Friday, June 29, 2007

Gainfully employed!


And LOVIN' it! Well, not that I've actually started working yet but I will in about a week. At a cool company that's not all that far from what I was doing both theoretically and actually with ALOT less responsibility so that's nice. It's in Paly Alty which is an insane commute (although not as bad as San Joser) but i think i can manage it since I really actually like driving/sitting in my truck so if I can just arrange kid-pick-upness a coupla days a week I think I'll be good.... :-]

Yay.

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

wrung out and hung out to dry...


Gawd. I feel like I've been through the wringer. Four hours worth of interview this morning trying to prove I can work then three hours this afternoon justifying my ability to write! Sheesh! Seriously, today was kind of insane. And forget thinking that since my Beautiful Prof who loves me was on my committee that that somehow MEANT something since she was the one who was the meanest(!):

"Essentially what I'm looking for here and what I haven't heard you say or read in any of the documents you've turned in is that you understand your position as an Ethnographer-storyteller. I mean, have you given any thought at all as to what you're hoping to add to the research or even which criteria you'd like us to use to judge your work?"

and

"I'm just not seeing where you're situating your proposed writing in the existing work. Your lit review barely mentions Ellis, Bochner and Eisner; have you forgotten them or are you thinking they're not essential to your understanding of the discipline?"

Christ. But, at the end of all the grilling it would seem that ....

I PASSED!!!!! I passed my Oral Exam for my dissertation proposal! (Stay with me here, basically this means that now I'm allowed to re-write everything, "clarify my position on Creative Non-fiction" in preparation for the "Proposal Hearing" in September after which i will be allowed to spend the remaining school year writing the actual book.) {sigh} I am just so tired right now... :-]

Monday, June 25, 2007

Arrg!


O.K. so today is already feeling a little STRESSFUL...!

1) wake up at 4:30am because Litle Girl had an "accident" and is wet and unhappy and needs a scrub-down. Wash/change/wrap-up child and put her into "the big bed"; strip blankets off her bed and rinse (make mental note to add "Do laundry!" to list of already scheduled Monday activities.)

2) Back to sleep for 1 hour before being awakened/summoned by Big girl who has bloody nose. Administer cuddles/stories/bridge-pinching until flow subsides. Tuck Big Girl into "the big bed" with her sister -- realize that the big bed now contains every single sentient beign in the house including the cats and head out to try to catch a few winks on the couch.

3) Wake up to alarm/regular Monday morning activities: get girls up/dressed/settled on the couch with some juice; let puppy in for some mad-wiggling activity; let cats out so they don't have to deal with aforementioned MWA; make breakfast-to-go; figure out which lunch options will NOT result in a visit from CPS; figure out "thing" for Big Girl to do at camp so "it's not totally boring" -- solution = news reporter. One digital camera, one notepad and a directive of interviewing "everybody" -- inquire about cell phone that Big Girl took with her on her walk yesterday; realize [sadly] that cell phone is lost; stop making lunch to comfort Big Girl who feels AWFUL and suggests/insists upon a punishment of "paying for the new phone" as well as "no computer for a week" [Seriously. I was good with "Sorry. I'll be more careful next time" + hug]; add "Get new phone" to list of already scheduled Monday activities; get everyone outside into the truck then realize I've forgotten aforementioned lunch/brekkie-to-go. Back inside. give in to urge to quickly check e-mail [for some insane reason] find out that e-mail account i have NOT been checking all week-end has NUMEROUS messages from my Diss. committee trying to set up my Oral exams for Tuesday/TOMORROW afternoon [1 hour after my job interview supposedly ends]; digest this info as i head back to car in time to discover that Little Girl has had another "accident" in her carseat.

Um, Help...?

Sunday, June 24, 2007

Man, was that fun!


K. so for the record, last few years of dyke-marching not so much a "good time" as "kind of a chore" but this year...FAB-ulous! Hooked up with the Duck/got to meet some of her uber-cute/smart/funny friends which again sort of begs the questions as to what she'd want with me but... maybe she's just really sick of people being all fascinating all the time...!;-] Regardless, I was thrilled to be out and about, delighted to have a reason to break out the boots and beyond happy to get to spend some quality time with the Girl who has so completely driven me to distraction that I'm considering buying a summer home there....

K. nuff of that.

In other news, things are well. Heard back from two thirds of The Committee and they're talking about scheduling my oral exam (for my Dissertation Proposal, you gutter-minds!) THIS week! The suspense alone may kill me! Then on tuesday i have another (in person this time) interview with the Oakland shipyard which is just weird but hey, a job's a job right? I had to get really gushy about MS Project and Excel! Yay! blah. Again though, anything that pays actual money at this point woiks fer me!

Last and certainly least, as we all know, the Texans were here and as of this afternoon most of them have left. I belive the only remaining member of that scintillating group is Angel's Little Sis (LS) henceforth (Angel told her about the blog and now she wants to have her own pseudonym...) Hi, LS -- How the heck's apartment hunting/school registering treating you? Just remember if you need anything, anything at all, please DO NOT hesitate to call... OG's Dad! Ha. kidding. Call if you want. Eh, hem.... moving on.....

Saturday, June 23, 2007

Sad.


One of Boo's rats (Piper) is very, very sick. It's so small and shivery and sad. I don't think it's going to pull through....

Friday, June 22, 2007

Tra la la


Anyone else disturbed by this woman? I mean, yes I agree with everyone else that she's got a phenomenal voice but jeesh, everytime I see her I just want to wrap her up in a blanket and give her some soup!

Thursday, June 21, 2007

...and send...!


FINALLY! Qual. Exam Questions are sent! Whew. O.k. so now all I have to do is finish this thing for BBQ, do some laundry, go play with the puppy ... oh yeah, and get a job! ;-]

In other news...

I'm just plain happy today. I got to see The Girl yesterday and that just keeps getting more and more amazing (mostly in the sense that she keeps coming back!) Oh! and I met Angel's little sister and her crew yesterday. She's apparently going to school out here and is looking for a place. I don't know what's up with her posse (they all drove up from Texas - 20 hours) but I just have to say they are all three of them A-Dor-rable!

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Another thing...


Why is it that every interview I have these days feels like a freaking parenting situation? I mean, honestly, it's like I have "Ask me for guidance!" stamped on my forehead....

Conversation I just had with one of the interviewers from last week:

Her:Hi!
Me:Hey there....
Her:So, I just wanted to let you know where we are with our process..
Me:Uh huh
Her:i mean, first, let me just say we enjoyed your interview soooo much! I mean, we really got a good feeling from you and we all think you'd be such a great addition to the company....
Me:but?
Her:Well, we just aren't sure you're right for that particular position.
Me:Oh. O.K.
Her:I mean, what do you think? I feel like it's just wouldn't be interesting for you.... [note: are we all catching the subtext here. She's asking me to agree with her that they shouldn't hire me for my own good....]
Me:Uh, well, actually, i wouldn't have all that much of a problem starting in a lower level role and moving into another position as it opens up... I mean i understand the company is growing and if you typically promote from the inside...
Her:Oh, we do!
Me:O.K. well,how about this, you discuss with the folks there and see what you all can come up with and I'll give you a call back say at the end of the week?
Her:Oh. O.K. that sounds good. Great! I'll talk to you then.
Me:Bye.

{sigh}Is it just me....

Is it 8:00pm yet?


{sigh} I'm tired of editing...

K. enough of that.

So, I was getting my coffee this morning and this guy who I always see when I go to this place next to Spark's kidcare but whose name escapes me, asked if I was "dating" anyone. Now, first off I've seen him there with his wife and kid so I doubt he was interested for himself but it struck me as odd because I hadn't actually thought about what i'm doing as "dating" -- i mean, sure, there are "dates" involved but i guess it just never occurred to me to apply that word to the sitch. It seems like if you're dating someone you should be going out to dinner and on outings and stuff. Which, I guess technically fits. I dunno. Maybe I'm just being weird. It just seems like "being driven to distraction" or "lusting after" or "trying to convince her to like me back" or "finally, dear God, getting to see her tonight" all of these phrases fit the bill a little more closely. Anyway, we ended up having a nice long conversation about dating in general and my dating in particular. Very nice/cute. He wished me luck.

Monday, June 18, 2007

"If I had a blog, I'd write a reasonably pleasant post about you..."


I just happened upon these e-cards. I think i am going to die!

Happy Father's Day!


As I am LAME and didn't call anyone yesterday I'd like to take a moment to salute all the super-amazing-Dad-types I am fortunate enough to have involved in my life.

IHOEL -- there are not enough words in my current vocabuary to express my wonder and amazement at your parenting abilities. You are awesome (not too mention handsome beyond belief... eh, hem...sorry) and I am honored to be allowed to watch you "work".

Big Brother -- You are my inspiration/the wind beneath my wings. You and you alone are my baramometer for measuring all that is good in this world. I count myself amoung the luckiest of people that I'm related to you since that pretty much means you HAVE to continue talking to me! You are a phenomenal dad and that's not just my opinion. I have conducted independent research that unequivocably supports that claim.

Daddy -- What can I say. You sort of sucked as a dad but you're a bang-up Grand-Pa and in a way I guess that pretty much makes up for you completely failing us! (jk! Except, not really...)

in other news... the Texans are here right now making me a "Father's Day" breakfast! I Know! Not only have they shown up en masse with pancake mix, strange fruity-looking things (the word "mango" was bandied about)and wire wisks but they've also come bearing gifts! I am now the proud owner of one tie, one bottle of cologne and one very nice set of cufflinks!(I don't care what I've said about that groupling in the past, those kids are QUALITY people -- Quality, I say!)

Funny things to note about their visit so far:

1) That there is a queer-as-hell Latin/Asian boy mincing around my kitchen wearing a frilly apron and complaining about my lack of "real" country music...

2) That DB is getting ALL KINDS of jealous because OG is outside having an amicable little chat with the (admitedly) smoking hot BF of my front upstairs neighbor...

3) The fact that the discovery of Trisha Yearwood in the CD collection elicited not only a shrill scream type reaction but also an impromptu mini-line dance in my extremely cluttered livingroom....

Seriously. I love these guys...

Friday, June 15, 2007

Clarification vis a vis previous post


Nothing happened as a result of DB's gaining entry to the inner sanctum that is my washroom last night, BTW. Just so everyone interested in that point is clear. N-O-T-H-I-N-G. Nada. Zilch. Bum-kiss, Baby! (O.K. maybe a few extra hours of lost sleep but that's pretty much it...) :-]

Thursday, June 14, 2007

New favorite


Lyrics from my new favorite song.....

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I ain't no vision, I'm the girl
Who loves you inside and out
Backwards and forwards with my heart hangin' out
I love no other way
What are we gonna do if we lose that fire
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

In other news, one third of the distraction hereafter referred to as "The Texans" arrived tonight by air and showed up at the house despite clear instructions to the contrary delivered via phone, e-mail and carrier pigeon. the following conversation ensued...

DB: Are you going to let me in?
Me: No.
DB: Why not.
Me: Because the girls are here and because I told you not to come and because you suck.
DB: {sulky silence} But I have to pee.
Me: Should have thought of that before you left the airport.
DB: C'mon. It's two hours to "N"'s house [Pink-haired G-friend's Dad whom they're supposedly imposing upon for accomodations during this little trip]
Me: Better get moving then.
DB: ....
DB: OG says you have a girlfriend.
Me: She's not my girlfriend. I like her though. I wish she was.
DB: Where is she?
Me: On a date with someone.
DB: Huh.
Me: Out with a friend. Seriously, why are you still standing here?
DB: Does she like you?
Me: Yeah.
DB: Is she hot?
Me: Very.
DB: Hm.
Me: K. Bye.
DB: Just let me in to pee then I'll leave. Promise.
Me: Your promises and a buck ninety-seven could buy me a cup of coffee...! {chuckle at the fact that 1) a cup of cofee is so freaking expensive these days and that 2)I know the EXACT price. Meet blank/confused/concerned glance of individual standing/shifting from foot-to-foot on porch} Oh, alright. C'mon then......

And NO I have not finished my stupid paper yet.... I'm close though and I just sent a note begging for a few more days so we'll see.

Dying!


I am at home today with not one but TWO of the world's cutest kids AND their puppy. I swear, the "adorable" quotient alone is killing me!

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

I heart IHOEL...



I just really really do. He has, on numerous occassions, proved so completely necessary to my on-going existence/sanity/happiness including but not limited to totally stepping up today with some emergency kid-watchage as i was needing to be in the City wow-ing the nice folks at StubbyHubby into (hopefully) giving me a job... Seriously, the man is beyond "quality" -- He's downright dream-boat(ey)!!! :-]

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Tiger, who...?


Boo's (slightly) younger cousin, J. was in his first golf tournament yesterday! Yay! I haven't yet been apprised as to how he did but I do know that he was good enough going in to be placed with the age group that was one level higher than his!!! :-]

Monday, June 11, 2007

{Deep breath}And...begin


o.K. First let me say, you people should really be keeping a closer eye on me. Seriously, when left to my own devices I get into Waaaaayyyyy to much trouble.

Now then:

1) Boo got a puppy. That's right an actual tiny Beagle-mix person. He is light brown and his name is "Biscut" [that's not a misspelling BTW. I told Boo all about the extra "i" and she looked at me like I was insane...] Long story of how the puppy came to pass which I will bore each and every one of you with eventually but for now, suffice to say, went to visit the Spark's G-ma in Morgan Hill and came back with a puppy. (We're actually sort of lucky we didn't come back with a HORSE!) It's cute. I would strongly suggest everyone come visit as soon as possible and to bring the babies....

2) Met possibly THE nicest tire changing people on the planet whilst in MH.

So, we were driving back from visiting the horses and G-Ma noticed my tire was "a little low" -- well, by the time morning came around "low" had become "flat" so I decided (do not try this at home, BTW!) to see if I could get it to some tire fixing garage type of establishment so I headed out et viola! Full-on blow-out right around Mid-Nowheresville. I limped along for another block or so (I know, I know, pretty much ensuring I'll be paying for some axle re-alignment/replacement) and I saw this small group of people hanging out in front of one of those super tricked out car rim places essentially laughing at me but waving me over nonetheless.

I pulled in and before I could say "Hello, I'm an idiot" this kid was removing the busted tire and one of the more chatty gentlemen was ushering me inside the "office". We stood around a bit, shooting the proverbial sh** when one of the other gents walks in cleaning off his hands. He tells me they don't have any new tires that would fit the truck in stock but that they can order them. I told him that actually I wasn't "from around these parts" and that thanks anyway but I'd try somewhere else to which he nodded and replied "O.K. well, we put a used one on there so that'll get you aways...." And ... that was it. I stood there for a nice long minute waiting for -- oh I don't know... a CHARGE but nadda. So I said goodbye to my new friends and sort of slowly walked to the truck. Got in. Put her in reverse.... Honestly. The entire time I'm waiting for someone to say anything resembling a "So that'll be..." but nope. Just a bunch of really nice people helping out someone for the heck of it. Weird.

3) Came home Sat. afternoon just in time to have a movie date with my favorite GalPal. Not much to say about that since even I am getting a little annoyed by the sheer amounts of distraction/likingness/giggle-inducing happy feeling that chick inspires in me so.... moving on....

4) Saw the big kid do a dance with her class. A-Dor-Rable! Sad too because all the kids are just so freaking grown up!{sniff}

and lastly

4) Had an interview today with a very cool company which I originally didn't think sounded very interesting (I KNOW! Who's going around acting like she doesn't desperately need a job!) but which upon explanation actually seems like it'd be "a great fit for my skillset" so.... we'll see. I have another interview with some other folks on Wed. which is also with what seems to be a very nice/fun company so feeling o.k. in term of prospects right this second... (Yay)

Now.... if I can only get my Qual. Question paper written by Thursday (meaning basically done TOMORROW) then my world as I know it will be not unlike Mary Poppins....!

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Jasmine tea!


Honestly, there is nothing better for one's mood than a steaming cup of quality Jasmine tea.

not that my mood's all that bad. It's actually pretty good considering that I've come to accept that I SUCK at pre-meditated, organized writing and will seize on pretty much ANY excuse to avoid typing my QEQ answers including but not limited to:

1) checking in on my best friend from high school who, when last we spoke, was in the midst of adopting some brown baby boys! (left a message on his machine)

2) composing a witty/pithy/not-at-all-annoyed-sounding e-mail to some random ex then deleting it because, really, who needs to go around stirring up sh** ... then re-writing/sending it because I'm a grown-up dammit and I should be past this weirdness!

3) Harrassing the girl I like over e-mail while she's at work mostly because she lets me but also because I JUST CAN'T HELP MYSELF!

4) organizing my closet

5) organizing my sewing basket(s)

and finally

6) making a nice, hot, steaming cup of Jasmine tea!

sad.

Monday, June 04, 2007

week-end was great otherwise, BTW. Lots of hanging about with the children -- although I lost the Big Girl to her "Grown" friend ER for a few hours Sat. morning it gave me and the little one a nice chance to catch up witheach other before meeting up with her sister and ER for some quality kid-movie-watchage late in the afternoon!

Probably about time...


O.K. so it's been awhile since I went off on a major rant re: CP, so here goes....

First off -- when you tell your kid that she can have a puppy when she's 12/when you move into your "new house" then proceed to talk about puppies ALL THE TIME, then go on-line and find pictures of puppies, then pick out a specific breed and do all sorts of research on that breed -- Do NOT announce suddenly over dinner [a dinner which you orchestrated at your kid's "other house" then didn't want to actually have at a restaurant because, oh! did you mention, you're FASTING and dinner out would prove too "distracting"...??] that what you "really said" was that "when she's 12 you'd RE-VISIT the puppy conversation..." do NOT then try to somehow pin this on your new fiancee by going on to say "besides, now that S and I are getting married everything is sort of up in the air and I have to talk to her about how she feels about getting a puppy...." and finally do NOT have this conversation when aforementioned child is ONLY 9 as there are still several years ahead of the both of you which will, I'm sure, provide MULTIPLE opportunities for you to adequately break her heart!!!!!!

God! I've asked it before and I'll no doubt ask it again but seriously what is freaking wrong with that woman???!

The thing that kills me here is that it wasn't actually that she has an issue with Boo having a dog. It was the particular dog. My landlady said Boo could have her dog -- a tiny yapping thing which the Boo has become enamoured of -- and which Boo quite excitedly told CP about, mentioning that this was cool because she could have it here now and when she was 12 she could move him to the new house. I actually tried to salvage the situation with "No worries, even if the dog in SF doesn't work out, you can still have the dog here." Too which CP actually had the nerve to reply [rather brightly]"Yeah! I mean, i still want to think about it but in a worse case scenario you'll have a dog here AND a puppy in the new house...!"

Sometimes I wish she were just flat-out evil so I could justify raising the Boo all by myself but she's not, she's just.... unbelivably self-centered. I mean, after the Boo stopped looking bothered and after I asked CP into the kitchen to "check in" around the whole Oakland dog sitch, we had a normal conversation and she was actually quite nice/encouraging about the OTHER great happening currently going on in my life... {sigh} Anyway.....

There is no second off. It just kills me to watch Boo get hurt.(Although, I do have to say, she actually "let it go" a lot sooner than I did. I was still mad about it this morning but when I brought it up on the way to her school she just shrugged and started talking about her "Oakland dog" and how much fun it was going to be to train him!)

Friday, June 01, 2007

Naked!


Alright, I know this is a "family-blog" and all of that, I just have to say I was sitting here feeling sorry for myself a minute ago vis a vis noone calling to offer me a high-paying, flex-hours, insane benefits type of position with thier uber-cool, socially conscious, education oriented policy analyst firm and I looked down and I realized I have no clothes on. Yup. Took a nice, refreshing shower, turned on the heater and just sat right on down to check my messages on the ole laptop.In addition to that, I have a half-eaten chocolate chip cookie sitting next to me, I'm alternating job-hunting on oportunity knocks with watching this week's Ellen monologues and I may even be getting up in a moment to make myself a cup of the frightenly chi-chi Jasmine tea my good buddy IHOEL gave me for my birthday a million years ago....

K. not sure where I'm going with all of that but I do have to say there is a tiny part of me that feels like maybe "sorry" is not entirely the correct emotion for this particular situation....