I’m feeling annoyed…

Posted by on May 15, 2012 No comments

Those are best remedied by a brain dump. If there is too much rattling around up there, my brain doesn’t function well.  Here goes:

  • Twitterbots always seem to “@” me when I’m in the middle of a flame and get me even more frustrated.
  • If I wanted to see your pinterest pins I’d log in to pinterest.com.
  • Why would a maid service use the last of my trash bags and not leave one in the can?
  • If your child needs to be medicated, frakin’ medicate them!
  • School starts at home.
  • It’s easier to let someone turn in front of you then avoid eye contact with them so you can get through the intersection 4 seconds faster.
  • Bydureon makes my tummy hurt.
  • Benedryl is my friend.
  • Still need to fly my kite.
  • Why can’t people just be good? 
I feel better.  

buenas noches…

Posted by on April 15, 2012 No comments

Had an odd dream this morning.  We, family (even those who have passed) and friends, were out at a late dinner.  They place was like the Melting Pot just not as fancy.  Also there was a cabaret show there after dinner.

Many of our friends were there, in and out, no one really had a major roll in this dream except for a cousin of mine and an fried that I worked with at AOL.  Everyone is enjoying their fondue. People are coming in at all times and joining tables,talking, laughing.  I’m finished eating and head over to the show with my cousin and friend.  There are no seats, just an open floor and the small stage.  The song is a pirate song. I did watch Muppet Treasure Island so I’m sure that’s how that fits in. The song finishes and I turn around and the place is nearly empty.

The three of us head outside.  Getting through the door was tricky as it was like a half revolving door.  Odd. The parking lot is empty.  Our rides had left us.  My friend then tells me we have to go down the street to the gas station as the restaurant charges some crazy “sitting” fee.  We venture on.

At the gas station, I’m trying to dial my parents house but don’t know the phone number.  Meanwhile, we are having to get off the sidewalk so bicycles can get by and then some girl keeps touching my phone to throw off the touch screen.  My friend informs me that there is another place down the street that has benches we can sit on.

We arrive and sure enough there is a bench with a cover, like a bus stop but it’s along the parking lot side not the street and there is also this little shack type building with another bench.  I enter the shack, sit down and start to dial what I think is my parents number 321-1725 (This really was my phone number about 20 years ago) and someone picks up and is speaking Spanish.  WTF?  I hang up. Dial again and hear a man, who I think is my dad,  faintly saying  something and mentioning “escuela”.  ”Escuela”, I say. “It’s not a school night and why are you speaking in Spanish?”  ”Because I’m Mexican”, the voice says. “So this isn’t the Clemens residence?”, I ask. “No.”, he says.  ”Buenas noches”, I say and quickly hang up.

Why was that man answering my parents phone number?  I decided to call 411 for the number.  I tell the operator that I need the number for LeRoy Clemens and spell out the last name for her.  She says she has it.  The recording comes on for the number, I hear it and wake up.

Have an unsettled feeling.  Was good to see my parents though, even if was just in my dream.  They frequent them a lot.

 

Ya never know….

Posted by on March 14, 2012 No comments

As an interpreter, I follow RID’s Code of Professional Conduct.

As a co-worker I try to also follow a common sense “Code of Professionalism”.

Professionalism, defined by Webster as:

  • the conduct, aims, or qualities that characterize or mark a profession or a professional person.

It’s a hard quality to see sometimes.  It’s the little things that can really make you shine as a professional.  Even simple pleasantries.  So I always try to show my professionalism.

Yes, there are days when the kids are bugging the crap out of me and it shows on my face but I try not to keep it there.  Also, I try not to take out any frustrations I have on my co-workers and/or clients.  (In my case, students).

Why do I try to maintain a professional demeanor at all times?  You never know who will be your future boss.  Plain and simple.  With today’s market, one can never be sure that you won’t be working with/for one of your former co-workers.  Or trying to get hired…

If professionalism isn’t there, why would they hire me?  I wouldn’t.

But then again….that’s a quality I look for.

My kids…ok..they are cats..but…

Posted by on February 21, 2012 1 comment

We first saw Tabitha at a pet shop in the Orange Park Mall in 1996.  It was a few weeks after we were married and we headed out to find a pet.  They had a full litter of kittens and originally we had been looking at another kitten when Tabitha bound over the table to be with Jerry before the handler put her back in the crate.  We knew at that moment that she had picked us.

She was always a little timid and afraid of just about everything.  She did however enjoy lounging each night with us as we got ready for bed.  A nightly ritual that I absolutely loved.

This past holiday season, she just didn’t seem herself.  She had lost tons of weight but was still eating and evacuating so we thought it was just old age.  It was…and with old age comes kidney problems.

She had been saying her goodbye all weekend by cuddling up to us as much as possible.  On January 22, 2012 we took her to the vet and said our goodbyes.

I didn’t think I’d ever want another pet.  She was my first.  She was my baby.  Being childless meant that this cat that had been a part of our lives for 16 years was mine.

After many tears, (ugh, crying now) and thinking about how could I possibly love another cat that much I told Jerry it was time.  The house was too quiet with out a cat running around.

 

We searched online for various shelters and wanted to get a rescue cat.  There was a cute 8 month old that was ready for adoption but we wanted to meet her first.  The local Animal Care and Protective Services center was just around the corner so we headed over.  The cat we had looked at wouldn’t even give us the time of day.  This other cat across the way kept talking the entire time we were walking around.

She was older, 18 months.  Ok…so…keep looking around.  Meow, meow, meow…. Finally we approached her crate and she was loving and continued to coo and meow.  I was falling for her.  The handler put us in a room with her and she was friendly and curious.  Something we weren’t used to.  The heart was softening to a little bit older cat that I had thought.  Nutmeg was stealing our hearts.  She would let us pick her up, she was playful, she was curious, she was going to be ours :)

A few minutes later, some paper work filled out and she was heading home in a cardboard carrier to her new home.

She took to the house like she had been living her for a while.  Well, except for the carpet.  She still plays the “It’s hot lava” game.  Don’t know why she doesn’t like…*shrug*

After a week of being home she developed a sneeze, after a quick check up and a shot she is feeling better.  She has more energy then when we first brought her home…in fact she is driving us crazy.  Not really.

We have fallen in love with our young lady, Nutmeg.

Find out what it means to me….

Posted by on January 19, 2012 2 comments

That’s right, I’m talking about respect!

Today, I told a child to just get on their bus,  saying “Have a good weekend, Bye bye” over and over because I was tired their face and their lack of respect.  Yes, I’m admitting to not being as professional as I would have liked.  I wasn’t rude.  I smiled and genuinely did want the child to have a good weekend but mostly I just wanted them out of my sight.  When a child tells me to “shut up”…..*blink*…  I imagine if I had ever behaved that way at that age.  Heck, I don’t behave that way as an adult.

I’m about to sound very old.  I have no clue how the “youth of today” are going to make it. I know there are a few good “eggs” out there and I can only imagine their struggles and how they are going try to lead their peers to a brighter future.

I know that it’s time to take a step back again and not get emotionally attached to the students I interpret for.  It’s a fine line.  One that I find myself having to find from time to time.  It gets lost among the: make sure so and so does this, and is so and so finished with this, etc.

I have a long weekend.  A perk of being an interpreter at the end of a marking period.  Teacher planning days means no students and no need for interpreters. :D I’m going to use this time to get myself in check and start off the third quarter with a more professional demeanor.

I will be heard….

Posted by on January 2, 2012 No comments

Yesterday after the Jaguar game, while waiting for the shuttle buses, I noticed, as I have in the past, several people ignoring the line and going to the front and slipping over to the back door loading area for the bus.  A normal person would have continued in line and then when reaching the point where you can break off, proceed.  No…these people cut in front of many people so they could get on the bus and would not have to stand in line.  This really irked me.  I started to talk loud and was instantly hushed and told to “drop it”.  I did…but now I’m regretting that decision.

Why should I allow such things to happen? Why should I tolerate people doing wrong?   Shouldn’t I be standing up against that?  Shouldn’t I be trying to help my fellow man learn the proper ways of civilization? Heck, to be civilized, because that behavior was not civilized at all.  Sure, you can argue that they were trying to “survive by any means possible” and that’s the order of natural selection.  Does that mean that civility takes a back seat to natural selection?  I hope not.

I was happy to hear the woman behind me talking about it too.  I heard the words “some people are just assholes” a few times.   This put a smile on my face to know that I wasn’t alone.

Sure, yeah…whatever..that works…

Posted by on December 22, 2011 No comments

Christmas time for many people means driving around visiting people, shopping, wrapping and a lot of other stressful activities.  Jerry and I are pretty low key during the holidays.  Granted, a lot of that is due to the fact that both sets of parents have passed away.  Sure we still have gatherings and such but not to the magnitude it used to be.  We now control our holidays.

This year we are spending the 23rd with Jerry’s sister.  Christmas Eve afternoon with their cousins, aunt and grandfather.  Later that evening we’ll be headed over to a local church to meet up with our friend Angie and her girls for a candle light service and then get together at their house.

Okay, okay..it does sound like we are busy but really only for 24 hours.  Christmas day will be spent lounging around the house or maybe a movie.  It’s up to us :)

I wish you all a very non-stressful, chillaxin’, Merry Christmas!!

Tummy aches…

Posted by on December 21, 2011 No comments

Pains so bad that I just had to go to bed.  Usually after twenty-four hours it goes away.  I’m sure it’s all related to my recent introduction to the medicine, Byetta.  Now, this doesn’t happen all the time.  It only happens when I over indulge.  That should be the hint right?  Stop eating when you are full and you won’t have these terrible stomach aches.  It’s basic….

So when something that upsets me comes along and I decide that I can have a full serving of Billy Barou from Moe’s I’m paying for it the next day.  I need to not stuff my belly!!  No more carbs to comfort myself.  Food is for fuel, not comfort! I need to use that as my mantra.  I am doing better. I’m still down 45lbs.  Still have a long way to go, but it’s okay.  I’m doing it.

It’s not like I don’t know my triggers.  Stress is my trigger.  When I’m stressed out I eat.  Not good for someone with so many endocrine problems. Maybe if I ate celery, but who craves that when they are upset.  I have little stress in my life.  The only thing right now is family drama.  The reason I ate a whole plate of nachos Monday night. I can’t control other people’s lives and honestly wouldn’t want to.  Also, I know I can sleep at night with a good conscience and that I have not wronged my family.

The lesson is, I guess, that moderation is the key.  Oh…and drama free is the way to be.  Somethings I should have already known from my life experiences.  It’s funny how life lessons come back and nip you in the bud.

Fa la la la la….

Posted by on December 13, 2011 No comments

Well, it’s that time of year again. We kicked off our Christmas season last Saturday at Jerry’s company holiday party. It was pretty fun. Jerry and I even danced. I don’t think we danced last year. *shrug*

This week is the last week of work until Winter break. Then I’m off for two weeks. Yay! Jerry is taking some time off too so we are stuck together. It’s a good thing Star Wars: The Old Republic is coming out so we can bother eachother game together.  Jerry is already “in” as he was smart and put his pre-order code in as soon as he got it.  I unfortunately waited until November 2nd.  Ah well….  We will be playing on Juyo server in case you were wondering.

This weekend we have more Christmas fun.  Friends are coming over on Friday for Chinese take-out and movies.  Then on Sunday we are heading up to Georgia for the Sutton Family Christmas.  I’m looking forward to bugging Jerry in the car for a couple of hours.  Good times…good times…

Still need to do some shopping for Christmas.  Jerry…still need to shop for Jerry….

Other than that we have been doing good. We are totally stuck on The Big Bang Theory right now.  We watch re-run after re-run just laughing like it was on for the first time.

It’s that time of year….

Posted by on November 23, 2011 No comments

It’s been years since I’ve enjoyed the holidays. Kind of sad actually. All the hoopla just makes me…I don’t know…meh.

I really miss Mom and Dad. They were the glue that held what I thought was a pretty close family together. I’ve come to learn that was all a farce.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. I have tons of things to be thankful for. Jerry being top of the list. He keeps me happy. I’m spoiled rotten, I’ll admit it. He dotes on me and I let him :)

I am excited about our tradition of going to see a movie on Black Friday. I’m not much of a shopper. In fact the thought of “What to get someone” makes me anxious. Maybe I’ll just give everyone pajamas. Everyone needs pajamas, right? Back to the movies…this year we are going to see The Muppets. I can’t wait! I love The Muppets and I’m ready for their madcap fun.

So from now until the New Year, I’ll be feigning some of my jolliness. I am mostly a happy person but this time of year makes me reflective of past holidays that seems simpler.