Tag: MLwork

Rested!

Yesterday was my last day of work! I had a relatively good last week, but of course my horrendous/frustrating coworker and boss still had to be shitheads at points throughout the day.

I practically skipped out of the office after doing all my exit paperwork, turning in keys, and parking passes. (Now don’t get me wrong saying goodbye to my work wife was really sad, BUT we are going to be lifelong friends and I don’t think she’ll last much longer in that toxic environment, especially without me now).

I think I mentioned here but the past 3 months I have not been sleeping well at all. Lots work stress, frustration, anxiety kinda, and my mind racing at night. Even Wednesday night I had trouble sleeping because I knew yesterday I wanted to give some constructive feedback to my boss on my last day. Making a list at 2am of possible things to say only frustrated me more and she wasn’t really open to hearing me out despite how professional and gentle I was trying to be.

So last night. I SLEPT. I SLEPT HARD. 10 glorious hours only interrupted by trips to the potty for Freddie or me. I guess losing 350 pounds of toxic coworkers IS GOOD for you health. I feel SO MUCH LIGHTER AND FREE!

I have a weekend of fun and rest and errands ahead of me before starting my new job on Monday!

Busy Bee

It’s been a busy week, end of the academic year always is. I don’t think I’ve even logged on tumblr in a week, you know you get to the point where you are overwhelmed with catching up…I don’t know if I will catch up do if there’s anything I missed in the last week let me know! 

Here are some happenings that have kept me busy since May began: 

  • Phone Interviewing: I have been getting serious about the DC job search and have made it to phone interviewing with 2 companies I am extremely interested in. Ideally I’ll have a new job before the Fall semester (late August) begins, but would be happy to start one sooner. 
  • Comm Teaching Gig: Regardless of a new job or not, I have been hired to teach a COMM100 Public Speaking course this fall at my current institution. It’s a 4:30-7:10PM class so I should be able to swing if (hopefully) I’m not working here otherwise. As I look to leave a traditional higher ed setting for work, it will be nice to retain a traditional teaching experience. 
  • Social Butterflying: For over a year I thought I would be leaving my friend group here, but in the last 6 weeks since it became clear I’m staying, THREE girls announced they are moving away – all for wonderful opportunities. It’s been a lot of last hurrah’s, coupled with a lot of birthdays too within the group. 
  • Townhouse hunting with T: Since we are staying in the DC area, the townhouse hunt is on. Initially T was going to look “solo” but we also know we are going to get married (we’re coming up on 2 years together next month). We’ve had a lot of real talk lately, scary and exciting and wonderful. I’ve never wanted to “force”  anything, so I don’t want to rush an engagement, especially since buying a house requires $$.  If “we” look for a townhouse it increases our price range which helps us stay in/around our current location as opposed to moving too far out in the ‘burbs. I’ve always leaned toward waiting until I was engaged to move in together, but we spent 3-4 days a week together anyway. It’s weird that I had this “traditional” move in mindset, when everything else about me is modern and nontraditional.

On the upswing

I needed to blog out some self pity yesterday which did help. Now onto better happenings:

  • Yesterday I went to lunch time yoga at work and we focused on FEET! Lots of foot stretches that felt great. 
  • After work I ended up walking to the gym (.75 miles) going to body pump and walking back. I had hoped to run there and back, but my heel just wasn’t having it. 
  • Today I’m working from home so couch snuggles with Fred is always good for my mental health. 
  • My first Blue Apron box is arrives today, I’m quite excited. 
  • Finally after my work related cry to help earlier this month, I got the motivation from friends (IRL and here) to apply for some DC jobs in the private sector. I got some great company recommendations and applied to 12 jobs at a few companies. I got one follow up courtesy call since I was referred internally, I only got one automatic rejection, AND I got a request to phone interview for a job later this week. I’m feeling excited! 

I can’t

My relationship with my boss is toxic – I just had yet another gritted teeth confrontation with her (which I initiated) that according to my Fitbit spiked my blood pressure 30 points. 

So many surveys say that people leave jobs due to their supervisors (in this case she’s a Dean) and she is certainly top of the list (even above long hours and a joke of a salary). She is single handedly making me reconsider staying in higher education altogether. 

I’ve recently been losing sleep over my growing frustrations with her. Last night I was up between 3-6am. A few weeks back I wasn’t able to fall asleep until 4am two night in a row. 

In the middle of the night I keep notes in my phone trying to get my concerns out of my head. I hate that I feel like a broken record to T and those close to me about work. 

The DC Metro search for something “higher education adjacent” in the private sector is on. If you know of any good companies please send me your recommendations. For the sake of self preservation I need to end this toxic relationship this summer. 

At my Oristand, standing desk. I need to get into using it for at least 90 min a day. Today is March 1, my commitment starts now!

Went to barre/pilates today at lunch! Yesterday I went to yoga at lunch and body pump after work. Body is feeling good after the 12 miles I ran on Sunday.

I have a 10K on Sunday which will be 2 weeks out from my half. And naturally I already have my eye on a local 10miler on 4/24.

Small adjustments

I have to say cutting back to running only 3x a week after running 4x a week for marathon training (and most training plans) has been delightful. I don’t feel so much pressure to screw my schedule around to find time to run on a day of decent temperatures (or milage I won’t hate on a treadmill). I actually am finding myself looking FORWARD to running after 2 or 3 days off. 

Now don’t get me wrong, I have 1-2 full blown rest days a week, but I’ve really been hitting fitness classes hard at my gym the past 5 weeks since I rejoined. I am trying to get to classes 2-3x a week and some days it’s for back to back classes. Like last night was 60 min of Body Pump and then 30min of CRX which is an ab workout. 

And yoga. My job offers excellent free yoga 2x a week during lunch and since it started 2 years ago I’ve made an effort to go at least 1x week, but now I’m committed to going 2x a week unless I literally can’t make it. These days are like “bonus workouts” because it’s during the workday and I don’t need to shower (I just bring a change of clothes). Work also started offered a Pilates/Barre fusion class. This class is on Tuesdays which is harder on my schedule, but I can make it next week and I’m excited to try it out. 

Called it

11:15am – Work already called a snow day for tomorrow!

6:25pm – Fed gov’t called a snow day for tomorrow. T and I continue our snow day funsies!