157 posts from 2007

When did you really get to make a difference for someone else? 
Submitted by bodhibound.

I think it's important to spend some of our energy on this earth making it better. If it's for the enviornment, someone special, or someone you've never met, it's important to spend some of your time doing something for others. My work is pretty awesome and it has a "contract" with Meals on Wheels to let some it it's employees take time out of their day to deliver meals. I get to do this once a month and though it's a burden some days when I'm really busy it's rewarding at the end.

My 2008 resolution is to spend more time helping people out who need it. I'm hoping to start a crochet/knitting program with my Jr High kids (probably mostly the girls though it would be neat to get the guys involved). I figure our first project would be scarves for the homeless. Maybe eventually we could all do a afghan and auction it off and send the money to a charity for the homeless.

Yes, my heart is very much saddened by the way homeless are treated in this country. I can remember being little and begging my mom to give money to the homeless outside of the supermarkets. I can remember this one guy we saw all the time. He reaked of booze and was very dirty. My mom would buy him hot meals from the grocery store deli. He was so thankful and appreciated every bite. Sometimes people really can't afford the help they need or plain just don't have the smarts to get it. That doesn't mean they don't deserve to eat.  

When I lived in Riverside, CA I would always see this one guy in front of the grocery store I went to. There was a McDonalds near by and I would always ask what he wanted and go buy it for him. I can remember the look on his face when I asked him what he wanted on his burger. The fact that I actually cared if he liked onions or not made him feel special. To me, that was one of the most important questions I've ever asked someone.

Were your holiday cards store bought, handmade, online, TBD or MIA?

This year I went to Shutterfly.com and ordered 25 cards(they turned out really cute). These cards went to parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and some friends. Then I went to the dollar store and bought 16 cute cards for a buck. These are for the cards we get from people I didn't send a photocard to. The last 2 years I sent a card to everyone I knew and got like 10 back. So, I sent to the main people this year and figured if anyone else's showed up they could have a cute card and not one of the expensive photo ones. Next year I plan to do the same thing.

Seriously, what is the deal with In-Laws? They cause so much frustration and anger and I actually like mine most of the time. I couldn’t imagine how I would feel if I didn’t like them.

Most of the issues come from the fact that my In-Laws are lazy. They refuse to do anything that would break a sweat or cause them inconvenience. Sometimes this works out to our advantage because they take us out to dinner a lot and give us a lot of stuff for free because they don’t want to spend the time to list it on Ebay…stuff like that. However, sometimes it’s a real pain in the ass if they expect us to help with stuff. Mike is always over there helping with things because they ask and are too lazy to do it themselves. This sucks for us because Mike and I are usually so busy helping them that we get behind in helping ourselves.

Last night we asked if they could drop something by for us. They said they would see if they could do it after they went out for dinner. They called us on there way home and said they couldn’t because “they were tired”. Mike had to go across town and pick it up instead. He was so upset. It’s not that we wouldn’t have done it for them, they were out already. According to Mike’s dad they didn’t do it because Mike’s mom is having “period problems”. If they were as bad as she makes them out to be she wouldn’t go out of the house to dinner. They just don’t do anything if it isn’t on there way or they can get something out of the deal. It makes me want to scream.

Today we’re supposed to go out to dinner with them. With all this animosity I have I really don’t want to go. Not to mention, they’re making Mike help them pack the car for their Christmas trip. SERIOUSLY! They’re going to be gone for 4 days. Mike and I will be gone a week and a half. Maybe we should be packing OUR CAR.

All of this makes Mike pretty frustrated. We’re supposed to go out to dinner with them tonight and I was going to pick up Nathan and meet them at the restaurant. I said something about not seeing well at night and Mike flipped. He started in on how he would just pick me up and we’d go get Nathan and meet them there. He was not yelling (he doesn’t yell) but he was louder than normal talking about how he’s doing something to help his lazy parents and he’ll just have to work extra hard to come and get me and still meet them on time. Of course I start bawling. I say goodbye and run to the bathroom at work to cry. It doesn’t help that I’ve had a crap day, seriously having issues with my eyes, and already pissed off about the situation.

I know it’s going to be hard when they move away. They do a lot with Nathan and he enjoys that. However, sometimes I can’t wait for them to be gone so we can start living our life for us.

I am so excited about going to California this week that I’m doing my best to not even think about it or I start bawling. Yeah, it’s been that long since I’ve seen everyone. One year, four months, and a few days. Too damn long.

In order to keep my mind off of everything I’m packing, cleaning, and getting a few last minute items for the trip. Wednesday night I’ll go to Target and pick up Nathan’s “Santa present” along with some munchies. My work gave us a $40 gift card so that will defiantly help out.

::rolls eyes:: An hour and a half left on the clock. Will this day ever end?

I’m picking up Nathan and then we’re going home to pack. He’s been pretty good lately. I’m interested to see how this 27 hour car ride is going to go. Of course we’re going to be taking a lot of breaks during the day. He needs time to run around. Hopefully a few hours at a park and some picnic will make things easier on him. His grandma is going to make a box filled with presents for him to open on his way so that he’s not bored all the way there with old toys. On the way home he’ll have all of his Christmas presents. He’s getting a lot of stuff. So much stuff that tomorrow I’m going through his room and getting rid of most of his toys before we go.

Will he notice? Probably not.

What was your major or field of study in college? Did you wind up working in that field or using that degree? If not, what field have you wound up in? 
Submitted by sneuf. 

I had about 4 majors during my run of college. I started thinking I was going to be a star...so I signed up for Musical Theater as a major. That lasted two years and then I decided it was "too much drama". Yes, pun intended. Seriously, I don't know if it was just where I was going to school but if you weren't into "doing" your professor or talking the latest smack on someone you just weren't going to get ahead. So, fine. I took my bitterness and put it into something productive. Sociology.

I was a sociology student for one year. I took a lot of classes on Women's History, Women's rights, Women's lib. Long story short...I realized I like shaving, don't mind cooking, and yes, I wanted to get married. However, I realized how cool it is that I can choose to do otherwise if I wanted too. I then took a class on into Criminal Justice and changed my major again.

About this time I moved to Minnesota and started going to school online. I spent the next three years (yes, I spent 6 years in college) learning about Criminal Justice and Juvenile Probation...mostly. I also did a lot of studying on organized crime because that stuff is really cool. Really cool.

I graduated this May. I also got a promotion at work this May. I'm working as an Administrative Assistant in Lean Management. I had one class on Lean Management in college...one class. Here I am. I plan on staying with Lean.  Hopefully work will send me to certification courses this year and I'll be one wanted woman. I also love working in HR, like I do now.

I might not be using my degree exactly like I wanted too but just having a degree gets you places. It shows your willing to stick something out for a few years; real dedication, and willingness to lose sleep at nights for deadlines. I think that's what companies are really looking for anyways. Anything else you can learn on the job.

You ever have about 30 different blogs in your head and not sure which one to talk about first? You also don't want to do 30 blogs because your neighborhood might start thinking you really don't do anything at work and that you're a loser who blogs all day long...

Neither of which would be true...and not that my neighbors would ever think that...but these are the things that run though my mind.

Anyways, I could talk about  my house being a mess, Jr High kids at church, the novel that I've started writing in my head, Christmas, crazy drivers, internet porn (yes, I actually do have a blog on this), interviewing people (on this I have many stories), holiday work stories, my friend surviving the holidays after losing a child, weight, my 2 and a half year old is obsessed with cookies, and so much more.

However, I sit here just blogging away about all of them and not any of them in particular because they're all just rushing around in my head.

My head is not a great place to be these days. I seem to be losing my thoughts more often now that there are more of them in there. I never realized how much busier I would be this year now that I'm taking a week off of work...I guess I've never had a job before where it actually mattered if I wasn't there! Feels good to be needed but stressful. Now I know what Mike goes through. I seem to be unstable these days. I blame the period from hell. I think that's a perfect place to start.

Tell us about your holiday traditions. 
Submitted by Talk is Cheap.

Christmas Eve was always a big deal with my entire family. Actually, with everyone I knew as a kid. My parents would throw these HUGE Christmas Eve parties with both sides of the family and all their friends and their kids invited. I can remember people in every room of the house. They were singing carols, playing games, chit chatting, opening presents, and getting wasted, fighting, kissing, eating, and almost every “ing” you can think of. I have some great memories of playing with my cousins, opening presents, and the food…oh the food.

I can remember my mom getting ready for this party days…no, weeks in advanced. She would clean the house with the Christmas records (and yes, I do mean vinyl) playing on full blast. Not one speck of dirt remained. This is also the one time of year where she would demand I clean my room. “The rest of the year it can look like a pigsty, I just need you to clean it this one day!” Unfortunately, I never did and she always had to help me in order for me to work on it. I’m still that way about my room. It’s never clean unless Mike starts and then I feel bad, take over, and finish it. It’s mostly his stuff anyways, but I’m off topic.

We had these Styrofoam reindeer from the 60s that she would put up on the walls, tons of decorations, and she would even wrap each picture like a present and hang it on the walls. My mom loves Christmas.

So, Christmas Eve would come and we’d all hang out, play, party until around midnight when most of the kids had left and my parents made me go to sleep so Santa could come. However, I wouldn’t sleep. Due to the entire house filled with smoke (this was the 80s people, and no one cared about second hand anything) and my lungs clogged and my watery eyes and the anticipation of my Christmas gifts…I would never fall asleep until at least 2am.

I’d be wide awake at 3am sometimes 4am and after stopping to see the tree to see what Santa brought…I’d climb the stairs to my parent’s bedroom and wake them up. Usually, they’d tell me I’d have to go to bed and wait until at least 5am. They hadn’t gone to bed until probably 2 and had only slept an hour!

I got a little off track but the main focus was the traditional Christmas Eve party…we moved when I was 13 and we stopped having them at our house because no one wanted to travel in bad weather up the mountain. That’s been a 12 year lull between Christmas parties. However, this year with all us girls coming into town my mom thought she’d try and having the party again. Surprisingly, everyone is coming! They missed it so much but because they had complained about the drive so many years ago they didn’t dare ask her to have it again (as if my mom is someone to be scared of). It’s going to be so awesome to have all my cousins bring their kids to play with mine and to be able to see them together. It’s going to be great to catch up with everyone I haven’t seen for so long. A true Holiday tradition isn’t something that goes away just because you stop having it. It’s something that can be revived because it’s lived with you all through the years.

Show us your favorite winter activity.

Hot Chocolate

Just add peppermint schnapps. See, I knew I'd use this picture again! Awesome.

What's on your holiday wishlist?

I want mittens, size 8 boots, socks...actually pretty much just new clothes in general.

I wanted an iTouch but I got that on Thanksgiving because my husband loves me and we can never wait to give each other gifts.

I want money to pay all my bills.

I wouldn't mind a new house because I just found out our neighbor is a convicted felon. Scary.

I have a gigantic pimple on my face.

It hurts.

I want to ask a question.

Why, why, why, why!!!???

It's not like I'm 13 anymore. It's not like my body hasn't gone though PMS a thousand times before...well, maybe not a thousand but come on!

Come frickin' on!

Not fair.