Mellow

Had a scare when the last paycheck came in at 1/2 what it used to be. I thought severance pay was supposed to be the same as it was. Turns out the smaller check was because they fired me in the middle of a pay cycle. The rest will be back to normal. So I’m being extra extra frugal for 2 weeks and then just back to being extra frugal.

Poor Youngster called because Astarte told her about the Firing. She has been put on probation herself–makes too many mistakes. Astarte told me where Youngster works management has started doing the same sort of things that were done in my company–piling up work, managing by intimidation, ignoring good work, exaggerating the significance of minor mistakes. And in poor Youngster’s case, the problem is worse, because she really is a space cadet. She said her problems always happen during Overtime periods. Fall is one of them for her. I said “Take it from me. Go slowly and double check everything. Don’t let them rush you. If what they are fussing about is mistakes, make that your priority, even if it means the work takes longer. Proofread everything backwards, even the note you leave on your door when you go to the bathroom.” She listened and said seriously “that helps.”

I am mellow and happy. I find, though, that I am really impatient with unnecessary negativity. I am still sympathetic for things that people can’t help, but if someone starts talking to me about sorrows and troubles he or she brought down on him/herself out of stubborness or whatever, I drift.

I finished reading one of Mom’s books, More Forgotten Towns of NJ, (I already have Forgotten Towns and More Forgotten Towns myself, but this one was in the stuff I brought back from Mom’s place most recently). It brought back our trips to the Pine Barrens, and other ventures I went on over the years. This summer, with all this extra time, I want to visit some of these places.

I took Ben and A. to Roosevelt, NJ, founded by Jewish Socialists in the 30s who had the idea that they could raise chickens and, I think, have a button factory. That didn’t work out, but the town became an artist colony. Now a yeshivah has moved in and there is some controversy–socialists and yeshivah don’t get along. But anyway, the town is still a fascinating little place, cinder block houses built in the 30s in the same one story style, built on and elaborated over the years by artistic owners. A geodesic dome builder was in the area for a while, so there are some geodesic dome houses tucked here and there in the woods. We stopped at a tiny pizza/sundries store, now owned by Columbians. There was a long list of fresh fruit juices they make but when we asked the English speaking son for Blackberry, he took the order to his non-English speaking father who was very confused and finally let us know that all he had was strawberry banana. So we got that and a couple of empanadas.

Outside town McMansions have sprung up in one area–really huge places, some look like orphanages.

South of town, though, is a wildlife refuge. I went there long ago with H., and finally found what I knew was in there somewhere, Assumpink Lake. Ben was amused that at the end of a gravel road they had created a paved parking lot. Only a few people were there. The wind was blowing, there was no traffic noise. (A. said with that wind the fishing would be bad.) A chubby little girl in a bathing suit was riding a bike in the parking lot.

Ben and A. weren’t all that impressed (A. said “after all, it’s South Jersey,” which gets him no invitation to my next trip!). Ben likes more action. But I loved passing farms and old houses, some boarded up (in the old town of Etra, which is about 6 houses and is on the way to Roosevelt). And the sun has been out, cleaning me inside and out.

Which doesn’t mean I’m not also working at things. The house has been a wreck, what with Ben and K. moving their stuff back in and my having to bring home the rest of Mom’s stuff because Poppadaddy was moving. Oh, yes, and there were about 12 boxes mailed to me by my former employer–my office stuff. A lot were books that I promptly put up for sale on Amazon and half.com. I’ve put up an ad on craigs list, trying out A’s idea that I could make a living as a tutor, given my background. And I was hired to teach 3 SAT prep courses in August-Oct. so that will bring a little $$ in. Not enough, but something. Wednesday I meet with the “outsourcing” company that my employer is paying for. I have an orientation that will last all morning. So, we’ll see.

Meanwhile, I’m enjoying so much that I am no longer surrounded by the dysfunctional people, especially management, that made me droop. I feel watered and fertilized!