September 1st, 1999

Got some email from Mike yesterday at 2:00 (but didn't read it 'till this morning) saying the framer had finished the roof and would be working on other stuff today. If I am feeling half-way decent this evening maybe I'll gather those before-mentioned appliances up and take them over there and also check out what is happening with the new house. Again, only if I am feeling decent.

10:45am - A few hours ago the paper stating I was docked for 0.5 days salary was laid on my desk. I decided to research this on the US Dept. of Labor's website and found that it was indeed illegal to dock a salaried person's pay unless they miss an entire day of work. So, in essence, Citadel is using this as a form of not paying overtime but still cutting your salary when you miss work. I emailed a copy of the document to Lana Perry (our accountant in charge of this) and I haven't heard back from her. My boss, Trish, however has heard. She doesn't know any details but she said Lana was pissed and she was talked to the CFO about it and me.

On another note, I think the clutch in my Saturn may be on its last leg. I could swear it slipped the other day but I haven't been able to replicate it. However, the fact that it doesn't engage until the clutch pedal is almost totally released hints that it is probably just about gone. I called Saturn of Arlington and found out that it would cost between $600 and $1,100 to have it replaced. This is a relief since some people have told me it would cost $2,000 or more. If it were really that much, I'd probably try to trade it off. But I'm so close to getting it paid for that I want to keep it! It is odd, though. The brakeshoes are still original and haven't needed replacing.. I'm surpised the clutch is getting close. Maybe it isn't and it is just my imagination.

2:35pm - Well, my nose has started running more, so I took some Dimetapp. It has helped some, but not enough. I talked to dad about the house and my car. He thinks by the sound of things that my clutch is probably about to need replacing. This is not good, but at least it isn't as bad as I thought it might be. Secondly, he says the hard part on the framing is over with and they are doing the little stuff. He said the staircase is also finished. I'll probably go over there today and see it since I am feeling sort of human again and need to drop off some more stuff. Still haven't heard back from our accounting dept. on that issue. I should get my paycheck in another 1 and a half hours.

8:40pm - This will probably be a record for the most journal entries in one day. I just took some Nyquil and I am laying in bed waiting for it to start working. I just left my parents house after dropping stuff off, looking at Mike's house, and arguing about my car. We aren't seeing eye to eye on this issue anymore. I used to think I needed a cool car in order to give a cool image. I would get bored of one car after a few years and feel I needed another. This is no longer the case and I think it would be easiest to just keep my saturn and pay it off. If I start having a terrible amount of trouble with it after it is paid for there is nothing to stop me from leasing a new one. There argument is based on cost of the car per month to drive it whether that cost be repairs, car payments, gas mileage, or combination. I still see it as more economical to keep it. After all, they have an old blazer that was made in the 80's. I think all that has been done it is was the starter was changed out. Other than that, it has been problem free for the few months they have had it. Now, my saturn is built with a lot more reliable technology than that blazer. Seems logical to assume mine will be economical to drive after 5 years too. I mean, yes, computerized parts are more expensive to replace when the go out, but I think they are a lot more reliable than hydrolic and mechanical parts that do the same function.

It's kind of funny. Leslie and I have moved so much stuff from our apartment to my parents house already doing little by little in our cars when we go to visit. Yet our apartment still looks fully occupied. It is amazing how much "junk" is kept in cabinets and closets that you don't regularly see. But when you go to move you suddenly find out you have more junk that you thought. Most of what we have moved has been stuff you don't see everyday so it hasn't really made a significant impact on the way our place looks. However, after moving the Tv and VCR from the bedroom you can see a sudden significant change that you notice everytime you look in the bedroom. From this point on it is going to be mostly things like that. So over the next few weeks this place is going to seem less and less like home.

One quick and interesting note. Got my paycheck today right before I left work. I noticed that they didn't dock my pay a half day.