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Hi, Heidi,
Yeah, I struggle with the family issue. I struggle mostly with Biblical principals – Honor your father and mother. I just read the other day that God says to be there for your family. Solomon says to respect what your parents say and listen to them. I feel I am not honoring them and not there for them….. although they have plenty of money. I do realize my sister is in a tough situation. My dad has had a lot of mini-strokes that has really changed his personality and made him a lot more difficult to deal with. Do I have a duty to help her out with caring for him? Dunno. How do I balance and align God’s requirements to honor your parents and to not neglect family and still maintain my mental and emotional health. Dunno.I finally heard from Ryan at Dynamysk. He said it was all about timing and they just didn’t have anything. I replied I understood and thanked him for letting me know then mentioned I knew my name went in on a bid for another project but it was short term, 3-5 months, so maybe that would work out well. Yesterday I got an email from Rich, Ryan’s co-worker, saying he was trying to win a project and if he got it he would be calling me to talk about joining them. LOL. Then today, Randy, a co-worker from Louisiana, told me not to go anyplace. He wants me on his project. I think he was hired probably as a turnover manager but he’s spending a lot of his time straightening up the database as its a mess. I’ve helped him out a lot. We talk almost every day. I wouldn’t take that job unless they would let me work from Calgary. Its in KS and I have not more desire/intention of going to KS than I did to TX. I don’t remember the job in Louisiana being that bad. I stayed till the end of my contract and would have stayed longer if they asked me to. I hated Louisiana, but the job itself was ok. Not the best, but certainly not the worst. Sarnia, the project was very toxic and I hated the area. Yes, that one was really bad.
Your right. I need to not take so much pride in my work. There are several things that he’s doing or asking me to do that I feel is sub-standard, slip-shod, sloppy, unprofessional. I don’t do that kind of work. Plus the way he talks to me I often feel attacked or put down. He often shuts me down. Don’t, don’t, don’t. And micro manages me. I don’t deal with micro managing very well at all. I’m really struggling. My personality is already different when I’m in an area like this and away from home, but I’m noticing my personality really changing. I’m not happy like I usually am. I’m starting to feel more defensive and uptight. One reason I got my divorce was my ex would call me bitch on a regular basis and after a while I felt that’s what I was becoming. Getting that same feeling here.
Went on my first meetup last night. It was a walk-about Rotterdam with a couple other photographers. It was fun. Didn’t get great pics, but I’m not a street photographer, but it was still fun. Didn’t get home till 10:30.
Not going to Switzerland till Aug 11-14. Scared of the train ride and all the transfers, but excited about the visit. The hotel is kind enough to come pick me up from the bus station as I get in 45 min after the last bus leaves. Isn’t that awesome of them? Thinking I may buy a 4-day Eurail pass, meaning I can travel out of The Netherlands for any 4 days in a month on this pass. I’m thinking two day trips into Belgium and an overnight trip to Germany. I need to do that now, though, as if either of those jobs come through, I’ll be leaving end of August or first of Sept.
Have an AWESOME day!
Smiles,
RhondaHi,
Today was NOT a good day. My boss was back insisting on his own ways even though it will cause me problems and he does not have one logical good reason to do it. I’m pretty mad. Plus he’s insisting on his own way again for data transfer even though we have not successfully done it and have not worked out the bugs. He’s insisting on using his way on three projects when we haven’t tested it and developed a smooth way of doing it on one. I’m furious. I’m done. First job that comes along I’m gone. I have started doing youtube tutorials on SQL and learning that. I can get a SQL certificate in 14 hours and $36 (unless I can squeeze all 14 hours into the free trial week). But knowing SQL will open up database jobs in other industries.On top of that, I found out today that Wells Fargo is kicking me out and making me close my accounts with them. I’ve been with them since 2005. Had a mortgage with them. Set up my kids with them. So they are closing all accounts of US citizens living abroad unless they can produce a primary residency in the States. ???????? I’m furious. Fortunately RBC, my Canadian bank, has an affiliate with Bank of Georgia and I’ve had a US account with them since 2012. I just opened a savings account with RBC in Bank of Georgia and I’ll transfer all my money there. Now I’ll have to learn how to pay bills out of Bank of Georgia. Wells Fargo is claiming its a government requirement, but so far, they’re the only bank doing it. Not sure what’s going on. So after 11 hours of work I got on the phone with Wells Fargo to figure out what was going on with them then on the phone with RBC to see about a new account with them and start the process of transferring money over. NOT a good day.
Did finally hear from Ryan at Dynamysk. Said they still don’t have anything for me but are watching all their fronts for something to open up. I’ll take that TWD project if it becomes available. I’m fed up with Holland and I’m fed up with this job.
Ok. I’m done venting. It’s almost 10 so I’d better get some sleep. Going on a photography meetup tomorrow night so tomorrow night will be late as well.
Have an AWESOME day!
RhondaHi, Heidi,
Yes, I am struggling. Last Saturday was a boost. So fun and therapeutic to hang with the horses. Usually I bury myself in work, but here I’ve got to be very careful. I’m limited by the government on how many hours I can put in. I did book the trip to Switzerland. Ha Ha. About 2 hours after I booked my train I found out the last bus leaves the Zernez bus station to go to the hotel about 45 minutes before I get there. I’ll see if I can change my train time tomorrow. If not, the awesome people at the hotel said they would arrange for someone to come get me. Aren’t they awesome?! I chose the later train as I was having panic attacks about being able to get to Rotterdam central in time to catch the train. I have a 15 min bus ride and a 15 min train ride into Rotterdam.My journaling is writing you. LOL. I’ve started putting together my memory book. Every year I make calendars of my photos for gifts and I make a book for me, so I’ve started that. I watch a lot of BYU Random Acts, George to the Rescue, East Idaho Secret Santa youtube. Also watch Jordan Matter (photographer) and try to pay attention to the shots and tricks he does. Really want to get to a skate park or bike park when I get home, as well as a dog park. Would be lots of fun.
Today is not a good day. Last night I felt a dizzy spell coming on. I was hoping I would sleep it off over night, but woke up this morning it was worse. I was planning to go back to Kennemerland where I saw the fox, but I woke up dizzy with a major pressure in my head and across the bridge of my nose. I’ve had dizzy spells since I was a child. Doc said it is from my sinuses putting unequal pressure on my ear drums. Eating dark chocolate and drinking coffee helps some, but usually all I can do is sleep it off. Sudafed helps some, but I was popping sudafed so much it quit working so I quit taking it. The weather yesterday was mooi weer (nice weather). Sunny, perfect temp, light breeze. This morning is cloudy so I know a front moved in. I find the humidity and weather changes affect my sinuses and I have more dizzy spells in a humid climate than in the drier climate of Calgary.
I bought my dad an arbor and some trumpet vines for Father’s Day. Trumpet vines are supposed to attract hummingbirds. Got no response from my sister (who lives with him) so emailed her to see if the packages got in. She said they got them but she “lost” the vines and she had done some research and they are invasive so she didn’t want to plant them and she wanted to go get some clemantis. I can never suggest anything or send anything that they really like or appreciate. Always something wrong with it. She complained that she is super busy and over stressed and desperately needs a break. They live in the country, self-employed, so no one is beating them up with deadlines. I suspect the stress is self-inflicted. No one is telling them they have to do as much as they do. That’s their decision. But it makes me feel guilty that I should go give her a break. But that would never work. I can’t deal with the manipulation and control and fanatical life style. I have never really been part of the family – always the bastard step child. So it just wouldn’t work. I wouldn’t know what to do or how to do anything they would expect. Ha. She emailed me a few weeks ago saying she was having problems with my dad always having to have his way. He’s always had the opinion that his way is the only right way and if anyone disagrees with him they are wrong. She was saying he’s getting hard to work with and others she’s talked to has said the same thing – my dad has to always be right. She wanted to know if she could share my thoughts with him, that I also think he always has to have his way. I know they are in a disagreement on how “the ministry” should be run. It really felt to me like she was looking for ammunition to hit him with. She said she wasn’t sure if it was from his strokes or if it was something that was more deep seated. ??? I said, No, don’t say anything to him about my thoughts. I want to stay out of that family feud. Explained to her that my thoughts are his need to be right is from a low self esteem and low self worth from his very abusive childhood and may be augmented by his strokes but way more deeper rooted. And told her hitting him head on with about his need to be right was only going to make it worse. She never responded. I’ve got to stay away from all of that. But that also makes me feel guilty. I just can’t agree with what they’re doing and how they’re living. Don’t know who to deal with that. Don’t know what to do.
Feeling some better but spent the day in bed. If I’m feeling better tomorrow will head to Kennemerland. Have some things I need to get done around here, but do need to get out.
Smiles,
RhondaP.S. Got an email from Joep that just showed he had forwarded my email to Barry. So I sent a reply back to both Joep and Barry. Barry emailed me back. Kind of a surprise. Also heard from Dean again this last week. So looking forward to getting home!
Hi, Heidi,
Thank you. I’m so mad right now I can’t sleep. No, this is turning out to be not the dream job I thought it would be. I really feel like Bob shuts me down a lot. Yeah, not fun to work for.The job in Sarnia would be for Origin Materials, a very interesting company. They make carbon-negative plastics and materials. Here’s their website. https://www.originmaterials.com/ Pretty cool. However, the project itself sounds like a mess. I guess they’ve started construction with no thought about turnover and commissioning. They have at least two contractors and maybe more. We’ll see. TWD is putting in a bid for the project. If they are awarded the project, I will get the job. Do I want it? Depends on how the people are to work with. If they’re open to solutions and good to work with, yes. If they aren’t, no. It would be another NOVA AST2 project which vied for the spot of worst project I’ve been on. For the accounting job, I know nothing. The gentleman gave me his number to call. Something doesn’t feel right about that job at all. I might should look into it more before I call.
I kind of feel like I did something wrong by emailing Dynamysk and asking if they had anything coming up. Maybe it was the wrong thing to do to let them know I am being contacted by other companies. I don’t know why I’m getting the silent treatment. They said to contact them if I had any questions. ?????
My biggest fear on the international train is missing a connection, not being able to read the signs to know when to get off, etc. I need to find out what language is spoken in Switzerland and download it to my phone for google translate before I go. I think maybe German.
Anyway, I really need some sleep. Have not been sleeping well. Lucky if I sleep well 25% of the nights. Often running on 5-6 hours of sleep or even less. I am really going downhill here. Not liking at all what I’m becoming here and really losing my personality and its affecting me physically as well. Not good.
Have an AWESOME day!
Smiles,
RhondaHi, Heidi,
Oh, oops, I thought I had answered.Well, a lot has happened this week. Did go to Oostvaardersplassen Saturday. Over 2 hours train ride and then walked 16 k. The bus stop was over 3 k from the visitor center. But I did get some good “wild” horse pics. They are NOT wild. They came right up to me sniffing for food. One foal kept following me begging for ear scratches and muzzle rubs. He was a sweetheart.
Did book a hotel in Switzerland National Park for Aug 11 to 15. Will book the train tomorrow. Petrified of the train ride. 11 hours and 4 transfers. Then a bus ride to the hotel. It will be my first ride on an international train.
TWD contacted me for a job back in guess where….. back in Sarnia. But I could go home once a month. Sounds like a very challenging job, though, as it seems the client doesn’t have a clue about turnover and commissioning. But short job. 3-5 months. Good pay. I emailed Dynamysk and asked if there was anything on the horizon and said I was getting other offers but wanted to check with them first. Have heard nothing. Don’t know what to think. Also got a contact from Robert Half asking if I was interested in a database job with an accounting firm. ??? Will call him tomorrow. I know nothing about accounting and financing. But I would be home in Calgary and wouldn’t have to travel. Dunno.
Job kind of frustrating the last week. I was thought I was doing good then the boss chewed me out for asking a question of the project qa manager and supervisor. Then he thought I should know how to scope out the civil drawings and know what we would need for turnover for civil and structural. That’s QA and turnover manager’s job, not mine. Then he wanted me to scope the electrical drawings and the data block diagrams. I also had explained to him that if we’re going to have subsystems in some systems for reporting we need to have a subsystem in every system. He’s demanding we have a mix. Some systems with subsystems and some without subsystems, which makes it a total nightmare for reporting. He still has not given me a reason why he has to have systems with no subsystems. So that means I have to figure out how to get the same data and merge it from two different fields. Very poor database design. But he’s insisting. I spent a lot of time developing a PowerBI report and a while ago he said he liked it, now he’s pushing it off and I don’t know if he’ll use it at all. I built a bunch of exports to give the contractors a daily report of what tasks and punch lists were still open for them and he threw a fit about those. Said they were not professional enough. So I’m getting frustrated. I’ve never had a boss that sticks his nose in what I do and try to tell me how to do my job like he does. Plus I feel like he wants me to do a lot of what a turnover manager/coordinator should be doing. I was so mad today. My guilt feelings in leaving early are getting less and less. I’m ready as soon as something else comes up. I was hoping for something with Dynamysk, but with the silence, I’m really questioning if that will happen.
Ok. Enough venting. I’m exhausted so heading to bed.
Smiles,
RhondaHi, Heidi,
Yes, Canada Day is similar to 4th of July. Last year there was a big stink about it because of the history of residential schools. I saw on Yahoo Canada news more negative sentiments. I don’t know what’s going on with people any more! If I were home I’d probably be camping with the meetup group. They’re up at Cow Lake near Rocky Mountain House. I’m so jealous!!!! Wish I were there. If not there then off somewhere else, or maybe have friends over for a bbq. If Jackie is well enough maybe go to fireworks with her. She’s an excellent photographer. I do so miss home! The longer I’m here, the more homesick I get, so really praying Dynamysk will come through soon.Have a SUPER 4th!
Smiles,
RhondaHi, Heidi,
Yes, that’s pretty much right. It’s just waiting now. I will probably contact them in a month just to see what’s going on. It would be awesome. Randy’s so funny. He’s on a project in KS and they’re using SmartCompletions. They started to set it up but made a mess of it. He’s the only one who really knows how to use it so he calls me regularly on Teams to find out how to do things and get it cleaned up. Anyway…. he knows one of the men I interviewed with and said Dynamysk is a good company to work for. So I’m happy. Just waiting now. It would be the most awesome Christmas present to be home for good by Christmas. I’m ok for a couple more months here as there are some things I still want to get done to set their templates up, but should hopefully be done with those in a couple months.Can’t believe tomorrow is July 1. Canada Day. And I’m missing all the fun. 🙁
Smiles,
RhondaHi, Heidi,
Thank you. Yes, it is exciting. The project they had originally posted fell through, but they liked my skills and wanted to go ahead with the interview anyway. They want me, but do not have a spot right now. So how much I would be able to work from home would depend on the project, but they said a lot of their people are working remotely so would probably be a mix. Pay would be good. They said they were totally comfortable matching what I’ve been making on the last three projects. So the next step is to wait till they come up with something. I really like their attitude. They asked how much time I would need and said they respect other companies. Its a smaller company, just over 600 employees. I like that. Felt very comfortable and really good talking with both men. So I’m hoping. I’d love to be home for good before November. We’ll see. I know the name Dynamysk. Thinking about it I’m pretty sure they had some scope on the NOVA R3 project I worked on 2014-2017.Smiles,
RhondaHi, Heidi,
Bouncy, bouncy, bouncy, boing, boing, boing. I am SOOOOOOOOO excited! God is very good. Just got off the Teams interview. Went very, very, very well. Dynamysk is a smaller company, just right up my alley. What they want me to do is right up my alley. The project I applied for fell through, so that one is no longer an option, but they said they definitely want to “scoop” me up as they feel my experience and background fits their company perfectly. Interviewed with the Engineering Manager and the Field Manager as they want me to cross into both areas. Perfect. And since that one project fell through, they do not need me immediately. Perfect. There are a few things I want to finish here but should be done within a month or so… So perfect. I’m excited.Smiles,
RhondaWell, that was a dud, dead-end trip. Thought I would go to Oostervaartplasen on my own. Found the nearest bus stop. Still 5 k walk to where I needed to go. Supposed to be cloudy with 24% chance rain, but thought I’d try anyway. Left the house just after 6:30. Got to the Amsterdam station where I needed to transfer trains at 8:30 only find out my next train had been cancelled. No notice on the app or anything. It was partly sunny in Rotterdam, but Amsterdam was very cloudy and the clouds were getting heavier. It was cold, windy an 96% humidity. The photography wasn’t going to be good in the low light and I wasn’t sure I wanted to walk 10 k with the only shelter being bird blinds and they were over a k apart. Did I want to walk 10 k in 96% humidity with chance of rain (getting my expensive cameras wet)? Not really, so turned around and came home. 🙁 Boring. That’s 2 weeks in a row now plans have been cancelled. 🙁 We’ll see what happens next week.
Oh, P.S. One thing that I’m really struggling with here, much more than I thought I would, is the isolation. Even when I get out of the apartment and am around crowds of people, I’m alone. No one to talk with, no one to do anything with. Even when I go to the office, contact with people is very limited. Not understanding what people are saying around me and getting emails in Dutch that I can’t read all add to the isolation. I feel like I’m in quarantine.
Emailed Sarah about rescheduling the tour and have not heard anything back. I’m kind of figuring I just lost 238 Euros. Hopefully she’ll get back to me and reschedule. She said we could reschedule, but we’ll see.
Hi, Heidi,
I was able to order a pitcher through bol.com. It’s all in Dutch, so wasn’t easy. Should come sometime next week. I have to go grocery shopping so will get some lemons or see if I can find some lemon juice. Things we take for granted back home aren’t always available here. Somethings been wrong with my digestive system for a month now and just got worse this weekend. I ran out of my vitamins with probiotics. Don’t know if that has anything to do with it or not. Not sick otherwise. No pain, no fever…. no other symptoms.From their website, Dynamysk is another EPC (Engineering, Procurement, Construction) company similar to Worley. They had a position posted either on LinkedIn or Indeed. Applied and got an email from Ryan in a couple days. So we’ll see. 🙂
No penalties for leaving this job early. Have to give landlord one month’s notice. My phone/internet I got on a year’s contract sale so may have some penalties there, but otherwise should be no penalties for anything.
I have no clue what payroll is doing. They said they would take out three equal payments for my advance for the apartment. April they took out 1438, May they took out 1200, they didn’t take out anything from this paycheck. ????? I assumed the 1200 while labeled for housing was really the backcharge for the relocation company as that was the exact amount they said they would backcharge. It’s nice to have the extra money, but its also scary as I never know how much they will take out and when.
Have an awesome weekend!
Smiles,
RhondaHi, Heidi,
Thank you. The trip to Hungary would be a work trip. The project there is just starting construction so I’m pushing hard to get the database up and running for them. Lari, the QA/QC/commissioning manager wanted me to come do training in person. I don’t think that’s going to happen. The project is small and trying to get by as cheap as possible and I don’t think management will want to pay for me to come. We have training next Thursday via Teams.I’ve seen gadgets advertised that translate like your friend says. Is he using Google Translate on his phone? I use google translate for written translation and I THIN it will do voice as well, but I haven’t tried it.
Photography is pretty much done at the lake. Most of the waterfowl is gone, except for the geese. I see almost no young birds at all any more. I emailed Sarah last night about rescheduling the wildlife tour but have not heard back from her.
I’ve been having digestive problems for about a month now. It just got worse this weekend. I’m going to try to get a water filter and see if that helps. Amazon.nl is out of all water filter pitchers so will try bol.com – that’s the “Amazon” of the Netherlands. Don’t think I’m sick. Not running a fever or any other symptoms. Dunno, but its getting annoying.
Smiles,
RhondaThank you, Heidi,
Yeah, Sunday was a bad day. Don’t know if I ate something bad or what. Stomach and whole digestive system really bad. Monday didn’t leave the apartment, either. Yesterday did go in to work in The Hague. Today feeling much better.Have an interview Monday with a company back home. We’ll see what happens. 🙂 Also MIGHT have the chance to go to site in Hungary. Exciting and petrifying at the same time as very few people in Hungary speak English and I would be going alone.
Glad you’re out and about a lot and enjoying the summer. Nice of you to dog sit, I’m assuming while owners are on vacation? Sounds like fun.
Cheers,
Rhonda
