October 28, 2011

An Update on Work and School

Another week over.  Thank goodness.

The last five days at work have been complicated as I’ve been training a newer employee to take over my old job duties, on top of my own training for my new position as Premium Audit Technician.  I got the promotion in mid-September and should have started training right away but that was difficult to do while still completing the Product Support Clerk tasks.

Thankfully, I have amazing co-workers who stepped in to divide my work so I could learn my new job.  It’s been a bumpy road but I’m working through it.  The new girl is doing very well.  I decided to break up her training into smaller chunks because I didn’t want her to become discouraged or overwhelmed.  She is a fast learner and over the last two weeks she has caught on to everything I’ve taught her.  It is very satisfying to know that I my skills as a trainer are right on the money.

On Wednesday I had Worker’s Compensation classification training and my trainer is amazing.  She makes the learning fun and I liked listening to her examples of past claims and underwriting situations.  After class she went over some of my questions and she asked me where I worked prior to joining Sentry Insurance.  I told her about my time at Travel Guard Insurance and McDonald Title Company and she was impressed with my insurance background.  She was so kind and suggested that when I finish my Bachelor’s degree I should study for the CPCU designation and take the exam.  She’d love to see me in the Underwriting Department, she told me.  I was very grateful for her advice.

Later in the day I realized I would be in school in some form or another for a very long time.  My goal is to work hard and earn and MBA.  I’m feeling overwhelmed but I know I can achieve my goals.  I graduate from MSTC in May and will earn my Associates Degree in Business Administration.  I’m making progress and that’s all that matters right now.  Baby steps…

I never thought I’d accomplish these goals at my age (almost 33).  On some days I feel “old” and start to talk myself out of things.  I’m lucky to have friends, family and colleagues to straighten me out.  It’s a long journey and I don’t know if I could do it without all their support.

July 1, 2010

Back to Work I Go

I think it’s time I finally tell you all some very big news. I’ve got a job. After several long months of unemployment (post BlogHer Ad Network), I started working as a temp in the IT department for a local company that manufactures hospital beds and other medical equipment, furniture and accessories (for privacy purposes I’m leaving out the company name. Local readers: I ask that you not post personal info in the comments, please. Thank you!).

I loved my work. The hours were part time, allowing me to still be home with my boys, and I enjoyed getting out of the house to talk to other adults. So much of my identity comes from motherhood, even though I’ve always worked; being mom to Dawson and Owen seemed to define who I am.

Recently, the company offered me a position in their customer service department. It’s a full time, temp-to-hire position and if I do well they may hire me permanently (which is so awesome because we still have medical bills to pay from Owen’s birth).

This week has been busy. I’ve been training for the new position and learning so much about the products the company manufactures, the history of the organization and so much more. I’m having a lot of fun and I’ve met so many wonderful people.

There’s just one thing… I’m feeling tired! Going back to the 40 hour work week is not as easy as I thought it would be. I’m grateful to be employed so I’m not complaining.

Okay, there’s just two little things… I miss my babies. I can’t help it. Stay-at-home motherhood was quite an experience for me. I had good days. I had some bad days. I enjoyed every moment I had with my kids. I know that with the economy still a bit shaky it’s necessary for me to bring in an income to support my family, but I also realize how important it is to be with my children. It’s a tough situation.

Truth be told, I didn’t want to be a SAHM forever. In the back of my mind I knew I’d return to work some day. Now that I’m back full swing, I’m excited about the new opportunities, but sad that I’m missing some precious moments while my kids are at daycare. It’s bittersweet.

The good news is I’m working and I love it. My kids are happy and healthy. What more can I ask for?

June 13, 2010

Summer, Summer, Summertime

Once again, the blogger formerly known as Dana (okay, I’m still going by Dana but that line just sounds cool), has come back to blog. I’m sure this will be like all the other times. Write a post. Give excuses. Apologize for lack of blogging. Promise to blog more regularly. Go back to life’s demands. Forget to blog for a day week month.

This shit is getting old.  Yes, I said shit.  I can’t help it.  I’m reprimanding myself for not blogging.  Again.

The big news of the past few months:

Dawson has finished his year of 4K (4-year-old kindergarten).  He had a wonderful year.  He started out shy and quiet and ended the school year as a bright, outgoing and super happy boy.  He did miss half of the last day of school because he threw up.  It was the day of his 4K concert and I’m thinking the usual nerves that come with stardom got the better of him.  His teacher called for me to pick him up early.  I was bummed to miss all the little ones singing songs and dancing the hokey pokey, but I was more nervous about my son being sick. Turns out he was fine the next day.  I’m blaming stage fright.

Owen is almost 8 months old.  He’s nearly 25 pounds, almost 29 inches in length and he eats a lot.  We’re still nursing, too.  My baby has no intentions of weaning and I’m okay with that.  I just don’t know where he puts everything he consumes!  He eats rice cereal in the morning, baby food 3 times a day and nurses quite a bit throughout the day and evening.  He has been sleeping through the night, save for a few growth spurts that have caused him to wake up at 3 a.m. for a snack.  He will be the child to eat us out of house and home.  He is going to be a linebacker in the NFL.  Mark my words.  You should see his thighs.  Massive.

I have gone back to work.  I started a job with a temp agency back in February and have been working part-time hours ever since.  I like the flexibility that this opportunity brings.  I’m able to be home with my munchkins for the most part, but I also get to interact with adults and bring home a little cash, too.  I’m still searching for a full time job (since my contract with BlogHer ended in October) but this economy hasn’t rebounded as quickly as I’d hoped.  I’ve had interviews left and right, but the trouble is there are so many applicants for so few positions.  I’m just taking my time, trying to find the right job.  I had an interview last week that was fantastic and they will be contacting me this week with their decision.  Wish me luck!

Our calendar has been packed with parties and events.  We had two graduation parties we attended that last two Saturdays, not to mention church picnics, birthday parties and kids adventures.  I have been taking Dawson to the Lowe’s Build & Grow project days and he has such fun building the kits.  Yesterday he made a picture frame.  It is really cool.

This summer is looking good, too.  Two weddings, a bridal shower, baby shower and a mini-vacation are coming up.  I’m very excited!  I’m keeping the kids busy with swimming lessons, and Dawson is playing T-Ball and Soccer this summer.  I want him to have as much fun as he can before kindergarten starts this fall.

What are you all doing these days?  Any big summer plans?

May 2, 2008

Apparently I Just Need More “Training”

I’m pissed off. No, I’m furious. I’m extremely angry at John McCain. I wanted to tackle this topic last week but I was seething after reading this:

Republican Sen. John McCain, campaigning through poverty-stricken cities and towns, said Wednesday he opposes a Senate bill that seeks equal pay for women because it would lead to more lawsuits.

Senate Republicans killed the bill on a 56-42 vote Wednesday night. Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., had delayed the vote to give McCain’s Democratic rivals, Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama, time to return to Washington to support the measure, which would make it easier for women to sue their employers for pay discrimination.

McCain skipped the vote to campaign in New Orleans.

Yes. You read that correctly. John McCain skipped this important vote because he was campaigning.

I have been sputtering about this for days. It’s just another piece of evidence that proves that Republicans do not care about women like they say they do. I’ve always wondered why women my age are mostly Democrats and I think I figured it out. The Democrats actually give a damn about the rights of women. And while I may disagree with abortion as a “reproductive right” I do understand why so many women vote Left.

The GOP is out of touch with reality. They are perfectly content on believing that a woman’s “place” is in the home. Never mind that many women choose to be home with their children. So says McCain, “They [women] need the education and training, particularly since more and more women are heads of their households, as much or more than anybody else, and it’s hard for them to leave their families when they don’t have somebody to take care of them.”

This remark just doesn’t make sense to me. I can’t see the correlation between women finding it difficult to leave their families to go to work and pay inequality.

When I worked outside the home I struggled with “mom guilt”. It was hard to take my son to daycare each day, without feeling as though someone else was raising my child. But my family needed my income to make ends meet, and I actually liked working. It wasn’t the worst thing I could be doing. But just because I found it difficult to be a mother and an employee, does that mean I shouldn’t be upset that my male co-workers, with the same qualifications, and the same job training, received a higher salary than I did?

And what about the women who are college graduates, educated women with pertinent job training? Do they need more training and education to get paid equally? If a woman does the same work as a man, and has the same qualifications, education and work experience as that man, why is she paid less? Does that seem fair? Because the man has a penis he automatically gets a salary increase? Is he paid based on testosterone? Does producing estrogen automatically knock a woman’s wage down?

It’s true, more women are the heads of their households. More women control the purse strings. More women are in charge of family decisions. More women have greater influence in matters of business. It’s also safe to say that women are better able to influence other women on how to vote in this coming election. But the one area where women are jipped is in salaries. We are still treated as second class citizens.

Why are we treated so unfairly? Is it because we tend to be more nurturing? Because we are partners, wives and mothers? Because we have vaginas? That’s it, isn’t it? Men are afraid of the power of the va-jay-jay so to punish us, we get paid less money so they can still feel in control. On top. Like they have more authority.

I’ve got a vagina that says these men better use their salary boosts to buy protection for their man parts, you know, just in case millions of angry women can’t fight the urge to kick them in the balls.

From Comedy Central’s Indecision 2008:

It’s men like John McCain that make it impossible for women to escape these stereotypes. (I’ve found another reason to be glad I didn’t vote for McCain in the Wisconsin primary.)

**Cross-posted at Mommybloggers.