Elizabeth Weir/John Sheppard Appreciation/Ship/Discussion Thread

[Scary Kitty]

Good morning, Sparkies! Happy Canon Monday!

I went to my brother's house for our weekly Sunday night dinner. He made chicken soup from scratch, and he and my sister-in-law thought it was delicious. Me, not so much. He put Portuguese chourico in it, and I don't enjoy that taste. I managed to get my requisite one bowl down while picking out the slices of that sausage crap. My adult nephew was not as subtle. His facial expression as he was eating it was freaking hilarious! My brother was so impressed that he'd added no salt. And I was thinking IT NEEDED SALT!!! But hey, I didn't have to cook it so it's all good.

ETA: I'm having an unexpected side effect of soup for dinner.... not being able to sleep cause I have to pee every frelling hour!

Chicken soup with chourico/chorizo? That's a pretty weird food combination. Your brother has some strange taste, that's for sure! Your nephew's reaction was priceless!

And yeah, that particular side effect with soup happens to me all the time. Unless I eat early enough, that is...

[JT-2]

I saw my general doctor this morning to go over my results. He was so happy about my sugar level that he didn't even complain that I'd gained weight.

Chicken soup with chourico/chorizo? That's a pretty weird food combination. Your brother has some strange taste, that's for sure! Your nephew's reaction was priceless!

And yeah, that particular side effect with soup happens to me all the time. Unless I eat early enough, that is...

Yeah, it was weird! When he warned me he'd put it into the soup, I was just like.... whyyyyyyy? He was so pleased with himself, saying the soup was better than a local restaurant's soup. I am no actress, so I couldn't agree. Then my sister-in-law asked if I wanted to take any home, and I think I said "no" a little too emphatically because I got the side-eye from my brother.

[Zandras_Ashes]

I dropped the class Next one starts the first week of July. After work instead of homework I repotted my poor snake plant who had long outgrown its old pot and worked on my flower beds edging, I’ve been replacing the rock a load at a time. I’m afraid to put too much at a time in my compact suv. Those suckers are heavy. I even cooked a proper dinner. We’ll see how long my productivity lasts. I’m not opposed to some completely unproductive nights, especially when it is so nice and sunny.

[Scary Kitty]

Good morning, Sparkies! Happy Smutty Tuesday!

I saw my general doctor this morning to go over my results. He was so happy about my sugar level that he didn't even complain that I'd gained weight.

*snorts*

Yeah, it was weird! When he warned me he'd put it into the soup, I was just like.... whyyyyyyy? He was so pleased with himself, saying the soup was better than a local restaurant's soup. I am no actress, so I couldn't agree. Then my sister-in-law asked if I wanted to take any home, and I think I said "no" a little too emphatically because I got the side-eye from my brother.

I'll bet your nephew was cheering you on, though...

I dropped the class Next one starts the first week of July. After work instead of homework I repotted my poor snake plant who had long outgrown its old pot and worked on my flower beds edging, I’ve been replacing the rock a load at a time. I’m afraid to put too much at a time in my compact suv. Those suckers are heavy. I even cooked a proper dinner. We’ll see how long my productivity lasts. I’m not opposed to some completely unproductive nights, especially when it is so nice and sunny.

July's a good way off yet, so that sounds like a nice recovery gap. And yay, gardening!

[Falcon Horus]

@ FH. How is the new job going? Are you settling in now & playing nice with your colleagues?

It's going.

My frustrations have leveled out. They are still present, naturally, but I'm feeling more at ease with Power Automate.
I will have to get even more at ease though cause I found out today that they already have me booked for another project. This one, however, will be on site with the client. From what the operations manager told me, I deducted which company it was for and then used google maps to map out how long I would have to drive... Google maps informed me that the company is located a "mere" 1 hour and 7 minutes away from where I live --> 98.7 km (61.33 miles).

However... I will have to take the ringway around Brussels (our capital) which is always jammed, and the ringway around Ghent (far off in the province of East-Flanders) which is also always jammed so it's probably closer to 2 hours driving.

Or I could skip across the scenic route and avoid Brussels at least, and be on a 1 hour and 18 minutes trip (which also means 2 hours at least) --> 107 km (66.49 miles).

I sincerely hope I won't have to be on site every day cause that would mean I'd have to leave around 7am and not be home until well after 7pm. That would basically mean my sister would have image but no sound from me.

My colleagues... they are interesting to say the least. All of them younger, except one who I suspect to be a little older. The managing team is also a decade older I think. The rest are wee lads, in a manner of speaking.

The biggest LOL-part is that they insist on having lunch together so I've joined them every time BUT every lunch time we're together they won't say a word to each other and so we have this awkward silence hanging over the table. It's ridiculous.

However, when they do talk... our humor is aligned. Oh my goddess, it's so aligned.

So yeah, I'm slowly settling in.

[Falcon Horus]

Oh, I almost forgot... I have a cellphone from work which goes on flightmode the moment my workday is over, but I also have an electric bike. By which I mean, I still have to choose it from the store. It's supposed to be to bike to work but that's never going to happen.

I was half joking about getting one that I can fold and then put in the back of my car so that it is sorta doing the drive to work.

However, then I came across this glorious bike and now I want it --> Rayvolt Bike. It is within the price range set by my company. It's the kind of bike they either don't want to steal because it's too weird-looking or because it is so unique.

[JT-2]

I dropped the class Next one starts the first week of July. After work instead of homework I repotted my poor snake plant who had long outgrown its old pot and worked on my flower beds edging, I’ve been replacing the rock a load at a time. I’m afraid to put too much at a time in my compact suv. Those suckers are heavy. I even cooked a proper dinner. We’ll see how long my productivity lasts. I’m not opposed to some completely unproductive nights, especially when it is so nice and sunny.

Good for you!!

As for the nice weather... well, today is the perfect day. "It's not too hot. Not too cold. All you need is a light jacket."

Two points to anyone who gets the reference.

I'll bet your nephew was cheering you on, though...

Yeah, it gave him a good chuckle. My brother and sister-in-law were marveling that my nephew and I are much alike (even though we're not biologically related - my siblings were adopted). We both have issues with tastes and textures. We can both be quiet and avoid phone calls at all costs. We both need to decompress after a lot of socializing, etc. And we both have a great set of online friends. No one else in the family understands the idea of chatting with people online. So much so, that I only told 1 person in the family that my friend that came to visit me from PA was from Tumblr (although I didn't say Tumblr... just said "a web site where you talk about stuff").

However... I will have to take the ringway around Brussels (our capital) which is always jammed, and the ringway around Ghent (far off in the province of East-Flanders) which is also always jammed so it's probably closer to 2 hours driving.

Or I could skip across the scenic route and avoid Brussels at least, and be on a 1 hour and 18 minutes trip (which also means 2 hours at least) --> 107 km (66.49 miles).

I sincerely hope I won't have to be on site every day cause that would mean I'd have to leave around 7am and not be home until well after 7pm. That would basically mean my sister would have image but no sound from me.

That's quite the commute!! How long would you have to do that for???

[Who Knows]

It's going.

My frustrations have leveled out. They are still present, naturally, but I'm feeling more at ease with Power Automate.
I will have to get even more at ease though cause I found out today that they already have me booked for another project. This one, however, will be on site with the client. From what the operations manager told me, I deducted which company it was for and then used google maps to map out how long I would have to drive... Google maps informed me that the company is located a "mere" 1 hour and 7 minutes away from where I live --> 98.7 km (61.33 miles).

Well you must be doing well with your Power Automate if they are trusting you to work unsupervised "off site".
If you have to travel so far (there and back) each day do they pay for the fuel?
And do you get paid overtime because you are working an extra 2 hours + each day if your day is from leaving home to returning there again?

However... I will have to take the ringway around Brussels (our capital) which is always jammed, and the ringway around Ghent (far off in the province of East-Flanders) which is also always jammed so it's probably closer to 2 hours driving.

Or I could skip across the scenic route and avoid Brussels at least, and be on a 1 hour and 18 minutes trip (which also means 2 hours at least) --> 107 km (66.49 miles).

If the pictures you post on Instagram are any indication of your "Scenic Route" it could be bumpy. ????

I sincerely hope I won't have to be on site every day cause that would mean I'd have to leave around 7am and not be home until well after 7pm. That would basically mean my sister would have image but no sound from me.

My colleagues... they are interesting to say the least. All of them younger, except one who I suspect to be a little older. The managing team is also a decade older I think. The rest are wee lads, in a manner of speaking.

The biggest LOL-part is that they insist on having lunch together so I've joined them every time BUT every lunch time we're together they won't say a word to each other and so we have this awkward silence hanging over the table. It's ridiculous.

Well I am a decade (or so) older than your managing team, and I was brought up to believe that you do not talk with your mouth full.
But if they are all 'wee laddies' as you suggest, they are probably like my grandkids. They do not like talking to anybody, all their communications are by texting on their phones.

However, when they do talk... our humor is aligned. Oh my goddess, it's so aligned.

So yeah, I'm slowly settling in.

Well, I am pleased to hear that you ARE settling in. Everything takes time, and you have a few 'queer' colleagues to get used to, they only have one (you) ???? And you could have a few more to sort out 'on site' if you stay away from the office long enough.

[Scary Kitty]

Good morning, Sparkies! Happy Screw the Angst Wednesday!

I sincerely hope I won't have to be on site every day cause that would mean I'd have to leave around 7am and not be home until well after 7pm. That would basically mean my sister would have image but no sound from me.

Oh dear, I hope they'll be paying you overtime for that commute from hell!

My colleagues... they are interesting to say the least. All of them younger, except one who I suspect to be a little older. The managing team is also a decade older I think. The rest are wee lads, in a manner of speaking.

The biggest LOL-part is that they insist on having lunch together so I've joined them every time BUT every lunch time we're together they won't say a word to each other and so we have this awkward silence hanging over the table. It's ridiculous.

However, when they do talk... our humor is aligned. Oh my goddess, it's so aligned.

So yeah, I'm slowly settling in.

LOL! Who Knows may be right about them all being more accustomed to communicating by text. But your senses of humor all being aligned is a VERY good sign.

[Falcon Horus]

That's quite the commute!! How long would you have to do that for???

Depends on the project, but if I can hazard a guess I'm thinking 2-3 months.
The thing I'm probably lucky about is that it will probably be around june-july maybe which means traffic is less due to it being the time around when most schools have exams and summer holiday starts on the 1st of July.

If you have to travel so far (there and back) each day do they pay for the fuel?

Yup.

And do you get paid overtime because you are working an extra 2 hours + each day if your day is from leaving home to returning there again?

I can add traffic time to my time sheet so that's definitely paid for, and any overtime can be used for extra vacation days.

If the pictures you post on Instagram are any indication of your "Scenic Route" it could be bumpy. ????

Well, what would Belgium be without its potholes.

Well I am a decade (or so) older than your managing team, and I was brought up to believe that you do not talk with your mouth full.

Good point. Didn't think of that.

But if they are all 'wee laddies' as you suggest, they are probably like my grandkids. They do not like talking to anybody, all their communications are by texting on their phones.

Oh... now that you mention it... definitely didn't think about that.

Oh dear, I hope they'll be paying you overtime for that commute from hell!

That is indeed covered.

[Scary Kitty]

Good morning, Sparkies! Happy Fluffy Thursday!

Depends on the project, but if I can hazard a guess I'm thinking 2-3 months.
The thing I'm probably lucky about is that it will probably be around june-july maybe which means traffic is less due to it being the time around when most schools have exams and summer holiday starts on the 1st of July.
...
I can add traffic time to my time sheet so that's definitely paid for, and any overtime can be used for extra vacation days.
...
That is indeed covered.

Good to know.

[Falcon Horus]

Today one of the managers asked how I've been doing. Told him that the first week I didn't know where my head was at half the time but that my confidence has grown.
They are still very happy to have me as part of the team and apparently I've been doing a good job with my first project and helping out a colleague. So, that was nice.

Then he told me they're thinking about visiting a brewery, which he then followed up by asking me if I was interested in that even. Told him that even though I don't drink the beer, doesn't mean I'm not curious about how they make the beer.

A few minutes later into the same conversation (it was in Teams), he asked me what I thought of this --> The Ruien Antwerp. It's basically the medieval underbelly of the city of Antwerp. Told him that I'm used to hanging out in dark spaces when I crawl around an ancient tomb.

Which he then followed up with a scheduled team event on May 17th. Visit the Ruien, followed by a team meeting and then dinner.

I gotta say that as far as team events go, this company wins a thousand times over from the previous one.

[Who Knows]

It is nice to hear you sounding so happy and settled now. Sounds like this was a good move for you after all.

[Scary Kitty]

Good afternoon, Sparkies! Hope you're all having an awesome Pretty Friday!

Busy morning for me, I got a new desk delivered! So now the table I've been using has gone out to the studio where it belongs, and I spent the morning reassembling my office.

Today one of the managers asked how I've been doing. Told him that the first week I didn't know where my head was at half the time but that my confidence has grown.
They are still very happy to have me as part of the team and apparently I've been doing a good job with my first project and helping out a colleague. So, that was nice.

Then he told me they're thinking about visiting a brewery, which he then followed up by asking me if I was interested in that even. Told him that even though I don't drink the beer, doesn't mean I'm not curious about how they make the beer.

A few minutes later into the same conversation (it was in Teams), he asked me what I thought of this --> The Ruien Antwerp. It's basically the medieval underbelly of the city of Antwerp. Told him that I'm used to hanging out in dark spaces when I crawl around an ancient tomb.

Which he then followed up with a scheduled team event on May 17th. Visit the Ruien, followed by a team meeting and then dinner.

I gotta say that as far as team events go, this company wins a thousand times over from the previous one.

Sounds like it! Have fun on that awesome team excursion & dinner!

[Falcon Horus]

It is nice to hear you sounding so happy and settled now. Sounds like this was a good move for you after all.

Yeah... my sister keeps telling me the same thing.

But as of right now, I'm in vacay-mode. I have a week off.