Little Man graduated from 8th grade yesterday. LM is my cousin who lives with my parents, you can read more about him here.
I’m not sure about other parts of the country, but in central California, 8th grade graduation has become a bigger deal in the last couple decades…maybe because fewer and fewer actually graduate from high school. Anyway, LM got his chance yesterday…and in the true spirit of his immediate family (parents and siblings), no one called or showed up for the ceremony or sent a gift.
The kids don’t wear a cap and gown, but they do get a little diploma. I wish we could have been there to cheer for him. Mom and Dad sat in the audience and smiled and clapped, and then they took him to the all time best pizza place around – Rusty’s! They were still chowing down on pizza and potato wedges when I called to wish The Graduate congratulations. After dinner, he was heading to the 8th grade dance. Woo hoo!
I remember my 8th grade dance, and I was feeling brave last night, so I thought I’d post a picture of me at my dance…but, I couldn’t find one…so sorry! =)
Congratulations to Little Man! I asked him if was ready to be a high school kid, and he said no, he’s just a kid…and he liked junior high…he’s enjoyed ruling the roost this year. Tough break…but he’ll do awesome in high school, I know it!
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Random Acts
Something strange happened to me last week…I’m talking really strange…a woman insisted on paying for my order at Panera.
We had a big storm the night before and it knocked out our power, so my alarm didn’t go off, and I woke up 15 minutes late. I had to stop at Panera to get breakfast for the class I was facilitating. I’d been stopping there on my way to work all week, but I was about 10 minutes later than usual that morning.
When I got there, there were 2 people in line in front of me. While I studied the menu and decided what I wanted to order, a bus driver and another woman got in line behind me. The woman behind me knew the woman in front of me, so they started talking until the line moved forward. The lady in front of me ordered her bagel and coffee, and then leaned forward and said something to the cashier.
Then it was my turn. I stepped up and started ordering my coffee cake, bagels, and coffee, and while they started putting my order together, the lady leaned over and said, “I’m paying for your order.” I just stared at her at first, and when I finally found my voice, I told her that she didn’t have to do that. She said, no, she wanted to pay for my stuff. I told her it would be a lot, and I was getting reimbursed from work, but she still insisted. I asked her why…she said, “because it’s Thursday.” What??
My order probably came to $15 at least, and she insisted on paying for it. I had never seen this woman before in my life, and she knew the lady in line behind me, but she paid for my stuff. I managed to sputter out a “Thank You”, and “I really appreciate it,” but I felt like I should have said a lot more.
I drove to work in a daze…I couldn’t believe what had just happened. I guess it was truly a random act of kindness.
I started thinking that I now needed to do something nice for someone else. Because isn’t that the point of random acts? You’re supposed to pass that kindness on?
I’ve been thinking about what I could do, and I had 2 chances today, but still it seems like not enough to “pay back” what that woman did for me. At the gym this afternoon, I fixed the step of the girl in front of me so that she wouldn’t fall when she jumped on it. And at the grocery store later in the day, I helped a lady who was about to lose her soda from the bottom of her cart.
I guess part of the point might be just to make me more aware of being friendly to other people. Actually, that’s not a bad thing for me to be aware of…I tend to have very little patience for people in the public, and sometimes I’m not very nice.
I have no idea why that woman picked me to be nice to, but it definitely has caused me to think differently in the last several days. It’s not that big a deal to do something small for someone else, even if you don’t know them…I’m going to try to do those things more often from now on.
We had a big storm the night before and it knocked out our power, so my alarm didn’t go off, and I woke up 15 minutes late. I had to stop at Panera to get breakfast for the class I was facilitating. I’d been stopping there on my way to work all week, but I was about 10 minutes later than usual that morning.
When I got there, there were 2 people in line in front of me. While I studied the menu and decided what I wanted to order, a bus driver and another woman got in line behind me. The woman behind me knew the woman in front of me, so they started talking until the line moved forward. The lady in front of me ordered her bagel and coffee, and then leaned forward and said something to the cashier.
Then it was my turn. I stepped up and started ordering my coffee cake, bagels, and coffee, and while they started putting my order together, the lady leaned over and said, “I’m paying for your order.” I just stared at her at first, and when I finally found my voice, I told her that she didn’t have to do that. She said, no, she wanted to pay for my stuff. I told her it would be a lot, and I was getting reimbursed from work, but she still insisted. I asked her why…she said, “because it’s Thursday.” What??
My order probably came to $15 at least, and she insisted on paying for it. I had never seen this woman before in my life, and she knew the lady in line behind me, but she paid for my stuff. I managed to sputter out a “Thank You”, and “I really appreciate it,” but I felt like I should have said a lot more.
I drove to work in a daze…I couldn’t believe what had just happened. I guess it was truly a random act of kindness.
I started thinking that I now needed to do something nice for someone else. Because isn’t that the point of random acts? You’re supposed to pass that kindness on?
I’ve been thinking about what I could do, and I had 2 chances today, but still it seems like not enough to “pay back” what that woman did for me. At the gym this afternoon, I fixed the step of the girl in front of me so that she wouldn’t fall when she jumped on it. And at the grocery store later in the day, I helped a lady who was about to lose her soda from the bottom of her cart.
I guess part of the point might be just to make me more aware of being friendly to other people. Actually, that’s not a bad thing for me to be aware of…I tend to have very little patience for people in the public, and sometimes I’m not very nice.
I have no idea why that woman picked me to be nice to, but it definitely has caused me to think differently in the last several days. It’s not that big a deal to do something small for someone else, even if you don’t know them…I’m going to try to do those things more often from now on.
Friday, May 25, 2007
7 things from my teenage years
1. When I was 13, my parents ruined my life. Yes, they did, really…see, they picked up our family and moved us from CA to TX…1 week before I started high school. It happened quickly, so when I finished junior high we had no idea that we would be moving, which meant that I didn’t have a chance to say good bye to a lot of my friends. I started high school in San Antonio, TX, where I didn’t know a single person. Of course, 15 months later, after I’d made a best friend, and come to LOVE LOVE LOVE Texas (the entire family had), they picked us up and moved us back to CA – stinkin’ jobs!
Here we are driving away from our house in CA for the LOONNNNGG drive to TX -- nice VW bus, huh?
2. When I was 14 and at the end of my freshman year, my brother ruined my life. I had become good friends with our next door neighbor who was a year older than me. Her mom was a lot more lenient than my parents were so we had started to spend the night at her house on the weekends and sneak out to wander around our neighborhood after we were thought to be sleeping. One night we had the bright idea to sneak out and go to a teenage night club – somehow our brothers found out and they told on us. My dad showed up AT THE CLUB to take us home. All I remember is that I was dancing to some RAD (*snort* I said rad) song, when I saw my dad in the strobe light across the club. I literally froze – deer in the headlights – as Dad pushed his way towards us. As it turned out, it was a good thing he showed up since we didn’t have a ride home, and we were in a not-so-nice industrial part of SA. I got grounded for a month, and my friend couldn’t use the phone for a week…so we enslaved our brothers to carry notes back and forth – after all, it was all their fault.
Here's my next door neighbor (on the left) and I (in the middle)...check out those 1988 clothes and hair!
3. When I was 16, I ruined my own life (notice a trend here??). Obviously I hadn’t learned my lesson from #2 above since I told my parents I was staying at Renee’s house and she told her parents she was staying at my house, and we actually took her mom’s Prelude, cruised downtown, turned the wrong way down a one-way street (I was driving) and had to bale out into an alley where we scratched the side of the car, then proceeded to pick up some guys and hang out for a while before we went back to her house and crashed. If that wasn’t bad enough, our parents got smart, figured it out, and I got grounded for 3 months! Without the use of my car! I think Renee got restricted from the phone for a week.
4. The summer between junior and senior year of HS, I went to an engineering camp for girls in Hoboken, NJ (yes, I was kind of a nerd). I knew I wanted to be an enginner, and my physics teacher recommended me for the program, so I applied, was accepted, and flew off to NJ/NY for 2 weeks. I had a blast, met some great girls, learned a little, and got to see the Twin Towers.
I'm so happy I was able to go to NYC and see it before 9/11...
5. I graduated from high school when I was 17. I was ranked number 11 of about 550 students, and I was considered a valedictorian because my GPA was over 4.0. I spent my summer between high school and college working at a law firm as a file clerk and taking English Composition at my junior college, where I went on to take 2 more years of pre-engineering classes.
Here are Dad, Mom, and me at my baccalaureate...the scary thing is that that Dad was only a few years older than my hubby is right now!
6. While I was going to junior college, a lady who I worked with at the law firm decided to retire and move to the mountains. Her house wasn’t selling, so she asked me to “housesit” until it sold. My best friend, Lost in NC, moved with me to the house. While we were living in the house together, NC and I had some car troubles. My 1983 Honda Civic died at school one day (we later found out that the timing belt had broken), and I had it towed home.
Here's Mr. Man, my busted old car...he was called Mr. Man because he never did what I wanted him to when I wanted him to.
The next day I had an 8am class, but NC didn’t have class until later. So, she told me to take her car (a 1982 Honda Civic almost exactly like mine) and come back to pick her up on my break. Well, I totaled her car on my way to school. I flipped it when I drove too fast up a hill on wet roads. When the guy who pulled me out of the car asked if I was ok, all I could say was, “I totaled her car, she’s going to kill me…what did I do???” There’s a lot more to this story, but the bottom line is that NC and I are still friends, but we did go through a rough patch for a while…at least we had my grandma’s 1977 Pontiac Bonneville to drive around in until NC could get a new car.
Here's "Henry", NC's car...after I wrecked it. When I flipped it, I landed on the roof of the car.
Here's Bonnie, the Bonneville...ain't she grand?
7. When I was 19, I got baptized. I became a Christian when I was very young, but I never thought much about baptism until my late teens. Somehow I finally learned that even though I didn’t need to be baptized to be “saved”, God still wanted me to do it – in obedience to Him. It was an amazing experience – several others in my youth group were baptized with me, and I will never forget it.
NOTE: None of the above items really ruined my life...but as a teenager, it kinda felt like it at the time. I learned a lot, made a lot of mistakes, made a lot of great friends, and became a stronger person because of what I experienced.
Here we are driving away from our house in CA for the LOONNNNGG drive to TX -- nice VW bus, huh?
2. When I was 14 and at the end of my freshman year, my brother ruined my life. I had become good friends with our next door neighbor who was a year older than me. Her mom was a lot more lenient than my parents were so we had started to spend the night at her house on the weekends and sneak out to wander around our neighborhood after we were thought to be sleeping. One night we had the bright idea to sneak out and go to a teenage night club – somehow our brothers found out and they told on us. My dad showed up AT THE CLUB to take us home. All I remember is that I was dancing to some RAD (*snort* I said rad) song, when I saw my dad in the strobe light across the club. I literally froze – deer in the headlights – as Dad pushed his way towards us. As it turned out, it was a good thing he showed up since we didn’t have a ride home, and we were in a not-so-nice industrial part of SA. I got grounded for a month, and my friend couldn’t use the phone for a week…so we enslaved our brothers to carry notes back and forth – after all, it was all their fault.
Here's my next door neighbor (on the left) and I (in the middle)...check out those 1988 clothes and hair!
3. When I was 16, I ruined my own life (notice a trend here??). Obviously I hadn’t learned my lesson from #2 above since I told my parents I was staying at Renee’s house and she told her parents she was staying at my house, and we actually took her mom’s Prelude, cruised downtown, turned the wrong way down a one-way street (I was driving) and had to bale out into an alley where we scratched the side of the car, then proceeded to pick up some guys and hang out for a while before we went back to her house and crashed. If that wasn’t bad enough, our parents got smart, figured it out, and I got grounded for 3 months! Without the use of my car! I think Renee got restricted from the phone for a week.
4. The summer between junior and senior year of HS, I went to an engineering camp for girls in Hoboken, NJ (yes, I was kind of a nerd). I knew I wanted to be an enginner, and my physics teacher recommended me for the program, so I applied, was accepted, and flew off to NJ/NY for 2 weeks. I had a blast, met some great girls, learned a little, and got to see the Twin Towers.
I'm so happy I was able to go to NYC and see it before 9/11...
5. I graduated from high school when I was 17. I was ranked number 11 of about 550 students, and I was considered a valedictorian because my GPA was over 4.0. I spent my summer between high school and college working at a law firm as a file clerk and taking English Composition at my junior college, where I went on to take 2 more years of pre-engineering classes.
Here are Dad, Mom, and me at my baccalaureate...the scary thing is that that Dad was only a few years older than my hubby is right now!
6. While I was going to junior college, a lady who I worked with at the law firm decided to retire and move to the mountains. Her house wasn’t selling, so she asked me to “housesit” until it sold. My best friend, Lost in NC, moved with me to the house. While we were living in the house together, NC and I had some car troubles. My 1983 Honda Civic died at school one day (we later found out that the timing belt had broken), and I had it towed home.
Here's Mr. Man, my busted old car...he was called Mr. Man because he never did what I wanted him to when I wanted him to.
The next day I had an 8am class, but NC didn’t have class until later. So, she told me to take her car (a 1982 Honda Civic almost exactly like mine) and come back to pick her up on my break. Well, I totaled her car on my way to school. I flipped it when I drove too fast up a hill on wet roads. When the guy who pulled me out of the car asked if I was ok, all I could say was, “I totaled her car, she’s going to kill me…what did I do???” There’s a lot more to this story, but the bottom line is that NC and I are still friends, but we did go through a rough patch for a while…at least we had my grandma’s 1977 Pontiac Bonneville to drive around in until NC could get a new car.
Here's "Henry", NC's car...after I wrecked it. When I flipped it, I landed on the roof of the car.
Here's Bonnie, the Bonneville...ain't she grand?
7. When I was 19, I got baptized. I became a Christian when I was very young, but I never thought much about baptism until my late teens. Somehow I finally learned that even though I didn’t need to be baptized to be “saved”, God still wanted me to do it – in obedience to Him. It was an amazing experience – several others in my youth group were baptized with me, and I will never forget it.
NOTE: None of the above items really ruined my life...but as a teenager, it kinda felt like it at the time. I learned a lot, made a lot of mistakes, made a lot of great friends, and became a stronger person because of what I experienced.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
How people find my blog...
Here are some of the most recent searches that have led people to my blog...kinda scary, huh?
“Egypt Girl Slave California”
“pictures of gorillas eating food”
“gorillas I got sunshine in bag”
“my husband conjugal visit"
“Egypt Girl Slave California”
“pictures of gorillas eating food”
“gorillas I got sunshine in bag”
“my husband conjugal visit"
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Say what??
"Maybe you're pregnant if you're feeling so sick," my hubby said to me as I lay in pain on our couch last night.
After several seconds of stunned silence (from me), I finally was able to respond, "No, I don't think so. It's too early."
The reason I was stunned was this was the first time, ever, that hubby had said the word PREGNANT in my presence. See, when we got married, hubby swore he didn't want kids. It almost broke the engagement because, although I wasn't positive that I wanted them, I also wasn't willing to rule it out at that point. He finally settled on the statement that he didn't want them then, but he MAY change his mind later.
I was blown away that he didn't want them because he is SO great with kids...all kinds, any kids...they all love him. He doesn't hesitate to get down on the floor and wrestle around, or sit on the couch and watch a silly movie, or do magic tricks, or read books, or play make believe, or help them with art projects. In fact, at most parties where kids and adults are both there, hubby usually disappears with the kids to play...instead of hanging out with the adults. His argument was always that he didn't have to deal with them when they weren't having fun anymore...not a bad argument, but I've always known that he would make an awesome dad.
Last year sometime, my biological clock finally started ticking (at age 32, it was about time!). It started out slowly, and was helped along by many many many announcements of pregnancies by friends and family. Hubby started to cave in on his ultimatum of no kids...either he'd woken up and realized how great a Dad he would be or I finally wore him down. We agreed that once we left CA, we'd start trying.
That was 9 months ago.
And nothing.
I have several friends who have had fertility problems, and they have been wonderful resources for me as I learn things about my body that I probably should have already known. My good friend Paulette loaned me an awesome book that has taught me SO much, "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" by Toni Weschler. I found out that there are some pretty basic things about reproduction that I had no idea about. I hope my new knowledge will help us speed things along.
I've always wanted to be a young mom (if I became a mom), but I also wanted to establish my career and have time with my husband before I started a family...funny how those 2 things don't match up. And I went through a time where I didn't want to have kids because I was afraid of the pain of giving birth. I'm still very afraid of that part, but my desire to have a child that is part me and part my husband has far outweighed that fear (at least for the time being!).
Somewhere in the last several months, I think hubby has come to have the same desire of me. I'm not sure if it was there all along and he was keeping it in, or if he has a bio clock that has started ticking, or if maybe all the time he's spent with his nieces lately has had an impact, but I'm glad that he's looking forward to children as much as I am now. It will make our journey together that much more exciting and special.
After several seconds of stunned silence (from me), I finally was able to respond, "No, I don't think so. It's too early."
The reason I was stunned was this was the first time, ever, that hubby had said the word PREGNANT in my presence. See, when we got married, hubby swore he didn't want kids. It almost broke the engagement because, although I wasn't positive that I wanted them, I also wasn't willing to rule it out at that point. He finally settled on the statement that he didn't want them then, but he MAY change his mind later.
I was blown away that he didn't want them because he is SO great with kids...all kinds, any kids...they all love him. He doesn't hesitate to get down on the floor and wrestle around, or sit on the couch and watch a silly movie, or do magic tricks, or read books, or play make believe, or help them with art projects. In fact, at most parties where kids and adults are both there, hubby usually disappears with the kids to play...instead of hanging out with the adults. His argument was always that he didn't have to deal with them when they weren't having fun anymore...not a bad argument, but I've always known that he would make an awesome dad.
Last year sometime, my biological clock finally started ticking (at age 32, it was about time!). It started out slowly, and was helped along by many many many announcements of pregnancies by friends and family. Hubby started to cave in on his ultimatum of no kids...either he'd woken up and realized how great a Dad he would be or I finally wore him down. We agreed that once we left CA, we'd start trying.
That was 9 months ago.
And nothing.
I have several friends who have had fertility problems, and they have been wonderful resources for me as I learn things about my body that I probably should have already known. My good friend Paulette loaned me an awesome book that has taught me SO much, "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" by Toni Weschler. I found out that there are some pretty basic things about reproduction that I had no idea about. I hope my new knowledge will help us speed things along.
I've always wanted to be a young mom (if I became a mom), but I also wanted to establish my career and have time with my husband before I started a family...funny how those 2 things don't match up. And I went through a time where I didn't want to have kids because I was afraid of the pain of giving birth. I'm still very afraid of that part, but my desire to have a child that is part me and part my husband has far outweighed that fear (at least for the time being!).
Somewhere in the last several months, I think hubby has come to have the same desire of me. I'm not sure if it was there all along and he was keeping it in, or if he has a bio clock that has started ticking, or if maybe all the time he's spent with his nieces lately has had an impact, but I'm glad that he's looking forward to children as much as I am now. It will make our journey together that much more exciting and special.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Ra ra ra ra ra ra
Waiter #1, Waiter #2, Waiter #3: [singing] Deck the halls with boughs of horry, ra ra ra ra ra, ra ra ra ra.
Chop Suey Palace Owner: No, no, not 'ra ra ra ra', 'la la la la'! Try again.
Waiter #1, Waiter #2, Waiter #3: Deck the halls with boughs of horry, ra ra ra ra ra, ra ra ra ra.
Chop Suey Palace Owner: No, no! Sing something else.
Waiter #1, Waiter #2, Waiter #3: Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way. Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sreigh!
I expect everyone to know EXACTLY where the above quotes are from...c'mon...you know it...A Christmas Story! Well, I was at that same Chinese restaurant last night -- it HAD to be!
MIL's bday is today, so last night all of the local family members took her out to dinner - her choice...thus the scary Chinese restaurant. It's the 'Rents favorite place to go (which in my opinion means that they need to get out more, but I digress), and it's about 100 years old.
I had actually eaten food from there before, but we had it delivered. I wasn't that impressed with the food then, but I thought it might be different if we ordered it and ate it right away - at the restaurant. So, we walk into this ancient place at 7pm last night, and we're the only ones there -- we were probably the only ones who were there all night. The place is OLD, and it smells old, and the owner/hostess/waitress came to greet us from a dark room off the lobby of the building where she'd been doing something on a computer. We were seated and started to peruse the menu. The descriptions sounded wonderful, and I made my choices. FIL ordered his standard appetizer - which turned out to be pretty yummy - crab rangoons.
It's a good thing that the place wasn't busier because it took us 2 hours to eat crab rangoons and our entrees...but we didn't actually mind because we got some GREAT stories out of MIL. I think my jaw hit the table no less than 3 times at what I heard (it's a good thing, too, because it distracted me from my nasty chicken and celery in some weird sauce -- NOT the description from the menu, but whatever).
Come to find out, MIL was engaged to some guy before FIL. She said that she accepted his proposal even though she didn't think she should...no one thought she should, but no one told her that either. Anyway, while she was engaged to this guy, my FIL started as a new preacher at her church...and immediately he set his eyes on her, EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS ALREADY ENGAGED. He started calling her house all the time and talking to her at church, and he claims that she was always making eyes at him, too...typical male ego. *smirk*
One of these times that he called her at her home (where she lived with her parents), MIL happened to be out riding her brother's motorcycle (this is when my jaw dropped again -- I had NO idea she was so adventurous), and her mom told FIL to NEVER call again...but, he didn't listen.
At some point, MIL woke up and dumped the first dude and the rest is history -- they dated for 4 months before they got engaged, then got married 8 months after that...and that was 41 years ago! Go Mom!
We had a wonderful evening (aside from the food) -- my nieces brought MIL flowers, B played with the girls, SIL and I got to chat, MIL got great gifts, FIL got his crab rangoon, and BIL had to leave early to sell a car (good news!). All in all, it was a fun evening. MIL even thanked me for coming into B's life and rescuing him from the life of sin that he was leading with all his other girlfriends (that says a lot seeing that I'm from the wrong "denomination").
After we got home and got ready for bed, my little sis called from AL and I chatted with her for a long time while I lounged in bed. Sis and I love each other very ,but we also tend to disagree on a lot of things. Last night, however, we had an awesome talk.
I've mentioned before that she's preggers with her first. She and her hubby work for a great non-profit organization where they DAILY impact the lives of kids. Well, they've been asked to consider an opportunity to further their work with the organization, in Colorado. This is something that they considered months ago, but didn't think would work out so they decided to buy a house in AL and stay down there for a few more years...then they found out they were expecting, and it really seemed like they'd made the right choice.
The house they bought was supposed to close escrow this weekend, they have given their notice on their rental and have to be out by the end of May, and oh yeah, remember she's pregnant and swamped at work. AND THEN, Colorado calls and says, send us your resumes, we think we want you. What??? They were already stressed by about a million things going on in their lives and then this. They love AL, but they are determined to do what God wants them to do -- now, they just have to figure out what that is.
My prayer list has gotten longer and longer as this year has progressed. God is faithful and answers all our prayers (even if the answer isn't what we want to hear), and I'm so grateful that He hears me...my sis is now at the top of my list. She and her hubby have a lot to decide in not much time -- God has already answered prayer because they have extended their escrow on the house they're buying and their landlords have agreed to let them stay through part of June (when before they said NO WAY).
If you guys think about it, say a prayer for Sis and her family...I would appreciate it. I want them to do what God wants them to do, also, but I have to mention that CO is a lot closer to me that AL! =)
Chop Suey Palace Owner: No, no, not 'ra ra ra ra', 'la la la la'! Try again.
Waiter #1, Waiter #2, Waiter #3: Deck the halls with boughs of horry, ra ra ra ra ra, ra ra ra ra.
Chop Suey Palace Owner: No, no! Sing something else.
Waiter #1, Waiter #2, Waiter #3: Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way. Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sreigh!
I expect everyone to know EXACTLY where the above quotes are from...c'mon...you know it...A Christmas Story! Well, I was at that same Chinese restaurant last night -- it HAD to be!
MIL's bday is today, so last night all of the local family members took her out to dinner - her choice...thus the scary Chinese restaurant. It's the 'Rents favorite place to go (which in my opinion means that they need to get out more, but I digress), and it's about 100 years old.
I had actually eaten food from there before, but we had it delivered. I wasn't that impressed with the food then, but I thought it might be different if we ordered it and ate it right away - at the restaurant. So, we walk into this ancient place at 7pm last night, and we're the only ones there -- we were probably the only ones who were there all night. The place is OLD, and it smells old, and the owner/hostess/waitress came to greet us from a dark room off the lobby of the building where she'd been doing something on a computer. We were seated and started to peruse the menu. The descriptions sounded wonderful, and I made my choices. FIL ordered his standard appetizer - which turned out to be pretty yummy - crab rangoons.
It's a good thing that the place wasn't busier because it took us 2 hours to eat crab rangoons and our entrees...but we didn't actually mind because we got some GREAT stories out of MIL. I think my jaw hit the table no less than 3 times at what I heard (it's a good thing, too, because it distracted me from my nasty chicken and celery in some weird sauce -- NOT the description from the menu, but whatever).
Come to find out, MIL was engaged to some guy before FIL. She said that she accepted his proposal even though she didn't think she should...no one thought she should, but no one told her that either. Anyway, while she was engaged to this guy, my FIL started as a new preacher at her church...and immediately he set his eyes on her, EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS ALREADY ENGAGED. He started calling her house all the time and talking to her at church, and he claims that she was always making eyes at him, too...typical male ego. *smirk*
One of these times that he called her at her home (where she lived with her parents), MIL happened to be out riding her brother's motorcycle (this is when my jaw dropped again -- I had NO idea she was so adventurous), and her mom told FIL to NEVER call again...but, he didn't listen.
At some point, MIL woke up and dumped the first dude and the rest is history -- they dated for 4 months before they got engaged, then got married 8 months after that...and that was 41 years ago! Go Mom!
We had a wonderful evening (aside from the food) -- my nieces brought MIL flowers, B played with the girls, SIL and I got to chat, MIL got great gifts, FIL got his crab rangoon, and BIL had to leave early to sell a car (good news!). All in all, it was a fun evening. MIL even thanked me for coming into B's life and rescuing him from the life of sin that he was leading with all his other girlfriends (that says a lot seeing that I'm from the wrong "denomination").
After we got home and got ready for bed, my little sis called from AL and I chatted with her for a long time while I lounged in bed. Sis and I love each other very ,but we also tend to disagree on a lot of things. Last night, however, we had an awesome talk.
I've mentioned before that she's preggers with her first. She and her hubby work for a great non-profit organization where they DAILY impact the lives of kids. Well, they've been asked to consider an opportunity to further their work with the organization, in Colorado. This is something that they considered months ago, but didn't think would work out so they decided to buy a house in AL and stay down there for a few more years...then they found out they were expecting, and it really seemed like they'd made the right choice.
The house they bought was supposed to close escrow this weekend, they have given their notice on their rental and have to be out by the end of May, and oh yeah, remember she's pregnant and swamped at work. AND THEN, Colorado calls and says, send us your resumes, we think we want you. What??? They were already stressed by about a million things going on in their lives and then this. They love AL, but they are determined to do what God wants them to do -- now, they just have to figure out what that is.
My prayer list has gotten longer and longer as this year has progressed. God is faithful and answers all our prayers (even if the answer isn't what we want to hear), and I'm so grateful that He hears me...my sis is now at the top of my list. She and her hubby have a lot to decide in not much time -- God has already answered prayer because they have extended their escrow on the house they're buying and their landlords have agreed to let them stay through part of June (when before they said NO WAY).
If you guys think about it, say a prayer for Sis and her family...I would appreciate it. I want them to do what God wants them to do, also, but I have to mention that CO is a lot closer to me that AL! =)
Friday, May 18, 2007
Yummy!
So, what do ya think? Does this kid love her corn or what?? This is my niece on Mother's Day.
We had the fam over for a BBQ on our deck - it was a GORGEOUS day! We cooked chicken on the barbie and then we sat out and enjoyed the sunshine while the little kids played and the big kids hit golf balls. The weather was perfect, the food was yummy, and everyone had a great day.
We had the fam over for a BBQ on our deck - it was a GORGEOUS day! We cooked chicken on the barbie and then we sat out and enjoyed the sunshine while the little kids played and the big kids hit golf balls. The weather was perfect, the food was yummy, and everyone had a great day.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Lists
Things I miss about California
* Buying strawberries fresh from the field – and munching down on them on my way home
* REAL pizza – yummy pizza from places like Me-N-Ed’s, Rusty’s, and Klondike.
* Chicken Tacos from Baja Fresh
* The beach (and cool air) being only 2 ½ hours away
* Jamba Juice
* Making it through a 4-way stop sign without screaming at the idiots around me
* Family and friends (but that goes without saying)
Things I love about Kansas
* Blue skies
* Clean air
* White puffy clouds
* Friendly people
* Quik Trip
* Cheaper gas (but not by much anymore)
* Days like yesterday (75 degrees, slight breeze, clean air, gorgeous sky)
* Awesome neighborhood
* Family and new friends
* Buying strawberries fresh from the field – and munching down on them on my way home
* REAL pizza – yummy pizza from places like Me-N-Ed’s, Rusty’s, and Klondike.
* Chicken Tacos from Baja Fresh
* The beach (and cool air) being only 2 ½ hours away
* Jamba Juice
* Making it through a 4-way stop sign without screaming at the idiots around me
* Family and friends (but that goes without saying)
Things I love about Kansas
* Blue skies
* Clean air
* White puffy clouds
* Friendly people
* Quik Trip
* Cheaper gas (but not by much anymore)
* Days like yesterday (75 degrees, slight breeze, clean air, gorgeous sky)
* Awesome neighborhood
* Family and new friends
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Fake Steering Wheel Fun
Looks to me like this lady's hubby was taking her on a nice Mother's Day ride...enjoy! =)
Happy Mother's Day!
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
The one I will NOT be voting for...
I'm glad that there is a little humor coming out of the terrible tragedy in Greensburg, Kansas. Apparently, presidential hopeful (not gonna happen!) Obama is a little mis-informed...the following was posted on Fox News today.
Obama: '10,000 People Died' in Kansas Tornado
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
RICHMOND, Va. — Barack Obama, caught up in the fervor of a campaign speech Tuesday, drastically overstated the Kansas tornadoes death toll, saying 10,000 had died.
The death toll was 12.
"In case you missed it, this week, there was a tragedy in Kansas. Ten thousand people died — an entire town destroyed," the Democratic presidential candidate said in a speech to 500 people packed into a sweltering Richmond art studio for a fundraiser.
Obama mentioned the disaster in Greensburg, Kan., in saying he had been told by the office of Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius that the state's National Guard had been depleted by its commitment to the Iraq War.
"Turns out that the National Guard in Kansas only had 40 percent of its equipment and they are having to slow down the recovery process in Kansas," Obama said, his shirt sleeves rolled up and his head glistening with sweat.
As the Illinois senator concluded his remarks a few minutes later, he appeared to realize his gaffe.
On the other hand, our actual President made a personal trip to Greensburg today to see the damage for himself, and to offer encouragement and comfort to the families of Greensburg. Click here to see some photos of his visit.
Obama: '10,000 People Died' in Kansas Tornado
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
RICHMOND, Va. — Barack Obama, caught up in the fervor of a campaign speech Tuesday, drastically overstated the Kansas tornadoes death toll, saying 10,000 had died.
The death toll was 12.
"In case you missed it, this week, there was a tragedy in Kansas. Ten thousand people died — an entire town destroyed," the Democratic presidential candidate said in a speech to 500 people packed into a sweltering Richmond art studio for a fundraiser.
Obama mentioned the disaster in Greensburg, Kan., in saying he had been told by the office of Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius that the state's National Guard had been depleted by its commitment to the Iraq War.
"Turns out that the National Guard in Kansas only had 40 percent of its equipment and they are having to slow down the recovery process in Kansas," Obama said, his shirt sleeves rolled up and his head glistening with sweat.
As the Illinois senator concluded his remarks a few minutes later, he appeared to realize his gaffe.
On the other hand, our actual President made a personal trip to Greensburg today to see the damage for himself, and to offer encouragement and comfort to the families of Greensburg. Click here to see some photos of his visit.
Purse Meme
Love Bears All Things tagged me for this Purse Meme that I've seen all over the place lately, so I guess it's my turn to play...here's my purse in all its glory...
This is the bag that I've been carrying lately...it's a great size and fits everything I need, and I love that it has a pocket for my cell phone.
I have to admit that I was in between purses when I got tagged for this, so I threw the few things from a smaller bag (that I took to WI last weekend) into this, my regular purse, before I took the photo...so, here's the inside.
And, here is everything all laid out on the counter...wallet, checkbook, handy-dandy calendar, ear buds, ear piece for my cell phone (the phone is mysteriously missing...it was in my gym bag), ipod, drugs (don't fret - just Advil), MAC blotting compact, lip gloss, battery (not sure if it's a good one or not), 3 different flavors of gum (who knows what I'll be in the mood for), and a little pouch for all of those gift cards, punch cards, and discount cards for all the stores...oh yeah, and don't forget about keys, sunglass case, and all those miscellaneous papers that I may or may not need. Whew...what a bunch of junk!
This is the bag that I've been carrying lately...it's a great size and fits everything I need, and I love that it has a pocket for my cell phone.
I have to admit that I was in between purses when I got tagged for this, so I threw the few things from a smaller bag (that I took to WI last weekend) into this, my regular purse, before I took the photo...so, here's the inside.
And, here is everything all laid out on the counter...wallet, checkbook, handy-dandy calendar, ear buds, ear piece for my cell phone (the phone is mysteriously missing...it was in my gym bag), ipod, drugs (don't fret - just Advil), MAC blotting compact, lip gloss, battery (not sure if it's a good one or not), 3 different flavors of gum (who knows what I'll be in the mood for), and a little pouch for all of those gift cards, punch cards, and discount cards for all the stores...oh yeah, and don't forget about keys, sunglass case, and all those miscellaneous papers that I may or may not need. Whew...what a bunch of junk!
Monday, May 07, 2007
Check another one off the list!
I can now say I’ve been to Wisconsin…that makes state number 42 that I’ve visited…and for those of you nay-sayers who say being in the Chicago airport doesn’t count for visiting Illinois, I have now spent the night in DeKalb, IL – so I’m official now.
B has been in Wisconsin for 2 weeks training for his new job, so I came up to visit for the weekend. He has one more week to go…and although there are great benefits working for the gov’t…flying home on the weekends isn’t one of them. I didn’t want to go 3 weeks without seeing my husband, so I booked a ticket and came up for my conjugal visit. LOL
We had an amazing weekend. I got in Friday night, and on Saturday morning after a GREAT and FREE breakfast in the hotel (the short order cook made me eggs just the way I wanted them), we jumped in the rental car and headed south to visit our good friends in Illinois. We met G & D right after we got married when we lived in Texas. D and hubby started with their company on the same day. Neither of us knew anyone in our little East Texas town, so we spent a lot of time together. They have twins who are now 10 (I can’t believe it!), and we love them to death! G & D left Texas a few months before we did, and since then they’ve lived in MI, UT, MN, and now IL…wow! In only 5 ½ years!
We’ve only seen them a handful of times since we all moved away, but whenever we get together it’s like no time has passed (except that the kids are almost as tall as me!). We spent the day doing what all northerners seem to spend their days doing – drinking and eating, oh yeah, and drinking some more! But, it was a blast. It was windy and cold, but we braved it all to hang out on the front porch (the deck was just TOO windy), telling stories, laughing hysterically and listening to Bryan Adams…how much better can it get?
Sunday morning, we woke up and ate breakfast with our buddies, and then we hit the road back to WI to spend the day with my brother and SIL. Brother has decided that he doesn’t need rehab (not entirely sure how I feel about that), and SIL has moved back in to their apartment. Brother turns 30 this week, so we told him to pick the place and we’d take him out for lunch. We ate at a local brewery on the river in Milwaukee (iced tea and sodas all around – no booze), and then brother toured us around Milwaukee. We walked by Lake Michigan, drove by all the cool architecture, hit a local hobby shop (for B!), and then went to see their apartment. It’s in the cutest little village, with their own village hall, and houses still standing from FDR’s New Deal plan.
Time was running out so we grabbed a coffee and headed back to the hotel, where I had to pack up and say goodbye to B…again. Thank God he only has 5 more days and then he’s home. I’m so glad I got to come up for the weekend, but I’m sad that B isn’t going home with me.
I’ll be boarding my plane soon to head home, and I pray that the thunderstorms of the weekend won’t affect my trip home. I get in late and then I have to make it in to work somehow tomorrow morning…the worst part about the whole weekend!
Update: I'm home now...back in the land of Oz. I'm sure all of you heard about the devestating tornado that hit Greensburg in Western Kansas on Friday night. The town has been demolished - they say the tornado was over 1 mile wide and was spinning at 200 mph. Families are homeless and there is a lot to do to recover from this. Please keep them in your prayers - the interviews on TV show people with amazing attitudes, but they also have some grieving to do. Thankfully, the 100+ tornados that were spotted on Saturday were not too close to the metro areas, but there are storms still predicted for the rest of the week.
Friday, May 04, 2007
Book Giveaway!
I know some of you out there are avid readers like me, so go check out Overwhelmed with Joy's Book Giveaway...she's giving away a copy of Unbroken by Tracey Elliot.
You don't have to tell me twice about a free book! =)
You don't have to tell me twice about a free book! =)
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Let's go to the Z-O-O!
My SIL and BIL both had to work last Saturday, so I got to hang out with my nieces for the day. We decided to go to the Z-O-O (I have to type it that way, because we had to spell it out...just saying it wasn't enough according to my 4 7/8 year old niece, Sweetie, who's working on her reading skills right now). I'd heard that the zoo in our town was great, but I hadn't had a chance to visit it yet, so my nieces wanted to give me the grand tour.
I wasn't exactly speedy on Saturday morning, and even though I made the girls blueberry muffins for breakfast, they still kept asking me when we were leaving. Who knew that it would take HOURS to get all 3 of us ready and out the door? But, we finally loaded up the car and pulled out of the garage right before 11:00am...and then we drove 2 doors down to pick up the stroller my neighbor so graciously loaned us. I seriously DO NOT know what we would have done without it at the Z-O-O.
Now, there's been some hype about a new exhibit opening at our zoo...it's penguins! And my SIL guaranteed us that it was already open, so Sweetie said she would get the map and direct me there first. So off we went, but we couldn't find it on the map. Sweetie (remember she's not quite 5 yet) asked some very nice girls in the souvenir shop where the penguins were, but the news wasn’t good. They aren’t going to make an appearance until the end of May.
Sweetie told me that we needed to find a bench so she could figure out where we needed to go next (she hung on to that map all day long!). We headed over to the petting zoo, where I had to coax Sweetie into the gate. Honey (the 2 year old) just marched right in and up to the fence so she could see better.
We saw some very pretty peacocks, but I had to explain to my darling nieces that Auntie DOES NOT like peacocks. We had about 12 that lived behind us in CA, and they are the loudest, most annoying birds you’ve ever heard. They don’t squawk or chirp or sing, they SCREAM!! But, we took a picture anyway.
Next on our list (or map) to see were turtles. We saw some giant tortoises, but they were kinda boring so we focused on the smaller turtles that were eating salad. Everything was fine and good until some wacko lady next to me said, “look at the snake in the tree!” This was the response of the girls when they heard this…the snake was right above our heads, but he was just curled up napping.
We came upon the jungle next where we saw bats (yikes!) and all kinds of birds, and a ton of plants and it was VERY humid. We spent quite a bit of time in the jungle searching for the Scarlet Macaws (Go Diego Go!)...we looked high and low...we braved the bats and the bugs...but we could not find those Scarlet Macaws. Finally the humidity got to us and we had to get out of there. Well, it wasn't until we got home that we found out that the 2 Scarlet Macaws from our Zoo had been STOLEN, the day before! It was a scandal! Where's Diego...he needs to go find them! Here's what we would have seen if some wacko hadn't stolen them.
We ended up at the giraffes next, where this one was resting his chin on the wall. We figured his neck gets tired pretty quickly since it’s so long.
We were starting to feel like the giraffe, so we went searching for food and the gorillas. Once we got close to the gorillas, I got so excited that I made the girls wait for lunch so we could go watch the apes. Our zoo is so cool – as you walk toward the exhibits, the trail is landscaped like the natural habitat of the animal you’re going to see. We passed cranes and some cattle looking thing (I can’t remember what it was), and the biggest frog we’d ever seen, and then we went into the gorilla house. Sweetie was kinda scared, but I dragged her in anyway because, dang it, I wanted to see apes. They must have just had lunch, because they were all lying around in the shade sleeping. We waited around for a while, and finally a couple of them got up. The first one that stood up had been lying by the glass where a young family next to us was standing. The ape stood up, put his butt toward the window and bent over to touch his toes…what?? Yes, his ape butt was pressed up against the glass, and he just stood there…for a long time! I was laughing too hard to take a photo, but I promise you, this is true! Then he and a buddy wandered over and sat down under a deck in their yard. The girls were begging to leave by this point, so I gave in and we went to get lunch.
You’d think that the Z-O-O would have staffed up for this, the first Saturday of the year with no rain, temps over 80, and not a cloud in the sky…but, oh no, we waited in line for 20 minutes to buy a shriveled up hot dog and a cold pretzel that we all shared for lunch. The break was good for us, though, and we finished our food and took off again…to the Lions!
There are statues of some of the animals before you go into their area, and Sweetie wanted to take pictures by all of them. I tried to get both girls up there, but my normally fear-LESS niece, Honey, was terrified of the statues, so all the photos are of Sweetie. Unfortunately, the statue is all we really saw of the lion because he was also taking a nap…we could barely see his mane over the rock he was sleeping behind.
The elephants were awake, though, so we stood and watched him eat for a bit…yum, hay for lunch!
We also walked by the chimpanzees and the bears, but we were pretty beat by then, so I suggested we get snow cones. Bad move, Aunt Sally! The line was as long as the giraffe’s neck…actually, it was MUCH longer than that…but I had promised something cold, so we cut our zoo trip short, with promises to come back again and again and again, and we headed over to the ice cream shop for a much needed snack.
We had a wonderful day, and we were exhausted by the time we got home, so we put Shrek in the DVD player and we fell asleep until SIL came to pick up my girlies.
SIL says that Sweetie is still talking about the zoo and everything we saw…except for the kangaroos…we missed them, and apparently it’s all my fault (even though Sweetie had the map)…that’s ok, we can start there next time!
I wasn't exactly speedy on Saturday morning, and even though I made the girls blueberry muffins for breakfast, they still kept asking me when we were leaving. Who knew that it would take HOURS to get all 3 of us ready and out the door? But, we finally loaded up the car and pulled out of the garage right before 11:00am...and then we drove 2 doors down to pick up the stroller my neighbor so graciously loaned us. I seriously DO NOT know what we would have done without it at the Z-O-O.
Now, there's been some hype about a new exhibit opening at our zoo...it's penguins! And my SIL guaranteed us that it was already open, so Sweetie said she would get the map and direct me there first. So off we went, but we couldn't find it on the map. Sweetie (remember she's not quite 5 yet) asked some very nice girls in the souvenir shop where the penguins were, but the news wasn’t good. They aren’t going to make an appearance until the end of May.
Sweetie told me that we needed to find a bench so she could figure out where we needed to go next (she hung on to that map all day long!). We headed over to the petting zoo, where I had to coax Sweetie into the gate. Honey (the 2 year old) just marched right in and up to the fence so she could see better.
We saw some very pretty peacocks, but I had to explain to my darling nieces that Auntie DOES NOT like peacocks. We had about 12 that lived behind us in CA, and they are the loudest, most annoying birds you’ve ever heard. They don’t squawk or chirp or sing, they SCREAM!! But, we took a picture anyway.
Next on our list (or map) to see were turtles. We saw some giant tortoises, but they were kinda boring so we focused on the smaller turtles that were eating salad. Everything was fine and good until some wacko lady next to me said, “look at the snake in the tree!” This was the response of the girls when they heard this…the snake was right above our heads, but he was just curled up napping.
We came upon the jungle next where we saw bats (yikes!) and all kinds of birds, and a ton of plants and it was VERY humid. We spent quite a bit of time in the jungle searching for the Scarlet Macaws (Go Diego Go!)...we looked high and low...we braved the bats and the bugs...but we could not find those Scarlet Macaws. Finally the humidity got to us and we had to get out of there. Well, it wasn't until we got home that we found out that the 2 Scarlet Macaws from our Zoo had been STOLEN, the day before! It was a scandal! Where's Diego...he needs to go find them! Here's what we would have seen if some wacko hadn't stolen them.
We ended up at the giraffes next, where this one was resting his chin on the wall. We figured his neck gets tired pretty quickly since it’s so long.
We were starting to feel like the giraffe, so we went searching for food and the gorillas. Once we got close to the gorillas, I got so excited that I made the girls wait for lunch so we could go watch the apes. Our zoo is so cool – as you walk toward the exhibits, the trail is landscaped like the natural habitat of the animal you’re going to see. We passed cranes and some cattle looking thing (I can’t remember what it was), and the biggest frog we’d ever seen, and then we went into the gorilla house. Sweetie was kinda scared, but I dragged her in anyway because, dang it, I wanted to see apes. They must have just had lunch, because they were all lying around in the shade sleeping. We waited around for a while, and finally a couple of them got up. The first one that stood up had been lying by the glass where a young family next to us was standing. The ape stood up, put his butt toward the window and bent over to touch his toes…what?? Yes, his ape butt was pressed up against the glass, and he just stood there…for a long time! I was laughing too hard to take a photo, but I promise you, this is true! Then he and a buddy wandered over and sat down under a deck in their yard. The girls were begging to leave by this point, so I gave in and we went to get lunch.
You’d think that the Z-O-O would have staffed up for this, the first Saturday of the year with no rain, temps over 80, and not a cloud in the sky…but, oh no, we waited in line for 20 minutes to buy a shriveled up hot dog and a cold pretzel that we all shared for lunch. The break was good for us, though, and we finished our food and took off again…to the Lions!
There are statues of some of the animals before you go into their area, and Sweetie wanted to take pictures by all of them. I tried to get both girls up there, but my normally fear-LESS niece, Honey, was terrified of the statues, so all the photos are of Sweetie. Unfortunately, the statue is all we really saw of the lion because he was also taking a nap…we could barely see his mane over the rock he was sleeping behind.
The elephants were awake, though, so we stood and watched him eat for a bit…yum, hay for lunch!
We also walked by the chimpanzees and the bears, but we were pretty beat by then, so I suggested we get snow cones. Bad move, Aunt Sally! The line was as long as the giraffe’s neck…actually, it was MUCH longer than that…but I had promised something cold, so we cut our zoo trip short, with promises to come back again and again and again, and we headed over to the ice cream shop for a much needed snack.
We had a wonderful day, and we were exhausted by the time we got home, so we put Shrek in the DVD player and we fell asleep until SIL came to pick up my girlies.
SIL says that Sweetie is still talking about the zoo and everything we saw…except for the kangaroos…we missed them, and apparently it’s all my fault (even though Sweetie had the map)…that’s ok, we can start there next time!
Pray for Heather
I recently stumbled upon Heather's blog...probably from BooMama, and I'm so glad I did.
TODAY, Heather is undergoing brain surgery to remove a large tumor. I don't know a lot about her, but from what I've read, she has an amazing Christian faith, and she sounds like a great mother, wife, friend, and more!
The blogging world has opened my eyes to a lot more around me, and I've "met" people who challenge me in my faith, and help me have a better perspective on life. What was I thinking griping about work 2 days ago when Heather is fighting for her life? I've been praying for Heather and her family, and I'll also be clicking on the button above to check on her progress.
If you think about it, say a prayer for her!
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
I don't even know what to call this...
I hate my job I hate my job I hate my job...those are the thoughts that pounded through my head as I jogged out to my car, in the rain, just now to get my jacket...so that I can walk, through the rain, to our north plant. I've been told my highest priority today is to help them figure out why their heads are in their asses and what they can do to possibly pull them back out again.
Well, that's my take on it, anyway. I'm being sent as a knee-jerk reaction to a HUGE issue (in their minds) on one of our asssembly lines. They want to know why we can't make the units we should be making up there, and they want me to fix it, pronto! Well, I can tell them why w/o even going up there. They are running a product on this line that was NOT designed to run on the line, and they're attempting to do this with NO prior planning whatsoever, and the people on this line are temps who were either flipping burgers yesterday or picking their noses while they watched Jerry Springer.
This is not a continuous improvement project (that would be my job), this is just simply use your freakin' heads and plan and execute for ONCE!
Oh, and let me not forget to mention that yesterday (before I "got sick" and headed to the gym for a much needed de-stressing hour long workout) I was told that my HIGHEST PRIORITY was to fix a line here in the south plant.
Deep breath...there are 3 months and 20 days until I can safely get my own ass out of here and maybe find something to do that won't give me a heart attack before my 33rd birthday.
Well, that's my take on it, anyway. I'm being sent as a knee-jerk reaction to a HUGE issue (in their minds) on one of our asssembly lines. They want to know why we can't make the units we should be making up there, and they want me to fix it, pronto! Well, I can tell them why w/o even going up there. They are running a product on this line that was NOT designed to run on the line, and they're attempting to do this with NO prior planning whatsoever, and the people on this line are temps who were either flipping burgers yesterday or picking their noses while they watched Jerry Springer.
This is not a continuous improvement project (that would be my job), this is just simply use your freakin' heads and plan and execute for ONCE!
Oh, and let me not forget to mention that yesterday (before I "got sick" and headed to the gym for a much needed de-stressing hour long workout) I was told that my HIGHEST PRIORITY was to fix a line here in the south plant.
Deep breath...there are 3 months and 20 days until I can safely get my own ass out of here and maybe find something to do that won't give me a heart attack before my 33rd birthday.
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