July 2018 Recap in Everything Else

July is the month I probably hate the most. Work is always rush rush rush and then nothing. Then rush rush rush. Then it’s August and we don’t have signed contracts and spending in July is bonkers, because non-fiscal minded administrators do not understand that a magical pot of money does not appear just because it is a new fiscal year. Especially in the non-profit/non-government world. They think since it’s a new year, the money tree has bloomed and they can start spending like their asses are on fire and new things are the water needed to put it out.

July is also hot. And full of fire.

I sort of got my studio back together. Sort of. It is still a disaster but at least everything is contained in that room and I can sort of work in there. I have the final (I hope) organization things coming on Thursday. I broke down and bought the organizers I have been wanting for a couple of years now. I have almost all my stamp sets in storage pockets and labeled. I had to order more labels and more pockets. GRRRRRRR. Tonight I need to sit down with the magazine sets and begin labeling those. I got my Joggles order yesterday. So freaking in love. But I don’t know how to store my pigment powders. For now they are in acryllic boxes, but I don’t think that is going to work. I see if they will fit in the alcohol ink tins. Which…my alcohol ink collection is complete. Finally! It has taken forever because of the shortage.

I took my certification exam on July 21st. What a shitty way to spend half a Saturday. In a room with six other women taking exams and two proctors. I was the only one taking the CPB, which is 200 questions. Everyone else was taking the CPC which is 150 questions. Guess who finished first? Me. Sure sign that I did not pass because I felt relatively well about it. One of those old fashioned fill in the circle scan-tron tests. Felt like I was back in high school! When I took the GRE many many moons ago, it was on the computer. They send off your test via pony parcel express apparently. I check that stupid website daily and they finally received it on Friday I think. Love their app as it shows a big truck arriving at headquarters. Anyway, about ten minutes before I left work yesterday I got an email in my personal account that my score was ready. Holy Shit Buckets did I need to pee. I held my breath, and then let out a small Tourette’s statement. I FUCKING PASSED! I was so firmly convinced I was going to be one to three percentage points away from passing after everything I read on the message boards. It is not that common to pass on your first try. But I did! They even updated my membership card with my credentials right away. And....I got to use my credentials for the first time today. It was fucking awesome typing, CPB after my name and then signing my name with my credentials. I am going to be like one of those obnoxious nurses/social workers who but everything behind their name. Have you ever seen that? Karen Queen of the Earth, BSN, RN, XYZ, CU, FU, NT. When it takes an entire width of the page to sign your name…

With that complete, I am officially able to begin working on other crap. Like launching my blog tomorrow. The one that I have no content for as of 9:00 a.m. the day before tomorrow. Yep! Nothing ready. No words of wisdom, my first challenge…not done. Fucking awesome.

Oh, along with the certification acknowledgement, came the reminder that I need 24 CEUs by November 30, 2019. That is like $540 plus my renewal fee. In a year. Because I already floated a fucking loan for this shit and I don’t know that I feel right asking my employer to foot the entire CEU cost. It would have been nice to have this information a week ago before I went Gary Busey levels of crazy ordering shit online. On top of everything I spent in the 12 hours leading up to the exam and the 6 hours after.

The only other thing that is of note in July is that yesterday I made the worst appointment I have ever had to make. It is not easy making an appointment to send your beloved off on a heavenly vacation. Sixteen days left with my Cooper. So many squishes to cram in.

I read zero books and watched one movie. Mission Impossible: Fallout…excellent!