LA, CA Questions, Complaints and Everything Else: The 13th Thread!!! OoOoOoO!

Sorry to hear that JB, I know exactly how it is with the job notice. I'm 3 weeks shy of the end of my 2 month notice from when I got let go. You said you're near by the Warner Studio and I live on the other side of the hill next to Universal. Let me know if you need anything and I'll be more than happy to help out.

 

Geez JB, do you have like some good news or something? Don't worry, it is rare that an admin doesn't get another job on the lot. Let me tell you the story of Cathie Lloyd on day. The killer of VPs.

 

Other than wanting to kick the world in the shins...I'm doing okay. My mom always said "change is the only constant in life."

 

JB,
I am so sorry. But as Qui-Gonn once said, "Nothing happens by chance." You will find a better, more enjoyable job, I am sure!
Chin Up!

 

So sorry, JB. There's 'lay-off' rumors going around LAUSD, too. I can always 'bump' somebody if necessary, since I've been here about 5 years.

Is there any chance you can do something similar? SONY's a big organization, maybe your HR department can find another spot for you.

 

I'm changing the subject, not to belittle JB's situation or anything..
But yesterday I went to Costco to pickup some muffins for a meeting today. I come out with a folding table and some plastic folding chairs (along with the muffins and a rotisserie chicken). How does Costco do that? I always spend more than I plan to spend there. They are the masters of impulse buying.

 

Been there, done that. But, not at Costco. I think all supermarkets do that. Yeah, that Rotisserie chicken sure does smell delicious, tastes good, too. My big downfall at the supermarket: coupons. I've bought a lot of stuff that I never would have if there was no coupon and it wasn't expiring within the next week.

I have a hard time resisting the 'bargains' at the 99 cent store and Big Lots and seem to leave Rite-Aide, CVS, and Longs with a lot more make-up than I really need.

 

So I got a C in my sociology class. It's passing, but now I need to shine in the rest of my classes from here on out if I want to have a good chance to get into USC. But still, thanks you guys who helped me with my assignment. If it wasn't for that, I'd have to retake the class. Thanks.

 

I'm glad you passed your class SJ!!

Instead of complaining about my 16 year old son... (there's not enough room on the boards), I'll just ask:

Does anybody want to make a trade?

 

Mom, you need to be patient with teenagers. You need to play their mind games to win. I'm sure this is just a phase of some sort. I know I've had my fair share, but in the end, when reality hits, they'll be scared straight. Is there anything I can do to help?

 

Sorry, JF, there isn't anything tangible in the world I want less right now than a 16 year old, hahaha! Maybe the Hutts can press him into service for a few years?

If I want to buy a house I have to sell my townhouse with a contingency clause on it. This seems risky. What if the realtor does the contract wrong? I'll be living at work and won't have the appropriate tax shelter to stash my property gains. Anybody know how long after selling a primary residence you have to reinvest those gains into new property? I'm not confident that it will be easy to find 'the' home I want in a neighborhood I'd feel safe in unarmed.

Went to the dentist this morning. All is well there so I'm eating candy now.

 

Maybe I can freeze him in carbonite??? Honestly, I wouldn't wish him on any of you guys right now. I like you too much to do that!! Bottom line is that he's a 16 year old acting like a 16 year old. I should be thankful that I had him during the first 15 years! Those were pretty easy compared to now. Hope his dad is having fun with him!! Thanks for the kinds words!

Don't worry JN, sell your place and you can stay at my house until you find a house (remember, I now have an extra room). You'd only be on the road about 6 hours a day and you wouldn't be able to breath once you got here due to my herd of dogs and cats. See, doesn't that sound like fun!! An easy solution for you, my friend!

Seriously, have you started looking at houses and neighborhoods and prices?

 

JN, we bought our house in Whittier with a contingency that we sell our Townhouse in Pasadena. I'm sure this situation happens all the time. For most people it has to be this way because not everyone has hundreds of thousands of dollars sitting in their checking account. But we got lucky because the market was still hot, so we sold our Townhouse right away. I guess if you price anything right, it'll sell. We made some major improvements to the Townhouse right before which helped out a lot. We remodeled the bathroom, redid the stairs going to the garage (lots of water damage), repainted both bedrooms, repainted the kitchen and put in new linoleum, and we removed the 80's style mirrors in the living room and repainted it. Unfortunately, that's what you have to do to sell your place these days. You have to fix it up a bit. Talk to my wife about it, she loves this stuff.

We sorely miss Pasadena though! Whittier's not bad, the commute to work is the worst part. My preference would be to move back to Pasadena.

 

Thanks, JF, for the offer of a room. That would be a blast, I'm sure, being roomies! And hey, I had the allergy shots so maybe that would be a quick way to see if they worked. If not, you're used to Vaderish breathing patterns by now.
I'm so sorry you're having so many issues with your son right now. I don't have kids so I don't know much but I just think that whole 14-18 year range is awful. I see it in my 16 year old niece. This might be why the British send their kids to boarding schools!

JR, thanks for the info. Yeah, I don't have an extra couple hundred thousand lying around either. Imagine that. And I really don't want to leave Pasadena either. I just want a real size bathroom and no more HOA! My place is pretty nicely fixed up and everything works well again. The carpet is an ugly blue but the kitchen, three bathrooms and laundry room is tiled. I put a lot of work into the place during the first four years. Decisions, decisions.

 

JF, If he's not on crack, cocaine, heroin, failing out of school, robbing, stealing, or studying to become a terrorist, you're probably on the right track & just have to wait it out. But, of course, I don't have any teenagers, so what do I know.

 

You made a really great point!! And, he doesn't have a pregnant girlfriend either. From a certain point of view, things are really great!!! (that's a joke, but it's true, too!)

Sometimes I just need to vent. Thanks!! I think I need to get a thread like this started over at the IEFF!

 

Okay, because I've been out of it for a while I'm way behind everyone else.

Poor JB. I now understand why you are a "lame duck" employee. I hope they will find someone on the lot who needs a wonderful assistant/aide/JB.

Poor JF77. I feel your pain. My padawan is almost 14 and knows everything. There are days when I would consider a trade but most of the time I would miss my padawan so I guess for now I'll keep my padawan. The teenage years are trying though. We'll just have to tough it out together. I think you, JB, and I are the only ones with teenage (or almost teenage in JB's case) children, all only children at that! I guess we can commiserate together, though I have a feeling that JB's padawan is no problems at all. Sometimes the firmer hand of a father will straighten out padawans.

 

The bottom line is that I was very blessed to have had a pretty sweet kid until he hit about 14. I think when kids have the option of moving to the other parents, they can get a little pissy. I don't really like him right now, but I will always love him!

You're right about the small amount of us that have children. It's the same over at the IEFF. What is it? Do Star Wars fans just not breed much??

EDIT: JB, I just went back and read more of this thread. I'm so sorry, but I'd missed the part about your 2 1/2 month notice. Have you heard anything for certain yet?

 

Um, also changing the subject...I bought the video tapes of the "Holy" Trilogy at Amoeba when I was in town--the last vhs ones before the special edition, I've only seen 'em this way twice, MAYBE three times tops. Anyway, me & the sis are again noticing the horrible closed captions on this version (my SE vids, for example, have normal, perfect captions). They're almost like Engrish subtitles at times. Tonight, Empire, has had two examples so funny I had to post for y'all!

(while heading into the asteriod field...)
Leia SAYS, "You don't have to do this to impress me."
Captions say: DON'T IMPRESS ME.

C-3PO tells Han the odds of successfully navigating an asteriod field, then the captions say Han says, "NEVER TELL ME ODDS!"


Haha, and now, R2 is spit out by the thing in the Dagobah swamp and screams "whoa!!!!!!!", but the captions say, "Beeep." L-O-L.

"What are you doing here?!" -Lando
I HAVE SOME REPAIRS. -Han's captioned reply

 

Job -- the new development is that I don't know what's happening: I called HR, and they said different things do happen and they'll get back to me! I'm looking around though, as I don't have much time when you factor in re-writing the resume, submitting it, waiting for all the interviews, processing, etc. Plus two conventions between now and then. It would be easier to stay put with friends where I am, so that's my top hope.

Kids -- my 13 year old is still sweet but knows how to TRY to play parents against each other. Luckily my ex and I try to stay on the same page. Drives the kid crazy, hee! I know it could all change, so I sympathize with you moms a little ahead of me! Of course the steps are another story. I have to try to get one out of Bali before his visa expires (flight problems). I didn't post about it because I feel like I've been a downer lately. But it's stressful. Fully grown kids are a whole new set of worries, even if they are steps -- it really makes no difference: I still care profoundly.

Housing -- don't own a house, but today I'm glad. Times are scary and since we just bought another car, I'm glad the job thing isn't that much worse (home-ownership-impacting).

I need to watch SW this weekend, ES. That would be good therapy. Plus Sagebrush Cantina and the continuation of LAFF. My 5 year anniversary w/LAFF is in September!

You guys make me happy!

 

JF, my son just turned 13, but has not turned to the Dark Side as of yet. He can be a bit stubborn, but at least not downright ornery.

I am hoping things will stay this way till he is 18, but perhaps I am being a bit naive...

 

J_J, I forgot about your padawans.

I'm feeling a bit melancholy. Don't know why.

 

It's Post Celebration IV Depression (PC4D). I think I have it too. After all the buildup, all the time and energy put into putting my costume and other stuff together. It's all over now.

 

I'm going through all those classic stages of post-major-event trauma (but over the job, not CIV)...first, I was in shock (and denial, I guess), then yesterday I was weird and giggly and full of bravado. Today, I was seriously sad as I finally realized this job is REALLY going to end. I got a little weepy (in private). I was in my boss's office and I pictured us not there. Then I felt a strange bravery and confidence...facing the next chapter while I bid the last one goodbye. I have a feeling some of these stages will repeat and rinse a few times...but I am really hopeful about the future, and am looking at it as an opportunity. I'm also REALLY (and not surprisingly) tired...

 

Double-post! Looks like our web hosting company is having a problem today...I'll see what I can do to get our site back up soon, so our board headers and stuff come back!