Incompetent manager and craziness at work

This week is already shaping up to be super crazy!

At work, we have a major software release. It isn't going as well as we had hoped. At least our part of the exercise isn't too bad.

It's my mini me's last week with the company. I will miss her. My manager finally got around to booking her farewell lunch. Unfortunately, he can't get his act together collecting money from the team and buying a gift. He asked me to do it. I am a good organizer, but this week is not good for me I declined and asked my intern to help me out.

As a manager, if you can't organize something as simple as getting a farewell gift, you have issues. I am also trying to wrap up my work, ensure that my intern is okay while I am way with work, get tasks that my mini me has left, and prepare for my business trip next week.

I've started to pack. I have a ways to go. My guy is also doing training this week and flies off a day before I do.

On top of all this madness, my intern and I have to train a new employee this week. So, no, I do not have time to do a task that my manager should be able to handle.

I'm glad that I put my foot down. He made the argument that I would need to get a gift for my intern, so I might as well get both gifts. First, we have never got parting gifts for interns -- only a farewell lunch. Second, I said that I couldn't do the gift-buying this week, but could when I am back. He finally accepted.

Sometimes, I feel like I am the manager and my boss is the incompetent one.

Madonna's birthday and spankings

Madonna was a huge influence in my younger years. I first heard her music ("Holiday," to be specific) when I was eleven years old. I have been a fan for decades, although my fandom isn't as strong these days as it used to be.

When her song, "Hanky Panky," came out, I was secretly thrilled. I was in my teens, and got aroused when I thought about getting or giving a spanking. This sentiment hasn't changed.

Madonna turns sixty years old on August 16. She looks terrific! I was brought back to being a teen again with her latest instagram:

I like that she has spankings in plural. I love it!

Wish - reusable drinking straws

I have been shopping on Wish for roughly two years. I like that you can find cool items for cheap. The downside is that these items come mostly from China and it takes a month for them to arrive.

I am a patient person. However, I don't recall what I had ordered until I see something in my mailbox.

For a while, I have wanted to get reusable drinking straws. I often go out to Starbucks to get an iced drink or someplace else for a fountain drink. I seem to use a straw every other day, which is not helping our planet.

I got a five-pack of purple glass drinking straws. They also come with two straw cleaners. I am extremely pleased with my purchase. It was also carefully wrapped in massive bubble wrap. I was impressed.

The downside is that I do not have some sort of travelling case for my straws. I guess that I need to look on Wish for it... haha!

Preparing for my business trip to Sweden

I leave for my business trip a week from today. It's crazy that I have been planning for a while. My travel date is fast approaching.

I got my SIM for European countries yesterday. I just activated it. Things are going well.

Part of me wants to bring my medium-sized luggage with me. Considering that I am doing a plane-train-bus-train set of switches to get to my final destination, bringing a smaller piece of luggage along with my rolling computer bag makes sense. The worst case would be to add more stuff in my rolling computer bag, which is pretty spacious.

I am looking forward to my trip on the whole. I need to figure out what to bring with me. Luckily, I have the weekend to sort everything out.

Jetlag and sleep

My guy loves sleep. I endearingly call him my sleepyhead.

When it comes to travelling to a different country, he has a difficult time adjusting to the time difference.

Last week, he was in Istanbul. He told me this story.

"I first woke up at 6 am. I then went back to bed," he told me.
"What time did you get up at?" I asked him.
"It wasn't until housekeeping knocked on the door at 9 am that I got up. I got to work just after 10 am," he said.

He's my sleepyhead.

Android 9 Pie and my Pixel's dying battery

I wonder whether Google has been hearing about my current and probably only woe with my Google Pixel phone.

My phone is nearly two years old. These days, the battery doesn't hold a charge as well as it used to. A couple of days ago, my phone had 34% battery life and then it automatically shut itself off. I tried booting it up and it simply didn't have enough juice to stay on.

The good news is that whenever there is an Android update, Pixel phones tend to be the first to get it. This time, it's Android 9, also known as Pie, that is out.

I installed it. One of its biggest features is adaptive battery. The idea is that the operating system learns my phone usage patterns. It then direct power to apps that I need. It's essentially predicting my day-to-day battery usage. That's cool to me.

So far, I've noticed that my phone's battery drain at a slower pace. There is also a battery saver option. Nice!

The next Google Pixel phone gets revealed in early October. Chances are that I will upgrade to it. I love my phone. I am hoping that the new phone's battery is better. For now, I thank Pie for extending my battery's life for another couple of months, at least.

August travel and dinner date

My guy and I are both travelling on business at roughly the same time. He departs a day before I do.

"My flight leaves on a Friday at 7 pm. You'll be at work, so we can do dinner before I leave," he said, planning.
"That sounds good. I'd love to," I noted.

He is gone for a couple of weeks. I am gone just for a week. August is already shaping up to be a busy month for both of us.