Developments

Guess what?!

• My boss quit, effective immediately, two days ago.
• I've started attending church again.
• I'm planning a trip to Chicago in mid-December.
• I successfully fought off the stomach flu last week.
• My top and bottom sizes have dropped by a whole size each.
• I've got a crazy week of work and travel planned.

Ok, how about we take those one-by-one?

My boss quit, effective immediately, two days ago

We have had complication after issue after frustration with our manager for months (when I say we I mean the entire store staff and company in general). This past week our manager decided her time with the company was over and, after sitting down with our district manager, made the choice to vacate her position with our store and with the company. While we ultimately hope these actions will be beneficial to both our manager and the store in the long run, in the short-term things are going to be a bit chaotic. The week before Thanksgiving is not the time any retailer wants to lose staff, particularly management staff. Both the other assistant and I will be picking up a lot of extra hours and we are getting some aid from nearby stores. The "Now Hiring" sign is up but it will probably be a few weeks, if not a month or more, before we are back to a full management staff. December is going to be a real blast, let me tell you.

I've started attending church again

Around the beginning of October the nudge I have been feeling for quite some time regarding returning to church became more of a figurative and literal shove and so I once again find myself sitting, standing, singing, speaking, and listening (I couldn't think of a way to say that with an s-word) with a congregation. I have approached the pastor of the church I have been attending, resulting in he and I exchanging multiple emails and engaging in one-on-one appointments. He hooked me up with another person at the church, a woman who works primarily with young women, and she and I have also been in contact in several different ways. I was going to get involved in an all-women study group as well, but now that I no longer have specific set days off from work it is a bit hard to commit to the group.

I have been pretty quiet about this particular development as I do not want nor feel I should have to face multiple questions or even some ridicule from family and friends. Encouragement is always appreciated and accepted. So is constructive input.

The thing I am struggling with the most at this point is a desire to truly believe in God and Jesus and eternal salvation but not being able to see the Bible as anything but nice stories. It's all fiction to me, instead of truth. I can be too analytical for my own good on occasion.

I'm planning a trip to Chicago in mid-December

A long time ago (a.k.a. last week) when there was a full management staff at work I was told which weekend in December I was going to have off and I planned a trip to Chicago to see friends and have a little break. The other assistant, upon being told which weekend she would have off in December, went crazy and made travel plans as well. Despite being short-staffed we are making sure each of us gets to follow through on our plans. It will mean very long days for the person left in the store on each particular weekend, but that is alright with us. For way too long our days off from work have actually been our days on call. Life for both of us has come to center on our jobs, which is plain crazy and very not right. Neither the other assistant nor I are willing to continue in such a way. So my plans stand mostly unchanged and I will be heading to Chicago in mid-December to partake in the movie-set-esqueness that is a Chicago Christmas and to spend time with good friends I do not get to see often enough.

I successfully fought off the stomach flu last week

This one is pretty self-explanatory. I started to get sick. It was unpleasant. I said, "Oh, heck no!" (ok, maybe I wasn't that polite). I got better.

My top and bottom sizes have dropped by a whole size each

Also pretty self-explanatory. Eating healthier, walking more, and being pop/soda/cola/fizzy-drink-free for over 9 months is starting to pay off. It's slow but it's steady. I judge my success by how I look and feel in my clothing, not by how much I weigh. I would have to think long and hard to come up with the last time I was on a scale. Maybe back in February when I got sick and had to go to Urgent Care to get some antibiotics.

I've got a crazy week of work and travel planned

Off/Close/Open then drive to Minnesota/Eat food with family then drive to Iowa/Close/Open/Drive to Knoxville. That's my schedule for the next 7 days. Ridunkulous!

Love!

~g