week one and done........er, is done

The week that was, well, was eventful to say the least. At least in my own myopic opinion.

The new job is kind of like a new car........but one they haven't worked all the production kinks out of just yet. It rattles some and the turn signals don't work and every time you turn on the wiper blades the horn blares, but otherwise it drives perfectly fine. Ideally, I would have learned from the woman who left the position, but she already started her new job. In her stead I was supposed to receive tutelage from another tenured employee, but that person's personal life kind of went off the rails, so I was left with a rather hodgepodge and altogether patchy training. Oftentimes I was left with no one at all. Thankfully, by and large, the job is one I had done before. Of course, it has been some time since that was the case. Suffice to say, there were very likely errors with paperwork and a lot of holes that need plugging.

I am hopeful it will be more clear next week and that I will have some training then. If not, I will be much more forceful with ensuring that that in fact happens. I really just want to do an effective job and 'own' the position and it is hard to do that when you don't know where to even start looking for answers. Still, it beats the heck out of wearing a headset and listening to patients talk about their bowel dysfunction and head colds all day. It almost feels like I am stealing money when I have actual honest to god down time during the day.

In more assuredly good news, the housing situation is now largely resolved. We picked the first place and we are good to go for the end of the month. The location is 'up and coming' meaning we get to be actively engaged in gentrification (maybe we will get the above doormat to celebrate). It is ironic that, when we looked up crime statistics on Portland Maps, we found out that where we live now is no better or worse. In all honesty, it is a really nice area with a lot of new restaurants, a Whole Foods just around the bend, and an easy ride pretty much anywhere else we want to be. Plus, the rent will be slightly less than half what we pay here so I can finally buy the two ply toilet paper I have had my eye on. Most amusing to me is that we will be moving from a building erected less than a year ago to one more than a century old and will likely have LESS issues with moisture and mold. Way to go new construction!

Speaking of the above, we did in fact get out of paying a penalty for leaving early, which would have been north of $3K, because of the moisture issues. So, despite our troubles, we actually didn't pay that much for the 6 months we will have resided here. Because of the sign on bonuses and what have you, we only will have paid for 3 of the 6 months (although a pretty penny for the 3 we paid for). I have to say that I could not in good conscience recommend moving to this apartment building, but the management and staff have been nothing less than superb. It is a shame that the product they represent isn't a better one.

Now on to the grim task of packing, ridding, and packing some more. It is a seemingly endless task and I am constantly mystified at how we are able to continue to rid out of boxes we had previously assured ourselves were down to their most vital components the last time we moved. Of course, not having needed to get into them over the last half year is clue enough that they are not all that vital.

Wish us luck. Hopefully we will be done moving for a bit.............but I wouldn't count on it.