*SQUEEEEEEEE!*

[dawn_felagund]

So today Mike (the guy I was doing the stats for) came to the office because we figured out what was wrong with that one problem we couldn't solve, and he gave me my envelope of money. But while he was here and I was putting the finishing touches on the stats stuff, Johnny the Boss forwarded me an email:

Ms. Felagund's job duties were reviewed and it has been determined that the position is appropriate to the classification of Research Analyst, grade 13.

Great news! Also it has been approved to have retroactive pay for the employee to receive retroactive pay at the grade 13 effective July 1, 2005.

Please provide by processing a new contract for Ms. Felagund reflecting the effective date of July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2006.
The contract maximum should be $xx,xxx. The hourly rate should be $xx.xx. HRMO will process the Special Payment Authoriaation
( 311t). The employee's new classification is: Research Analyst

Be advised that the employee will see the change in pay and retroactive payment when the change is reflected in the system. The rate change may be processed first, then the retroactive payment. Finance will make the adjustments.

If you have any concerns, please feel free to contact me.

SQUEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

So I not only got the raise but will also be getting retroactive pay, which they had originally told Johnny I would be ineligible for, seeing as I am "only" a contractual employee.

But this relieves so much stress. I now make well above the poverty line, which is an improvement over my old rate. This means that Bobby has more freedom in looking for a job. He can take a pay cut, and it won't hurt us. The retroactive pay eliminates the need to worry about saving for our taxes and saving for our tenth anniversary trip to Niagra/Toronto/Montreal in May. This means that I can stay at a place I like to work, with a boss I love. I won't have to look elsewhere and take an inferior working environment to pay the bills or make a long commute. And I can keep writing and modding SWG right from my desk at work.

I am ecstatic and so relieved at the same time.

Comments

[miss-nightowl.livejournal.com]

Squee indeed. Congrats! :o)

[dawn_felagund]

Thank you! *does happy dance*

[phyncke.livejournal.com]

That is good news. I love it when good things happen to good people. Nice to see someone get more money too.

Hurrah!

[dawn_felagund]

Thank you! :) I love my workplace and my boss, but making just above poverty level kinda makes me rethink my plans a bit....

Now I can stay! Hurrah, indeed! :^D

[callirhoe.livejournal.com]

Wow, that's awesome news! I'm soooo happy for you, Dawn! *happy dance*

Now it's up to Vana to find a job that pays more than $23 a day... jklol ;-P

[dawn_felagund]

Thanks! :) I did a happy dance too and nearly sprained my ankle! :^D

I remember the days when I literally did make about $25 per day...before taxes. I showed some friends of mine my first pay stub, and they said, "Isn't it illegal to pay someone that little?" o.O

So take heart; it'll happen. And then I'll get to happy dance for you!

[ann-arien.livejournal.com]

Double SQUEEEEE! Oh, I'm so happy for you! I know you've been angsting about it for a while now. It's just so great that you are finally being rewarded for the fork that you do (and did!). And you get to keep a job that allows you to do so much more than the actual work. With a great boss, no less. I'm truly happy for you and also a little selfish in breathing a sigh of relief that you will be able to write and provide us with the fruit of your talent, rather than stress yourself finding and accomodating yourself with a new job.

You deserved the raise, the retroactive pay and the excellent news. I'm raising a glass of wine in hour honor. *cheers* And I smiled while reading your transcription of the e-mail, introducing "Ms Felagund" instead of your real name. Lol, ya wouldn't be needin' a raise if you were Ms. Felagund. ;)

Tons of congrats and another SQUEEE! All the Elves should be coming over to celebrate. {{many hugs}}

[dawn_felagund]

I'm relieved too. Actually, once the squeeful joy has worn off a bit, it's mostly relief.

Bobby hates his job and is looking for a new one. I wanted badly for him to find a workplace like mine, low stress and a great boss, but it is hard for him to find a job that pays what he's making now, at the age of 24, that wouldn't be exactly what he is doing now.

Now, though, he can take a pay cut without worrying how it will affect us. And he needn't be stressed at work and spend $15+ per day just on his commute (because American public transportation is that wonderful) and agonize over whether they will tell him next week that he will be working 12 to 8 a.m.

Aaaaand--selfishly as well--it allows me to continue writing. To continue spending the amount of time that I do on SWG and in other online communities. I was afraid that a job with better pay would be less lenient about how I may spend my "free time." ;)

And I smiled while reading your transcription of the e-mail, introducing "Ms Felagund" instead of your real name. Lol, ya wouldn't be needin' a raise if you were Ms. Felagund. ;)

Lol, true that! I use "Felagund" for lack of trust in roving nutjobs who might find my unlocked post. ;)

Now you friendly nutjobs are welcome to know my real name in all its cumbersome, hyphenated glory! :^))

Drink a glass of wine for me and many *hugs* back! :)

[levadegratchets.livejournal.com]

Congrats!! I know what a stress that can be, so YAY you! :D

[dawn_felagund]

Thank you! It was a stress; my husband is trying to find a new job, and there was only so much of a cut he could take before we had to start sacrificing our savings, which means sacrificing our business and one-day home as well.

This makes things so much easier. (Of course, the guv'ment had to take its merry time to make it all the sweeter. ;^D)

[1lady-so-divine.livejournal.com]

YAY!!!!

[dawn_felagund]

Thanks! :^D

[juno-magic.livejournal.com]

Congratulations!!!

[dawn_felagund]

Thank you! :)

[ssotknapsack.livejournal.com]

Congratulations! That's so awesome. I never would have imagined they'd give you retroactive pay! That's unheard of! Excellent! Too many exclamation points!!!!111!! Must dance now!

[dawn_felagund]

Awwww.... *hearts cute little dancing guy*

And they told Johnny right at the beginning that they could not, under any circumstances, give me retro pay, so don't even ask. Okey-doke, I just didn't want to be making poverty-level pay and expected to pick up the slack for everyone else. :^/

But as everyone keeps telling me, they can do it if they want to do it! As was proven here. But that'll be a nice little check, and no more worrying about saving for taxes! :^D

PopPop would be proud. :)

[isil-elensar.livejournal.com]

Much squuueeee-age! Congrats, Dawn!!

Now, If only I can make what you make, I wouldn't be in as much trouble as I am now... even though I'm climbing out of it gradually.

Think your place of work can use a tape editor??

[dawn_felagund]

Thanks! :)

Hey, maybe you can make training videos...I think the guys would like that, having someone film them knocking on doors and playing the badass. ;)

[tarion-anarore.livejournal.com]

Finally!!! ;)

That's great news!!!! Super congrats!

[dawn_felagund]

Thanks! :) It only took a month...but hey, I'm not complaining. (I get paid for it all now anyway! :^P)

[enismirdal.livejournal.com]

SQUEE! That's such wonderful news! *bounces with you*

[dawn_felagund]

Thanks! Yes, it certainly makes life just a degree less worrisome. :)

*bounces some more*

[kaikias.livejournal.com]

OMG YAY. *searches for elves to loan you for the celebration...comes up with an Indis, a Lalwen, a Meril-i-Turinqi, and that seems to be it*

[dawn_felagund]

Thanks! :^D I don't even know who Meril-i-Turinqi is, but I certainly like the first two. ;)

[digdigil.livejournal.com]

Yes!!! Yes, yes, yes!!! OMG I just saw this now, like really, really late! *smacks self in head* What wonderful news!!! That is so wonderful!!! The fact that you don't have to leave this job. Do you know I was starting to sweat (and not in a good way) just thinking about you not being around all the time anymore and I was getting very, very sad about that. Just envisioning if you got a job like mine and couldn't use the computer at work! *shudders*

So CONGRATULATIONS!!! SQUEEEE IS RIGHT!!! Extra money, retroactive pay -- awesome! Now you go out and celebrate, Babe! Have a good time!

[dawn_felagund]

Thanks! :) I can't believe that you--and Alina too--were worrying right alongside me! But yes, it will makes things so much easier, for my writing, for SWG, and for Nelyo's. (Because it is always my chief goal at work to squeeze as much work as humanly possible into the shortest span of time possible, leaving me much free time! :^P)

I've already promised Bobby a dinner at the Iron Bridge Wine Company--one of the nicest restaurants in Howard County--when I get the retro pay. *squee and can't wait*

So it seems that Dawn Felagund is going to be around for a while yet.... ;)

[niothwen.livejournal.com]

Congratulations on the raise! ...and the backpay :-D

Toronto in May! I'm so jealous. Are you going to see the Lord of the Rings Musical? http://www.lotr.com/main.html

The guy playing Legolas (Gabriel Burrafatto) is going to make a drool worthy elf.

[dawn_felagund]

Thank you! :)

Are you going to see the Lord of the Rings Musical?

Oh! I didn't even think of that!

Now seeing as Bobby is dragging me to the Hockey Hall of Fame, I think fair is only fair.... :^D

[frenchpony.livejournal.com]

Squeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!

Money money money!
Money money money!

That first retroactive-pay-raise check is going to be such an upper, isn't it. Congratulations, you've earned yourself a good time!

[dawn_felagund]

Thank you! :)

Of course, I've spent most of the money in my head already...on paying our taxes and paying off a credit card that got a little out-of hand (in Christmas '04 :^/). But that'll make saving for our anniversary trip easier, so it all works out in the end.

[ithilwen.livejournal.com]

Hurrah! A raise is always a Good Thing.

[dawn_felagund]

Yes, it is. :) *joins you in hurrah*

[yuanrang.livejournal.com]

Huzzah! You know what this deserves? One o' these:

"And they traveled to the WAU, where Dawn Felagund got a raise."

.
..
...

"And there was much rejoicing."

*little flags and such*

Ah! That reminds me, give Bobby the Schveig's e-mail fer me.
It's drsweiger@comcast.net.

[dawn_felagund]

Yaaaaaay.

*more little flags and such*

Thank ye, Potts! I'm taking Bobby to the Wine Bridge Iron Company to celebrate. :^))

I'll pass that along to Bobby. I owe you an email too, about the Hamstray and Weebl LJ feeds.

[atanwende.livejournal.com]

*squees for Dawn* Congratulations! :-)

I'm also not jobless anymore. Still tutoring school children but paid much better this time for less work. Unfortunately my damned irregular university schedule makes it impossible for me to apply for a "real" job, so I'll have to do with this. It won't make me wealthy, but it means less "Dad, I need money" calls, being able to cease looking for the cheapest stuff at the supermarket and new shoes for my sister's prom night. Whee!

I'm really happy for you. Feel entitled to squee a little more. :-)

[dawn_felagund]

Thank you! :) And yay for you too! More pay and less work is always a Good Thing (tm). As is being able to buy groceries someplace other than a Scratch and Dent. ;)

I'm really happy for you. Feel entitled to squee a little more. :-)

Well, since you offered....

*squeeeeeeee!*

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

Oh yay, that's wonderful news! Congratulations!

[dawn_felagund]

Thanks so much! I'm wholly with you on the wonderful news bit. ;)

[linwe-ancalime.livejournal.com]

Congrats Dawn :-) That's fab news...maybe you can pop over to good ole England now! ;-)

[dawn_felagund]

Thanks! :) I hope we can...we're working on passports and all that bureaucratic hullabaloo. ;)

[arandil13.livejournal.com]

yaaaay! CONGRATS!!!

[dawn_felagund]

Thank you! :^D

[ssotknapsack.livejournal.com]

BTW, are there really that many typos in an official inter-office email? Wow.

[dawn_felagund]

Are you kidding?? That's a good one! At least she used capitalization, unlike most of the agents, whose emails look like this:

ms felak
here is teh information you tequested on subject john brown doc #001001 pleas call if you any questions i dont have anyting else

Notice several things:
1) My name is hyphenated Felak-Gundu. Not simply Felak. I don't understand why it is so hard--in 2006--to grasp the concept of a hyphenated surname.

2) Complete lack of capitalization

3) Complete lack of punctuation.

4) Wanton spelling errors.

And these are not people I know either. If, while typing an email to you, I slip and type a "teh," I might not change it. Heh. You know I can spell.

But these people are sending professional emails in a professional environment. And Outlook does have spellcheck.

Sorry for the rant. But the lack of professionalism in this division is dismaying, and I had a hearty guffaw that *this* stellar example of interoffice mail looks egregious to you! :^D

[rhapsody11.livejournal.com]

Late late late... but I am very happy for you!

[dawn_felagund]

Thank you so much! :)

(And I don't mind a bit that it's "late"... ;^D)