Not Too Bad

Well, I'm not as sore as I thought I would be today. That's got to be a good sign right? I can't wait for this weekend when I can do it all again!

We've learned that LL Bean is having a festival nearby and Ocean Kayak will be there. I'm hoping they have a Prowler that I can try. Don't get me wrong, I like my Sunshiney Hobie, but it's nice to try other things.

Back to the detention of work. One of the things about my job that I like is that management pretty much leaves me alone. I know what I have to do every day, and they leave me to it. Now, if only everyone else would too.

Next purchase: GPS!

Give me Ibuprofen or Give me Death!

I'll be saying that more tomorrow, I think!

Today, my dad joined us in his brand new Wilderness Pungo, and we were out for about 3 hours (or 9 miles, give or take). This time we went up Back Creek and around to Ego Alley and Spa Creek. Except for when we were in the mouth of the Severn River that opens onto the Bay, it was a nice leisurely pace all day.

I did get hit with a blinding migraine towards the end of our tour, so I'm going to have a nice restful evening and make it to bed early. You never really appreciate the joys of a really hot shower until your shoulders start screaming at you!

Sunshiney Kayaking!

My friend and I paddled our Hobies (he's got the same kayak I have, only his is grey) all over Back Creek (Annapolis) today. We were out for about 2 hours, which is roughly 6 miles by the average kayak touring speed.

It was very calm and still as we got closer inland. (Back Creek is more like a small river than a creek.) We saw a huge swan and even a boat that used to sail in the Wednesday Races with me! The mouth of Back Creek opens where the Severn River joins the Bay, and it was pretty wavy. You can see the Bay Bridge from there, that was neat!

And instead of resting on Monday like I said I would, I'm going to do it all again! (Even as sore as I am right now!)

I Did It!!

I went out and bought my kayak! It's a Hobie Lanai, in yellow, and it was on sale! For the price I could have paid for the Ocean Kayak I was looking at, I got everything I needed. The kayak, the seat, the paddle, the PFD, everything!

While my friend was at work, my father and I did meet up with his wife. They took the Odessy (that's a Hobie tandem) out, and took a drink, and then took it out again. All while I was floating around in a sunshiney kayak of my very own!

I'm going back out with my friend tomorrow, good thing I'm off work on Monday so I can rest up! =D

We Like Holidays

Today, I get to go home at 1230. That's right, 700 to 1230 is all I have to work, and I'll get holiday time for the rest of my normal work day. This is something that my office does right, you see. The day before a paid holiday (granted you are full time), the office is only open for 5 hours. Three cheers for paid holidays!

I'm going to go home and take a nap! And watch the shows I recorded on Wednesday. And maybe play a little EverQuest. Oh, the possibilities.

Thought I Found a Gem

While searching for things to use in an EverQuest signature, I came across something called Dragon Factory by 3DMenagerie. It's a 3D Dragon design application that works with Poser by Curious Labs. I use Poser, I like Dragons, this seemed like the greatest discovery. So I searched and searched for a website where I can purchase these dragons waiting to be created.

I found the website, I read through everything that it included, I got excited, thinking I didn't care how much it cost, I had to have it! I kept scrolling down the page until I found:

Dragon Factory is no longer available.

NOOOO!!!

Now, I don't support piracy, but I do if it's something that you cannot otherwise find. But they don't call me the Queen of Dig around the office for nothing. If it's out there to be found, I will find it. I'll let you know =)

In the meantime, I think I might settle for a different kayak than the one I've been looking at. There was a store that will stop selling kayaks, so they want to get rid of on hand inventory. It's a Hobie Lanai, and my parents and I think it was on sale for less than $600. It doesn't have the dry stow space I'm looking for and it's yellow (not my favorite color) but it has the benefit of instant gratification! I fork over a few hundred bucks and I get to put the kayak in the water right away.

I think I'm resigned, if it's still there and still on sale, I'll get it this weekend. I can easily hand it over to my mother when I'm ready to buy the one I want (maybe when the manufacturer is not so backed-up!).

I Love Wednesdays

Almost as much as Fridays, at least during the summer months. That's because today is sailing day! As long as the rain stays away (and maybe if the temperature comes up a bit), it should be a very nice evening!

What happened to the middle of this blog?? I'll tell you! I posted something that felt good to release, and then decided that it didn't need to stay. So, out it comes!

Here's hoping for a great sail! (oh, and by the way, my friend liked my choice of kayak, it might take a month or so to get it, but I think I'm sold!)

The Reason

I'm actually going to get to the reason today! I need to let this go (time is helping, yes, but it's gotta come out!). It's actually become sort of a running gag between the few people I've told about it.

Ok, a brief recap. Remember how I work with another department and was told to take my research over theirs. Remember how I was told to send all problems to my supervisor. And remember when I said that two new hires were complaining about two of my coworkers and I. This is from one of those complainers.

I was sent an address update that included a suite number, and I called to confirm it. The person I spoke to said the suite number was not necessary. I noticed that the rep's (we'll just call the individual Jeri) original notes did not have a suite number. I updated the address sans suite number, in accordance with what I was told to do. Jeri insisted that the person they spoke to said it needed the suite number. I told Jeri my information said it didn't. Jeri repeated that it did. I forwarded the conversation to my supervisor and the response I got was, "I think you are being too sensitive. Please do not go back and forth with email messages with PI reps. If there is a problem, please send it to me and I will address it with the individual's supervisor."

Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't the very act of forwarding the e-mail to my supervisor me sending a problem to her? What good does it do if she's just going to tell me I'm too sensitive when there really was a problem? Did she speak to Jeri's supervisor? No. So why even send things to her if I'm going to be told them arguing with me is not a problem?

This is one of several similar situations as to why I have no confidence in my supervisor, why I'm not really happy in this office, why I don't like most of my co-workers, and why I refused the Senior Rep position they tried to offer me (they don't really believe that I can do it, you see, but that's really another story).

Bugs Bugs Bugs

I was going to start by saying "this is what really bugs me about work." Well, that's not exactly true, because a lot of things bug me about work. So who wants to know what bugged me today? (You're right, it seems like my original story has been given a back seat.)

When you have to drive 50 miles along some of the most congested roads in the country, rain is your enemy. It took at least ten minutes to travel a mere 3/4 of a mile. All because of the rain. No accidents, no disabled vehicles, just rain. Lots and lots of it. Of course, it didn't start until I was actually leaving the building. How's that for timing?

It proves to be rainy again tomorrow too. I hope it stays away, at least while I'm on the road. Happy commuting!

An End to my Weekend

I finally got to look at that kayak today! The guy at the surf-shop said he normally doesn't stock the color that I want, but he'll let me know if they can get it in and when. Now, if my friend and kayak expert is back from New York (I think it should be this evening), I will be able to ask him about it. I've been looking at a Prowler 13 by Ocean Kayak, if you want to know. I think it's exactly what I want, as long as it handles well for a beginner, that is.

As you can tell, I've had a bit of a lazy weekend. Which is nice! I've been needing one of those. Actually, it was still pretty busy. My mother and I got lost trying to follow some bad directions to a place that we didn't know the name to see a friend play the violin. We didn't make it. Bad directions.

Three cheers for not-so-hectic weekends! I don't want to go to work tomorrow....