Happy Birthday, Mom!

Today is Mom's birthday! I know that she doesn't really like the whole birthday thing, but she deserves to have people celebrate her day. She does so much for Meema and I that she is entitled to people reminding her how great she is. Her friend, Fred, planned a surprise birthday lunch for her today, but unfortunately, I can't participate since it's my first day back to work. Last night, though, we celebrated Mom and Aunt Banking Mogul's birthdays with a Ruth's run.

It was good to see the family...our evening started with a video conference with Baby E. He's getting so big and we are all so excited to see him when he makes his first visit to the west coast family. We are scheduled that weekend...it's Meema's (aka GGMa to Baby E) birthday and we are having a party plus family photos taken that weekend. After the video conference ended, we headed to Ruth's where Mom got chastised by Andy (our bartender) for hitting Meema. Apparently, they had a discussion and bet over whether Andy could make a Black Russian (he could), so Mom in her excitement, "hit" Meema in the arm. Andy told Mom that she should not behave like that. It was a funny start to dinner. As usual, the food was great and company was good also. Dinner ended with us all laughing at Uncle Banking Mogul rattling off statistics about women, second pregnancies and c-sections...it was a little frightening that he knew so much about this topic. He refused to listen to us and was certain of his Google results. Then, D and I headed home where we crashed very early...not sure if it was the pressure of going back to work, the glasses of wine kicking in or the end of vacation exhaustion.

Now, it's back to life as we know it. I still have lots of blogging to do, but we didn't touch our photos this weekend. My goal is to have them done by the end of the week...I have plans on Tuesday and Thursday, so this should be an attainable goal. Have a great day!

Mama, I'm Coming Home1

Well, it's not just the title of an Ozzy song, but also what's happening to me. The travel loop that has taken me to Scottsdale, Arizona, home for one night (less than 24 hours), to Seattle Washington and Vancouver Canada is now taking me home. To be honest with you, I'm a little sad because the last two weeks has been more than I could ever have imagined. Once I get home and download my photos, I'll blog and share my adventures. Some highlights include being near a stinky (body odor ridden) person at least once a day ever since Scottsdale, eating our way through the cities and getting on buses (that we probably should never have been on) in search of restaurants we read about in Lonely Planet or saw on some food show and so much more. I have not thought about much in the "real world" since I've been travelling...D and I have talked about things in general concepts and how we want to handle our respective jay oh bees, but no thought has been given to what has been happening there...for once, being on vacation and not really caring or worrying about what's going on there feels REALLY good...it's a healthy thing for me to walk out a door and leave it there and not take it home with me. I just hope that this time away has ingrained that thought permanently into my psyche.

So, with that, I leave you...I have some last minute enjoying of my humble home away from home...and of course, spending the last alone time with D before we hop back into the crazy (but happy) life we lead at home. Until the next blog...take care and have a great day!

Peace Out Popsicle Stand!

So, today, I get to say good bye to this popsicle stand I call the jay oh bee...and I could not be happier and more relaxed about it! I already know that everything that could go wrong and happens while I'm gone will somehow be "The Analyst's" (my) fault and I am okay with that. This morning, I've been wrapping up things and even accomplishing things that I didn't anticipate doing. This place has worn me out so much this week that for the last two nights, I've been in bed reading by 9:00 and usually asleep shortly after that. D has come to bed the last two nights and I didn't even wake up when he did and I've slept all night until the alarm goes off without waking up...I can't remember the last time that happened.

Then, this morning, D asked if I'll be back Sunday or Monday. I told him that I wouldn't be back until Tuesday afternoon. I'm pretty sure that we had that discussion at least once or twice and am not sure why that didn't stick in his head. I know that we talked about my quick packing turnaround (24 hours) and how I'd be in the airport a lot in the next week. It was cute, though, when he realized I would be gone for longer than he thought...he'll be fine and busy (including a trip to Mom's to help her with some things, Padres game and autograph chasing).

I'm going to see Mom, Meema and the Boys tonight before I head off on my adventures. Mom called last night to find out when I leave...Meema thought it was today. Mom told me that Meema has been bleeding and went to urgent care yesterday. She has an appointment for some kind of biopsy next Wednesday. This scares me a little especially considering I'll be up north, but I'll have my cell with me. I'm saying little prayers that it's just her age (one month shy of 87) and nothing too serious.

Well, I better get back to pretending to work...I only have 3 hours left. It's only fitting on my last day of work that I leave early to get my hair cut and colored. Hey, what can I say?!? I want to look good in my photos :) Have a great day!

Another Day at the Jay Oh Bee...Ranting and Venting!

Holy crap pretty much summarizes my feeling as of this moment. I'm caught in between sickness, sadness and anger and am not really sure how to deal with this latest turn of events with the jay oh bee. As you may recall from prior posts, our office has some issues that include compassion, cooperation, communication and just a general lack of teamwork. A few months ago, the boss called each of us in to talk about the situation and then we had a staff meeting to air it out. Then, last month, he decided that we should go to lunch together while he covered the office. Our first lunch was rife with manipulation...the Nastys came to work in tennis shoes (never happened before) and walked (knowing I can't) to the lunch place. Then, the meal was tense and uncomfortable to say the least with a comment made that I wouldn't have heartburn if I'd walked to lunch. It's that kind of crap that happens everyday and has not changed. So, tomorrow was supposed to be our next lunch and everyone was dreading it (no one said anything, but we could tell from the attitude and lack of conversation about where and when).

This morning, the boss asks us all to get together for a quick staff meeting. During this meeting, he tells us that we serve our customers excellently, but we basically suck at working and communicating with each other. And, lunch tomorrow (at least his participation) has been cancelled. He told us that he hopes that he treats us each professionally and that he wants us to do the same with each other. He asked if anyone had any comments or anything to say, but there was silence. What did he think we would say?!? I'm suspecting that the Nastys are up to their old tricks again, but I can't be sure. I'm almost positive that one or both went to the boss and told him that we suck and are rude, mean and inconsiderate. At this moment, I don't know what to do. At this moment, I'm stuck in between yelling, screaming and crying that if I went in to talk to him, I would be irrational and angry. The other part of me going in there would be like a tattle tale, but I know that he would take their side because, after all, he's worked with them longer and has a stronger relationship with them (his words, not mine). So, at this moment, I choose to retreat inside my thoughts and try to get some work done. It's easier for me to keep to myself rather than talking to others at this moment...I don't want to act on pure emotion and want to wait until I feel more rational. This sucks the big fat one!

So, sorry to be the "Negative Nelly" and unload this onto the blog, but I needed to get it out of me. Hopefully, I can start to process this information and figure out what to do.

Monday Equals The Countdown Is On!

Happy Monday! I am okay with the Monday concept this week because I only have 4 days of work this week...and it's even a shortened time. Thursday (my last day of work), I'm leaving early to get my hair done. The weekend was good...lots happened and lots was accomplished:

• Thursday: Went home, relaxed on the couch and took a big nap...the rest of the night was us doing a whole lot of nothing. It felt good to relax and get closely reacquainted with the couch. I finished my book (The 4th Summer of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants...so good and so sad this story has come to an end) before finally crashing out.
• Friday: We gathered the massive amounts of laundry and headed to Mom's. Mom had work for D to do...including a Home Depot run. Once that was done, we relaxed and did laundry while socializing...Alicia and Kathy joined us for dinner. We finally finished everything around 9:00 and headed south...we saw at least 5 fireworks shows on the way home. To us, fireworks aren't that big of a deal considering we can see Sea World's show every night from our office window.
• Saturday: Randy Jones (former Padres pitcher/purveyor of ballpark barbecue) was signing and we (D) wanted to get our photos signed from when we met him last year. There was no one there, so it was a quick stop. Then, off to run errands...D got a hair cut, Big 5 (shoe goo for D and a new shirt for me), REI (lots for me...3 pairs of capris, tshirt, shoes, travel toiletries bag and carry-on/travel bag), Road Runner (look at shoes for D), Sports Authority (more clothes for me...2 shirts and a jacket), late lunch/early dinner at Bay Park Seafood, stop at Seisel's Meats (chicken wings, thick cut bacon and some seasonings) and finally, home. We became couch potatoes watching the Padres game, Tour De France, and then, Hopkins (another hour taken up on the DVR by me...I'm fascinated by medical school and those who become doctors...it started with a PBS special 20 years ago about becoming a doctor at Harvard Medical School). We stayed up very late (3:00 a.m. bedtime) geeking out over music and random things. In my random Internet surfing, I found out that RENT is in the Broadway San Diego series for 2008-09. I am so going (March 2009) and dragging D (and anyone else who wants to go) with me. I LOVE this show and can probably do a one-woman show of the soundtrack. I've seen it 3 times in the theater and own the movie.
• Sunday: We got up later (probably because of the late bedtime) and I made breakfast. The thick cut bacon from Seisel's was so good...definitely worth the money. The rest of the day was spent arranging the bedroom...we bought cubby organizer thing for my clothes (since there's no room for my stuff in the drawers...I married a clothes whore) and finally put it together and put clothes and shoes in it. It looks good in the bedroom and it's starting to look nice in there. I've wanted us to get a comforter set for the bedroom, but haven't wanted to buy one until things were more organized. I also spent over an hour ironing D's shirts from the laundry. We want to (try to) put the ironing board away instead of taking up space in the bedroom.

The jay oh bee is the same...we have our monthly bonding lunch on Thursday. I think we are all looking forward to this as much as a root canal. Yesterday was the engaged Nasty's birthday, so we get to celebrate that...woohoo! Last Thursday, her fiance (who is currently deployed) sent her flowers (she's allergic). It was such a sad event! This week will (hopefully) fly by...I have a lot to do in figuring out what I want to pack and get that organized. I also need to figure out if I need to get anything before I leave. Have a great week!

Post 4th of July Remembrance!

So, I meant to blog yesterday, but it was a busy day for us...we went to Mom's for a 4th of July BBQ and to hang out. It also turned into a working day...Mom had some things that she needed done and with D being the only man of the house, he won that lottery. We manged to get the trunk with the family stuff put back together and away, laundry (lots of loads) done, some contraption cut that Mom wants for her tomatoes, and some pool work done. I think, though, in the back of the minds of most there yesterday, work was done to keep busy and not feel sad. Yesterday was Greg's (my stepdad) birthday.

Greg came into our lives at the right time...I was 7 years old and Mom and I were dealing with the aftermath of the divorce. Greg was the polar opposite of my father...kind, caring, honest, respectful and so much more. He made our lives happier and easier...he idolized his "girls" (Mom, Meema and I). He stepped into a parental role and did a phenomenal job. The day of our wedding, I knew that he was there in spirit and I had some moments of sadness because I knew how excited and proud he would have to walk me down the aisle. Especially because I had fulfilled my promise...prior to him and Mom getting married, they lived together. Since I was a Catholic school attendee, this was a fairly taboo thing...one night (I was 8) after returning from a school function, I made the statement that when I was older, "I was going to be like them and live with someone before I got married." Greg, in his infinite patience and wisdom, replied, "Our situation is private, but I'll make you a deal...you can have any kind of wedding you want, you just have to be 30 or have your PhD." Well, I held up my end of the bargain. I was very lucky to have someone like Greg step into my life as such a strong father especially since my own father could not take on that role.

His birthday was a big thing for us...I will always remember 4th of July marathon pool parties and barbecues in the backyard complete with Greg is his patriotic chef hat and apron. It was always a fun and exhausting day of socializing and eating and swimming. For his last birthday (his 40th), we went to visit his mother in Prescott, Arizona. Mom felt that this was important for his mother to spend this milestone birthday with him...we had fun experiencing small town America's version of the 4th complete with a pancake breakfast and parade...dinner was fried chicken and mashed potatoes.

Now, 15 years after his death, the 4th of July still means more than just America's celebration. We remember the one we lost and try to celebrate his birthday in his honor...so, to you Greg, happy birthday...we love you and miss you!

The Simplest Things are The Ones that Make Me Happiest!

So, as previously mentioned, I've totally lost focus on work because I feel like I have mentally already left for vacation. So much so that yesterday, I was pretty frank with my boss about the launch of the online application system and how much chaos and stress it had thrown my way...I told him that the July 1 launch date was done too quickly without all parties fully comfortable with using it. The other side of the house basically only has 1 job (teacher) to post and they can sort by credential...we have so many more. I even told him that I would be meeting with one of the project leaders after I go back from vacation...she is gone next week or else we'd meet then. I also admitted that I am not comfortable with moving forward with the project on our side unless I totally understand the full scope and its impact on us...how can I train others when I don't understand? At the end of my (professional) rant about the project, my boss laughed and said that this made him nervous. Apparently, the director who was on the project committee told him that I was the sharpest one on the team and I had the best grasp of what was happening...score one for me with positive feedback to the boss! We'll see how the meeting goes after I get back.

After work, I picked up D (2 days of carpooling...yeah!) and we had to run some errands...D wanted to make a stop at his favorite place (CJ's Sportscards) to pick up a few things and then, we had to stop at UPS to pick up the laptop battery package. After hanging out with Barb at CJ's for a bit, we headed to UPS. They close at 6:00 (we arrived at 6:15), but the security guard told us that they reopen from 8:00 to 8:30 for late pickups. Rather than head home and waste gas, we decided to hang out in Kearny Mesa for a while. We went to Book Off which is a used discount book store off the 163. It's a cool place...we bought some cheap books after wandering around a bit. Then, we were both hungry and had dinner at Niban on Clairemont Mesa Blvd. They have decent good priced Japanese food...D had chicken katsu and I had chicken teriyaki and shrimp tempura...we shared some sushi and edamame. It tasted good and filled us in time to head back to UPS. After UPS, because we had not eaten enough, we made a stop at Yogurtworld on Convoy. From what I've heard, it's a similar concept to Pinkberry and Red Mango with several self serve flavors of yogurt and toppings. I ventured away from my normal cappuccino/peanut butter combo and tried (and loved) hawaiian sorbet (pineapple) topped with some nuts and chocolate chips. D also ventured away from his normal cookies and cream to have cappuccino topped with nuts. With lids on our yogurt, we headed home. I took a shower to relax a little more before plopping on the couch with my yogurt (and D) to watch TV.

Since there was nothing on, I decided to watch something from the DVR Tuesday night...The Secret Life of An American Teenager. This is a new show on ABC Family from the creator of 7th Heaven (which I loved). I was initially hesitant to watch it because I had read postings about how bad the show is and how much they talk about sex. But, because I am 36 going on 16, I liked the show. It had some poignant moments and looks like it will be a good series. Sorry D, there goes another hour of programming on the DVR!

Last night was the simplest evening that D and I have spent together in a long time, but it was the best one also! It was just the two of us doing random things together and having fun. I am so excited for us to be out of town and together on vacation. Well, have a happy 4th of July!

The Countdown Has Begun!

The countdown to vacation has begun...I only have 5 work days left until I'm out of work for 11 working days. I think this is the first time that I will be gone from work this long without it being break or holiday. I have a lot to do before I leave on my whirlwind trips, but I'm trying not to get too stressed about it. I think that we're going to knock out the massive amount of laundry this weekend.

As for the jay oh bee, I think I've already mentally checked out. I have an "I don't care" attitude about things. Yesterday was the launch of the online application system. I think in the long run, this will be a good thing, but as of today, I am more stressed about the process. I have difficulty moving forward with a project that I don't fully comprehend or know how to deal with. Plus, I dread telling the useless idiots in my office how to use it because their response will be blank stares and forwarding all calls to me. My goal is to try to get a grasp on the system in the next week (if possible) and then when I get back from vacation, start to implement it little by little. Life with the Nastys has been the same...this week has been a little less stressful because a Nasty has been out both Monday and Tuesday...alone, the Nasty power is less than when they are both here. Although, the Nasty that hates me (yes, she hates me and would destroy me if she could!) has once again exceeded her nerviness...she is making calls for interviews and rather than giving her direct extension, she's been giving the main extension. The reason for this...she doesn't want to answer her own line (we had a big discussion about this about 6 months ago) which makes for really poor customer service. So, my response to callers this morning, "I can transfer you to her (voicemail) and here is her direct extension." Two can play this mind game!

The 4th of July stress has been solved...Mom initially wanted us all to make a Ruth's run on Friday, but D and I didn't want to spend that kind of money before we leave and didn't want them to pick up the tab. So, instead, we're doing a barbecue (and maybe utilize Mom's washer and dryer) at Mom's. Uncle and Aunt Banking Mogul are headed east for a visit with Baby E and family, so it will just be a small group. I'm not sure what my contribution will be, but will probably make something fun.

Well, I better get back to work before I totally lose any focus on work. Have a great day!