Brenda Swenson's Blog - brenda swenson

Where Everybody Knows Your Name

11/30/2018

That much coveted meet-up at Oscar's Pizza and Sports Grille with your long lost IT gang after way too much time apart, where adult beverages and salty snacks are consumed amidst chit-chat about latest news, aka gossip. Good God how I've missed those people, even more so than SUSHI. Must attempt to work that little detail into our next meet-up.

Being THAT Newbie

11/21/2018

The worst part of being a new employee during the holidays? Lack of PTO ("Paid Tme Off"). The best part of being a new employee during the holidays? Other peeps have an abundance of PTO, hence leaving the workplace considerably empty compared to non-holiday times. So this week I'm doing all kinds of online training and enjoying my personal skyscraper view with NO. COMPLAINTS. WHATSOEVER.

Words of Wisdom

11/19/2018

So I made the fatal mistake of wearing unbroken-in high heels during the first week of my new job and paid for it with an elevated iced foot all weekend long, complete with limping around the following Monday - today. No more treadmill until this situation clears up. *sigh*

New Perspective

11/14/2018

"We're not expecting you to come in and do big things right away. You were hired because we know you are capable of doing the job well. Be a sponge and enjoy this time right now... we are all here to help you succeed."

~ Fellow Teammate

How I feel about my new job

11/12/2018

In fact, my fellow teammate is a former long-time cheerleader friend of whom I have the utmost respect in too many ways to count. Who knew life would come full-circle in such an unexpected way?

Celebration Time

11/11/2018

Here we are at the Creighton basketball game cheering on my alma mater and celebrating 25 years of marriage together. And as I post this blog entry, I am also celebrating a new beginning with the start of my new employment this week. At the pinnacle of my life, I am feeling overwhelmingly blessed by the uplifting milestones surrounding me at this moment.

Rollin', Rollin', Rollin'

11/7/2018

Holy new job situation! Things are just moving all crazy freight-train-like after making my final role choice (See what I did there? I'm talking HR-speak after so many months of getting schooled on the proper lingo.)

So here's my new bulleted list of key events that have taken place since my last blog post:

Successfully completed a background screening and drug test, thus confirming I'm not some closet gangsta-druggie, but quite the opposite with the most boringly cleanest background/urine test of any other living job candidate
Searched out and secured downtown parking accommodations and now must overcome my fear of sketchy-looking pedestrians roaming around the new-job area
Actually TURNED DOWN requests for 2 more phone interviews for positions that have been way up there on my radar
Also got me some more application rejections that are no less painful than before accepting an offer *ouch*
Continued that video streaming marathon of "Friends" via Netflix, and while getting super annoyed hearing about Ross and Rachel's so-called break, I'm finding Phoebe's surrogate status even more interesting to watch now - must be that whole empty nester thing

Best Day in a Very. Very. Long. Time.

11/2/2018

All of these things happened today, and I am exuberant and busting at the seams, to say the very least:

Interviewed with another highly recommended employer, then was invited to attend the second round of interviews with hiring managers
Call with HR representative (from another company) resulted in actual JOB OFFER #1, the first in almost 7 months of job searching and also one that is way too amazing to refuse
In less than an hour of that phone call, received a call from yet another HR representative (ANOTHER company) with JOB OFFER #2, one that is also unturndownable
Husker Dude returned for a quick weekend visit, and we toasted today's good fortune over homemade pizza, complete with hugs & high-fives

So yeah, if I weren't so shocked and in disbelief at this super-fortunate turn of events, I'd probably be dancing on the table to a funky Prince playlist. (Although, it just might happen yet!) But for now, I'm feeling blessed and thankful to be able to breathe again.