Skip to main content

Wins this Month

There have been a lot of frustrating things that have happened this month, so let's just focus on the positive.

  • Career:
    • I've been offered a project coordination role with UW-Madison. Finally, someone who actually sees my potential in project management
    • Regardless of if I take the position, I was able to negotiate my first salary and successfully. It was really hairy there for a moment, but they came back and offered me $5,000 over their original offer, which I was not expecting. The fact that they were offering me a starting at $55K in the first place really threw me off, but compromising with me at $60K knocked me on the floor. Seriously. I've never negotiated before, so this was a double win. AND the salary range started at $42,000, according to what Briony saw online. Holy crap.
    • I made another great connection in the experience design industry - my coworker's brother
  • Retirement:
    • I saw my last pay stub today and didn't even realize that apparently I have added almost $4,000 to my WRS fund since I started this job. That's $4,000 in 7.5 months! I've only had that measly $2,000 in it from when I worked at UWM, and I've been worried that I'd never get enough to meet that $5,000 minimum to collect my money from it. But heyo! I'm set now!
  • Health:
    • I met my (very high) deductible for the year, so I can get cheap or free doctor's appointments for the next 2 months
    • I got a cortisone shot, which seems to have helped quit a bit in my left shoulder. I'm hoping it will do the trick so I don't need to pursue more serious avenues
    • Generally, I've been getting better in both shoulders, thought still not perfect. Compared to where I was at, though, I'm leaps and bounds better
    • Pole:
      • I went to my first pole class since I injured myself almost 3 months ago. It's the first upper body exercise I've done since then. I was really afraid of how awful I'd become, but surprisingly, I was okay! 
      • In some ways, I had lost a LOOOT of strength. I couldn't sit up from a layback anymore for some reason, for example. I was so high off the ground, I legitimately started panicking because I didn't know how I was going to get down. I ended up in a brass monkey, which I didn't even realize I could do, so that was a win. But my shoulder mounts have suffered the worst, which is extra sad because they were my favorite. :(
      • In other ways, I seemed to have gotten better...? I got into my true grip Ayesha and was able to hold it there for... forever, probably. I went into a pencil and just stayed there. I ended up coming down simply because I was bored. I seriously couldn't believe it! I guess adding extra reps to my PT really made a difference! I was also able to get the furthest I've ever gotten in my sideways deadlift handspring. I was actually able to turn and start lifting. Wow wow wow!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

First January in Orlando

It’s been a while since I’ve posted on here. For some reason, Blogger (a totally dead platform at this point) gives me “Let’s Go Ride a Bike” vibes - in a good way. Which, by the way, I just Googled and they haven’t touched their blog since 2015. What a shame. I really miss the days of blogs.  Most of my writing has been done in a physical notebook, which in many ways I prefer; but in others, it doesn’t quite quench the thirst. One of the things I love about digital journaling is being able to add images and photos (like the one below). While physical journaling feels more intimate and perhaps, authentic in some ways, digital journaling feels more like a creating a story. Two different methods for two different outcomes.  So why the photo of a plant? Well, first, this is a Monstera plant. I’ve loved it’s lines and the holes in its leaves for years, but I never learned its name because it’s not a native plant to Wisconsin. They are to Florida, however, and are super easy to fin...
Post a Comment
Read more

Long Key Vacation

A big weight off my chest. My breath is finally coming easily.  5 days into our vacation and I finally sit with relief. There aren’t many left, but 2 is better than none. This is how I felt when I was in the car on the way down, right before I called my auto insurance and accidentally spiked it $400 by asking a question. It triggered a weeklong series of car problems, ranging from budget planning (and budget panicking) to registration renewal confusion and DMV website issues. And at the end of the day, most of it was a non-issue, so I felt like I expended all this time and energy on nothing, detracting from what I could have given to my trip. But… I learned a lot in the process. I’m more prepared than I was before, although I wish it hadn’t all happened when I was on vacation. I don’t know what it’s like to not have a stressful vacation, and I don’t know that I ever will. I need to figure out how to still be happy despite chronic unexpected frustrations. This might be time to talk ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Stained Glass Class

  The challenging today: My new car of two months got hit by a (presumably drunk) hit-and-run last night at Bryan's house while we were out to dinner. I don't even want to include the photo we took. And Nick texted me while I was in class. My whole being dropped and my heart jump-started into panic. Also, my boss at KSC was a little sassy with me this morning over things outside my purview and control. I think she's projecting or redirecting, but it didn't feel good. The good today: The folks at Gerber Auto Collision were super helpful and friendly. So was the Adjuster I had from my auto insurance (Brandon from Connect), who was genuinely trying to make my life a little better, I felt. Those wonderful Wisconsin midwesterners. The folks at Gerber even drove me to Enterprise. And the Enterprise folks... so good to me, too. I had such a good experience, and they let me transfer my appointment from the other location over to them. And they called and followed up to make sur...
Post a Comment
Read more