Letters to Santa

December 01, 2008

Dear Santa,

I need a new DVD writer for my computer as I making stocking stuffer for my family of photos and videos from over the years. My old DVD is on the blink so I will help find the one I want on-line and please, can you help get it to me early, so I have time to make the gifts.

Thank you,

Zola


December 05, 2008

Dear Santa,

I and writing again to let you know, the DVD I ordered is the wrong type, something called "Sata" I don't have on my computer. Please if you can send that package back to the company as they know my mistake and I will reorder a new one. Same wishes apply, please get it here quickly for me. Don't worry, I'll pay again for now as I hope to get the money back for the first one.

Thank you,

Zola


December 12, 2008

Dear Santa,

The company sent me a tracking number for the second package to see your progress. I noticed that once it was scanned into delivery, it disappeared. Now I'm not saying it was you or any of the reindeer, but can you please check to see if it went over the side of the sleigh or something? Santa, please I really really do need that DVD for this weekend so I can get my presents done. Can you help find it?
Thank you,

Zola

December 13, 2008

Dear Santa,

The company is closed for the weekend so they can not help but if you could keep your eyes open and preform a miracle and deliver today, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thank you,

Zola



December 15, 2008

Dear Santa,

Good news! The company found the DVD drive but it got lost and sent to N. Carolina by mistake. It will take 7-10 working days to relocate it. Don't worry Santa, I will pay yet again for a 3rd drive and get it in the works today. I'm sorry to take up so much of your time as I know how busy you are but, please keep your eyes open for my package. I am beginning to panic.

Thank you,

Zola


December 16, 2008

Dear Santa,

THANK YOU - THANK YOU - THANK YOU for getting my new DVD drive to my house today. I greatly appreciate getting the new DVD recorder and I hope the three charges for one won't be problem to correct later on. I may need your help to explain what all happened. Have a Very Merry Christmas - Don't eat too many cookies or you'll get a tummy ache - and please drive carefully. You can cross my house off your list now.

Thank you,

Zola

IT IS WHAT IT IS!!!!

Tell Me I Still Love The Rain

So it NEVER rains in California, and when it does, lord help the drivers of southern California. First, a horrible accident on the freeway caused many injuries and the closure of part of the freeway for hours. Next, the snow fall closed many major highways causing some people to be trapped in their cars for over 4 hours. And then there's me, who absolutely is running late for work but manages to make it right on time.

Yes my day is going great and I love the rain so I couldn't ask for a better day. The hospital bank statement allows me to reconcile in the fastest time I've ever had in six years, my errand before lunch is strangely fast allowing me time to slip into the shopping mall to finish me Christmas list leaving me still 20 minutes to have some lunch. "Awwwwwww, life is good - today is my day" I gallantly boast to my girlfriend on the phone as I leave to go back to work. But, as soon as you declare something to the universe, it has it's way of testing you.

While driving back, an older man pulls out from a driveway, crosses a lane in order for him to turn left. Alone that would not be a problem, HOWEVER, he stops in my lane as there is no where for him to go into the opposing traffic. DUDE WTF!!! I slammed on my brakes and hydroplaned sideways coming straight towards his car I even shut my eyes for impact and then there was nothing. No noise, no bump, no crash bang. Nothing, but the man glaring at me like I am at fault traveling on a 4 lane highway at 35mph. However, realizing my guardian angel at my side, I didn't get out of my car and strangle the man. But it did piss me off while giving me a valuable free lesson in what hydroplaning your car can feel like. SCARY when you don't expect it. And I had to laugh at the cocky attitude I just shared with my friend about it being my day.

So back to work, counting my lucky stars and try to get back into my love of the rain. But the rains clears up leading to sunny skies until it's time to go home. Oh yeah, exactly 4:50 pm, the skies open up and dump massive amounts of rain on the already oil slicked roads. And as I can see my co-worker could probably use a ride home rather than stuck on a bus, I don't offer it as I am sort of scared to drive farther than I need to, now with the rain coming down in buckets.

I cruise home as safely as possible and try to find a place to park on the street so my sis can take it when she comes over, as for her not to have to walk to far in the rain. Bingo, a place right in front of my house. It's a tight fit because a truck has decided to take 1 1/2 of the space instead of parking respectively. But the little Rav makes it the space, barely hanging out into the driveway.



But wait, what's this? Where IS the driveway?? It seems the water goes all the way up to the sidewalk and in a lamb attempt at spider woman, I thought I could jump (there really was no other way) and ended up to my ankles in a puddle. So much for breaking in the new shoes I just wore for the first time today. Okay, I'm grateful that I have new shoes.

IT IS WHAT IT IS!!!!

Can a Raise Really Help Your Spirit?

December 1st, 2008

First off, the city DID respond to me today regarding my trash man run in of the 25th and he was very concerned in what happened.

Now today's bitch......

Three weeks ago I was told at my job that my boss was "Making me an offer I could not refuse", which included a $2.00 an hour raise. But a pay period came and went and no change was reflected monetarily. So today again, yet another chance to boost me. No word was mentioned before I started payroll. One thing I have learned in the last almost 6 years at my job is, and in life, if you don't ask for it, you are not going to get it.

So I took a few deep breaths and walked into the doctors office this morning to ask for the raise long over due. I pointed out all the extra work I have preformed in the last year. He told me, "Are you saying I give you too much work to do?" No, that's not what I was saying... I pointed out since two people had left us, all their work load has been mine. He told me, "Do really you think you work hard and don't have enough time - I can find someone easily to do what you do" No, that's not what I said and told him yes EVERYONE is replaceable, this is true, but to get someone up to my speed would take him some time, or two employees. I explained that I am now doing ten times the work I was hired for, and also have been working for two other of his personal companies. He told me, "Do you really think that is so hard? Your position is the least important in the hospital," and he then shocked me by saying EVERYONE works harder than me. When I told him I totally disagreed and that sort of hurt what he thought about my performance, he poo poo me told me the boys who clean the animals cages work harder than me and continued to squash me like a cigarette butt on the floor.

(THE BELOW PHOTO IS COPYRIGHTED AT www.shutterstock.com/pic-779743.html)

I wanted to point out all the problems with the "other" hard workers that he is unaware of how I have picked up their slack too, but instead I held my ground and told him this wasn't about any other worker he had. This was about ME and what the others do was no business of mine. "You think you're pretty special at the hospital, but you should not feel that way because you are not." special at all. With tears beginning to form in my eyes, I explained that I was promised what I am asking for almost 6 years ago as they had told me, "Don't worry, we'll get you there fast." He still said NO, he had never made any special arrangements with me, he can find someone else to do my job. "The ONLY value you have to me is your loyalty and your honesty" he explained.

At this point I can not hold back anymore and as he sees the first tear drop cross my check. "How much is your rent?" I don't think he is allowed to ask me questions like that, but I told him the answer, he told me that was a lot to pay for my one income and then said "Okay add $1.50 an hour to you pay."

Now, I should be somewhat happy and feel good right? Well as a matter of fact, I feel horrible now. No, I'm not glad that I allowed myself to shed a tear in front of him. I don't feel good about my raise as it had NOTHING to do with the extra work I do. It had nothing to do with my job performance. It had nothing to do with the extra mile I go to be as efficient in my job as possible. Nope, the ONLY reason I got the raise was because there were tears in my eyes so I started to looked pathetic and he felt sorry for me. It's given me a knot in my stomach all day for allowing him to have that power over me. But, come next pay day, I WILL write it in my gratitude journal.

But I guess.....

IT IS WHAT IT IS!!!!

Stale Mate with a Trash Can

November 25, 2008

So today on my way to work I was late 10 minutes to proof my point. Was it worth it? I take a small side street to get to work and the van in front of me stopped next to park cars in front of a convalescent home, to pick up a patient. I went around the van and as I was ready to pass, a city worker in a truck that picks up trash bins from apartments to take them to the street, pulls out from the driveway. He can plainly see me coming and i have the right away, but instead he pulls all the way out horizontally across the street to block me from going by. Then he motions to me to back up. There is now another car behind me trying to get around the same way I was but and I can not back up.

Now the butt gets out of his car, garbs his cell phone, gets an important looking paper from his truck and proceeds to write down my car license on it. Okay so I can be just as bad when trying to prove a point so I put my car in park and also got out my cell phone and the closest thing I could write on and began to take down his license plate and truck number.

So there you have it! Two grown adults acting like morons in the street, I am late for work, he still won't move, the car behind me backs up, the man in the van knocks on my window and says, "Hey lady move your car", so I yield to the moron who was in the wrong to avoid any more disturbance.

However, I did call the city and report the driver but a week later, I've yet to get a call. It's one thing to be a jerk in your own car, but when you are representing a company, your number's right on the truck or easy to find. Okay, I'm grateful there IS a way to at least vent a complaint for whatever it's worth.

IT IS WHAT IT IS!!!!

Taxi Driver Gone Mad

November 20th, 2008

Early afternoon today, I drove my boss to the bank to make a deposit for work. While he went into the bank, I stayed behind and smoked a cigarette outside of my car. One local taxi driver pulled in next to my passenger side and got out and went inside the bank. After I finished my smoke, I went back into my car and turned on the radio, while I waited. The taxi driver returned and upon getting in, he hit the right side of my car with his door. He looked back at me and I shrugged my shoulders like "WTF", but I didn't say anything to him as my window was shut. He opened his door and hit me again claiming he was only hitting my tire. Out my drivers side window I voiced, "Please stop hitting my car." The man got so angry with me, he opened his door another 2 times into my car yelling at me, "It's your fu*king tire lady" to which I replied "Please stop hitting my car." By the fifth time of him hitting my car, while exclaiming "It's your fu*king tire" bang, "It's your fu*king tire", I yelled at him, " I don't care what the fu*k you are hitting stop hitting my Fu*king car!" to which he flipped me off and rive away. My boss came back to the car wondering why I was upset. This photo sure glamorizes the courteous taxi cab driver of old. Okay, I'm grateful for not being a taxi driver.

What's with people not having any respect for other people's stuff anymore?

IT IS WHAT IT IS!!!!

Terror in the Front Yard

November 15th, 2008

Well today has not been a good day for a lot of people loosing their homes in the many raging fires all over Southern California. Today was not a good day for myself either as I woke up to find one of the two outdoor cats I take care of, ripped apart and decapitated in my front yard. She was such a sweet cat, she didn't deserve to go that way especially in her own front yard. I'll assume a dog, not on it's leash, got to her as she liked to sleep towards the front of the drive way in order to get a good view of her neighborhood. I have never seen a coyote in my city neighborhood yet.I feel for Zora, the other cat outside who's alone now after being her side kick for the last 9 years. She's been looking for her all day. I guess it's survival of the fittest in the animal kingdom.Zora misses you Amber Bamber as do I when you were not there for dinner. I pray you didn't suffer long through your savage demise. This day's hard to write up in that "gratitude journal."

In memory of Amber