Yesterday, Valentine's Day, was a complete joy. It wasn't fancy or full of swans, dozens of roses, or gobs of chocolates. It was simple. Remember the acronym K.I.S.S.? Keep It Simple Stupid. That's what Valentine's Day was for Steven and I. It was simple, memorable, and full of happiness. Although we had talked a while back about using up a gift card we got for Christmas and going out to eat, Steven wasn't up for that physically as his health is still improving. So after my work day was complete I settled myself at home; ran a couple of errands, did a few chores, the usual. After supper I lit a fire in the fireplace, dimmed the lights, and put a movie on for us to watch as we sat in our recliner sofa. Comfortable. Relaxing. Elegant. And simple. Was it perfect? Perhaps. I don't really think about how perfect or imperfect things are when I'm enjoying the company of the man I want to spend the rest of my life with. Why be distracted by such a thought? I prefer to enjoy the moment I'm in as best as I can without having to think so hard about it. And that's what I did last night.
Work is going smoothly. Or close to it, at least. I do have a vacancy coming up by the end of the month as well as another one in the building I'm temporarily manager of. I wish my boss would hurry up and hire somebody to manage that building. To work so hard at managing both apartment buildings yet not getting medical or dental benefits for doing so doesn't settle well with me in the slightest. I'm working full-time yet not getting what other full-time managers are getting through the company I work for. That, to me, is highly unacceptable. My boss as had almost three months to hire somebody to fill that position and has yet to do so. It is my opinion that through this course of time I'm being taken advantage of. Does that set well with me? Absolutely not. The more I think upon it, the more it grates at the very core of my being. I've known for some time that my blood pressure is higher than normal and can often times feel an ache in my chest. Have I seen a doctor about it? No. Because I can't afford to. And even if I did and got a prescription for heart medicine, I doubt very seriously I'd be able to afford it. Why? Because I don't get benefits!
Look here at my complaints:
* With the exception of the two vacancies coming up, I've gotten both buildings full. Usually one would get a bonus for having done so. But not me. Barely even a "thank you" (that "thank you" came from my boss' assistant, but not my boss himself).
* When the second building fell into my lap unannounced, I proved that I could manage both buildings effectively and efficiently. My boss said I could manage both. But he didn't clear that with the owners of the buildings. So when the owners of the buildings found out about that back in December, they told him they preferred a mananger to live on-site at that building and to hire one. Why would he allow me to manage both buildings without consulting the owners first? Which leads to this...
* About a week-and-a-half before Christmas I was at the other building handing out notices and Christmas cards. During that time Steven was on the laptop and came across an ad. He brought that ad to my attention when I got back to the office. The ad was for the hiring of an on-site manager for the second building I was managing. I was stunned! In the ad was the name and phone number of my boss' assistant. When I called her and asked her what was going on, she didn't know. Not even my boss told her about the ad. I got off the phone with her and then she called me back saying he told her he felt pressured by the owners to hire someone so he placed the ad. She said he would call me back and apologize to me after he got out of a meeting. To this very day I've never gotten that phone call.
* Usually Christmas cards would be mailed or hand-delivered by your boss or the company you work for, right? At least maybe a phone call or a "Merry Christmas" in passing. I mailed Christmas cards to my boss and his assistant. Did I get one? No. Not even an e-mail. No card, no Christmas bonus, nothing. I guess maybe it's a little unrealistic to have expected one, but I'm not used to the "silence" from such during the holidays.
* I "live" in a 2-Bedroom apartment. I say "live" because although it's considered a 2-Bedroom unit, the second bedroom is actually the detached office of the apartment building itself. 2-Bedroom apartments in this building go for approximately $900.00 per month. That's what I pay. My question is this: Why am I paying $900.00 a month for a 2-Bedroom apartment when I actually live in only a 1-Bedroom unit? Why am I paying rent for the office space? Why am I paying rent for something that's work-related? The space Steven and I live in, compared to other units in the building of approximately the same size, should go for at least $725-$750 per month. Now, although the gas and electricity are not in my name but in the name of the company I work for (by boss and owners), I actually am paying those bills when you consider the difference in prices of $725 compared to $900. I am paying for the electricity and gas and even more. I knew this about a month after I started working for the company. Did I mention anything about it? No. Why? Because with the way the economy was and the percentage of unemployment I was glad to have even had a job. And, even though I feel mistreated or disrespected at times, I'm still glad to have a job.
* In early December I sent them the phone bill for the office phone of the other building. They didn't pay it until over a month later. About a week before the payment was received by the phone company, I couldn't receive calls and I couldn't make calls. This meant I couldn't check for messages. It also meant that I couldn't receive phone calls from tenants or others inquiring of vacancies. One would think that of all the bills that need to be paid (electric, gas, phone, vendors, etc.), paying the phone bill is rather important.
I'm not going to go on and on with other times or instances where I felt disrespected. I could, but I won't. I think I've made my point. Both apartment buildings are up for sale, especially the one I'm the on-site manager of. It's my baby. It gets my main attention first and foremost. And the owners have told me that and have absolute confidence in that I can handle the building successfully. But I'm hoping this one sells soon. Because then maybe things will be different. Maybe. There's always a bit of a risk when an apartment building sells. Whoever buys it might want a different manager on-site. Then again they might not, especially after reviewing the rent-rolls and discovering how full the building is. The building I manage has 28 units (the other building has 37). A full building means money is coming in. But if the building has seven or more vacancies in it and has had such month after month after month, something's wrong there. Not to boast, but I'm good at what I do. I've been an apartment building manager on and off for many years. Even my mum and da were apartment managers when I was a teenager. I helped them out with cleaning apartments, painting them, and learned light maintenance skills during that time. So I know a few things. After a while, though, the business starts to wear me down. I don't have an assistant, so I'm on-call all the time. Getting away for even a weekend can be risky.
That's just about how I feel now. A bit worn out. Steven and I have talked over the months about moving back up north so that he can be closer to his family. I'm the last of my family line, so I consider his family my own. It's not quite the same, of course, but they're not from Wales or Scotland, either. So being different is okay. But the more we talk about it and the more we plan, the more we tend to think that things are actually pretty good right now. What used to be considered a probable 95% chance of us moving is currently more like a 60% chance. We doing okay financially in that I'm paid $10.00 per hour above the required 15 hour work week for various manager task duties and $15.00 per hour for whatever painting, cleaning, or maintenance work I do. Steven doesn't work right now, but that's okay. He can't. So he gets government assistance. That combined with my income gets us by without too much of a bother. While I work, he does whatever tasks at home he can: cleaning, laundry, cooking, running errands, and so on. We make a good team and I'm so very thankful for him. I certainly couldn't do both. However, if there's one thing we know it's this: That which is "certain" isn't always so "certain." So we've been saving our money for whatever may come our way.
We've discussed the idea of where we'd live once we move to Skagit County. Steven's parents have a lot at a secured and very wooded campground. Although we wouldn't stay on their lot, there are other lots for sale of which are quite affordable. Steven's rather new trailer, which is for sale, could be taken off the market and put on whichever lot best suits us. We'd be living simply, that's for sure. We'd have to downsize considerably, which is something we've also discussed and planned for. If that were to happen, we'd still have enough money to float us a few months before I'd have to look for another job. If, however, the trailer were to sell, we'd look into buying a used mobile home. That could be costly which would mean I'd have to find a job right away.
Anyway, we've been planning. We've both considered having the big move happen sometime toward the end of May. But, well, now we're not so sure. We have friends here, I'm involved in a church here, I'm working and we have a nice home (we're paying too much for it, but it's still nice). On the other hand, Steven's family is up north: His mum and da, his son and his girlfriend, his sister and her husband and children, and Steven's daughter and son-in-law and their two children. If we stayed here, we'd have to get a vehicle that's more dependable so that Steven or both he and I could head up north at least once a month. I know Steven could definitely have a fulfilling and pleasant week up there every once in a while. He's missing out on too much of their lives. Seeing family during Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter... that's just not enough. Steven is down here because of me, because he wanted us to get back together and try being in a relationship again. And he has me. God knows he does.
All I can say right now is this: Things are the way they are. And though I'm thankful for the now, it's only in planning things out that I can be thankful for the then.
Until next time...
No comments:
Post a Comment