Fucking smile because this is awesome. YAAAAAAY!!!
Written by THIGHS around 10:24 AM 0 comments
In 49 days I will be 40 years old. FORTY! That's insane!!
I won't believe it! I can't believe it!*
A couple of months ago I was getting my haircut. I mentioned to the stylist that I was going to be 40 and she didn't flinch! I'm used to the, "No you're not!" or "Get outta town!" the latter of which, no one has actually said to me ever, but I like the sound of.
That was the first time turning 40 weirded me out. I've never been one to care about my age, probably because I've never been this old before.
I couldn't figure out what was bothering me. Am I not the person I want to be at 40? I don't know...did I want to be anyone else by now?
I did a little digging into past Thighs. Per my blog, there were only two things I wanted to do before 40:
1. Pay off my credit card debt. TASK COMPLETE!
2. Have a kid. TASK DELETED.
When I was around 36 I was very much on the baby train. I even considered asking MD to impregnate me and I would be a single mother. Since then I've clearly changed my mind and I'm glad. I absolutely love babies. I love toddlers. I love all kids until the age of 13 and then I really don't know what to say to them because in a weird way I revert back to 13 around them and worry they'll think I'm a dork. An old dork.
Anyway, not having a kid was the best decision I've ever made. I have too many mental health issues and too many activities. Sleeping is my new favorite hobby and a kid would get in the way of it.
And here's my AHA moment.
My problem with 40 is not that I didn't have a kid...it's that I AM NOT A KID.
At 40 I am 100% not a kid anymore. I am an adult. Sure some people would say I was an adult at 35 or 30. Not my 20s because well, read this blog from the beginning.
But at 40?? No denying it now. I'm an adult. BLECH.
On the plus side, you know what's cool about being an adult with no debt and no children?
I'm going to Portugal for my 40th! I'm visiting my college roommate Blancs for a week. Yay!
And then MD turns 40 in June, so we're going to Hawaii for two weeks in September for a double 40th celebration!
WOO HOO!!
I'm sure I'll have a few more "YIKES!" moments over the next seven weeks, but it'll be fine.
The happy truth is my life gets better and better with every decade.
So come on 40. Let's do this.
*That was a Roger Rabbit quote.
Written by THIGHS around 8:57 PM 0 comments
I have to remind myself that I am not ALL one thing, ALL the time. I am anger, I am happiness, I am sadness, I am light, I am dark, I am everything. We all are.
Written by THIGHS around 12:43 PM 0 comments
Part of the bad stuff from 2017 is my new opinion of the world.
Written by THIGHS around 10:38 PM 0 comments
Happy New Year! 2017 was great on a personal, inner circle level. The rundown:
1. Our first year of marriage was...I don't know what word I want, but I have a HUGE smile on my face. Things were the same for the most part, although I do love saying "husband". There's definitely a new bond between us. Maybe it's the...
OMG. So while I'm smiling and happily thinking of MD, he wakes up and I want to kill him. We've had a fly problem the past two months and couldn't figure out where they were coming from. This morning I realized the super installed a new ceiling light in our bathroom right around the same time. I used the fly swatter to feel around it and found a gap. I'm 100% sure that's where they are coming from. MD was like, "No, I don't think so." and walked away. YES YOU SHOULD THINK SO. Then he changed his mind and agreed with me, so we're fine and I love him again. This is the perfect glimpse into our marriage. I love him and I want to strangle him.
2. My parents moved back to Brooklyn in 2015 (not sure if I wrote about it since then). I am really enjoying this new chapter in our relationship! I see them at least once a month, usually meeting in the city for dinner or a fun activity. For Christmas I bought them tickets to their first basketball and hockey games. They never really went out in Jackson, so I'm excited they are broadening their horizons and interests.
3. My absolute favorite moment of 2017 was St. Patty's Day with my dad. Last summer his best friend Philly passed away. He got sick pretty quickly and died in July. His funeral was on my dad's birthday. It was so upsetting. I think they were 13 when they met. They were both so excited to see each other more often once my parents moved back to NY.
The only day they did see each other for the past 30 years was St. Patty's Day. My heart broke thinking how upset my dad would be his first year without Philly. I thought we should do something really special for him, so we secretly planned to fly Rippie out and surprise him.
We killed it!! My parents were already at Smith's. I walked in and Rippie waited outside for about 10 minutes. My dad had his back to the door, so Rip walked in behind him and tapped him on the shoulder. I will never forget the way my dad looked at him, turned away, and looked back again and screamed. We all cried. It was perfect and we all had such a great day together.
4. Another great moment - Rippie and Veev just got engaged! I was in Pittsburgh when they called and I sobbed with happiness at a Panera Bread. Honestly the tears really surprised me. This was a deep soul cry. I was overcome with joy and now that I'm thinking about it, pride. I'm so proud of Rippie for opening himself up to love, nurturing that love, and now uniting with his love.
I am a fucking sap in my old age.
5. Travels! As I wrote in my last drunken post, I travelled a lot for work this year. It's exhausting and stressful (more on this later), but it is also cool as hell. Another favorite moment of the year is meeting MD in London. It was ridiculously expensive for him to take the same flight as me, so he flew in the night before. It was so fun to get to the hotel and have him there waiting for me. We're fancy!
6. Food! So much good food! For our anniversary we splurged and went to DelFrisco's. It was an amazingly expensive and delicious meal.
7. Entertainment! I read 96 books this year. No one thinks graphic novels should count though, so as far as prose books go I read 45. That's a lot!! I also went to 22 plays, 24 movies, and two Mets games.
8. Money! I have a healthy savings, no debt, and my 401K is in good shape again. MD has some debt we're paying off together and we should be completely debt free by the end of the year. Woo hoo!
9. Health! I'm doing well! I had a handful of manic episodes, a few sinus infections, and a couple of back spasms, but it wasn't that bad! And this is coming from a negative and dramatic hypochondriac, so you know it's true!
I guess that's the year in a nutshell! I'm just really enjoying my time home. I didn't even go out last night for New Year's Eve. I did a puzzle all day, wrote in my journal, watched football, and stuffed myself silly with Indian food. MD slept through the ball drop. It was perfect.
Now there's a whole other not-so-perfect parts of 2017 to write about, but I don't think I have it in me right now. To be continued!
Written by THIGHS around 1:02 PM 0 comments
Hello old friend! This is addressed to you, my blog, and to my inebriation. Hello Thighsighs and Drunken Thighs McGee! It's been a while!
I had a delicious dinner at an Astoria steakhouse called Christos. This was probably my fifth time there and it never disappoints. Neither does the company - Pirate 1 and Pirate 2 (P1 and P2) are wonderful steakmates, Crazy Ass mates, and good mates in general.
So where have I been for 2017? Actually mostly New York, but a good portion was in Europe. I've been traveling to London and Paris for work almost every month this year. What's that like, you ask?
First, IT'S AMAZING. Honest to gawd, I can't believe it when I say, "I'm working in London and/or Paris for this week." Whenever I tell someone I go to either city I smile to myself in disbelief.
Second, I'm travel beat. I barely took any trips for myself this year because I'm so tired traveling for work. The only personal trips I took were within driving distance - Pittsburgh in January, visited Rolo in New Hampshire in May, spent a week in Seaside Heights with my parents, then took a staycation (!!) the week of Thanksgiving. My last week of vacation starts tomorrow at 5pm. MD and I are heading back to Pittsburgh for Christmas, then Rippie and his girlfriend Veev are spending a few days with us in NY. I miss jet-setting for myself!
Last, I'm work beat. The Europe projects aren't going well and I continuously have new projects added. There is zero support from upper management, so basically it's a stressful shitshow on a daily basis. That said, I am mature and self-aware enough to realize that I am in control of my own stress and have yet to master managing it. It is not a toxic environment like Minnow, it's not a mindfuck like Company. It's just that once again a job does not live up to my high expectations. See, I've grown!
I'm so happy I'm writing. I've been thinking about this for a while. It's funny I decided to post while I'm drunk considering this is an occasional thing nowadays. I "quit" drinking back in 2014, but this year I've slowly started drinking again. Well, not that slow - after the election results in November I took up drinking sort of hard through January, then it's only like once a month. Not like I used to drink of course, but enough to get a buzz and occasionally drunk like tonight. It only takes me about three drinks to feel it now, so I'm not that concerned. I was concerned about drinking over the state of the world. Today I drank because I just felt like it. That's a better reason. Wine and sangria only. It's the Raisinet mindset; it's healthy because it's made with fruit!
I don't think I have much more to say. The reason my blog has been on my mind is I'd like to write about approaching 40. ACK ACK ACK! Holy dirty fucks! 40!
So hopefully you'll hear from me again soon.
Oh and in case you're wondering, I had one of the top 10 pees of my life before I wrote this.
TTFN!
Written by THIGHS around 10:23 PM 0 comments
am·bi·tion
amˈbiSH(ə)n/
noun
Written by THIGHS around 11:43 AM 0 comments
I know, I know. It's not over!! Gah!
I'm very sad about Carrie Fisher passing. I love her!! And I think I'm even sadder because I realize now I love her more than I thought I did. I guess that's how death works. Or is that how life works?
I am curious about 2016 being the "year of celebrity death". Is it possible we are just reaching the age when the stars we love pass? I'm not sure and really, it doesn't help anyone feel better, but I looked at the numbers.
I used Wikipedia to find famous American or British deaths (I'm not very familiar with other countries' celebrities or notable people) of 2005, 2014, and 2016. If I heard of the name, I marked them as "known." My findings are that 2016 was a bad year to be a musician and that I only knew 6 more notable people who passed this year vs. 2014.
Take it for what you will.
Written by THIGHS around 2:56 PM 0 comments
It's dead in my office. DEAD. There's plenty I could be doing, but I'm not doing any of it. I don't know why I have a successful career. I am the worst procrastinator. I am horrible at hitting deadlines, so I make sure I don't have any deadlines. It's sort of ridiculous. I'm sloooooowly cleaning out my inbox. There's 300 emails in there, which is a lot for me. I typically use my inbox as my to do list, so I rarely have more than 50. I am email OCD, but since the wedding I've let it get (relatively) out of hand.
We're off to Pittsburgh Thursday night! I'm excited to see my in-laws. I wish they were local. I'm sort of burnt out from plans and travels, so it would be great if we didn't have to drive so far. Luckily we don't have to go further! Last trip we drove halfway and stayed at a hotel. I like breaking it up a bit. Then we're not exhausted the day we get there. It's really only a six hour drive, but since I can't eat fast food and I pee a lot, it ends up being about a nine hour trip. Oops.
I was going to make this my year end review post, but I think I'll wait. This is my "I'm bored at work and there's no one to IM and even though the internet has LITERALLY millions of things to read I don't feel like reading anything especially because a lot of it will be about Trump and he and his supporters can go fuck themselves so instead I will write about nothing and will challenge myself to make this the longest sentence I have ever written but now that I just wrote that I am bored by the challenge and shall stop" post.
I'm rarely bored. I always find something to keep me occupied. Not today though, apparently.
This is going to be a very long day.
Written by THIGHS around 11:30 AM 0 comments