10 a.m.

Something weird is going on at work.

When I started this assignment, I was the exclusive "property" of the tr*ff*c department. And as you may remember, I loved my work. I enjoyed what I did, and was impressed by the friendliness of my co-workers. But soon these very same girls became less and less friendly. After awhile, they ceased to provide new tasks...so I had to ask to keep busy. I was trained on a whole range of proceedures...but gradually my duties shrunk. Soon, if I wanted to keep busy at all, I had to panhandle for work. By the third week, my only contact with the department consisted of 2 short visits - first thing in the morning & first thing after lunch - a walk by to confirm that I was not needed.

There is nothing more depressing that grovelling for attention from two people who are obviously annoyed by your presence.

Why am I still here? Well, because the c*st*ms department took up the slack. Although it's not as fun or as computer-oriented as tr*ff*c, the people are nicer and much more straight-forward. I'm not exactly happy, but I'm not unhappy enough to do anything - after all, I'll only have to do this for a couple of months at the very most. About a week & a half ago, one of the girls in tr*ff*c decided to move on (today's her last day). I've decided to apply for her job - there's absolutely nothing she can do that I can't. After all, this is the cubicle that spent 5 full minutes discussing the "Denmark: City or Country?" issue. And even if I didn't get the job, there's a good chance that I'd fill in while they looked for someone else.

But today I walked in to my desk...and found another temp doing odd jobs for tr*ff*c.

That really irritates me. There's nothing wrong with me. The reason I'm not working with tr*ff*c right now is that they're such shitty communicators. Yet I get supplanted for a girl fresh out of the agency. I just hope that she'll be one of those temps who can't cut it in a real job...and that I'll be re-instated into meaningful work...and those girls will eat crow for making me feel so lame...and then I'll be crowned queen of the temps. That'll show 'em.

5 p.m.

Much has been made clear to me. I'm told that when my manager was told that the girl in tr*ff*c was leaving, he approached the ladies in c*st*ms for advice. They could keep me or send me back to the tr*ff*c wading pool like the little temp guppy I am. And they liked having me around so much, I was kept around. So I wasn't taken out of tr*ff*c because those girls disliked me; it was because the other ladies liked me so much. Sigh. My blood may be thin, but I definitely have no need of irony supplements.

It was then made known that another temp would be serving out the last 2 weeks of her contract in the c *st*ms dept. Too many temps spoil the broth, of course. So my "services will not be needed" for the next 2 weeks, and I'm getting a full day's pay to make up for the short notice.

Looks like I'm getting a Reading Week after all!

In other employment news, I had my camp interview last night. I'm pretty much hired; they just wanted to know if I had any ideas about new responsibilities or duties. I think this year I'd like to get some slightly older kids. I'm not sure if I'm ready for them, but then again, I'm not sure if I'm ready for any age group. I can only hope that my scattered experiences with my grade six class will stand me in good stead...and that a bunch of new wedding problems don't crop up in July. Hopefully, those goofy planning timelines will actually work, and I'll sail down the aisle without a worry in my head.

Speaking of the wedding, I managed to get a few things done last night, which in itself is a few more accomplishments than I've managed in the last couple of weeks. Booked the cool photographer with the documentary style & reasonable rates, which will rock. I also called Agamemnon to see when I could book the flight from Edmonton. We ended up in a long, laughter-filled discussion of what, in his words, "MUST be played at the wedding." He highly approves of a retro-themed dance, and was full of suggestions such as "99 Luft Ballons" & "Hotel California." I think that all that cheese will give me a heart attack, low blood pressure or no.

I also managed to squeeze in a call to Dirk, so I could thank him for taking the first steps towards that retro dance. His big news was that, during a phone call home, his mom has offered to make his kilt out of the Newfoundland tartan she just happened to have.

d's mom: I was going to make skirts for me and your sister...
d's dad:...so instead you're making one for the boy.

In the course of my researches for the last couple of emtries, I ended up plowing through a buch of stuff from last year. Damn, but I do ever amuse myself. Thus today (and until you tell me not to) I shall provide a button to take you to...

     ...anything you say, giant drop of blood.