Bit of a long update, with some good news
Jun. 12th, 2009 11:11 amI came back from New Hampshire yesterday evening. My vacation was excellent. Highlights include:
* Seeing two juvenile moose in a perfect setting for photographs! I have pictures I'll share later. Other wildlife we saw included white-tailed deer, foxes, red squirrels (as well as the more common grey kind), chipmunks, wild turkeys, turkey vultures, and red-tailed hawks.
* Exploring Lost River Caves and Polar Caves. Both were beautiful. At Polar Caves, there was still ice in a couple of the caves, and I'm told it's there even until August most of the time.
* Hiking around the Basin at Franconia Notch. It's a really nifty glacial pothole full of water fed by a waterfall. The river there is all full of awesome glacial-sculpted granite, and the woods are gorgeous.
* Hiking around the Mad River, right near where we were staying. Just very pretty woods. I need to hike more!
* Stopping on the way home for game meats at The Healthy Buffalo, where I got an almost-2-pound venison tenderloin, some buffalo stew meat, some ostrich burgers, and some wild boar bacon! Folks, check these guys out. The owner will sometimes drive down to Somerville to deliver meat to customers in the area, right at the Home Depot near Assembly Square! SRSLY. I will almost certainly be calling him up and ordering at some point, after my current stock is gone, and will let folks know in case anyone wants to go in on an order.
As you can see, we spent a lot of time outside and got a lot of exercise! Good thing, too, since I ate a lot! Best meal: seafood-stuffed mushrooms smothered in cheese as an appetizer and seafood newberg with garlic mashed potatoes for an entree. Much ice cream was also consumed.
And, the good news portion of this update: I STILL HAVE A JOB. The layoffs were announced yesterday. My manager called my cell phone in the afternoon. I didn't hear it ring, but I checked my voice mail and she told me I was safe. So's my whole four-person team. We are losing one researcher, unfortunately, and a total of six people in the group of which research is a part. Our group got hit pretty hard. It sucks. Apparently, the researcher who got her notice told other researchers that she was the only senior research analyst who was going to be leaving. Then, the boss notified the office about who was leaving, and said, "There's one other person who's NOT here today who I need to notify." I, folks, am a junior research analyst, and I wasn't there at the time. Some people were afraid it was going to be me! But it's not. I'm safe. Whew. I am relieved. I'm really sad for the people who have to go, though. :( It's not going to be easy getting by without them.
* Seeing two juvenile moose in a perfect setting for photographs! I have pictures I'll share later. Other wildlife we saw included white-tailed deer, foxes, red squirrels (as well as the more common grey kind), chipmunks, wild turkeys, turkey vultures, and red-tailed hawks.
* Exploring Lost River Caves and Polar Caves. Both were beautiful. At Polar Caves, there was still ice in a couple of the caves, and I'm told it's there even until August most of the time.
* Hiking around the Basin at Franconia Notch. It's a really nifty glacial pothole full of water fed by a waterfall. The river there is all full of awesome glacial-sculpted granite, and the woods are gorgeous.
* Hiking around the Mad River, right near where we were staying. Just very pretty woods. I need to hike more!
* Stopping on the way home for game meats at The Healthy Buffalo, where I got an almost-2-pound venison tenderloin, some buffalo stew meat, some ostrich burgers, and some wild boar bacon! Folks, check these guys out. The owner will sometimes drive down to Somerville to deliver meat to customers in the area, right at the Home Depot near Assembly Square! SRSLY. I will almost certainly be calling him up and ordering at some point, after my current stock is gone, and will let folks know in case anyone wants to go in on an order.
As you can see, we spent a lot of time outside and got a lot of exercise! Good thing, too, since I ate a lot! Best meal: seafood-stuffed mushrooms smothered in cheese as an appetizer and seafood newberg with garlic mashed potatoes for an entree. Much ice cream was also consumed.
And, the good news portion of this update: I STILL HAVE A JOB. The layoffs were announced yesterday. My manager called my cell phone in the afternoon. I didn't hear it ring, but I checked my voice mail and she told me I was safe. So's my whole four-person team. We are losing one researcher, unfortunately, and a total of six people in the group of which research is a part. Our group got hit pretty hard. It sucks. Apparently, the researcher who got her notice told other researchers that she was the only senior research analyst who was going to be leaving. Then, the boss notified the office about who was leaving, and said, "There's one other person who's NOT here today who I need to notify." I, folks, am a junior research analyst, and I wasn't there at the time. Some people were afraid it was going to be me! But it's not. I'm safe. Whew. I am relieved. I'm really sad for the people who have to go, though. :( It's not going to be easy getting by without them.
no subject
Date: 2009-06-12 03:39 pm (UTC)Also, very very glad to hear the news about your job. ::hugs::
no subject
Date: 2009-06-12 07:40 pm (UTC)SCORE!! Whew. Not all FGOs are worth the agony. That's one of 'em.
Yay for still having a job
Date: 2009-06-12 07:44 pm (UTC)In my not very humble opinion there is NO better burger than a ground buffalo burger. I'm also fond of other cuts of the meat, but buffalo burgers are tops.
(And welcome back, by the way.0
Re: Yay for still having a job
Date: 2009-06-12 07:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-06-14 12:58 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-06-14 01:16 am (UTC)