OK...after my depressive, manic, fairly lengthy rant yesterday, I am better today.
Imagine you've been in Disney World for a month, and then someone tells you you have to leave. It's sort of like that. It's not that you don't LIKE your house - it's just that it's not as fun as Disney World.
I will adjust. And buying new clothes and shoes online last night helped too. Retail therapy.
Oh - and I came home to an empty sink today. NO DISHES! Makes things muuuuuuuccccch better.
Bear with me folks - the journey may be bumpy, but at least I'm still a'going.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
What's In A Name
As a semi-permanent Kindergarten Aide, I get to work with five classes of 5 and 6 year olds - a total of about 90 kids. Names are my current fascination. I mean, you usually have 1 or 2 doozies - crazy-ass names that no one would have ever thought of unless they were on crack of acid. But this year, it seems as if the parents were TRYING to make things difficult, not only for the child, but also for anyone who needs to know the child's name.
Exhibit A: Taylor. Lots of kids are named Taylor. Mostly girls, a few boys here and there. But one family CHOSE to name their child "T-A-Y-E-L-O-R." WTF?
Exhibit B: There are 2-3 Chases at our school, mine being one of them. Today, a new student transferred in. A boy named "C-H-A-Y-S-E".
Exhibit C: The new trend is to change "Sophia" to "S-O-F-I-A."
I lean a little out on the weird branch with "Karlin", but still...are these people nuts? It's like someone said "Hey - let's take a perfectly good name and throw some extra letters in there!"
I have more... Madison - we have Madison, Madisen, and Madisyn. Jackson and Jakson. Emeline (Emma-LINE). Dalaney. Rowan (girl). Ronen (boy). Alayna/Alana. Annabella/Anabella. Aiden/Aidan. Sidney/Sydney. Naveah.
I guess every coin has a 2nd side, though. There's an Eleanore, an Ava Catherine, an Elizabeth, a Joseph, a Stephen. A Gabrielle, a Laura, and a Alicia. (Although that last one is pronounced A LIH See A) A Luke, a William, a Gregory. A Julia.
My poor nephews have FOUR names, thanks to their British father. Don't even ask me how they are going to fill our Tests or Driver's Licence Applications or really
anything.
No Jessicas. No Julies. No Katies. No Brads or Kevins or Dans.
A sign o the times, I guess...
Exhibit A: Taylor. Lots of kids are named Taylor. Mostly girls, a few boys here and there. But one family CHOSE to name their child "T-A-Y-E-L-O-R." WTF?
Exhibit B: There are 2-3 Chases at our school, mine being one of them. Today, a new student transferred in. A boy named "C-H-A-Y-S-E".
Exhibit C: The new trend is to change "Sophia" to "S-O-F-I-A."
I lean a little out on the weird branch with "Karlin", but still...are these people nuts? It's like someone said "Hey - let's take a perfectly good name and throw some extra letters in there!"
I have more... Madison - we have Madison, Madisen, and Madisyn. Jackson and Jakson. Emeline (Emma-LINE). Dalaney. Rowan (girl). Ronen (boy). Alayna/Alana. Annabella/Anabella. Aiden/Aidan. Sidney/Sydney. Naveah.
I guess every coin has a 2nd side, though. There's an Eleanore, an Ava Catherine, an Elizabeth, a Joseph, a Stephen. A Gabrielle, a Laura, and a Alicia. (Although that last one is pronounced A LIH See A) A Luke, a William, a Gregory. A Julia.
My poor nephews have FOUR names, thanks to their British father. Don't even ask me how they are going to fill our Tests or Driver's Licence Applications or really
anything.
No Jessicas. No Julies. No Katies. No Brads or Kevins or Dans.
A sign o the times, I guess...
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Guilty or Lazy?
So it's Thursday. Bart has been gone pretty much all week. I am working full-time for now, and I spend the bulk of my day with 5 year olds. Upon arriving home, my kids commence the 2010 Drama Extravaganza. There's whining. There's bickering. There's crankiness.
So I'm outside. By myself. Drinking a beer. Ok - 2 beers.
Am I lazy? 'Cause I'm feeling a little guilty. It's almost 7 pm and we haven't had dinner yet. (in all fairness, I asked the kids if they were hungry yet and they said no - they are playing with the neighborhood kids at the moment.) The pool deck is a disaster zone. I have some work to do, and the house is a wreck. And don't even get me started on the laundry.
So why exactly am I sitting outside, listening to the pool spillover, drinking a beer (or two), and wasting time on the computer? Dunno. Maybe I am lazy.
I don't know if I will employed past the end of the month, and I can't decide if that's a good thing or a bad thing. On the plus side: the extra money is nice. I like the school and I like the kids and I like my teachers. I mostly like the job (it's getting better now that the teachers are actually trusting me to do stuff with the kids.) It is kind of nice to be doing something every day that someone says "Hey - thanks for coming. How bout we give you a paycheck?" Bart thinks I am making the world a better place, but I think he's overestimating what I do. The commute rocks - .4 of a mile. I haven't had to get gas in weeks. The hours are the same as the kids are in school. This is great because I mostly don't have to worry about child care. But it sucks because it means I get no time to myself. Ever.
On the minus side? Note to the world: getting up to go to a job every day SUCKS. I got busted today for being 4 minutes late. I have spent the last 7 years bring my own boss, so I'm unaccustomed to being on someone else's schedule. That list of things you have to do - laundry, groceries, cooking, cleaning, etc. - it doesn't go away when you get a job. My house is a train wreck, which makes me a little stressed.
(this is the part where one might say - "Then damn girl, get off the computer and go get your shit done.")
I knew I would go back to work someday. But I tell you what - I guess I always thought giving up the freedom and the flexibility would be for a WHOLE LOT MORE MONEY. That cashier at the Girl Scout store? She makes $3 an hour more than I do. Hey - that Janitor at the City Park? Beats me by almost $2. I have a college degree, some post-grad study, 5+ years in educations/curriculum development, 5+ years in various communications and marketing roles, non-profit fundraising experience, and public speaking experience. It's a little hard to stomach the low pay. The full-time job I considered taking last year paid $47,000 MORE than the one I'm in now. Ouch.
You know another negative? I miss being able to spend time in my kid's classes. The reading, the helping with Fun Fridays, the crafts, the scrapbooks - I really miss that. Sure - I'm at the school. But I'm not as involved in the classroom as I have been in past years.
So say my position gets eliminated in 2 weeks - which there is at least a 50/50 chance of happening. Am I happy? Sad? Upset?
I honestly don't know. I have Mommy guilt because I'm not in the kid's classrooms, I'm way exhausted at the end of the day, and the house and laundry are a disaster.
And I miss the freedom. The leisure to go shopping when I want, or work on house projects, or exercise. I miss having lunch with Bart. I miss my girl's nights out, which I haven't been to lately because I have to get up for work the next day.
So I don't know. My perfect compromise would be part-time, but that's not likely to happen.
In the meantime, I sit. And drink beer. And wonder exactly why it's fair that the dumb bastards who created The Snuggie and Silly Bandz are laughing all the way to the bank.
The answer to Life, The Universe, and Everything? That would be 42.
So I'm outside. By myself. Drinking a beer. Ok - 2 beers.
Am I lazy? 'Cause I'm feeling a little guilty. It's almost 7 pm and we haven't had dinner yet. (in all fairness, I asked the kids if they were hungry yet and they said no - they are playing with the neighborhood kids at the moment.) The pool deck is a disaster zone. I have some work to do, and the house is a wreck. And don't even get me started on the laundry.
So why exactly am I sitting outside, listening to the pool spillover, drinking a beer (or two), and wasting time on the computer? Dunno. Maybe I am lazy.
I don't know if I will employed past the end of the month, and I can't decide if that's a good thing or a bad thing. On the plus side: the extra money is nice. I like the school and I like the kids and I like my teachers. I mostly like the job (it's getting better now that the teachers are actually trusting me to do stuff with the kids.) It is kind of nice to be doing something every day that someone says "Hey - thanks for coming. How bout we give you a paycheck?" Bart thinks I am making the world a better place, but I think he's overestimating what I do. The commute rocks - .4 of a mile. I haven't had to get gas in weeks. The hours are the same as the kids are in school. This is great because I mostly don't have to worry about child care. But it sucks because it means I get no time to myself. Ever.
On the minus side? Note to the world: getting up to go to a job every day SUCKS. I got busted today for being 4 minutes late. I have spent the last 7 years bring my own boss, so I'm unaccustomed to being on someone else's schedule. That list of things you have to do - laundry, groceries, cooking, cleaning, etc. - it doesn't go away when you get a job. My house is a train wreck, which makes me a little stressed.
(this is the part where one might say - "Then damn girl, get off the computer and go get your shit done.")
I knew I would go back to work someday. But I tell you what - I guess I always thought giving up the freedom and the flexibility would be for a WHOLE LOT MORE MONEY. That cashier at the Girl Scout store? She makes $3 an hour more than I do. Hey - that Janitor at the City Park? Beats me by almost $2. I have a college degree, some post-grad study, 5+ years in educations/curriculum development, 5+ years in various communications and marketing roles, non-profit fundraising experience, and public speaking experience. It's a little hard to stomach the low pay. The full-time job I considered taking last year paid $47,000 MORE than the one I'm in now. Ouch.
You know another negative? I miss being able to spend time in my kid's classes. The reading, the helping with Fun Fridays, the crafts, the scrapbooks - I really miss that. Sure - I'm at the school. But I'm not as involved in the classroom as I have been in past years.
So say my position gets eliminated in 2 weeks - which there is at least a 50/50 chance of happening. Am I happy? Sad? Upset?
I honestly don't know. I have Mommy guilt because I'm not in the kid's classrooms, I'm way exhausted at the end of the day, and the house and laundry are a disaster.
And I miss the freedom. The leisure to go shopping when I want, or work on house projects, or exercise. I miss having lunch with Bart. I miss my girl's nights out, which I haven't been to lately because I have to get up for work the next day.
So I don't know. My perfect compromise would be part-time, but that's not likely to happen.
In the meantime, I sit. And drink beer. And wonder exactly why it's fair that the dumb bastards who created The Snuggie and Silly Bandz are laughing all the way to the bank.
The answer to Life, The Universe, and Everything? That would be 42.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Random Thoughts
I have been too damned busy (work) and tired (work) to do much blogging. or to really even think about doing much blogging. So here's a bunch a useless thoughts than are running through my head. Consider this a stream of consciousness sort of thing - one though leading to the next.
* It is so freaking hot outside. The heat index yesterday - Sept. 14th - was 98 degrees. Actual temp was 94. I'm a warm weather girl, but would a few days of 86 degrees kill anyone?
* If you go back to work, the list of stuff you have to get done doesn't get any smaller. You just have less time to do it in.
* You would fall out of your chair if you saw some of the behaviors parents send their kids to school with.
* Teachers are grossly underpaid.
* Parents should really take some time to volunteer in the classroom. I mean - your kid is with that teacher and with those kids for more hours each week than they are with you. Don't you think you should have a handle on who they know and what they are doing?
* No, my son. You may not have any kind of Chocolate Cereal for breakfast.
* By the way - if you send your kids to school for the free breakfast, you should know that at least once a week they serve pizza and corn dogs. For breakfast.
* I think I'd like to live the life of my lazy spoiled cat.
* Gray Rat Snakes are really freaking fast.
* Only 15 more days until I can start hanging up my Halloween decorations!
* On rare occasions, if you put book holds on 15 books at the Public Library, they may all come in at once.
* You don't have much time to read if you have a job.
* It's really frustrating to not know if you'll have a job much longer, whether you need the job or not.
* It's a good day when someone refers to your hair roots as "low lights."
* Next week is International Talk Like Pirate Day.
* I bought a new Pirate Flag this weekend. It shows a Skull chugging a drink and says "Time Flies When You're Having Rum."
* I wish Jimmy Buffett would set his spring concert dates.
* I wish Zac Brown was playing anywhere near Tampa.
That's it - my thoughts are exhausted. Hopefully I'll have the energy to tackle the next topics in my mind soon. It's a toss up between "Why I Think It's Wrong to Build a Mosque Anywhere Near the Site of the World Trade Center (subtitled "I Don't Care if That Pastor Wants to Burn the Book") or "Why can't we get some Hurrican Action Here?"
* It is so freaking hot outside. The heat index yesterday - Sept. 14th - was 98 degrees. Actual temp was 94. I'm a warm weather girl, but would a few days of 86 degrees kill anyone?
* If you go back to work, the list of stuff you have to get done doesn't get any smaller. You just have less time to do it in.
* You would fall out of your chair if you saw some of the behaviors parents send their kids to school with.
* Teachers are grossly underpaid.
* Parents should really take some time to volunteer in the classroom. I mean - your kid is with that teacher and with those kids for more hours each week than they are with you. Don't you think you should have a handle on who they know and what they are doing?
* No, my son. You may not have any kind of Chocolate Cereal for breakfast.
* By the way - if you send your kids to school for the free breakfast, you should know that at least once a week they serve pizza and corn dogs. For breakfast.
* I think I'd like to live the life of my lazy spoiled cat.
* Gray Rat Snakes are really freaking fast.
* Only 15 more days until I can start hanging up my Halloween decorations!
* On rare occasions, if you put book holds on 15 books at the Public Library, they may all come in at once.
* You don't have much time to read if you have a job.
* It's really frustrating to not know if you'll have a job much longer, whether you need the job or not.
* It's a good day when someone refers to your hair roots as "low lights."
* Next week is International Talk Like Pirate Day.
* I bought a new Pirate Flag this weekend. It shows a Skull chugging a drink and says "Time Flies When You're Having Rum."
* I wish Jimmy Buffett would set his spring concert dates.
* I wish Zac Brown was playing anywhere near Tampa.
That's it - my thoughts are exhausted. Hopefully I'll have the energy to tackle the next topics in my mind soon. It's a toss up between "Why I Think It's Wrong to Build a Mosque Anywhere Near the Site of the World Trade Center (subtitled "I Don't Care if That Pastor Wants to Burn the Book") or "Why can't we get some Hurrican Action Here?"
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)