Cancelled Long Weekend

Time: 11:50pm
Mood: Pissed (but in love! It's V-day after all!)
Song of the moment: Fergie - Clumsy

A couple of months ago, the Canadian gov't decided to add another statituory holiday to their list - Family Day. This was to promote time spent with family.

When my coworkers and I turned on our computers and checked our emails this morning, we were greeted with this note from our executives:

"It has recently come to our attention that the majority of *company name* customers will be working on Family Day (February 18, 2008). Knowing that we need to fulfill our customer requirements and meet customer demand, we have made a decision to remain open on Family Day (February 18th) and substitute this public holiday for another day.

All employees are asked to report to work as usual on Monday Feb. 18th, and instead observe Monday March 24th as a paid holiday when *company name* will be closed. We realize that this is a late decision on the company’s part, and therefore this is not “mandatory”. All employees have the following options:

1) Observe the holiday substitution on March 24th as outlined above, OR
2) Take Feb. 18th as a paid holiday; however March 24th will be an unpaid day off as *company name* will be closed on this day"

Now this pisses me off for several reasons. First of all - isn't it a little late to tell us to come into work on Monday, after everyone has made long weekend plans? Secondly, they're making us choose between coming in on Monday, or to dock a day's pay if we do take it off. And lastly, they're missing the whole point of this holiday. It's called Family Day because we're supposed to spend it with family (even though most of us wouldn't, that's still not the point). Ok fine we are still getting a day off later in the year, but my other family members don't get the same day off as me - how am I going to spend time with them?!

This shows me exactly what my company thinks about where family should fit into life. I hope I never absorb that mentality - please shoot me if I do.

Luck On My Side

Time: 12:38pm
Mood: Relieved
Song of the moment: Dragonette - I Get Around

I've taken a snow day today, and I feel like such a wimp because most of the people in my office (including the people that live near me) made it in. And I was supposed to have my annual performance review at work today with my supervisor (one of the few people that live near me - he made it in! lol). So yeah.. perfect day to take a day off huh? LoL :D

So I went through an emotional rollercoaster yesterday. It all started yesterday afternoon, as I was leaving Detroit. The hotel room I stayed in this week was incredibly dry, and it left my hands so dry it started to crack and bleed. I took off my wedding band and engagement ring to put cream on my hands (I always take them off... cream tends to guck up the ring) and I placed it on my lap.

We pulled into the Detroit Duty Free shop and we went in because my coworker wanted to buy some stuff. He got his stuff... we left... half way across the bridge I look at my hands and realize my rings are missing. I freaked a little, began to check my pockets, and when I realize they were in there I went into full-out freak mode. I frantically searched my purse - nothing. By the time we got to the Canadian border guard I was sobbing uncontrollably. Looking back, it was a little funny, because while we were at the booth, I was still frantically looking for the rings. I had my seatbelt off, I was sobbing, and I was out of my seat, with my back to the windshield. The border guard said nothing!!

I had a feeling they were in the parking lot at the duty free shop. My coworker managed to get the phone number of the duty free shop, and called to see if anyone found the rings. The man that picked up the phone graciously agreed to go out and look for them, and told us he would call us back if he found anything. Immediately we turned around (after dropping off 2 other coworkers in the car + our purchases we accured over the course of our stay) and got back on the bridge. I was certain my rings were lost forever... and I was so sad. How could I have been so stupid?! Why did I put it on my lap? I usually put my mitts on my lap in the car, and they always fall when I get out of the car (I lose a lot of mitts that way) - so why would I do that with my precious rings?! Mitts are replaceable - my rings are not.

As we were on the bridge we get a phonecall from the duty free shop - they found my wedding band!! But still no e-ring. I was slightly relieved, but still distraught. As we approached the US border guard we get another phone call - they found my e-ring!! Seriously it must have been like finding a needle in a haystack - it was dark and there were cars driving around that area... I couldn't beleive he found it!!! When I got my rings back I gave that man a big hug and thanked him a gazillion times.

My rings always have a way of finding their way back to me. A couple of months ago I lost my iron ring, and I was so sure it was gone forever. Turns out it was in the trunk of of my coworker's car! It slipped off when I was removing my luggage from his car after a trip to Detroit.

Thank GOD I got my rings back... I donno what I would have done if that man didn't find them. To Ken, who works at the Detroit Duty Free shop - thank you SO much.. no words can express how thankful I am!!!