You'll Know I Love You If ...

... I make you a card using StampRite's small alphabet. Man, those stamps are small. What a humbling experience! I put my glasses on. I took them off. I tried a several different pair, all to no avail. These microscopic stamps came with a pair of tweezers, which I found difficult to manipulate. I dried a different a pair, and resorted to using my fingers, which, in this instance, all behaved as thumbs. I dropped several stamps and ended up on my hands and knees on the floor, feeling around for them, because I certainly couldn't see them. It was a real circus. As I love my brother and his wife, however, it was worth it. How fun to make a personalized card. Before I do it again, though, I need to invest in one of those magnifier lamps and do some exercises to improve my fine (very fine) motor skills. LOL.

The card is my adaptation of Mojo Monday Week 72. What you can't see is that the top flower was mounted with foam mounting tape, and the heart was layered on several layers of cardstock to emulate chipboard. The rest, I think, explains itself.

Materials & Tools: White Daisy, Garden Green, and Hollyhock cardstock; Bo Bunny Vintage Carnival designer paper; Hollyhock, Garden Green, and Honey ink pads; Papertrey Ink Floral Frenzy stamp set; JustRite stamps; May Arts Ribbon; Cuttlebug w/Flowers dies and Nestabilities Classic Circles set; 3M foam mounting tape.

I have a lot on my mind tonight. I work as a media communications specialist/writer for a large electronic components distributor. As our business is worldwide, we are feeling the effects of the current economic crisis. Last week, all overtime was eliminated, which did not affect me. Today, it was announced that each employee has the option of voluntarily cutting back to a 32-hour workweek, while maintaining full-time status and benefits. This is on a month-by-month basis, which means you tell your supervisor prior to the beginning of each month whether you are going to work 32- or 40-hour weeks during the coming month. The plan is for this to in effect through the end of 2009. It is being done to prevent layoffs, which in this very successful company's 37-year history, has never occurred.

Back to me. Because my position is unique (as in there is one of me), I have more to consider than a 2o percent reduction in pay. I don't want to diminish the position in any way. Writing assignments and news worthy of press releases vary from week to week. With looming deadlines, I will be pushing it to get it all done in 40 hours this week. A couple of weeks from now, it might be slow to the point that I find myself reorganizing files just to pass the time. It's the nature of the job.

What to do. What to do. Having a three-day weekend every week sure sounds good ... Less $$, not so fun but manageable ... doing my part to see that everyone gets to keep his or her job, appealing ... having a human resources person decide at the end of the year that because I've accomplished my job working 32-hours a week, it can be reduced to a part-time position, unthinkable.

If you've hung with me this long, thanks for listening. Putting it down on "paper" has helped me think it through. As much as I'd love to have an extra day at home, starting this Friday, my work load warrants 40 hours this month. Next month, I'll try the 32-hour thing and see how it goes. That's the sensible thing to do. With that, I'll bid you goodnight with the promise that I'll be back tomorrow night with a simple card and a little light-hearted commentary! In the meanwhile, take care.