Welp, the boss is gone for a month, it's Friday and my new office mate happens to love birds. So...guess who came to work with me today!
Lil' TOOOOBE-EEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!! Poopsies. I have a great little carrier for my birdies and he hadn't been out with me in a while so I decided to give him an outing today. He loves car rides, especially since I always play loud music. Birdies LOVE loud music! He was talking and singing the whole way here. He was a little nervous once we got to the office at first, but settled in fine. He's spent most of the day either on my shoulder or in the Ficus tree next to my desk. He's there right now, all fluffed up and ready for a nap. After work we're gonna go to a local bird store coworker told me about. Apparently there's one around here that I DON'T know about, imagine that! So we're gonna check it out 'cause she wants another bird. He husband made her get rid of her cockatiel (ugh, no MAN could EVER make me do that!) because he was too loud, among other things. Now that she's met my little, tiny, barely audible Toby parrotlet, she wants one! We're gonna go check things out today. Not gonna rush into anything, of course. I've been giving her tips, as she seemed to have spoiled her cockatiel a bit, which helped make him all the more annoying to her husband. But no one wants a bird on the floor, chasing them and nipping at their toes. Just like children, I told her, birds need discipline and routine. Anyway, time to wrap things up. Happy weekend!
Happy Monday. I was listening to my old Bloodhound Gang CD this weekend. The album is about ten years old and is called "One fierce beer coaster". Some of my favorite lyrics include:~"Life's short and hard like a body building elf, so save the planet and kill yourself. If you're feelin' down and out with what your life is all about, raise your head up high and blow your brains out!"~"An' I don't givva damn if ya don't like me 'cause I don't like you 'cause you're not like me!"~"GET UP! YOU'RE ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL!"~"Why's everybody always pickin' on me? 'Cause you run like a girl and you sit down to pee..."Yes. Classic. And now, more pictures of the tank. I added more rocks on Friday.
Man, I need a better camera. There are so many tiny things and it's hard to get them. I've noticed three more clams and a brittle star. It's looking so wonderful, I wish I could shrink myself and go diving in it. I know, just wait'll I have fish and inverts! It's gonna be so worth the wait.Yes, it was a good weekend. I had a nice Easter Sunday with my family. We had to drive very far, but it was worth it. It made me so happy to see Ron enjoying my family. He talked and talked to my brother and dad... Then he said he had a great time at least twelve times on the long, trafficky drive home. I had so much fun, too, as I hadn't been out to see my brother and sister-in-law in SO LONG. Not to mention the kiddies. They're 15 and 17 now. Damn... Anyway, that's it for now. Back to work.
That's how I've been feeling this whole week. Let's see what's knocking around in the rooms of my mind, shall we?1. I'm happy that Ron has been home nights again this week, due to the fact that the school he's working at is on Spring Break. But I'm dreading him going back to nights again next week and am trying not to let my mood go sour over it because it will just cause a fight because I know he prefers the night schedule. 2. The whole concept of Spring Break...I miss it so. I miss vacation days. I haven't been able to take any since my honeymoon. Call me spoiled, but I get two weeks of paid vacay a year and I like to use them one week at a time...one in the winter and one in the summer...or I'd like to break up one of the weeks and take some vacation days individually. I haven't been able to do either yet this year because my boss is always traveling, moving, gone and busy while I hold down the fort here. When she *is* here, it's work work work work stay late, earn your raise, guilt guilt, earn your benefits, blah blah. I think I'm feeling generally burnt on work again lately anyway. But I'm lazy and wish I could just stay home and take care of six thousand pets.3. The economy sucks, our president is a shithead and the world is continuing to go to selfish hell...which brings me to...4. People are entirely too selfish and wrapped up in themselves, their accomplishments, their stuff, their money, their cars, their children, their UTTER EXISTENCE. It's like, news flash, we're no longer special as individuals. There are at least 200,000 other people out there like me or you or whoever. We're nothing but fucking cockroaches. And yo, it's been done before. I know...I'm too obsessed with this...5. I can't get this fear of having children out of my head. Back and forth up and down. I know I'd be a good mom, I'm not worried about that...it's just this total lack of desire. I think it has a lot to do with all the ups and downs my marriage is going through right now. It's been a tough first year, to say the least. We've both got so much on our minds and we've been bickering on and off all year. Yes, our first year anniversary is coming up already. I just couldn't imagine bringing children into my life at any time soon. Especially with Ron on this shitty schedule and all this crap in our apartment. He actually mentioned last week that he'd like to start trying this coming September. I went ahead and made it clear that there was NO WAY IN HELL that was happening. We both have to grow up...I care more about a fish tank and he seems to care more about his bikes...than either of us could muster up for a child. The only thing I'm ready to do by September is get my meds in order. I need switch to something that I'm allowed to take while pregnant. I'm scared to death of switching meds and will definately do it through my doctor, but there is just no way. And I REFUSE to have a child with Ron working nights. I need my husband around for that shit. But for now I'm just dreading having a child...I don't know, I just don't wanna do it. I don't wanna make that sacrifice? Does that make me incredibly selfish or what? 6. I obviously can't concentrate on work again. I don't wanna work. Our prices are rising again, my boss is being NUTS 'cause she's leaving for another month and a half on Monday and I'm tired of this stupid industry. Okay, that's all for now. I'm making myself depressed again and that just doesn't work. I gotta be happy. I have a lot. But I could lose it all in a second. Is that not the DEFINITION of anxiety? It's wrong. I have to believe in something...myself, faith, whatever. Fuck. I'm gonna drive myself insane. Bye.
Well, gee...no one has commented on my pictures yet. *sniff* I know...just another boring fish tank. *ssssiiiiggghhhh*Just kidding! Heehee! Anyway, the tank's been running about a week and I've had a few live rocks in it since Saturday. As of Tuesday, I started to notice things were hap' nin'. There are cute little animals all over the rocks and have started rearing their tiny flagella. Monday night I slept on the couch in order to avoid Mr. sickie spreadin' his sickies to me. Well I peeked in the tank early Tuesday morning as I headed toward the bathroom and noticed a threadlike thing flowing in the current. A transparent, feathery appendage gracefully dancing in the dim light. I followed it from tip to the tiny pore on the rock it protruded from, which as a total of about 4 or 5 inches. Later that night when I turned on the light (hey, that rhymes! derg) I saw the hairy thing again. As I watched, it reeeeeeeeled itself into the pore on the rock. It was all, *zzzzzzzziiiiiiiiiiiiippp*. Hehehehee! I've also noticed that some of the polyps on one of the rocks are still alive, even ones that I thought were dead are coming back. They have mushroom stems with sunflower looking ends. Man, it's hard to describe...I gotta charge the camera this weekend and take some close ups. Then there are the snails. I saw a different kind of snail last night, besides the black n' white stripies. This one was a little bigger (about the size of a pencil eraser) with a creamy colored shell. It was trying to crawl on the back part of the tank and had left a little zig-zag trail in the sand residue. A little while later, I noticed the snail, its back on the sandy bottom, with its slime trail suspended between it and the wall. A couple of grains of sand were stuck in the slime, blowing in the current. Then I saw a tiny shrimp skeleton blow by. Yes, there are teeeeeeeeeeeeny brown and white shrimp living in the rocks, too.Good gawd! And this is only like, eight pieces of rock! I still have to add about another 25 pounds of the stuff! These guys get the BEST rock, it's got all this life on it and it's only $2.99 a pound! The rocks I got before had half the life and cost $4 - $5 a pound. I've made myself wait at least a week before I get more rock. So come Saturday, I'm gonna get about another 10 pounds. This time it'll be some from their more expensive selection. They've got some gorgeous purple rocks in the $4 - $5 bin. TONS of purple and green, corraline algea...oh man, I can't WAIT until my whole tank is covered in it! Okay, I'm getting way too excited over a fish tank. Nuh-uh. It's cool, I have reason to be. I've always wanted to build a reef tank and it's finally coming about. Woopie for me! Now it's that time again. Time to stop babbling on the internet and get back to work. Later!
Guess who's home with me?! It's Ronnie poop! He's sick! Yay! I mean...The poor dear. I hadda come home an' take carr-uh him. So I'm throwing caution to the wind and risking getting sick to be home widda hubby. It's nice. He's hotter than hell, too. Running a fever of 102 or so. I'm gonna hafta be careful 'cause I can't afford to get sick right now. Eeesh... But it's still so nice to have his sick lil' ass here. So here it is... My latest project!
Notice the enthralled kitties checking out alla new equipment.
Just started 'er up... Sand detrius is foggin' things.
The first bits of live rock, as you can FINALLY see them crisp and clear. The individual patterns on them are amazing! Even with barely anything on them in terms of visible life, they are beautiful...
It's gonna be so gorgeous!So I've only had one major plumbing mishap. Seems I forgot to put the final clamp on the hose that returns water to the tank... The little submersible pump is one strong little fucker. I found out just HOW strong as I was trying to place the sump tank in a final position. Ron and Bam were watching t.v. and talking as I fiddled with shit. Next thing ya know...*FFFFffffffshshshshssssshhhhhssscccchshshchchccccchffffffffsssshhh!!!!!!!*AAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!! UNPLUG UNPLUG UNPLUGGIT UNPLUGGITTT!!!! It'sa geyser in the livingroom!!!! I watched in horror as puddles of water flowed from under the cabinet, all over the carpet. I saw hope in the edges of the spilling water though...as they spread on the carpet, I noticed that the edges had air bubbles under them, that I had few precious seconds to grab towels from the hall closet and sop that shit up before it was absorbed! Low and behold, and to the utter amazement of the men on the couch, I successfully sopped that shit UP! WHOOOOOO!!!!!! *Whew*Needless to say, I had Ron help me put a clamp on that damn thing right after I cleaned up the saltwatery, itchy mess. Yes, saltwater is itchy on your dry, hairy legs. It's spring now. Time to pull out the razor a little more often than twice a month. Mmmm-hmmm. That's my saltwater tank 'ventures so far. The next installment'll probably be in anther two weeks or so. I hafta take my time 'fore I add to thuh BiOLoAd. Yea, man.I'munna go rub Ronnie's noe now. Later!
...a competent, calm employee who not only lets you give complete directions, but also LISTENS makes. She also finishes what she starts, follows directions and even has ideas of her own! And what's that? Initiative? Yep, she takes that, too. So far, the new employee is working out much better than the last one. She has a life outside of work like everyone else, but it does not take precedence over the work that needs to be done while she is here. She has a husband and two kids, but we don't have to hear about how much they annoy her all the time. She has the intelligence to understand that the boss is a good person and is the boss for a reason...and she doesn't take things personally. The best thing is that she smiles in the morning and even says, "Good morning". In other words, she is a normal human being, without the intense anxiety issues of the last one. I think we have learned from our mistake and have actually hired someone who values their job.
My boss has seen Mrs. Ex employee at church a few times. At first there were awkward hellos, now she just ignores my boss altogether. Although, the funny thing is that her daughter and husband are still nice and polite, and have continued to nicely greet her. She told me that after yesterdays service the daughter actually ran over and gave my boss a big hug. Yea, ex employee used to tell me all the time that her daughter was "different" and a little on the defiant side. I think that has a lot to do with the fact that her daughter is more like her father. Good for her. I feel sorry for the son. Mom's constant coddling is having an effect on him. He's the "baby" and has a shy personality, so there isn't much hope that he'll keep from becoming a huge, pussy-faced, momma's boy... Gee, how do I know so much about momma's boys, you ask? Well, I happened to date one for many years. UGHGHghghg... Okay, shake it off, shake it off...
I bet that bitch has even badmouthed me, as well as my boss, to everyone she knows. She will probably never acccept the fact that it is SHE who did this to herself. It sucks to have to fire someone...well, at least to good people it does. At the same time, it's very good realize that you can't waste any more time and money on a person. We learned that lesson the hard way, too. The current employee started at a lower rate and is on 90 day probation...then we are going to do an evaluation before we give her any more money. We will gauge her progress until then. We will also give her a chance to tell us how she feels about her job.
In other news, the fish tank is coming along. I will post pictures either tonight or tomorrow. I really want to keep progress pictures going because it's an all natural tank. I want to see the stages...how things grow and change and whatnot. So far I've only got pictures of the set up while empty, which were taken about a week ago. Over the weekend I added water, 35 pounds of live sand and about 10 pounds of live rock. The term "live" is derived from the fact that there are beneficial bacteria living on/in the rocks and sand. Now that I've got the tank running, I have to wait patiently for the next three weeks to a month while the bacteria multiply and get through the "cycling" part of the process. Then I will have a healthy biological filter of bacteria to convert the animal wastes into less harmful compounds (nitrates) that can be diluted every three weeks to a month when I do a partial water change.
Yes.
I am a huge fish geek. And proud of it! Soon I shall have my own little corner of the ocean in my livingroom. mUaHAHAhaHaHaahahaahhh... And how 'bout some irony? I took the freshwater tank down because of snails, right? Well, there I was all excited on Saturday night because there were a couple of snails on the live rocks I'd gotten. But these are cute saltwater snails with black and white striped shells. Plus, they don't multiply at ALL like the freshwater ones do. Yea.
That's all for now. I must get back to work...
But first, here is one of my favorite pictures from an email I received a little while back...
Wow, I know... I've posted a picture of an actual cute KID instead of an animal. It's just that I usually find pictures of pets so much more appealing than those of children...but this one got me, man. Those aren't bandaids! And lookit the liddle one 'round his liddle pee-pee! HAHAHAHAAHAHAA!!!!
Wow, I just paid my Sprint bill online, while sitting on the toilet takin' a shit. Amazing, isn't it? I love this thing.
