dddragon presents: Is Anything Truly Random?

This 'n' That

If you want to know what's going on in southcentral Pennsylvania, check out The Central PA Gazelle blog. It's a hoot.

Daughter Bookworm came running down to show me that the new bookcover for the next Harry Potter book has been unveiled (she checks out MSN's website after school each day to keep abreast of current news - what a smart kid!)

No news on the job search. I've only put in two applications, both at grocery stores. One is very close by, and the other is listed number three on Fortune's list of best places to work. Just because it's number three (and the place that I'm at now didn't make the top 100).

Today is the 28th anniversary of the Three Mile Island "disaster". I was at Penn State at the time, 90 miles to the north. Our town is about a dozen miles from TMI.

Got to take the other Daughter to piano lesson now ...

Job Hunting

Well, I've been grousing about my job for a while now, along with some others - things have been changing at work, and not for the better. This used to be a good place to work - the "People First" motto was really in force.

But not anymore.

I've been a designated "casual" associate since the Call Center opened. I don't know how or why I was, and actually didn't know about the designation for several months, but I never did anything about it - casual associates have an easier time getting time off, and lawd knows that with my two girls that I have alot going on.

Anyway, I had applied for certain timeframes during the week, with a minimum 16 hours and max of 20 hours per week. Those were the terms under which I was hired. That means that the company cannot schedule me for less than 16 hours a week, even if they don't need me. In the past, I have frequently taken "VTO" (voluntary time off) when it got too slow.

Well, today I and another woman were told that the company is changing the minimum number of hours to ZERO per week. If they forecast low call volumes, we might get four hours for the week, we might get NO hours for the week. Turns out that they've been doing this to casual associates for the past few years and now the company is getting around to doing it to us "old-timers".

Well, I DO need to work, and luckily I am not desperate for money. However, the other woman at the meeting with me needs the money because her husband died last fall and she doesn't have any other income (she's a senior citizen). The kicker is that they can't/won't just change her over - she has to wait for a position to open.

This is the straw that broke my back - while it isn't a horrible job and I know that there are worse places to work, I can't swallow that this was a decent place to work and is now one that doesn't follow it's own mottos.

People First INDEED

In fact, my supervisor has let us "old timers" on his team know that he is actively looking for a new job, too. Turns out that the supervisors are getting some unpleasant changes as well. I have a great supervisor - if Dan is gone, I don't want any of the others.

Snowy Photo Weekend

Yup, same deck, different setting on my camera

The side door that goes out to the deck. Hubby put the trash cans up by the door, but we can't get into them anyway

We got to make snow ice cream this evening - the deep, soft snow is just perfect for it. We've gotten more than was predicted - I'd say we've got more than 8 inches at this point (after 11 pm).

Mom called from California to see what the weather was like here and to have me look up her flight info to see if their connecting flight from Chicago would be affected. It's not Chicago that would be the problem, but HIA (Harrisburg International Airport). If all goes well, they'll land here by 8:30 pm Saturday.

Oh, yeah, Mom called yesterday just to gloat: they were on Catalina Island.

That Mom!

Piety and Politics

Last night I went to a Planned Parenthood dinner event with sister Actonbell and her husband. The Rev. Barry W. Lynn was the speaker and I really enjoyed listening to him. Wish that I had brought my checkbook, I would have liked to have gotten a copy of his book Piety and Politics. (and I still might, dagnabit)

On the way to the event, Actonbell told me that a "Barry" had commented on her blog, thanking her for plugging his book. She was sure that it wasn't the REAL Barry Lynn. So I went over to his table and asked him. Indeed, it was he that had visited her blog and he came over to meet Actonbell. And stayed for a little visit. He's really a very nice guy, and easy to talk to and listen to. The next time he's in the area (and he's a native of Pennsylvania) I'll have to go and listen again.

Who is the Rev. Barry W. Lynn? He's the Executive Director for Americans United for the Separation of Church and State. More bio info is here.