TGIF!

TGIF!

Today will be a nice Friday. Not a single meeting on the schedule and I have a hot stone massage scheduled for 6pm. Ahhh!

Here at work we have the option of doing offsite assignments in DC. These are usually available through our product line managers for specific clients. These offsite assignments are either coveted by about 25% of the staff as huge career advancing opportunities, or shunned by the other 75% as “why the hell would I pack up my family and move to DC for 2 years?” My opinion of them, at this point in my life, is the later.

Yesterday one of my coworkers came to talk to me on a mission. She wants to do an offsite assignment; however, the PLM has told her that it is a real stretch for her. The client who is currently looking for staff members has a list of people they are interested in and unfortunately her name wasn’t on that list. That’s not to say that she doesn’t have a chance necessarily, just that it will be an uphill battle for her. The PLM showed her the list of names and so her goal yesterday was to pay a visit to each person and find out if they are interested in an offsite assignment, in other words, she doesn’t want to waste her time applying if one of the list people was actually interested. So here she came to my office… “NM are you interested in one of the offsite assignments?” she says.

“No way in hell,” was my response.

“Good,” CW tells me. I was curious why she was asking me this and she explained that my name was on the list that the PLM showed her. Granted it was near the bottom, but on the list nonetheless.

I was surprised by this and mildly pleased that I made the list. But once again, absolutely no interest at this point in my life of packing up the family, renting our house and living and working in DC for 2 years. AB agrees, but doesn’t want me to discount it as a possibility for the future. (The thought of my Alaska flannel wearing husband living in metropolitan DC strikes me as a quick route to unhappiness, but the fact that he would not discount it immediately warms my heart for him.) I never discount anything like that, but the likelihood is not good that I will opt for that. Still nice feather in the cap to have made the list!

In this visit with CW, I was also saddened to find out (from the rumor mill) that my Co-PI on my funded proposal did not make his promotion from 3 to 4. It was indicated to him that because the original proposal idea was originated by Dr. Nuclear Mom that this did not fulfill the requirement to “originate, propose and get funded” a project on the task list to be promoted to a 4. He will however, be reconsidered after successfully co-managing this project for the coming year.

I am saddened by this because I gave up the lead and settled for 2^nd in command because it still “ensured” (if anything is ever ensured here) my promotion by meeting (or exceeding) the criteria for my promotion and we hoped would ensure his promotion. Like I said, nothing is guaranteed. The silver lining for me is that I am now assured that somewhere in the annals of proposals and who did what, my name is listed as the originating PI and NOT some “other people” I work with who would like to claim it as theirs.

This weekend will be a nice change for us. It is the first of the month, so AB won’t be working. He also does not have exams, homework or papers to write. The plan is to finally head to a tree farm and look for a tree to place in our front yard in the spot that used to be occupied by our cedar. That means AB gets to dig a hole… apparently a joy for any guy whose childhood dream was to be a lumberjack. He also gets to mow the lawn… not a childhood dream for my lumberjack. Mowing the lawn in November… go figure. To my Alaskan this is just plain wrong.

I am starting to look forward to my trip with V to Seattle to shop for a day. It will be whirlwind to say the least. We are planning and mapping out the required locales as well as being giddy at the thought of lunching at a fabulous “I would never take a child here” spot. Christmas shopping is the goal… but we didn’t say who for. ;-)

Two weeks until I have a full week off for Thanksgiving. I am making my goal list for that week and it is frighteningly extensive and so far not including prepare Thanksgiving dinner.

Oh, funny Leif story… Last night while we were getting Leif ready for bed he found a tube of Desitin. He flipped the lid open, put a little on his finger, then reached back and wiped it on the butt of his sleeper. I ran for the video camera… perfect ammunition for teenage years. Too late… by the time I returned he had discovered that maybe Desitin was good to eat. Ick.

AB won the chili cook-off contest at work for “hottest chili”, not surprising. His green chili sends many rushing for relief and he prides himself in knowing that it burns on the way out too. (TMI?) Apparently this was not necessarily a victory to be celebrated because as he put it, there was no competition. His coworkers had no idea that chili should, in theory, have a little spice to it. However, his win secured him with a $10 giftcard for Quiznos, which he is using today to buy me lunch. And speaking of lunch, it is that time.

Have a super weekend!