Do you know what's a bad idea? Reading a normally sane blogger's post about how swine flu very well could kill us all. Especially after spending a day thinking to yourself "Remember when SARS was supposed to kill us all and we survived? This is just SARS all over again! You'll be fine!" Now I sort of want to move to a cabin in the woods, hole up with a supply of canned goods, and wait this thing out. You know, assuming it can be waited out and we're not all going to die.
It's funny how reading one person's opinion can push you over the edge. I mean, I consider myself generally well informed, but show me one person I respect getting overly worried and the worry becomes contagious. As contagious as swine flu, if you will. I've been trying to balance this new crazy "we're going to die from bacon's revenge" worry with a sensible approach to swine flu. Meaning I've been washing my hands every 15 minutes and limiting my time on cnn.com to checking it only once a day or so. Also, I might be checking out which store has the cheapest Lysol on sale right now.
It also doesn't help soothe my mind any that I've got jury duty this week and either today or tomorrow I'm going to have to actually go to the courthouse. You just know the courthouse is swimming with swine flu. And probably every other disease known to man. Stupid jury duty, it will be the death of me.
Speaking of jury duty, wow how much does it suck? I've never been summoned before and I had no idea it was a week of checking the court's website every two hours to see if I need to report. Which translates to "Did you have things you wanted to do this week, like go to your OB appointment? Well, suck it potential juror because we will make that impossible for you!" My plan is to go in wearing whatever makes me look the most pregnant and explain that I have to pee every ten minutes. Hopefully I'll be excused quite quickly and won't have to fake my water breaking.
Also, not that I'm counting on making any money off of jury duty, but did you know that they only pay $15 a day? I don't even understand how that can be legal. $15 a day is not payment, it wouldn't even cover the cost of parking and lunch. As an aside, does anyone find it humorous that the unemployed lady is complaining about the money she could make off of jury duty? What's that you say? Beggars can't be choosers? I don't know what you're talking about.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
career pondering
I've been thinking a lot about careers lately, probably because I spend part of every day cruising craigslist. As I browse through the various categories of listings I occasionally stumble on something that looks appealing, but mostly the jobs are things I apply to knowing that while I'm qualified for them, I won't actually enjoy them. And I know "no one enjoys working," "if it were fun it wouldn't be called work," etc etc, but come on, I know plenty of people that like, possibly even love, their jobs. And what I assume it comes down to is finding a job doing something that you honestly enjoy and not just something that pays the bills. Simple enough to say, but how do you figure that out?
At 29 I should know what I want to do for a career. In fact, by 29 I should be working at a job that may not be my dream, but should have me learning skills and meeting connections to secure that dream job in the future. At least that's how life plays out in my dream world. In the real world, I'm 29 and wondering how it is that I don't know what I want to do. How can I feel so ambivalent about my career options? How is that no career ever jumped out to me as The One.
In second grade I wrote an essay about how I wanted to be a teacher when I grew up. I held on to this idea all the way to college when I became an education major. There it took approximately two semesters for me to realize that I hated the education department at my school and to transfer away out of it. After that my major bounced around more than I can honestly recall because nothing ever grasped me in any kind of life changing way.
During college I worked at Barnes and Noble and since college I've worked as an office manager, a campaign coordinator, and a manager of member services. Out of those my favorite was B&N and that's because I worked with friends. The others, while not bad jobs, did nothing to set my world on fire. They were all jobs that I stumbled upon thanks to friends and not because they were what I wanted to do with my life. There was not a single college class that I took, that in any way related to those jobs.
Jparks says that as long as he's known me I've wanted to be a stay at home mom. And while that's looking like my next career move, it's not what I've always aspired to be. Hell, I could barely imagine having kids, much less staying home to take care of them or having that be a real financial option. And if jparks were right and I had always aspired to be a stay at home mom I would happily admit it, because it would mean that yes, YES, I know what I want to do with my life.
To get back to my question, how did you know what you wanted to do for a career? How many of us actually grow up to be what we wrote our second grade essays about? Did you graduate and find a job that directly related to your degree or did you stumble into something that you never expected to love but do? Am I the only one that spends large portions of time wondering when she'll grow up and discover her career calling?
(can we all agree that I couldn't be a grammar teacher? look at those commas! holy crap, I need help)
At 29 I should know what I want to do for a career. In fact, by 29 I should be working at a job that may not be my dream, but should have me learning skills and meeting connections to secure that dream job in the future. At least that's how life plays out in my dream world. In the real world, I'm 29 and wondering how it is that I don't know what I want to do. How can I feel so ambivalent about my career options? How is that no career ever jumped out to me as The One.
In second grade I wrote an essay about how I wanted to be a teacher when I grew up. I held on to this idea all the way to college when I became an education major. There it took approximately two semesters for me to realize that I hated the education department at my school and to transfer away out of it. After that my major bounced around more than I can honestly recall because nothing ever grasped me in any kind of life changing way.
During college I worked at Barnes and Noble and since college I've worked as an office manager, a campaign coordinator, and a manager of member services. Out of those my favorite was B&N and that's because I worked with friends. The others, while not bad jobs, did nothing to set my world on fire. They were all jobs that I stumbled upon thanks to friends and not because they were what I wanted to do with my life. There was not a single college class that I took, that in any way related to those jobs.
Jparks says that as long as he's known me I've wanted to be a stay at home mom. And while that's looking like my next career move, it's not what I've always aspired to be. Hell, I could barely imagine having kids, much less staying home to take care of them or having that be a real financial option. And if jparks were right and I had always aspired to be a stay at home mom I would happily admit it, because it would mean that yes, YES, I know what I want to do with my life.
To get back to my question, how did you know what you wanted to do for a career? How many of us actually grow up to be what we wrote our second grade essays about? Did you graduate and find a job that directly related to your degree or did you stumble into something that you never expected to love but do? Am I the only one that spends large portions of time wondering when she'll grow up and discover her career calling?
(can we all agree that I couldn't be a grammar teacher? look at those commas! holy crap, I need help)
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
I might actually be tan this summer
Not to harp on and on about the heat, but THE! HEAT!, woe is me. At what point do I need to stop saying we're having a heatwave and admit that summer might actually be coming to the non-seasonal Bay Area? A week of 90 degree temps? Two weeks? Dear Mother Nature, you win. You are capable of making us sweat, now can we have our 70 degree weather back?
This morning I woke up and for some reason our air conditioning was not on and I was slowly drowning in a pool of sweat. I weighted my options and realized that maybe it was time to take my kick board and placenta filled ass over to the pool. Thankfully the pool was empty except for two pale fat guys wearing speedos. It's like God sent them to the pool just to make me feel less self conscious and also a little uncomfortable. Once I got over the initial shock of such sexiness, I was able to get in the pool and swim my little heart out. And by swim I mean, cling to the kick board and kick occasionally.
I spent 30 minutes in the pool and honestly that's about 20 more minutes than I thought I would last. I'm not one that usually wants anything to do with water, but after I was out of the pool all I could think of was going back in. Even though I was in the blazing sun, my body temperature dropped for the first time in six months to a level where I didn't think I was about to burst into flames. And this is where you all tell me "well yeah, you idiot," but being in the water did wonders for relieving the pressure from my hips and back. I honestly think I could go swimming every day for the rest of this pregnancy which is such a foreign thought for me that I'm kinda freaking myself out.
The other way I'm dealing with the heat is to consume Popsicles by the box full. Did you know that Popsicle sticks now come with jokes printed on them? They are jokes that would best appeal to five year olds and unless they start using poop or fart jokes I'm going to be underwhelmed by them: "What did the hamburgers name their daughter? Patty." But tonight's Popsicle revealed a joke that I get, but I'm sure a kid could say the same thing: "What did the leaves name their son? Russel." Am I alone in thinking that might go right over a kid's head? Also, why are all the jokes about naming kids? What happened to such classics as "What's red and green and goes 175 mph? A frog in a blender." I blame Popsicles for all the teenagers having sex and getting pregnant. Obviously they are just trying to create their own little punchlines. If I were the Popsicle CEO, my first order of business would be to tuck a few condoms inside every box of Popsicles. In fact, Popsicle makers I give you permission to steal that idea because something that brilliant needs to be acted upon.
This morning I woke up and for some reason our air conditioning was not on and I was slowly drowning in a pool of sweat. I weighted my options and realized that maybe it was time to take my kick board and placenta filled ass over to the pool. Thankfully the pool was empty except for two pale fat guys wearing speedos. It's like God sent them to the pool just to make me feel less self conscious and also a little uncomfortable. Once I got over the initial shock of such sexiness, I was able to get in the pool and swim my little heart out. And by swim I mean, cling to the kick board and kick occasionally.
I spent 30 minutes in the pool and honestly that's about 20 more minutes than I thought I would last. I'm not one that usually wants anything to do with water, but after I was out of the pool all I could think of was going back in. Even though I was in the blazing sun, my body temperature dropped for the first time in six months to a level where I didn't think I was about to burst into flames. And this is where you all tell me "well yeah, you idiot," but being in the water did wonders for relieving the pressure from my hips and back. I honestly think I could go swimming every day for the rest of this pregnancy which is such a foreign thought for me that I'm kinda freaking myself out.
The other way I'm dealing with the heat is to consume Popsicles by the box full. Did you know that Popsicle sticks now come with jokes printed on them? They are jokes that would best appeal to five year olds and unless they start using poop or fart jokes I'm going to be underwhelmed by them: "What did the hamburgers name their daughter? Patty." But tonight's Popsicle revealed a joke that I get, but I'm sure a kid could say the same thing: "What did the leaves name their son? Russel." Am I alone in thinking that might go right over a kid's head? Also, why are all the jokes about naming kids? What happened to such classics as "What's red and green and goes 175 mph? A frog in a blender." I blame Popsicles for all the teenagers having sex and getting pregnant. Obviously they are just trying to create their own little punchlines. If I were the Popsicle CEO, my first order of business would be to tuck a few condoms inside every box of Popsicles. In fact, Popsicle makers I give you permission to steal that idea because something that brilliant needs to be acted upon.
Monday, April 20, 2009
big clothes, little clothes, and movies
We are in the middle of a heatwave here in the Bay Area and it kinda sucks. Although, honestly it's not that bad because there is no humidity and I have air con, but right now I generate so much internal heat that I need no environmental help staying warm. And of course, I'm ill prepared for high temperatures as the bulk of my maternity clothes are jeans and other things that are make me sweat through my deodorant by just looking at them. So today I hit the mall in search of maternity dresses that would provide a bit of summer relief and would possibly still be flattering on my new weirdly shaped body.
Of course, I figured my stomach would be the big hurdle when clothes shopping but I was wrong. Dear internet, let me introduce you to my boobs:
Holy crap, they need to stop growing. When I put on tops and dresses you can hear the fabric screaming as it struggles to hold them in. That dress was cute, but I had to go up two sizes to get it to fit in the breast region. I bought it despite that, figuring that surely my stomach is bound to catch up with my giant breasts at some point and until then it'll just be a less flattering dress. It's funny how pregnancy combined with extreme heat changes your clothing standards.
And speaking of clothes, look at what I also bought over the weekend:
I really need to stop going to Janie and Jack because between those two jackets and the hoodie that I bought, I'm making myself sick with the cuteness.
And finally, to totally change the topic of this post, when do you call it quit with Netflix movies? I've had The Holiday at home for about two months now, yet I haven't watched it. If I really wanted to see it wouldn't I have carved out two hours from my very busy tv watching schedule for it? But on the other hand, I put it in my queue so I must want to see it. Do you have a rule of thumb for situations like this? Like if it sits for a month, then back it goes? Or if it sits for a month then you make yourself watch it immediately? Because these are the kind of big decisions I am unable to make.
Of course, I figured my stomach would be the big hurdle when clothes shopping but I was wrong. Dear internet, let me introduce you to my boobs:
Holy crap, they need to stop growing. When I put on tops and dresses you can hear the fabric screaming as it struggles to hold them in. That dress was cute, but I had to go up two sizes to get it to fit in the breast region. I bought it despite that, figuring that surely my stomach is bound to catch up with my giant breasts at some point and until then it'll just be a less flattering dress. It's funny how pregnancy combined with extreme heat changes your clothing standards.
And speaking of clothes, look at what I also bought over the weekend:
I really need to stop going to Janie and Jack because between those two jackets and the hoodie that I bought, I'm making myself sick with the cuteness.
And finally, to totally change the topic of this post, when do you call it quit with Netflix movies? I've had The Holiday at home for about two months now, yet I haven't watched it. If I really wanted to see it wouldn't I have carved out two hours from my very busy tv watching schedule for it? But on the other hand, I put it in my queue so I must want to see it. Do you have a rule of thumb for situations like this? Like if it sits for a month, then back it goes? Or if it sits for a month then you make yourself watch it immediately? Because these are the kind of big decisions I am unable to make.
Friday, April 17, 2009
modern day geniuses
I've been spending quite a bit of time searching for things to put on the walls of the kid's room, in a move that I believe is called nesting. On a side note, I would like the nesting to stop please, because I can not afford it anymore. Today I spent so much at Lowe's that the cashier hugged me and then the other workers threw confetti as I exited the store. And I faxed in the order for the new carpet. ALL IN THE SAME DAY. I'm expecting a call from my credit card company thanking me any minute now.
Anyway, so I've been searching for things to put on the walls in the nursery and I stumbled on a site that custom makes wall decals. On the home page they scroll quotes that customers have recently ordered and, I shit you not, someone ordered a quote from Ashton Kutcher's twitter. I know this, not because I follow Ashton's twitter, but because the person ordering the quote actually gave credit to Ashton and even specified that it came from his twitter. Not to sound like a grandmother, but what is the world coming to? Are people really ordering the words of a guy that created Punk'd to put on their walls? Did I somehow miss the memo alerting the world that Ashton is one of our greatest minds?
I wasn't really considering a quote decal, but now I'm starting to second guess myself. I'm going to shift my focus from finding art to scouring celebrity twitter accounts for other quotes to impart on my child. Oprah just created an account, surely she's bound to spew greatness worthy of my walls. Oh! Or Shaq. Hell, his bio is VERY QUOTATIOUS, I bet in one day he twitters enough inspiring thoughts to fill my whole house. In fact, here's a quote from him that I'm going to put above my bathroom mirror: "I c two twin sisters. Ug and lee Lol" Brilliant!
Anyway, so I've been searching for things to put on the walls in the nursery and I stumbled on a site that custom makes wall decals. On the home page they scroll quotes that customers have recently ordered and, I shit you not, someone ordered a quote from Ashton Kutcher's twitter. I know this, not because I follow Ashton's twitter, but because the person ordering the quote actually gave credit to Ashton and even specified that it came from his twitter. Not to sound like a grandmother, but what is the world coming to? Are people really ordering the words of a guy that created Punk'd to put on their walls? Did I somehow miss the memo alerting the world that Ashton is one of our greatest minds?
I wasn't really considering a quote decal, but now I'm starting to second guess myself. I'm going to shift my focus from finding art to scouring celebrity twitter accounts for other quotes to impart on my child. Oprah just created an account, surely she's bound to spew greatness worthy of my walls. Oh! Or Shaq. Hell, his bio is VERY QUOTATIOUS, I bet in one day he twitters enough inspiring thoughts to fill my whole house. In fact, here's a quote from him that I'm going to put above my bathroom mirror: "I c two twin sisters. Ug and lee Lol" Brilliant!
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