Yup, it is tough to wrap your mind around something as big as losing your congressman. Of course, most people do not even know who their congressman is. But, truly, this man has really been there for me, for his constituents. He is really one of the good guys.
Way back when, those of us working on the Hill used to trade horror stories about the Member (that's what MOCs are called - the Member) and I had NOTHING to share. Oh, okay, I had one, but I rarely shared it because it would have embarrassed him and he is so nice and not to be embarrassed. More important was the horrific situation when he totally saved my butt on a plane from Denver to Sheridan, WY and then from Sheridan to Gilette, WY.
More on that later. :-) Oh and I have really good one on a certain Pennsy Senator and his issues - ridiculous and hysterically funny.
TG
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Friday, November 9, 2007
Jim Saxton
My former boss Jim Saxton is retiring from the House of Representatives. This is such a huge blow for New Jersey in general and Ocean and Burlington Counties in particular. Over his long-spanning career, he has made his name known in several ways, especially in terms of armed services. I have been constantly impressed by his ability to ensure that NJ's targeted military bases have not only been removed from the BRAC list, but also with the way he has fought to expand their missions to make them even more efficient.
But overall, he was truly a really great boss way back when I worked for him. He has seen me through workplace bumps, my marriage to my wonderful DH, the birth of two out of three children, and even wrote me a recommendation for grad school just this past year.
I am so sad he is going. Had I known this was in the cards, I would have talked to him much longer during the last fundraiser he had in September. Wah! OK, that was immature, but I truly fear for NJ's seniority in the Congress.
My plan is to hold a huge "Saxton Alumni Party" before the next general election, so we can all toast him and roast him and just laugh and laugh. And cry for this huge loss for NJ.
ThatGirl
But overall, he was truly a really great boss way back when I worked for him. He has seen me through workplace bumps, my marriage to my wonderful DH, the birth of two out of three children, and even wrote me a recommendation for grad school just this past year.
I am so sad he is going. Had I known this was in the cards, I would have talked to him much longer during the last fundraiser he had in September. Wah! OK, that was immature, but I truly fear for NJ's seniority in the Congress.
My plan is to hold a huge "Saxton Alumni Party" before the next general election, so we can all toast him and roast him and just laugh and laugh. And cry for this huge loss for NJ.
ThatGirl
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Ah, the innocence of youth
After an especially long day of lit dropping before the notoriously lowest possible vote getting election for the NJ cycle, I was pleased to come home and cook dinner for my fellows. While waiting for the fish to become golden (we are having orange roughy) youngest son was reading his favorite comic - Foxtrot. The punchline was: Hey ashtrays can be tricky. He turned to me and asked "What's an ashtray?" OO-HA!
Yay for children who have no clue what an ashtray is or even what it is for.
Yeeha. :-)
TG
Yay for children who have no clue what an ashtray is or even what it is for.
Yeeha. :-)
TG
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
As the World Turns
Graduate school has been quite the adventure. I completed my first class, "Public Management", in mid-August and while we were leaving the classroom, the Professor told us to enjoy our summer - what little was left of it. I can't speak for my classmates, but I sure did enjoy!
I figured that since I live at the Jersey shore, I would do something novel and GO TO THE BEACH. 11, 9 and I went for a full Sunday, then the whole family went the next two days. I found out that my bathing suit does not do sand well and I had such a lump, I looked like a guy in drag, except for the breasts, of course. The only way to remedy it was to put on my sundress and remove my bathing suit a la Jennifer Beals in Flashdance, then empty out my bathing suit of the 17 pounds of sand that were piled in the inner lining. The tough part was getting the suit back on without flashing anything a la Britney. Somehow I managed, maybe because I wasn't drunk and lolling all over the place?
The 4th and final day of my summer vacation, we went to Hurricane Harbor - http://www.sixflags.com/hurricaneHarborNJ/index.aspx - which is about 40 minutes from our house, so much farther than the ocean, but so much less sand! I was amazed at what fish my children are. All three had no problem swimming the entire length of the lazy river. With the exception of 11's amazing disappearing act on a regular basis, it was a great time.
But now, we are all back at school, tans fading, tomato plants giving their last fruit, the dogwood leaves already starting to change.
Ah, the fall. My favorite time of year!
TG
I figured that since I live at the Jersey shore, I would do something novel and GO TO THE BEACH. 11, 9 and I went for a full Sunday, then the whole family went the next two days. I found out that my bathing suit does not do sand well and I had such a lump, I looked like a guy in drag, except for the breasts, of course. The only way to remedy it was to put on my sundress and remove my bathing suit a la Jennifer Beals in Flashdance, then empty out my bathing suit of the 17 pounds of sand that were piled in the inner lining. The tough part was getting the suit back on without flashing anything a la Britney. Somehow I managed, maybe because I wasn't drunk and lolling all over the place?
The 4th and final day of my summer vacation, we went to Hurricane Harbor - http://www.sixflags.com/hurricaneHarborNJ/index.aspx - which is about 40 minutes from our house, so much farther than the ocean, but so much less sand! I was amazed at what fish my children are. All three had no problem swimming the entire length of the lazy river. With the exception of 11's amazing disappearing act on a regular basis, it was a great time.
But now, we are all back at school, tans fading, tomato plants giving their last fruit, the dogwood leaves already starting to change.
Ah, the fall. My favorite time of year!
TG
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Brakes only work if they are ON THE GROUND
So 7 wanted to ride the scooters down the hill, a short hill, nothing like what I did back in the day on my much less reliable skateboard (although to him, perhaps it would appear the same). He had on his bike helmet but we couldn't find mine, so I told him I would just not crash. Right? Right!
So we push ourselves up the hill, then down we go down the hill. I am picking up speed, since I outweigh a 7 year old, go figure. I start to pump the brakes...the suddenly discovered to be barely existent brakes. The pace does not slow much. I am not sure what to do, so I turn toward a patch of grass ('cause if you are going to crash head first, grass is softer) and after that, who knows what truly happened except for my head banging into the grass and dirt, blood pouring out of the corner of my eye, a dent in my forehead, dirt and road rash (from GRASS!) on my shoulder and both knees. Luckily, my husband is napping this afternoon so I could clean my sorry self up in the shower before he could freak out about it.
I am not sure a helmet would have helped except for the whole "you look like a prize fighter who lost" thing. While my eye is hurting badly, my shoulder is by far the worst of all injuries. Thank heavens I don't need it for my spin class tomorrow, much.
I just wish I would stop bleeding.
So the moral of today's story is to never use a scooter without checking its brakes first. That thing is HISTORY - and it's 9's so he is going to be pissed until he sees my battered face.
ThatGirl
So we push ourselves up the hill, then down we go down the hill. I am picking up speed, since I outweigh a 7 year old, go figure. I start to pump the brakes...the suddenly discovered to be barely existent brakes. The pace does not slow much. I am not sure what to do, so I turn toward a patch of grass ('cause if you are going to crash head first, grass is softer) and after that, who knows what truly happened except for my head banging into the grass and dirt, blood pouring out of the corner of my eye, a dent in my forehead, dirt and road rash (from GRASS!) on my shoulder and both knees. Luckily, my husband is napping this afternoon so I could clean my sorry self up in the shower before he could freak out about it.
I am not sure a helmet would have helped except for the whole "you look like a prize fighter who lost" thing. While my eye is hurting badly, my shoulder is by far the worst of all injuries. Thank heavens I don't need it for my spin class tomorrow, much.
I just wish I would stop bleeding.
So the moral of today's story is to never use a scooter without checking its brakes first. That thing is HISTORY - and it's 9's so he is going to be pissed until he sees my battered face.
ThatGirl
Friday, July 20, 2007
The artsy-fartsy day
Today, I took a well-deserved day off from work and completed an ambitious schedule. My DH has been with the boys daily since the July 4 holiday, so he took the chance for a day off to do whatever the heck he wanted.
My neighbor, who is the art teacher at the local elementary school, had never been to the Grounds for Sculpture (www.groundsforsculpture.org) so we made plans to take her, her 10 year old boy and 11, 9 and 7 over to visit.
After grad school last night, I woke up early to hit the gym. My BOSU step class was not what I imagined and I felt gypped - and it hurt my knees a bit to try to master the BOSU. Tomorrow morning is TKO, an insane class that is sooooooo hard and rewarding. After the BOSU class this morning, I picked up some food (shrimp, pepperoni, cheese chunks, a hoagie, capri suns, ice for the cooler) and packed everything in my minivan then we trekked across the state to visit.
This place is beautiful. We walked for hours while the boys alternated between shouting out in the joy of discovery and being just plain mean to each other. Oh, the joy. My absolute favorite painting of all time is Renoir's "Luncheon of the Boating Party" which is replicated in life-size sculpture at the Grounds, right on the river. We had to cross Monet's bridge to get there, so it was a double whammy. All I could think was how pleased I was to share this with an art teacher who had never been there.
While we examined the Luncheon sculpture, my neighbor took pictures of me pretending that I was invited to the party. In retrospect, they look rather incongruous, but it was fun at the time. If I ever figure out how to put in photos, you all can see it for yourself.
A very rewarding day off, even if I didn't make it to the beach.
ThatGirl
My neighbor, who is the art teacher at the local elementary school, had never been to the Grounds for Sculpture (www.groundsforsculpture.org) so we made plans to take her, her 10 year old boy and 11, 9 and 7 over to visit.
After grad school last night, I woke up early to hit the gym. My BOSU step class was not what I imagined and I felt gypped - and it hurt my knees a bit to try to master the BOSU. Tomorrow morning is TKO, an insane class that is sooooooo hard and rewarding. After the BOSU class this morning, I picked up some food (shrimp, pepperoni, cheese chunks, a hoagie, capri suns, ice for the cooler) and packed everything in my minivan then we trekked across the state to visit.
This place is beautiful. We walked for hours while the boys alternated between shouting out in the joy of discovery and being just plain mean to each other. Oh, the joy. My absolute favorite painting of all time is Renoir's "Luncheon of the Boating Party" which is replicated in life-size sculpture at the Grounds, right on the river. We had to cross Monet's bridge to get there, so it was a double whammy. All I could think was how pleased I was to share this with an art teacher who had never been there.
While we examined the Luncheon sculpture, my neighbor took pictures of me pretending that I was invited to the party. In retrospect, they look rather incongruous, but it was fun at the time. If I ever figure out how to put in photos, you all can see it for yourself.
A very rewarding day off, even if I didn't make it to the beach.
ThatGirl
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Turtle
In New Jersey, you are allowed to own a turtle, but you are not allowed to buy a turtle. It is one of those idiosyncratic laws that makes New Jersey such an amusing state to everyone but its residents.
This morning, on the way to work, I saw a teeny, tiny terrapin turtle in the roadway, so turned around in our parking lot here at the reserve and went back to save it from certain doom. I jumped out of my minivan and started to cross the street when a big truck rumbled up and crushed it dead. It was horrifying to see the little turtle, hunched over and alive one second, flipped over with limbs sticking out dead the next second, blood smeared on the road.
What a way to start the day!
:-(
This morning, on the way to work, I saw a teeny, tiny terrapin turtle in the roadway, so turned around in our parking lot here at the reserve and went back to save it from certain doom. I jumped out of my minivan and started to cross the street when a big truck rumbled up and crushed it dead. It was horrifying to see the little turtle, hunched over and alive one second, flipped over with limbs sticking out dead the next second, blood smeared on the road.
What a way to start the day!
:-(
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Adventures on the Run
Today was the annual Pine Beach 5k and/or 1 miler. In 2004 I did both and my middle guy (9, then 6) ran his heart out for an awesome 1 miler. I used it as a warm-up that year, then stretched and headed to the starting line for the 5k. Fun race, great venue!
Fast-forward three years and this time we all went, even my DH who has recently decided to actually run rather than tell me he REALLY NEEDS TO RUN. :-)
So, we got to the course prior to the 8:15 start for the 1 miler we had signed 7 up for. Now, I enjoy a nice 1 miler, so figured I would accompany 7 during his very first ever real race. I'd seen him kicking dirt during our Sunday runs at the track (I think they call it that because you can keep track of everyone) and knew he was more than capable of a fabulous finish. Right before the horn, I urged him to the left side and told him to pace himself. The plan was that I was going to run with him to warm up, then the whole family would do our thing during the 5k, but 7's tag would be ripped from his bib, so would only count toward a stellar 1. And if 7 and I had to walk the 5k, so be it.
So, horn blows, we take off with me on his trail to encourage him and we are no more than 5 feet from the starting line when he trips over someone else's feet and goes down - HARD! I pick him up, look at the elbow he fell on and immediately the EMS guys swing in on their bikes and ask if he needs first aid. He is bleeding, he is crying and I ask him if he just wants to walk. Yes...NO! He takes off like a shot, like he is soooooooo pissed that this happened and wanted to make up for the lost time on the big tumble. And did he ever.
So we ran and ran. And the way the course is set up, it is a straight shot to the turnaround (important for later). You are running along one of the most beautiful ever courses, with the Toms River on the left side, get to the turnaround and bam, you are on your way back. A beautiful day for it and 7 was motoring and so excited to see there was playground on the riverfront! I was behind him (I wanted him to set his pace) and he was so enthusiastic.
He made it to the finish/chute just a few seconds over ten minutes. I diverted to keep my tag on the bib so I could have 5k time recorded. Big mistake.
So, he powered through the pain, but at that point, after the usual adrenaline rush, he started to feel his bloody, germy elbow. It was tricky to find the EMS who were so eager to serve at the beginning of the race. Eventually, 11, 9 and 7 and I made it to the ambulance while DH brought a bunch of our crap back, including our cell phones) to the truck. 7 was hurt and didn't want anything to do with the 5k and I've already run it, so I put DH in charge of 11 and 9 for the 5k. All three were excited!
7 got all fixed up by EMS while 11 and 9 looked on and 7 and I set off to the playground prior to the horn for the 5k , so we could lay in wait for DH, 11 and 9. 9 is quite a runner, but 11 had done a similar run last June (although I had to pull him over the finish line), so I was interested in the dynamic.
They ran by where 7 and I were waiting, but I missed DH somehow. I saw 9 run by and he told me that DH was way ahead and 11 was way, way behind. Was he ever - he had given up before he had even started. He was strolling as though it were a Sunday outing, which of course it was except for being a RACE. I NEVER separate from my boys in a race, so I was concerned.
So, DH came to the finish line at 35+ minutes and had blown out his calf. 7 and I waited by the finish line to get the picture. Then, I knew that 9 would be next by sheer force of will. So, I left 7 with DH and ran the course backwards to find 9, just about a half mile behind and coaxed him to run the the finish line. He really sprinted to the finish line and again I sheared off from being counted since I didn't run the whole race.
After I deposited 9 in his Dad's lap, I ran with 7 the half mile back again to find 11 to run him in. But then I saw the police car that follows the very last runner. The one that shows that the race is over. So to see the car without 11 in front of it gave me a very sick feeling in my stomach. 7 and I approached the car and I told the officer that my son was still out there, his name and bib number and description. The officer suggested I talk to the EMS guys because they could do a quick sweep on their bikes.
Now, let me tell you about the town of Pine Beach, NJ. It has two stoplights, two police cars and is thisbig and on the Toms River (where people can drown) and 11 was gone. Just plain gone. Luckily, the EMS knew what 11 looked like since he was with us when 7's elbow was getting treated plus he he has this amazing red hair.
The family stuck together waiting for 11 to come in on the finish line and then they started to take it down. They allowed traffic to flow, not that there was much (see description of Pine Beach above) and I started to hyperventilate. I.AM.NOT.KIDDING. I thought I was going to throw up.
EMS folks kept coming up asking "Are you the mother?" as though he was lost forever, asking for further descriptions, as though the flaming red hair wasn't enough. I asked DH to go to the truck to pick up both our cellphones, in case he was trying to call us from where?
Meanwhile, all around us, there were celebrants enjoying a truly beautiful day. They were in line for the big BBQ that OutBack was providing, eating food and enjoying water and gatorade, yet from the stage between sets was the emcee who kept asking if runner 500, (also known as 11) would come up to the stage. Nothing. At that point I saw a friend from the gym and he asked how well I ran. I explained why I only did the 1 miler and that my oldest was MIA. He was confident that 11 would be found.
Our family went back in search of EMS and then the one EMS gal rode up and said "Maybe". That's when I lost it. I was crying as quietly as I could and 7 kept asking "Why are you crying?" Though he knew 11 was missing, he saw me with my stiff upper lip for quite a while (over an hour), so perhaps it was odd that when I finally got promising news that I would be losing it then. I couldn't answer for fear of full breakdown.
DH left with the cops, fire fighters, EMS and race officials while I ensured that 7 and 9 stayed close by my side. No need to give anyone more to worry about while I hyperventilated. So, 7, 9 and I went to the EMS tent to wait to see if "maybe" turned into 11. Ten long minutes later, I saw DH and 11 stride across the field trying to find us. I told 9 and 7 to stay where they were and ran across the field to 11 and gave him a hug that lasted over a minute (11 doesn't like to be touched, but I really needed that).
I gave him my food (I couldn't touch it anyway, I was sick to death about him being missing).
Then I asked him what happened. He told me that he lost sight of the pack because he wasn't running it. And then he made a random turn. And then he got to a busy highway. And then a cop car pulled up alongside of him a while later and asked "Hey, are you lost?" And he answered "Yes." and the officer said "Hey kid, you have a LOT of people looking for you." No kidding.
Turns out that he had walked two towns over. Not one for navigation. Then, when he was delivered by the police officer to DH, the officer suggested that 11 should really not be running a race on his own. No kidding.
Then my gym friend saw us and I gestured toward 11 and to show he had been found and gym friend asked "So when are you going to kill him?" NEVER.
OMG.
Fast-forward three years and this time we all went, even my DH who has recently decided to actually run rather than tell me he REALLY NEEDS TO RUN. :-)
So, we got to the course prior to the 8:15 start for the 1 miler we had signed 7 up for. Now, I enjoy a nice 1 miler, so figured I would accompany 7 during his very first ever real race. I'd seen him kicking dirt during our Sunday runs at the track (I think they call it that because you can keep track of everyone) and knew he was more than capable of a fabulous finish. Right before the horn, I urged him to the left side and told him to pace himself. The plan was that I was going to run with him to warm up, then the whole family would do our thing during the 5k, but 7's tag would be ripped from his bib, so would only count toward a stellar 1. And if 7 and I had to walk the 5k, so be it.
So, horn blows, we take off with me on his trail to encourage him and we are no more than 5 feet from the starting line when he trips over someone else's feet and goes down - HARD! I pick him up, look at the elbow he fell on and immediately the EMS guys swing in on their bikes and ask if he needs first aid. He is bleeding, he is crying and I ask him if he just wants to walk. Yes...NO! He takes off like a shot, like he is soooooooo pissed that this happened and wanted to make up for the lost time on the big tumble. And did he ever.
So we ran and ran. And the way the course is set up, it is a straight shot to the turnaround (important for later). You are running along one of the most beautiful ever courses, with the Toms River on the left side, get to the turnaround and bam, you are on your way back. A beautiful day for it and 7 was motoring and so excited to see there was playground on the riverfront! I was behind him (I wanted him to set his pace) and he was so enthusiastic.
He made it to the finish/chute just a few seconds over ten minutes. I diverted to keep my tag on the bib so I could have 5k time recorded. Big mistake.
So, he powered through the pain, but at that point, after the usual adrenaline rush, he started to feel his bloody, germy elbow. It was tricky to find the EMS who were so eager to serve at the beginning of the race. Eventually, 11, 9 and 7 and I made it to the ambulance while DH brought a bunch of our crap back, including our cell phones) to the truck. 7 was hurt and didn't want anything to do with the 5k and I've already run it, so I put DH in charge of 11 and 9 for the 5k. All three were excited!
7 got all fixed up by EMS while 11 and 9 looked on and 7 and I set off to the playground prior to the horn for the 5k , so we could lay in wait for DH, 11 and 9. 9 is quite a runner, but 11 had done a similar run last June (although I had to pull him over the finish line), so I was interested in the dynamic.
They ran by where 7 and I were waiting, but I missed DH somehow. I saw 9 run by and he told me that DH was way ahead and 11 was way, way behind. Was he ever - he had given up before he had even started. He was strolling as though it were a Sunday outing, which of course it was except for being a RACE. I NEVER separate from my boys in a race, so I was concerned.
So, DH came to the finish line at 35+ minutes and had blown out his calf. 7 and I waited by the finish line to get the picture. Then, I knew that 9 would be next by sheer force of will. So, I left 7 with DH and ran the course backwards to find 9, just about a half mile behind and coaxed him to run the the finish line. He really sprinted to the finish line and again I sheared off from being counted since I didn't run the whole race.
After I deposited 9 in his Dad's lap, I ran with 7 the half mile back again to find 11 to run him in. But then I saw the police car that follows the very last runner. The one that shows that the race is over. So to see the car without 11 in front of it gave me a very sick feeling in my stomach. 7 and I approached the car and I told the officer that my son was still out there, his name and bib number and description. The officer suggested I talk to the EMS guys because they could do a quick sweep on their bikes.
Now, let me tell you about the town of Pine Beach, NJ. It has two stoplights, two police cars and is thisbig and on the Toms River (where people can drown) and 11 was gone. Just plain gone. Luckily, the EMS knew what 11 looked like since he was with us when 7's elbow was getting treated plus he he has this amazing red hair.
The family stuck together waiting for 11 to come in on the finish line and then they started to take it down. They allowed traffic to flow, not that there was much (see description of Pine Beach above) and I started to hyperventilate. I.AM.NOT.KIDDING. I thought I was going to throw up.
EMS folks kept coming up asking "Are you the mother?" as though he was lost forever, asking for further descriptions, as though the flaming red hair wasn't enough. I asked DH to go to the truck to pick up both our cellphones, in case he was trying to call us from where?
Meanwhile, all around us, there were celebrants enjoying a truly beautiful day. They were in line for the big BBQ that OutBack was providing, eating food and enjoying water and gatorade, yet from the stage between sets was the emcee who kept asking if runner 500, (also known as 11) would come up to the stage. Nothing. At that point I saw a friend from the gym and he asked how well I ran. I explained why I only did the 1 miler and that my oldest was MIA. He was confident that 11 would be found.
Our family went back in search of EMS and then the one EMS gal rode up and said "Maybe". That's when I lost it. I was crying as quietly as I could and 7 kept asking "Why are you crying?" Though he knew 11 was missing, he saw me with my stiff upper lip for quite a while (over an hour), so perhaps it was odd that when I finally got promising news that I would be losing it then. I couldn't answer for fear of full breakdown.
DH left with the cops, fire fighters, EMS and race officials while I ensured that 7 and 9 stayed close by my side. No need to give anyone more to worry about while I hyperventilated. So, 7, 9 and I went to the EMS tent to wait to see if "maybe" turned into 11. Ten long minutes later, I saw DH and 11 stride across the field trying to find us. I told 9 and 7 to stay where they were and ran across the field to 11 and gave him a hug that lasted over a minute (11 doesn't like to be touched, but I really needed that).
I gave him my food (I couldn't touch it anyway, I was sick to death about him being missing).
Then I asked him what happened. He told me that he lost sight of the pack because he wasn't running it. And then he made a random turn. And then he got to a busy highway. And then a cop car pulled up alongside of him a while later and asked "Hey, are you lost?" And he answered "Yes." and the officer said "Hey kid, you have a LOT of people looking for you." No kidding.
Turns out that he had walked two towns over. Not one for navigation. Then, when he was delivered by the police officer to DH, the officer suggested that 11 should really not be running a race on his own. No kidding.
Then my gym friend saw us and I gestured toward 11 and to show he had been found and gym friend asked "So when are you going to kill him?" NEVER.
OMG.
Friday, June 22, 2007
So. Full.
Too much food! The boys and I just got home from the Chinese Buffet for lunch. They had begging all week and had to put together a cabinet for my region in the basement in order to earn it. Now everyone is so full, we are all lazing about. At least the cabinet is done - and although my tummy is full, my wallet is now empty!
I'm BACK!!!!
What to share? How about a list of yesterday's new risks?
1) 9 wanted to ride his bike over to his friend's house. His friend M lives across a striped highway, rides without a helmet (which 9 stipulates is STOO-PID), and generally ignores traffic rules. 9 got turned down by me not just the once, but over 23 times, right up until I told him if he asked again, I was going to send his friend back home on the bike he rode in on. So, what was the new risk? He really wanted to play at M's house and I don't mind him doing so. So, I left my house with 11 in charge of reading to 7 (giving him all the directions about don't open the door to anyone, don't answer the home phone, call my cell if there is a problem - not 911, we have a rather hilarious history there) while I quickly scooted over to M's to drop 9 off. I was gone all of seven minutes and 11 wasn't even done with the book by then, but dang, it felt like an eternity. I may have to wait until 11 turns into 12 before I do that again!
2) I got 7 a new haircut. He wanted a gel cut which vastly differs from his normal surfer cut. The gel cut is much, much shorter and very similar to the cool cut that 9 gets every four weeks or so (and also got yesterday). 7 was very, very specific about wanting the gel cut, yet...when it was done, he did NOT like it. And boy, his dad totally despises it. But guess what - hair grows back, so chill people! Sometimes a short haircut is the easiest risk to take in life.
3) Grad study awaits...and waits...and waits...I keep checking my application status at Rutgers for whether my college transcript has arrived to complete my application. It was sent by U.S. Mail [tm] on June 5 for a June 15 deadline. The undergrad institution is about 2 hours away from the grad school, I could have walked it there in three days (I ran a marathon, after all), yet here it is, June 22 and no transcript. Undergrad insists it went out and that they are constantly having problems with Rutgers and transcripts, but "if Rutgers wants to call to confirm it was sent, they will happily let Rutgers know that the problem is on the receiving end." So does this risk my application? Cripes!
1) 9 wanted to ride his bike over to his friend's house. His friend M lives across a striped highway, rides without a helmet (which 9 stipulates is STOO-PID), and generally ignores traffic rules. 9 got turned down by me not just the once, but over 23 times, right up until I told him if he asked again, I was going to send his friend back home on the bike he rode in on. So, what was the new risk? He really wanted to play at M's house and I don't mind him doing so. So, I left my house with 11 in charge of reading to 7 (giving him all the directions about don't open the door to anyone, don't answer the home phone, call my cell if there is a problem - not 911, we have a rather hilarious history there) while I quickly scooted over to M's to drop 9 off. I was gone all of seven minutes and 11 wasn't even done with the book by then, but dang, it felt like an eternity. I may have to wait until 11 turns into 12 before I do that again!
2) I got 7 a new haircut. He wanted a gel cut which vastly differs from his normal surfer cut. The gel cut is much, much shorter and very similar to the cool cut that 9 gets every four weeks or so (and also got yesterday). 7 was very, very specific about wanting the gel cut, yet...when it was done, he did NOT like it. And boy, his dad totally despises it. But guess what - hair grows back, so chill people! Sometimes a short haircut is the easiest risk to take in life.
3) Grad study awaits...and waits...and waits...I keep checking my application status at Rutgers for whether my college transcript has arrived to complete my application. It was sent by U.S. Mail [tm] on June 5 for a June 15 deadline. The undergrad institution is about 2 hours away from the grad school, I could have walked it there in three days (I ran a marathon, after all), yet here it is, June 22 and no transcript. Undergrad insists it went out and that they are constantly having problems with Rutgers and transcripts, but "if Rutgers wants to call to confirm it was sent, they will happily let Rutgers know that the problem is on the receiving end." So does this risk my application? Cripes!
Thursday, June 21, 2007
I'm Speechless!
How is THAT for the title of my first entry of my first blog?
But if you know me (and I presume you do or you wouldn't be reading this) you would know that I am almost never speechless. So, on the first day of Summer of 2007, I am giving you a little glimpse into my life. To be expanded.
I live in a ranch house in a shore town in New Jersey, which I share with a husband and three boys, who are 11, 9 and 7 - and for many, many years I was truly that ONLY girl in the house. So this year on my birthday when I finally was able to convince my husband that, after having all these boys, a cat would be a cinch, it HAD TO be a girl!!! And she is - her name is Chloe and she never leaves the toilet seat up, ever! But if someone else does, she drinks out of it. A great reason for boys to finally close that lid! Shortly after adopting Chloe there was a massive fishkill in our tank. It was UGLY. So, 9 suggested we go a different direction, something he often does. 9 wanted a mouse to replace the dead fish. I explained to him that a cat and a mouse in the same house is setting someone up to die, so we compromised and got ourselves a gerbil, equally likely to die but maybe less tempting? In keeping with my need to up the estrogen level in our home, I requested that our gerbil be a GIRL. The extremely clueless clerk (or maybe I was the clueless one?) couldn't tell if it was a girl or boy, so we took it home and decided that it must have a gender neutral name. So that is how "Zen" came into our lives. "Karma" sounded too girly (and Earl-y).
To this day, we have no idea whether Zen is a boy or girl, but she is always referred to as "she". It's only fair!
So, why am I blogging? Because I need somewhere to relax. 11 has coined a term about me: "Here comes mom in her race against time". Bustle, bustle, bustle. Is that what I want to be remembered for? Because someday, time will run out. Will I have won? And if so, who made up the rules? Guess what? I am making up the rules and this is it for me - my one and only life. And so I will blog about the adventures I have with my family and other parts of my life and they will either interest you or bore you to tears, but at least I will have paused and recorded these memories. And in recording them, I will have had the chance to reflect on them and consider ways to make more positive memories to enrich our lives.
So, this first foray into blogging is semi-complete, without the stories that I intended to tell about the tree and its pulley system and the fishing and the bike ride and the gardening/weeding/watering and "nature stew" 7 made me or the "7 sandwich" between pillows that 9 tried to eat or the seven things we had planned to do today that are falling by the wayside as I try to catch up with work on a day I am not getting paid for because $750,000 lies in the balance.
I bid you peace on a truly beautiful day at the Jersey shore!
ThatGirl
PS) I am going to have to figure out a way to put up pictures because my mother has given me noise for being her only child (out of five) who doesn't send pictures to her of my three of her sixteen grandkids. She and my dad left for home (Sin City, NV) yesterday sans pix of the boys and hopefully made it home okay!
But if you know me (and I presume you do or you wouldn't be reading this) you would know that I am almost never speechless. So, on the first day of Summer of 2007, I am giving you a little glimpse into my life. To be expanded.
I live in a ranch house in a shore town in New Jersey, which I share with a husband and three boys, who are 11, 9 and 7 - and for many, many years I was truly that ONLY girl in the house. So this year on my birthday when I finally was able to convince my husband that, after having all these boys, a cat would be a cinch, it HAD TO be a girl!!! And she is - her name is Chloe and she never leaves the toilet seat up, ever! But if someone else does, she drinks out of it. A great reason for boys to finally close that lid! Shortly after adopting Chloe there was a massive fishkill in our tank. It was UGLY. So, 9 suggested we go a different direction, something he often does. 9 wanted a mouse to replace the dead fish. I explained to him that a cat and a mouse in the same house is setting someone up to die, so we compromised and got ourselves a gerbil, equally likely to die but maybe less tempting? In keeping with my need to up the estrogen level in our home, I requested that our gerbil be a GIRL. The extremely clueless clerk (or maybe I was the clueless one?) couldn't tell if it was a girl or boy, so we took it home and decided that it must have a gender neutral name. So that is how "Zen" came into our lives. "Karma" sounded too girly (and Earl-y).
To this day, we have no idea whether Zen is a boy or girl, but she is always referred to as "she". It's only fair!
So, why am I blogging? Because I need somewhere to relax. 11 has coined a term about me: "Here comes mom in her race against time". Bustle, bustle, bustle. Is that what I want to be remembered for? Because someday, time will run out. Will I have won? And if so, who made up the rules? Guess what? I am making up the rules and this is it for me - my one and only life. And so I will blog about the adventures I have with my family and other parts of my life and they will either interest you or bore you to tears, but at least I will have paused and recorded these memories. And in recording them, I will have had the chance to reflect on them and consider ways to make more positive memories to enrich our lives.
So, this first foray into blogging is semi-complete, without the stories that I intended to tell about the tree and its pulley system and the fishing and the bike ride and the gardening/weeding/watering and "nature stew" 7 made me or the "7 sandwich" between pillows that 9 tried to eat or the seven things we had planned to do today that are falling by the wayside as I try to catch up with work on a day I am not getting paid for because $750,000 lies in the balance.
I bid you peace on a truly beautiful day at the Jersey shore!
ThatGirl
PS) I am going to have to figure out a way to put up pictures because my mother has given me noise for being her only child (out of five) who doesn't send pictures to her of my three of her sixteen grandkids. She and my dad left for home (Sin City, NV) yesterday sans pix of the boys and hopefully made it home okay!
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