Gratuitous Dog Post

I've been at the new job for more than a month and still can't believe this is my life. I have sipped champagne on the wrap-around patio at our office TWICE since I started, and holy moly. Is this real life? I have to say things are going swimmingly.

Speaking of swimming... I bought a baby pool for our greyhound baby today. I have decided the vinyl bottom might be too delicate for his mighty talons, so I'm going to return it in favor of something more hardy. I am excited for our first dip. (Possibly relevant side note: I don't know if Luke especially enjoys water--bath time is never a fun experience for anyone...)

Anywhoodle... why is it almost July? Can anyone tell me why the winter seems to go by at the pace of a mildly injured snail, while the summer is moving at the rate of a wild mustang on speed? This is highly unfair and I would really like to file a complaint with the appropriate person.

Oh, hey. Speaking of complaining! Let me vent for one hot second. My old job was extremely late with filing my resignation paperwork and because of their incompetence, I was overpaid on my final paycheck. Do you know what this means? First, let me tell you what this doesn't mean. This doesn't mean I can go on an Etsy bender... or McScrooge my way through a pool of gold coins. No. This means I have to write a check to my former employer in excess of $1,100. Can I tell you how painful that is? I don't care if the money was never mine in the first place. I am extremely annoyed by the whole situation.

Finally, I leave you with some recent photos of the soon-to-be Olympian swimming champion. I submitted these photos and others to our local greyhound rescue (Going Home Greyhounds) to be included in their 2012 calendar. I hope Luke makes it in at least once! Cross your paws.

Hearts.


Have you ever seen such bliss?


And so the impromptu rhododendron photo shoot begins...




His collar has tiny cassette tapes on it.
He's so analog.


Okay. So this isn't exactly "recent"... but LOOK AT THAT TOOTH!

Decompressing

Friday was my last day at my job. During my week off before I start my new job, I am supposed to "decompress."

So far, my week consists of rearranging furniture, cleaning out closets and junk drawers, sewing buttons on clothing that has been awaiting mending for almost a year, helping the husband with yard work, working on freelance writing, and driving all over the region in search of some antique furniture that won't break the bank. Does that sound like "decompressing" to anyone? Yeah, I didn't think so.

I'm not a total failure, however. I did get an intense massage on Saturday. (It left me feeling like someone beat me up, but I felt quite good the next day.) I also celebrated my sister's 22nd birthday with a visit to Red Fin Blues, where the entire family ordered the "all you can eat" crab legs. Mmmmmmmm.

Tonight, Andrew and I are beginning our hunt for a love seat. Something nice, but not too nice. After all, as Andrew put it yesterday, we are basically buying it for a dog to lay on all day. (Luke thinks every surface in our house is "his bed." It's cute, except for when he's kicking you in the ribs at 3 a.m. (Okay, even then, it's still a little cute.)


I mean, just look at him.

Goats! Woo!

I am struggling with the green-eyed monster today. Michelle Woo just moved to some magical land where they bring goats to feast on the land surrounding her home. How nice is that? Seriously. Just having goats walking around, eating your grass.

Honey, we are so getting goats... (I know he won't object. We had the goat conversation before marriage. All savvy couples do.)


Photo by Michelle Woo

Thanks for stopping by...

...but I am actually at Erin's place today. Come see me!

New Job, Same Blog

I have some good news to report. After starting to look for a new job last summer, I finally found a great opportunity with an institution that is excited to have me on their team.

After five years, I am leaving my first "big girl" job next Friday. Most of my coworkers are genuinely happy for me to take this next step in my career, but there are a few sour grapes around the office, unfortunately.

My new position is relatively similar to what I do now--public relations for a higher education institution in Pittsburgh. However, this new opportunity will offer me a chance to learn the ropes of event planning and some advertising. As someone who enjoyed fawning over which napkin color to use at my wedding, I think event planning will suit me well. I am most excited about the fact that I will also be the managing editor of the university's alumni magazine. My area of concentration in journalism school was magazine journalism--so I'm thrilled to get back to that interest.

While there are a few butterflies about making this transition, I am happy to join a team that seems to recognize potential that has gone untapped at my current job (through no fault of my own...)

Oh, and did I mention that my office will be in an old mansion? Do you think they will let me ride in the dumbwaiter?

One last thing, (thanks to my new job) I've decided to stay put on Cusp of Normal. If bullies want to keep reading, be my guest. Oh, and maybe try some sugar on those sour grapes, eh? :P