I was sick and tired of looking of that happy picture of "Kentucky in Winter" on the title bar, so I've changed it to go along with our current predicament of where to live (Utah vs. WV). The below are not big picture items, just the little things that I ponder on occasion as I consider the two possibilities.
Winding country roads or straight, lonely stretches of desert highway.
Constant sand boogers or summer humidity.
My family or his family.
Mormons or run of the mill Christians.
Dry, orange dirt that doesn't really grow anything or damp, brown dirt that I can plant tomatoes and peppers in.
Lots of Mexican food options or lots of Italian food options.
Mild, dry winters or cold, precipitous winters.
Vacations to Colorado and California or vacations to the North Carolina coast.
Weekend getaways to Las Vegas or weekend getaways to Pittsburgh.
No local great grandparents or all local great grandparents.
Mormon Fundamentalists or Backwoods Hillbillies.
I'd very much like a nice glass of red wine right now, but I'm at work. So that's a no-go. Instead I'll pop on down the street for a cup of coffee (my day time drug of choice).
Thanks for reading this slightly random post.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
WTF, Gods of Fate?
Listen, I've been blogging over where in the hell we should moved to next since the last time we moved. I like this place because blah blah blah and I feel blah blah blah, sentimental blah blah blahs. I'm exhausted because just when I thought it was a done deal, it is no longer a done deal. We've been researching our move to WV for a good month. We even officially announced it to my family, who lives there. But this winter has been cruel in KY, even crueler in WV. My husband said it on the way home Friday, "life is hard enough..." He's right, it is hard enough with work, school and bringing-up-baby. Add nasty weather and constant bouts of illness and we've about had it. So then we started talking and he mentions Utah, specifically where his parents live.I immediately said "no fucking way, too far, I couldn't do it to my family and I couldn't handle it personally." I would really miss being so close to my family and that place I still call home. But I kept thinking about it and Derek kept mentioning it. Surprisingly, I found myself the day before yesterday being ok with it. I've done my research and have been there many times. This place is a great place. Its safe, its beautiful, its warm there year round (it is the dessert, after all), real estate isn't too bad and Derek's parents are there so it fulfills the family requirement of our next move. Luckily I get along well with them, otherwise it would be a no-go. Don't get me wrong, it does have its down sides (and i'll post those later). Our main concern is making the best decision for our family. If we do decide to go west and it doesn't work out, we can always bail and head back east and try our luck there. We're still young, so what the hell, lets have an adventure, right?!
Ultimately, all this decision means is that we are putting Utah in the hat along with WV and both stand at about 50/50%. We're going to go around and around with both until we eventually figure this thing out. Wish us luck.
Cheers
Thursday, January 14, 2010
My Uniform
My daily uniform has changed a bit over the years. I'm going to start with middle school and work my way to the present. I sure wish I had pictures to go along with this.
Middle School - This was the era of fitted guess jeans (in all colors), turtle neck sweaters, unflattering striped, long sleeved, polo shirts, oh, and pleated dockers. I usually dressed up during these 2 years. I would wear a cute skirt or elephant pants and a blouse or cute top. Hose. Dressy shoes or cute boots. I have to say, I was pretty cute in Middle School. I was on the basketball team, so it was expected on game days. Oh, and I had to be cute for dances. Oh, the dances with middle schoolers and the bumping and grinding. And doing the butt.
High School - Ah, the days of grunge, and ska, etc, etc. I remember it all so clearly, my first day of high school. Still riding the bus. I wore this knee length dark red skirt and blue jean button up shirt with pretty trim that matched the skirt and my dark red, suede mary janes. I still miss those shoes. After my first day, my uniform abruptly changed to blue jeans, "cool" t-shirts with my fav bands advertised or the annual marching band t-shirt, chuck taylors (eventually) and some sort of button up sweater. I had this one sweater that I found in my grandmas attic that I wore for a good three years. It was really scratchy and fuzzy, but was so comfortable. I can't explain it. It was real fitted and I dressed it up with the appropriate tiny buttons with profound words and images like peace signs and Ghandi quotes. Shoes: Chucks, sandals and this pair of Rocky boots.
College - This uniform was pretty much the same through out college. With a hint more of "I don't give a shit" and the occasional cute polyester, goodwill-find. I had my moments, but I went with comfort over all fashion in college. With the exception of my black leather jacket. I still have this jacket. I got it really cheap back home at Gabriel's and its about 4 sizes too big. I used to/still wear it with a hoodie underneath. Shoes: exclusively chucks, cute boots and sandals. TN is one muggy bitch in the summer.
First Job: My first job (and every job since) has been an office, secretarial job. I really didn't know what to do at first, so I did my best with Khaki pants and cotton tops, sweaters and mary janes. Everything fitted awkwardly and I just looked like I didn't have a clue. I really didn't. Around the time that I got married (and dropped a good 40lbs), the office all chipped in (about $400) and sent me off with one of the ladies I worked with for a day of shopping for some more professional clothes. Its one of the greatest gifts anyone has given me: license to start over and spend a little money on myself. We bought 2 suits, 2 pairs of shoes and a dress I have never, ever worn, but still to this day have hanging in my closet. I can't seem to let it go. Those people were so good to me, I miss them dearly.
Second Job: This job required me to wear professional clothes all the time. No khakis but on Fridays during the summer months, closed toed shoes, etc, etc. So my suits really came in handy and I had to extend my wardrobe with even more dressy items. I actually learned to like dressing up at this job.
Third Job: More of a casual environment at this job, but I definitely tried to look nice every day. But I did have my off days and almost always wore jeans on Friday.
Now: I can't really wear jeans here, but I can wear khakis whenever I want. I usually dress fairly business casual.
Next job: Hopefully the next job will consist of me wearing scrubs. But no matter what, thanks to some lovely people, I'll be ready.
Thinking through all of this makes me think of the period of time, the people, the places, the circumstances. It was all good times. Its a good life.
Middle School - This was the era of fitted guess jeans (in all colors), turtle neck sweaters, unflattering striped, long sleeved, polo shirts, oh, and pleated dockers. I usually dressed up during these 2 years. I would wear a cute skirt or elephant pants and a blouse or cute top. Hose. Dressy shoes or cute boots. I have to say, I was pretty cute in Middle School. I was on the basketball team, so it was expected on game days. Oh, and I had to be cute for dances. Oh, the dances with middle schoolers and the bumping and grinding. And doing the butt.
High School - Ah, the days of grunge, and ska, etc, etc. I remember it all so clearly, my first day of high school. Still riding the bus. I wore this knee length dark red skirt and blue jean button up shirt with pretty trim that matched the skirt and my dark red, suede mary janes. I still miss those shoes. After my first day, my uniform abruptly changed to blue jeans, "cool" t-shirts with my fav bands advertised or the annual marching band t-shirt, chuck taylors (eventually) and some sort of button up sweater. I had this one sweater that I found in my grandmas attic that I wore for a good three years. It was really scratchy and fuzzy, but was so comfortable. I can't explain it. It was real fitted and I dressed it up with the appropriate tiny buttons with profound words and images like peace signs and Ghandi quotes. Shoes: Chucks, sandals and this pair of Rocky boots.
College - This uniform was pretty much the same through out college. With a hint more of "I don't give a shit" and the occasional cute polyester, goodwill-find. I had my moments, but I went with comfort over all fashion in college. With the exception of my black leather jacket. I still have this jacket. I got it really cheap back home at Gabriel's and its about 4 sizes too big. I used to/still wear it with a hoodie underneath. Shoes: exclusively chucks, cute boots and sandals. TN is one muggy bitch in the summer.
First Job: My first job (and every job since) has been an office, secretarial job. I really didn't know what to do at first, so I did my best with Khaki pants and cotton tops, sweaters and mary janes. Everything fitted awkwardly and I just looked like I didn't have a clue. I really didn't. Around the time that I got married (and dropped a good 40lbs), the office all chipped in (about $400) and sent me off with one of the ladies I worked with for a day of shopping for some more professional clothes. Its one of the greatest gifts anyone has given me: license to start over and spend a little money on myself. We bought 2 suits, 2 pairs of shoes and a dress I have never, ever worn, but still to this day have hanging in my closet. I can't seem to let it go. Those people were so good to me, I miss them dearly.
Second Job: This job required me to wear professional clothes all the time. No khakis but on Fridays during the summer months, closed toed shoes, etc, etc. So my suits really came in handy and I had to extend my wardrobe with even more dressy items. I actually learned to like dressing up at this job.
Third Job: More of a casual environment at this job, but I definitely tried to look nice every day. But I did have my off days and almost always wore jeans on Friday.
Now: I can't really wear jeans here, but I can wear khakis whenever I want. I usually dress fairly business casual.
Next job: Hopefully the next job will consist of me wearing scrubs. But no matter what, thanks to some lovely people, I'll be ready.
Thinking through all of this makes me think of the period of time, the people, the places, the circumstances. It was all good times. Its a good life.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
The Old Way
One of my previous managers was a walking nightmare for people who like things to be streamlined and focused. I thought of something funny today that might give you an example of how this person worked.
Hypothetical Problem: Create and implement a new, more efficient absence policy/procedure.
Old Manager's Notes:
1. Make a Spreadsheet!
2. Review personal document on "policy and procedure creation and documentation"
3. Google "absence policy"
4. Review old "absence policy"
5. Review generic business management book on "getting employee buy-in for new policies and procedures"
6. Schedule strategy meeting with asst. mgr. to determine "next steps" (aka, create new absence policy/procedure)
7. Schedule individual meetings with all employees to "obtain ideas"
Note to self: make sure to take notes, act interested, make eye contact, ask probing questions, feed them ideas and pretend they did it"
8. Schedule secondary meeting as a group to share information (aka "get buy-in")
Meeting prep notes: prep probing questions, via long silences force employees to share ideas until they guess exactly what I have already determined the new procedure will be, bring sticky notes and markers!, get volunteers for "absence policy taskforce"
9. Delegate the documenting of newly gathered info to employee
10. Spend personal time taking data entered by employee into new, better spreadsheet
11. Schedule meeting with "absence policy task-force" to create a communication for the new policy
12. Discard communication created by task-force and create new, better communication
13. Individually note performance in process on all employee personnel files for mid year evaluation.
14. Determine if any sub task-forces need to be created
15. Per note from Employee Relations, new procedure no longer needed.
Happy Hump Day
Hypothetical Problem: Create and implement a new, more efficient absence policy/procedure.
Old Manager's Notes:
1. Make a Spreadsheet!
2. Review personal document on "policy and procedure creation and documentation"
3. Google "absence policy"
4. Review old "absence policy"
5. Review generic business management book on "getting employee buy-in for new policies and procedures"
6. Schedule strategy meeting with asst. mgr. to determine "next steps" (aka, create new absence policy/procedure)
7. Schedule individual meetings with all employees to "obtain ideas"
Note to self: make sure to take notes, act interested, make eye contact, ask probing questions, feed them ideas and pretend they did it"
8. Schedule secondary meeting as a group to share information (aka "get buy-in")
Meeting prep notes: prep probing questions, via long silences force employees to share ideas until they guess exactly what I have already determined the new procedure will be, bring sticky notes and markers!, get volunteers for "absence policy taskforce"
9. Delegate the documenting of newly gathered info to employee
10. Spend personal time taking data entered by employee into new, better spreadsheet
11. Schedule meeting with "absence policy task-force" to create a communication for the new policy
12. Discard communication created by task-force and create new, better communication
13. Individually note performance in process on all employee personnel files for mid year evaluation.
14. Determine if any sub task-forces need to be created
15. Per note from Employee Relations, new procedure no longer needed.
Happy Hump Day
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
2010 New Years Resolutions
Its time, once again, to make a list that I won't look at again after I post it. Maybe I should hang this up somewhere so's I'll see it daily.
18. Get into a nursing program!
1. Be more thrifty...or do more with less stuff.
2. Get good at making bread. I'm on my way!
3. Six words: Abs Of Steele, Chariots of Fire
4. Get rid of all the things I've moved three or four times and never once used: Hello Garage Sale!
5. Be more efficient at keeping this house clean, regardless of who does the cleaning.
6. Get back to a few of my favorite hobbies: needle arts (quilting, crochet and needlepoint).
7. Remember to take the reusable bags to the grocery store every week.
8. Finish painting the powder room. Almost done!
9. Get house ready for sale power!
10. Go visit my long distance friends.
11. Paint the darn china hutch.
12. Finish that Baby-Mama website. Because its freakin' awesome.
13. Get creative with the weekly menu for Baby and Mama&Daddy
14. More Mama & Daddy time
15. Go to the beach with the fam!
16. Move to WV.
17. Cut back on the cussing....a little16. Move to WV.
18. Get into a nursing program!