I Wonder If I Remember How To Do This.....

Wow!  It's been a while..... 

As this is January 1st, 2014, and the start of a brand new year and day, and all that jazz...I thought I might start up the ole' blog and see what kind of thoughts I can commit to paper...uh....virtuosity.

Lots of things have changed in my life since the last time I was here.  Some good and some bad, but all necessary in the grand scheme of things, I suppose.

I no longer substitute teach.  I have a full-time job as the office manager at the License Office (read: DMV).  My boys have grown older, taller and more "themselves", The "hubs" has made tremendous changes in his life as well. 

For those of you who have never lived with an addict/alcoholic, you have NO IDEA how blessed you are!!!  And for those of you who have, well, God Bless You, and I hope you someday know the joy I feel now that I live with a RECOVERING/FORMER/NON-PARTICIPATING addict/alcoholic.  It's a whole new life, and I had to adjust to a new lifestyle in many ways, as well.  Some changes were easier to get used to than others...  But when your whole "sphere of living normally" changes, it's an adjustment for everyone!

My favorite part of "his" new and improved persona is the frequent, out-loud LAUGHTER!  He finds so many things funny these days that he ignored or scoffed at before.  His sense of humor isn't as well developed as mine...so he still doesn't laugh at everything he "should", but he's coming along nicely. *laugh track here

Okay, enough for now...If I get too good at this blogging thing too quickly, I won't have anything to aspire to!  I'll be back to practice more later!

I wonder how I remembered phone numbers before I had a cell phone...

I wonder how I remembered phone numbers before I had a cell phone…

A friend of mine recently lost her cell phone, and I learned from her what a tremendous upheaval is was to her life. Losing contact information for so many people we have relationships with would be traumatic…As I myself learned today when my husband had my cell phone and I had his….

Picture it…Sicily… well, really it was highway 67, but this always sounded so picturesque when Sophia Patrillo said it…anyway, just picture it, I was driving Gary to meet his ride to work, when he realized he forgot his phone at the house. Of course I had mine, because what woman wants to be out at 4:30 a.m. and break down or get a flat tire, without a cell phone??? Anyway, back to our originally scheduled blog…

Since I had my phone, and being the kind wife that I am oikll;pkm vaoi w98degfuw-943rjtopiw---sorry, excuse me..coughing fit…anyway, the kind wife that I am, I told him that he could take mine and I would take his for today…

Thus the feeling of total isolation that I have now regarding my link to everyone that I know. I hope I don't have to call the dog groomer…her number is in my phone, but do I know how to reach her without the contact list? NO! And I hope I don't want to call the dentist, eye doctor, or my satellite Internet provider before Gary gets home this afternoon. My relationship with all of these entities is on hold until such a time as I have my cell phone back in my possession.

Even more alarming is the fact that I cannot call my brother or my sister on their cell phones at the moment. I don't need to talk to them at the moment. Which is good, because I don't KNOW their cell phone numbers. I have them saved to the contact list in my phone, but I don't KNOW them in my brain to be able to call them without my phone in my hand!!! And they're FAMILY!!! Although it may take me just a second, I WOULD be able to call them at home. But, they aren't probably at home! ? Duh!

SO, how in the world did I remember phone numbers before I had a cell phone to save them for me? Well,it was a little easier when I was very young, (not that I used the phone to call anyone very often, when I was very young…but I digress.) because at one time, we only had to know 5 digits to make a call locally. Then it was all 7 digits, still not bad, because the first 3 were the same for almost anyone I needed to get on the line.

Now with SO MANY prefixes and the ability to access cell towers in other area codes even, it takes a major mnemonic (thank you, George McKenney) to think of anyone's telephone number and be able to dial it from memory alone! Truly a troubling and depressing state of affairs.

I used to feel relatively intelligent. ( If you know my relatives, you know why!...oh snap! Just kidding!) I mean, I think of myself as a smart person, in general. Are we just so overwhelmed with digits that we are not capable of remembering the numbers anymore? Or are we just spoiled and lazy because technology has lulled us into letting go and relying on our various devices?

Try this...go to a landline phone, IF you even have one or can find one...and try dialing a few people you talk to on a regular basis, without looking at your contact list. If you can dial at least ten of the numbers by heart, you may not be in a hopeless situation. Or better yet, have someone scroll through your contact list and QUIZ you on the numbers you have stored! You may be surprised with the results.

I don't think I'd do very well with that scenerio. I have some numbers stored that I very rarely need to call, but when I DO, I don't want to take the time to look them up, so I have them saved. I would not be able to tell you the numbers for Dog & Suds drive-in, or the union hall. But if I have my phone in safely back in hand this evening, I will be able to call them if I want to!!

Hurry home from work Gary, and keep my phone safe today!

I Wonder What He'll Do Next...

Been a while since my last blog post...been busy getting the boys back to school. Bryan has basketball practice EVERYDAY for 2 hours!!! So that means at least one drive to Marquand everyday! Thank Goodness he has a cousin in his grade, so, my sister-in-law shares drop-off and pick-up duties! When Bradley starts his season, it will be the same way, different sister-in-law! :-)

Here's the real story of this post...things that were looking blah are turning around...

I have been disappointed the last few years with the state of my job situation, But got some very good news and validation lately, that help me to stand still and know that God is in control! It has been a struggle at times because each time I had what seemed like a clear shot at a full time position, things would happen that made it impossible. The district would eliminate the position due to budget cuts...aaaggghhhh! I joked to my school friends that if they wanted a position cut, to let me know and I would apply for it!

Anyway, the last couple years have passed with a few new aides being hired that don't have near my "seniority"-- past experience with the district as a sub. It was beginning to get very depressing. I felt that I deserved a job before these others. I have subbed off and on since the 1993-94 school year! But I have also noticed how various teachers have been more vocal and consistant about requesting that I be called to cover their classes, and it has been a very high compliment to be regarded as a capable and valued substitute. I was working a lot, so it was like being full time anyway! And those who were hired may have qualities that I don't and God needs them there.

Although I want to work full time, the past few years when I was NOT hired, I have had personal things go on that would have been much harder to deal with if I had been employed full-time. Like the death of my father and the house fire...I would have had to take time off to deal with these things and that would not be good had I just started a new position...SO God knows what He's doing and has plans that I don't know yet. It's sort of freeing to be able to know I'm not in charge! LOL

So, to review, I haven't been hired when I thought it was my time, and the world hasn't stopped turning...not even for a second. I enjoy being a sub, for the variety and freedom to have whatever time off I need. And as I mentioned before, more teachers request me lately, and that makes my ego feel good. Although I try not to take it for granted, it does feel good to be needed, no one would deny that!

What I have been trying to pray is that God will give me favor with those I work for and with. That He will put me where I need to be not where I think I should be. If I will humble myself to be useful to Him, He will lift me up to attain what I desire. SO, here's the good part---My first call came to work this year, and I worked half a day at the elementary school on Tuesday. (*See short side note below*) A teacher stopped me in the hall asking that I be her long-term sub for her maternity leave the beginning of Nov through Christmas break! I was very excited to be trusted and relied on to such an extent! I of course said yes!!! The next day I was at the intermediate building, and BEFORE I could even get to the room I was covering that day, a special education teacher said that he had requested me to be the long term sub while his aide was doing her student teaching! Once again, honored and excited to accept!

And what's more, God worked it out so perfectly that the aide position is Sept and Oct. and the teacher's starts immediately after that, so I will now be working full-time through Christmas break!!!

*And a side note to this ramble--Tuesday morning I was feeling a little sorry for myself and posted an update to my facebook feed that I wanted to make better use of my time...within an hour of that post, I had been called to come in to sub that afternoon. And that's where it all started coming together.

I can see God's hand in all this. I am not a bad person, but I had not been doing everything that I knew I was supposed to do for a while -- I mean, going to church on a regular basis, being a better example for and teaching my children, and in general, living a positive life. I was giving it half effort, if that...and I was raised to know what kind of life I should be living. For the last few months, I have been making more of an effort to do better at following God's path, not my own. I am feeling His blessings because of it!

It feels good to be able to give the glory to God for my blessings. I could not do any of this on my own. I know when I tried alone, I have failed spectacularly. All Good and Perfect Gifts come from God! (James 1:17)

I pray that God will continue to give me favor with those I work with the next few months, adults and students alike, and that I may have a positive influence on those around me.

I wonder if anyone else experiences this phenomenon...

Have I watched the Back to the Future movies so many times that my house has fallen into the space time continuum? (WOW! spellcheck says spelled continuum corectly!!!! Gonna go buy a lottery ticket!)

Walking into different rooms of my house causes me to skip ahead or fall backwards in time. Pouring a cup of coffee, it's 18 minutes after the hour. Step about 8 inches to the right, in front of the stove, and it's only 14 minutes after. Walk four feet to the left and I'm in the living room at about 9 after. COOL! Pouring coffee has gained me nearly ten more minutes of this beautiful day....hmmm.

The computer tells me, when I sit down to "surf", that it's about 21 after. My cell phone tells me it's only a quarter after....Now, one would think, that TPTB (that's: the powers that be) at AT&T would know what the correct time is. Aren't they hardwired into the system at Greenwich? OR what about TPTB at Microsoft or whoever's in charge "out there?" Don't they have a Seiko or Bulova to consult? (Bulova Bob Saling would've sold them one, I'm sure.)

Anyway, this particular continuum causes a great deal of grief in my household...When I tell the boys their computer time is up, and it's bedtime, they always claim to have 5 more minutes. How exactly did they get AT&T to be in cahoots with their plan to stay up into all hours of the night on the web?

And then what happens when it's time to leave to go somewhere? If I'm running late, but leave from the living room, does that help me MAKE UP time to get there? If I walk past the coffeepot, will I be five minutes late to church that morning?

I used to have a similar dilemma when I had my extensive watch collection. (For those of you who missed it, I mention my watch obsession in I Wonder If I Should Even Be Telling This...) I could be fashionably late or pleasantly prompt, depending on which watch I chose to wear that day. Or depending on which school building's bell system I had set said watch with. FYI, there is a continuum between the Intermediate and the Primary buildings as well. Just so you know.

I definately blame this on Michael J. Fox.

I wonder if I should even be telling this...

As a woman, I feel the need to present a "put together" image when I leave the house to be seen in public. If you see me out, just know that I have made a little effort (usually) to fix my hair, match my clothes and be generally well-groomed. If you were to stop by my house on a random day, you may not be as lucky. This morning for example, I sat on the front deck with my laptop and my coffee, perusing Facebook updates and reading my e-mail, in my nightgown, until a little after 10 a.m. Not a good look for receiving visitors.

I don't have expensive tastes when it comes to clothes or accessories. To be honest, I have gotten the most compliments on things I have bought second hand at yard sales, or from friends getting rid of things they no longer wanted. (Thanks for the purses, Kim! Everyone loves the striped one!) I like to find unusual items that you can't find in stores any longer. Sometimes they are BACK in style, or VINTAGE, if you prefer. Sometimes they remind me of favorite things I used to have or wear. Sometimes they just feed one of my random moods for variety.

I love yard sale or clearance rack finds! I suppose I am just a cheapskate in a lot of ways. But I do understand when it is necessary to pay a little more for quality. I can shell out good money for shoes or for jeans that fit just right. But for the most part, my money is not spent on name-brand clothes, accessories, or the various other things that are necessary for a woman to make herself presentable. I use inexpensive hair-care and make-up items. I have costume jewelry and watches that I wear because I like them, or they match a certain outfit. (And I LOVE LOVE LOVE watches! BF, (read-before the fire) I could wear a different watch almost every day of the month. I had all colors of straps: tan, chocolate, white, black, silver, gold, two-tone, and all colors of faces, some Mickey, Minnie, Pooh, Angels, Santa, etc.) And most of them were just the inexpensive type from Wal-Mart or where ever, that I bought because they "jumped out at me" or looked neat. I probably spent more buying watch batteries and replacing bands than I ever did on a particular watch!

But, back to my original thought-looking presentable in public...I have to admit to a particularly worrisome recent purchase for my personal hygiene care. I recently purchase the Smooth Away Personal Hair Removal System. GLORIFIED SAND PAPER for your body! And even more worrisome, I have USED it...TWICE!!! I scraped a sanding sheet across my body for the sake of ...well, not BEAUTY probably, but VANITY definitely! SAND PAPER!!! I kid you not! It's a little black section of rough material that wouldn't look out of place on Rob's wood-shop workbench!

In my defense, let me tell you that I have an aunt who literally has almost a moustache, sideburns and goatee of dark hair on her face and I do not want to look like the bearded lady at the fair as I age! (I love her, but heredity is not a kind beautician on that side of the fam!) So, yeah, I have sand-papered my face for the sake of my vanity. And I'm only a little ashamed to admit it!

And it WORKS! My face is as smooth as a baby's bottom, as they say. And I get to smile a bit at THAT thought any time I get a kiss on the cheek!!! :-)

dw