Perhaps it is not officially Springtime yet, but it must be getting near! I hear tell of snowmelts in places that have had more than their fair share. In my neighborhood -- well, it's foggy and it looks like the rain is coming back again, but the hills are green, flowers are bursting forth, and fruit trees are blooming all the heck over the place. Yay!
Another sign of impending Spring is that I'm wrestling a year's worth of crumpled fading receipts and bills and official tax documents and such, because my big annual date with the Tax Guy is tomorrow. This would be a down side of self-employment. Every year, I'm afraid my Tax Guy will give me stern lectures about financial responsibility, which I surely deserve. In antiwhines, what usually happens is his cat settles in to be pet, he asks a few questions and promises to do his magic, and then we chat about our kids and stuff. But I have to get my numbers together first, so I'm taking the reasonable course and procrastinating between batches of numbers. Take that, you unruly numbers!
We are leaving in 10 days to visit daughter, a once-in-a-lifetime kind of trip. Yikes yikes yikes. Keep crossing things off the to-do list, and then more things pop up. It's like the arcade whack-a-mole game, but less rewarding.
GS cookies have arrived on the West Coast! My order is held up due to a temporary Trefoil shortage, so I made an emergency purchase of thin mints outside the supermarket. Go, girls! Yay, GS moms!
What's springing up in your neighborhood?
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46 comments:
I don't wanna. DON'T WANNA!!!
Wanna go home. HOME!!! NOW!!! NOT WORK ANYMORE!!!
WAAHHHHHH!!!
(ahem)
This temper tantrum brought to you by Bugzilla.
ooh, a strong early start to the whining, liz! brava!
Poor liz.
I switched from my winter coat to my spring coat today. This is a whine. Spring coat doesn't have enough pockets thus requiring purse-carrying. Hate purse carrying. Don't wanna. Stay tuned for first "got to the store with no money" whine of the new year, because it is inevitable.
Kathy A - bon voyage!
Whine: I did the taxes early. And then my hard drive crashed. So I need to reinstall Turbo t@x and re do them. Wanna makes bets that I end up with a different end number? Here's to hoping the refund is bigger :)
W/AW: rumors of rain all week (boo) to melt away the old snow (yay!)
Major whine: I have yet to spot a girl scout or a girl scout cookie in this town.
Major real whine: Hubby is on week 3 of (wait for it, Sue) working non stop. I stopped adding up the hours, but it's at least 60. The guilt is hitting him, so he's suggested the Baboos and I make the road trip I've been kinda-sorta planning to see the grandparents. Like now. I decided it's as good a time as any, perhaps better than some. So I've been scurrying around trying to pack for the three of us. Holy cow, do we require a lot of baggage. The nursing pads alone, I tell you, take up some prime real estate in my suitcase. Kathy, be glad you're not lactating on this Japan trip. The whine is that the scurrying is adding to my tiredness, and I'm not looking forward to the 4 hour drive (plus unknown amount of time for Mini Baboo feeding, Sweet Baboo entertaining, Mama potty stops, etc).
Other major whine, with request for Pixie advice: potty training. I really prefer to know what I'm doing, but I'm flying by the seat of my pants (ha! pun not intended) here. The Sweet Baboo has sat on the potty, willingly and unwillingly, with no results. We read books and sing songs to prolong the amount of time she's willing to sit there. This is day #2, so I'm not giving up, but I'm all ears for pixie experiences.
Liz, you certainly don't have to if you don't wanna. Er, unless you do have to.
oh, excellent whinage!
esperanza, the up side of a baboo road trip is that you can stuff everything you need into the car.
i'd suggest just not worrying too much about the potty training -- especially with a new baboo, road trip, etc. kids really do catch on when they are ready. treat the beginning parts as just practice sessions -- letting sweet baboo get used to it.
my grandmother claimed she had my mother potty trained at 9 months! which i did not believe, but just that she bragged about that made me wonder about permanent scarring.
I agree not to sweat the potty training right now, though if you're staying awhile with the grandparental units (2 or more weeks), that might be a good place to get started --- since kids tend to like to show off how grown-up they are for the non-parental adults in their lives.
Temper tantrum over.
New one tomorrow, I'm sure. Over the 124-and-counting page document I'm working on. With screen shots.
Which is probably NOT what the customer asked for, but I'm not allowed to talk to the customer to get clarification. I KNOW the guy who got this requirement from the customer and that is all I need to know about the validity of the requirement as expressed to me.
So, I'm working on a doorstop. An unwanted 124-page (and counting) doorstop.
But it's gonna be the best damned doorstop EVAH!
Maybe you can laminate it, Liz. :) More layers. Hope it gets better.
Esperanza - potty training...is Sweet Baboo ever dry when she wakes up? I started about the time they were dry after naps. Because then you have them run around naked post nap until they pee. (outside if your tolerance for wiping up pee is low) And maybe try it at Grandma's, but it might be just novelty and not permanent. I've always hated driving with the potty training child - all of the stopping because you really have to try to believe them. Good luck!!
YAY, it's SUNNY!!!! In Edinburgh! A glorious miracle!
It's still less than 20 degrees, but hey, we're moving in the right direction.
W: Still smarting about paying this #$%^#% 575 dollar traffic ticket. Gahhhh!
W: Writing a doorstop similar to Liz's, though it's a veterinary case report that will never be read or appreciated, but that I have to do (and pass according to Extremely Arbitrary Marking System (tm)) in order to graduate. Sigh.
AW: Finally getting an MRI for my back! Maybe something will show up!
Major, serious W: This damned country has no GS cookies.
Ans Sarah, having to do taxes twice sounds like my personal hell. You win. :)
Jenevieve: jealous of your globe in the sky. No sun here today - just freezing rain.
Whine: I'll second the whine on GS cookies. We only get the mix box of choc/vanilla and my supplier moved out of town. Wah.
Whine: Still not quite back to normal. Head is pouring ick (green, thanks for asking) incessantly and yet here I am at work waiting for a meeting to start.
Whine: WAHHHH. Meetings.
Anti-whine: I lived through last week. Trust me - there were a few moments when that was more of a whine than an anti-whine last week.
Anti-whine: Don't know what to get my Dad for his 80th birthday. Mind. Blank.
Sarah - taxes *shudders*
Liz -good luck with the door stop. Ick.
Sue: Sorry about the ick and the meetings. Re: your dad. Last year, for my dad's 70th, my sister and I took him away to a B&B for the weekend. Just him and the two of us. He loved it.
Everything is breaking. Everything. In the last two weeks, we have had to put $550 into a car (and it turns out that it needs more work, but we postponed that because we don't want to spend that money right now), we had to have our bladder tank replaced ($660 -- here's to living with a well!), our water heater started to leak ($900 -- woo hoo!) and we purchased a dishwasher because the racks are disintegrating and you can only load it halfway now ($840 -- but who's counting?!).
I am at my limit. We are broke now. This amounts to more than our tax return, and right as my husband is probably facing a salary cut. But you know the thing that is pissing me off the most today? The dishwasher was out of stock, so the installation company rescheduled our delivery but never called us to tell us or ask us when we'd like it installed. Nope. I cleared my whole fireplacing day today to be home, and they never called. I had to call and find out that they've rescheduled us to Saturday.
I'm so mad, I can't even see red.
oh, and our coffee maker died, but my husband's dream coffee maker won't be available to ship for a month, so we're drinking instant. my husband ordered his dream back-up coffee maker, but it won't ship for another week BECAUSE HE CHOSE SUPER SAVER SHIPPING. WTF?! shoot me.
Oh, Amy. That is a flood of badness. Including floods.
(((Amy))) you deserve pixie votes on so many levels I hardly know where to start. My sympathies. And a moment of silence for the lack of a coffee maker for a week.
*crickets*
End of silence. Well, that meeting was horrific....even more than most. Turns out Other Church thinks we've gone all rogue on them about the amalgamation stuff because our congregation made it painfully clear that whatever else we do together - we don't want to end up in their icky old expensive building. Ya. They're pretty upset with us, or at least that's what their minister is saying. Whatevs.
Whine: Also $$$$$ related. Paid municipal taxes Mar 3. Hubby's quarterly taxes due Mar 15. When it rains it pours and we eat Kraft Dinner. Just sayin....
Further to the above whine: At what point in my life do I get to live like a grown up instead of a poor grad student living on student loans? Please Universe, anytime now would be nice. I'm 50.
Sue, thank you for reminding me that MY quarterly taxes are due March 15th. I always think I'll get my forms done and apply the refund to this quarter but guess what? Didn't happen. Again.
Maybe you could get a spot on the KD ads they are running and earn some money that way? "I hear-by pledge to eat KD the week the taxes are due, even though I'm an adult with a job."
My anti-whine for the early afternoon is that a technology feature I've been wanting for ages* and which was available to me six weeks ago except I forgot, is now working. There was some shouting. I believe I said "Why would you DO that?" But with help from total strangers in tech forums on the internet I've got it now, even if it means I need to leave Yet Another Application running on my laptop.
*Syncing notes from my iPod Touch to my Mac. If you are similarly yearning, and have Leopard or later, I can help.
Holy moly Amy.
So I finally understand the meaning of post-nasal drip and I really wish that I didn't.
BUT it is sunshiney and warm today and we are going to do some puddle-jumping after school.
That BANG! you heard? That was my head exploding.
I. Am. FURIOUS.
Too angry even to talk about it now.
Steam....ears....anger....LIZ SMASH!!
Uh oh, Liz's head just exploded.
Um, margaritas? Kittens? Fluffy white clouds in a blue sky?
Oh, how about a whiny whine? Since it's the 1st week of my break, I received the traditional head cold/ sore throat today. Drinking thylehogichi and hoping for the best.
my goodness, there is much prize-worthiness already, and it is not even wednesday yet!
GS cookies, margaritas, relevant medications, coffee, magic wands, cluesticks, and tax fairies -- apply as needed. perhaps not all at once.
'sploding Liz head! Soooooo sorry Liz whatever the reason for the explosion.
Worked half a day today. All six people who saw me either said, "You look awful" or "What are you doing at work?"
Ok, I get it. I look like crap.
Well, guess what? I still FEEL like crap too!!! Staying home tomorrow. Stay tuned to find out if I ever stop feeling achy, schniffly, and coughing. And don't forget the ever-present head pain monster.
Anti-whine: Even crappy is better than I felt a week ago. Yup, that wellness bar is mighty low.....
Sorry Liz. Let it out.
And Amy - wow. That's a terrible list. I hope everything else stays in 1 piece.
Jenevieve - that happens here too. As soon as the pressure is off, sickness blooms.
Sue, oh Sue. Might the illness mean some time away from early morning meetings? Desperately seeking silver linings.
Yay Madeleine on the syncing. I love it when a plan comes together.
Whine: my daughter has the stomachache with no other symptoms. Is it a really really mild flu? Post-nasal drainage form her mild cold? Or is it tied to the crying that seems more frequent and its lovely sister Anxiety? I have so far failed at figuring out a new therapist...not something that seems to have word of mouth recommendations.
I have a suspicion that Liz's fury might be related to my fury of the day. Does it have to do with a certain vote today and certain Senators representing the state in which we both live?
I'm ready to feed them to the starvling cat.
Still here. Still sad.
Also, the next person who asks me if condolences or congratulations are in order (you know, on the break up of my three year relationship) is getting a knuckle sandwich.
My whine is that I keep feeling guilty about being so utterly happy and enjoying my life, and my newfound relative good health, and my beautiful healthy children, when so many other people in the world are suffering.
An old family friend's 9-year-old son is fighting leukemia. He's gone through treatment and been in remission twice in the last 2 years. This past week they discovered that what at first appeared to be a dental issue was actually a tumor in his face. In the past few days it has rapidly grown so large it is forcing his eye closed and giving him double vision. He's in a lot of pain. My heart breaks for him and his family. They are going to have some tough decisions to make.
P_K, sending love and healing thoughts to your friend and your friend's family.
Re: Guilt feelings for your enjoyment of your life right now. Time to go back and look at what you and your family went through for the past few years. Take a deep breath, and allow yourself to feel happy - you've earned it. And then send help to others anyway you can.
Elizabeth, no. My fury was entirely work-related. I am a tester. An error was found in production. The developer fixed it, verified it worked in development, and then SENT IT OUT TO PRODUCTION without informing me AT ALL.
Head = KABOOM.
Especially since this same developer came down on me like a ton of bricks TUESDAY for having not updated something properly in Bugzilla.
Which particular Senate vote? Most of them made me ridiculously angry this year.
((Redzils))
((Sarah-at-Ratatat, and daughter))
Redzils - hugs and votes for the Knuckle-Sandwich award this week. I hope all of the insensitive jerk people keep their distance and let you alone.
Sarah - don't I wish! Breakfast meeting tomorrow morning. Double to the UGH.
Whine: After all my angst about Dad's birthday gift I found out my oldest sister has already bought a gift and a card and signed all of our names on it. I owe her $50. Would have been nice if someone had told me.
Anti-whine: No more angst about gift.
Whine: Gift is okay, but not what I would have chosen. I liked Liz' idea better. Maybe for the 81st?
Anti-whine: Snow melting.
hugs to PK, sarah, and redzils.
PK, so very sorry about the boy you love and his awful illness.
PK - I too am really, really sorry about your friend's son. I know a family going through a similar circumstance and it's just so awful.
Oh, now the whole family is joining in on the Head Cold of Doom fun. Sigh.
((pixies))
Two weeks ago, our sons favorite day care teacher suddenly disappeared from school and a note was sent home that she "moved on" ad they are sad to see her go. It seemed odd, since we see the teacher at church every Sunday that she wouldn't have mentioned something to us. We finally saw her this weekend and found out that the moving on was not voluntary and the "sad to see her go" was a lie. They did not give her a reason and since the day care is attached to a church it somehow makes her ineligible for unemployment benefits.
I wish we could afford to hire her as a nanny but we can't. I wish I had a better day care option but I don't.
jenr, that sucks. i don't really understand why she should be ineligible for unemployment because she was employed by a church. wonder if she should check further with the unemployment office, to be sure that is true?
kathy a - I didn't believe it either, but I looked it up and apparently employees of churches or religious organizations are not eligible for unemployment benefits in Wisconsin. I don't understand why though.
JenR, that doesn't sound right at all. Or fair. Why would anyone want to work in any capacity in or for a church organization if it disqualified them from unemployment benefits?
I wonder if there is an equivalent kind of safety net provided by the church???? Anyway, it all sounds very whine-worthy.
Add to my whines: Sweet Baboo has a runny nose and a fever. My diagnosis is ear infection since she is stumbling all over herself, moreso than usual. Poor sweetie.
AW: at the grandparents, so they can help with the Baboo illness.
Sorry about the exploding heads. Yikes.
((PK's family friend))
sue (and anyone else who cares) - this article is from a Catholic website, but it explains it pretty well. Apparently there is a federal exemption that says churches don't have to pay unemployment insurance. Since they don't pay, their employees don't get benefits http://ncronline.org/news/faith-parish/fired-do-church-employees-get-unemployment-benefits
JenR - I'd say the state just exempts the churches from buying into the unemployment insurance pool. As a benefit to the church - lowers its costs. Just sucks on the employees, especially for day care.
Hugs to PK and her friend's son. How tragic. And PK, it's OK to feel good. It really is.
Redzils - oh how cruel people can be. Hugs and brownies and some really good beer, maybe not all together? Through I Will Survive on repeat? (We once drove around a lake for several hours with a friend whose girlfriend had left him with that song on repeat. It helped, a little.)
Liz - that would make my head explode too.
Whine: I am feeling mean as in average and not nice...I am working more hours right now in exchange for less in summer. And the work is good. I like what I am doing and I am learning to not start or join conversations about things that might make my head explode. But I feel like a bad mom -- I am less engaged, less helpful, less there. And I feel whiny and alone. I just don't have anyone to talk to. I don't want to offend my working mom friends, because I am awed at how much they can juggle and why this is making mw so whiny at only 15-20 hours a week. And my SAHM friends won't get it either. And my mom, still awesome, is picking up the childcare slack for me so she isn't going to want to hear me whine about not doing it.
Update on my daughter - still no deep seated angst that I can find. So I am pushing the physical side as I stall for time on mental health. She has had constipation issues in the past and that can cause stomachaches and anxiety (at least according to this month's Parents magazine).
please keep whining. awards will be sometime later, as it appears my main machine got infected by something and is in deep trouble.
Oh no! Computer disaster whines are my least favorite.
I hear ya kathy. Our desktop is in the computer ICU as we speak. I think we may need to pull the plug any time now.
Whine:
*SPLAT*
That was the sound of my head exploding and brain matter hitting every hard surface around me.
This head explosion is brought to you by THE BREAKFAST MEETING FROM THE SEVENTH CIRCLE OF HELL.
I am Sue, and what's left of my head approved this whine.
Kathy and Sue, may your computers be up and on-line soon.
Sue - looks like you and I need Windex to clean up the brain matter now freckling the ceiling.
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