I was notified of a pay rise at work today. It was a 12% rise. Not bad, but still less than what I was hoping for. I was hoping for about a 25% increase, considering that my new job description in other companies earns 25% more than what I was getting, but I only got 12% more. I'm halfway there… I sent an email off to my manager expressing my pleasure at the pay rise, but also saying that I was expecting a bit more considering what my new role was about. I asked if the pay rise was open to negotiation or discussion. He hasn't replied yet.
Between you and me, I doubt it's open to negotiation or discussion, since I've already received it. But there's no harm in asking, as you never know what you might get if only you ask for it. Since the transition from Computerland to Telecom (our new owners) is taking place at the moment, and I've heard rumour that we're all going to be transferred over to new Telecom contracts over the next few months, I'm not worried too much. A 12% pay rise is nothing to sneeze at, and I'm sure I'll get a further rise when I get a new contract later this year.
Deidre. It's been 4 months, as of yesterday, that we've known each other. It was our 'monthly anniversary'. Not that we did anything special about it; we just noted that it's been 4 months now. Four months of wonderful enjoyment, blissful satisfaction, and unparallelled satisfaction.
Have you ever known those feelings in a 'new' relationship, where arguing with your partner gives you feelings of fragility and vulnerability, because you feel that the argument means the relationship is on rocky ground? I've had those situations. I'm sure everyone has. I suspect it means that the relationship is on rocky ground anyway, and not just because of the arguments. Deidre and I have had the occasional arguments, but the more time we spend together, the stronger I feel our relationship is. As we argue, it doesn't feel 'dangerous'. It's just a disagreement of opinion or misunderstanding – not the end of the world (or relationship).
I've never been in this kind of situation / relationship before, where arguments can actually be fun and funny, where both of us are laughing at the situation, but arguing about it anyway. There's a security and stability between us which makes me feel that no matter what happens, we're bound to each other. Communication is the key though, and an acceptance that just because you believe one way, doesn't make it the right way. We're open minded and happy to not only admit our mistakes, but to talk about them and where our mistaken belief came from. We're helping each other grow, and in the process, we're just getting closer and closer to each other.
An example of something I've never had before, which I get from her:
I come to bed late at night, after playing on the computer for an hour or so after she's gone to bed. She wakes up as I get into bed, and she uses her warmth to get me warm. I'm cold and my feet are like ice blocks, but she rubs her own feet and legs up and down mine in an attempt to get me warm. She gives up her own warmth, comfort and sleep in an attempt to help me get warmer that much quicker. When she does this, I feel such an amazing feeling of warmth and love and appreciation in my heart. She never complains about doing this, and just says I do it to her (which I do) so she does it to me.
It's little things like this, magnified over a whole bunch of little things throughout the days and nights, that keeps me warm and happy and filled with wonder about the future.
Moving on….
My email roleplaying has lessened dramatically over the past few months. Now that I've 'found a life', I'm just not into email roleplaying as much any more. What's helped with this is that most of the other people who were heavily involved in it with me have themselves moved on and left it behind. Out of those who remained (eg. the remaining crew), most of them have been extremely inactive. In an attempt to turn around their inactivity, and also to help my own changed attitudes towards the games, I resigned from command of the ship I was running, and also of the fleet I was running. I handed command over to one of those who were still active and who I trusted to do a good job. Unfortunately, even though they've been doing the good job that I expected of them, interest from the others still hasn't increased. I'm thinking of leaving Star Trek behind altogether (for the time being) as I focus on other interests.
Currently those other interests is writing new stories and exploring new ideas. (And playing computer games.) You've probably read my time travel story, and that's something I'll be exploring further. I've been delayed on continuing that because I'm uncertain of the angle I'm going to take as I develop it. Will I have only conversation between us? Will I have some action included by describing flashbacks, as if they're actually taking place? Or will I actually travel backwards or forwards in time myself (the character of myself, that is)? So I'm working through possible developments in my mind before I put them down 'onto paper'.
I've also developed an idea for an entirely new email roleplaying game. Here's the blurb I wrote for it:
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This is what we know.
In 1947 we first discovered we weren't alone when a crashed space ship was found at Roswell, New Mexico. Majestic-12 was formed by President Truman to gather international evidence of alien life by reviewing data collected by all government, military and intelligence agencies around the world. Information was shared with world leaders on this potential threat, and as a result, leaders throughout the world committed themselves to ensuring that life carried on as normal to the blissfully unaware populations. A secret global shadow government was formed, headed by Majestic-12.
In 1953, first contact was made between US President Eisenhower and members of an alien race. Eisenhower negotiated a treaty on behalf of humanity. In exchange for advanced technology from the aliens, the aliens would be allowed to take humans for whatever reason – with one stipulation. The humans had to be returned, and they were not to remember anything about their experiences. The aliens agreed.
Majestic-12's purpose evolved to ensure that the secrets were KEPT secret. As a result of the influence and power they had, they ran the world as they saw fit, in an attempt to ensure the secrecy.
Over the years, certain people have learnt that there are things happening in the world that they don't understand. They've stumbled on information about aliens and conspiracies that lead back to people who have died to unusual circumstances. Too many events have questions that can't be answered. There's too many pathways to dead ends, and that raises suspicions.
Some of these people have been wealthy and resourceful enough to create their own organisation. They are sniffing out the truth and gathering evidence. They are trying to enlighten the world to the secrets that are underneath everyone's noses. Along the way, they're learning that there's more going on than they ever thought possible.
If you want to find out what they're learning, then join up now. Join the fight to discover the truth, and to open the eyes of others. The truth needs to be known. The truth is out there, waiting for you to find it.
Join now.
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I'm doing some research at the moment in our secret history. This is going to take historical facts and events and use them in the game history, embellishing where necessary, and presenting something similar to The X Files. It'll involve researching conspiracies and discovering that aliens are walking amongst us. Various government leaders of the world have been conspiring with aliens to further their own goals, and there's a war going on between those in control, and those who want to bring the truth out into the light.
I'm hoping it will do well, but first I have to get a whole lot of background material sorted out first.
That's all for now.
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