A complete circle?

I am kind of at a loss for words this morning.

Just over two years ago, my engagement ring broke and I lost the diamond.. which I did end up finding a few months later, but the ring has sat in jewelry box since then because life has gotten in the way of actually getting it fixed.

Well, this morning, as I sat down for our team meeting, and I looked down at my hand. My left hand to be specific. It was naked. No wedding band. FUCK. I could feel the blood drain from my face. The ring was a little big when I got it, and since I didn't know if I would gain weight in my hands with pregnancy I didn't get it fixed at the time, and now it was on my current mental list of things to do - get the engagement ring fixed and size my band. I am hoping for a second miracle that lets me find my ring. So many sentimental reasons - the gold was my grandfather's and contained a few melted down rings, a friend had made the ring, and well, it was my wedding band.

I am hoping it is at home, since I know I had it last night when I left work (since I always play with the band because it is a little big), and I will just need to reconstruct the places that I went. I have everything crossed, and need to make a plan with my dear hubby about all this. The time has come to make the call to the family jeweler to sort this out. It sucks having a ring I can't wear, and it sucks that maybe I have lost the second one. FUCK. It frustrates me so much because aside from some really nice earrings I got from Ken, I don't have a lot of valuable jewelry. I have some really nice silver jewelry, but it just isn't on the same level. This was it - my wedding rings. You have faith when things are made that they are made right... and well, I guess not the place a corner should have been cut and now it is a life lesson.

A two year old.

I am the mother of a two year old.

Wow.

Ken had the house all decorated when I got home, and Brandon was just absolutely gleeful. He was singing Happy Birthday to himself and he couldn't wait to blow out the candles. This year, he even tore in to a few packages, although he did have the attention span of a gnat when it came to playing with each of his new gifts. I got him a Bob the Builder ice cream cake, and he was way more interested in licking the icing off the cake than eating the ice cream?! We had the grandfolks over, and it was a great time.

The joy on his face, and the funny things that he says. We are both pretty proud parents of our little guy.

A humbling read

This seems to be the year that I am finding more books that move me.

There are some books out there that are "technical" good reads because they are well written, regardless of whether or not you really liked the book (for me, that would be something like A Fine Balance because it was well written, but I can't say I am jumping up and down with excitement from the experience) and then there are the "good reads" because you flip the pages as quickly as you can (like Riptide, or some of the crime novels that I read). Then there are the good reads which aren't necessarily perfect, but they move you, or humble you, or cause you to think about something you have never considered before, or they open your eyes, or cause you to appreciate some element of life just a little more. I just finished one of those books.

Last year I watched an interview on the morning news with a fellow named Ishmael. He was a child soldier from Sierra Leone, and I remember just how compelling his story seemed to be. I have wanted to read his story for a long time, and I had a "moment" and realized it was probably at the library where I work, rather than waiting to buy (or remember to buy it).

Well, it was a moving story, one that shattered a few conceptions that I had. It is called A long way gone and it is a worthy read (an autobiography) to even just have a glimmer of what happened out there, and what these kids went through. Ishmael tells his tale in a way that lays it all out there, the good, the bad and the ugly. He doesn't hide behind words, or mince words, and there were times I had to put the book down and take it all in. It is a terrible story in many ways, and yet one that contains hope. I would recommend it as a read, although not one if you want a light and fluffy escapist book. This isn't it. So much of what happens in his young life, I couldn't imagine. His tale also reminds of how resilient humans can be when given the chance, but how hard of a struggle it truly can be to do so.

Berry Time

The downside of June-uary was a terrible crop of strawberries.

Kazzicus Domesticus has reared her head and let out a great big roar today. Shopped in the morning, enjoyed the new window my dad installed (yay! fresh air!!), got to visit the newest member of our extended family tonight after I finished a blanket in the car for him, then got home, watched some mindless tv, cleaned the fish tank after coming to the realization that yes the water should not be that colour green... and no, that water isn't moving (sorry fish sacrifice that didn't make it), and then I decided that truly tonight should never end because I have now made 2 batches of strawberry jam.

Or, should I say, one batch of strawberry, one of strawberry and blueberry, since the berries I bought didn't stretch in to two batches. They were shit berries. Small, great for jam, and lots of rotten ones. They were so bad this year I wasn't even tempted by these berries to put them in a bowl and eat them like a big kid. No big juicy red ones that make you drool just admiring them.

And because I don't have enough to do, I am running a process for work while I am off so I can get an "extra day" tacked on, meaning Monday. These two weeks have flown by. I had one of those damned lists, and I have notched a few things off, but I am letting a few things go too.

Honestly though, I am still up because I am excited. We are heading down to So-Cal to visit one of my bestest friends and her hubby and celebrate being alive. I can't wait. Just to hang out, catch up, hit the outlet malls. When we talked the other night, she said the weather was going to be good - it shouldn't be over a 100! Crazy talk! This BC girl is in a for a bit of an awakening after our spring. Yes, the last few weeks have been amazing, almost good enough weatherwise to help one forget just how much it did rain...

Weird Karma.

As a kid, I was a biter.

I was that annoying kid at the family get togethers that would be crawling under the table and biting peoples ankles. My aunt threatened to keep a wool coat she had with the perfect imprint of my upper and lower teeth in the corner of it.

Funny how when you have kids, people do say life comes around full circle.

So it is apt that Brandon too is a bit of a biter and I am getting a taste of my own medicine, so to speak. The biting urge seems to get worse with teething, but it's there. I ask him not to bite and end up with my hand on his forehead to hold him off, and then he tells me to "stop that mommy". It is funny as hell BUT I don't want to encourage biting, so I am trying positive and negative reinforcement, and hopefully this is a short stage.

I didn't imagine having conversations with my two year old. The other day I was attempting to put him down and he went for my shirt. I am sure if I gave him the chance he would breast feed right up until he had to go to school, and to quote my little darling:

B - "Boobies!"

Me - "Yes Brandon, those are mom's boobies." Trying really hard not to do an eye roll and hoping that he doesn't attempt to latch on. We have weaned about 99%.

With a funny look on his face, "Boobies in a bra, mom."

What do you say to that?

I think after so long going down for naps with me, and associating naps and bedtime with me and offering b'feeding, it is a struggle for me to put him down for a sleep. He fights it, the routines don't really help, ultimately we rock, and read, and sing, and cuddle, and I usually end up falling asleep with him on the bed (which is actually quite endearing but exhausting after the tears, the cajoling, the leaving, the screaming behind the door, and the entreaties to say the least). At least today the routine went better than the last few days. Could help that I really tired him out.

It is amazing how different he is to go down for anyone else. For Ken, he is a dream. They read a few books, a cuddle, Brandon asks for a hug and kiss, and a "see you in the morning" and they are DONE! It's almost funny. He goes down for naps and bed great for everyone but me. I guess that means I am some kind of special?

Read this book.

Every now and then a book comes along that takes your breath away.

This month's read for book club was like that. It was Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See. The title is appropriate after you read the book, but doesn't really give you any indication of what or how the book is going to unfold.

What a BOOK!! All of us couldn't put it down, and all of us were excited to talk about this book (which isn't always the case) - after we talked about our families, and ate lots of good food, and well, just enjoyed being together and being women, and talking about just everything before we wound our way around back to the book. I didn't know what to expect, but it was a beautiful, moving, somewhat disturbing and gritty, but very elegantly written tale of two women in China beginning in the 1820s when women still went through foot binding. Parts were really hard to read (from the point of view of what was acceptable to do to women), and yet, it was a book that felt like it gave you access to a part of the world and set of experiences that are completely foreign to a twentieth century Caucasian woman.

We got to talking about standards of beauty, and what is considered barbaric, and what is truly "all in the eye of the beholder" when you discuss foot binding, whale-boned corsets, labrettes, head binding to create a flat forehead, piercings, high heels and bras all in the same conversation. Being born in our time, in this place was something we all agreed upon as being really good, especially as a result of some of the books we have read and experiences we have collectively had or read/heard/been exposed to.

Of course, the next book I read after this didn't measure up by any standard. It was just an ok read and one that just didn't flow all that great for me. Then again, this book set a pretty high standard.

Sunny days...

Although you can't see Brandon's face, I thought that the composition of this shot was kind of cool. For once, I think that the tide was too far out - it was so far out that it was awesome to make sandcastles in because the sand was really dry, but once you got to the water's edge, it was all seaweed as far as the eye could see, and frankly, Brandon isn't going in for a walk or a swim in it when you just can't see what he is going through or stepping on... saw lots of big clams and crabs, and I am comforted by the fact that I have seen some sand dollars on the beach again (it had been years).

It's nice to be off this week. Although the days are flying by. I have a "to do" list so I remember to do a few of the projects that would nice to get done... like chopping back our laurel hedge that is totally unruly, and painting around my stove (this was just a touch up job caused by getting a new stove that was a different size than the last one... and ok, so we did that last Christmas... welcome to life with kids and a whole new set of priorities).

Almost there!

Ever gone up a stairs in the heat to check out a view...

Not in Kansas anymore...

Every time we have driven out to Steveston, I have been curious about the Buddhist Temple. You can just make out bits and pieces of the architecture as you go speeding by. On a lark, we decided to make a family outing of it, and took off to Steveston for both a trip to the Temple and then off to the docks for some fish and chips. It was a great afternoon.


What a peaceful, beautiful oasis. The gardens and grounds were lovely, it was quiet, the attention to details was staggering. It was humbling walking around the buildings and the gardens, and just seeing a different way to worship and a different set of ideals. It didn't feel like somewhere you could reach in a half hour drive, it felt foreign and yet inviting. There was so much for your senses to take it - it was a very cool experience.

The doors were wide open, and yes, there were a few places to give donations if you so chose, but it wasn't in your face. It feels like a place of learning, and there were monks walking around. You could drop in and listen to the various talks that were taking place, or stop for a vegetarian meal, or just sit by a perfect banzai and just soak it all in. There is something really appealing about Buddhism, I would love to know a little more. I would also love to see more female Buddhas. It's a catch of all the so-called great religions, you see lots of male faces, and not so much of the female. Where does the fear of the "other" come from? I know that is an entirely different train of thought, but I don't see division, I see complementary forms between men and women.

This seated Buddha caught my imagination - the artist truly caught an element of mischievousness here -

Still?

So we got back from parts in the British Columbian 'Boo on Sunday, and it feels like I have been running ever since. I am back at work for a week, and then I am off again for 2. Yes, daycare owns our ass and since our daycare is closing for July, we are taking rotating holidays to cover the month. I get the first 2 weeks, Ken the next 2, and my mom gets one.

And damn, if it doesn't look like the month of July is going to go even quicker than June.

Er. Should I say Junuary? Needless to say it is almost time to celebrate when the glowing orb decides to reveal itself from behind the clouds.

I am still itching from my bug bites. My legs look like shit - I am a scratcher and I look like I had the chicken pox with all the red marks from the knees down. I also managed to scrap most of the skin off of one of my big toes, and being in a spot like that, and wearing shoes and all, well, the healing isn't exactly happening at a brisk pace.

It was a good break, and hopefully in the next few days I will go back and in fill in a few gaps, but so far all I have been able to do is compose blogger messages in my head, and hope that I could spare a few moments to write even just something. It is a tricky balance being a full-time career mom. There aren't enough hours in the day, and sometimes, just trying to figure out the time to connect with friends is hard. Hell, trying to get your laundry put away some days is a challenge! So, even though we got home at a decent time on Sunday (thankfully) this whole week has been about catching up, and putting things away, and food shopping, and then with work, dealing with what wasn't done when I was away, doing presentations, and then getting ready to go away again!! I can't wait to just alternate between doing some really cool stuff we have planned for July and hanging around the house and not having to go to work and doing some different stuff.

In a nutshell - the more I see of BC the more I love it here. We are damn fortunate to live where we do and call this incredible place home. Once you pass through the gates of Hope the whole province opens up, and there are places that take your breath away, and by the same token, open spaces to catch your break again to get away from the concrete jungle for a bit and recharge your batteries. Heading up and down the Fraser, it is hard to get away from the history of this province, between the gold rush, and the salmon fisheries, and logging. Yet the more you learn about it, the more interesting it becomes...

Bah.

What a shit week weather wise.

We turned the heat on again 2 days ago. I wore my peacoat again. The dark colours have been the predominant colours this week. And I just feel - blah. The highlight so far this week has been going out on a date with Ken and catching a movie.

One day pretty much all I saw outside my window was white. That and the rain hitting the glass.

It's felt like an uphill week, and like my mind has been skittering around and that nothing has come easily - except date night. Brandon even went to sleep nicely for his cousin!! woo woo!

We are heading away on holidays next weekend, and it can't come soon enough. I am just tired, need a change of scenery, time to hang with the family longer than just a weekend.

Ok, so what I have been doing is a lot of whining.

There has been some other good stuff, I finished a bunch of books. I finished one called a A Song for my Daughter" by a BC author. It was great reading about locales I know, especially going up the Fraser since that is a trip we will be making next week. It was a book the delved in to myth, and archetypes, and stories within stories. It wasn't great, it was a good solid read, especially since it was locally written! I was also thoroughly wrapped up in a book called Mortal Fear by Greg Iles.. WOAH. Talk about a book that took a while to get in to, but once I was, I literally could not put it down. I got kicked out of my office for a bit yesterday so a picture could be hung, and I stood in the concourse reading it... Ah yes, once a geek, always a geek. MAN. It was good.

It's funny, I know I see life through rose-tinted glasses, it helps, and I try to always see the positive side, but it is amazing how it can help just typing out the whining, and maybe reflecting a bit on the good stuff just to help put things back in perspective. I have been kicking it just - blah style - all week. Yet there have been these moments, and moments like in the morning sitting with Brandon on the couch, or even getting out with Ken for a few hours, or finishing a book that I was thoroughly in to... helps make up for the rest. I think life does balance out when you give yourself a chance to see that. Ok, enough philosophy for the moment. Lunch break is pretty much done.

In the clouds

When I got up the hill to work yesterday, I got to experience being in the clouds again, for the first time in years. I pulled in to my parking lot, and between the misting rain, clouds, and the fog cloaking the trees, I couldn't see across the lot!! Funny, when I was a student here years ago, I was aware of the dampness, and the gray, and the never ending rain, but it seems different now that I am older, more aware of time, and the passing seasons. Of course, a day like yesterday would have been great in say, November, but in early June? A bit dramatic if you ask me.

I am slowly getting my office organized. It still staggers me some of the paper waste, and the convoluted processes, but I am putting my stamp on things, and continuing to plunder on like the proverbial bull in the china shop. A small victory for me - I am now 10 pounds lighter than I was just before Thanksgiving.. woo woo! That means I am truly lighter than I was when I first got preggers. Some days it is all about the little victories. There is something to be said about having a 13 minute walk each way to work.. and actually hitting cardio machines a few days a week at lunch. Actually, it is good for my head, just getting on the machine with my book and the time slips away. I am reading a book called Mortal Fear by Greg Iles... it took me a long time to get in to it, and it is really wordy and could use some editing, but the story ends up drawing you in (if you like the suspense/murder/mystery type books).

I miss my long weekends, even if cramming 4 days of work in to 5 was brutal. I can't believe it has been almost a year since my mat leave ended. Holy shit has the time flown. So much has changed - so much stays the same.

If all goes as it should, Ken and I are going to sneak out for another movie tomorrow night!! It's nice knowing we are getting out for just us a little more - helps with the whole balance thing. I think we will be seeing that new swash buckler sequel... although tried to watch the first one the other night and it put both of us in to slumber... LOL

I need a few more hours.

Damn. Where the hell did my weekend go?

I need a few more hours before I go to sleep, and I am tired. Pooped. Feeling pretty done.

It feels like this weekend ran away on me, and it just seems like it got frittered away somewhere. Some great stuff - and some lame elements too. And, I forgot this will be a 6 day week for me, I get to work Saturday since we are hosting an Open House. I don't even think I was asked, I think with my position, it is quietly assumed I will be present and get some extra time off at a later date.

The garage sale was a total bust. I think I sold 5 items, and bought a set of chairs, and brought home some plants. I barely came out ahead. I also got sunstroke, which started to kick in about 10 o'clock with a headache and nausea to go with the farmer's tan I got. There were lots of lookie-loos, but few takers. It did make it easier to let go of a bunch of stuff at the end of the day because I did not want to pack it up and cart it home with me, only to have to deal with it again. Done. Off to an organization that picks up and pays forward. Had a good day chatting with some old friends, and it was bizarre, the garage sale was in my home town, and half the folks I saw knew me from my days working in the local grocery store.

I didn't really get to see much of Ken. Between grocery shopping, and him running errands after work friday, we both crashed out on the couch. Then Saturday with the garage sale, and then I went to a friend's place for some visiting and Ken played hockey. It was nice though - we both left our respective "parties" at the same time and arrived home together. It was nice that Brandon was asleep, but we were both bagged, again. Still?

The weather held today - it was a great Sunday. Picked up a few more plants this morning, got Brandon some outdoor toys, cleaned up my deck area, gardened, ran laundry, the dishwasher, took our bottles back, grabbed some steaks for dinner, made dinner with my mom, and O M G. I'm watering plants, and realized that I bought ribs on friday night to take when we head out fishing in a few weeks.. and just about forgot about them. They were sitting in the fridge. I knew, deep down, if I didn't do them tonight I would be throwing money away and wasting good food.

So, even though I am tired as hell and would much prefer to be in bed with a good book right now, my guy at my side. I make ribs. I blog. I make the bed, and hopefully even get some laundry put away. Hell, maybe even unload that dishwasher so I don't start the week off with just an extra element of chaos.

On the flip side, it is starting to smell pretty damn good around here.

Whoosh.

The sound of another week, flashing by.

Why are the short weeks somehow longer than the regular weeks? This has been a better week - I am not as crispy or as fried as I was this time last week. It helps when your reports are running as they should, and the clients clamoring at your door have dulled to a quiet roar. Finally, a little breathing room.

That also means more records management. Damn, someone else that I have taken over tasks from kept a lot of paper. Way too much paper. It is hard seeing such incredible waste - especially when said person didn't always duplex either. It's weird the paranoia that there used to be to keep paper trails, and uber documentation, even documentation that could be accessed at any time, on-line. *SIGH*. Once again, makes me feel like a bull in a china store as I bring about more process changes.

Tomorrow morning I am piggy-backing on a friend's garage sale and hauling over some stuff to get rid of and hopefully make a meager profit on. The theme of "moving on" and "decluttering" continues. The spring clean up week helped, and this should help too. I am getting the urge to do more decluttering, but there hasn't been the time. I do miss having a day off every 2 weeks, but not getting up for work for 7:30 has been a blessing too, and getting off at 4:30, but I haven't really done much of that lately either.

I must say, my motivation got up and left this morning.

Once Ken and Brandon left, I think I stood around with a stupid look on my face for a few minutes. And then I procrastinated, and then I was late leaving the house. I would have been happy just hanging out in my ginch with a good book all day.

-

Not so bad.

35 has been looking pretty damn good so far.

Started out this new week, promising myself to not allow myself to ramp up stress-wise at a breakneck pace. It worked. It helps that I have sorted out most of the bugs in the report that I have to run, and I have finally had a chance to start to pick through, identifying what could stay, what should go, and what could move on. It's all in the details right now. At least I can see at what level the report sorts at (that was a mystery for the first 2 weeks) and semester start up is already moving quickly in to the past. I still think I have to take part of way too many meetings... but they are a necessary evil (apparently).

Ken's outta town for the night, and for a change, I didn't fall asleep with Brandon. Man, I have been bagged lately. Getting up before 6am doesn't help, but I think I was asleep before 10 three nights last week - LAME-O is me, The headache that didn't lift until Saturday probably paid a little part in that though.

Getting out of dodge for the weekend was a godsend. Not only was it good to spend time as a family with no distractions, the weather was good, got to see some new stuff, have some crazy new experiences... it's cool to think that in 3 weeks we are heading out for a real holiday!

I also got to change up the art work in my office today. What I had sucked. It was some dark abstract painting that did nothing for me. Now I have 2 semi-decent pieces of art that help jazz up some pretty boring walls. At least I have a view!

Othello Tunnels

Best time to go is first thing in the morning - before the crowds. Now, with my new life, where 7am is the old noon, doing just that is a reality! We were out and about at a decent time, and were at the tunnels for just after 8, and then to Hell's Gate for opening. It was an awesome day.

My next career?

Gateway to Holidayland

My DH heard my pleas that we really needed to get out of dodge. From what he didn't say, actually finding a place to hang our hats wasn't an easy task, last minute, heading in to the long weekend, and the first nice weekend since last year.

I think I was reaching the end of my tether. I had a headache that wouldn't go away. Coffee wasn't helping, nor pain killers, or just trying to get more sleep. I think I was a tad stressed, and just needed a change of pace. The pain wasn't lifting, and it was going on days. And the early nights of crashing. And the waking up to do it again. Not that things have been that bad, or that stupid crazy (ok there were moments) just a cumulative effect of the whole ball of wax, so to speak.

So Ken planned an amazing trip. We made it to the gateway to the interior - which was just perfect. Far enough to be away, close enough that we didn't spend all day in the car. It was so needed. Sometimes being a tourist in your own backyard is the best thing you can do - discovered a cool place to eat called Skinny;s Grille, and a fabulous coffee shop called the Blue Moose.

I washed away the last 35 years in the face of an amazing waterfall - it was such an experience, words pale. The mist was tossed around by the wind from the temperature change (hot air and cold water), and I had to plunge my feet in to the falls to just experience it. Even though I didn't jump in to the water, I was soaked to the skin from the mist.

I think this is when my headache lifted.

My guys, checking out the falls. After seeing this, stopping in at Bridal Falls on the way home was no longer an option - it wouldn't compare.

I truly believe sometimes you have to get out of dodge to reconnect with yourself, get back to the basics, leave the noise behind, hold hands with your loved ones, and just experience something out of the ordinary. We did that - from cheesy Rambo-esque moments, to quiet moments having a picnic, to being awed by nature's beauty. So what I needed to refocus my energy.

500

Funny how things work out - I celebrate 35 aged and celebrated years, and I hit the 500 posts milestone!

I am lurking at home for a few extra minutes this morning. I am going for a massage before I head off to work. I figure they should just be happy that I am working on my birthday - it is one of those days I like being a princess and not working, but I just don't have enough extra days to pull it off this year. Granted, I am getting tomorrow off, but I am working from home, and ultimately, tomorrow is happening because of a daycare crisis - our daycare lady *gasp* has taken the day off. Apparently she has a life too. LOL

Ken and I went on a great date last night - it was awesome. Our nephew and his GF came over to watch Brandon, and I am sure that they thought I was hilarious - we caught an early movie, and it was just what I wanted from a summer blockbuster. I was also mildly surprised at how the story unfolded, it wasn't rocket science, but still a good flick. Hell, getting out, holding Ken's hand, and watching a movie all the way through in one sitting was great in itself!!! Ah, the NWO. Got home, and Brandon had gone to bed without us, without a fuss!! YAY! Another cause for celebration. Last time we went out he was terrible going down for my mom, so perhaps we have turned a corner. And yes, the dude is in his own room. He lurves his own bed.

Work has been slowly getting better, but I have had headaches most of the this week. I have no idea if it has been stress, or just not sleeping well, or if I am fighting something. The headaches are getting annoying though - so it waking up about 5 am. I am cool with 6, but 5 is pushing it a bit. At work, it has been kind of neat, I have run in to a few familiar faces, and caught up with a few old friends that I knew from previous incarnations of myself at previous employers. That has been good. It has also been strange, it feels like I have never left this place on the hill.

At least I bring a lot of other experiences to the table now - there is something to be said about a little bit of experience in the field rather than just going to school somewhere and then working there without experiencing anything else. My office is coming together, 6 out of 23 boxes are gone, and 11 more to go this week.

I have been exhausted this last week. I think everything has caught up to me - the stress of the job changes, Brandon being sick, and then it trickling through to us, and just the normal day in and day out stuff, like trying to get laundry done and put away before the week starts up again... sometimes that is a huge challenge.

And how offensive is it that one of Canada's most notorious waste's of skin ended up with a myspace page? BRUTAL.

Yup, that skipping CD of a mind that I have is at it again.

Looks like we are getting out of dodge this weekend - I am not sure where, but Ken has something up his sleeve. I am tempted to ask where, but it is nice not knowing at this point and just being surprised, and happy knowing we are getting out of dodge.

And my dear friend Kelz had a baby girl!!! Welcome to the world Niamh!!!!

And my dear friend Clay is safely back in North America! Another reason to celebrate.

It feels like life has been happening fast and furiously. Days are going by way too quickly. It is kind of mind boggling actually. If tomorrow is as bright and beautiful as they say - I can't wait to get out for a walk at the beach with Brandon... should be good.

Perhaps I should start getting my day together... I don't think showing up to work in my robe today is such a great idea.

That's a wrap.

What a week.

I haven't been this glad it was a Friday for a long time. No wait, I think I feel this way pretty much every Friday night. What a fricken long, tiring, stressful, clusterfuck of a week.

It is my first taste of being in charge - I think it has gone fairly well, especially considering my first stint at being the point man also coincided with the third busiest time of the year for us. I had at least one staff member off every day. An integral program failed all week long. I realized I was sending the same information every day, no changes, causing a lot of delays for many people (unintentionally) because part of the file that I was grabbing was listed in lower case letters instead of upper case letters, and in no training manual, or in the training I got from the person I took over from (in their defense they were a temp, and frankly didn't have a huge vested interest in the program, beyond the small fraction of what they were shown) was it listed that it was important to have the whole file name listed in upper case letters. I assumed that the extension part could be lower case... well. Huge mistake. Most of the issues should sort out tonight.. the rest will hopefully sort out on Monday when I run my program again - I asked for a data refresh and that is being run tonight. Fingers crossed, it goes well and by Tuesday I can let the mob.... er... folks that are clamoring at our door know that everything is all good.

This is a short lived stint, since my supervisor is in Hawaii, but a welcome one. I was at my old job 10 years and never got to take the reins, and I have been in this just barely a month and I have been making decisions left, right, and centre, hosting team meetings, checking in with folks, and running with the ball. It is nice to feel valued in a different way, and to have more control... and best of all, to have a window with a view. Some days, my office is so bright I have to angle my monitor so I can actually see what is going on. Crazy! What a nice change from the broom closet I had at the old place, and then the box within a box, within a box, within a box I had not even a year ago.

Some days I can't believe the changes of the last year.

Then I met with the anal retentive archives dude yesterday, hoping to get rid of the 22 boxes in my office. A grand total of 6 boxes are officially ready to go. I then needed to spend a few hours I didn't have fixing another 11. One will stay put until they have a chance to go through the types of files in there and assign a retention period since we started making up our own numbers. Then I have another 6 boxes beyond my door that I think I am just going to be in denial about and wait for a motivated day when I feel the urge to do one final push for records management and get it out of here.

Of course, I love it when things get done, like yesterday. The wheels they don't turn so fast in a large institution. I am hoping those 6 boxes are gone next week. An approval to send off the other 11 to the archives would be nice as well, and I will optimistically hope that they will be gone the week after. Who knows about the rest.

In another 6 weeks the rest of my office furniture shall arrive.

Next week I may go and switch out the art work I have. It is some funky interpretive that I have hanging on the wall that does nothing for me.

That said, it has been a decent week at work - I have certainly bonded with my coworkers, and well, I have learned a few things the hard way. Seem a few stars, and well, some that fulfill different roles in the overall scheme of things.

What else?? It feels like work has dominated this week.

Brandon is fighting a cold - which is a far cry better than fighting the flu. Ken's between the pipes tonight, and I went out for dinner with Brandon and my folks to this funky little Italian place up the street. It was brilliant. It was a great departure from this week - marking a real end to it, and running in to the weekend. Granted the beer I had probably helped.. that and the latte with a shot of sambucca dropped in to it also helped.. LOL

Man, I can ramble when I set my mind to it.

My next goal is to update Brandon's adventures. I have been remiss in the last 6 weeks. It has been hard enough putting a few thoughts up here, every now and then, than trying to put up some new pics of him. It's Mum's Day this weekend. Wow. It is starting to feel real - like it isn't just about my mum anymore. My daycare lady floored me today when I picked B up - she had a picture she had made from hand cut outs, and B's picture in the middle, and a poem. If I was a crier, I would have been croaking out big crocodile tears. As it was, I was a little emotional but none of the wet stuff seeped out.

So, off I run.