I got a new CAMERA!!!!

I got a new camcorder camera. LOVE IT!

Haven't really had a chance to play with it at all, but here is an after dinner clip:



Boring? Yes, but, enjoy anyway.

Cindy

Doctors and Waiting...

Today Bubba went back to the ENT. Last time he went they put a scope up his nose to look in his throat. He has had hoarseness since he was an infant. The doctor diagnosed him with reflux that was causing ulcers and nodules on his vocal chords. Anyway, he put him on a reflux drug and we went back today for his follow up.

When we got there, they gave us a sheet and a watch and gave us a series of questions like, "At what time did you arrive?" "At what time did you finish with reception?" "At what time did a staff come and take you to a room?" "At what time did the doctor come to the room?"

Anyway, when the doctor came in, he was really offended by the survey. He actually looked at it and was HORRIFIED that we had waited an hour in that little room waiting for him. For this place an hour is actually pretty good - usually we're waiting 2 or 3 hours. When my daughter needed tubes, it took MONTHS to get an appointment and sometimes we'd wait 5 or 6 hours just to be told that they are closing and can't see us that day and they would reschedule us 4 or 5 weeks later. It's much better now.

Anyway, Bubba isn't healing yet. He wants to give it another 4 months to give the drugs a chance to work and to keep working with the speech therapist and to train him not to yell. What six year old boy doesn't yell on the playground? Or down the stairs asking for "something." That is going to be really hard.

So, that's the update. We haven't gotten home before 7:30pm yet this week (8:45pm tonight). It's just... Bleh... I have so much stuff I want to do, and I'm just too burnt out to do it...

Bratz Lil Boyz

Ok - I laughed so hard I cried today. Usually I can make other people cry because of the stupid shit I do, but today, I was the one crying.

I mentioned my son's love affair with the Dollar Store. Well, while we were there on Friday I found a Lil' Boyz Bratz doll - but the little version. I knew the perfect recipient for this. It happened to be named Collin. I bought it for someone who already had a full sized Collin Bratz Boy doll in the office.

Anyway, I brought him in and low and behold the doll has SERIOUS abs. I'm not sure what stereotype this is setting for young metrosexuals. I don't believe all metrosexuals need to have incredible 6 pack abs. This is definately NOT your Ken doll. Upon undressing the doll at work - we realized that he had an adonis belt (I learned today that it's the "v" on the ripped male body leading to the "junk."



We checked for junk on the bratz doll - but like Ken - it is lacking. Except for the telltale "V"... I'm certain to be fired for 1. buying the doll and 2. giving the doll to someone on my team and 3. for laughing so hard at the abs and "junk" of the Lil Boyz doll.

I think I'm a freaking 12 year old!

Okey Doke

Alright -

So my first proposal flopped... That's ok... I'm ok with it... REALLY!! WHY ARE YOU LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT??!! I'M FINE!!! I REALLY AM!!!

Actually, I really am. I haven't given up on my dream to quit my job and do contract work from home. Honestly, I'm more excited than ever about it. I think my kids will benefit, and I think I will benefit. I've been so pro-woman working in tech for so long, it sort of feels like a defeat. But, maybe I'm just accepting my fate.

My dear friend (who's life has mirrored mine) recently was pushed out of her job and she is loving life as being a contractor and a mom. I really think I would too.. I still don't know if we can swing it. Can I live life without my random spending? What if I want the next super awesome iphone? I won't be able to get it... Am I ok with that - really?

My day started with a meeting with nib (new italian boss) and it wasn't horrible. However, I didn't really care what the outcome of the meeting was. It was more of informational sharing and it went very well. I think my team does things better, but I really listened to what he had to say. Maybe that's all he wants.. Can I make the next 6 months tolerable? Absolutely. So, I'm not quitting yet. It still sounds really lovely however.

Not a Fluke

Well, I went back to Walmart today for my weekly grocery shopping (actually, I went to Safeway yesterday to pick up chicken breasts that were on sale and wicked cheap asperagus). It was as busy as it was last week. But, I only spent $109 for the week for 4 people - that's still about half the price of Safeway. Which sort of makes me sad, because I love Safeway.

But, I saved us another $100 this week. :) I also put out my first proposal on a website design - services for services. We'll see how it goes. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

I have to go to work tomorrow, and I literally have meetings from 8am to 5pm. And it makes me want to cry, big fat crocodile tears.

At Bubba's indoor soccer game, I saw a dear friend who was the one other working mom that I identified with. She quit her job back in January (for different reasons) and is just loving life. She and I had approximately the same number of people working for us and we both held positions of "authority" in a male dominated field. Our experiences were very similar. She is now doing some contractual work in her field and she's really enjoying it. She also has a peanut allergic kid. And our kids went to school together for years, and I carpooled her kids to school for a year. They are a wonderful family and I'm thinking that if they can do it, we can too. After two weeks of pursuing this, we haven't dismissed it yet. That is saying something! I still feel a lot of hope - we might actually be able to make this work.

While trying to watch what I spend these last two weeks - I realized how much more comfortable I am being "frugal." I grew up in a house with one working parent - oddly enough, it was my mom. My mom was an ICU nurse so we never had a lot of money. I feel much more normal watching costs. The last few years, with two good salaries, I buy whatever the heck I feel like. I don't care if something is on sale or not. But, it feels so much "better" to just not buy it because I can. Anyway, this probably sounds totally weird and I probably sound like a complete spoiled brat. So, I'll just shut up now.

Obsession with the Dollar Store

My son has an obsession with the Dollar Store. I just found this out.

I commute to work - it's about an hour drive. The kids also go to school close to my work - so they can be near in case anything happens. Plus, we get the commute time to spend together. Anyway, yesterday, Prissy had a field trip that ran way way way over and Bubba and I had to kill some time before we could pick her up and head home.

So, after dinner and frozen yogurt, we went to the Dollar Store - I told Bubba he could get one thing (yeah, I know - I totally spoil him. :)) Man, he was in absolute heaven. We spent a good 30 minutes there and he ended up picking a balloon pumper-upper thing with the long balloons you can make into animal shapes. He was so excited.

We got home and it was really late, so I sent Bubba up to take a shower. Prissy decides to try out Bubba's new toy and breaks it. Oh shit. Oh shit. Oh shit. It's a freaking dollar toy and not made well - but when Bubba came down and saw his toy was broken he was crushed. He didn't even get a chance to break it himself. Anyway, Prissy felt horrible and gave him $5 to make up for it.

So, we went to the Dollar Store near us today and Bubba is just obsessed with the place. He bought himself several things. All of it crap. But, at least I won't feel bad throwing it away in 3 or 4 weeks when it becomes clutter.

There is some weird ass shit at the dollar store.

Annoying Coughing

Let me mention first, that I work in a cublicle environment. We have tiny tiny cubes. To make it more appealing, they make them gray. With half of the flourescent lights turned off. You can hear the person next to you breathing, typing, burping, farting and being. You know the most intimate details of their lives... The fights they have with their wives (not husbands, because there are very few women). You can hear when someone is talking to their lawyer because they are in the midst of a divorce. You know the entire plans of someone's life - whether you want to or not.

There is a guy who sits next to me and he has had this cough since the end of December. It has recently progressed to being a REALLY BAD COUGH... Some people are worried about him, I'm just fucking annoyed. I have told him to go to the doctor on multiple occasions. I should mention - he doesn't stop coughing. He says he doesn't feel bad - but he doesn't ever stop coughing - EVER. I'm not even sure when he breathes. It's so distracting and annoying that I'm about to kill him. I've brought him cough drops - and I continue to BEG him to see a doctor. He assures me that he doesn't have time (because he's so important and busy at work - give me a break.) But, his not having time is distracting enough where it's impacting ME DAMNIT!!! BECAUSE YOU KNOW - IT'S ALWAYS ABOUT ME!!! Anyway, Monday's and Tuesday's I don't spend any time in my office - so, I won't have to listen, but if he still has this cough on Wednesday - I'm dragging him to an Urgent Care clinic.

Ugh! He is teaching me some strong lessons about taking care of yourself for the sanity of others.