Thanx everyone.  I am feeling a little better today.  I did't sleep again and got out of bed wondering how I would make it through the day. 
Work kept me busy enough that the day went by ok.  I am a fire warden at work (as in one of the people that evacuates and stays until all are off my floor).  When I got into work the new idiot of a safety manager had given us hints that a fire alarm was going off today.  I say she is an idiot because the gov't tests the wardens by not telling us if it is a drill or not AND blocks off certain routes of exit so we have to adapt.  She even told us what routes the gov't were blocking  .  The end result (having been a warden for 5 years) I had all the new wardens from my floor in my office from 8-9:30 questioning me on the protocol, etc since we haven't had a fire alarm drill for 3 years  and they have only been in the role for 1 year max.  End result, being that I am in a cubicle, everyone around us heard and EVERYONE on my floor knew a fire alarm was coming.  What kind of drill is that?  If it was happening on my floor, I am sure it was happening on others!!!

Still somehow the drill went to hell.  I admit that my floor did well, but others had wardens that did not report into security (set place to do this) that the floors were clear of people, etc. Darn, if we can't do it right when more than 1/2 the people (I mean staff, not just Wardens) know it is coming....God help us if we have a real problem.  OUr last safety officer NEVER gave us a clue and we got through in 9 minutes, not 12....and at that they sent the firemen in to check that the floors really were evacuated because of the 2 floors that did not report (this is easy for firemen as we put out cones if the floor is clear...but imagine if there was a real fire....would there be cones left for them to see!!!).

After the drill all the wardens go to the caff to discuss how the drill went or problems we had.  As I think I mentioned, I am the head warden on my floor (just because I have been there longest, not becuase I have done anything great or wonderful...all been drills).  There I learned that 'my' wardens were locked out of rooms (high security so need a pass with recognintion for those rooms to enter) they are supposed to 'sweep'.  I (and many other head wardens with the same problem) were told to contact the 'safety head' with this type of info so it could be rectified.  This was told to us by the Director.  I did so.  I got back an email saying we were all DENIED!!!!!!  Which is more, in the email she sent me, she did not know I was a warden, much less the head warden, she did not know which alternates (people who help the wardens and who fill in if we are sick, on holiday or not on the floor when an alarm goes because we are in a meeting...we are NOT to return to our floor in such a case but to follow the word of the warden in the area we are in) worked with which warden and did not even know who my alternate was.   Wow, am I impressed.  She started this job 2 years ago.

In my annoyance, I requested to meet with her immediately.  At our meeting, she suggested to me that my alternates and wardens HAD access (might I add I watched them all swipe their passes and saw that they did not) and that one of them was damaging and stealing from the 3 rooms in question!!!!  Keep in mind that she did not even know who we all were which means, without her ok, we did not have access...which all but me (and even I was locked out of one room) were locked out of!!!!

I asked her if cleaner had access to these rooms.  She looked shocked.  I repeated the question about 10 times before I grew angry and DEMANDED an answer.  Yes, they do.  In the 8 months I was gone the cleaners were stealing endlessly apparently.  In the end they were nailed because they used to work nights and a couple of them started stealing USB keys.  Those keys show when people last logged in on the gov't computer.  NOBODY, but NOBODY is allowen in the building between 11 pm and 6 am...except security and the cleaners.  The keys were 'recovered' and showed transactions at 1-4 am.  The gov't rhen ruled they could only come in the offices between 9 am and 3 pm.  Still keys disappeared, head phones, coffee mugs...but the killer was a single credit card taken from a friend of mine's wallet when he had an emergency and left his desk without thinking about the wallet.   Now we believe the culprits have been fired but clearly it makes more sense that the culprits did the harm, not the wardens and alternates that did not have access!!!!!  And while I did, the damages were done while I was not there!!!  Lets do the math.  Anyway, access still denied and mine will be revoked.

I gathered the wardens and altenates from my area and told them this pathetic story.  Then one, who reminds me sooo much of my brother (and I adore my brother) said, in the same tone and manner as my brother would, "Fine, I want it in writing that we are not responsible for people in these rooms and then, so be it.".  No attitude, just pure common sense in his mannerism and voice. 

So that is what I told them.  Oh, and my alternate (that they didn't know existed and went to first aid training in Dec got an invo to go to the training again this month and I have not been trained for 4 years.  Man I love this new safety person!!!

JD

Joeydog! I'm sorry the people at your job are such total idiots... well, some of them anyway. the rest of your wardens seem like they're all good people.. but your security head... Not so bright. maybe you and lisabelle are sharing the canadian idiots? *hugs* to you...

my hair's the same way about being combed.. If i don't use my brush too, it will snarl, look horrible, and even worse, end up more damaged from the tangles and dryness. I don't think all brushing is bad, just rough... If you're cautious, gentle, and take time with it, I honestly can't see why brushing is any worse than combing.

K and LD, thank you so much for your support.  To be frank, I had complained so much on those posts I wanted to delete them...but knew others would have read them so there was no point!!

LD, yes, I buy avacodo when it is cheap and mush it up with a bit of lemon and freeze it, just marking on the jar how many avacados are in it so I can adjust my recipes, be they for hair or eating.  Heck, any recipe you use with avacado involves lemon or lime to keep it from going brown!!!

I have started running 4 days a week.  Funny, last year I could not find a soul to run with, but this year I have several.  In fact, they are calling it the "JD" Fitness Club and people email me regularily to see if they can join.  We are up to 10 people running together.  Gee, there is no way with that number of people I will be able to bow out since I am expected to be there.  GOOD THING.

The same is happening with my gym aspirations.  My work gym costs $80 a year (you really cannot beat that!!!) and I plan on starting weights there in Oct (one bad thing about the membership is it is Oct to Oct.  If you join in Sept, it is still $80 for the one month).  I have about 8 people that want to do that with me on the alternate days from running and the funning thing is, only one of the 8 runs with me.  We are going to the gym on Tues to have the newbies check it out.  Do the math, even if 50% decide not to do it by Oct, and 50% bow out after a short time, I still have at least on person that will drill me to get there!!!  I will do weights here at home (have everything here) on the weekend to make the 3rd time of the week.
And I will get belly dancing in somewhere (Lisabelle, ran behind sending the video....my fault, will do tomorrow.)

Personal Note:  ex-hubby is trying to get back in my life.  I am not letting him.

Hair:  Did a scalp treatment on Friday (love those...involves a massage and an essential oil mix which I bought so I cannot tell you how to make it).  Yesterday I did an EVOO infused with rosemary and sage.  Nice.  Need to wash and condition tonight.  Dying for my horn comb as I agree with LD that the combing is great...but not fine enough to take care of all the tangles.  I am hoping that doing it wet with the horn comb and then dry with the wood comb will reduce the need to brush as I now realize, I need to brush, and not with a boars hair brush, every once in a while!!!

The weekend went by so fast.  I have not been on since Thursday night.  I now have to shower and get ready for work tomorrow.  I will try to check some journals while I let my hair dry.

I feel soooo bad.  You are all here for me...and I am not there for you. 

I worry about Room to Grow, have not heard from her for so long.  Guess I had better check her journal tonight for sure.  So many others I think about to.  Night all.

Oh, about the real Joeydog...his fur is good, his ears are up, his eyes are bright, but he could barely walk today.  Dunno if it is just a bad day or if this is the end.  I carried him out to sit by me while I did planting today.  He looked soooo happy sniffing the air and watching the world go by.  A couple of dogs came over to visit and his tail wagged and he sniffed at them with BRIGHT eyes and a happy face.  Even I as an ex vet do not know how I will put him down if he looks so good but just cannot stand.  I have never had to face putting any dog down that still looked good but couldn't cope.  Today...he could not cope.  He could not get up alone and could barely walk when he was up...but he looks so darned happy.  Hopefully it was just a bad day.  All I can say is I was teary the whole time I was planting which took over an hour.  My poor little baby.

JD

What a terrible spot to be in, JD.  Your heart is in the right place, however, she is an adult.  I don't think you can stop her unless you pray really hard that he has to cancel again.

Perhaps there are stories out there on the web that describe this exact situation that would scare her into changing her mind.  Its a yucky tactic, I know you want to keep her from making a terrible mistake.

Can you convince her to stay in a separate room or different hotel?

Even as a functioning alcoholic, her response time to trouble must be slower than if she didn't drink and NO ONE knows how they will react in such a situation.

Sorry I can't be much help.     Good Luck!

((((hugs)))  She's taking a horriable risk.  I agree with Sakina, maybe stories about meetings that have gone wrong might help.

Hey Folks,

Well, you all affirmed my thoughts.  As for helping her...I got an email at work the morning after I posted that message "suprise trip".  She went that night to Boston (instead of NY to meet him).  Crazy girl.  Anyway, she is home now but won't speak about the trip.  Obviously she is alive...I presume nothing bad happened but it is not like her to not talk.

Hair:  Doing ok.  Still have not worked out a great routine for while I am working (as in for the next 25 years!!).  Did an EVOO infused with sage and rosemary + a scalp condition this weekend. 

Personal life:  What personal life?  House, work and animals are all I have time for.

Sorry to say I am still neglecting people's journals.   Wish I had time.  I just don't right now.  My thoughts are with you all.  Take care,

JD

Thanx for the understanding Juri.  LIfe just runs so fast.  As for sister...she has not spoken to me...just the parents.  She might open up with me...especially if she is sloshed as usual.

I was told my hair was very pretty today.  LOL, I thought it was having a bad day.  I still do so I am going to wash it and condition it.  It seems a bit greasy to me which means it will be very greasy tomorrow and i have no time to wash tomorrow night...electrolysis after work. 

Life is just way to fast and working is overloading me which is frustrating me.  I have a heavier work load than my superiors that make $10 000/year more than me.  Oh and just to be clear, I am not taking into account the simple submisions, just the complicated ones so we are not discussing a difference in difficulty.  My boss and I will be discussing this next week when she returns to work.  This is not the first year I have seen this happen!!!  My attitude is to promote me to thier level or give me the work expected for my level.  Besides that, did anyone notice I have been off work on sick leave for 8 months and could have got a medical certificate saying I could only do the work load of someone a level LOWER than me for the first 6 months...much less one higher than my superiors in 6 months. 

Yes, I  could apply else where and get a job with equal pay and benefits which it seems everyone I know is doing.  Still I cannot see the reason to do it.  My boss is good to me. She cannot help what senior management does.  Also I have no desire to jump from the frying pan into the fire.  If I am not promoted in March I will appeal and I have the grounds to.  There are 6 evaluators to each submission.  One is randomly chosed to lead the 6.  I was randomly chosen as the leader.  The submission was a pilot so it involved a lot of unknown ground and I worked 80 hours a week to make sure it came together due to my unfortunate random position.  All the other 5 evaluators were promoted.  I was not.  Which is more, I can prove that for 3 of me 5 years with the company (the first being a training year and call it one year off) I have done more work than one of my superiors.

Now this all said, I accepted not getting a promotion 2 years ago after the sub I have told you about (well I did until I learned everyone else got a promo) and I did not apply this last year (the period considered for promotion is from March to March) as I was off work from Oct to March due to sick leave...but I resent coming back to a work load that is too heavy for my level...much less my health.

Darn...what is wrong with me.  Somehow I just spent all this time justifying how I will not kill myself to do this...but ended up convincining myself to do the impossible so I am ensured of the promotion.  Damn, why did my folks have to teach me such ambition and work ethic????

News flash, I just ended up with less time to talk to you all.  Damn me!!!  This is the only promotion I want in my life (since from here I would leave science and go to politics---shiver) but if I am doing the work, why shouldn't I get the pay???

JD