Well, I've officially been a work-for-pay Mama for two weeks now. I have been BUSY! The hardest part about working outside the home is figuring out how to keep up with all the stuff I have to do at home. My initial thought was, "Hey, we're not going to be at home as much. Maybe we won't mess up as much." Apparently my logic was flawed because we are still just as messy, and it stays messier for far longer than usual. It's certainly a balancing act; however, I have discovered that we can indeed go a week without washing clothes.
I thought my feet were going to totally give out on me the first two days. These ol' dawgs have been wearing flip-flops and house shoes for over three years, so imagine their surprise when I started wearing heels. Yikes. That's all I'm gonna say about that.
My first week entailed me meeting-and-greeting pretty much anybody who's anybody. I pounded the pavement of Buffalo for hours (hence my feet's anger) going hither and thither.
I've interviewed people. I've written a corporate announcement. I've written a feature story for the corporate website and newsletter. I attended a simulcast. Oh, and I attended a two-day class, and I'm proud to say I am now a certified change agent. Impressive, I know.
My "favorite" memory is from day three, the first day I was on my own for lunch. I braved the hospital cafeteria. Boy, talk about feeling like a freshman on her first day of high school. After figuring out what to get, I paid, and then entered the dining room. Wow. It is seriously set up like a school cafeteria: tables along the side and then a mass amount of tables in the center. And it was packed. And there were no empty tables. It was at this point I wished I had gotten my lunch to-go. I found a table with one woman at it. I sat down at her table, diagonal her. She never looked up. Shortly after I sat down, she left. I've braved the cafeteria a few times since then. I'm usually the one (the only one, mind you) sitting by herself. LOL
I think this job is an excellent fit for me. Yes, it will keep me extremely busy, but I am confident there is nothing that can be thrown my way that I can't handle.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Early Halloween
My dad called the other day to wish Chip a happy birthday. After he gave Chip his well-wishes, I got on the phone. Chip came down after I had been on the phone for about 10 minutes and told me to come upstairs when I got off the phone. This is what I found:
Abby-isms
I wish I could remember EVERY hilarious/sweet/thoughtful/weird thing Ab has ever said. Since I can't, I figured I'd record those that I can remember:
- "Thanks for working so hard, Mama. Bless your heart for doing that."
- "This song makes me want to beat William's head."
- "Mama, you look like an old lady." (She said this on my first day of work.)
- "I hate the devil."
- "Mama, did God or the devil make Papa's road bumpy?"
- "Mama, does God have his hand on you?"
Sunday, September 19, 2010
The Date
Chip is getting very creative with our dates. I love it - he plans the whole thing. Last Friday was no different. He told me very little, other than he had a good "surprise" for me.
We had a nice dinner downtown at an Asian-inspired restaurant. Chip kept glancing at his watch because he knew we had to be at our next venue by a certain time. I had no idea where he was taking me next. I was just pleasantly surprised that he spent so much time orchestrating our date.
After we paid for dinner, we left and went directly across the street to a theater! (Not a movie theater, but a performance theater.) This was so unlike my husband! I was so impressed that he took the time to research theaters and to find out what time the show started.
Once inside the theater doors we entered the ticket line. I kept hearing the effeminate man behind the desk ask each guest, "Did you make a reservation?" I mentioned to Chip that we probably had to have reservations. He didn't say anything.
It was our turn. The man looked at us, and Chip said, "Two for Hartin." I about fell out on the floor. Chip had called ahead to make reservations for us! (You must realize this is WAY out of the ordinary.)
While Chip paid for the tickets I grabbed a flyer on the table. I assumed it was a handout for the night's show. The show title was "The Pride." In the background was a bright rainbow. Okay, I don't normally jump to conclusions, but com'on...what would you think if you saw "pride" and a rainbow on the same handout?
I tried to stifle my new found knowledge (and my laughter) until we sat down. We went right on up to the third row. Boy, we had some great seats. After we sat down I said, "Honey, this is awesome! I'm so impressed that you planned all this for us." And then I threw in, "Do you know what the name of tonight's show is? Check this out," and I handed him the handout. It was as if a light bulb went off in his head and he realized the enormity of his oversight.
He just started laughing. I wasn't sure if he was going to get up and run out or what. About that time we just happened to look around and see that we were one of about two or three heterogeneous couples.
Chip just kept shaking his head; he couldn't understand how he could have looked and looked at the theater's website and not have picked up on its theme. He pulled out his Blackberry and pulled up the website; sure enough, there in its blazing glory was a big ol' rainbow.
We just chuckled. We figured this would certainly be a date to remember. Then the show started. We kept waiting for the "Pride" cast to come out. It turns out that the evening's entertainment was actually a cabaret duo. The male singer sang many Judy Garland songs, because, as he explained, she has been his idol since he was a teen.
The show lasted an hour. The audience called for an encore. We snuck out through the curtains.
We had a nice dinner downtown at an Asian-inspired restaurant. Chip kept glancing at his watch because he knew we had to be at our next venue by a certain time. I had no idea where he was taking me next. I was just pleasantly surprised that he spent so much time orchestrating our date.
After we paid for dinner, we left and went directly across the street to a theater! (Not a movie theater, but a performance theater.) This was so unlike my husband! I was so impressed that he took the time to research theaters and to find out what time the show started.
Once inside the theater doors we entered the ticket line. I kept hearing the effeminate man behind the desk ask each guest, "Did you make a reservation?" I mentioned to Chip that we probably had to have reservations. He didn't say anything.
It was our turn. The man looked at us, and Chip said, "Two for Hartin." I about fell out on the floor. Chip had called ahead to make reservations for us! (You must realize this is WAY out of the ordinary.)
While Chip paid for the tickets I grabbed a flyer on the table. I assumed it was a handout for the night's show. The show title was "The Pride." In the background was a bright rainbow. Okay, I don't normally jump to conclusions, but com'on...what would you think if you saw "pride" and a rainbow on the same handout?
I tried to stifle my new found knowledge (and my laughter) until we sat down. We went right on up to the third row. Boy, we had some great seats. After we sat down I said, "Honey, this is awesome! I'm so impressed that you planned all this for us." And then I threw in, "Do you know what the name of tonight's show is? Check this out," and I handed him the handout. It was as if a light bulb went off in his head and he realized the enormity of his oversight.
He just started laughing. I wasn't sure if he was going to get up and run out or what. About that time we just happened to look around and see that we were one of about two or three heterogeneous couples.
Chip just kept shaking his head; he couldn't understand how he could have looked and looked at the theater's website and not have picked up on its theme. He pulled out his Blackberry and pulled up the website; sure enough, there in its blazing glory was a big ol' rainbow.
We just chuckled. We figured this would certainly be a date to remember. Then the show started. We kept waiting for the "Pride" cast to come out. It turns out that the evening's entertainment was actually a cabaret duo. The male singer sang many Judy Garland songs, because, as he explained, she has been his idol since he was a teen.
The show lasted an hour. The audience called for an encore. We snuck out through the curtains.
Back at It
Last Saturday Chip decided he wanted to go kayaking. I asked him if we could go as a family, and he said sure. Not too long ago we discovered a creek than ran behind the local library. We decided to check it out.
Chip loaded up the kayaks and I packed the kids in the car, and we all headed down the street to the library. Although there is no official entry point into the water, we figured it'd be fairly easy to carry the kayaks across a small bridge and just push off from the bank.
As we approached the library we noticed that Main Street is far busier than usual. We couldn't tell what was going on, but it didn't matter...we were just there to take a relaxing ride up the creek.
Once we were on the bank, I stepped into the brisk water in order to climb aboard the kayak. Immediately my foot sank about four inches into sticky mud. Yes, my flip flop came off in the goo. Lovely. Once on board I noticed that my feet were no longer the familiar ivory color I'm used to; they were black. And to make matters worse, the inside of the kayak was now smudged with mud. Ordinarily it wouldn't be a problem, but since the kids were with us, it meant their bottoms would be muddied.
We headed upstream in hopes of escaping the boisterous activity and noise (Abby's description) of the harmonica music. Things went smoothly for the first three minutes. Then we saw it. A small - and I mean really, really small - waterfall.
After pondering how we would get up the waterfall, Chip decided it would be easiest if we just got out of the kayak and pulled the kayak up the ever-so-slight incline. By this time we had attracted quite a crowd. It's amazing how interested people become when they see people trying to go up a "waterfall."
I got out and pulled the boat up over the rocks. Chip did the same. We re-entered the kayaks and continued on our merry way. We went quite a distance and saw some really interesting things, which included a rock castle. Pretty weird. Pretty scary.
After some time, William became quite unruly. Chip offered to take him, and I agreed to swap. Abby came over to my kayak, and Chip took William. Ab was such a good companion. She kept talking to me about God. So sweet.
And then we saw it again. The waterfall. Chip went over it first. He made it look pretty easy until he got stuck. You see, at the base of the waterfall it is pretty shallow, probably only three or four inches. Me, being me, just started laughing in my usual maniacal laughing way. He was so frustrated - and embarrassed. There was yet another crowd watching.
My ride over the waterfall was just as easy and just as embarrassing. I, too, got stuck. I had to get out and drag the kayak off the rocks.
Once we got back to our landing point, we got out in the mud and drug our kayaks up the bank. I watched the kids while Chip loaded everything up. It was at this point that I noticed what a horrible mess we were. Chip and I had mud caked on our feet, we all had mud on our legs, and poor Abby had mud smeared on the back of her pink shorts. Honestly, we looked like we just crawled out of the swamp.
Of course there was a playground right near the bank. All Abby wanted to do was go play. Well, there was a birthday party going on in a pavilion right next to the playground. I was suddenly struck with the hilarity of it all - here we are looking like swamp people, and all my daughter wants to do is play next to the well-kept birthday people. I consented. Luckily no one gave me or my dirty daughter the evil eye.
Once Chip had everything loaded up I was ready to retreat to the car. He had other plans. He wanted to see what was going on on Main Street. So here we go down Main Street: Chip in his dirty shirt, muddy feet, and muddy legs; me with my muddy feet and wet shorts; Abby with her muddy bottom; and William in his shirt covered with spit-up. Everyone else was dressed nicely! I was just about in tears from laughing so hard. It was so funny walking around all trashy in the middle of a town party. We didn't run into anyone we knew. On the other hand, maybe someone saw us and just didn't want to stop and talk to us given our condition.
Chip loaded up the kayaks and I packed the kids in the car, and we all headed down the street to the library. Although there is no official entry point into the water, we figured it'd be fairly easy to carry the kayaks across a small bridge and just push off from the bank.
As we approached the library we noticed that Main Street is far busier than usual. We couldn't tell what was going on, but it didn't matter...we were just there to take a relaxing ride up the creek.
Once we were on the bank, I stepped into the brisk water in order to climb aboard the kayak. Immediately my foot sank about four inches into sticky mud. Yes, my flip flop came off in the goo. Lovely. Once on board I noticed that my feet were no longer the familiar ivory color I'm used to; they were black. And to make matters worse, the inside of the kayak was now smudged with mud. Ordinarily it wouldn't be a problem, but since the kids were with us, it meant their bottoms would be muddied.
We headed upstream in hopes of escaping the boisterous activity and noise (Abby's description) of the harmonica music. Things went smoothly for the first three minutes. Then we saw it. A small - and I mean really, really small - waterfall.
After pondering how we would get up the waterfall, Chip decided it would be easiest if we just got out of the kayak and pulled the kayak up the ever-so-slight incline. By this time we had attracted quite a crowd. It's amazing how interested people become when they see people trying to go up a "waterfall."
I got out and pulled the boat up over the rocks. Chip did the same. We re-entered the kayaks and continued on our merry way. We went quite a distance and saw some really interesting things, which included a rock castle. Pretty weird. Pretty scary.
After some time, William became quite unruly. Chip offered to take him, and I agreed to swap. Abby came over to my kayak, and Chip took William. Ab was such a good companion. She kept talking to me about God. So sweet.
And then we saw it again. The waterfall. Chip went over it first. He made it look pretty easy until he got stuck. You see, at the base of the waterfall it is pretty shallow, probably only three or four inches. Me, being me, just started laughing in my usual maniacal laughing way. He was so frustrated - and embarrassed. There was yet another crowd watching.
My ride over the waterfall was just as easy and just as embarrassing. I, too, got stuck. I had to get out and drag the kayak off the rocks.
Once we got back to our landing point, we got out in the mud and drug our kayaks up the bank. I watched the kids while Chip loaded everything up. It was at this point that I noticed what a horrible mess we were. Chip and I had mud caked on our feet, we all had mud on our legs, and poor Abby had mud smeared on the back of her pink shorts. Honestly, we looked like we just crawled out of the swamp.
Of course there was a playground right near the bank. All Abby wanted to do was go play. Well, there was a birthday party going on in a pavilion right next to the playground. I was suddenly struck with the hilarity of it all - here we are looking like swamp people, and all my daughter wants to do is play next to the well-kept birthday people. I consented. Luckily no one gave me or my dirty daughter the evil eye.
Once Chip had everything loaded up I was ready to retreat to the car. He had other plans. He wanted to see what was going on on Main Street. So here we go down Main Street: Chip in his dirty shirt, muddy feet, and muddy legs; me with my muddy feet and wet shorts; Abby with her muddy bottom; and William in his shirt covered with spit-up. Everyone else was dressed nicely! I was just about in tears from laughing so hard. It was so funny walking around all trashy in the middle of a town party. We didn't run into anyone we knew. On the other hand, maybe someone saw us and just didn't want to stop and talk to us given our condition.
My Ballerina
Abby started pre-ballet classes yesterday. She was so excited! I snapped a few pictures of her before we left home. They need no explanation... Enjoy.
Friday, September 10, 2010
This 'n That
Despite my best intentions, I was too tired to blog last night. There is something about getting up at 5:30 and not being able to take an afternoon nap that really makes me appreciate an early bedtime.
I thought I'd share a few things that happened over the past couple of days. Here they are in no particular order:
1) On Wednesday I had to have a new-hire physical. After filling out lots of paperwork and bending and reaching and reading eye charts and visiting the restroom, I realized the point of the appointment was to make sure I wasn't a druggie and to make sure I didn't have a pre-existing injury.
At one point during the exam, the physician assistant commanded, "Put your chin on your chest and look at the ceiling." Just as an aside, I hate to brag, but if there is anything that I do well, it is following directions. Given that I am an outstanding instruction follower, I did exactly as she said. I put my chin on my chest and dutifully strained my eyeballs in the direction of the ceiling. I don't know about you, but it was physiologically impossible for me to see the ceiling with my chin on my chest. I wondered, "Gee, what in the world is she testing me for? Is she checking my peripheral vision?"
Growing quite concerned that I might be failing the "test," I glanced over to her and noticed that she was performing the tasks she wanted me to do. This cheerful-yet-poor-direction-giver was holding her head all the way back looking at the ceiling. I realized that I, too, was supposed to have my head reclined, and I started laughing hysterically. She looked at me and said, "You're not the first person to misunderstand. I wish I knew how to put it better." I told her, "Maybe you could say, 'Put your chin on your chest and NOW tilt your head back and look at the ceiling.'"
Thankfully, as Chip pointed out, I've been deemed healthy enough to communicate internally (that's my job, internal communications). I think my job started already - after all, I did teach her how to communicate her directions a little more clearly.
2) Driving down Main Street yesterday I noticed something awful. Being the grammar nut that I am, I spot errors a mile away. This particular error was only about thirty feet away: a sign over a cafe that read "RESTUARANT". My initial reaction was, "Hmm, I guess restaurant is a commonly misspelled word." After meditating on the difficulty of spelling that particularly ominous word, it dawned on me that not only did someone mispell the word, they actually had it made into a fancy sign, and then they proudly displayed it for all the world to see. My question is this: Who does the editing for sign companies? I understand people may make a mistake when ordering the sign, but shouldn't the sign maker correct any mispellings before making the erroneous word a permanant fixture for someone's business? Ghastly.
3) I realized that standing in long lines is a perfect opportunity to laugh and to laugh hard and to laugh without any particular reason - right, Amanda?
4) Mandarin collars don't look that great on me.
5) I realize I am not the trendiest person in the world (or even in my house), but I do try to add a few pieces of present-day flair to my wardrobe. I went to Target yesterday and found a clearance-priced scarf rack. I picked out two brightly colored scarves and headed to the check-out. In line behind me was a 30-something, beautiful, trophy wife-esque woman with her pre-pubescent daughter. The dark-haired goddess looked at the scarves I had put on the conveyer belt, and said, "Oh, are those scarves on clearance?" I said, "Yes! Aren't they great?" I just knew I had hit the jackpot with these obviously awesome scarves. Then my heart sank. She turned to her tween and said, "Aren't these the kind of scarves you girls like? Maybe you'll get some in your Christmas stocking." Gee, I can't wait to wear my scarves to work! I ought to be the youngest looking gal around.
6) I am quite convinced that my stomach has a black hole. I am always hungry. (And I'm sure you're wondering, but the answer is NO.)
7) I admire Chip for lots of reasons. One reason in particular is his way of dealing with Abby. He will stand up to her. It's not that I'm afraid to stand up to her, it's just that it's sometimes easier not to fight her over every little detail. Take this morning, for example. Abby insisted on wearing a pair of shoes that her Daddy bought her, which unfortunately are about a half-size too big. Instead of fighting her, I sent her off to school in her big girl shoes, but I made sure her normal shoes were in her backpack.
8) I love Mighty Taco, but after last night's post-preschool nightmarish meltdown in our corner of the restaurant, I'll think twice about ever going there again.
9) There is a bicycler in the area who wears a yellow shirt and who has a trigger-happy middle finger. And he likes to use it. And he used it on me. Silly bicycle man...don't mess with ladies in cars...
'Til next time.
I thought I'd share a few things that happened over the past couple of days. Here they are in no particular order:
1) On Wednesday I had to have a new-hire physical. After filling out lots of paperwork and bending and reaching and reading eye charts and visiting the restroom, I realized the point of the appointment was to make sure I wasn't a druggie and to make sure I didn't have a pre-existing injury.
At one point during the exam, the physician assistant commanded, "Put your chin on your chest and look at the ceiling." Just as an aside, I hate to brag, but if there is anything that I do well, it is following directions. Given that I am an outstanding instruction follower, I did exactly as she said. I put my chin on my chest and dutifully strained my eyeballs in the direction of the ceiling. I don't know about you, but it was physiologically impossible for me to see the ceiling with my chin on my chest. I wondered, "Gee, what in the world is she testing me for? Is she checking my peripheral vision?"
Growing quite concerned that I might be failing the "test," I glanced over to her and noticed that she was performing the tasks she wanted me to do. This cheerful-yet-poor-direction-giver was holding her head all the way back looking at the ceiling. I realized that I, too, was supposed to have my head reclined, and I started laughing hysterically. She looked at me and said, "You're not the first person to misunderstand. I wish I knew how to put it better." I told her, "Maybe you could say, 'Put your chin on your chest and NOW tilt your head back and look at the ceiling.'"
Thankfully, as Chip pointed out, I've been deemed healthy enough to communicate internally (that's my job, internal communications). I think my job started already - after all, I did teach her how to communicate her directions a little more clearly.
2) Driving down Main Street yesterday I noticed something awful. Being the grammar nut that I am, I spot errors a mile away. This particular error was only about thirty feet away: a sign over a cafe that read "RESTUARANT". My initial reaction was, "Hmm, I guess restaurant is a commonly misspelled word." After meditating on the difficulty of spelling that particularly ominous word, it dawned on me that not only did someone mispell the word, they actually had it made into a fancy sign, and then they proudly displayed it for all the world to see. My question is this: Who does the editing for sign companies? I understand people may make a mistake when ordering the sign, but shouldn't the sign maker correct any mispellings before making the erroneous word a permanant fixture for someone's business? Ghastly.
3) I realized that standing in long lines is a perfect opportunity to laugh and to laugh hard and to laugh without any particular reason - right, Amanda?
4) Mandarin collars don't look that great on me.
5) I realize I am not the trendiest person in the world (or even in my house), but I do try to add a few pieces of present-day flair to my wardrobe. I went to Target yesterday and found a clearance-priced scarf rack. I picked out two brightly colored scarves and headed to the check-out. In line behind me was a 30-something, beautiful, trophy wife-esque woman with her pre-pubescent daughter. The dark-haired goddess looked at the scarves I had put on the conveyer belt, and said, "Oh, are those scarves on clearance?" I said, "Yes! Aren't they great?" I just knew I had hit the jackpot with these obviously awesome scarves. Then my heart sank. She turned to her tween and said, "Aren't these the kind of scarves you girls like? Maybe you'll get some in your Christmas stocking." Gee, I can't wait to wear my scarves to work! I ought to be the youngest looking gal around.
6) I am quite convinced that my stomach has a black hole. I am always hungry. (And I'm sure you're wondering, but the answer is NO.)
7) I admire Chip for lots of reasons. One reason in particular is his way of dealing with Abby. He will stand up to her. It's not that I'm afraid to stand up to her, it's just that it's sometimes easier not to fight her over every little detail. Take this morning, for example. Abby insisted on wearing a pair of shoes that her Daddy bought her, which unfortunately are about a half-size too big. Instead of fighting her, I sent her off to school in her big girl shoes, but I made sure her normal shoes were in her backpack.
8) I love Mighty Taco, but after last night's post-preschool nightmarish meltdown in our corner of the restaurant, I'll think twice about ever going there again.
9) There is a bicycler in the area who wears a yellow shirt and who has a trigger-happy middle finger. And he likes to use it. And he used it on me. Silly bicycle man...don't mess with ladies in cars...
'Til next time.
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