Would someone please, please, PLEASE help me to understand how and why my three year olds climbed into bed with me this morning with the big toy books from Toys R Us and Walmart, a notepad, and a pen so we could make out their Christmas lists. I honestly don't know where they get these things. I mean, one twin perused one book while the other twin was careful not to miss anything in the other book. Whenever they found their "must-haves", I had to write it down on the notepad (with the pen they also supplied, mind you). Ummm, yeah...
So, if anyone is interested in the must-haves of the season for children aged 2-4, please let me know. No, really. I have the ENTIRE list.
Oh, and just an aside... If you're able to explain the aforementioned events to me, could you also explain why they are currently sitting under the desk eating a slice of pizza and looking through the circulars? Thanks in advance!
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Pizza Hut--Blacklisted!
Pizza Hut is the latest establishment to be added to my personal blacklist. I placed an order tonight and received the worst ever customer service. If you know me at all, you know how highly I value great service. You also know that I have already lodged a written complaint to their corporate offices. I'll keep you posted on their response.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
They made me do it!
Now, I pride myself on being professional in most situations. Yesterday, though, not so much. I had been sick as a dog and was trying to make it through the day since I needed to give a curriculum assessment to my three classes. Well, on the way to daycare, Kalyn (Tootie) announced that she had to go potty. There was no place to stop at the time, so I told her she was going to have to hold it until we got to daycare at Ms. Jena's house. She gave me a weak, "Okay" so I knew she was struggling to hold it. After two more, "I have to pee-pee's" I stopped at this Shell station that also serves at a corner market/liquor store that I saw. Mind you, it was raining, so I had to take both girls out of the van in the rain, sick as a dog, with one child on my hip and one holding my hand while trying to balance the umbrella over the three of us somehow.
Well, I got to the door of the store and asked if they had a bathroom. Here is how the exchange went:
Me: Excuse me, but so you have a bathroom?
Older Korean Lady: Bah-woom?
Me: Baath-rooom. You know, restroom, potty, toilet, bathroom?
Older Korean Lady: Baaahk (pointing to some doors at the back of the store)
At this point, I am running through the store with the girls pleading with Tootie to hold on just a minute more. We got to the doors and found both doors locked. I turned to the front of the store and asked which door was the bathroom.
Younger Korean Man (who had been watching the entire thing): Bathroom no work.
Me: Then why in the heck didn't you say something when I asked at first?
Younger Korean Man: Bathroom at laundry mat down sigh-walk.
Me: You should've said that at first, hell! (I know. I NEVER talk like that around my girls, but I was ready to shank a fool at that moment.)
So, we go racing down the sidewalk of the strip center to the laundry mat where I once again pleaded with Tootie to just hang on a minute. Then I noticed for the first time that we had to walk through a bunch of guys who were waiting to be picked up for day laboring jobs. One even had the nerve to try to holler. I mean, did anything about my foul azz expression lead him to believe that I was looking for a damned date? I was REALLY ready to shank a fool at that point. We finally got to the laundromat and its nasty azz bathroom (no, it was really dirty). I didn't allow the girls to touch ANYTHING and held them up over the toilet to use it. When we got to daycare, I scrubbed their hands and mine.
I'm proud of Tootie for holding it as long as she did when I know she really had to go badly, but I'm telling you. If she had had an accident in that store, I would've been on the news because I was just that pissed.
I'm better now, and, thankfully, my girls didn't seem to notice the "hell" I added at the end of my exchange with the Korean dude. Please pray for me and my temper 'coz I really can't stress enough just how badly I was ready to set it off in that store.
Well, I got to the door of the store and asked if they had a bathroom. Here is how the exchange went:
Me: Excuse me, but so you have a bathroom?
Older Korean Lady: Bah-woom?
Me: Baath-rooom. You know, restroom, potty, toilet, bathroom?
Older Korean Lady: Baaahk (pointing to some doors at the back of the store)
At this point, I am running through the store with the girls pleading with Tootie to hold on just a minute more. We got to the doors and found both doors locked. I turned to the front of the store and asked which door was the bathroom.
Younger Korean Man (who had been watching the entire thing): Bathroom no work.
Me: Then why in the heck didn't you say something when I asked at first?
Younger Korean Man: Bathroom at laundry mat down sigh-walk.
Me: You should've said that at first, hell! (I know. I NEVER talk like that around my girls, but I was ready to shank a fool at that moment.)
So, we go racing down the sidewalk of the strip center to the laundry mat where I once again pleaded with Tootie to just hang on a minute. Then I noticed for the first time that we had to walk through a bunch of guys who were waiting to be picked up for day laboring jobs. One even had the nerve to try to holler. I mean, did anything about my foul azz expression lead him to believe that I was looking for a damned date? I was REALLY ready to shank a fool at that point. We finally got to the laundromat and its nasty azz bathroom (no, it was really dirty). I didn't allow the girls to touch ANYTHING and held them up over the toilet to use it. When we got to daycare, I scrubbed their hands and mine.
I'm proud of Tootie for holding it as long as she did when I know she really had to go badly, but I'm telling you. If she had had an accident in that store, I would've been on the news because I was just that pissed.
I'm better now, and, thankfully, my girls didn't seem to notice the "hell" I added at the end of my exchange with the Korean dude. Please pray for me and my temper 'coz I really can't stress enough just how badly I was ready to set it off in that store.
Are You Smarter Than a Three Year Old?
Okay. I know most parents like to believe that their children are geniuses and everything they do is ahead of the curve. I am no different, and I am always amazed at the things they come up with. Take this morning, for example.
I am home from work today because I've been VERY sick and tried to ride it out. Finally, I just couldn't make it any further and had to break down and go to the doctor. Well, this morning Eliana (Lia) came up to me and said, "Mommy, E is for Eliana." I responded, "Why, yes it is. E is for Eliana." At the time, I was sending another copy of my substitute lesson plan to my partner teacher and giving her some instructions to pass along to the sub. Since I was on the computer, I asked Lia to point out an E to me (She knows all of her letters and numbers, mind you). To my surprise, she pointed to the number 3. I said, "No, Lia, that is incorrect. That is NOT the letter E. That is the number 3. Where is the letter E?" Lia looked at me with doubtful eyes, almost as if she thought her mommy, the teacher, was an idiot. She then pointed to the letter W. I said, "No, Lia, that is NOT the letter E. That is the Letter W." At that point, lia had had just about enough of me. She said, "No, Mommy. That is an E. See?" She then turned the computer keyboard to the right so that the W looked like an E (actually it looks like the Greek symbol Sigma, but you get it). Then, she turned my keyboard around until the number 3 looked like an E. At that point, she said, "See, Mommy. It's an E."
My response, you ask? There was nothing I could say but, "Well, I see that you are right when you turn the keyboard around. But just out of curiosity, if you didn't get to turn the keyboard around, which letter would be the E?" She replied, "Here's the real E" and pointed to the letter E. Then she got off my lap and announced that she was going to play with Daddy instead.
Sigh. Whatever!
I am home from work today because I've been VERY sick and tried to ride it out. Finally, I just couldn't make it any further and had to break down and go to the doctor. Well, this morning Eliana (Lia) came up to me and said, "Mommy, E is for Eliana." I responded, "Why, yes it is. E is for Eliana." At the time, I was sending another copy of my substitute lesson plan to my partner teacher and giving her some instructions to pass along to the sub. Since I was on the computer, I asked Lia to point out an E to me (She knows all of her letters and numbers, mind you). To my surprise, she pointed to the number 3. I said, "No, Lia, that is incorrect. That is NOT the letter E. That is the number 3. Where is the letter E?" Lia looked at me with doubtful eyes, almost as if she thought her mommy, the teacher, was an idiot. She then pointed to the letter W. I said, "No, Lia, that is NOT the letter E. That is the Letter W." At that point, lia had had just about enough of me. She said, "No, Mommy. That is an E. See?" She then turned the computer keyboard to the right so that the W looked like an E (actually it looks like the Greek symbol Sigma, but you get it). Then, she turned my keyboard around until the number 3 looked like an E. At that point, she said, "See, Mommy. It's an E."
My response, you ask? There was nothing I could say but, "Well, I see that you are right when you turn the keyboard around. But just out of curiosity, if you didn't get to turn the keyboard around, which letter would be the E?" She replied, "Here's the real E" and pointed to the letter E. Then she got off my lap and announced that she was going to play with Daddy instead.
Sigh. Whatever!
Coke is NOT the real thing!
As a consumer and otherwise concerned American, I am so NOT happy with Coca-Cola. I understand that a business' bottom line is important, but I am not pleased with the way they are going about it.
You see, on December 1 (just a few weeks before Christmas, mind you), Coca-Cola will be laying off people here. Their offices handle much of the collections and back office type work. The operation is being outsources to Guatemala. Earlier in the year, there had been some buzz about this and which of the countries overseas would actually be the recipient of the outsourcing. Well, here it is.
Now, this is not the part I think is so cold. The severance package they announced earlier this year SUCKS! Apparently, employees will receive one week of pay for each year they've worked there. So, the lowly employee with one year of service would only get one week's pay. That's it. So, there will be a lot of kids this year wondering why Christmas missed their houses. Oh, and they have even been holding meetings telling the employees that their numbers are down and that they have to get productivity up. Ummm. Hello!!! You're firing them in a couple of weeks and you're wondering why in the hell morale is low?!! Let me help you here, Mr. Coke Guy. You're giving their jobs away to the Guatemalans you're currently training! But, to Coke's credit (I say this with my tongue firmly planted in my cheek), they are holding job search classes to help the employees get their resumes together so they can find other jobs. Ummm, one more thing, Mr. Coke Guy... the F-ing economy is on the verge of collapse and unemployment is the highest it's been in a decade! There's pretty much NO ONE hiring at year's end, you MORON!
I guess you can tell that I'm sooooo pissed, huh? It's just that, in light of all of the problems with the economy IN THIS COUNTRY, we have a company that has been pretty much synonymous with every American pasttime throwing even more Americans into the unemployment lines for the sake of a few more dollars, much of which will end up in senior level executive's pockets.
That's just great, Coca-Cola. You've lost my business and the business of many Americans, I hope, once this story gets out. Hey, but at least you're helping to boost the economy of Guatemala. Too bad that when vendors have to call you with an issue, they will be speaking to people who they can barely understand. As it is now, your IT department is in India and your employees have to wait up to two weeks to get logins and passwords that work.
Coke, you SUCK!!!! I hope you remember how you've treated your American employees when you want a government bailout within the year because your sales are down.
You see, on December 1 (just a few weeks before Christmas, mind you), Coca-Cola will be laying off people here. Their offices handle much of the collections and back office type work. The operation is being outsources to Guatemala. Earlier in the year, there had been some buzz about this and which of the countries overseas would actually be the recipient of the outsourcing. Well, here it is.
Now, this is not the part I think is so cold. The severance package they announced earlier this year SUCKS! Apparently, employees will receive one week of pay for each year they've worked there. So, the lowly employee with one year of service would only get one week's pay. That's it. So, there will be a lot of kids this year wondering why Christmas missed their houses. Oh, and they have even been holding meetings telling the employees that their numbers are down and that they have to get productivity up. Ummm. Hello!!! You're firing them in a couple of weeks and you're wondering why in the hell morale is low?!! Let me help you here, Mr. Coke Guy. You're giving their jobs away to the Guatemalans you're currently training! But, to Coke's credit (I say this with my tongue firmly planted in my cheek), they are holding job search classes to help the employees get their resumes together so they can find other jobs. Ummm, one more thing, Mr. Coke Guy... the F-ing economy is on the verge of collapse and unemployment is the highest it's been in a decade! There's pretty much NO ONE hiring at year's end, you MORON!
I guess you can tell that I'm sooooo pissed, huh? It's just that, in light of all of the problems with the economy IN THIS COUNTRY, we have a company that has been pretty much synonymous with every American pasttime throwing even more Americans into the unemployment lines for the sake of a few more dollars, much of which will end up in senior level executive's pockets.
That's just great, Coca-Cola. You've lost my business and the business of many Americans, I hope, once this story gets out. Hey, but at least you're helping to boost the economy of Guatemala. Too bad that when vendors have to call you with an issue, they will be speaking to people who they can barely understand. As it is now, your IT department is in India and your employees have to wait up to two weeks to get logins and passwords that work.
Coke, you SUCK!!!! I hope you remember how you've treated your American employees when you want a government bailout within the year because your sales are down.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Politics Schmolitics
I frequent a site that belongs to a friend of mine. In light of the current political race, there is great deal of conversation about the getting-ever-so-heated race to the White House. Everyone who comments, from what I have seen, favor one candidate over the other. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. The problem I see is that there is this sentiment that if a person is not of the same political opinion, then that person is in some way not as smart as the rest of the enlightened folks. Call me crazy, but I often find myself playing devil's advocate for the opposing side.
You see, I believe in a fair fight. Even though we will more than likely agree on the candidate we're supporting in the end, I do not believe in blindly following any candidate. While I don't think my friend does this, I get the sense from some respondents that no matter what is said or done, their ears are completely closed to anything that is not in complete support of their chosen candidate. I think blind faith in a person is very dangerous. It's not just on that site either. I see and hear these exact things, just on the opposite side, with another group of people I'm friendly with.
Both sides consist of people who are highly intelligent, well-educated, well- read, and well-traveled. Yet, both sides will go to the death declaring that the other is misguided, unintelligent, and obviously out of touch with reality. Both sides tend to agree on one thing-- that the other is somehow not as highly evolved as they are.
So, where does the truth really lie? What really is in the best interest of the future of America? Both sides agree that there has to be change in some way. But, what is change? What does it look like? How elusive is it really that so many intelligent Americans cannot agree on it when they see it?
I'm so sick of people supposedly breaking down the issues in a nonpartisan way, while all the while including their slants and biases in creative wording as they break down the issues in a nonpartisan way. So, I'm going to break down the issues myself. I will include my opinions in a separate post after I present "just the facts." Maybe in doing so, we'll see which candidate really stands for what we stand for. Maybe there will even be a couple of surprises along the way. The election is a month away. Politically, that is an eternity.
You see, I believe in a fair fight. Even though we will more than likely agree on the candidate we're supporting in the end, I do not believe in blindly following any candidate. While I don't think my friend does this, I get the sense from some respondents that no matter what is said or done, their ears are completely closed to anything that is not in complete support of their chosen candidate. I think blind faith in a person is very dangerous. It's not just on that site either. I see and hear these exact things, just on the opposite side, with another group of people I'm friendly with.
Both sides consist of people who are highly intelligent, well-educated, well- read, and well-traveled. Yet, both sides will go to the death declaring that the other is misguided, unintelligent, and obviously out of touch with reality. Both sides tend to agree on one thing-- that the other is somehow not as highly evolved as they are.
So, where does the truth really lie? What really is in the best interest of the future of America? Both sides agree that there has to be change in some way. But, what is change? What does it look like? How elusive is it really that so many intelligent Americans cannot agree on it when they see it?
I'm so sick of people supposedly breaking down the issues in a nonpartisan way, while all the while including their slants and biases in creative wording as they break down the issues in a nonpartisan way. So, I'm going to break down the issues myself. I will include my opinions in a separate post after I present "just the facts." Maybe in doing so, we'll see which candidate really stands for what we stand for. Maybe there will even be a couple of surprises along the way. The election is a month away. Politically, that is an eternity.
I'm a pin cushion
Well, I've really gone and done it this time. If you know me at all, you know that I am a chronic shoulder-dislocater. For the past several weeks, I've been dealing with my latest dislocation-- the right shoulder this time, mind you. I apparently dislocated it while I slept. When Greg walked into the bedroom, the sound startled me, causing me to sit up quickly. That sudden movement is actually what popped it back into place.
I guess the good thing is that I already have shoulder immobilizers at home, so I was able to put it in a sling and go to work. As I walked through the halls, the fifth graders (My last year's fourth graders) simply replied, "Again?" Yes, again dammit! I guess it could have been worse, though. At least it went back in place without having to go to the hospital. I always hate when I cannot reset it because the paramedics have to come and they always ask the same questions repeatedly and look at poor Greg sideways because they think he's beating me up or something. In the midst of that excruciating pain, I always feel so sorry for my wonderful husband. He can't help me and people look at him like he's an abuser.
Anyway, one surgical group came very highly recommended by staff members as well as the nurse, so I agreed to see them. They were in network on the insurance and everything. However, I also researched and found another group that only deals with shoulder injuries. I liked the idea of them being shoulder specialists. They, too, were in network. I was really torn. What's a girl to do? I ended up going to see the group that was recommended by my peers. The people were nice enough, but the surgeon came in and said, "When I received my training, the only way to repair the shoulder of a chronic dislocater like yourself was to cut the whole thing open to fix it. Shoulder surgeries are much more advanced now. I can do your surgery, true, but you shouldn't want me to." Oooo-kaaaay. I appreciated the honesty and the fact that they were sending my paperwork ahead to a group of shoulder specialists they refer to and all, but still... What about my wasted copay?!
You already know where this conversation is going, don't you? I got the call from the shoulder specialists and... you guessed it. They were the same ones I considered calling in the first place! The doctor I'm scheduled to see is a former pro baseball player. I guess that's a neat thing. I just hope he is able to help me. I see him tomorrow afternoon, so I'll be able to update more after that.
I guess the good thing is that I already have shoulder immobilizers at home, so I was able to put it in a sling and go to work. As I walked through the halls, the fifth graders (My last year's fourth graders) simply replied, "Again?" Yes, again dammit! I guess it could have been worse, though. At least it went back in place without having to go to the hospital. I always hate when I cannot reset it because the paramedics have to come and they always ask the same questions repeatedly and look at poor Greg sideways because they think he's beating me up or something. In the midst of that excruciating pain, I always feel so sorry for my wonderful husband. He can't help me and people look at him like he's an abuser.
Anyway, one surgical group came very highly recommended by staff members as well as the nurse, so I agreed to see them. They were in network on the insurance and everything. However, I also researched and found another group that only deals with shoulder injuries. I liked the idea of them being shoulder specialists. They, too, were in network. I was really torn. What's a girl to do? I ended up going to see the group that was recommended by my peers. The people were nice enough, but the surgeon came in and said, "When I received my training, the only way to repair the shoulder of a chronic dislocater like yourself was to cut the whole thing open to fix it. Shoulder surgeries are much more advanced now. I can do your surgery, true, but you shouldn't want me to." Oooo-kaaaay. I appreciated the honesty and the fact that they were sending my paperwork ahead to a group of shoulder specialists they refer to and all, but still... What about my wasted copay?!
You already know where this conversation is going, don't you? I got the call from the shoulder specialists and... you guessed it. They were the same ones I considered calling in the first place! The doctor I'm scheduled to see is a former pro baseball player. I guess that's a neat thing. I just hope he is able to help me. I see him tomorrow afternoon, so I'll be able to update more after that.
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