The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

So I started my new job today. (I'm officially a part-time, media-assistant at an elementary school in Durham.)

The Good:

I really like the school media specialist (read: librarian) that I'm working with, he's friendly and funny and he seems excited to have me working with him. He also seems to be interested in using me more as a second librarian rather than as an "assistant" in the traditional sense and this makes me SO happy (and relieved).

The Bad:

I'm a part-time assistant. (And I know it's stupid but I died just a little inside each time the very nice media specialist introduced me as his new assistant.)

The (REALLY) Ugly:

The salary is 1/2 of what was listed when I applied. I've spent (literally) weeks asking HR, my principal, the asst. principal, etc. what my exact salary would be (as the posting listed a range) and nobody could give me an answer. Today when I went to HR to get my new badge, fill out the tax and benefits forms, etc. I asked about the salary as soon as I was alone with someone in a position to tell me anything. The lady wrote a number (the number was around what I'd expected) on the form listing my employee identification number, my school, my start date, etc. and then she said that I am classified as a permanent part-time employee and my salary is 1/2 of that number.

WHAT?!?!?!

Ignore, if you will, the obvious questions: Why didn't she write my salary down? or Why'd she want to show me a number that it will take me two months to earn? Let's just stick to the facts. The posting listed the job as a part-time position with a salary with a range of xy NOT xy/2!!!!

I asked her to repeat herself...and then I asked her to repeat herself again and then I did the math myself (out-loud) just to be sure I was hearing her correctly. We went on with the meeting (I'm pretty sure my face was completely white at this point) and then before we ended the meeting I confirmed the salary again. (It hadn't changed from the last time I asked.) Then I got the tax/benefits/direct deposit paperwork, then I hid in the bathroom and hyperventilated. 1/2?!?!?!

I've calmed down a bit but I'm still pretty upset. (The HR/salary-stuff all happened in the morning and I spent the afternoon at the school.) It feels a little (a lot) like I was misled...and if I'd known the pay scale, I'm not sure that I'd have applied. However, there are silver linings to every gigantic, ugly gray storm cloud and I'm sure that is true of this as well.

Tomorrow is another day.

And other cliches.

The Final Countdown

I start my new job today!! Wish me luck!!

What should I wear???

Chapel of Love

Our friends Beth and Akshay got married this past weekend (on my birthday to be exact) and the whole Walnut Hills gang + significant-others came back to Cincinnati to celebrate. This was the second Adam's-high-school-friend-wedding of the summer and since we're all so far-flung now it's been really nice to get to see each other without so much time in between visits. The ceremony and reception were really beautiful, held at the French House and French Park in Cincinnati. There were some weather-related issues to deal with but everything came off beautifully and we all had SUCH a good time! Beth and Akshay tried to combine their respective family and cultural traditions and the result was lovely and very "them." My favorite part was that for dinner they had an Indian station, a pasta station and a "Fun Fusion" station. (The Indian station was easily the tastiest.)

Adam had to work on Friday and was taking his boards on Monday so we drove from NC to Cincinnati Friday after work, got in late Friday night, spent Saturday hanging out and bowling with friends, attended the wedding that night and then drove back to NC on Sunday. Adam's parents made me a birthday brunch on Sunday morning complete with candles in the french toast and both of them singing "Happy Birthday." It was very thoughtful (and delicious) and I appreciated it!

It was a really busy weekend but we managed to cram family, friends, Skyline and Graeters all into less than three days...it was impressive. On the drive home I quizzed Adam for the boards (when I wasn't sleeping). I hope the next time we get to see all these friends it won't be quite so rushed!

From left: Alison & Elliot (whose wedding in Atlanta we attended back in June), Adam & I, Jacob and Ben.

The happy couple! This was actually Beth & Akshay's second wedding, they got married in a ceremony in India last month. The pictures were gorgeous!

My favorite photo of the night except that we're missing Paige!!

Special thanks to Alison for the pictures as my camera stayed in Adam's pocket all night!

Wrapped Up In Books

Since returning to NC I've visited my favorite used bookstore about a dozen times (which is no small feat considering I've only been back since June).

While I lived in Chicago the shop changed owners resulting in a smaller space (the storefront next door is now a bar) but I think the new owners are utilizing the space in a way that makes it much more navigable. So, while I can still spend hours browsing these shelves, now I find what I'm looking for much more quickly. The downside is that since I can zero-in on my desired section within a few minutes of walking into the shop, it results in me spending more money. (The time I used to spend trying to find what I was looking for is now spent discovering things I didn't even know that I was looking for!) So far this has resulted in a lot more Lincoln books being brought home then is probably advisable. (Just when Adam thinks that there can't possibly be another book about Lincoln for me to read I bring home another pile from the library or a book store. I keep trying to explain that this isn't a subject I'll ever really exhaust but so far he's not buying it.)

In other news, I spent waaaaay more time yesterday than I thought was possible trying to get a stupid health form signed so I can start my new job. One trip to student health, two trips to two separate urgent cares and four hours later the form is still not signed. Life is funny sometimes. I'm still not sure what my actual start-date will be but I'll keep you posted.

Many thanks for all the birthday wishes!! I'll put up a separate birthday post (complete with a few photos from Beth's wedding this weekend) later today or tomorrow.

With a Little Help From My Friends

Sarah & Eric came to visit!!

While at Southpoint we stopped for coffee, gelato and the biggest biscotti I've ever seen. Seriously it was the size of my head. I wanted somebody to hold the biscotti up to demonstrate that it's the size of a head. This was the result.

We went to dinner at a Brazilian steakhouse because Eric is "de Espana." (And because I'm geographically challenged.) Eric and I got meat-drunk.

Winding down the night with the obligatory stop at our favorite wine bar. Who is that man passed out next to us? Is it Jesus? Mr. Bojangles?? Nope. It's Adam, trying not to be photographed.

I miss you guys!!!

Pour Some Sugar On Me

This week I visited a Carolina Beach institution, Britt's Donuts. My mom told me all about Britt's after her visit last year but this was my first time at the venerable establishment. We left the condo and headed over on Sunday morning around 9AM to taste the doughnuts that my mom says, "make Krispy Kreme taste like Dunkin Donuts."*

The line was ridiculous.

After waiting in the heat and humidity we ordered a dozen donuts. All of Britt's donuts are made to order, there's no conveyor belt here and no baskets of stale donuts. Every donut is fresh from the fryer to your mouth. Don't walk in here looking for sprinkles or jelly or chocolate-cream-filling. The only flavor is glazed and the recipe hasn't changed since the shop opened in 1939. In fact, the current owners are still using many of the original kitchen implements and utensils.

The taste is fantastic!! It's soft and gooey but hot and crispy all at the same time. You end up with sugary glaze all over your fingers and crumbs sprinkled all over the counter. And I dare you to eat just one!

*For the record, I like Dunkin Donuts and am not a huge fan of Krispy Kreme. My favorite donut of all time is a chocolate cake donut with chocolate icing from Reuter's Bakery in Chicago.

9 To 5

OH! I forgot: I got a job! I'm the new school media assistant at an elementary school in Durham. I'm excited but at the same time I feel a bit conflicted. I'm happy to have found a job in my field in this economy. However, I'm overqualified for the position and it is part-time. I'm worried that I'm not working as hard as I should be...but I'm intrigued to try a new library environment. I think after spending a year in this job (assuming I like working in a school library) I'll continue in the job for a second year and go back to school to take the remaining coursework I need to get my school media certification. (I need to live in NC for one year in order to qualify for in-state tuition.)

I don't yet know my start date but I have high hopes...we'll see how it all turns out!

Girl and the Sea

I'm at Carolina Beach with my parents for a few days. Mom & Daddy bought a timeshare here the summer I turned 13 and have been coming here most summers ever since. For a few years when I was in high school we traded the week for a condo somewhere else, one year we visited Savannah, GA (I read Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil on the drive to get ready for our trip), another year we went to a tiny town near Dillard, GA (we went white water rafting on the Nantahala Falls). Most years we stuck with Carolina Beach, a small beach town near Wilmington, NC. It's a pretty quiet area, lots of seafood restaurants, plenty of fishing (for those so inclined) and an old-fashioned boardwalk.

When I arrived this afternoon my parents ordered a pizza and then we took a walk on the beach. We watched a wedding (my second observed-beach-wedding of the summer), tried to avoid being run over by the surfers and laughed at each other (me running in and out of the waves, my mom trying to avoid getting wet). Then we played several hands of hearts. Now my Dad's watching an Errol Flynn movie and I'm watching the lights of the pier reflect off the ocean. (I tried to take a picture for you but it's too dark.)

Tomorrow will be filled with my favorite beach activity: I place a low sand chair in the waves and spend hours just sitting, reading a book or talking with my mom and letting the water lap at my legs. When I get hot I dive into the ocean and swim out for a while, then flip over and float on my back, staring up at the sky. Later in the day I'll stretch out in the sand and let the sounds of the ocean put me to to sleep. Adam hates it but, to me, this is summer.

My sister and her boyfriend arrive tomorrow.