"and he had high hopes"

Today was the end of my ladder training, which means today I had to climb up a 28' extension ladder that I propped against a suspended steel cable, tie myself off to the top of it, then come back down and bring the ladder back down.

This was NOT something I was looking forward to. It's not so much that I'm afraid of heights, it's unstable structures that unnerve me. When you're climbing up that ladder, and that steel cable is moving around more like cotton thread, it doesn't feel too stable.

Anyway, it wasn't a pretty sight, but I did it all, didn't really mess anything up, and came back down under my own power. So all is well.

Over time it's something I'll get used to, but it will never be something that I'll like.

I remember why I didn't like school

Day two of my training is over and so far it's mostly been a waste of time. Sure, it's all been important stuff but out of the whole group the person with the least amount of customer service experience is four years, so it's just been a lot of review so far.

Tomorrow they start showing us how to use the software we'll be using from the truck's terminals. Then Thursday and Friday I have Defensive Driving one and two. Next week I report to a new location, where they have their installation training and from what I understand it's where I'll be based from when I finish training.

About half of the people in my class (of 35 people) are phone support, so this will probably be the last week I see them, at least for a while. I don't see many field reps in the building. At least I won't have a chance to really get to know any of them before we get separated.

I still haven't gotten used to this whole bed before midnight, up at dawn thing. Not sure I ever really will but I'm trying.

On brighter notes, I've started the process to get some of my job perks. I put in the form to use the gym, though I don't know if the location I'll be based out of has it's own facilities or if I'll have to use the main office ones, though it's not that far away. So no big deal there. I also started the process to get my nearly free services. I had to have the accounts transferred to my name, which should happen tomorrow, then I can get analog and digital cable for free, all channels (except the Filipino channel, which would cost a few dollars if I wanted it) and most PPV free. I just have to pay rental on the digital boxes. I'll also get my internet for free. So the bill is going to drop from about $87 to about $12 after taxes. That is cool. And since most PPV content will be free I might actually be able to catch up on all those years of movies that I haven't seen. *smirk*

Well, it's bedtime for me. G'Night everyone.

This is why birds fly SOUTH

I lived through my last day at Food Lion, turned in my keys, reset my passwords, and said my g'byes. I don't know if they'll ask me to come in to help out or not but I left the offer there if they want me to every now and then. One, the extra money would be cool and two if I can stay on the payroll until this time next year I can cash out my profit sharing. Wouldn't be a whole lot of money but if I could get it that would be cool.

For now, I'm in the great white north. Well close enough. It's north and it's certainly white; snow everywhere. I am close enough to Canada that I 'could' walk there if I wanted to and it wasn't so damn cold.

I don't mind the cold so much, really, it's the bloody wind that bothers me. Mostly just my sinuses and my eyes. A good gust of wind in the face and I can't see anything until my eyes stop watering. Other than that, though, everything is good.

My girlfriend is at work and I'm just chilling here playing around with Phoebe (her iMac). brought my tax info so I could file while I was here. Have to have something to do to kill the time while I'm waiting for her to come home. It's been a long time since I've had NOTHING to do all day and I'm going to try to enjoy it while it lasts.

I start at Cox on the 9th. It's all official and everything. They asked me today if I could come in on Friday to fill out papers but seeing that I won't be coming home until Saturday that's not going to work out. They said that would be o'kay, just would be easier if I could get there Friday is all. So much to get done Monday but it'll work itself out as it's supposed to.

For now, I'm going to look over my tax info, grab last years return off my server and decide if I want to do it today, or wait, and give myself something to do tomorrow.