Could I pulleeeez go back to work?

Yesterday I had a day off from work. I had visions of a nap, a good magazine read, watching my soap, doing some laundry, and greeting the kids with a June Cleaver smile and clean apron when they walked in the door. Did any of that come to be you ask?

Ummmm. No. Definitely. No.

I left the house at 8 AM for an 8:30 appointment that once again was rescheduled until next week. I had a gazillion errands to run...and while I was running I picked up my first two Christmas presents. Since we are so totally broke this year and going to Florida (that's an odd combination isn't it?) my Christmas shopping will be exceptionally light. I anticipate buying about 12 gifts total this year. Anyway, I digress...

I ran a bunch of errands, had to stop by work at least twice to drop stuff off, attended a retirement party briefly since I had a God-awful meeting with some Upward Bound folks, stopped home for a moment to throw dinner in the crock pot...which was tough and not very good (so much for slow cooking) and then taught class last night until 8:00. I came home and spent a few moments with my big girl, trying to help her make some choices in what things she wants to participate in...and then finally collapsed into bed. Gratefully my bu** isn't as sore from the fall as it was yesterday and I could actually be somewhat comfortable in bed.

So...today I am glad to be back at work. I do believe that my two weeks off during the holidays will be much more restful. Until then, I think the todo list is getting the best of me.

I read Jen the Dust Bunny Hostage' post on shopping, and I feel the same way. Why do I hate shopping so much? I think it's due to the internet. I REALLY prefer to shop from home, when I feel like it, in my jammies while sipping some hot cider. Not fighting the crowds, the lines, the limited selections, the sold outness (is too a word), and the 4 inches of salt melted mushy slow I had to trudge through yesterday. Also, this year there is a lot more list than dollars and that just makes it a bummer.

Here's hoping the new year brings renewed prosperity for the US and for us.

Signing off now, and glad to be back at work :)

Nothin like a good ice storm

Ya gotta love a good ice storm...one where you take teeny tiny steps all the way down the curvy sheet of ice sidewalk, and then when you take the first step into the parking lot...WHAM!!! down you go...shoes flying, papers soakin, pants wet through to the undies, ars hurting, and all the while thinking...OH how I love a good ice storm!

Bruise report to follow...

This isn't the one I was talking about...

Ok, I now on my last post I'd said I'd include pictures, but here's the deal...my weekend is very very quickly slipping away. I have at least 4 loads of laundry that have to be done tonight...That puts me at least at midnight...so I must be quick here.

I just wanted all you readers, friends, (readers are friends too, just not face to face friends) and family afar that I GOT THE JOB!!!! After 8 weeks, 4 interviews and two observations later I finally finally finally have been hired. Whew! My kids seem to be adjusting with trepidation to the change. Although it will be SO SO SO good for my family, it will be SO SO SO hard for them. You see, they have gone to work with me all summer long and on no school days for the past 8 years. So...it will be an adjustment. The big difference is that now...on most of their no school days I'll be home with them. Yes Virginia there is a Santa Claus! Merry Christmas to me. I also have 4 weeks off in the summer. That thought alone almost brings tears to my eyes. I have worked so hard for so long in my life that the thought of working less and making more money seems actually beyond my comprehension. I guess I thought all through grad school, that gee I hope I really do make more and work less, but what if that doesn't really happen? Well, I'm breathing a sigh of relief. I'll work 6.5 hours instead of 9, have double the sick time, double the personal time, and double the vacation time. It's a dream come true...AND I'll be working with some really challenging children, so there will be a lot to learn. I don't have my start date yet, but I'm looking at the end of Jan. Keep a good thought for me on my new journey. I couldn't be more thrilled.

Gotta love a good meme...

Ok, I have a lot to say and a few pics to post...but I'll have to get to that later...but first...I stole this Meme from Givinya who is either a former stalker turned commenter or a new reader...not sure which yet, but glad to have her aboard! Anyway...a good Sunday Meme...here goes...

Ten years ago I:

*was 32. Hmmmm 32.
*Working for a big corporation...on call 24/7 loving and hating it
*Had been married 8 years
*Had just moved in to this our dream home. The same home I want to change 400 things about
*Was mama to a 6, 4, and 3 year old. Whew! That makes me tired all over again!

Five things on Tomorrow's To-Do List:

*Work at COL
*Work at UIC
*Turn in my written resignation
*Laundry (is there a to do list that doesn't include laundry?)
*Order my Christmas cards before it's too late

Five snacks I enjoy:
* Rootbeer (is too a snack)
*Candy
*Pie
*Cake
*Cheese

(The above is why I am so thin I can barely cast a good shadow!)

Five things I would do if I were a millionaire:

*Pay off every bill and then some (the some would be donate to my church)
*Save... a lot
*Buy a beach house
*Buy the MIL a new house
*Pay back my mama what I really owe her

Five places I have lived:

*Machesney Park, IL
*Roscoe, IL
*Rockford, IL
*Loves Park, IL
*Roswell, GA

Five jobs I've had:

This was already compiled in this post... plus I hate to type that much be redundant.

Your turn...I'm not taggin ya but join me if you'd like...

The job market...or not...

There's been a lot of talk on this ole blog about new jobs, old jobs, etc. etc...so today, I thought I'd share a bit, some random bits, about various jobs. Let me digress and tell you how I got there...the other night I was at my precious one's band concert. There I saw an amazing woman with whom I used to work. As she introduced me to her boyfriend, she explained that we used to work in hell together. (I know this is a family G rated blog, but really, it was hell!) Anyway...she went on to say how dumb it was, how unchristian, how crazy, and I replied yeah...and we all had to really stick together to not lose our minds! Aaaaaahhhhhh, the good ole days! So...here's some job related things you may not know about me...

#1 the very first job...waitressing in the back poker room at a local night club for special events. Yup I was about 13 I think and the old Italian men tipped very well :)

#2 the first regularly scheduled job...Pork Chop Alley...grill cook...yuck! The terrific thing about eating at Pork Chop Alley was that everything was covered in grilled onions. The terrific thing about working at Pork Chop Alley was that everything was covered in grilled onions....NOT!!!! Even after washing, my work clothes still smelled like onions! As did my boyfriends car after I rode home in it from work...sorry dude!

#3 Next on the agenda...Hardees...I was the quality control chick there. Someone saw some management potential in me :) I loved that job for about 2 months...I remember calling home one night to ask my mom if I could quit! Today the thought of asking my mom that question cracks me up! I'm pretty sure she said no, since I had a car payment to make, and I'm pretty sure I quit anyway. Gee, wonder why I bothered to ask.

#4 Chuck E Cheese. I worked this job the rest of high school and loved it. I was a birthday party hostess and Chuck E. himself. I got a lot of hours there (which at 3.15 an hour equated to a lot of money in my book!) and I worked with great people and of course children...I never could get enough of children :)

Hmmmm....then I moved to Georgia

#5 Richway...kind of like Target...loved that job too...hated the customers...I worked as a cashier and at the Service Desk...it was like shopping all day long!

Hmmmmm....then I moved back to Illinois

#6 Lawrences...I was a nail technician there...I loved that job too...although the money...not so much.

Finally

#7 Hell...oops I mean Illinois Bell. I was there for 9 years. Really good money, really good, really good friends, awful awful awful job and an awful company to work for. Working there required a lot of therapy.

#8 opened my day care home...the real beginning of my work with children :) Got to stay home with my babies for a time...

#9 E. Riverside Learning Center...infant teacher. I went to school with my kids and I loved this job. If this job paid well, it is the job I would be doing today. I do not think there is any more important position than giving a baby a firm secure foothold in life!

#10 West...back to the corporate world. I loved this job since I was very successful at it...it was also a wonderful income compared to daycare, but being on call 24/7 wasn't for me. I also loved the client entertainment portion :) Fine dining, sports events, etc. etc. AND, I made some wonderful life long friends there.

#11 Back to the children...where I'm at now...I do love this job...but I have a desire to have my skill and talent better utilized...and I want to continue to learn. I have worked with some amazing people during my time here, and learned a lot.

#12? Time will tell

Now, let's just say that you'd be here reading all day if I listed all the part time jobs...bartender, waitress, pet store, teacher, multi level marketing...oh yes there have been many!

It's been quite a journey. I hope to have about 25 years of work left in me...there's a great need, and a whole lot of help that can be given in that amount of time...

Now it's your turn...take a minute and comment what your favorite job was...I'd like to know

Have I lost my mind, or is it gone?

I have been monitoring the ole blog for the 10,000th hit. So today like any other day, I scroll down to see if I hit 9,000 yet, which really I should have, and I scroll and I scroll and I scroll, and I go back up and scroll again...and WHERE HAS IT GONE???!????!???? Where is my 'counter' The very essence of my blog-- and knowing how many folks have stopped by...do me a favor...scroll down my blog and see if you can find it. There is a chance I've lost my mind...and if so, please let me know...

The brave new haircut

Without a photo...

Don't look for a photo here, there isn't one....but do know this...I finally, finally, finally after over 20 years of complaining...took the plunge and changed hairdressers. I struggled with my hair dude for the past year trying to get this certain concave bob hair cut, to no avail. Everytime I left, I had the same haircut I had the time before and it was not the cut I wanted. So...I finally got brave and started asking people where they got their hair cut...even strangers in restaurants! I finally realized that I not only had to know the where, I had to know the who.

There's a gal at my internship who had a haircut similar to the one I want...so I asked her, and she told me, and I finally called to make an appointment with 'John'. Weeeeeeelllll, John is evidently out for the next few weeks, maybe longer. WHAT?!? I've waited a year to take the plunge and now he's out for how long?!? "But Joiya can help you", they said. OK, Whatever, be brave, or not, hope she doesn't screw it up too badly. Finally the appointment arrives. The.longest.haircut.of.all.time. One hour and a half...I kid you not. Here's the thing: I think she only cut off about 1/4 of an inch. Really I wished for about 3 inches to be cut off. But...as the days wore on...I believe I have found a new hairdresser...I think I like this haircut...only shorter. Perhaps she was afraid that I was 'short phobic' which I am not! The shorter the better for me...So...I'm giving her another chance, after the first of the year...and I'm allowing a lot of time...if 1/4 inch took an hour and a half, 3 inches may take all of 2 days!

The kicker is my kids say..."What? You got your hair cut? I can't tell!" What? Who asked you?...I'm certain I got it cut, and I'm certain I like it better. So...stay tuned for January and if I actually get more than 1/4 inch cut off, I might even include a photo!