Slightly Depressed

Children ARE a joy and a blessing.

I mentioned how Joseph watched out for me Saturday. Monday, I
contacted him about my bike chain and he agreed to fix it after work
at the light rail station. That took him about a minute. However, my
back tire had gone flat as well. He not only fixed it, he patiently
talked to me the whole time telling me what and how and why. The rim
tape was not properly in place protecting the tube from the spoke
ends. He, naturally, was carrying a tube and tools.

I didn't bike today because I had a promotional oral exam.

Work is a blessing, but not always a joy.

It isn't my job that's the problem, it's peripherals.

I am the lucky custodian of our office water club. Collect the dues,
pay the bills. Except slowly the balance has been slipping. This
month not so slowly. I spent much of the morning on emails with my
water club members discussing the situation and raising the dues -
again. Some people quit the club. Some came by and made donations to
cover the deficit. They were mostly really nice and supportive, but
it's stressful. In the same large room, but a different unit, there
is a water club with the same company whose dues are about half ours.
I went to their custodian to learn her secret. Her water club is
being billed at little more than half our rate. Our rates have gone
up a couple of times where hers haven't. She suspects either a great
wheeler-dealer predecessor or a computer glitch at the water company.
Either way, she is trying not to attract their notice. She doesn't
want us to quit our club and join hers because the company might
notice the sudden change in consumption. And - grrr - the old water
club custodian for our club knew about it and belonged to the other
club while managing ours, then dumped on me.

The other great thing today is the Accountant 1 (Specialist) exam.
HUMILIATING. I didn't know a thing. I have taken and gotten As in 4
college accounting classes - which with 2 plus years experience as
(lowly) Account Clerk II and now (less lowly) Accounting Technician
qualified me (supposedly) to take the exam. The key words in the exam
did NOT come up ONCE in any of my classes or work experience. I am
miserably devastated, embarrassed, and discouraged. Slightly
alleviated by the knowledge that an intelligent coworker with 11 years
of accounting work experience felt the same way. Maybe not quite as
lowly, but bad. The gals from the Cashiering unit fared somewhat
better. One of them even felt confident afterwards and said it was
easy. Obviously different work experience! Two of the people in my
larger office were on the exam board, so we see each other in passing
fairly often. I would rather never see them again nor they see me.
Well, hopefully, I will have some idea what kind of stuff to study for
next time.

And Ben is gone. It's a good thing really, but not so much for Anna
and me. The Young Men are off on their "Super Activity" camping
somewhere in or near Eureka. Deep harbor fishing one day and biking
through Redwoods the next. He will be home Friday. He will have a
great time. He will bond and fellowship. I don't have to drive to
Youth Meeting Wednesday. But there is another empty space. Just
Joseph and I at home. Weird. Besides, Benjamin sometimes/often fixes
dinner, does household chores, loves the dog, and makes us laugh. And
our prayer assignment pattern is thrown again.

I am going to the zoo tonight whether Joseph wants to come along or not.

The Sacramento Zoo is having Twilght Tuesdays (no, Sariah, not that
Twilight - evening hours,that's all) for part of the summer. Instead
of the gates closing at 4, they are open until 7pm with guests not
being booted out until 8pm. I haven't been to the Zoo for ages and I
miss it. Marine World either, since it became Six Flags. I miss it
even more, but that's another story. The Zoo is here and not nearly
as expensive. Twilight Tuesdays they will stay open later, sell
dinner, have live music (which may or may not be a plus). Tonight is
Country Music (Rowdy Kate) and BBQ. I haven't yet decided whether to
grab a sandwich at home or try their BBQ.

I didn't go last week (50's & 60's Car Show and fried chicken) because
the guys weren't interested. I was surprised at how disappointed I
felt. So, I will try it this time and see if I want to go again.

The Governator is threatening a 3rd and 4th furlough day. 4 Day Work
Weeks - yippee! (so far it's pick your furlough day, which is nice.
I have one in the bank and may bank June's) 18-20% total pay cut -
not so good.

That's if they don't close most of our Parks and cut me free altogether.

Aren't you glad you came by to visit and enjoy these little
pick-me-ups? I am just such an uplifitng person.