Just a Lot of Things

[AggieGuy]

I usually don't make these kinds of posts, but I'm sure some have noticed that I have been a little on edge lately.  I've tried not to let the garbage in my life spill over online, but I guess I haven't been doing a good job of it.

Work has been a nightmare as of late.  I have a boss who spends most of the day looking for any and every mistake I've ever made, and then berating me for it.  Not a day goes by where I do not get an e-mail that ends with "consider this a warning."  I spend more time answering e-mails, IMs, and phone calls with explanations to pointless and useless questions, which she sends me for no other reason than just because.  All of the info she could look up in less time than it takes to call me or type an e-mail.  It's gotten to the point where it is starting to affect my health.  I don't sleep much anymore, always have a headache (from grinding/clinching my teeth when I do sleep), and have to constantly fight the urge to snap at people.

I want to take some time off, but they have refused to let me take more than 1 day at a time.  I had to beg just to take off the Friday and Monday to go to Dayton in May, and promise not take off another day until at least September.  The excuse is that no one else is qualified to do my job (very true), but they will not let me train someone so they can cover the basic aspects of it.  The more complex stuff could wait until I got back.

But, that is far from the worst of it.  On the 15th I saw a missed call on my cell from my dad.  He never calls my cell unless he is returning my call, and never that early in the morning unless it is an emergency.  I knew this would not be good.  To make a long story short, his wife had been battling incurable cancer for about 7 years.  (And for those who wonder, I don't call her my step-mother because my parents got divorced and remarried when I was in my mid-20s.  I just never considered who they married later to be step-parents.)  She had been in the hospital for a couple of weeks with pneumonia, but that was not an uncommon occurrence.  She was getting better, but something happened on the 14th (don't know exactly what, dad hasn't said) that pretty much meant they had two choices, keep her alive with machines, or let nature take its course.  They had decided long ago that the latter would be the choice when the time came.  She died early on the 16th and the funeral was Wednesday.

Because of this, dad has asked me to come to Austin as many weekends as I can to help him clean out the house and separate all of the stuff that needs to be given to her three daughters or otherwise disposed of.  (If he decides to sell the house, it will be even more time I will have to spend there.)  I am the only son and the only sibling in this area who can go so I have no choice but to do it.  So now I won't even have any real time for myself to try and relax.  I've already had to scrap plans for my yearly weekend in Dallas to do photography.  Obviously, dad is family and I will always put that first, but I just don't know how much strength I have left.

With all of this, right now I am just very on edge and it doesn't take much to irritate me, such as people being rude on Twitter.  I just need some time to relax without having to worry about everything, and I just don't see that coming for several more months at least.

So, for those of you who pray, please remember me right now.

[Kevin R.I.]

I`m sure you already know this but you really need a new job...ASAP....before something happens at your present job that we`ll be seeing on CNN.

[MaryNorth93]

I'm really sorry to read that. I hope everything will work out for you.

[Traveling Spaceman]

Sorry buddy. It reminds me a lot of where I was emotionally a year ago, when my Mom was dying and there was no family here to help me, and of course I had to work full time as well. When all that stuff is going on, everything else seems worse, too.

Will be praying for you.

[urbanracer34]

Sorry to hear about all of this Eric.  I will be praying for you.

[Emer Dreamer]

 You'r  in  my  thoughts  too , Eric. 

[Jim M.]

I must agree with Kevin.  Get another job or another career.  Life is too short to tolerate bosses like you have.
Can you/would you drive a truck?  A nationwide shortage of drivers NOW means no competition for jobs as long as you have a clean CDL and can pass a physical and drug test.  Plus, you might get to see CW in a few places.
Let me know if I can help.

[oregongirl29]

You're in my thoughts, I hope things get better for you.

[AggieGuy]

Thank you, everyone.

I am always looking for another job.  My former boss (I now have the job she did before she left to work for Texas A&M) is trying to help me get an interview for a job at the department where she works.  The problem is, the way the job description is currently written, I do not qualify.  As she put it though, "you could do the job in your sleep."  Because of A&M's hiring guidelines, I could not even apply.  The system would kick me out during the application process if I answer the questions honestly, which I would do.  Lying on an application is just pointless.  She said if it doesn't get filled when the posting closes, she'll try to get it rewritten so I can apply, but it might be a while.

[Lily Anna]

Don't worry, everything will work out fine with your job. When I was in preschool (to make a long story short) I applied to several private schools and was denied by the school my mother attended as a kid. She was devastated and resorted to begging them, because she was convinced that it was the school for me. But it was not to be. I ended up going to a different (better) elementary school and now am happily attending the same school I was denied at 10 years ago. So even though you may not be able to get this job right now, there will be other job offers, and who knows? You may end up getting the job you want.

[Hubert]

Eric, with your talents you need to find something.  This situation has been going on way too long.  It reminds me of a job I had in the late 90's that I tolerated for two miserable years and then took another job with less pay and benefits. I'm still at that job.  Would you consider moving to Houston which is larger and has more opportunities?  Jim's suggestion sounds interesting but not everyone is cut out for life on the road.  I hope something breaks soon.