10.31.2008

Waiting....

Waiting...
I found this image over at lazyartistslounge. Since I borrowed this from them, please show the love by giving them a click! Thanks

10.25.2008

Appropriate Emoticon

I learned a new emoticon today:

:| It means waiting, indifferent; how appropriate :)

10.23.2008

For Crying Out Loud!!!!

One step forward, two steps back.

The subject line on today's email: "Slight Delay".

OK, I'm almost at the point where I don't care anymore. It's going to happen, I just don't know when....it's like waiting for a Jack-in-the-box to pop!

Here are a few choice quotes from today's message:
  • as always the wheels grind slowly
  • I do apologize for misleading you
  • please be patient (this is funny to me, I haven't said anything to them about this silly process.....so they know it's bad!)

Oh well, I'm over the excitement now. I'm just waiting. Dum dee dum....

10.22.2008

Phone Call From Kwajalein

I got a call today.

The call was to boost my morale. It worked!

It was like getting another shot of hope. Apparently all of the (current; I'm not going to get too optimistic) paperwork issues have been handled and I can rest assured that by the end of this week I will be getting contacted for the next phase of the process.

Whew.

I thought I was a patient person.....no wait, when it comes to getting something done, I'm not patient. By the end of my two year stint I may be! Or a crazed blithering idiot if I don't learn it.

More soon I hope!

10.19.2008

The Waiting Continues

Well, I didn't hear back from anyone in HR last week, it was a short week though so I guess I'm not too surprised. I've got my fingers crossed for next week though; I'm just about to burst I want to turn in my notice with the new company so bad!

The purging and packing continues:
I'm making progress - No, really!
Today I sold the last of the household items I intended to sell. The car is the only thing left on the things to sell list. I do have it advertised, I have not had a bite on it yet. As soon as I give my notice, I can put a for sale sign in it which should help.

In other news, the team I will be working with on Kwajalein sent me a link to the NASA website so I could read about the IBEX program they have been working on. It's just way too cool. I am so excited about what I will be part of.

I feel like a little kid waiting for Christmas!

10.15.2008

Nothing Like an Efficient System

You gotta love it....

I spent an hour or so filling out the "official" KRS application on Sunday night so that my future boss could put it with all of my other paperwork and send it to human resources to get this ball rolling. I completed it and emailed it back to him, signed and everything.

Today, I got an email from HR with the same application attached that said:
"We do need a fully completed and signed document from you via FAX. This is a very important part of our recruitment process."

Fortunately I was able to access the one I emailed, print it and FAX it in.

Too funny.

10.14.2008

Last of the Application Paperwork Sent

I sent the last of the official application paperwork to my new boss last night.
He will be turning it over to the human resources department in Huntsville today. Supposedly I will be hearing from someone there within a week. (So I can do more paperwork.)

This has been an interesting process. I'll have to get used to all the red tape that seems to be part of life on Kwajalein.

We visited a bit more about the job, what life is like there, the things I need to get out of my system before I go. I don't cook much so we eat out a lot and we eat good, apparently this is something I will be giving up; good food. Bummer. In the bachelors quarters, I won't even have a kitchen so cooking for myself will not even be an option. Oh well, that's what vacations are for I guess.

They still seem to think that I will be on my way out there by the end of November. That will be great timing. We've already gotten snow so I'll be leaving right about the time winter really sets in.

Now I have to get serious about the packing. The stuff that gets shipped can take about 30-45 days to arrive so I need to make sure I don't pack anything I can't live without for that long. My plan is to make three piles....taking, not sure, and storing. I'm hoping to keep the storing pile to a minimum. I have no concept yet about how much 750 pounds translates to. There may be some shuffling once I start adding it up. We'll see how it goes.

10.09.2008

Reluctantly Re-applying For My Job

Well, I can't really get around it; I need to re-apply for my current position with the new owners today. My pride is taking a hit. I have my fingers crossed that they will reject it or let me go shortly after bringing me on.

I've weighed out all the alternatives I could think of and this really is the easiest, least disruptive way to go. Financially and logically anyway, emotionally it would be much more satisfying to go get a temporary job anywhere else while I'm waiting for the paperwork to finalize on the Kwajalein position. Oh well. It truly could be worse.

I got a call from Kwajalein last night letting me know not to worry, everything is still on track there is just some issue with coordinating the Kwajalein paperwork with the Huntsville paperwork. I am currently a requisition number and I'm being processed. Like I've said before, things seem to move a little slower in Kwajalein.

I've sold pretty much everything I need to sell except the car and I'm still trying to decide if I'm going to sell the motorcycle or not. It's my first one and I want to keep it! It would cost a lot less to store than the car and I wouldn't have to keep it insured but I don't know...

I have a friend that's coming next week to take all of my houseplants. It's going to feel really bare in the house once the plants are gone. I'm enjoying the process though. It feels kind of weird but exciting too.

I really think this experience is worth all of the sacrifice. Other than the dogs, all I'm sacrificing is "stuff" anyway. I've been wanting to simplify, this just makes it necessary instead of voluntary. I work well in those conditions.

10.08.2008

Nice Lady With 20 Acres

Tonight we sent Blue off to try out a new home.

He was a little trepidatious when he first met the lady but within minutes she had his eyes rolling back in his head and he was leaning on her and seeking her out and before long, he got in her car and drove away.

Sad.

She was very loving with him and seemed like she needed a friend and he seemed to be enjoying the undivided attention. In a house with three dogs, he doesn't get that much. I have high hopes that everything will be fine.

She'll be calling to give us a status report tomorrow. I'm looking forward to hearing how it went.

One down, two to go.

10.06.2008

Last Family Portrait

This is kind of sad.....
I've been wanting to take this picture for awhile now and circumstances finally pushed us into getting it done.

Here it is and I love it:
Family Portrait

The adventure to Kwajalein does not come without sacrifices. The only pet we will be able to take to the island is the cat. We are currently looking for new homes for the dogs.

I actually listed the Blue Dog on craigslist.
Surprisingly, I got a response already. A nice lady with 20 acres is coming to meet him on Tuesday.

I hope it goes well.

10.04.2008

This is Serious

One of the things I need to do before I move to a small island in the Pacific Ocean is sell my car.
I don't think it makes sense to make payments and pay insurance on it for two years while it's in storage.

Who knows what I may decide to do after Kwajalein, maybe it will be longer than two years, I don't really know.

I can always get another car. (I do love this one though)

FOR SALE

2008 Subaru Outback 2.5i
For Sale
14,100 miles (I purchased it in April 2007)
Exterior: Newport Blue Interior: Black
See the brochure here.
Also includes towing package.
Asking: $17,500
Located in Helena, MT - Buyer pays for any shipping involved.

If you interested please leave a comment including your contact info. (Comments are not automatically posted.)

10.03.2008

The Takeover

Yesterday was my first day back at work after the Peruvian adventure.

We were handed our new employment packets from the new owners, complete with job application as we all have to reapply for our current positions. In the meeting held to allay every one's fears, we were told that nothing was going to change but we are all on 180 day probation which means that any of us could get dropped at any moment.

I wish I didn't have to go with the new company at all but I can't really make it two months with no income, especially after my trip. Plus, I have no idea if the December 1st deadline is even doable; that seems pretty fast considering how long everything else has taken.

I'll be discussing my options with a friend who works as an employment law attorney, just to see....

10.01.2008

Following Orders

I just had to post this......

One of the things I was told I would need to take with me to the island was a green shirt to wear on launch days.

I don't have one so I was browsing around online when I found this little number:
Engineers do it in Stages
LOL! Do you think I'll make any friends with this?
(My title will be Engineer 1)

Another Success!

I'm catching up on things from my extended vacation and I was excited to learn that Flight 4 of the Falcon 1 successfully launched and achieved Earth orbit!

According to the SpaceX website, this success makes the Falcon 1 the first privately developed liquid fuel rocket to orbit the Earth. Impressive.

Check out the video: