Family Reunions

I went to my family reunion yesterday. Of the four main families only two attended so it was rather small but at the same time nice because it was a more intimate visit. I couldn't help but notice that we are dying off or living out of state. I imaging one day this family will no longer have reunions. I think they will continue until my generation dies off and then we will be no more. Since I am the youngest grandchild I suppose it will end before I die off and an entire family name will just not exist the way we know it. Maybe not.

LIFE! It is what it is.

Well my daughter got her tonsils out on Thursday, she's a trooper. I asked her "how bad does it hurt?" and she said, because at that point she still had a voice, quiet as it was "not any worse than my worst sore throat." She had some bad sore throats. Yesterday was her worst day, more painful than the "bad sore throat" we are hoping that was her "bad day" they told us about. But today is 3rd day post op and she is still sleeping so we will see how today is. Yesterday she ate mashed potatoes and some scrambled eggs. Not at the same time. I hope she heals quickly she has 4 widsom teeth to be removed before she goes back to school. I don't think we can fit in a hand surgery, maybe Christmas break. Oh she just woke up and wants cream of wheat, yahoo. Today is better.

My son was animal sitting and I didn't see him for a week. He kept in touch with his dad and by the time he got home he looked so grown up. He always comes home wanting a dog. His birthday is 5 days and he will be 17. I am trying to wrap my brain around that. Somedays he seems much older and some days I think he's just tall for the average 8 year old. He starts his new charter school the end of August. I have confidence that this will be a good year for him. Hopefully by June we will be having a graduation party.

I finally feel like I have some control over my life. I'm not freaking out about anything. I think because for the first time I have a plan. Wow, I have a plan for my life, and it only took 51 years. It doesn't matter when you start I guess, but it helps with looking forward to the future. I know that in 6 months when my year is up at work I want to work in the medical concierge dept., the more I talk to the people that work there and see what they do the more I know that I belong there. I will need good walking shoes though, but thats ok I need the exercise. oh and its more money. So that is plan two. Plan one is the Dave Ramsey total money makeover, we do have to take the class however, my husband has an aversion to reading. I refuse to tell him step by step, he needs to particupate fully. He is cooperating!! Along with losing weight I'm off to a great start.

I want to work with grown ups

A man came in today and said, "you girls were bad, I am going to put a box on this thermostat so you can't play with the temperature" I thought she was going to have a meltdown. She also turned the heater up and said "just wait till she gets back". *(the boss is out for a week). I couldn't stop laughing. She also said, thats why I lock up my heater. Oh the heater that if I take out the top drawer which isn't locked I can reach in and pick it up? yeah right.

I just stay in front of my fan.

Ha

I bought a friggin fan!



the end.

THE HEATER LIVES

This is not funny. I am sitting at my desk and I hear the noise. It sounds like the heater, but I don't feel anything I am just hearing it. The next day, friday, I am hearing the heater again. The wall thermostat is also turned up to 90.
OMG she has the heater under her desk and now I am feeling the hot breeze, no wonder I am sweating to death. I knew I didn't have a hot flash, but I was really warm. Before she left she pulled it out and locked it in one of the drawers. I pulled out the drawer above it and there was "THE HEATER". UNBELIEVABLE.
This is war, I refuse to work with a heater anymore. ITS SUMMER.

stay tuned.

THE HEATER IS GONE

I went to work on Friday like any other day. As I was sitting there checking in patients, my co-worker says to me "have you seen the heater?" I was shocked, the heater was no where to be found. It was all I could do to not start laughing and doing the happy dance. Throughout the day I looked around and suddenly my eyes drifted toward the ceiling and behold, there on the top shelf, sitting very quietly was THE HEATER. ha ha ha ha, I could not believe it. There she sat wondering what the heck happened to her heater and it was hovering only 3 feet above her head. This could not have been more perfect if I had planned it myself. I felt rather tense during the day, I was afraid her eyes might drift toward the ceiling and she would spot the heater and then I would have to spend the rest of the day in sweltering heat. I was also concerned that I would burst out laughing at the absurdity of it all.

Later in the afternoon I mentioned the situation to my supervisor who looked at me and said "ITS SUMMER, SHE DOESN'T NEED A HEATER". This is why I love her and am so devoted to her. "In fact," she said, "lets throw it out". In one felt swoop I heard the angels singing, the saints were dancing and my hot flash disappeared. I could barely contain my joy. Then she said "do you want it?", OMG do I want the heater that has tormented me for the last 6 months ......thinking...........thinking......NO. I do not want to know where the heater is. I do not want to be an accomplice.
and just before I left for the night, the super walked in grabbed the heater and with a thud, it landed directly in the garbage can.

THE END

I'm done, can I quit now??????

Soooooo, I said to hubby as we sat on the couch watching reality tv. I'm done, I don't want to work outside the home anymore, can i stop now? He laughed at me. I don't like it, it doesn't fit in my daily schedule of things and lately its annoying and stressful. The people are annoying too, imagine that! I love the patients, thats my thing, but lets face it...nobody wants to pay me to sit and chat with them. Although I had a really interesting conversation with a guy from Missouri today about Obama and McCain. I grow from these conversations, why can't they see that.

I have alot to do at home. I am sewing a cover for my computer chair. Its a really old but well built chair that I love, but it is like a blue green. I need time to do that. Someone has to have energy to do the dinner dishes. and when am I suppose to read???? can anyone tell me that? I do read on the shuttle and on the way home which is adequate. I can't read at home because by the time I get here my eyes want to close. Hey, I want to grow tomatoes but do not have time to go buy them and try to figure out how to grow them hanging upside down. I saw that in a catalog, then the rabbits won't eat them.

Hey, I could visit my dad in the daytime, he's not going to be here forever you know.

I need time to excercise, yeah I lost some weight but now I need to do more and while a job is nice its just a little inconvenient right now. ya know what I mean?

I'm done....can I pleeaasse stop now???????????????

I MADE HISTORY, I think

The new Cleveland Clinic Heart Center will be opening sometime in September. The building is a huge massive piece of glass, thus referred to as "the big glass building". Well yesterday at 7:15 am we were all invited to take a group picture, those of us that work for Cardiology or Vascular as they are combining their efforts in the big glass building. My friend Connie talked me into "Making History" and getting my picture in what I imagined to be a huge group of people. Its was a large group, but somehow we ended up in the third row, center. I am sure it will be easy to pick out my smiling mug. I did say "wow, I've never stood in a group this large that was so well behaved" and Connie replied "thats because they haven't had any liquor" , everyone within earshot got a good laugh and then it continued, Joan was on the other side of Connie and said "oh gosh I hope I don't get red eye", while she applied some lipstick. The photographer was on a boom 12 feet in the air, I will be surprised if we can even see her lips lol. We had alot of laughs and it was definately an experience. I hope we make the paper. I can hardly wait to move into the new building, it looks like an airport concourse. I wonder what they will build next.

Wow 3 years

On April 10th my mother will be gone 3 years. My father announced the other day that we are done mourning. You see my mother left all of us a letter that said Mourn for a while, but get on with your lives. Well something like that, but I will say it has gotten easier. We are busy living and while I miss her its not as heart renching as it used to be. But just as we are getting it back together, my father decides he is moving in with my sister, so.........we get to inherit "STUFF" again. I choose wisely because I have limited space and hopefully everything will fit. Mostly a painting, some tupperware, old movies and some photographs.

This is also why I know I am not mourning so much anymore. As I sit on the sofa looking around I yell "Mom, you have too much crap". She is not even here and we are still going through her stuff.

oh yeah and some bookcases........little ones.

Life is Strange

Did you ever walk through mud or trudge through snow and you have to push to get through? You know like leaning forward against the wind and push to keep going? Thats how I feel. With everything I do, I feel like its uphill and I have to push through it. Was is that? Do I feel that life is a struggle? I have really good moments and then I'm climbing uphill again. Its like an emotional roller coaster of sorts. I know its not realistic to expect to be on the high end all the time (unless you are doing some really good drugs), but I have been observing other people lately and wondering what their lives are like. What they are really like and do they ever feel what I am feeling. Lets take a look at my life, shall we?

Work - work is good. My supervisor likes me (alot) and I like her too, I like her work ethic and they way she puts the patients first above all things, I like her values. I made a friend at work, and since I am BLUE we all know how important that is. She lived in West Virginia unitl she was about 8 or 9 but still has her accent, not real strong but its there and I love it. I was off sick and she came up to the desk and said "wheres my girl". She is alot of fun, and helps me keep things in perspective. I am starting to car pool on Monday with my sister to save on gas, it should work out fine. I leave the house at about 6:30 and get home about 6:30. Sometimes a little earlier, depends on traffic. Its a long day, go to bed by 9 or I'm dead the next day.
Oh, the sweet girl I work with is relaxing a little and not being quite as sweet. I expected that and its nothing I can't handle.

Daughter - just left to go back to school. I drove through a snow storm to bring her home to see a friends play that ended up being cancelled, but thats ok because she had a sinus infection and double ear infections and her daddy took her to the doctor. We patched her up and sent her back. She will be home in two weeks for spring break. Surprisingly enough she wanted to stay with us longer, she misses us "just a little". Ha, the truth finally comes out.

Son - I don't have the energy to even begin. Well he'll be at church Wed, Fri, Sat and Sun for the next 6 weeks, at least we will know where to find him.

Husband - we're good. on the same page most of the time. Trying to have a social life, but I cracking down on spending so thats a little tough. We need something to do besides clean, do laundry, grocery shop....oh those are things I do hmmm. (in all fairness he washes his own work clothes) He did snow blow the drive twice yesterday. We are making a to do list so we can finish some of the things in the house that didn't get completed during the remodeling adventure.

So thats my life. I cleaned around my desk and threw out a whole garbage bag full of junk and I still can't see the top of my desk. Its crap piling up everyday, I must not be pruging fast enough. my house is dirty, I can't keep up and some days just don't care cause I'm too tired. Ok, so I am going to make a list of things to do and check them off, and maybe that will help.

1.) find all new doctors and make appts because I now work for the World Renowned Cleveland Clinic where everyone deserves world class care.

2) Taxes, oh yeah I need to remind the hubby, that is his job, oh and Fafsa. I've only mentioned this several times.

3.) Clean, I will run the vacuum today, maybe that will help. oh and do laundry. I cleaned the bathroom yesterday and grocery shopped in a blizzard. stores were empty it was great. oh and meal planned because lent is here and all I will hear is whats to eat.

4) organize my desk so I can function in an orderly manner and go through junk mail daily. somewhere between 6:30 and 9 inbetween making dinner and telling son he cannot drive to Olmsted Falls on a school night.

5) shop for a baby gift for some very special people who are having a baby!

6) Find my tom tom, yes its still missing.

7) Get Justines car in for an oil change and saftey inspection so she can take it back to school for spring quarter. She needs to be able to get home for Pascha.

I am sure there is more, but thats enough for now. Well I better start trudging so I can get done by dinner and forgiveness vespers. Oh and please forgive me if I have offended you, or whined too much, or ignored you when you needed me, or........

I can't believe they pay me for this.

I just can't believe they pay me to do this job. Yeah you do have to know stuff, but still.... ok there are 2 seats, seat one checks in the patients and answeres the phone but seat two does most of the phone. Seat two does the daily sheets which have the patients name and test etc on it, anyway you get them ready for the next day and you also print out a list of echos to be done the next day and fit inpatients in around them. But the problems is that when seat 2 is done with the day sheets thats it. You just answere the phone when it rings. Well today I was in seat two, so when your co workers disappears for 1/2 hour at a time you can check people in and answer the phone all at once. That can get a little crazy but its worth it because in a little while you might not have anything to do.

I jokingly said to the coworker today, so this is like the "day off" seat, the do nothing seat and she laughed and said "yes it is" in her cute southern way. I crack her up!

Well all the technicians seem to like me, they keep asking me if I'm staying. I'm thinkin its a little early to be askin that don't you? They are fun though and I enjoy when they come up to visit me.

Oh yeah, the coworker runs a heater all day. Yes I said a HEATER. Aparently this chick has never had a hot flash. So I said to her "Coworker", lol no I didn't say that, but thats pretty funny. I think I might start calling her that lol. I said coworker you are killin me with that heater. And do you know what she said? lol, "you are going to have to wear thinner clothes because I am not turning it off. I am cold". So I'm buying a fan, a little one so at least while she has heat I can catch a breeze. I do turn it off when she has her disappearing times.
Well I finish training on Monday and Tuesday, then I will be there permanently. We'll see who wins the heat battle, I have a feeling it isn't going to be me. LOL

Oh, the Roller Coaster of Life

Well, my son and his girlfriend broke up, apparently. I did ask him about this on Sunday because I had a "feeling" and he yelled something at me, so I kept my mouth shut and figured I'd find out more when he was ready to tell me. Well I found out, but it was on a family website. I am very fortunate to have wonderful relatives who handled his situation beautifully. They all gave wonderful advice without talking down to him. I am glad he feels he can talk to them, and actually say what he feels. I could not have given him any of those perspectives as his mother and I hope they keep in touch with him and see how he is doing. Sometimes I can tell he's here because I see a trail of dirty dishes, sometimes I can smell his dirty socks, (lol yuk), Sometimes I hear his voice when he is asking for money. I hope he takes the advice about getting a job.

The Little People

I swear there are little people that come into my house when I am not home and either take my stuff or move it. I am missing a few things, but the latest is my tom-tom. Yes I can't find my GPS so I can find my way. Now what. I know I usually misplace my phone and I have to call it to see where it is, but I don't have a way to find this item. I could have used the other day when I went to beachwood, and I will be going to beachwood all this week. Ok I know how to get there but what if I want to go somewhere else. I could call Greg, he has a GPS in his head. He's a guy, he came fully equipped, map central located in the back lower lobe I think, every guy is born with one. If he doesn't have one its just one of those defects.
and yes I searched my car.

IT TAKES ALL KINDS

I have been sheltered, I admit it. I have never worked downtown, I worked almost downtown, but that was a long time ago. There are so many different "cultures". Some move fast and some move slow. I am working with a slow moving culture. They are very layed back. No matter what the urgency the speed remains the same. I think I could like this culture, they tell me "don't worry it will get done, don't stress yourself out". I think I needed to be here. My last job was very hectic high stress, there was never a time where you were caught up. Here we have lulls in the schedule where the techs come up and hang out with us for a few minutes and chit chat. Oh some days they are so busy we don't see them, but there are plenty of other days where things move along comfortabley. Yesterday I actually got bored, which is one of the dangers, but after my last job I'll take a couple of boreds. Oh don't get me wrong, there are times when its very busy checking people in and we get our share of angry people, but the pace remains the same.....slow southern way of doing things. I've learned we don't care what the other persons job entails, we don't really want to know or get involved, we just do our job. "oh I don't know what they do up there" is a common response. When I'm bored I check my email, of which I have a total of 4 so far, but afterall it is only my first week. I made a lunch date, well its not finalized, we have to pick a day. Probably Tuesday if you're reading this. 12:30 1:00 ish. I will email you on Monday.

They have a weight watchers group I can join, I am still trying to figure out how to go at 1:30-2:30. I could take my lunch then, can you eat in a weight watchers meeting? I could do that, every Thursday. I'm practicing being layed back about it all and not getting excited. Some of my co workers are slow talkers, I think it helps keep the slow relaxed pace.....when I close my eyes I can feel the rhythm of the day. Its like being on a boat thats adrift and your just floating along, knowing that eventually you will arrive at your destination.

I wanted to slow down my life and get out of the high speed lane. I think I just may have found out how to do that. Rush hour doesn't even bother me. I will write more later, or not. I'm not going to stress about it.

Truly!!! A Transportation Experience

Today, I ventured out in my vehicle to the Municipal Parking lot that they so graciously assigned me. I proceeded to the shuttle which drove me........where? to another stop so that I could catch another shuttle to take me to the hospital THEY CLOSED EUCLID BLVD. ok, that wasn't so bad really because it was the first day and nobody knew where they were going really. There was a man that would give you options when you got off the first shuttle. But now............its time to go home. LOL thank God I am new because I don't really know any different, I really feel for these people that have been there awhile. I get on the shuttle which happens to be right at the door when I get there (good timing I think to myself) I tell the man, this is my first day is this the shuttle that takes me to the stop where I can get the shuttle to the muni lot. He says yes, but he is a very nice black man that I could barely understand. So I ride this shuttle, all over the place, about 20 minutes. I finally get to the health stop or health something, the whole time I thought he was saying HELL stop, which everyone got a big laugh out of. We didn't wait long and the muni shuttle came, and then the fun began. 40 minutes, I'm not kidding, 40 minutes to take a 20 minute ride. The traffic was incredible. I'm laughing now because I'm so sleepy, my eyes are burning, my nose is running and we finally get there and I have to clean off my car. LOL. my gas tank is on EEEEE, I know this because the light came on, because when my husband fixed my alternator something happened and the pointer for the gas tank is on the wrong side of the button thing. Anyway, Its now 6:00 and I thought I would have to drive in rush hour but thank goodness I cruised right home.
then bought gas at Giant Eagle with my discount. Its 7:30 and I'm going to eat and go to bed so I can do it all over again tomorrow. LOL
Oh, so far the job seems pretty easy. Everyone seems really nice. I'll keep you posted.

note to self: do not drink that much coffee in the morning if its going to tak an hour and 1/2 to get to a bathroom.

I STAYED AWAKE

oh my gosh, whos idea was it to make people sit and listen to boring things for a whole day and expect them to stay awake. Actually not all of the orientation was boring. The history of the Cleveland Clinic is fascinating. The doc that came up with the bypass and how he did it and how many lives have been saved by it, its mind boggling. I'm really into that in case you couldn't tell. I love cardiology, its cool.
The team work crap I already know. What I didn't know was that the CCF (Cleveland Clinic Foundation) benefits are the best in the country (for hospitals) I haven't had this good of coverage since the 80's. I do have to change all my doctors, Yikes I hate that. But with my new years resolution of paying off bills I have to.

Well all I want to do is eat and go to sleep, its a good thing I called my supervisor to verify where she wanted me to go tomorrow, because I have a computer class at 8 am. wish me luck on the drive. I can hardly wait to ride the shuttle. Its an adventure.

oh oh oh the new year resolution

I am finding that putting one resolution up at a time is working for me. I need a job and now I have one. I am finding there are two pressing resolutions I need to make, so this time I will try to post two and see if I can handle it. I think I can do them at the same time if I concentrate reaaaaalllly hard.

New Years Resolution Number Two:

Lose Weight.

New Years Resolution Number Three:

Pay off Bills

hi ho hi ho its off to work I go!!!!!

ok, I got a job. I'm really happy about it, but I have been home for so long that I am nervous about having to get up and go somewhere all day. Anyone that knows me, knows I like to stay home and sleep and be leisurley about things. On the other hand, I need a routine again. I'm not getting much done anymore, and its not like I have a friend at home to go to lunch with. Anyway, I really need to get to work to pay off these bills, we just put 1700 into 3 cars and its killing me. For 2 of them it was just normal wear and tear.

Well Justine is back to school. Her roommate didn't come back, she didn't have her share of the tuition and made no effort to find loans or scholarships so it will be Tri High for her. So her friend Zane is sorta staying with her, his roomates are druggies and very dirty and he can't stand it anymore, so he only showers there. In the meantime Justine auditioned for the "Vagina Monologues" which sent her brother into a laughing hysteria picturing these vaginas on stage giving speeches. I have to look this up, I remember it being a big deal when it first came out, but I don't know any details.

My house just needs tweeked, Construction is done for now. Lots of little jobs to keep us busy through the winter. My driveway is a mudhole, but since I fixed the cars I don't have any money to dump more stone on to full the holes. So if you come over, just jump over them.