Itemizing Life

Even though my thoughts are pretty much everywhere this evening, I'll try to contain them to at least give the appearance that this blog will have some sense or logic... yanno.. rhymn or reason.

Item 1. - A Day in the life of a temp in Ghettoville, USA

Here I am, on the verge of comepleting week three at Ghettoville, USA (aka the housing authority) and the place and people have yet to cease to amaze me. This week has gone by rather quickly, given that we had Monday off thanks to the President's Day holiday. So far the week has been a smooth one outside of our normal complaints... the regular employees that stay for overtime messing up are work after we have things well organized. Then today..well first I must back track a bit and mention the untimely depature of the only male that was in our group of temps.  Between the four of use that are left (we are all females), we joke that he probably had enough of working around a bunch of women, after that traumatizing Monday when we had to mix in with the regular employees in that sweat box of a room to get the files straight. We said he could handle the four of use, because we are all from the same agency and that we kept him laughing in stitches with our humor.  That "Future Shock" of a Monday did all of us in, but I guess because the rest of use are women, we knew the situation that was presented to us and we could handle it a bit better. Our Chillean guy simply couldn't hang.

(where was I going with this? Oh today!)

Well, a new person was sent from our agency to replace our recent loss. However, the agency sent over another female. At first glance she seemed a bit reserved. Then I got the loudest wake up call ever this morning as her dominating personality came through.  I was conversing with one of the others in our little group, when the new person, loud and proud, joined in and volunteered information about her life that we didn't ask about. So of course we didn't care. Instances like this kept going throughout the morning.  However, the four of us remained cordial (as we could), even though there was something about her that caused us to keep our distance a little.

Later on, just in conversing with her and her regular volunteering information, we found out that she was someone that we already kind of knew about.  Her reputation apparently proceeded her. One of the other temps put two and two together and realized that she was the chic that her previous assignment had picked up, but later got rid of, because of her ghetto ways.  Apparently, our new girl was attempting to make good at this architect firm, but performed a few blunders.  The story goes, within days she was asking the regular employees for money, tried to sell a coat and her blunt and loud mouth was too much for them to handle, especially as she inappropriately inquired about the sexuality of one of the employees.

I also learned, that she was the same chic the temp agency used to replace me at the commericial real estate firm that I was sent to, when things didn't work out too well in their Georgetown office. She only stayed for two weeks before she was sent over to Ghettoville. Needless to say what is rubbing me the wrong way about her is her approach and attitude about things, especially if she is suppose to be in her late 30's.  It's that street, round the way girl approach. Every little situation that we discussed today, it was "I' would kick sombebody's ass this" or "the better not fuck with me" that. True, you gotta have that attitude once in a blue moon, especially in an extreme situation of someone trying to threaten you, but for every freaking situation????????

Okay, maybe I sound like a little Booo-shgeeee chic right now. But for real, the older I get the more I'm picking and choosing my battles.  Just because I was raised in Southeast, DC doesn't mean I have to act like some ass kicking, SE chic 24/7.  I would like to think the older you get, you wise up and see who is for real and who is fake so you won't have to waste any energy in trash talking and eventually getting down to "handling business." I would like to think that you are able to take the high road and keep stepping. However, with this new chic and her mentality... I'm totally urked. I was even more urked as I briefly talked about owning a home and so forth.  Her approach was, owning a home was more of a waste than an investment. She couldn't see pass putting money into a house, especially in repairs as being worth the investment.  All she saw was wasted money. After a few rebuttals from my end, I gave up.  I was totally urked and I shut my mouth, before I got to the point of calling her something foul.

(Side note: I swear I'm going to pitch a story idea for the Fox Network to do a reality show called The Temps.  I had this idea the last time I was a Temp and worked in a large setting with a room full of temps. This is deeper than some Big Brother or Survivor shit!  As they say.. "THIS IS REAL LIFE!)

Item 2.  - Oh great oracle of the horoscope gods! 

So.. sometime today I took a breather and skimmed through today's Washington Post Express. Ah Ha! My horoscope.

Aquarius: You should be able to capture and hold on to the attention of that special someone despite your own insecurities.

YIKES!!!! After I read that, I could feel my heart thumping faster, then again that could have been caused by the baby laying on one of my organs again (sigh). Either way, I was pretty spooked. It was so on point that I slammed the paper hut. Wait, can you "slam" a flemsy newspaper? Anywho, who are these horoscope gods? Now I'm convince the universe IS "Big Brother"   How else could those gods know that every now and then ... okay maybe frequently now... have thoughts about my stranger and wonder where is this friendship with him taking me. How else could they know that I'm scared to really discuss him, because I want to have it all figured out before I go to my friends with...

"oh yeah. .. this is so and so and I guess he is apart of my life now."

Okay... now I'm remembering some advice I gave to a friend a week or so ago...

So I say to myself.... "Just Be, Damnit!"

Item 3. -  Hire Me! Even though I need to revisit National Government and Policital Science 101

So I finally had the interview with the Congressional Quarterly for one of their editing positions. Actually, when I was handed the detailed position decription, it seems a lot more active than just an editor...with attending some committee hearings/markups on the Hill, blogging and A LOT of researching. I would like to say things were going smoothly.  It was a very interactive interview as I asked questions and the two fellas answered and asked me some in return. Then two things stumped me.

1. Even though I would like to believe one of the final questions was a way that God was trying to say "this might be the one for you even though you are pregnant" (By the way, baby was well covered the whole time.  They never once suspected a thing) it still seemed a bit tricky to me.  The question was "what is my availability."

I played it off as if I was involved in several freelance projects (even though I'm only doing the one volunteer gig.. with YA's campaign) and told them around April.  Then I back tracked and told them ideally if I were offered the position and I accepted I would like to work it part time until around late April or early May when "projects" have died down.  I asked if would be a problem and one of the guys told me he didn't think it would be, he would just have to discuss the situation over with his boss to get the final ok. I breathed a little sigh of relief and silently prayed for the best out of this situation.

Then came THE TEST. Well, it wasn't a real test per se'  It was just a short little questionaire to see how well you know the Congressional system and if you are keeping up with current events.  Well I'll be damn if I didn't go blank some of the easiest questions that I SHOULD know, especially since I was drilled about them in both high school in college.

Well one of the first questions I know is correct.  Who is the Speaker of the House?  Easy - Nancy Polosi. Now the others, I was blank on.  For the  one I "think" it is a dude that is the House Minority Leader, but I couldn't remember names. The Senate Minority and Majoirty leaders... ummm forget about it.

I laughed and wanted to kick myself in the head for now knowing immediately the terms that members of each chamber serves or how many votes are needed to override a Presidential Veto.  That number was just discussed in the news not too long ago should there be one in regards to the whole mess in Iraq war.. the Democratic Congress vs. Bush!  I laughed the whole time, because I felt like one of those air-heads that participate in Jay Leno's Jay Walking... yanno the segment of his show where he ask the average person simple.. basic questions... most of the time relating to current events in politics.  I handed in my sheet with only two or three questions answered and joked with the guy in telling him not to even look at it.  He laughed himself and told me not to worry about it... he had seen worse!

Woo Hoo!

I do have time to redeem myself.  He is emailing a couple of writing materials that I must use my editorial skills on. Basically, a couple of exercises that includes a little bit of writing and organizing some topics as to which is more new newsworthy.  I have to have that back to him by Monday.

Item. 5  - Down to the nitty gritty.

Yesterday, my doctor announced that it is time for my appointments to go weekly now. This means, it's getting close.  I actually observed my belly in the nude the other night and noticed that it's out there.  Well of course I think I am huge, but I'm amazed that I can still get away with certain clothes and go unnoticed.  I'm starting to think about things such as, packing my over night bag and keeping it in the car, getting a "coming home" outfit for Toodles and still rearranging the furniture in my room to make room for baby furniture. I need to get on my room like YESTERDAY Again, I'm holding off on purchasing my new bed... I just want to make sure that Toodles is situated first. 

After my appointment yesterday, I did walk over to the main hospital building to pick up an admission form. I love the idea that you can pre-register so the day that you go into labor, you don't have to go through the hassle with them.  You can just show up to admissions, they check you off their pre registration list and send you right up to the maternity ward with a room awaiting for your arrival. Almost sounds like making hotel reservations.

Even though I can't wait for Toodles to be here, I'm still a little nervous and a bit scared. I think the anticipation of the pain is what is getting to me.  Even though I've heard it all and witnessed it, me being a first time mother... I don't think anything can prepare me for what I'm going to experience.  Yet, as my sister, aunt, friends that are mothers have told me... in the end... the pain is actually worth while.