I am shutting off the porch light here very soon. It's almost 7pm, we started getting trick-or-treaters at 5pm. I think that is kind of late, but that is just what they do in our small town. I had 28 kids tonight, which I think is pretty good. Last year we weren't around of Halloween, the year before I think it was 22 and the year before that was around 18.
Friday evening our friends Kendra & Tim arrived. They were visiting us from Philly. That night we went to a specialty beer tasting (although we have some drinks & wine before we left) and then add the beer on top of that. I found a beer that I really like: Barkley's Honey Almond Light (kinda of a sissy beer) and Andy found a couple new ones he likes: Gluek's Light & Gluek's Honey Bock. After the beer tasting we came home for some hottubbing and sauna sitting & more drinks. We had a very good time that night.
Saturday we noticed a leak coming through the ceiling from one of our bathrooms, and of course we couldn't see the leak up there. We thought it might be the toilet and so Andy removed the toilet and found out that it was not sealed properly (Figures!) and water was leaking through and going in the mortar lines beneath the tile. Dammit! And of course where there is water for a while, there will be mold. So, we started removing tile (which would only come out if we smashed it). We removed tile until the mold stopped. We treated the floor and now we have 2 options - we can try to find tile that matches our bathroom or finish pulling our all of the tile and retile the entire floor.
BTW - we were thinking of replacing our toilet, I read that you can save money on water if you have one that uses less water, and I am sure our toilet has been in this house for probably at least 20 years. Does anyone know if there is something about the toilet itself that saves on water, or is it just the guts (you know, all the stuff inside you use to flush it with)?
We were just going to retile, but the tile that was not wet & did not have mold underneath it was just shattering into thousands of pieces.
I spent Satuday cooking pumpkin, baking sugar cookies, & making cider. The 4 of us went out for Mexican food and then came home and watched 2 movies: "Manhunter" and the original "Halloween".
Today, after a big breakfast, Tim & Kendra left for the airport (we had a great time with them and will miss them until we go visit them this summer). We watched football (well, actually I did not watch football, I sat on the couch with my laptop surfing for Christmas presents) and then I watched this Scooby-Doo Halloween cartoon, "Halloween 5" and now am watching "Scream 2".
And I don't think any more kids are coming, so the porch light is going off.
Total: 28
Sunday, October 31, 2004
Who is Right? Children or the NFL?
I guess we will find out on Tuesday night. If the children are right then Bush will be president, but if the Redskins prediction is right, then Kerry will be president.
So - The kids have been right for the last 11 elections and the Redskins equation has accurately predicted the outcome for over 15 elections.
One of these are not going to br right this year.
I am inclined to believe that either is possible - not just because the race is very close, but the Redskins equation has spanned more elections, but if the kids are voting they are probably voting for who they hear their parents support.
Now there is no clear indication - guess I'll just have to go make my vote and then wait.
Packers 28 - Redskins 14
So - The kids have been right for the last 11 elections and the Redskins equation has accurately predicted the outcome for over 15 elections.
One of these are not going to br right this year.
I am inclined to believe that either is possible - not just because the race is very close, but the Redskins equation has spanned more elections, but if the kids are voting they are probably voting for who they hear their parents support.
Now there is no clear indication - guess I'll just have to go make my vote and then wait.
Packers 28 - Redskins 14
Thursday, October 28, 2004
Guess I am not going to Russia
Check out this article.....
We can't drink on public transportation.....and not really in the streets (unless you are in New Orleans), but in parks? (what fun would sand volleyball if you couldn't bring something to drink) or stadiums (why else do you sit through 9 innings of baseball?) and what about the beer sale restrictions around universitities (they are just asking for people to have to drive further to get their beer - unless college students in Russia are different than in the US, but I doubt it.)
The good thing is that the fine is only 100 rubles, which is $3.33 - which is 4 times the price of the average bottle of beer.
We can't drink on public transportation.....and not really in the streets (unless you are in New Orleans), but in parks? (what fun would sand volleyball if you couldn't bring something to drink) or stadiums (why else do you sit through 9 innings of baseball?) and what about the beer sale restrictions around universitities (they are just asking for people to have to drive further to get their beer - unless college students in Russia are different than in the US, but I doubt it.)
The good thing is that the fine is only 100 rubles, which is $3.33 - which is 4 times the price of the average bottle of beer.
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
What the Hell Do Kids Know?
Check out the link.
Do you remember when you were a kid and did the Weekly Reader presidential vote? Apparently since 1956 they have accurately predicted the winner of the presidential election. I remember doing this in 1984. Well, when I voted I had no idea who Walter Mondale was. I only knew who Reagan was and that my parents were not voting for him, which as a kid, you generally model you parents. So, I voted against Reagan. And we all know who won. Both my class and all of the Weekly Readers had predicted that Reagan would win.
This year, Weekly Reader is predicting that Bush will win. Now, is there any other type of publication that has that type of accuracy record?
Maybe I should start my own poll. Who thinks that Weekly Reader will accurately predict this years election?
Also - do you think that 4 years ago Weekly Reader accurately predicted that Bush would become president because he received the majority of the electoral votes (271 vs. 266) and Gore recieved the majority of the general votes(48.38% vs. 47.87%)?
One other thing - did you know that write-in votes for president are not permitted. It says so on the bottom of this website: http://www.fec.gov/pubrec/2000presgeresults.htm
Do you remember when you were a kid and did the Weekly Reader presidential vote? Apparently since 1956 they have accurately predicted the winner of the presidential election. I remember doing this in 1984. Well, when I voted I had no idea who Walter Mondale was. I only knew who Reagan was and that my parents were not voting for him, which as a kid, you generally model you parents. So, I voted against Reagan. And we all know who won. Both my class and all of the Weekly Readers had predicted that Reagan would win.
This year, Weekly Reader is predicting that Bush will win. Now, is there any other type of publication that has that type of accuracy record?
Maybe I should start my own poll. Who thinks that Weekly Reader will accurately predict this years election?
Also - do you think that 4 years ago Weekly Reader accurately predicted that Bush would become president because he received the majority of the electoral votes (271 vs. 266) and Gore recieved the majority of the general votes(48.38% vs. 47.87%)?
One other thing - did you know that write-in votes for president are not permitted. It says so on the bottom of this website: http://www.fec.gov/pubrec/2000presgeresults.htm
Oh Wonderful Sight!
WARNING - Long story that I could have easily summed up, but chose not to.
I think I take for granted my sight too much. The last week I have been having some troubles with contacts. I ordered some new ones off the Internet and threw away the old ones. But the first set I put in didn't feel quite right, so I switched them out one at a time (could have been inverted or ripped or something), but by this time I had several in the garbage. I could see, but it just didn't feel comfortable and my sight seemed a little off, but not too bad.
So, I called my eye doctor and got put on the cancellation list & managed to get in that same day (Monday). I got some new contacts and a full exam. The vision still felt a little off and one contact was just moving all around in my eye. The doctor said that the contacts tend to shrink a little to fit to the eye and after that happened then maybe it would stop moving around and I would see better (if it was just the moving around that caused the sight issues).
But then I had a conference to go to today an hour away and driving SUCKED. I thought for sure I was going to die on the roads today and kept telling myself I should not be going. My nearsightedness was great, it was things far that were problems, as well as glare from car lights in the morning. I called my eye doctor and told her that it just wasn't working. She told me to come in and pick up a different brand and try them out.
I picked them up with a little note that says that this brand fits different which is why the prescription on these is different. I put these in and they are no different, initially no better and no worse. But as the minutes and hours drag on it all gets bad and I consider ripping out my eyes while I am at the night class I teach, hoping that they have optical transplant surgery after-the-fact.
I go home and take out my contacts and put my glasses on to see is it just the contacts bothering me or if my glasses were bothering me too. So - the glasses went on and 30 minutes later came off. I hate not having peripheral vision and the prescription was just not right anymore. So, back to the contact drawing board.
I try on another set from the Internet company - and they just feel AWFUL! I can't take it and they come out. I try Monday's set again and that's no good the one contact still floats around. I try today's set and they do feel good in my eyes, but the prescription is just not right. So, I tried mixing & matching (& remembering which was which) and have come to the realization that my L eye has the wrong prescription. I went digging around to see if there were any older "new" contacts still left from when my prescription had changed previously. I found 1 contact and it happened to be the prescription that was just one level above my L eye and the expiration date on it is next month - SCORE!
In goes that L contact and things seem better, although I have not been out driving, so I don't know if it helps my farsightedness, but it feels better -- so much better. And much of my headache has gone away, I think what is left is just the residual affects of going a whole day with straining my eyes. I am sure my eye doctor is not going to like what I did, but I needed to do something and hopefully when I go in there next week I'll get some new boxes of contacts that are good for me. And hopefully I don't get yelled at too much.
I think I take for granted my sight too much. The last week I have been having some troubles with contacts. I ordered some new ones off the Internet and threw away the old ones. But the first set I put in didn't feel quite right, so I switched them out one at a time (could have been inverted or ripped or something), but by this time I had several in the garbage. I could see, but it just didn't feel comfortable and my sight seemed a little off, but not too bad.
So, I called my eye doctor and got put on the cancellation list & managed to get in that same day (Monday). I got some new contacts and a full exam. The vision still felt a little off and one contact was just moving all around in my eye. The doctor said that the contacts tend to shrink a little to fit to the eye and after that happened then maybe it would stop moving around and I would see better (if it was just the moving around that caused the sight issues).
But then I had a conference to go to today an hour away and driving SUCKED. I thought for sure I was going to die on the roads today and kept telling myself I should not be going. My nearsightedness was great, it was things far that were problems, as well as glare from car lights in the morning. I called my eye doctor and told her that it just wasn't working. She told me to come in and pick up a different brand and try them out.
I picked them up with a little note that says that this brand fits different which is why the prescription on these is different. I put these in and they are no different, initially no better and no worse. But as the minutes and hours drag on it all gets bad and I consider ripping out my eyes while I am at the night class I teach, hoping that they have optical transplant surgery after-the-fact.
I go home and take out my contacts and put my glasses on to see is it just the contacts bothering me or if my glasses were bothering me too. So - the glasses went on and 30 minutes later came off. I hate not having peripheral vision and the prescription was just not right anymore. So, back to the contact drawing board.
I try on another set from the Internet company - and they just feel AWFUL! I can't take it and they come out. I try Monday's set again and that's no good the one contact still floats around. I try today's set and they do feel good in my eyes, but the prescription is just not right. So, I tried mixing & matching (& remembering which was which) and have come to the realization that my L eye has the wrong prescription. I went digging around to see if there were any older "new" contacts still left from when my prescription had changed previously. I found 1 contact and it happened to be the prescription that was just one level above my L eye and the expiration date on it is next month - SCORE!
In goes that L contact and things seem better, although I have not been out driving, so I don't know if it helps my farsightedness, but it feels better -- so much better. And much of my headache has gone away, I think what is left is just the residual affects of going a whole day with straining my eyes. I am sure my eye doctor is not going to like what I did, but I needed to do something and hopefully when I go in there next week I'll get some new boxes of contacts that are good for me. And hopefully I don't get yelled at too much.
Sunday, October 24, 2004
Thursday, October 21, 2004
Who is colder? Men? Women?
I had to look up this info after talking with Andy about this topic.
Apparently, the core temp of a woman is .4 degrees warmer than a man's. But the temp of a woman's hands .8 degrees colder than a man's.
Plus, a woman's menstrual cycle also lowers & raises her core temp.
And older woman (postmentrual) have lower temps than premenstrual woman.
So, guess it would be safe to say that a woman's body temperature changes more often than a man's and so we might notice a change in our body temp.
Apparently, the core temp of a woman is .4 degrees warmer than a man's. But the temp of a woman's hands .8 degrees colder than a man's.
Plus, a woman's menstrual cycle also lowers & raises her core temp.
And older woman (postmentrual) have lower temps than premenstrual woman.
So, guess it would be safe to say that a woman's body temperature changes more often than a man's and so we might notice a change in our body temp.
Catkins! A diet for Larry possibly?
Checkout this article. It's Atkins for cats. Should I try this on my 16 pound Larry?
Although right now I started to buy one brand of catfood that fits what we need for him. It's Purina One Hairball & Overweight formula. I had not seen any other brand that combined both of those in one package. Until thenI was having to buy 2 different bags and mix them: one for overweight cats and one for hairballs.
I think I might just try the Purina One for a while. Both cats like it, so it works so far. They are kinda picky. They just better keep making it. Maybe I should send them a letter knowing how much I like serving this to my cats.
Although right now I started to buy one brand of catfood that fits what we need for him. It's Purina One Hairball & Overweight formula. I had not seen any other brand that combined both of those in one package. Until thenI was having to buy 2 different bags and mix them: one for overweight cats and one for hairballs.
I think I might just try the Purina One for a while. Both cats like it, so it works so far. They are kinda picky. They just better keep making it. Maybe I should send them a letter knowing how much I like serving this to my cats.
That why in the US it is 9-1-1
Read the above article.
It makes sense that we have it be 9-1-1, rather that the Britain 9-9-9. I can just imagine how many calls they get from children just pressing down a number or pressing the same number over and over - and then you have your occasional romp that you keep your foot on the phone pressing the 9 button.
I wonder in Britain what number they typically dial to get an outside line when they are at a hotel or at work? Maybe they don't. Does anyone know? I've only had to dial 9. And I could see a problem with people calling my cell phone which starts with 99. Which would be 9-9-9 (plus the rest) if you were dialing an outside line.
It makes sense that we have it be 9-1-1, rather that the Britain 9-9-9. I can just imagine how many calls they get from children just pressing down a number or pressing the same number over and over - and then you have your occasional romp that you keep your foot on the phone pressing the 9 button.
I wonder in Britain what number they typically dial to get an outside line when they are at a hotel or at work? Maybe they don't. Does anyone know? I've only had to dial 9. And I could see a problem with people calling my cell phone which starts with 99. Which would be 9-9-9 (plus the rest) if you were dialing an outside line.
Daytime Talk Shows
I am watching Montel right now - there are these adults on there that are talking about being held captive by a parent. Disgusting! I can't believe there are people out there like this.
This woman who was living in Saudi Arabia is talking about what it was like there and all these restrictions on women. It is infuriorating!
Ok – so now Maury is on and it is “Shocking Opposites in Love!” and right now there is this skinny 150-pound boy on there with his over 300 pound girlfriend. And she’s wearing this black bra and red vinyl mini. Yikes!
The next guy looks like an average guy (5’10) with Dockers & a denim shirt and then comes out Lacey who is this midget (4’0) (she very cute!) and she says she is a feature stripper.
I got to stop watching these daytime talk shows. I think I have a book I can be reading.
This woman who was living in Saudi Arabia is talking about what it was like there and all these restrictions on women. It is infuriorating!
Ok – so now Maury is on and it is “Shocking Opposites in Love!” and right now there is this skinny 150-pound boy on there with his over 300 pound girlfriend. And she’s wearing this black bra and red vinyl mini. Yikes!
The next guy looks like an average guy (5’10) with Dockers & a denim shirt and then comes out Lacey who is this midget (4’0) (she very cute!) and she says she is a feature stripper.
I got to stop watching these daytime talk shows. I think I have a book I can be reading.
12 Hours of Sleep
I just got 12 hours of sleep and feel fan-freaking-tastic! I have today & tomorrow off from my job for fall break - a well deserved break.
Last night after work we had this happy hour that turned out including people from two different buildingsfrom within the school district - all bonded by our common dislike (which is a mild word for most) for Voldemort (in our case - she who must not be named who is an administrator within the district). The name Voldemort caught very quickly as a way to not use her name. Sometimes it got shortened to the "Big V" or just "V" and people started making V's out of their fingers and putting them up in the air. It was all too hilarious. As it turns out there was a group of other people from the district from a different building that were there too - probably talking bad about V as well, since it is common knowledge that at least one of them has filed a greivance against V and others in the groups have gotten their butt-chewed (just because V can) by V.
So, went home for about a half hour, changed clothes, checked email, and ran off to play volleyball. We Won! All 3 games with a score of 25-22. Isn't that weird that all 3 games were the same score. Then back to a happy hour with the volleyball team. The bar we play for has $12 for a pizza & picther of beer on Wednesday - so that is what Kate & I get -- a meateater's pizza & a pitcher of Leine's Honey Weiss. I don't normally drink beer, as I don't prefer it, but I do like Honey Weiss. I am not sure what that is all about.
So, came home after that, checked email, played with one of the cats, said good night to Andy, and went top bed and slept for 12 hours! Man that felt GREAT!
And the only plans I have today is to treat myself to a manicure with a paraffin dip & a pedicure this afternoon -- and that's it.
Tomorrow we are (Andy & I) getting our hair cut (just trims) and then the other couple we are going to the Amana Colonies with are coming to pick us up. And then we go to a bed & breakfast for the weekend and go check out all their wineries & brewery & do some shopping. It should be fun.
Last night after work we had this happy hour that turned out including people from two different buildingsfrom within the school district - all bonded by our common dislike (which is a mild word for most) for Voldemort (in our case - she who must not be named who is an administrator within the district). The name Voldemort caught very quickly as a way to not use her name. Sometimes it got shortened to the "Big V" or just "V" and people started making V's out of their fingers and putting them up in the air. It was all too hilarious. As it turns out there was a group of other people from the district from a different building that were there too - probably talking bad about V as well, since it is common knowledge that at least one of them has filed a greivance against V and others in the groups have gotten their butt-chewed (just because V can) by V.
So, went home for about a half hour, changed clothes, checked email, and ran off to play volleyball. We Won! All 3 games with a score of 25-22. Isn't that weird that all 3 games were the same score. Then back to a happy hour with the volleyball team. The bar we play for has $12 for a pizza & picther of beer on Wednesday - so that is what Kate & I get -- a meateater's pizza & a pitcher of Leine's Honey Weiss. I don't normally drink beer, as I don't prefer it, but I do like Honey Weiss. I am not sure what that is all about.
So, came home after that, checked email, played with one of the cats, said good night to Andy, and went top bed and slept for 12 hours! Man that felt GREAT!
And the only plans I have today is to treat myself to a manicure with a paraffin dip & a pedicure this afternoon -- and that's it.
Tomorrow we are (Andy & I) getting our hair cut (just trims) and then the other couple we are going to the Amana Colonies with are coming to pick us up. And then we go to a bed & breakfast for the weekend and go check out all their wineries & brewery & do some shopping. It should be fun.
Wednesday, October 20, 2004
Kerry Support
I saw thia ad on TV last night. It was for this website: http://www.comparedecidevote.com/ . They presented an issue pertaining to college funding and demonstrate just how this website works -- which is to take this short survey picking which candidate you agree with most on that issue and then at the end they tell you who you picked the most and that is who you are supposed to vote for.
But after you do a few, you start to realize that probably every anwer is going to be Kerry as the best answer. I think it is a clever way to get young people to vote, by using technology. And if they are unsure of who to vote for, after they take this quiz it looks like you are a really big supporter of Kerry.
Now, no where on the site does it mention that they are supporting either candidate, let alone Kerry. But it's pretty obvious, and a very smart marketing move.
But after you do a few, you start to realize that probably every anwer is going to be Kerry as the best answer. I think it is a clever way to get young people to vote, by using technology. And if they are unsure of who to vote for, after they take this quiz it looks like you are a really big supporter of Kerry.
Now, no where on the site does it mention that they are supporting either candidate, let alone Kerry. But it's pretty obvious, and a very smart marketing move.
Tuesday, October 19, 2004
I Love My Job
So no one confuses any of my rantings & ravings about job frustrations and unhappiness I want to clarify that I do love my job. It's just that this is my blog and sometimes is my outlet for my frustrations & last week had a lot more frustrations than normal.
I am a Mental Health Therapist and I work with a population of adolescents that need the most services within the school system. They are great kids, but most people don't realize that because they can't get past the baggy pants, the black clothes, the body piercings, or the gang writings. Deep down, they are all still kids that want to be loved and need some attention. It is amazing how much you can help a kid just by taking a couple of minutes to ask them how they are doing.
Today I had this kid that was very upset and the f-en-heimer was flying and I just asked him to step out of the room to talk with me for a while, while other staff keep the classroom going on their discussion. I could physically see this kid calm himself. He just wanted someone to care enough to ask what was bothering him and actually listen to him.
The kids I work with know that I will let them know if I am disappointed in a decision they have made, but they are not going to get yelled at -- and that makes a HUGE difference to these kids. They have gotten yelled at so much in their lifetime that they just can't take anymore yelling and just completly check out when someone raises their voices.
People often ask if it is frustrating working with these kids because they don't believe that they really care about the staff, or they believe that I don't see any rewards and they show the least amount of progress. Well, let me say this - my job would be very boring and I would not like it as much if I my kids were getting all A's & B's and were never in the principal's office and had perfect families. Actually - there might not be the need for me and I would be out of a job, but that is not to say that those kids that fit those descriptions don't have issues - they do, I know they do. I do see change and get rewards from working with these kids. And sometimes these rewards are even sweeter when you are working with the most troubled kid.
I see these kids coming to our room when they are kicked out of other classrooms, asking to talk to us when their frustration is so high that they know they just can't make it at school that day, trusting us to tell us secrets they just can't tell anyone else, and still coming daily to check in with us even though they don't need our services anymore just because they feel welcome and our room is the place where they belong in a pretty big high school. So - don't tell me that I don't see rewards.
I am now in a position that I can see some of these kids I have been working with the last couple of years work through high school and graduate. Some of these kids it will be a very long bumpy road to get them there and that will make it even more of a joyous occasion when they graduate.
I don't like my job every day, but I do love it. I know not everyone can do my job. And I can't do everyone else's job. I think people spend their whole lives trying to figure out the meaning of their life. I am not sure what the meaning for your life is, but I believe that right now my life has meaning because I am needed by these kids. The gifts I was blessed with is what I have to offer. I still joke that I don't know what I want to be when I grow up. It's no joke though. I am young and I still have many years of "growing up" to do. I don't know what the future holds for me - none of us do. Someday I would like it to include motherhood, but that time is not right now. I am not sure which direction I would like to take my career in the future, but I like to keep exploring what my options are so that when I am ready for a change I can make an educated decision.
I do believe that their is a higher power that has given me a direction that my life should take. I choose to believe that sometimes decisions are made for us that we might not understand at the time, but through time we will become wiser as to what that path is. I also choose to do things in life that I enjoy. We are here for too short a time to be miserable, which is why I will not work as an evening janitor (did that for 3 weeks in college) or as a cook in a restaurant (did for 2 years in high school) or ever work in construction (never did this and have no desire to). I liked cooking at a restaurant when I was in school, but that is not something I would enjoy now. I did not enojy working evenings and working alone as a janitor was - just, well - lonely. For other people, these jobs may be what they enjoy and they might not like listening to people's problems.
I try to apply my desire to do things that I enjoy to all areas of my life. I refuse to let myself be convinced or bullied into volunteering or joining a club for something I don't have time for or are interested in. If I don't feel like going out, I generally don't - although there are times I don't but my desire to hang with that person is greater than my desire to just sit around. (If that makes sense.)
So - I chose my job (turned it down the first time it was offered to me, as I was not in that place at that time), I choose to enjoy my job, and I choose to be happy. And if I choose to be unhappy - then, dammit - let me be unhappy - but right now I still love my job.
I am a Mental Health Therapist and I work with a population of adolescents that need the most services within the school system. They are great kids, but most people don't realize that because they can't get past the baggy pants, the black clothes, the body piercings, or the gang writings. Deep down, they are all still kids that want to be loved and need some attention. It is amazing how much you can help a kid just by taking a couple of minutes to ask them how they are doing.
Today I had this kid that was very upset and the f-en-heimer was flying and I just asked him to step out of the room to talk with me for a while, while other staff keep the classroom going on their discussion. I could physically see this kid calm himself. He just wanted someone to care enough to ask what was bothering him and actually listen to him.
The kids I work with know that I will let them know if I am disappointed in a decision they have made, but they are not going to get yelled at -- and that makes a HUGE difference to these kids. They have gotten yelled at so much in their lifetime that they just can't take anymore yelling and just completly check out when someone raises their voices.
People often ask if it is frustrating working with these kids because they don't believe that they really care about the staff, or they believe that I don't see any rewards and they show the least amount of progress. Well, let me say this - my job would be very boring and I would not like it as much if I my kids were getting all A's & B's and were never in the principal's office and had perfect families. Actually - there might not be the need for me and I would be out of a job, but that is not to say that those kids that fit those descriptions don't have issues - they do, I know they do. I do see change and get rewards from working with these kids. And sometimes these rewards are even sweeter when you are working with the most troubled kid.
I see these kids coming to our room when they are kicked out of other classrooms, asking to talk to us when their frustration is so high that they know they just can't make it at school that day, trusting us to tell us secrets they just can't tell anyone else, and still coming daily to check in with us even though they don't need our services anymore just because they feel welcome and our room is the place where they belong in a pretty big high school. So - don't tell me that I don't see rewards.
I am now in a position that I can see some of these kids I have been working with the last couple of years work through high school and graduate. Some of these kids it will be a very long bumpy road to get them there and that will make it even more of a joyous occasion when they graduate.
I don't like my job every day, but I do love it. I know not everyone can do my job. And I can't do everyone else's job. I think people spend their whole lives trying to figure out the meaning of their life. I am not sure what the meaning for your life is, but I believe that right now my life has meaning because I am needed by these kids. The gifts I was blessed with is what I have to offer. I still joke that I don't know what I want to be when I grow up. It's no joke though. I am young and I still have many years of "growing up" to do. I don't know what the future holds for me - none of us do. Someday I would like it to include motherhood, but that time is not right now. I am not sure which direction I would like to take my career in the future, but I like to keep exploring what my options are so that when I am ready for a change I can make an educated decision.
I do believe that their is a higher power that has given me a direction that my life should take. I choose to believe that sometimes decisions are made for us that we might not understand at the time, but through time we will become wiser as to what that path is. I also choose to do things in life that I enjoy. We are here for too short a time to be miserable, which is why I will not work as an evening janitor (did that for 3 weeks in college) or as a cook in a restaurant (did for 2 years in high school) or ever work in construction (never did this and have no desire to). I liked cooking at a restaurant when I was in school, but that is not something I would enjoy now. I did not enojy working evenings and working alone as a janitor was - just, well - lonely. For other people, these jobs may be what they enjoy and they might not like listening to people's problems.
I try to apply my desire to do things that I enjoy to all areas of my life. I refuse to let myself be convinced or bullied into volunteering or joining a club for something I don't have time for or are interested in. If I don't feel like going out, I generally don't - although there are times I don't but my desire to hang with that person is greater than my desire to just sit around. (If that makes sense.)
So - I chose my job (turned it down the first time it was offered to me, as I was not in that place at that time), I choose to enjoy my job, and I choose to be happy. And if I choose to be unhappy - then, dammit - let me be unhappy - but right now I still love my job.
Sunday, October 17, 2004
Food, fun, & alcohol
The title pretty much sums up our weekend.
Friday I was exhausted, so we just went out for some Mexican food (there are some really nice authentic Mexican restaurants in our area) and then came home and went to bed early.
Saturday, I helped to neighbors learn to find some info on the internet and then the hubby & I ran to Menards. After that we went to April & Jason's house warming party. They throw a nice party - good food & good company. After the party a group of us went to a haunted house & on a haunted hayride. Although, I am sure Andy did not have is much fun as I (or the others) as he was our DD. But after starting with wine, then a rum & coke, then shots of amaretto & apple pucker (separately) - I hit the hay and woke up with a slight headache. A tall glass of water, a multi-vitamin, and some eggs for breakfast seemed to do the trick and I was ready to go. For
some reason getting protein & a multi in me after a night of drinking is very helpful.
I was pretty much obnoxious to the people in costumes - actually it was not just me and not just our group either - but those things are not so much scary as they are amusing (especially when you are drinking.) Someone April is friends with was able to score us some free tickets for the haunted stuff, so that was nice.
Today - put up some Halloween decorations, Andy built shelves in the garage to put all our shit on, did house cleaning & laundry, and then made a shit load of food (3 small pans of lasagna {1 for tonight and 2 for the freezer} and chili, which will go on the slower cooker tomorrow while I am at work.)
Friday I was exhausted, so we just went out for some Mexican food (there are some really nice authentic Mexican restaurants in our area) and then came home and went to bed early.
Saturday, I helped to neighbors learn to find some info on the internet and then the hubby & I ran to Menards. After that we went to April & Jason's house warming party. They throw a nice party - good food & good company. After the party a group of us went to a haunted house & on a haunted hayride. Although, I am sure Andy did not have is much fun as I (or the others) as he was our DD. But after starting with wine, then a rum & coke, then shots of amaretto & apple pucker (separately) - I hit the hay and woke up with a slight headache. A tall glass of water, a multi-vitamin, and some eggs for breakfast seemed to do the trick and I was ready to go. For
some reason getting protein & a multi in me after a night of drinking is very helpful.
I was pretty much obnoxious to the people in costumes - actually it was not just me and not just our group either - but those things are not so much scary as they are amusing (especially when you are drinking.) Someone April is friends with was able to score us some free tickets for the haunted stuff, so that was nice.
Today - put up some Halloween decorations, Andy built shelves in the garage to put all our shit on, did house cleaning & laundry, and then made a shit load of food (3 small pans of lasagna {1 for tonight and 2 for the freezer} and chili, which will go on the slower cooker tomorrow while I am at work.)
Interesting Story Title
"Human Lie Detectors Almost Never Miss, Study Finds"
Why couldn't they have left off the Human part - are there lie detectors that are not for humans?
Why couldn't they have left off the Human part - are there lie detectors that are not for humans?
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