A weekly round up: eats, workouts, watches, and reads. This week I'm here to brag about some stepkid cooking, gush about The Maltese Falcon, and go back and forth over quitting my job.
Eats
Hubba hubba that's a good looking bowl of soup! Stepson #1 had a hankering for broccoli cheese soup, and he made this recipe. And if you're all like "dang how much cheese did he put in there to get it that yellow?" I'll let you in on the secret. The warm and satisfying color comes from the secret ingredient of sweet potatoes. We had it with turkey sandwiches on the side (well the guys had turkey sandwiches, I can't stand turkey so I just had the soup).
We had our first taste of fall this weekend when I made a batch of Averie Cooks Apple Pie Bars. Instead of drizzling them with caramel sauce I left them plain and am adding ice cream and a drizzle of caramel for serving.
Workouts
Carbon copy of last week's report: Not much to say. Another week down of the Ultimate Beginner's series in the CGX app, more run/walking for cardio.
Watching
The black bird! I've gushed about The Maltese Falcon before but this time I'm gushing about it in triplicate.
Lemme 'splain. The movie that you probably think of when someone says Maltese Falcon is the third version of the story that was made in 10 years. This weekend I saw the first version that was made in 1931.
It was a long road to see this movie because it's not available online anywhere. It's on DVD, but it's a multi disk set and my library is missing that one disk. So yes in the first time in forever I actually had to buy the DVD to see it. Don't cry for me, it's an old edition so it was only a few bucks.
The only reason to see the 1931 version is if you're a fan of the story and want a different spin on things. It's not the better movie by any stretch, but it does have "something". Of course once I saw it I had to watch 1941 again as well.
Notes on the two versions
- 1941 actors >>>> 1931 actors but the 1931 cast is still solid.
- The biggest difference is the way that Sam Spade is protrayed. In 1941 it's classic Bogie, in 1931 the vibe is "Sam Spade Ladies' Man".
- The 1931 movie gets in some precode stuff that couldn't have been done in 1941 like a strip search (I mean you don't see anything, it was just that in the early 30s you could talk about people taking their clothes off and in the 1940s you couldn't). The 1931 movie also hits you over the head to make sure that you don't miss that some of the characters are gay, the 1941 version takes a subtler (and much more effective) approach.
- The 1931 movie sticks pretty close to the book with a few edits. The leading lady only goes by one name instead of a string of aliases, and the ending is completely different. There's no "the stuff that dreams are made of" and the movie ends with Sam visiting [the character that he sends to jail] in the slammer. Actually it's been so long since I've read the book that I can't remember the book ending but I assume it was the 1941 movie ending.
Here is a 50 second scene comparison for anyone who's interested - here's 1941.
And here's 1931:
Just a note that yes there is a 1936 version that's on my DVD set but from what I remember it's so bad that I can't bring myself to watch it.
Reading
No surprise here - after sitting down and watching two versions of The Maltese Falcon - oh yes I picked up the book. It's good stuff. I feel like I need to take a detour and do a big noir reread (Hammett, Chandler, Cain).
Werk
I second guess myself every 5 minutes about the decision to quit my job. The pendulum keeps swinging "I am so done with this place" to "eh I can wait it out until I get another job." I think I've settled on being very honest with my boss's boss when I have my performance review in the next week or so (it might actually line up with my original goal of quitting on August 28) but waiting until mid October to actually quit (increasing the likelihood that they will not find a replacement for me before the end of the year). In the course of writing this I've swung back to "screw that, I'm quitting on August 28".
I think I'm scared to quit because I don't know who "non work" me is. It is what it is. Either I'll do this or I won't.
The job search update is a bunch of nothing.
- The company that I called NameBrand is back in play. This is the one where last week they told me that they weren't sure if they were adding the position or not. I had an interview with the supervisor today.
- I'm pretty sure that the other company ghosted me since I haven't heard anything two weeks after the first interview. I was lukewarm on them anyway so it's no loss.
Here's what I think about NameBrand after the supervisor interview. There are some things about the job that are interesting but nothing that is making my skirt fly up.
- The mixed message on work/life balance is that the manager told me that the role is being added to help her work life balance and to complete some projects that she doesn't have time for. She told me "if I work 60 hours one week I just work 20 the next". My reaction is that if she really works 20 hours on some weeks that's awesome but...big time red flag on the 60 hour weeks. I didn't grill her on why there are 60 hour weeks so it's on my list of follow up questions to ask if this moves forward.
- I could take or leave the supervisor. I don't love her but I also don't see a problem working with her.
- One thing that I did like about her is that she listed work breaks as part of her experience on her LinkedIn profile. If I do end up quitting I will be copying that for my own profile.
If the process moves forward I'll get to talk to more people at the company and get more of a feel for what's going down.
The bottom line - there is some good stuff with this one, but 99% of the reason for taking the job would be to get out of my current one. That's not the goal.
Who's had some really good soup lately? How about really good soup cooked by your kids? Who's read The Maltese Falcon? Tell me anything that you want about your job.
It's a big decision but you know I'll support you no matter what, Birchy! But for what it's worth - it IS hard figuring out who non-work you is. It really is a big thing. But if you go that route, you'll definitely figure it out.
ReplyDeleteThe Maltese Falcon! I haven't watched that in 25 years probably. I don't know if you love old-timey autobiographies but I read Lauren Bacall's (I think it was called By Myself) and it's so interesting to me to read about her and Bogie's romance. I find old-timey Hollywood to be so fascinating. Also, after Bogie died she had a really weird affair with Frank Sinatra, who essentially ghosted her, and then she married a guy WHO LOOKED JUST LIKE BOGIE.
Thanks Nicole! Today it occurred to me that I would still be "me" but without having to jiggle my mouse every 15 minutes to keep my Slack status active. I'll get there.
DeleteI read her book a REALLY long time ago and I don't remember much. She did definitely have a "type" for husbands.
This is kind of besides the point, but my cousin recently told me that she uses a "mouse jiggler" so that she does not have to sit in front of her computer all the time. I have no idea what this looks like (I picture a little robotic arm, but I am sure it is not like that) but I was intrigued!
DeleteIt's a little computer app that you can install that "simulates" the mouse movement... an IT guy installed in on my laptop before when he needed it to "not go to sleep" when he was installing software updates.
DeleteUmmmm..... I'm pretty sure I've never had soup, good or otherwise, cooked by my kids. I like soup, it's just not something I think of often in Florida.
ReplyDeleteNow I'm very excited to find out what eventually happens with your work situation! So many possibilities... I'm sure if you do stop working you'll figure out who "non-work you" are (is? Why do neither of those sound right? Are!) Traveling, blogging, reading, cooking and baking Birchwood Pie comes to mind... but I can see how it might be confusing transition, at first.
Solid point that FL doesn't have a soup season;-)
DeleteI've had a lot fake soup prepared by my toddler and kindergartener. They are heavy into the pretend phase which I find very entertaining. "here mom, try my blueberry soup." "mmmm, that is delicious." I look forward to a time when they can cook for me! My mom DID NOT teach me to cook. I didn't learn how to scramble eggs until I was 23! In her defense, I was the 4th kid of 5 and it was far faster/more efficient for her to do things herself v teach me but since I only have 2 kids I am going to be sure to teach my boys how to cook!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your decision. That 60 v 20 hour week thing would make me nervous. I guess it is good that she was honest about working 60 hours a week at times but that'd be a red flag for sure.
I just went through the hiring process and have a direct report starting for me in 2 weeks. I am SO EXCITED. I had an awesome boss that eventually became a peer and we had the best working relationship. I do not have "that person" anymore so I am hoping my new guy loves the role and will want to stick around. When I was going through the hiring process, I told all of the candidates that I never aspired to be a people manager and then my goal is to have more of a mentor type of relationship and to develop them to eventually be my partner. I have always wanted to be an individual contributor but I think/hope just having one direct report that I will hopefully develop into a peer will be enjoyable? Time will tell.
My mom was a great cook but she very much liked to do things on her own so I didn't cook with her as much as you would think. I slowly figured things out when I was...um...30.
DeleteGood luck with your new report! I'm great at working with people but for some reason being a boss leaves me cold. It's like "dude can you just do your job without me chasing you?"
I was scared, too. But it's now over 5 years ago and it was the best decision ever.
ReplyDeleteIf you take the leap on 28 August without having a new job, you'll be absolutely fine. You can always apply for a new job, no big deal.
Just take a break, breathe and then reassess. There's no pressure at all!
You've got this, Birchie!
Thanks for that Catrina! I keep poking at my numbers and keep getting the answer that everything should work...and I still keep going back and forth. I think I'm mostly on the side of "just try it". I can always go back to work if I don't like not working. I don't what it is, some kind of sunk cost thing that makes me want to hold on to this job even though I hate it so much. We'll see!
DeleteSOUPS! This is what I need to bring into our dinner rotation. For boring reasons, we're basically down to five dinners that we eat over and over again. One of those is a pumpkin black bean soup that I adore, but you better believe I just printed off that recipe and am going to suggest that maybe we try something new this week!
ReplyDeleteJob related: The ED at the community center handed in her resignation with two weeks notice. I managed to convince her to give us two months notice, which is a small victory since the search her took almost six months. I am quite stressed about this situation. *sigh*
I can relate to the five dinner thing!
DeleteThe community center sounds like a tough gig. Hopefully the next candidate will come along sooner than the last one did.
My kids don't make soup yet. To be honest, I don't really love soup but I make it all the time because it is an easy way to get lots of veggies, keeps well etc. I'd never go out of my way to have soup and loathed it as a kid, but my OWN kids actually eat it quite regularly because it has become a go-to for me in my attempt to keep our diets quasi-balanced.
ReplyDeleteThe job sitch sounds confusing, but I think going back and forth is completely normal and I think you'll end up being confident with whatever decision you make. You've put a lot of thought into things, and I suspect your final gut decision of how much to share etc will end up feeling natural. Wishing you all the best <3
Thanks Elisabeth! There will be a lot more second guessing but right now I'm in an "I'm outta there" mood.
DeleteI've been making a lentil detox soup (sounds unexciting but is the best vegetable stew EVER!) since last winter and all through the summer, which should tell you how good it is :)
ReplyDeleteUgh, your work situation/job hunt sound mentally exhausting to me. I do hope you figure out how to move forward.
You're right, the name "lentil detox soup" isn't a seller but I know how it is when you find that perfect recipe and can't stop making it.
DeleteYes, I'll take one of the two paths on the job sitch...the biggest obstacle is me.
Welp, I have not seen The Maltese Falcon (any version) nor have I read the book, My bad. Now you have me intrigued ;-) That soup looks delish! I have not had soup since last winter...and let's just say I'm in no hurry for a return to the cold weather (so the soup is on hold at the moment).
ReplyDeleteMy vote is to treat yourself to the 1941 version the next time you feel like having a cozy night in. Bonus points if your kids are there. It's so fun to watch these movies with the new generation.
DeleteI love soup; it is one of my go to staples. It is just so easy to throw together. In fact, I think I am going to make some broccoli cheese soup today, as I have broccoli to use up! However, it has been in the 90s/100s here lately so it is not the first thing that comes to mind! I still like it though.
ReplyDeleteYou know my take on the job thing. You are not going to find out who you are without a job until you try it, so I think that if you have the means to try it, you should! I was just talking to a coworker about that. He is 29 and we were talking about traveling or doing the things you think you will do in retirement NOW. As many people do, he has excuses but I think he is getting more open to the idea that it would not be the end of the world to quit his job for a year and go live somewhere else. However, it is a hard and scary step to take (but I believe it is WELL worth it).
Kyria, it's like you just went into my head and read my current mood. At heart I am an experimenter, and I've started to think about this as a one year experiment to see what happens to our finances if I don't work. The plan is back on, though I will likely wait until later in September to quit.
DeleteI think it's important to have a plan. It can be a loose one, but if you have no plan, you will likely get bored easier or feel like it was not as exciting or freeing as you thought. For example, if you want to travel but then your husband can't go with you, how does that look? Because if you are sitting at home waiting for him, things will get resentful/boring/tired fast! Personally I would make a list of all realms both near and far: travel for a week every quarter, plant geraniums in the back yard, do yoga 4 x a week...and then stick to it as much as you can! I also think (can you tell I have thought about this a lot) that it will be hard at first but you have to stick to it. For example, many of your social friends probably have 9-5 jobs and can't go for a morning walk with you every day at 10 am. Making new friends is hard and that transition will be slow probably. This is nothing that you probably haven't already thought of!
DeleteYou really are in my head! I AM planning to travel one week of every quarter!
DeleteIt's nothing that I haven't thought of BUT it's really helpful to hear someone else say it. So thanks for that!
Sweet potato is soup magic! That looks delicious.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the job update. The 60 hour work week would bring warning bells for me too. But I also wonder sometimes whether 60 hour workweeks are more self inflicted than many people think? It's hard to gauge from an interview though...
Most of the extreme overtime folks that I've seen are self inflicted. But sometimes companies do push extra work, which was the case with my previous job. It looks like a moot point since I haven't heard back from that company.
DeleteI imagine you have quit your job already (given your exchange with Kyria!) or are going to do so later this month. I hope you are excited to see what transpires in the next phase of your life. And honestly, you are making me wonder about my own choice of work and work location... So thank you. :)
ReplyDeleteAnne, exactly - WHY ARE WE DOING THIS????
DeleteYou're two posts away from when I quit. It did not turn out like I expected it to;-). My current status is time split between being amused and well, wondering why I'm doing this.