Bookends: annual review, community volunteering.

[oak]

Hi friends. 2 bookends:

1. I have my annual review tomorrow. I am nervous, naturally.

I feel proud because I was pleasantly persistent in requesting a timely review. Some colleagues go 6+ months, but I literally can’t afford it: a 2% raise (typical) can mean the difference between me choosing between gas and food, like I have had to do again this month.

2. On Saturday I am volunteering at a community event. The people in my new town are very mean, or ignore me. Some people have not moved on from high school mentality.

If I survive:0 I’ll post here Friday and Saturday nights.

[oak]

Much more anon, but I just had a frank talk with the mayor.

Hopefully without being a jerk, I told him I don’t have any friends, and that my time in his town has been awful.

He was sympathetic, but short on concrete plans.

If my experience in this town is like a Hallmark movie (The worlds saddest Hallmark movie in history), today is day, after months of loneliness and alienation, I make friends and meet the quirky local bakery owner, who is also a girl next door “secret” bombshell.

Updates soon!

[oak]

Hi friends.

I volunteered at the community event today. The organizer demeaned me. I have not been treated like that certainly since I got sober (ten years), and probably since high school (25 years).

I don’t want to talk about it further, at least for now.

I did have a lovely, kind, encouraging, challenging, energizing annual review. My boss appreciates me, and I’ll have more to say anon.

[manuel_moe_g]

take care, Oak, we are reading your bookends with great interest

[brownblob]

Sorry the volunteering didn't go well. I'm glad the annual review went well.

[rivergirl]

We're here to listen, Oak.

rivergirl