Get Back To Work!

I went back to work today. I spent a better part of the morning talking to people, most of whom were impacted in some way, and several who've lost everything. The saddest part is the folks who've been hit the hardest are black. I know that the news is showing the poor people, but the folks I know are black professionals; mechanical and electrical engineers! Angel just had her first baby in May. I attended her wedding several years ago (Dana's a lawyer). Now they have no home as they'd built their house in New Orleans East. Danielle is scheduled to get married in the Bahamas on April Fool's Day 2006. She just lost her home which she purchased last year. Monica's been flooded out of her home in Kenner. I hope she's still performing (that's her last Nov. with my Red Hat group) wherever she's relocated to.

In the afternoon it was the typical post-hurricane b.s. with one particular unit giving me headaches. Thankfully I'd missed most of the drama since I was in Houston last week for training. Another positive note was my boss says I haven't lost any V-days with all the travel last week. I'm going to need them when things calm down. I'm also considering moving to Muscatine, IA & taking the open position there. The housing market is on fire here right now, and I could make a ton of money on my house. I'm going to have to pray about that one. The idea of living in snow still hasn't grown on me, and I'm not sure if it would be best for my career right now.

Roy also updated me on Marcelle's status. She'll definitely be flying in Wednesday. Her house is okay, but she'll need to stay with me for a while until Jefferson Parish has power again. I think it'll be really good for her to have company in the midst of all of this devastation.

At the end of the day I got together at the Sailfish for wine with Carol, my tech friend from work. She's been screwed out of her promotion by the company, and is really feeling down. All that, and a natural disaster too. She's considering leaving the company (I am as well). I think she might be better off if she did. I'm so pissed for her right now, I can't even express my disgust.

I got home and decided it was time to take out the braids. I needed to let go of some old things, and taking the braids out seemed like the best way to do it. So here I am. A year and a half after my last relaxer, and I'm no where near where I thought I'd be. Every so often my co-workers and I find ways to laugh through the tears. It helps in the process of getting back to work.