Wow it's been awhile since I posted here!!  >_<  Not gonna make excuses and just admit I got lazy.  But I'm going to work on writing more and trying to post here more often (I know I say that all the time).  That being said I did say I was going to try to write a little more are book related things (just in general) so below is something I wrote up not too long ago, simply because it was a hilarious conversation and still is. Enjoy!!

            About a year or so ago my friend had gotten her very own Kindle.  It was a Touch different from mine (since I got mine years before) and had been a Valentine’s gift from her husband and she was very happy to get it.  We were discussing the benefits and as a Kindle veteran I was going over the various ways to search for and download free books, how to check for deals and then I mentioned that since had a library card for the local community one around the corner from her house she could borrow e-books from there.  

           

“And the best part,” I said.  “Is you don’t have to remember to turn it in.  Once the two weeks is up it gets removed from your device automatically.”           

            “What if you’re not done yet?” she asked oh-so-innocently. 

            “Oh you just turn the WiFi off on your device then,” I replied.  Silence filled the room and I looked up to see not only her but our respective husbands (who had been involved in another conversation) looking at me with shock. 

            “You steal library e-books?” my friend asked.

            “I don’t steal them I just keep them longer.”

            “Sooooooo you hijack them?”

            “It’s not hijacking!  It is just turning the WiFi off so that the license doesn’t get removed from your e-reader.”

            “Pretty sure that’s a form of stealing,” her husband offered.

            “IT IS NOT! It’s not like me turning off the WiFi keeps the e-book license on my account.  It’s still removed from it and it still goes to the next person in line.  I just get the chance to finish reading it.  And the minute I’m done I turn my WiFi back on and boom! It’s gone.  I get the lovely letter saying my loan has ended.”

            “That’s still hijacking the book,” my husband said (we had this conversation before he was just enjoying others seeing my brand of crazy).

            “It is not hijacking!  If this were a physical book yes that would be hijacking and bad library behavior since someone else is waiting.  But it’s an e-book!  Once my turn is done, it gets moved off my library account to the next person and they get to read it.”

            “But what if that isn’t how it works?”    

            “I’m fairly certain I would have gotten a nasty letter from an e-librarian by now if that were the case.”

            “I have this image,” my friend mused, “of a group of librarians in trench coats a la Carmen Sandiego looking at a map of the world with your picture in the corner of it.”

            “There is no such thing as library police!!”

            “For your sake I hope not.”

           

            This is pretty much how every conversation I have had on this subject goes.  People look at me like I said I liked kicking puppies and kittens for fun when I tell them how I extend my e-book loans if I’m not done by the time it’s up. And growing up with libraries and the politeness that comes with being a book patron with regards to the waiting list I get it.  I would never hold a physical book with a wait list past my time.  In point of fact I will turn a book that has a wait list on it in as soon as I finish it even if I have 13 days left on my loan.  That’s just polite book behavior.

            Now, with e-books I will admit I’m a bit of a rebel with a library card.  Even before I went to a Internet light (read not at all) existence I was ‘guilty’ of turning and keeping the WiFi off on my Kindle and tablet to give myself time to finish a library book.  One book I held for over a month and with that came its own brand of hell let me tell you because it is a pain to have WiFi available and keep it off your Kindle for a whole month!  And I do this because I don’t like long breaks in the middle of reading a book.  I do read multiple books at once but I very rarely neglect one of those books longer than a day or two before I pick it back up.  The thought of going weeks without finishing a book?  I’m sure that a layer of hell for most of us, unless it’s a book you gave up on or have to read for book club and finish it because this book will not defeat you!!

            But that’s another article for another time.

            Now I’m not cruel or sadistic.  If I knew that this kept the book from passing on to the next patron in line I wouldn’t do it.  But it doesn’t. So in a sense it is a victimless crime because the book still is getting read and in some situations by multiple people at the same time.          

            I won’t lie.  I’ll keep doing this when it comes to e-books.  As I mentioned there are not library police who lie in wait and throw darts at a copy of your library card if you do this.  There are not library detectives who skulk you while your browsing the e-collection online to track down the ISP of your e-reader.   Honestly no one will know but you.  So if you’re not done with that e-loan just yet, go ahead click on your Settings and turn off that WiFi.  Take your time finishing it and reveal in your rebellion.  I won’t tell.

            And if we happen to end up in library jail together?  At least we’ll be able to talk about the books that got us there and reassure each other it was worth it.  

Welcome Five.

It amazes me that Trio has not even been five for a whole month yet (even factoring in February's shortness) and already I can see the traits and characteristics that go with being five. Or at least the ones I noticed from when I was working at "The Daycare" (as I shall call it now since if I ever get to be famous writing I don't want to get sued for using the name in my stories. Which reminds me I should go back and edit all those blogs).

Anyways I digress.

Let me back up and give a story about my somewhat trepidation with the age of five. When I was still at "The Daycare" and I was in my last few months of pregnancy and pretty much a floater since I couldn't work with toddlers what with having to pick them up all the time, the room I was in a majority of the team was Pre-School. A room full of five-year olds. Now the thing in particular about this room is that they hadn't had a steady teacher for a long time and the person who was suppose to take over (no names) decided about halfway through trying to take over they didn't want to and was always looking to pop out. So they would send other teachers in, including me a majority of the time, into this room that without structure was basically chaos is in a class cube.

And it sucked.

Five can be a fun age. Five is the age they start really talking, start remembering memories, and the fun part of bargaining, which can be cute on some levels. However five year olds also need structure – gone are the days where kindergarten is just playing with clay and blocks if it ever even was that way. And what helps to cement this structure aside from a schedule of “We do this at this time and that at that time” is a consistent teacher who is always there with the exception of when they are sick. Why? Because if you have revolving door of teachers (in any class really) but especially at that age where personalities are fully formed and they are coherent and conscious of what they do kids are unsteady and unsure and they act out and you have....chaos in a class cube.

So frustrating and stressful I was in this classroom with all that factored in that I had a nightmare (yes I will call it that) about my son being born and they handed me a five-year old and I was like “Uh no that's not my baby”. Their response was “Yes it is congratulations.” And I was like “No really...I had a newborn baby...I'm not ready for that yet.” Which is not to say that these kids were hellions. They really weren't for the most part. Most of them were on their good days the sweetest kids on the face on the Earth. But with no structure, no lesson planning (because let's be real going into that classroom you could attempt lessons so much before you gave up because they weren't use to it and you can't up the rules in the middle of the game for that age because they don't get it and it is flat out not fair to punish because they don't), that class was a nightmare and the fact that after I expressed displeasure, after I expressed the stress (which was also a health factor given my advanced and pregnancy and family history) that I was continued to be put in there not because there wasn't enough people but because the person who was suppose to be in that classroom just didn't want to be, that I was still shoved in there was a factor into me not going back there after having my son. The pay (which was atrociously low and the fact that even with my “discount” my paycheck would have been all for naught) was most of it but that did not help.

Pre-school and kindergarten teachers are angels on Earth. I'm not wired to deal with a classroom full of five year olds. Believe it or not you give me toddlers and I'm solid. I may not have been the best toddler teacher and yes I know I tripped up but I loved that age. I love the wonderment in their eyes and the pure unadulterated love that comes from that age. And I can deal with dirty diapers, falling accidents, and puke from kiddos there. But massive amounts of five-year olds not something I can do and I appreciate Trio's teachers now. I appreciate his kindergarten teacher whomever that may end up being because I couldn't do it. I don't think that makes me weak or any less maternal. I believe a big part of being a good person is know where your strength and weaknesses lie. This going to be a challenging year for me with Trio because already he is showing all the signs of a five-year old that are the bittersweet combo of challenging and rewarding. He has such a strong personality (more on that on his blog) most of which I am told he gets from me. Now that he is bad but he's one of those if he doesn't want to do something and isn't interested you're gonna have a hard time (me). He is one of those that if he doesn't understand why he has to do something he will fight to have to do it (me). And he is argumentative (me).

Behavior wise I know I was a good kid. I wasn't a fighter, a back talker, I didn't skip class all that much and I kept my grades up. On that level I have nothing to fear from Trio. But with his personality, and bargaining, and having to do things he doesn't want to do just because and all those other things mentioned above? Yeah on that level—I can hear my Mom and Dad laughing from heaven just waiting to see how this all plays out.

Doctor's Visits

Today I took what I term is the first step into trying to get more healthy. I made doctor's appointments I had been putting off since October. I know, I know...I'm terrible.

But the thing is I was referred from my OBGYN since the doctor I had as my General Practioner decided to leave the practice to spend more time with her family. I was sad but I understand. The only thing is the only doctors left there seem to be males and I prefer female doctors whether they are looking at my lady bits or telling me the stuff your GP normally does (it's been awhile since I've been can you tell?) Anyways it was for someone to check out my blood because of my history with clots since Trio (and I guess to get checked out to make sure it's not a thryoid or DVT or something like that) and a gastro-internal person for possible issues with my not-but-could-possibly-be-there nuerofibromatosis. (That's a mouthful right?)

I put it off because money was a factor because I wasn't sure it was going to be covered. Plus and I'll be a straight shooter I don't want something stuck up my bum. There you go that's my I'm going to the gastro-whatever doctor to check for polyps. And that does not sound like fun. At all. Plus I'm still not sure the gastro dude is covered but I will call my insurance later (or tomorrow) to find out.

But I did it for two main reasons--one to be healthy. The other? It's coming up on when I need to get my IUD replaced so I will have to go back to my OBGYN and I don't want to go without seeing those two because frankly--she intimidates the hell out of me. o.0 Which is kind of good with doctors but not when you don't do what they tell you.

Still waiting to hear back from the OBGYN actually -- last time I brought up my IUD they tried to say it wasn't covered. So I called my insurance all hellfire and brimstone since I was already dealing with issues from them (the dental version) not covering crap with Trio and the big price tag that had. But I found out it *was* covered and I have an insurance code to use so if they try to say it's not covered again I got something for them!! Also if they give me crap I'll just be like okay well make this a removal (which I know is covered because even they said that) and then we can just talk about cheaper and what is covered forms of birth control for me. Because I'm not dropping that much to get this puppy replaced.

I will keep you posted!!

New Year. Changes

So now it is 2013 and I am ready to face the year head on. I will admit that 2012 wasn't as bad as the previous years but there were definite ups and downs I had to deal with more so with my job and the changes that have gone down there. But I have made it through and I am ready to focus this year on a few things to help make me a better person and ultimately happy. For various reasons in the last few years I haven't been always happy and it could be because just everything that happened with Albert losing his job, having to move, losing Dad -- but I realize that a lot of how you view the world is based on the energy you put out and just how you let things affect you and I'm going to work on that. So here is how I am starting out 2013 and my goals:

First is I let go of all my old grudges. I can hold a grudge and onto anger and anyone who knows me can tell you this. But as with every year, I let it go once January 1st hits and this is no exception. Anyone who was on my shit list for most of 2012 has a clean slate. Which is not to say that they can't get back on (let's be real) -- but I will be nice and let go of all past hurts.

I want to lose weight. I'm not healthy and I know I'm not and I'm almost 30 and I don't want to die too young because I want my time with Albert and Trio. So I am going to work on being healthier, losing weight, and eatting better. I think just changing the food I eat will work (not a lot of fried food sadly) and I need to drink more water than I currently am. I also will start working out as in moving around more. I'm not a regimented exercise girl because it bores me. I would rather dance to the Wii or walk around my neighborhood when the weather is warmer and swimming in the summer. I don't smoke and I don't drink soda. I drink true but even then I only drink in excess like once every three months. Plus I feel that losing weight will help me happier. I don't care how shallow that sounds when you feel good you're happy. If you don't feel good you're not happy. Logical, no

I am going to try to start writing more (I know this has been pinned to my board for the last three years). But I have a plan to make it work that does involve getting a new laptop or notebook with tax refund money. That way I can take it around and write more both blogging and my stories. Because that will help me to do what I want to do, even if it is only a side job from my "day" job. Which leads me to my other goal which is figuring out what I want to do at my company. I am getting to the points where I need to work on moving where I want to there so I can continue to be happy and not fall into a stalemate. Because ultimately I do love my job and where I work I just feel my strengths may be appreciated somewhere else as well.

And there you have it!! What are your goals because if you don' want to make resolutions (and why would anyone want to if they are just going to break them) I do feel you should have goals. New years are new starts and we should always take advantage of it. ^_^

Ramblings

There is no real reason for this post aside from I'm updating mine as well as Trio's. I really need to get back into the habit of writing on a regular basis and I've said that forever but it has become abundantly clear to me with everything that has been going on with my life, family, and in-laws that I don't want regrets. I don't want 10 years down the road to never have published something not because I'm not good at it because I am. There are very few things (very few) that I'm actually prideful about myself on and writing is one of them. Also playing the viola so if I am ever able to take that back up and actually be in some kind of symphony even if it's like a tiny one in Pflugerville I'd be the bomb at it.

Anyways though I need to get on the ball. Because while I love my job and would love to stay at the *company* for the far forseeable future I do not want to stay in my current *position* too much longer if I can avoid it. It's a job at that level and not a career. And if I can't then I want to write because that will give me leave to stay at home and make a little bit of money as well. Plus it would be doing something that I love. I just need to stop procrastinating and being my own worst critic and enemy and get on it. Hell even if it is just a self-publish through Amazon it's there. So I need to get on the ball.

Work is okay. New team, new shift (well new to y'all...I've been doing it since June but obviously not blogging about it). New expansion was released which means a whole lot of work but hey being busy makes the day go back faster. My weekend is now Tuesday/Wednesday which is kind of blargh for the most part; but I'm not there on reset and patch days and that is a big bonus. Truthfully if I had gone for a day shift I would have wanted Tuesdays off for that reason. Just sucks when you're still a Night Stalker and you have that particular weekend. Oh well....I'll manage after all. It's only for about 9 more months anyways.

Home life is okay. We're still living together and we haven't moved to a bigger place because the time is not right. I understand that and all but my gosh I'm drooling over the day Trio has his own bedroom and bed. While I'm not naive enough to think he'll stay there all night at first I am optimistic enough that at least he'll *start* the night there. And maybe if he has his own cool stuff (lik the Dream Light Pillow Pet puppy he wants) it will give more of an incentive.

Because honestly even as much as she drives me bat crap crazy just being my sister I know we're going to live together for a bit. It works out in both of our favors. Case in point with the hubby being in Oklahoma for family issues, I don't have to worry about getting a baby sitter for Trio when I go in; she has to try to get off early but since it's only for a few days and we live where she works it's no biggie. Just like she doesn't have to worry about childcare for her daughter or if she has to work late paying that fee (and it is high...you're talking a dollar for every minute you're late after they close) because one of us is always here. We're getting into a better routine though I think mainly because my sister and I are communicating more, which if you know us in real life you know it's a major step even if it is oh say 10 years later than it should have happened.

And on that note I'm off for now. I'm actually debating with the idea of another blog, related to books as in reviews of books, genres, authors, etc...but I'm going to chew on it a bit before I decide to. Although if I do I'll be sure to let y'all know. :)

Techno-Whore Tendencies

So I find myself becoming one of these. It started out gradually and something I was able to stop for a long time. I was one of those people who was like "Naw I don't need the brand new techno gadget out there. I'm fine with my basic Nokia phone that just calls people."

Then it graduated to texting, which now is pretty much my chosen way of contacting people. Not that I don't mind talking to people directly; it's just that with my work schedule and what I need to do during the day before I go into work, sometimes it's catch as catch can. Anyways for awhile I went back when I had the pay as you go phone. The the hubby was like "Let's get a plan". Then we went to Sprint and then I had a basic walkie talkie phone. So I had calling, texting, and walkie talkie.

Then the first year and upgrade came and I got a Clutch (which is essence is really a crap-tacular phone that I did NOT recommend at all considering I've had it for about two years and it had to be replaced with a refurbished one twice....the second of which I had to pay for). But in our honeymoon period I adored my Clutch. I was able to get on Facebook; check my email as well as text and talk. It was amazing.

Then hubby asked "Do you want a Kindle?" for which I was resistance for a long time. Not necessarily becasue I'm anti e-book because in my opinion a book is a book. Whatever you read it online, on your computer, on a tablet or in paper format you're reading and that's a win in my column. Hell if you can stand to have people read to you, even listening to books on tape (or now CDs) is considered reading. It was because I thought it was too expensive (and it was at the time) and I couldn't imagine ever wanting to read a non-paper book. Then I saw my friend who had one and she kept waxing poetically about how awesome it and how much money she was saving on books. And I turned to my husband one day and was like "Yes I want one".

So I got it for Christmas and I adored it. Between all the freebies and just having the ability to browse Amazon books (provided there was a wireless signal) I was on it all...the...time.

Then they brought out the Fire and I was all o.0 I put off buying it forawhile since I never wanted to buy first generation anything. I've read places it leads to badness and bugs and kinks and complaining. No thank you. So I waited a few months and finally get one with the tax refund, thus securing my position in tech-whoredom. Why do you ask?

Because even though I use it for most everything, including readings (which was a surprise to me since I thought the backlit would hurt my eyes) and games and I can't put it down until it pretty much makes a duck noise to let me know it's drying....I won't give up my other Kindle.

/hangs head

I know. Most people are like "Why have both?" And the only thing I can think of is....I like it. I like having both and why not? They were both given to me and they're mine. Plus as much as I love the Fire...the battery life on it is only 8 hours. :( But the fact that even though I have a tablet that does the same thing as my Kindle does, I don't want to give it up even though I can only really read and browse the storefront on it. This is what secures me a position as a techno-whore.

Now when/if I get a new laptop (or notebookor whatever they're called now) I will be cemented into it because then I will be plugged in every which way. Then there would be no real need for a smartphone LOL. Maybe at least I can keep that part of me pure.

Who am I kidding? I really want a GTC or Galaxy. /facepalm

Random Updates

So update on all that is me. I've been (again) horrible about keeping up to date with this but I think I'm going to make more of an effort (again I say) to try to keep this updated. Not only to keep my writing ability from getting rusty but I do miss writing and just blogging in general. ^_^

Anyhow the first major update is I got a promotion and raise at my job!! Yay!! It's a bit bittersweet to be honest--for those of you who watch the news my company laid off 600 people at the end of February and honestly everyone is still kind of adjusting from that. A lot of my friends were the ones who let go, people who have been there longer than me, so I had and still do have a bit of survivor's guilt.

But I am soooo happy about my promotion not only because it means more money but because I feel like I'm actually moving up and that there is a chance for this to go on. This is the first job that I feel I'm actually very good at and that I'm valued at. I love my job and I love the customers (most of the time). And I love the company I work for. Yeah we're in a rough patch but ultimately through random things like the picnic, end of the year of the office party, and random gifts throughout the year, this company has shown they appreciate their employees more than any other company I've been with or heard about.

Sure I did okay in daycare but the main problem there was the pay (which sucked) the parents (who were on occassion very mean) and the company where I felt just like a number. There is also the idea that I was raised and as such come from a different idealogy of parenting/child caring than what is prevelant now. I don't believe kids like they're equals all the time because they're not. Yes you can have a dialogue and difference of opinions but at the end of the day you're the adult/parent and what you say goes. I know most people hate hearing it (until they actually become parents) but the whole my roof my rules is still accurate. Once Trio gets there and I know he will I have no problem telling "Hey when you're on your own and you're working and using your money to pay your bills then do whatever the hell you want. Until then what I say goes." /shrugs

I also do not believe in not saying "no". The reason they have for this is because "it's negative".....of course it's negative it's suppose to be! When you're telling a kid no it is because they're do something dangerous or something you've told them not to do. No is so abrasive that I think it is what makes a kid stop and actually listen and stop as opposed to the "Oh no you may not do that" and or whatever it is.

*Sidenote: I tell Trio stop or freeze as opposed to no when he's about to do something really dangerous like run in the street. Read it in a parenting magazine and honestly the difference in the words makes him stop*.

Anyways that's enough randomness. I have to leave myself ideas in other blogs. I think the next one will be about my brand new toy the Kindle Fire vs. my other Kindle. Yay technology!!