A Little Housekeeping

We are knee-deep in spring, and I’m a bit late at doing some spring cleaning, both physically and mentally.

I’ve been MIA mostly because life has been just crazy. Not all good crazy. Actually, not at all good crazy. I do what I can, though, with what I can control and what I have the power to control.

I realized that my temp agency has been shorting me all the overtime I clock in a day. it isn’t much. It’s been 8 minutes a day, five days a week, It’s about an extra $20 a week. It may not be much, but it adds up to almost $100 I’m out every month that I shouldn’t be out of. I started clocking in 15 minutes early a day with the permission of my supervisor, and that, too, hasn’t been paid out. I’m not sure what is going on as my other temp agency I liked far better but was forced to leave used to pay it. Why this one isn’t is unknown to me. They have the authorization. To be honest, I think this agency is completely scammy, as they told me several things that have not happened, are impossible to get in touch with, won’t respond to any inquiries, and I truly believe they are pocketing that money. The reason I didn’t notice was because I assumed that maybe the old temp agency had made an error with my deductions, which wouldn’t be too out of the way in that assumption as they started out not deducting my state taxes, but when my last paycheck that should have had an additional 75 minutes of overtime didn’t, it became apparent. I also haven’t had access to my paycheck stubs since pretty much I started because their system refuses to send me a verification email to log in. I have tried all different times of day and potential ID’s and emails and nothing. Not even a text, even though they have my correct phone number, as they send me these useless texts.

I was enraged on Friday, and it’s probably best I wasn’t able to get in touch with anyone because it would have been unhinged.

I took that as a sign to cool myself and take some time to just let it go for a few. So, on the shutdown at work, which was also a huge inconvenience to my budget, I decided to work on some projects that I have long been wanting to do. I started making some cow ears for headbands, some pocket goddesses, and cup cozies. I only got the cup cozies mostly done, but that was 4 days of cutting, embroidering, and putting them together. I still have two to go and a bunch of pocket goddesses to embroider, as well as getting the cow print properly applied to the ears. They are projects that I have been wanting to work on for almost a year now. I got all the supplies and patterns created but have never been able to get beyond my executive dysfunction of failure to do anything. I decided since these two weeks have worked to conspire against me, failure was already imminent and to just do it. As it was, it ended up being a really good thing to do, took my mind off my rage, and I created some really nice things! I posted a picture of the cozies from this weekend as a story post here.

It was also good enough to have taken my mind off my rage. I’m still angry and didn’t create a really strong game plan, but I did apply to several new jobs over the weekend, responded to a request for more info from an employer I applied with the previous week and took an assessment test for a remote position. Action, even if it seems like a hurry up and wait action, is still action, and I’m happy to take it.

It was also a positive move to create this last weekend because I had told myself that if I took my shop site down, I would use the time to create products to sell for when I could reopen it. I have not been good on that directive and really needed to do it. I had been working on things here and there, creating affirmations to turn into sigils, looking up patterns to embroider, learning how to do basic embroidery, etc, but not actually working on things. So now that I’ve gotten past al the hurdles I have thrown in my way, it should be a bit smoother sailing. (So I say now…)

I did not create a game plan for how to handle the situation from Friday, but I didn’t get on myself for that. I decided to leave this to the Universe to show me how to move forward. As it was, I arrived at work 20 minutes early, so I clocked in, took a photo of the clock in, then decided to go about asking for my time clock records. I haven’t emailed that person yet, and I am debating if I want to go in and ask for it or send an email. It feels awkward to me, but I do need to do it. So that was a start.

Then, when I got home, the temp agency sent me a text asking for me to fill out a survey. Now…I know I shouldn’t have shown my hand at this point in time, but damnit. I’m still burning hot, so I responded. They said it was a space to discuss my concerns and issues, so I did, from the fact that the agent on site is never accessible, and when I have asked him to do something, he has never followed through, to the fact that I was told that I would be accruing vacation pay and that my previous service with the old temp agency would be applied but yet, I have no vacation time accrued even though I’ve been at this job for 9 month now, among other things such as having been here 9 months and the agency not doing anything to advocate my hiring, to the missing overtime pay. I am one of maybe 8 temps still left here, and this agency can’t even do enough to assist 8 people, while being on site. This agency is a joke.

So yeah, I probably shouldn’t have unloaded, but I’m going on the assumption that they won’t actually read the survey, let alone address any of the issues brought forward in it. They have been completely unresponsive so far, so if anything comes of it, I’ll be completely shocked.

In other housekeeping news, i have been finally decorating my home. I’ve lived there since 2015 and haven’t done much to decorate. I don’t know why, but there it is. I am deciding to make it more of mine in small ways that make bigger differences. There’s a lot more I want to do, but the nice thing is that they are all small projects that can be done over time. I propagated some of my houseplants so that I can have more plants for free. I have gotten rechargeable batteries for my string lights so that I’m not constantly buying batteries and can have cheery lights. I have decorated my huge macrame hanger with some favorite objects that I see each day as I exit my room. I have plans for places to hang dried flowers and herbs as they are all going so well this year! I also have some more spendy projects, such as slow close fixtures for my cabinets and drawers.

My garden has been doing so well this year. Things that have never grown are growing exceptionally well! I should have a lovely pot of poppies with my Job’s Tears, as well as my artichokes that are doing so amazingly well. All the experimental planters are just thriving, which makes me so happy to see. The nasturtium has been super lush so far and the bleeding heart bloomed for the first time in over 5 years this year!

I have lots to be happy for, and I am grabbing a hold of that and being grateful for the things in my life and the things that I am bringing about. I’m trusting the Universe to handle those things I can’t control and taking its cue by applying to new jobs. The Universe generally gives me signs and I wait too long to respond, so I have decided to not wait and just do. I’m happy with this course of action.