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!!

Banned Books

The week of September 24th-October 1st is National Banned Books week. What this basically is, is a protest against books that others have tried to get banned for various reasons and most hard-core readers like myself usually encourage and try to read as many banned books in that week's time.

I do not like that people try to get books banned and that's putting it mildly. I mean, there's a difference between not letting your child read something and then basically telling other people what they are able or should let their children read and that pisses me off. Don't tell me what I can and can't read and what I should let my child read. That's for me to decide and I will when the time comes.

Case in point I wouldn't let my daughter if I had one read the Pretty Little Liar series or the Gossip Girl series. Point blank, I don't like the subject matter and I don't think they're for the audience that they pretend to cater to plus it's not necessarily something I would want my daughter to think of as cool and try to emulate. To me it's the same thing as the people who don't let their children read Harry Potter or the Twilight series because of what they deem as the occult references in your book. You don't want to read Harry Potter? Fine; but don't sit up here and tell me that my child shouldn't read it if I choose to let them because while I don't think the girl's series I mentioned is appropriate for a teenager doesn't mean I'm going to say "Hey your daughter shouldn't read them either and I'm going to work to make sure no daughter can ever!!" /shrugs It's your daughter do what you will with her.

And the things about banned books and books that are forbidden is that it only makes people want to read it even more. My dad told me in middle school I could no longer read romance novels but I still found a way and snuck them. So I realize without someone having to tell me that if I had a daughter and she wanted to read those books she probably would I just hope she would be as smart about it as I was (or at least as smart as I think I was) and hid it from me well enough to where I do not see them laying around and she better use her own money to buy it (meaning money from the jobs she does). Anyway that's a tangent for another post LOL.

The issue here is and has always been with me the audacity of people. Who are you to tell me what I can't read and what my kids can't read? That's a very personal choice and when people try to ban books, in my opinion they're working towards some type of dystopic society where Big Brother is always watching and monitoring what you do and read. It's so easy to not pick up a book you don't like and not read it. I do it all the time. I dislike the Anita Blake series intensely simply because of the subject matter of the (I think) fourth book. But I just choose not to read it; I choose not to recommend it to my friends; what I don't choose to do is work to get it banned and removed from the shelves because that's not the way I work. Some people love that series personally I just can't stomach it.

So if you don't want to read Harry Potter because don't like the references to magic fine. If you don't want to read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe because of the violence in it fine. If you don't want to read Huck Finn because of the repeated use of the "n" word fine. Just don't tell me I can't.

And in honor of Banned Books week, at some point I will be reading a banned book like I have done for the past few years. If you want to join me do so. If not it's alright I won't hold it against you.

Unless you try to make it so no one can ever read those books. Then we'll have issues.

Time, Time, Time

Oh how I wish I had more of it.

But then again who doesn't. My issue is that even with the (now) later shift that I work and weekends (real weekends mind you Sat/Sun) off I still feel like I don't have enough time to do what I want.

Like write: although that is also more of a computer thing. I like typing so when I write, whether it's blogging, an article for Associated Content (although now I think it's Yahoo something) or a story, I prefer typing to writing longhand. Reason for this is with writing longhand I get tired a lot quicker plus my penmanship is not that great. So somethings get lost in translation and yes I'm a big enough of a person to admit that I have looked at something I have written myself and been like "What the hell is that suppose to be?" But the issue is the last story I was writing (which was going to be a teenager novel driven for girls) I had written about one quarter to one third when my ancient laptop I got my first year of college in 2001 (God bless it) CRAPPED out on me and I lost most of the progress. I'm sure I can salvage most of it but I'm nervous about trying to do it on the laptop. Albert has been after me to get a new one anyways so when we can afford it I am gonna get one and just start saving it on a flash drive so I won't have to worry about too much of it disappearing. Because as much as I want to write and as much as these ideas fight in my head I do not like putting so much effort in it only to have it go to waste.

Family: My new shift is 6pm-3am which gives me more time during the day with my boys. But it also means that at the earliest I'm not getting to sleep until 3:30. Trying to wake up at 9ish is a heck of a lot harder to wake up from then going to sleep at 2:30. But I make do. I mean it will be easier when school starts and we're no longer watching the Girl, so I'm not going to be at my office for 12 FREAKING HOURS!! Because honestly after about 9 my body is like "B*tch you're suppose to be at home why are you still here?" /sigh Albert says I do well enough, but I always feel like it is not enough. I guess that is the plight of the working mom. Maybe I should read that Chicken Soup that KaCee got before the Book Box shut down (which is SUCH SADNESS but is another blog...once I come to full terms with it).

Of course I always make time for reading. To be honest if I had a computer that didn't occasionally go on strike, I would probably write for about 30 minutes when I came home from work or during my breaks at work. But even with that I feel like I'm not doing enough that I want. I figured out some Kindle math the other day and realized that out of the 107 readable books (by that I mean books you can read straight through not including dictionarys, cookbooks, etc) that I have read 44. It's those darn freebies! One click free book is soooo dangerous for any bibliophile. Oh well.

It's probably all just a matter of getting use to the new shift. Once that happens hopefully most if not all these time worries will not be so worrisome. Until next time Fair Reader.

10 Years...

is a long time. I know it's cliched and everyone says it but it is.

This year makes 10 years since I've graduated high school. And I am nowhere where I thought I would be when I walked across that stage 10 years ago. (Forgive me if this is a repeat but with it being 10 years and my birthday looming this is what is one my mind).

First off I was suppose to be a Music Major and be a world famous, or at least well known in whatever symphony I was in, violist, hopefully New York. My first choice of schools was Vassar and the only reason I think I didn't go there was because I forgot paperwork to send it in on time and then the only way to send it in would have been to make it my ONLY choice (as in a legal contract like thing saying hey I'm not applying to any other school so pleasefortheloveofGodacceptme. And I didn't want to do that. So New York was struck out early.

Then I went to UofH and from there I went from a Music Major to an English Major when my Music Theory professor suggested that I withdraw from my classes because (to be blunt) I was gonna fail. I could have aced everything in that class afterwards and still been screwed. And people I have told this story to thought he was a dick but quite honestly to this day I respect him (and I still remember his name; Dr. Snider) for his honesty. Because quite frankly even if I had stayed in music I would probably hate it. I didn't like music theory. I know it may sound silly but I didn't care and I still don't about the theory behind music and chords and the mathematics. I just like(d) to play. I like the music I like evoking emotion from myself and from people and if I had stayed in Music I would probably hate it right now. So violist struck out.

And I didn't anticipate with a child right now. Now don't get me wrong. I love my boy more than life itself and will not hesitate to cut anyone who dares to threaten him and I mean that. But looking back at the young woman I was I didn't think I would be married and with a 3 year old by the time my 10 year reunion was due. I certainly didn't think I would be married to Albert (even as I may have hoped for it <3).

I didn't think I'd be in the career I was in (and yes it's a career). Hell I'm not even sure if 10 years ago I knew what WoW and Blizzard was. And now here I am at a company that I could cheerfully retire from in 40 some odd years.

On a somber note I didn't think I would have to say goodbye to my Dad within 10 years of graduating high school. Like most people I figured I had all the time in the world with him and that he would see my kids (however many there would be) through most of their life like my Granny did with me.

I guess the thing and the point of this whole blog is that we never really know where life will take us. We can plan and map out all we want but at the end of the day wherever we are suppose to be in our life? We'll get there through little steps and changes and shortcuts through the map. And while it may take awhile to get use to, I believe in a Higher Power and that this (as frustrating and heart wrenching as it is sometimes) is where I need to be right now. And while this is not where I thought I would be as the 17 year old girl on the edge of the real world 10 years ago, I could not imagine my life anywhere else.

Shopping Local

As the constant readers (few that they may be) who read this blog may or may not know, I live in Pflugerville. In downtown there is a billboard (nearish to Pflugerville HS) that reads shop local and has all the little things in Pflugerville that are owned by Pflugervillians.

I am all about shopping local. One of my favorite places to shop is the Book Box which is a locally owned resale shop. I think I have written a few blogs on this place but it still one of my happy places and Beth the owner knows me and mine by name and face. I love Ncredible Pizza which is also a mom and pop pizza shop in the same shopping center as the Book Box. And with Austin being in such close proximity there are also other many local places to shop so you can continue to support the local economy.

However, there is one local shop that I will never purchase from and (although I might get stoned by other Austinites) I have to get it out..../sigh. Book People.

The first time I walked into the store I did enjoy it. Of course the very first time was years ago in a theatre field trip (don't ask) when all we did was put on a stage production of Where the Wild Things Are for the older GMPs (Golden Myth Players). However I went there for a few signings within the last few years. One was for Christopher Moore when Fool came out and then a Kim Harrison.

I had noticed when I went to see Moore how excessively more expensive the books were there and I'm not talking in relation to the Book Box or even Half Price. They were more then Amazon, Borders, or Barnes and Noble. So while I love bookstores I had to forgo on buying anything that day since I was like "Yeah I can get this much cheaper elsewhere".

But what soured me was when I went with some girlfriends to see Kim Harrison. Most bookstores and authors have the rule that they will sign books other than new releases as long as you buy a book of theirs from wherever they're signing. Totally get and totally on board with it. When I went to see Sherrilyn Kenyon in Dallas a few years back I took three books for my Dad to get signed and bought one for myself as that was her deal.

So my friend who reads Kim Harrison (me and the other girlfriend were just along for the ride) bought the new book there to get signed. Afterwards she goes out to smoke and we linger and look for a few books. My friend has the same reaction I do when she sees the prices there so we decide to just skip out on purchasing anything and head on outside.

My other friend is out there upset and we ask here what happened. Turns out as she was leaving with her book in her hand (she didn't need a bag) an employee asked to see it to make sure it was brought there. She showed it to him and from her telling it he pretty much snatched both out of her hand to inspect it to make sure it was brought there since that is their deal or was for that particular signing. And of course she was upset because he was rude about it and made her feel like she broke the rules or something.

My opinion on this is this: this is why people don't like shopping local. Just because you're an indepenent store doesn't give you license to be a douchebag when people are paying for your wares. I'm like my friend Abbi--I'm all for shopping local and independence if I can only get it there. But when you have a store like this where you can go to virtually any other place (including HEB or Wal-Mart) and get the same book for like 5 dollars less? Then people are going there for the ambiance and just to support a local store. However I will go to a Barnes and Noble, Borders or just order the damn book on my Kindle just to avoid attitude like that and funneling money that way.

It goes back to the whole Maurice's incident. I understand that I am one lone little person. And I understand that not all independent bookstores are like this like the one I frequent here in P'ville. And I also understand days can be bad for some people and others love BookPeople. I'm just not one of those people. Books are high enough as it is without additional two extra dollars for an indepedent bookstore, not to mention where it is located (a good 30 minute drive for me) and it's located in one of the busiest areas of Lamar. When people go to places like this they should be treated like a person that the business is happy to see because they go to places to this simply to avoid being treated like just another walking billfold.

And that's my rant for the day.

Romance Novels

*this is about my guity pleasures that are romance novels. Be warned; there is a purpose but there will be mention of said books*.

So I have a guilty pleasure. Actually I have a lot. The Spice Girls, musicals, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer (the last one to the point where I could probably teach a class on it.

But once of my big ones is romance novels. I like romance novels. Not so much with the trashy ones (you know which ones are trashy. Like the dime cent ones, the ones you can buy at the dollar store. Yeah those). But there are a few I do enjoy reading. I started reading when I was in middle school until my Dad put a stop to it for a few years until I was a little more grown up and I didn't read them at all for those few years (cough cough: eyes averted). One of my favorite authors of all time is Johanna Lindsey.

The series I read the most about her is the Malory one but there are a few other "series" and stand alones I like. One is called Surrender My Love (don't judge me!) which I love. Sure there's a somewhat underlying theme of Stockholm Syndrome not as bad as in others but I like it. Awhile back I picked up the first book in the series Fires of Winter and I just recently started to read it as I am on my tangible book kick.

And I had to put it down and return it because I will never read the book. I was reading it going..."Was there this much rape the first time I read the book? Because I don't really remember it being that bad". Now it is true that this could have been a subconscious thing and I did notice it then and that's the reason why I haven't picked up the book in years like at least 15. But it's unnerving how some of the sex scenes are in there. If you can handle them those scenes are about fantasy and enjoying it not being forced like forced forced not even seduced. And now I am bit worried about reading the second one in the series to see if it is the same because in the third one there is no forcing of sexual favors upon the heroine.

But it got me to seriously thinking. Lindsey's first book was Captive Bride which I read...ONCE. Because I didn't like the hero. I did not like the kidnapping, sex slave, forcing to bend to will thing. Not my cup of tea. I like my heros to be like heros not assholes. It's one of the reasons I don't like the Anita Blake series and I cannot seem to enjoy Tristan from the Kin Harrison series. The love interests are jack asses. In the first Anita book Jean-Claude her love interest blackmails her into helping him. Oh yes that inspires me to want to jump in bed with you sure. /rolls eyes

Anyways getting back to my original train of thought (sorry for getting derailed) it seems that romance novels from the 70's to the mid 80's were a time when women couldn't seem to enjoy sex so the romance novels had to add some type of forced scene in order for them to enjoy it. And it's more than a little unnerving because thinking back on (just taking Lindsey as the example I know more about since she's my fave) it's true. I had to tell a few of my friends today that with the exception of the Malorys and her later novels (like 85 on) I may have to pass on earlier books of hers I haven't read because if it is like that than no thank you. And it is interesting to see the change in romance novels from that time period to now where the heroines were taken in more ways then one. I suppose it is just a sad view of what society was like then but it is promising in that now it is now that way and that romance novels and chick lit (because yes they are different) are some of the best selling novels out there and the women in there are strong.

I am not sure where I was going with this. It could have been an exercise in trying to use my brain and write something analytical like I did back in college without getting graded for it and it needing to be perfect grammar wise. I just hope that in 100 years that people do not base women's writing just on the novels written in the 1970's but instead encompass it all and study it as an evolution because that truly what it is.

Dinner With Friends

So the other day we had the first get together with our friends since Dad passed. And it was fun but it was also weird since Dad wasn't there and normally he was right in the middle of things. His position was always leaning on his forearms on the island chatting away with all of his other "kids" while we made the food around him.

It was a good time although I did get a little more inebriated that I normally like or let myself get as I was drinking and commiserating with a friend about Dad and how everything was going to be weird. He (the friend) lost his father at a younger age but he was saying how the first run of holidays are going to be the hardest since you're so use to him being here and he's not. In fact, my Aunt has already said she's spending Easter with us since it will be the first holiday after Dad and I will have to work so we can't really travel far. I'm more worried about the major ones like Thanksgiving and Christmas. Depending on my schedule (which may or may not change) I will defintely be trying to take those days off if I am able to because they will be the hardest I think since those are the traditional family holidays. But we will cross that bridge when we get there.

As for the gathering part it was fun. The food was good thanks to fajitas courtesy of Albert, guacamole thanks to KaCee and as for me? I made the qeuso and a triple chocolate cake (cooked in the crock pot no less....yum!!) But it was the friends that helped. We haven't had something like this is awhile and we usually see our friends on a more frequent basis. I will say that is one of the hard things about being an adult; is realizing life gets in the way sometimes and you are not always able to see your friends as much as you would like to. That is why you just learn to enjoy the time you do get to spend with them more. Well at least that is what I think.

That's it for now. Have to get ready to face my day I didn't go to work yesterday as I was still feeling the effects and thought it would be better to stay at home (yeah you read that right...still feeling the effects at 5 in the afternoon....I told you it was more than I normally like or do. >_<)

West Side Story

I love the musical West Side Story. It started in 5th grade, after moving back to Austin from Houston for one year (which we did after my mother passed but that is another blog story) when I went to Wooten and I was involved with Music Memory. Not sure if anyone remembers this because I'm pretty sure they don't do it anymore (which is a damn shame) but it's where the take classical pieces of music and play them for you until you learn to recognize them and then you go to competition to hear them in different forms and try to win as the team who recognized the most. Well the year I partipipated, "Mambo" was one of our pieces and I loved it. Then the music teacher showed us the movie and I was hooked. I love the movie yes I always cry but it's amazing.

Last night I went to see the live musical version here and while it was still amazing it threw me for a loop. Not only are some of the phrases different in the stage play (due to the censorship rules of when the movie was made) but some of the songs are different. For instance, "Cool" and "Gee Officer Krupke" are switched in the play and "I Feel Pretty" starts the second act after the Rumble where Riff and Bernardo die. I was sitting there going....ummm WTH?

I did know somewhere that "Cool" was earlier in the stage play but I really thought "Gee Officer Krupke" was still in the first act before the deaths. Because it seems out of place considering what happened at the Rumble. Now I am factoring in that I was raised on the movie whereas most people are probably the opposite but it's a little unsettling to have two lighthearted numbers after two people die. I looked it up and I get the mentatlity to try to lighten up the mood because aren't suppose to die in Broadway plays. But it was a huge adjustment especially considering the other musicals I've seen that were made into movies (Rent, Mamma Mia!) didn't have that drastic of a change.

However I still loved it. I still love the story, still love the music and the dance scenes (especially "Mambo"). It's just a note to myself that when I go see the play that I will need to put myself in a state of mind that it is going to be much different from the movie version I grew up on.

My Stubborness

One of the last post in Trio's blog was about how stubborn he is and how while embodied in a tiny 3 three year old body is a pain in the ass occasionally over all it's a good quality to have. Especially if you look at it when it comes to expectations of people and how you should be treated. While yes sometimes it can be extreme (ie the girls who are like "OMG if you do not get me a canary diamond for my engagement ring it's completely off") most of the times it's a good thing.

There's a shop here in Pflugerville that I love the clothes in. It's amazing it's resonably priced, and hey they have big girl sizes; it's awesome. So when I first started going there I got the credit card for the place because hey it was nice a way to build credit and not have to touch the checking account. Today I closed it. Why? Because the last purchase I made there was an emergency pair of boots because it was so fracking cold here that open toes weren't gonna work like they sometimes do in the winter months. I paid that off last month and today I get a late fee and finance charge because they say it was due on Feb 12th and they didn't receive payment until the 18th.

This drove me crazy. I realize with burying my dad February was a crazy ass month for me so I may not be what you call reliable when it comes to remembering things around then, but something didn't sit right. So after canceling the card (because quite honestly what they charged me IMO is a ludacrious price for a card that doesn't have a Visa logo and can't be used anywhere else and because the "late fee and finance charge" were damn near what I owed in the first place). Then I went over my emails because I have paperless and see that I didn't receive the statement with what was owed until February 18th.

So I call back and ask when I made the purchase and they said the 18th of January and that the statement was sent on February 19th. So I'm like "Wait a minute you didn't send me a statement with what was due until 7 days after correct?"

"Blargh blargh blargh---you signed up for paperless statements in--"

"I know when I signed up for paperless you didn't answer my question. What you're telling me is that this was when the purchase and this was when the statement was sent. So I'm expected to call and check to see on a weekly basis when my statement's due?"

"No you can log in---blargh blargh blargh" (which let's face it is just a way of saying you're suppose to do the Internet equivalent of that.

Now forgive my squirrely ignorance but the two other credit cards I have? They send the statement on a monthly basis WELL before the due date so it's not late. So quite honestly maybe it makes me spoiled and even a bit lazy but that's what I expect. In the hustle and bustle of the world I like that. It helps me stay on top on things and quite honestly it's one of the reason I'm paperless to begin with.

I work in Customer Service so I try to be polite no matter what. The first girl was nice-ish to me even as she could I was losing my cool. Did the whole spiel about "How can we keep you?" Etc. Second old biddy? Not so much and it sucks because it was like I was no longer a customer so why should she care? And in the essence of not going off on her and reaping so horrific CS Karma I said "There's nothing else" and hung up.

I know that the credit card company is different from the store but this seems shady to me so it's gonna be a cold day in hell before I buy anything in there. I'll go in and I'll pay that little piddly ass severance fee and I'll be done. Simply because the way I look at things is this; I'm not so naive enough to believe that me as one little bitty buyer has an impact on stuff when I choose not to shop somewhere. But it's still my money and while I'm not interested in boycotting I feel better knowing that my money's not going there. And that's a me thing. There's a little convenience store here in Pflugerville that I will no longer go to not even for gas because the few times I walked in there the guy was rude to me. I'm like "Screw you buddy there's a mom and pop not even a block away and they're polite to me". I do not think that as a customer you have to kiss my ass at all. But I do expect politeness and I do expect courtesy because I give it in my job. I expect them to realize that I choose to come here I choose to shop I choose to put my money here and that it's because of that regardless of my age, creed, sexual orientation I deserve respect. Treat me how you would want to be treated if you were the consumer and I was the business.

Coming around to how this ties into my stubborness (I didn't forget) my money is one thing I'm very serious about. If I spending money somewhere I expect to be treated a certain way. I'm not one of those people who clearly their throat loudly or shake their empty ice filled glass in a restuaraunt when the waiter ignores them. I just either leave a really lousy tip or not one at all. The last time I did that was at a Chili's around Halloween. We saw our waitress at the beginning and the end she didn't even bring us our food or drinks and I was like "Oh hell no you're not getting anything". (Before you ask no it wasn't that busy and yes I saw her go and check in at her other tables). I get mad but I don't write letters and I don't boycott and I don't throw (big) fits. I just sigh say okay do what I need to do to make it clear and then don't go there anymore. Because when it comes to certain things I expect it to be a certain way and there is nothing that anyone can tell me to make me think or see differently; I dig my heels in and I'm like "You're not changing my mind". So there you have it. The point of this long bloggy rant. Hope it wasn't too laborious to get through. :)

Dad

My Dad passed away on February 8th at the age of 63. He would have been 64 on the 24th (this past Thursday). I have been wanting to write about my Dad for awhile but haven't heard the time or the appropirate words. I'm not even sure if this will be the words that come now will be perfect but I want to say all the things (and more) that I couldn't say at his funeral.

I am completely and utterly a Daddy's girl. My mother passed away when I was 8 so since then it has always been just my Dad and my sister living at home, save for a brief year long stint in Houston while he adjusted to being a widower to two daughters, one of which (my sister) was pre-teen. That alone has made me respect my Dad beyond the telling of it. He has four sisters and he was a man trying to raise girls-he could have easily have shuffled us off to one of them and let them raise us but he didn't. After that one year, we were never far from our father at all with the exception of when I went to U of H. Not that he was so prideful that he didn't ask them for help he had no earthly idea what to do (such as prom dress shopping) but for the most part he did everything himself.

My Dad was not perfect but then what parent is? Hell, what person is? My Dad went without so that my sister and I could have what we wanted and needed. Looking back and remembering what everything must have been like I wonder how the hell he afforded my viola lessons in high school because those were not cheap. I wonder how my sister and I were able to go on all the class trips we wanted to. I remember him being at every performance of mine, both Orchestra and Theatre and taking me clear across town (or enlistnig KaCee who as the older one of the two had to help out a lot since the hours he worked could be wonky) to audtiion for All-City and All-Regional Orchestra and then having to fight the craziness the year I made it just to sit there and hear me play (not even being able to see me) for the first thirty minutes of the program. I remember him helping me sell lollipops and then covering what I didn't when my Fine Arts Department went to DisneyWorld my sophomore year.

My Dad was also a very open and friendly man. Many friends have come over to the house for get togethers and get taken in as his "kids". They all called him Pops, or Sarge. It was very rare to hear someone call him Billy after the first few times they met him. He was so generous sometimes to a fault and had a big heart and greeted everyone with a big smile and an occasion "Where have you been?"

My Dad was a great man-like many people he made mistakes but he did a lot in his life that not many people can claim they did or would do given the hand that life has dealt them. Everyday is hard to get through without him being here because he's always been around. Even when I was in school I knew he was a phone call or a three hour drive away. And now there is no way to talk to him which will be an adjustment for both my sister and I but we will make it. It helps to know that he's not in pain if he was in the last few weeks since he had been sick (and he wouldn't have let anyone know unless it was horrible because he was also a private man). It helps to know that he's with our mother and our Savior. All these help and remembering them will help gradually make the pain not a sharp stab but a dull ache over time since it will never go away.

Billy R. Crockett
2/24/47-2/8/2011

Kindle Addiction

So this year for Christmas between everything that has happened the Hubster and I decided to give one big gift and two little ones. My big gift ended up being a Kindle. After much time on the fence about whether or not to get an Ereader I told him that yes I wanted one. Don't get me wrong-I still look paper books. There is something tangible about paper books-the touch smell etc. Plus I've been collecting books for awhile and there are a few that I will never part with no matter how much the Hubster tries-there a collection and I want to keep them.

That being said I do see the convenience of a Kindle-for me it's about only being able to "see" a few books at a time unlike at a bookstore where I can roam. Even online it's tedious after awhile going through pages and pages of books you may or may not like. Also with one click the book is already mine and in my Kindle library. I also like what I've noticed to be a big price difference. Now with regular paperbacks (ie "pocketbooks") the difference in price is about a dollar (or if you're lucky free but more on that later). However with hardbacks it's almost over 50% which is AWESOME for me. There are a bunch of series I read and I like to read them right away but unlike a lot of other bibliophiles I hate hardbacks. They're heavy cumbersome and not easy to read laying down at night. And they are hella expensive at almost 30 dollars. No thank-yes Mr Kindle I will take the 12.99 over that ANY day.
Also there are a lot of free books!! Now granted most of them are Christian fiction so if that's not your thing you may not be as excited. Irregardless they're pretty good reads and hey even if they aren't you paid 0.00 for them so there's no real loss. You can even delete them off your Kindle if it that was atrocious. However it is very easy to get to clicking on the freebies or getting the books from other ereader formats where you don't have to pay (hm..cough cough) so in total I have 35 books on my Kindle right now and I've only had it for over a month so be wary.

And I am ashamed to admit my Kindle already has a war wound. I left it within reach of little hands and so it was removed from my awesome leather light case without the release hooks. So the hooks in the case are all bent to hell and there is a chip in the hook holes on the Kindle. However it hasn't affected the reading capability as of yet and it is cosmetic so Amazon won't cover a replacement and not that I really need one. It's small not a big deal overall and hey it was my fault so live and learn right? Plus I get a new case which we'll see how it works until/unless I can get the hooks arightened in the old one.

Overall I love my Kindle. I feel it was a good investment and I can carry a load of books in one tiny device. However despite what others may think or say I will never give up on paper books.

Sorry hubster. :)

New Years/Anniversaries

The beginning of a new year is always awesome for me. First off it's a brand new year and I must say that I am happy to see 2011 and have many hopes for the upcoming year. While 2010 was good for me safe for those last few months where it seemed like a snowball effect of bad stuff, I am holding out that 2011 will be good for me and my family all around. It's the beginning of a new year. You can have resolutions (or not) you can start all over with jobs, working out, being more patient with everyone. It's a new dawn and a new day so go ahead and feel good (so good, so good good good good good)

Also my anniversary is January 2nd. So it's another wonderful year of marriage to my hubby. To say our marriage is perfect is laughable because I really do not think any marriage is-I've always felt if a marriage is perfect than someone is not being themselves. Human nature leads us to have conflict with many people whether they be family, spouses, friends, or children. But we've been a lot in these last few months and especially the last few years with Trio's health problems. So I'm very happy to say that we're still going strong. We still love each other, still love going out and spending time alone with each other, and even though we bicker fight and disagree at the end of the day we sleep happily next to each other. I love my husband and I'm h happy to have celebrated my 7th year of marriage with him. We have stayed by each other and supported each other even when Trio's health problems looked dire, when one of us was jobless and we were struggling to make it on one income, and can still laugh. That says a lot and for me between the new year and anniversary, my year always starts off with a bang. :)

Grateful

That is the only word I can think of to describe how I feel today. Grateful.

I met up with a friend from my Mom's Group of which I have been absent as of late. Between work and having to adjust to Albert not working, the car not working, moving, and just getting off some mandatory OT not to mention working casinos to help, I haven't had a lot of time for hanging out with people lately. Man I haven't even had time to read as much I like to and if you know me you know that means I haven't had much time. I did manage to keep in contact with a few of them and they heard about the time I have had as of late. And they got me a gift basket which I received today.

My heart is so full right now because of everything that they found to give to us out of the generosity of their hears. It's amazing and...words cannot accurately describe how I feel right now. It just makes you realize that for every bad thing that you feel or will happen to you a wonderful fantastic thing will follow. I think it's good to be reminded of this especially right before Christmas. I just wanted to share my story with y'all.

Wow!!!

Holy Moley!! It's been hella long since I've updated my own Blog. o.0

I'll try to do a quick recap since February. A lot has changed:

First off I am a working woman again!! I have been working full time since March 8th and it is fantastic. I love my job and what I do and hey the hours I work help us avoid the cost of daycare which is always a plus. With the year winding down work has gotten busy lately especially with the holidays (mandatory OT FTW) but it's a good kind of busy. Being busy is helping me especially as of late to try to avoid the wrath I feel when I remember that...

Albert got fired. Yeah his job decided to fire him for some complete utter BS. Which yeah I know everyone says that when they get fired but honestly what pisses me off is that they put two extra things on his sheet (his getting fired sheet if you will) that were complete nonsense. Had only the first thing been on there still would have been annoyed. It was the addition of the other two that hinted to me that this was a petty act started by someone who is petty and cruel. I mean don't get me wrong Albert wasn't happy with his job at all as of late and I know he's glad to be done of it I just wanted it to end on his terms and not theirs and not like that. But whatever I tell myself the same thing when people's stupidity and pettiness directly affects me and it gets me through. God don't like ugly-and while the repurcussions of the acts you choose to do out of spite and malice may not come right away they will. That's why I try not to get mad at little things anymore. I've done some pretty ugly petty things before intentionally and just some messed up things unintentionally and when something is rough for me I try to take it in stride. (note I said "try"...it doesn't always work but then again I'm not perfect).

As a result of Albert losing his job we moved back in with my dad and sister since while I make decent money (in my mind) it's not enough to support me and my boys. So it's looking like we're going to stay at their place awhile and then try to find a bigger place together just to help each other out in the long run. It's one of those things that I really can't comment on if it's good or bad-as long as it is different from the first time. We're all wiser and older and have better expectations so here's hoping.

Pretty much that's my life in a nutshell. Now that we're living with dad and my sister and they have internet I may be updating more often. Thanks for listening.