Missed your call!!! =(

Ok, Jess, I just spent about 30 minutes trying to post a blog on here and the whole thing was deleted bc I pressed the back button to look at that pic of the palace! grrr...

Oh well, I'll paraphrase what I said before. First, so sorry and regretful my phone was off the one time you called. it was really dead. Second, I finally got a job and I don't mean subbing. I am a Athletic Assistant for Fairfax County Community and Rec Services. It's great, I like the people here and I have a cubicle of my own, which means, privacy (well, more private than before) and my own desk, computer, phone....everything. It's a commute and it pays about 10k less than teaching, but I am a much happier person. I am hoping I can get a raise or something else will come along that pays more eventually.

I have a zillion funny stories so far since I started. Today is my 4th day so I am still learning quite a bit...I'll just cut to the chase here. Yesterday this guy that sits across from me, Taylor, was on the phone, and you can hear everything that people say, so I guess I should say it isn't that private- but anyway, I hear him say, "...aight man, well I'm getting ready to get on the elevator here so I gotta go...." and really he's sitting at his desk. So I laughed and said out loud, "not that I was trying to easedrop on your conversation, but, that was messed up!" OMG Jessica, why did I have to comment! I just couldn't keep my mouth shut! He didn't care, he actually went on to explain to me how much he hates that guy.

So I told mom about it and she told me how much you hate when people do that to you. hahaha....so today, I promised to never do that again, EVER, and I almost caught myself commenting to Taylor again after he got off the phone about how his wife is a PE teacher! You have no idea how oblivious I am at this type of job. I have never worked in an office my entire life and keep forgetting this a different environment that has different etiquette. Way different. These people have no idea about my "other side"- my rough, loud, obnoxious, crazy, whistle blowing side that used to boss kids around and tell people what to do all the time. sigh....

Well, I can't wait for my xmas present from you...I wonder what it is? Is it perfume?? I like to try to guess it before I get it. I guessed what steve got me and was right, plus what mom and dad got me. I've always been good like that!

By the way, I just introduced some people in my office to sly dial and it's been like a revolutionary breakthrough to them! They are loving me! I just can't remember what the other one was. What was the one called where you can punch in someone else's phone number and call from it?

If you want to email me, my new email is johannapetrosky@gmail.com
By the way, my married name is officially OFFICIAL! (I went to ss and dmv).
We miss ya, talk soon!

Joey

Merry Christmas!

Even Jessica's lizard is in the spirit!

Merry Christmas everyone!!

I'm going to call after I get done typing here, but i just wanted to update the site since I haven't written since Thanksgiving. Time seems to be flying by now, everyone is in the holiday spirit. You wouldn't believe the amount of gifts and food and care packages sent out by people to the troops...we got stockings full of toiletries and food from the American Legion and VFW...cards and letters from students of all ages all over the country. The support we get from home is absolutely overwhelming sometimes. Quite a bit of money has to go in to putting these packages together and mailing them out. It is appreciated though! We had to do a secret Santa gift exchange here and of course I waited till Christmas eve to buy something for my person. I ended up getting her a necklace charm. From my Santa I got some bath and body works candles (mom, for you thats bed, bath and body works candles, Hee hee) and then we went to a Candlelight Christmas ceremony where a chaplain spoke and we sung hymns in the al-Faw Palace--thats what the picture is of. If Saddam could see his palace now--he was probably doing flips in his grave as we sang Silent Night! Dinner was not much, I had pizza and a salad but it will likely be pretty good tomorrow. We will stick to the Air Force chow halls, which seem to have better food.

Im re-reading what I wrote above and I must be tired because Im giving a play-by-play of the whole day! ha ha...sorry! Im definitely ready to come home, its getting cold here and the whole bathroom situation is beginning to drive me nuts! There's nothing worse than waking up in the middle of the night, finding my weapon and the magazine and putting them on, finding shoes and a jacket and putting them on too...just because I cant hold it till the morning! Argh!

Well, I will call today, because its Christmas for me right now, but hopefully I can tomorrow also, so I can talk to everyone again!

Love you all lots, miss you and talk to you soon!

Hey All-December Update

December rolled around pretty quickly, it's hard to think that Jess has already been gone over a month and that Matthew and I've been in Washington for 6 months! Kitten seems lonely out here and I do the best I can to walk and play with him, but he lacks all the family visits and his play buddy, Buttons. Matthew and I have been seriously considering getting another pug to keep him company after Christmas, and if you take a look at this week's poll then you'll see why! They're charming and hilarious little creatures!!

Matthew's still enjoying his work and he's become quite the important man on duty. He was on call over the holidays to oversee the painters in the hangar to ensure his planes were painted exactly as his drafting plans specified. He just started his second quarter at school, ending his first quarter with a 3.8 GPA. He's pretty tired most of the time, as he has school till about 10:30 PM on MWF. But, he's really turning some heads in management and he ended this year with a flawless performance evaluation...which should reflect in his paycheck.

Apparently I've also impressed all the right people because on Monday night Matthew and I were invited and treated to The Boeing Suite at the Metallica concert, where we were provided with a plethora of free food and drinks and the best seats in the house! Turns out (I do my boss's expense reports), each ticket was about $400 and we got them for free! I was also just rewarded with a $100 Boeing Pride Award, and I've been recommended to apply for a full time position with Boeing as a Staff Analyst Level 2. Normally, each level takes a year to surpass, so that'd be great news if I could make a level 2 within a few months.

As for non work related issues, we're missing the family/home like crazy! We'll be seeing you all in 2 weeks, and the time couldn't come fast enough.

Make sure to post your updates so we can keep up with everyone...ESPECIALLY YOU, JESS. Love you.