Damn you economy, damn you!

They are cutting hours at work. Why? Because the store isn't making, or taking in, as much money as its fellow stores which in return falls on us, the employees. What this mean is that with the lack of money coming in equals to our hours being cut back. The worst thing of all is that I found this out by "word of mouth", not by my superiors...what the hell kind of crap is that?!?!? Also, at the same time of getting our hours cut back the store is still hiring more people. Economist, whomever you are, how in the hell does that work?!?!
Since I have started work I have been working for about 40hours a week, not bad at all. Actually, the other day I was talking to my mom and she had told me that I'm making WAY more than a Spaniard who is starting out his/her career (ie: going into a law firm, etc.). Crazy, right? That's the Spanish economy for you, which, by the way, its at 20%!!!
I'm just annoyed and pissed off, like everyone else at work, because of this. I remember searching and searching for jobs and I finally got one, not my dream one, but I got one. I remember getting my first, second, third....paychecks, and I was purely and plainly satisfied that my hard work at work was compensating. But now that I switched departments and I'm working even harder than before my hard work isn't getting compensated for that much, just like everyone else, and it just sucks. BOO :(

ps. I forgot to add this tidbit of information that Sarah at Adventures in Life (thanks for reminding me!) reminded me of. The rumors are true. This past week they cut our hours to 30 and now to 20.

When did work become High School?

Another rant....

Everyday at work I feel as if I'm surrounding by high schoolers, calling people I work with children would be a step-up. I hate gossip. I'm not a fan at all of it, because, lets be realistic, it only leads to lies and people end up getting hurt and I just don't want to hear about other people's personal business...its called personal for a reason.

At work I try to keep to myself, meaning that at lunch I sit alone and read my book (yeah, I know...LOSER) and during work I work. I have my work buddies who I chit-chat with here and then and take my occasional lunch break with. We don't really gossip, I use the term "don't really" because one of my co-workers will blurt the occasional work gossip for shits and giggles, but I kindly just laugh it off and

completely ignore it. Like I said, I don't care to know about gossip...its not real. But this is what appalls me. A co-worker of me recently got a promotion and is working around the managers and the higher up people, she was shocked at how much crap they talked about people and how too-faced they were. When she told me this I gave her an advice that I think is pretty good, I told her to keep to herself, to camouflage herself because she might end up getting hurt. I think its a pretty good advice because I just don't want to see her get hurt, she's such a sweetheart.

The other issue: how rude can the managerial staff be?!?!? I was brought up in a very "polite" household (ie: no elbows on the table when eating, greet someone politely, say "thank you"/"please"...list goes on). So again, I'm appalled at the way they address issues. For example: today was "casual Friday" and I was wearing a cute outfit with a top that came off the shoulders, kind of 80s-style, which I tried the entire day to make it not come off the shoulders. Well, one of the managers, instead of calling me to the side, says very loudly on the floor in front of customers, "ummm miss [apparently she doesn't know my name] you need to cover your shoulder." and then went on. I was shocked and humiliated at how she addressed that issue. This is not the first time managers have said things like these to their employees nor, I think, will be the last until someone says something.

I know that no matter where I work gossip will still be an ongoing thing. But the latter, its just plain juvenile and rude.

(image credit above: Daily Conscious)

Recipe of the Day: Baked Mac 'n Cheese

Great for BBQs!

Baked Mac 'n Cheese

Ingredients:

-500g of dried elbow pasta (if you buy a large bag it'll be half of it)
-½ cup of breadcrumbs
-⅓ cup of grated Parmesan cheese
-3 tablespoons of butter
-3 tablespoons of flour
-1½ cans of evaporated milk (add more if you feel its too thick)
-2 teaspoons of salt
-3 cups of shredded Cheddar Cheese

Directions:
-Cook the pasta according to package
-In a bowl mix the breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese together and set aside
-Melt the butter in a large skillet and add the flour, cook low and stir for 1-2mins
-Whisk in the evaporated milk; bring to a boil and lower and cook for 5mins
-Add 2½ cups of Cheddar cheese and melt
-Once the mixture has been "done" stir in the pasta
-Pour pasta mixture onto a casserole dish and cover with the rest of the Cheddar cheese and then top it off with the breadcrumb mixture
-Bake at 375℉ for 25-30mins  

Wordless Wednesday

Brownie and her jungle

Twentynine Palms (July 2010)

The ballots are in...

Waiting

Deciding

Planning

Preparing

Stressing

Enjoying

Exciting

Last week DH handed in his top three choices for our next post. If all goes well we will be leaving 29 Palms in December and heading of to where the Marine Corps tells us. This is not the first time I have had to get news of where I will be moving next, I've had to deal with this exact same thing growing up, but this is the first time I am getting the news and my opinion of where counts...so to speak.

I honestly don't care where we go, but as long as its not here or anywhere like this place. I'm sorry for all those wives who love/loved 29 Palms, I wish I could've, but this is not a place for a city girl like me. I need noise, traffic, public transportation, shops, more than 2 main roads, and the list goes on...

I just want to go to a place where I can get a job in my field, that's all. I just want to have the feeling that studying what I studied paid off and it was the right choice. I sometimes go back and think about if I met my husband earlier then maybe I could've chosen a different career path; but then I have to be realistic and realize that this career path screams my name. 

Now all DH and I are doing is waiting anxiously. We have pre-planned possibilities and "what-ifs" in our minds so that we can ease towards the Marine Corps final decision, but regardless I know we are not going to be prepared, no matter how many pre-plans we do.

Have any of your ever gotten the place you and your spouse chose? What about places you dreaded of going to? How did you deal with that decision?

Recipe of the Day: Penne with Chicken, Roasted Veggies and Spices

I love looking for new recipes and I get uber happy when I find one that I know if I make it DH will also eat it (he's a very picky eater which of course aggravates me because I have to then reevaluate the entire meal/recipe). I came across this recipe from Skinny Betsey and I added my own little twist to it just like she did (thanks for the ideas and recipe).

Penne with Chicken, Roasted Veggies and Spices

Ingredients:
-2 chicken breasts
-2 cups of penne pasta
-2 garlic cloves
-salt
-pepper
-olive oil
-2 cans of diced tomatoes or 2 cups of cherry tomatoes diced in half
-2 tablespoons of oreganos
-dash of basil
-1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning
-dash of parsley
-Parmesan cheese

Directions:
-Dice and place all the veggies and spices in a casserole dish, drizzle olive oil all over casserole, and bake at 450℉ for 20mins.
-Bake the pasta according to package.
-Cute the chicken into cube-like shapes and mix with salt, pepper and olive oil and cook in a skillet until done.
-Once everything is done mix well in deep dish, so nothing spills, and serve hot or cold with Parmesan cheese to top it off.

Wordless Wednesday

(image credit: David M. Hart's Webpage)

Guernica (painting) by Pablo Picasso, 1937

Click here to read more about the meaning of the painting.

Recipe of the Day: Spaghetti and Meatballs

Finally I have caught up to my "Recipe of Friday" post.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Ingredients:

-Spaghetti
-1lb of ground beef
-2 cups of tomato sauce
-1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce (to your liking)
-1 egg
-½ cup of breadcrumbs
-salt
-pepper
-Parmesan cheese

Directions:
-Cook pasta according to package directions.
-Preheat oven to 400℉.
-Beat the egg in a large bowl and then add the salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce and breadcrumbs and mix well.
-Add the meat and mix well.
-Once its mixed well shape the meat in little balls and place on baking tray (it will make about 12).
-Bake for 10-15mins.
-Once the meatballs are baked, in a large skillet heat the tomato sauce and add the baked meatballs. Cover and simmer for about 15mins.
-Serve with spaghetti and sprinkle Parmesan cheese and presto!

Wordless Wednesday

San Diego Zoo (August 2010)