Something makes me think I've used that title before...
So far this week has been pretty amazing, although with each passing day my eagerness to do my job drops significantly. We spent four and a quarter hours on the phone today, and I only handled fifteen or so calls in that time. A good rep handles 48-52 calls in a single eight hour shift. I know I'm only in training, but sometimes it's really tempting to sit in call work until the time runs out so I don't have to speak to more customers than necessary. So many of the problems are identical, even if the people who call in about them aren't, and it gets monotonous. Today I spent an hour and a half on the phone walking a woman through registering for My Verizon and upgrading her phones so that she wouldn't have to call in later to ask what mistakes she made and why the second phone costs $69.99 when it originally said it was free. A different woman hung up on me. I really have no sympathy for her, though, because she's at the lowest possible price plan with the lowest possible minutes. The last time she called in she was offered save and loyalty plans and could have accepted it then. Prices were given, and she CHOSE the 300 minute Nationwide Basic and yet she felt the need to call in and complain that it was only a $5 difference for a 150 minute difference and we don't offer rollover minutes! She threatened with leaving for a different company, but in looking at her remarks I know all she wanted was the loyalty plans that suddenly sound much better now that she got her bill. There was so much I wanted to say to that woman... She's paying just over $40 a month for a phone. There are people who pay hundreds more than that who have legit reasons to call in whom we could be helping while this woman complains about a $5 difference. Basically people call customer service so we can take the blame for their mistakes.
And the point of my rant is to say that people are the reason I love and hate my job. The only reason I'm putting up with customer service is so I can pay for rent and eventually get my masters and move up to Human Resources where I only deal with employees. Much more my style than listening to the greater percentage of 80 million customers complain.
On a different note, my weekend is jam packed. Early Saturday morning Neal and I leave for New York City for the day and we will return that evening in time for dinner with friends from church! Apparently homemade egg rolls, games and a movie are also involved and I'm just a little excited. Then on Sunday I intend to clean my apartment, finally. I just haven't been home enough to do it lately and it desperately needs it. Living on your own definitely has its perks, but when it comes to fixing the toilet I really wish my dad were here.
Besides my job I'm enormously happy. Life is good, and God is greater.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
I Am A Promoter!!
I was dreading work this week after that call on Friday, but thank goodness all of my calls have been relatively good, especially today.
Today I had the privilege of speaking with two different customers, one of whom was on the phone with me and I was about to change her price plan when we had a power surge and all the computers turned off! She was more than happy to chat with me while the computers rebooted. At the end of the call she asked to speak with my manager so she could tell him/her how great I was. Another call later was the same way, minus the power surge. I just wanted to brag a little and am going to write word for word what was said about me, information that is sent via email to everyone on the floor.
Due to confidentiality I will call them Customer #1 and Customer #2.
"I had the pleasure of speaking with Customer #1 who had the following to say about Emily...
'I wanted to speak with Emily's manager and give kudos to her. She was amazing and I was so impressed at the level of service she provided as she is still in training. I have been in multiple customer service jobs and know how demanding they can be. She was so thorough, polite and efficient and I was completely blown away by her pleasant disposition and with the rapport she built. I cannot think of a single complaint I would have about the conversation we had, or the way she handled what came her way. Emily is a keeper and I see her being one of your best customer service representatives.'
"This is such a wonderful achievement Emily and an excellent way to start out your time in transition... Well done, keep up the good work!!!!"
"I had the pleasure of speaking with Customer #2 regarding his conversation with Emily. He wanted to let me know that Emily was completely professional and pleasant to speak with. She did a wonderful job and he just wanted us all to know about it! Great job Emily, keep up the good work!"
Needless to say, after a day like today I'm on cloud nine. Both of these customers have had a background in customer service, which is part of the reason why they requested to speak with a manager. I'm sure that if I called their customer service and was helped in a similar way that I help them I would do the exact same thing.
Anyway, I just wanted to brag a little. :)
Oh, and btw, to all who read this... you can follow this blog and have it sent to your email address. I'm not sure how, but I know it can be done, so please feel free!
Today I had the privilege of speaking with two different customers, one of whom was on the phone with me and I was about to change her price plan when we had a power surge and all the computers turned off! She was more than happy to chat with me while the computers rebooted. At the end of the call she asked to speak with my manager so she could tell him/her how great I was. Another call later was the same way, minus the power surge. I just wanted to brag a little and am going to write word for word what was said about me, information that is sent via email to everyone on the floor.
Due to confidentiality I will call them Customer #1 and Customer #2.
"I had the pleasure of speaking with Customer #1 who had the following to say about Emily...
'I wanted to speak with Emily's manager and give kudos to her. She was amazing and I was so impressed at the level of service she provided as she is still in training. I have been in multiple customer service jobs and know how demanding they can be. She was so thorough, polite and efficient and I was completely blown away by her pleasant disposition and with the rapport she built. I cannot think of a single complaint I would have about the conversation we had, or the way she handled what came her way. Emily is a keeper and I see her being one of your best customer service representatives.'
"This is such a wonderful achievement Emily and an excellent way to start out your time in transition... Well done, keep up the good work!!!!"
"I had the pleasure of speaking with Customer #2 regarding his conversation with Emily. He wanted to let me know that Emily was completely professional and pleasant to speak with. She did a wonderful job and he just wanted us all to know about it! Great job Emily, keep up the good work!"
Needless to say, after a day like today I'm on cloud nine. Both of these customers have had a background in customer service, which is part of the reason why they requested to speak with a manager. I'm sure that if I called their customer service and was helped in a similar way that I help them I would do the exact same thing.
Anyway, I just wanted to brag a little. :)
Oh, and btw, to all who read this... you can follow this blog and have it sent to your email address. I'm not sure how, but I know it can be done, so please feel free!
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Some Advice...
On Friday I experienced my very first 8hr shift on the phones at work. I both loved and hated it, and unfortunately it has been haunting me ever since. Literally. All night long I had dreams about answering people's billing, equipment, and price plan questions, it was like I never left work! Due to this I did not sleep well at all and therefore Neal and I postponed our trip to New York City due to my fatigue as well as a raging headache and a sudden urge to throw up (which I didn't succumb to). From now on I will be either reading a book or doing some serious prayer before I sleep because I refuse to take my work home with me anymore.
One particular call haunts me, even now. The conversation repeats itself in my head over and over... that woman's voice has been forever engraved on my mind. I spent an hour on the phone with this woman, explaining to her that I will be fired if I give her the phone number of another Verizon customer due to FCC regulations and confidentiality law and that I have no control over what the last representative she talked to did or did not do. She screamed profanity at me, demanded a supervisor, and even cried on the phone as I explained that I can change her plan to the lowest possible plan but that it wouldn't go into effect until the next bill cycle. By the time the call was over she loved me, telling me that I had an A+ in her book and asked for my name and saying that she would refer everyone to me and that even if I hadn't helped with her bill she felt better having spoken with me. It made me feel good at the time, but as the night progressed I began to wonder if she would call in again and tell a different representative a different story and try to get me fired like she's hoping to do to the other guy she spoke to the previous week. Even though I know that she can't touch me due to the fact that my remarks are in the account and every phone call is recorded and I will not be forgetting the date and time of this call anytime soon, it still worries me. I know that by the end of next week I won't be worried anymore, but until then I will pray, hard, for God to watch over that woman and help her in her financial situation and with her temper, that she might treat other people the way she would like to be treated, and if you're the praying type I request that you do the same.
In the meantime, I have advice for all of you who will call customer service of any kind in the future: be nice. The problems with your bill or the equipment or with your plan are not the fault of the representative that happens to take your call and therefore should not be taken out on him/her. If they tell you something that disagrees with what you think is true, don't argue because they know far more about the company than you do and it is their job to do so. We deal with more crap in a given day than just about any other job on the planet, in my opinion, so be nice.
On a lighter note, I'm adding a couple of pictures.
First we have some of the training assistants. TAs only help with transition in two week increments, so this particular set is leaving us and we will be introduced to a new set on Monday. Due to it being their last night with us, we had food and by 10:30 these costumes appeared. Let's just say we have lots of fun at Verizon Wireless.
Finally we have the very first photo taken of Neal and me. We play Scrabble quite a bit, and at the moment I have won three games, Neal only two. I might have rubbed it in his face just a little...
And scene.
One particular call haunts me, even now. The conversation repeats itself in my head over and over... that woman's voice has been forever engraved on my mind. I spent an hour on the phone with this woman, explaining to her that I will be fired if I give her the phone number of another Verizon customer due to FCC regulations and confidentiality law and that I have no control over what the last representative she talked to did or did not do. She screamed profanity at me, demanded a supervisor, and even cried on the phone as I explained that I can change her plan to the lowest possible plan but that it wouldn't go into effect until the next bill cycle. By the time the call was over she loved me, telling me that I had an A+ in her book and asked for my name and saying that she would refer everyone to me and that even if I hadn't helped with her bill she felt better having spoken with me. It made me feel good at the time, but as the night progressed I began to wonder if she would call in again and tell a different representative a different story and try to get me fired like she's hoping to do to the other guy she spoke to the previous week. Even though I know that she can't touch me due to the fact that my remarks are in the account and every phone call is recorded and I will not be forgetting the date and time of this call anytime soon, it still worries me. I know that by the end of next week I won't be worried anymore, but until then I will pray, hard, for God to watch over that woman and help her in her financial situation and with her temper, that she might treat other people the way she would like to be treated, and if you're the praying type I request that you do the same.
In the meantime, I have advice for all of you who will call customer service of any kind in the future: be nice. The problems with your bill or the equipment or with your plan are not the fault of the representative that happens to take your call and therefore should not be taken out on him/her. If they tell you something that disagrees with what you think is true, don't argue because they know far more about the company than you do and it is their job to do so. We deal with more crap in a given day than just about any other job on the planet, in my opinion, so be nice.
On a lighter note, I'm adding a couple of pictures.
First we have some of the training assistants. TAs only help with transition in two week increments, so this particular set is leaving us and we will be introduced to a new set on Monday. Due to it being their last night with us, we had food and by 10:30 these costumes appeared. Let's just say we have lots of fun at Verizon Wireless.
Finally we have the very first photo taken of Neal and me. We play Scrabble quite a bit, and at the moment I have won three games, Neal only two. I might have rubbed it in his face just a little...
And scene.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
New York State of Mind
Quick update!!
I've been working the night shift for a week now and I must say that I rather enjoy it. We spend most of the 8hrs on the phones now instead of sitting in a classroom reviewing things we learned in training so that we can use them on the phones on a daily basis. Being on the phone really isn't that bad, although the person calling expects you to know what's going on. My only complaint at the moment is the fact that I have given my extension to a number of customers but managed, two days ago, to lock myself out of my voicemail due to not knowing the password! I called IT last night and put in a trouble ticket to get it unlocked but the email I received said it may take until 6/24 for it to be taken care of!! Ah, panic...
On a different note, Neal and I decided to do something a little different this weekend so we're taking a trip to New York City. I'm a little nervous about it, to be honest, due to the fact that the last time I saw NYC I was within a large charter bus and never stepped outside without a chaperone. This time we'll be taking the train in from New Haven and either walking or taking a cab to The Met, where I have never been. I'm excited and terrified all at the same time; New York is NOTHING like Chicago. Also this weekend we'll be spending Sunday afternoon with another couple from the Vineyard, which should be great fun, and on Sunday night we're going out for drinks with Neal's sister and brother-in-law, whom I have yet to meet. They live out of state so this will be my first time meeting them and I've been told that his sister is wild with anticipation...
Work time! Get excited. (God, please don't let me have any angry people today, and if I do, please help me keep them calm and help as much as I can, thank you!)
I've been working the night shift for a week now and I must say that I rather enjoy it. We spend most of the 8hrs on the phones now instead of sitting in a classroom reviewing things we learned in training so that we can use them on the phones on a daily basis. Being on the phone really isn't that bad, although the person calling expects you to know what's going on. My only complaint at the moment is the fact that I have given my extension to a number of customers but managed, two days ago, to lock myself out of my voicemail due to not knowing the password! I called IT last night and put in a trouble ticket to get it unlocked but the email I received said it may take until 6/24 for it to be taken care of!! Ah, panic...
On a different note, Neal and I decided to do something a little different this weekend so we're taking a trip to New York City. I'm a little nervous about it, to be honest, due to the fact that the last time I saw NYC I was within a large charter bus and never stepped outside without a chaperone. This time we'll be taking the train in from New Haven and either walking or taking a cab to The Met, where I have never been. I'm excited and terrified all at the same time; New York is NOTHING like Chicago. Also this weekend we'll be spending Sunday afternoon with another couple from the Vineyard, which should be great fun, and on Sunday night we're going out for drinks with Neal's sister and brother-in-law, whom I have yet to meet. They live out of state so this will be my first time meeting them and I've been told that his sister is wild with anticipation...
Work time! Get excited. (God, please don't let me have any angry people today, and if I do, please help me keep them calm and help as much as I can, thank you!)
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Long Time No See!
So, as luck would have it, the slowness of the dial-up my aunt and uncle have at their house did not allow my last blog to be posted. This is annoying, as there was a ton of stuff in there that I do not now remember so I'll just have to update the most recent things that have happened.
First of all, my "friend" Neal and I are now dating and have been for a couple of weeks. We chose not to post it on Facebook because, really, in the grand scheme of things, what does it matter? We know we're official so there's no point in announcing it to the world at large just so I can be bombarded with questions. We have a ridiculous amount of things in common, we think on the same wavelength, and his family is abnormally like mine...
As of yesterday (6/9/09) we at Verizon moved from training to transition. On Monday we spent the morning taking our final assessment, followed by a raucous party for which we had a potluck. My Sunday was spent at Neal's house watching him make pasta salad as I slaved over my potato salad (which turned out relatively well). There was a ridiculous amount of food at our party and we invited anyone who wanted some to feel free to help themselves. That afternoon we were given our scores and our ratings. The rating was merely for the sake of shift bids. For example, I got a 92% on the final assessment which ranked me 6 of 23. Last week we were given a list of possible shifts for once transition is over (Aug 30th) and we were to number the list from what we wanted most to what we wanted least. The person who was number 1 in the class got first pick and so on. Due to being 6th I had a very high chance of getting the shift I wanted (which I did, but more on that later). We had "graduation" and then we took all of our stuff upstairs to our assigned desks and spent the remainder of the day setting up email and the printer and so on. On Tuesday we began the evening shift, the 3-11:30pm shift. It's a bear, especially when you're in the classroom most of the time. For now we are taking the time to review specific procedures and policies that we will need once we take calls... which is from 3-6:15pm tomorrow. *PANIC*
Aside from my job, which I know bores many people (though please feel free to bombard me with technical questions because it helps me learn and helps you), I finally moved into my own apartment! Two weekends ago, the last weekend in May, my dad came up with the remainder of my belongings and he, my grandfather, Neal and I moved everything into my new studio apartment a mere fifteen minutes from Verizon. Dad spent the weekend, came to church with me, and got to meet Neal (whom I had begun to officially date the previous Monday). Since Dad and Neal are both Red Sox fans neither can complain about the other. Plus Dad friended Neal on Facebook, which is always a good sign. As of now the apartment is mostly set up, but I'm in the market for a large bookshelf and searching for material with which to make curtains for the oddly sized windows. Once all of that has been taken care of and everything is unpacked I will take pictures of my apartment and post them here for all to see.
All in all, I'm loving Connecticut. When I first moved here I wasn't so fond, but the longer I'm here, the more people I meet, the more I like it. This does not mean that I intend to stay here for the rest of my life, but it'll do for now. My apartment is cozy and clean and has a balcony and a hanging plant gifted to me by my aunt and uncle and I have healthy food and will have plenty of money in order to live. Just Tuesday I got cable tv and high speed internet, for which I am exceptionally thankful. After a month or more of dial-up or the library I'm on cloud nine. The longer I'm here the more I believe this is really where God wants me to be. The apartment never felt alien to me, even though I hadn't lived here before. I feel safe, and I love living on my own. I found the most amazing church, have a date for lunch next Tuesday with a new friend, was invited and went to a Memorial Day picnic (which was described in the last blog that didn't post), have a boyfriend, love my job, and have been ordered to visit my grandparents once a month no matter what. Though I miss my friends in Ohio (one of whom defriended me on facebook without warning or reason) I am happy and content to be here.
With one exception.
The shift I was given is Wednesday - Sunday, 3:00-11:30pm. I know from my research that Christmas is on a Friday this year. Vacation time is impossible to get when it comes to holidays, so for the moment I am unable to go to Ohio for Christmas this year. However, from what I understand our next shift bid happens in October and goes into effect in November so I still have a fighting chance. If I'm still unable to get home I was invited to spend Christmas at Neal's... but it's just not the same. Neal's family doesn't have the traditions that my family does. I have never once missed Christmas with my family because I always lived at home and I always assumed I'd be able to go home for the holiday but it just isn't so. So my new prayer is that my next shift bid will give me Thursday and Saturday off so that no vacation time is needed. However, one of my TAs told me that I could do a shift swap with someone and change two of my shifts to different days. Though with it being Christmas the likelyhood of that happening is slim to none.
Beyond that one depressing fact, I love Connecticut and am thankful to be here. It's strange to look around and realize that this is the world I live in now, that New Concord is no longer my home... but it's a fact of life. All kinds of changes will happen in my life that are bigger and stranger than this transition, but at least when that happens I'll be ready for it.
First of all, my "friend" Neal and I are now dating and have been for a couple of weeks. We chose not to post it on Facebook because, really, in the grand scheme of things, what does it matter? We know we're official so there's no point in announcing it to the world at large just so I can be bombarded with questions. We have a ridiculous amount of things in common, we think on the same wavelength, and his family is abnormally like mine...
As of yesterday (6/9/09) we at Verizon moved from training to transition. On Monday we spent the morning taking our final assessment, followed by a raucous party for which we had a potluck. My Sunday was spent at Neal's house watching him make pasta salad as I slaved over my potato salad (which turned out relatively well). There was a ridiculous amount of food at our party and we invited anyone who wanted some to feel free to help themselves. That afternoon we were given our scores and our ratings. The rating was merely for the sake of shift bids. For example, I got a 92% on the final assessment which ranked me 6 of 23. Last week we were given a list of possible shifts for once transition is over (Aug 30th) and we were to number the list from what we wanted most to what we wanted least. The person who was number 1 in the class got first pick and so on. Due to being 6th I had a very high chance of getting the shift I wanted (which I did, but more on that later). We had "graduation" and then we took all of our stuff upstairs to our assigned desks and spent the remainder of the day setting up email and the printer and so on. On Tuesday we began the evening shift, the 3-11:30pm shift. It's a bear, especially when you're in the classroom most of the time. For now we are taking the time to review specific procedures and policies that we will need once we take calls... which is from 3-6:15pm tomorrow. *PANIC*
Aside from my job, which I know bores many people (though please feel free to bombard me with technical questions because it helps me learn and helps you), I finally moved into my own apartment! Two weekends ago, the last weekend in May, my dad came up with the remainder of my belongings and he, my grandfather, Neal and I moved everything into my new studio apartment a mere fifteen minutes from Verizon. Dad spent the weekend, came to church with me, and got to meet Neal (whom I had begun to officially date the previous Monday). Since Dad and Neal are both Red Sox fans neither can complain about the other. Plus Dad friended Neal on Facebook, which is always a good sign. As of now the apartment is mostly set up, but I'm in the market for a large bookshelf and searching for material with which to make curtains for the oddly sized windows. Once all of that has been taken care of and everything is unpacked I will take pictures of my apartment and post them here for all to see.
All in all, I'm loving Connecticut. When I first moved here I wasn't so fond, but the longer I'm here, the more people I meet, the more I like it. This does not mean that I intend to stay here for the rest of my life, but it'll do for now. My apartment is cozy and clean and has a balcony and a hanging plant gifted to me by my aunt and uncle and I have healthy food and will have plenty of money in order to live. Just Tuesday I got cable tv and high speed internet, for which I am exceptionally thankful. After a month or more of dial-up or the library I'm on cloud nine. The longer I'm here the more I believe this is really where God wants me to be. The apartment never felt alien to me, even though I hadn't lived here before. I feel safe, and I love living on my own. I found the most amazing church, have a date for lunch next Tuesday with a new friend, was invited and went to a Memorial Day picnic (which was described in the last blog that didn't post), have a boyfriend, love my job, and have been ordered to visit my grandparents once a month no matter what. Though I miss my friends in Ohio (one of whom defriended me on facebook without warning or reason) I am happy and content to be here.
With one exception.
The shift I was given is Wednesday - Sunday, 3:00-11:30pm. I know from my research that Christmas is on a Friday this year. Vacation time is impossible to get when it comes to holidays, so for the moment I am unable to go to Ohio for Christmas this year. However, from what I understand our next shift bid happens in October and goes into effect in November so I still have a fighting chance. If I'm still unable to get home I was invited to spend Christmas at Neal's... but it's just not the same. Neal's family doesn't have the traditions that my family does. I have never once missed Christmas with my family because I always lived at home and I always assumed I'd be able to go home for the holiday but it just isn't so. So my new prayer is that my next shift bid will give me Thursday and Saturday off so that no vacation time is needed. However, one of my TAs told me that I could do a shift swap with someone and change two of my shifts to different days. Though with it being Christmas the likelyhood of that happening is slim to none.
Beyond that one depressing fact, I love Connecticut and am thankful to be here. It's strange to look around and realize that this is the world I live in now, that New Concord is no longer my home... but it's a fact of life. All kinds of changes will happen in my life that are bigger and stranger than this transition, but at least when that happens I'll be ready for it.
Monday, May 18, 2009
I'm Down to a Whisper...
... in a daydream on a hill.
Shut down to a whisper
Can you hear me still?
I have decided that this will be my catch-up blog. I.E. I am adding pictures of activities and places I have done and been since coming here to CT, things I've written about but you, dear Reader, have not yet seen.
I begin with Boston.
I took a trip to Boston about three weeks ago and took various pictures but only of buildings so I chose to not add to Facebook. Not to mention that my internet access is much to slow to bother with adding pics to Facebook. I mean, in my attempt to put pictures to this blog I have managed to write these two paragraphs and one picture is still struggling to load. It makes for slow typing, but so be it. Anywho, I am only posting two of my many pictures from Boston. The first is merely a sign from the site of the Boston "Massacre" to prove that I really was in Boston. The second is the only proof I have that John was indeed present as well. 
This is a photo of my room at my aunt and uncle's house. According to my uncle, that bed once belonged to my great grandmother and I feel somewhat privileged to be sleeping in it.
I have yet to meet someone who did not love great Nanny and I wish she'd lived long enough for me to really know her. As it is, this is my tiny but serviceable room. It currently has odds and ends for my new apartment hidden surreptitiously throughout.
This past weekend was one of the most eventful of my time here so far. A friend of mine from work was kind enough to assuage my usual Friday night boredom by inviting me to join him for dinner. Unfortunately he is roughly an hour from Windsor so by the time we finished dinner it was already 8:30pm but at least I didn't spend that time at home by myself. The same friend, prior to Friday's invitation, invited me to go hiking at The Sleeping Giant in Hamden and I readily agreed. Now that spring is well underway and summer is quickly approaching all of the trees are green and flowers have begun to bloom in full force so this particular hike was absolutely breathtaking, even if it was a foggy, somewhat rainy day. In some ways the fog and mist made the trail even more alluring, as you see in the picture here.
At the top of the path we walked (which was roughly 1.6 mi) was a huge lookout tower where you could see for miles. Or you would, if it weren't so foggy. 
Once again, for the fourth consecutive week, I attended the Vinyard Church in West Haven and continue to love it more every time I attend. However, this past Sunday there were some marked differences beginning with the fact that my Friday dinner buddy/hiking partner was there as well. During the time we spent together over the previous two days the subject of church and God inevitably arose. He explained that though he likes the Lutheran church he usually attends, no one there is within twenty years of his age. I replied that there are plenty of people our age at my church. Hence, his attendance on Sunday. Additionally, one of the many people I have befriended at Vinyard Christian Fellowship invited me to a gathering at his house on Memorial Day! And, because my friend was standing there with me, he was invted also! Following this exciting addition to my forthcoming calendar was fellowship time and a number of people who came up to my friend to exclaim that they, too, were from Madison and where in Madison is he from? The fact that he was garnering more attention than I didn't bother me in the slightest as I was old news and he certainly was not. The most exciting part of the day, for me, was his admission to me that he really felt the spirit at the Vineyard, something he hadn't felt in a very long time, and would therefore be returning to the church regularly in the future. In this I am thankful because, even if I do nothing else in my time here in CT, I was instrumental in God's plan for my friend's life. Joy unspeakable.
I will say that conversation this weekend made it some of the most interesting days of the past month. No elaboration on that subject, sufficient to say that my friend considers me one of the most unique and interesting people he has ever met and that we have an abnormal number of morals, values and beliefs in common. However, as the both of us work for Verizon, we must needs be careful about this friendship we've begun because, as he is male and I am female, it could be taken the wrong way and dating between co-workers is discouraged. So to avoid an HR confrontation I am overly cautious.
Now it is Monday, yet again, and I in my infinite wisdom forgot to change my alarm from Sunday morning's 7:45 and therefore woke at 6:33am instead of 6. Though I wasn't late for work, I wasn't very clean and the outfit I wore was the first thing I grabbed from the closet. That was the beginning of a very dreary day and I am thankful that it's over. I really hope that this morning is not a foretelling of the week to come because if so, I should just go jump out of the window now and save myself the agony. As it is, I think I'll be taking extra precautions this week to make sure it isn't.
I move next Wednesday! :)
Shut down to a whisper
Can you hear me still?
I have decided that this will be my catch-up blog. I.E. I am adding pictures of activities and places I have done and been since coming here to CT, things I've written about but you, dear Reader, have not yet seen.
I begin with Boston.
I took a trip to Boston about three weeks ago and took various pictures but only of buildings so I chose to not add to Facebook. Not to mention that my internet access is much to slow to bother with adding pics to Facebook. I mean, in my attempt to put pictures to this blog I have managed to write these two paragraphs and one picture is still struggling to load. It makes for slow typing, but so be it. Anywho, I am only posting two of my many pictures from Boston. The first is merely a sign from the site of the Boston "Massacre" to prove that I really was in Boston. The second is the only proof I have that John was indeed present as well. 
This is a photo of my room at my aunt and uncle's house. According to my uncle, that bed once belonged to my great grandmother and I feel somewhat privileged to be sleeping in it.
I have yet to meet someone who did not love great Nanny and I wish she'd lived long enough for me to really know her. As it is, this is my tiny but serviceable room. It currently has odds and ends for my new apartment hidden surreptitiously throughout.This past weekend was one of the most eventful of my time here so far. A friend of mine from work was kind enough to assuage my usual Friday night boredom by inviting me to join him for dinner. Unfortunately he is roughly an hour from Windsor so by the time we finished dinner it was already 8:30pm but at least I didn't spend that time at home by myself. The same friend, prior to Friday's invitation, invited me to go hiking at The Sleeping Giant in Hamden and I readily agreed. Now that spring is well underway and summer is quickly approaching all of the trees are green and flowers have begun to bloom in full force so this particular hike was absolutely breathtaking, even if it was a foggy, somewhat rainy day. In some ways the fog and mist made the trail even more alluring, as you see in the picture here.
At the top of the path we walked (which was roughly 1.6 mi) was a huge lookout tower where you could see for miles. Or you would, if it weren't so foggy. 
Once again, for the fourth consecutive week, I attended the Vinyard Church in West Haven and continue to love it more every time I attend. However, this past Sunday there were some marked differences beginning with the fact that my Friday dinner buddy/hiking partner was there as well. During the time we spent together over the previous two days the subject of church and God inevitably arose. He explained that though he likes the Lutheran church he usually attends, no one there is within twenty years of his age. I replied that there are plenty of people our age at my church. Hence, his attendance on Sunday. Additionally, one of the many people I have befriended at Vinyard Christian Fellowship invited me to a gathering at his house on Memorial Day! And, because my friend was standing there with me, he was invted also! Following this exciting addition to my forthcoming calendar was fellowship time and a number of people who came up to my friend to exclaim that they, too, were from Madison and where in Madison is he from? The fact that he was garnering more attention than I didn't bother me in the slightest as I was old news and he certainly was not. The most exciting part of the day, for me, was his admission to me that he really felt the spirit at the Vineyard, something he hadn't felt in a very long time, and would therefore be returning to the church regularly in the future. In this I am thankful because, even if I do nothing else in my time here in CT, I was instrumental in God's plan for my friend's life. Joy unspeakable.
I will say that conversation this weekend made it some of the most interesting days of the past month. No elaboration on that subject, sufficient to say that my friend considers me one of the most unique and interesting people he has ever met and that we have an abnormal number of morals, values and beliefs in common. However, as the both of us work for Verizon, we must needs be careful about this friendship we've begun because, as he is male and I am female, it could be taken the wrong way and dating between co-workers is discouraged. So to avoid an HR confrontation I am overly cautious.
Now it is Monday, yet again, and I in my infinite wisdom forgot to change my alarm from Sunday morning's 7:45 and therefore woke at 6:33am instead of 6. Though I wasn't late for work, I wasn't very clean and the outfit I wore was the first thing I grabbed from the closet. That was the beginning of a very dreary day and I am thankful that it's over. I really hope that this morning is not a foretelling of the week to come because if so, I should just go jump out of the window now and save myself the agony. As it is, I think I'll be taking extra precautions this week to make sure it isn't.
I move next Wednesday! :)
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Long Walks and Unending Days
Day by day nothing changes. Class continues to get harder and evenings are spent in my room reading or writing or thinking... or playing a video game. Depending on my mood. The drive to work is so long that by the time I get there I'm ready to go home. By the time I get home I have been awake for twelve hours already, and after a long, arduous day, all I want to do is be lazy. However, for the sake of my sanity and health I made the long couple of mile walk to the library to search for plane tickets and catch up on emails. Every day I learn more and can explain more and feel a little more confident that I will be able to do my job when the time comes. Rarely do I miss home, but I have my moments... I saw pictures of my younger sister redoing her bedroom and it looked so strange to me. Even though I lived in that room for at least sixteen years. Even though I lived in the house for twenty-three... it was weird.
Sometimes things just dawn on us long after the change has occurred, and on Monday I experienced just that. As I drove home from work (a trial in and of itself) I realized... I'm here. I am a member of the working class, of the 8 - 5ers, one of the millions of people who sit in a cubicle for hours on end wishing and waiting for something exciting to happen. Not that I dislike my job, because I don't. I'm just biding my time until I can move somewhere a little more exciting. Everyone I meet here is always asking me why on earth I chose to move to CT and I'm like, I didn't. CT chose me. And only God knows why. As the summer goes on and things become settled I'm going to find activities to occupy my time. Nothing like going to the beach, or shopping at the mall. No, I want to rock climb, to kayak, to hike, to be active and live an exciting life. I have yet to make friends who are interested in such things. Sadly. However, I am thankful for the friends I have made and love them all just the same.
As previously stated, I have nothing to say really. I finally have benefits, I'm searching for a dentist, I move into my apartment on the 29th (which is also the date I will see my Dad for the first time since mid-April, which seems forever ago), and otherwise, I work. And work, and work.
Peace.
Sometimes things just dawn on us long after the change has occurred, and on Monday I experienced just that. As I drove home from work (a trial in and of itself) I realized... I'm here. I am a member of the working class, of the 8 - 5ers, one of the millions of people who sit in a cubicle for hours on end wishing and waiting for something exciting to happen. Not that I dislike my job, because I don't. I'm just biding my time until I can move somewhere a little more exciting. Everyone I meet here is always asking me why on earth I chose to move to CT and I'm like, I didn't. CT chose me. And only God knows why. As the summer goes on and things become settled I'm going to find activities to occupy my time. Nothing like going to the beach, or shopping at the mall. No, I want to rock climb, to kayak, to hike, to be active and live an exciting life. I have yet to make friends who are interested in such things. Sadly. However, I am thankful for the friends I have made and love them all just the same.
As previously stated, I have nothing to say really. I finally have benefits, I'm searching for a dentist, I move into my apartment on the 29th (which is also the date I will see my Dad for the first time since mid-April, which seems forever ago), and otherwise, I work. And work, and work.
Peace.
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