Work, life, and stuff

Ok, so had an issue come up at work. Seems to have blown over now which makes me feel a ton better but when it happened it was dealt with by the manager very poorly.

Being bi polar I get distracted very easily, especially when I’m tired need to focus but can’t. So at work I was sitting next to a lady who was nice but very fidgety. She’d be eating, or doing her nails, or generally just anything but paying attention and it was exceptionally distracting to me. While I know most the stuff we are going over in the training class is not new to me (its generally getting us used to the 1040 and knowing what other forms are used for what and where their results go on the 1040) I still am learning a few new things as we go through them. But with someone as fidgety as Johnnie is I can’t sit near her. So I politely and privately let our instructor know that its due to my bi polar disorder that I can’t sit next to Johnnie and asked if I could be moved. She spoke to our manager and the manager called me out of class and said the only place I could move was to the empty seat behind Johnnie. Well I explained moving me to sit behind the distractions wasn’t going to help me concentrate either. She was adamant I explained its a disability issue and she seemed not to care. So at break I went off to see Jamie my friend who’s a union steward and talked to him. He phoned the manager they spoke, and I returned to class.

Well towards the end of the day Michelle returned and said she had to discuss with the class a very sensative issue and flat out said I just wanted to move. Change seats. Didn’t explain it was part of a learning or mood disability at all. So Johnnie starts to get uppity and rude, making snide comments about me saying yes move her etc etc. Taking it personally and well as I’ve learned in Missiouri just acting the typical bitchy black. I politely said to Johnnie that the comments weren’t needed and even said please. I was hoping she’d get super uppity and cause a scene and had started to but Oleta the young girl sitting beside her stopped her. I got to move because the other instructor offered. Now the two days after that were a bit tense but by friday things seemed to be relaxed again and people in class had asked me what it was about. I explained it was nothing against Johnnie other than the fact she fidgeted to much for my bipolar disorder and it was too distracting for me.

Now of course since one of the instructors has sat next to her she’s not eaten during class, or done her nails or anything of the sort.. Oh well. Just means she’s finally paying attention instead of goofing off. I honestly don’t think Johnnie will make it far in the job, but ehh part of working at the IRS is dealing with all walks of life. Thankfully once we go out on the floor (meaning do real work not just be in a training class) I get my own cubical (something totally new for me at the IRS as DT and ERS didn’t have cubicals but desks that were shared with the day shift), and its closed in and I’ll be able to sit down and just work. It’ll be super awesome nice. I’m still super excited about having this position at work. I’m in the new consolidated building and its AWESOME. Way better than the Bannister building I had been working in. Its HUGE, but then again we are moving 1000’s of employees to one building instead of spread out in three or so. The drive to work is much easier on the gas tank and time wise.

I’m in training until sometime in January.. 6 weeks of training then 3 weeks of OJI (on job instruction = doing live work with coaches to help out). So apparently it means I cant take any of the annual leave I’ve got accrued (something like 11 hours which is mad crazy for me as I usually burn it because I get sick). So far like four people have missed days for being sick and I’ve managed NOT to get sick, just seems its not my time of year for it.. although I’ve been slightly congested because of allergies it hasn’t turned into a full blown cold or flu. Thank god.

I’ve been trying to watch what I eat. I started with calorie counting but realized that it was too much for me right off the bat. So I went back to just watching portion control. I’ve learned about some freebie foods that while they do have calories are considered free because the calories they do have are less than the cost of the calories it takes to eat them. Celery, Pickles, mushrooms, cucumbers, lettuce. Its a bit tough to realize how much food I had been eating vs how much I should be eating. I never realized what an over eater I was.

Misty has been helping as well as she’s learning to eat better for herself as well, and since she got hired on at the IRS and we ended up in the same training class its been good. My feet have been acting up again, so my heals are killing me.

Wedding planning:

Set the date offically as September 19, 2008. Friday.
Got my books I wanted from amazon for wedding planning. Never realized HOW much there was to do, and its a bit overwhelming.
I guess I should sit down with Justin and really talk about it, as I’m supposed to help him feel included and there is actually a lot of stuff your Best Man and Maid of Honor do for you. I’m really going to depend on Pam a lot since I don’t have my mom around to help out as she’s in California.

I think the only thing I have set in stone for sure is where the reception will be. So I guess I should think about making this a not so formal event but still find a way to keep it romantic and elegant.

Its going to be an evening wedding and reception so I have to put the men in tuxes, but I never realized how much work it was going to be to coordinate them all when they are in different parts of the US. ARG. So I found out its ok to not have the same amount of men as women, which is good because I have Jaz, Pam, Cassandra, Michale, Emily, & now Carrie. Justin has Will as his Best Man and Jake his brother. I have to ask Justin if its ok to have Zachary and Christopher as part of the wedding. I don’t know where Brian will be but Brian can be an usher (just in case he doesn’t show up because of his military training).

I really need to talk to Justin about so much, then I got to talk to Will and let him know that While he’s best man it actually is a lot he has to do. I might put some of the best man duties on my step dad (such as getting the tux rentals back on time, making sure our officiant gets his pay.) Might have my dad and step mom take cash and check gifts from those who give them..

At least I know what to expect. I’ve got my cateror, which is awesome Brian’s uncle is going to do brisket and smoked meats for us, which rocks. I need to ask Jamie to get a hold of his friend who does photo’s and see about weddings and prices. I’ve learned a lot from just one book and know the questions I need to ask and stuff. I need to find musicians for the wedding (probably pay about 2 hours worth) and I was thinking about asking up at the University as college kids will be well practiced but not cost proffessional fees and I want a string quartet type thing. My goal is to keep it under $5000 meaning for my half, and talk to my dad and see what he can afford to pay as well. I never knew that parents where supposed to throw an engagement party.. which means my mom and dad might need to fly us out, and then Justin’s parents are allowedto throw one as well (but after my side does) How lame is all this wedding ettiquette. OH I found out that its supposed to be Justin’s parents who pay for the rehearsle dinner.. frack they won’t be able to do that so I’ll have to talk to them and see if they mind if I let my dad take care of it.

SO much freaking planning. I’ve got to keep in mind also that my entire family will have to be here for it, so the bridal shower will have to be like Wednesday night, the rehearsal dinner thursday and the wedding friday. But it does mean my bachelorette party can be the Sat before which will be much nicer on my friends. It does mean Cassandra will miss it as will Michale because I don’t think they’ll take an entire week away from work and home.

Justin and I have settled on what we are going to do for our honeymoon. Might ask my mom to pay for it as my wedding present, as she doesn’t feel she has to pay for ANY part of my wedding (she thinks it all belongs to my dad).

So invitations, musicians, locations… all swam through my sleep last night. I must say I am VERY glad that I have nearly 2 years to plan. This is going to be a HUGE stress on my bipolar…

The books keep saying this: “Remember to have fun.” So that’s what I’m going to focus on the most.