A Happy Saint Padraig's Day to all my Irish and honorary Irish (this means YOU!) friends!
Paddy was born in Wales with a very Welsh first name- Maewyn, and a very Roman surname - Succat - owing to his Roman father. Beyond this, much of his life is shrouded in mystery and legend. It is said there are two Patricks - and indeed, it would seem so as many of his works span two full centuries from the mid 300's thru the mid 500's.
Legend has it that Padraic cleared the snakes from Ireland and brought the knowledge of the Trinity to the people using the cloverleaf - the 3-leaf kind as opposed to the lucky 4-leafer.
Saint and legend - his feast day is marked on the date most believe to be the date of his death - March 17.
Today - most everyone celebrates by wearing some green. In many areas - some green can be seen on the local landmarks - like say - the green in a river that runs thru Chicago - or the green on the streets of New Haven!
Whatever St Patricks day is to you - Erin Gae Braegh and Slainte!

dragon

And the good news..........

Number 1 daughter MADE HONORS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Her LOWEST mark was in Physics - a B+!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THIS is what I always knew she could do! Her mid-term exams were the same - lowest mark was a B.... It just does NOT get any better than this!

Number 1 son.... up and down and up and down .......... when he tries, he does very well... For instance - his Science Fair project - he got a 99! Now, he is doing a book report on a book he actually read (mom was VERY surprised! usually - he reads Cliff notes and calls it a day) on Sojourner Truth. Now, I never expected him to stick to and read the whole thing but he did - and wrote a good description of the book and her life and then a dissertation on "Why Sojourner Truth deserved a book about her". Both were excellent - and I have to admit that in talking with him about this, I learned quite a bit about this extraordinary woman.......... Today - he goes into school and must deliver a speech dressed as Sojourner might have dressed. He must tell about her life in the first person. After our long discussion last night, I think he will do quite well.

The first month at the new company has passed.... it was so very quick. And truthfully, not much has changed... I have picked up one or two new responsibilities, trained new people to take over other functions, been shuffled to a new boss twice, cried thru the exit interview (its a good thing that I had the mute button and did not really need to respond to my director in Atlanta, GA), found my way through yet another payroll system, still winding my way through the benefits system, and waiting for the pension (which they now tell me won't be available till the END of April......slow......very very slow).
I don't know whether I told you this but, in the process of diagnosing my children with ADD/ADHD, our therapist also diagnosed the MotherHenDragon with ADD..... I am on the same medication as my children. This has opened up a huge door for me! It is quite amazing to see what one can do when one can actually concentrate! We had a problem with one of our systems.....took quite a few of us working feverishly to figure out what was wrong. We realized that what was wrong could not be fixed immediately - but, now we needed a workaround in order to finish our process.... The workaround was rather lengthy (by todays standard) and required about 15 scripts - different groups for different pieces of the process. As people were firing verbal specifications at me, I was able to actually code the scripts.... run them, provide answers to questions, numbers and percentages processed and keep track of where we were in the process............ We finished in the early hours of the morning. A day or so later, when I sat back and thought of all that I had been able to accomplish, I was in awe. I know that I could not have done this 6 months ago. The intelligence I have. The focus I did not have. This was very true of my daughter too. In a way it is sad....had I known and been treated all those years ago when I wasn in school, things could have and probably would have turned out very different for me. But, alas, one cannot go backward. Only forwards..... So.....imagine what I can accomplish now?!?!?!?

Other Thread: Sojourner was NOT her slave name as I had thought all these years. She was a Northern slave, born and raised in New York to a couple - Elizabeth and James Baumfree. The name given her at birth was Isabella Baumfree. As most slaves did, she had a hard life, the requisite beatings and breedings - even being a northern slave. But she rose above all of it, eventually gaining her freedom, winning a court battle to gain freedom for her eldest son Peter (sold illegally), owning her own home - not once but SEVERAL times. In an era where everything a woman had was through a man, that this woman, of African descent no less, owned her own home on her own is nothing short of amazing! Further, she was active not only in the anti-slavery moment, but in the womens suffrage movement. I had the opportunity to read her speech, "Ain't I a woman" - quite stirring!
A very long time ago, when I was in school, equal rights was in it infancy and we did not spend a whole lot of time dwelling on what is today called Black History. Obviously, we missed out on a great deal. I am glad that our children today are given the opportunity to read about ALL the people who have made a real difference EQUALLY.

The times that try the patience of women.....

I must preface this with the fact that my mate and I are on the down side of life - he more so than I. We are at the point where the body is deteriorating whether we will it so or not. It is part of the circle of life. My mate more so than I....
Yes, I did say that twice......
One of my mates issues is that he has very little patience. In fact, my children at age 2 had more patience many times than he does. And he is far more high-strung than most women....
Two weeks ago, he was having a bit of difficulty in - ah - having a movement. So, he began the journey through the laxative counter. After no luck with a few things, he tried max-citrate. And made an appointment with a doctor. Well..a physicians assistant. After the max-citrate, he had his movement but felt it was not enough. He went to the doctor with this complaint in mind. They put him on miralax. This was a Friday.
Mind you - the Friday before the VERY FIRST day I had had off in four weeks! (My mantra: I love my job I love my job I love my job I am grateful to have it I love my job.) Needless to say, my plans included cleaning a bit, and taking the camera out for a jaunt and perhaps dining out somewhere or seeing a movie or even curling up with a good book.
Saturday dawns bright and clear. The sun was out. The clouds were light and fluffy. Not a drop of rain or a snowflake in site. I have my coffee and do the requisite puzzle and check email and prep my camera batteries and move the 70-200 to its travel pouch and tour the web for some local beauty to partake in.
As I am getting ready to get into the shower, I hear:
"I think I need to go to the Emergency Room".
"Why, dear?" say I.
"Well,", says he, "I still cannot go to the bathroom. I have been on the Miralax since yesterday afternoon and I cannot go to the bathroom. Look at my eyes - they are turning yellow. I am becoming septic".
(insert very large sigh as well as a desperate attempt not to laugh here).
"Dear," I begin. "What did you have to eat since the last time you went?"
"I have had tea".
"Tea? Just tea?"
"Yes, just tea. I don't dare eat anything".
"Well," I say patiently, "If you have nothing solid in your stomach, you will have no solid stool either. You must actually eat something and then it takes 36 hours for it to completely pass through your digestive system. Thus, you should have no bowel movement today even with the Miralax".
"I'm calling the doctor" he says with a shaking voice.
"Alright dear".
He has a long conversation with the physicians assistant who assures him that all of what I have said is true - however, he still believes there is something wrong. She finally tells him that if he really wants, he can get a fleet enema at the local drug store and anything left will surely exit. He relays this to me. Of course, I run to the local drug store and purchase not one, but TWO of the "Super Fleet with 30% more!" and return home. He looks at them dispassionately. He picks up one and stares at it, then at me, and says, "How do I do this?"
"Excuse me?" I blink "How do you do what?" I say, hoping desperately that he is NOT asking me what I think he is.......
"this" he says as he thrusts the green box towards my face.
(insert groan here)
"Well, I believe you have to read the directions".
Now, folks, I have been in the nursing field - and yes, I have had the experience of assisting in this procedure. It really is not that difficult. Messy yes. But not difficult. Not even self-administered.
So, he takes the box into the bathroom and shuts the door. And I wander around picking up this and that and listen for the sounds which tell me he has figured out the directions.
Time passes....
Those sounds never came.
After a few moments, he comes out of the bathroom and says, "I can't do this. " I shake my head. I know whats coming next. I wait with baited breath for the dreaded words....... "You need to take me to the Emergency room". AAAAAAAAARRRGH! HE SAID IT!!!!!!!!!
"Dear, I want you to think about this very carefully." I spent the next 5 minutes dissertating on the why's and wherefores of going versus not going in to the local ER.... the time, the expense, the non-necessity............ I finally end my sermon with, "I am going to take a shower. If, when I am done, you still insist this is necessary, I will take you."
Of course, 45 minutes later, he still felt it was necessary.
So much for exploring the state beauty....
We spent the rest of that gorgeous Valentines Day in the Emergency Room waiting on various tests and x-rays. We had a very nice woman doctor that I would unhesitatingly both recommend and, if she had a private practice, would go to.
Side note: If you ever have the misfortune to have to be in a hospital with a sinus infection - it is a wise thing to bring your own tissues. The hospital only provides sandpaper in little uncolored boxes marked "tissue wipes" with which to blow ones nose. The swelling has abated somewhat in the days since this visit.
Back to the main story:
After much testing, they decide that he has absolutely NO blockage and NO feces left anywhere. None. Thus no chance of sepsis. They think that he might have a small pouch of diverticular disease or perhaps colitis. Neither, of course, is serious if treated properly. They put him on two antibiotics and discharge him giving him the standard line about following up with his own GI group.
We got home around 10:30 that night.
And now he is huffing and puffing because he is MAD.
Mad?
HE is mad???????
Wait....we just spent all day in the ER for something that was NOT an emergency and he is MAD????
I'm sure you are dying to know why..................... He is mad because they did NOT make a complete and absolute diagnosis and he feels that they should have admitted him!
Wait...so, let me get this straight.........you just took up a bed in an emergency room for an ENTIRE saturday with a problem that was NOT an emergency, not even urgent care - on a SATURDAY and you expected them to put you through ALL the tests known to man? Um...no. The point of the emergency room is to deal with EMERGENCY and TRAUMA cases and URGENT CARE. The definition of which is THINGS REQUIRING IMMEDIATE ATTENTION and WITHOUT CARE will unequivocably and almost immediately change a persons life for the worse and/or kill them. They need to do enough to make this determination and then turn over your bed for a patient who truly needs it. But he was mad. And put out. And walked around for almost two hours muttering to himself in his anger.
I went to bed.
Sunday dawns and apparently he has, I think, seen the error of the previous day. We go run errands and shop and he is fine. Attitude is good, he eats....stomach friendly foods - and this is a good thing. And then Monday comes...............
And now, he is dying.
Yes - dying.
And no one is paying attention to him while he dies.
"You think this is not serious!" he rages. "When I am dead, you must take all my money and make sure that I am autopsied and then THEY will see what un-diagnosed infection killed me!"
I did not feel that this was a good time to point out that the infection would have to be immune to cipro and flagyl in order to kill him as he had been on the combination of the two for two days.
He paces and paces and calls the doctors office frantically insisting that the doctor in the ER said he should have more tests. She did not. She said what all doctors MUST say .... "Follow up with your doctor". Again, he says his eyeballs are turning yellow and he is becomming septic and can't I please call the doctor because he is dying and in pain and they won't return his call! He ate.... yesterday. Today, he has diarhea. He walks from downstairs to upstairs pacing and pacing. I hear this through several conference calls...... I am patently ignoring this.... I figure if one can pace upstairs and downstairs and up again, has a normal complexion and body temperature, and is on TWO heavy-duty antibiotics, they are not about to pass from this life anytime too soon. The pain he feels is in an area that is not indicative of any immediate threat to life an limb - nor, is it bad enough to keep him from standing or walking or sitting....nor is he reaching for any kind of pain medication: and I have PLENTY of acetomenophen which is about the safest there is. Thus, I know that there is no immediate danger.
However, I do not deal well with histrionics and neuroses.
So, I call the doctor hoping that someone in their office is capable of handling a patient suffering from an attack of dramaqueenitis. Around 4pm, the doctor calls and speaks to me momentarily before speaking to him. I listened to his voice. Let me tell you - this mans voice could calm my bi-polar daughter....it is melodic, quiet, authoritative, and relaxing all at once.Perfect!...he spoke with my man for the better part of 30 minutes answering very gently and intelligently every single question the man posed. When the man got off the phone, he was the calmest he had been in a week and a half and I breathed a sigh of relief thinking that since all the questions had been answered and some action was being taken (more bloodwork scheduled for the next day) that the worst was over and some semblance of normalcy restored.
Obviously, I was delusional.
By Tuesday night, he was back to his normal neurotic self.
"Why can't I have a bowel movement?!?!?!"
"Because you haven't eaten anything, dear"
"Yes I did"
"When?"
"An hour ago - I had chicken soup with the vegetables and chicken!"
"Ah...an hour ago?"
"Yes..."
"Dear, the soup has not even reached your stomach yet! It takes 36 hours for complete digestion to occur. This means that it must go from your mouth to your stomach, be broken down into various components, the useful ones distributed to the various organs, and the non-useful ones sent to the right areas for evacuation. This is not a 1-hour fotomat - it is your STOMACH!"
He angrily stomps away. I have not told him what he wanted to hear.

Now, the doctor had put him on a liquid diet and small doses of the miralax. The thinking was to keep the potential stool soft in case there was a small blockage. The man, of course, is now convinced that if he eats any solid food, it will immediately lodge against this blockage causing an immediate and life-threatening obstruction.
And so my entire week went. Vascillating back and forth between the extremes.....him wanting to eat and being sure that he should not.
I went to my girlfriends on Friday night and had pizza with her and her mate.... mostly to escape the house of doom and gloom.
Yesterday I worked all day.
I am sure if I were not working, I would have spent yet another day in the ER ... that dreaded word was mentioned a few times.

This brings us to today.
Sunday.
I am, in theory, off today.
Free to relax.
Clean house.
Play with my camera.
Perhaps.............

Busy Days

Many, many things keeping this family very busy lately.
Number 1 son will enter his Science Fair with an experiment and explanation of Gel Electrophoresis on Thursday. He has done a good job and been more involved this year than any other year previous. I hope he will at least get an Honorable Mention. This will encourage him - and right now, I feel he needs that. He seems to be putting forth more effort but still not quite what I would wish. And the things that I think should come natural to him by this age do not. I think most of that is simply because he chooses not to. He would much rather focus on the fun things in life. (insert motherly dragon scowl here).
Number 1 daughter is putting forth more effort towards her schoolwork in the last two weeks than she has put in all 12 prior years total! I really am getting very excited to see the second marking period report card. If the progress report was any indication - this should be the best report card EVER.
The man has been fighting his demons - not the prior ones.... This is a bit different. Unfortunately for him, this is 1929.... the stock market has claimed a victim. This has sent him spiraling down into the depths of a depression from which it is very difficult at best to ressurect oneself. All the kings horses and all the kings men have not been able to even put one piece of Humpty back together again. And so, I have sent him to 'reinforcements'.....
I am grateful that I have a job and have been handed the opportunity to straighten out my own financial 'house'. This will enable me to carry my little family through.
And then, there is work........... in addition to all the normal hysteria, we are in the midst of the great transition. And so the 12 hour work day has become extended.............

________________________________________

Today, I believe, was a very important day in history. The inauguration of our first mixed-race president. And a young one at that. I feel more hopeful than I have since that horrible day in 1963.......... I hope that God and good advisors will lead President Obama to do great things for this nation. I believe he has some wonderful ideas - ideas that he has given great thought as to how to accomplish. This is more than I have seen any other presidential hopeful do. And as jaded as my great age has allowed me to become, I truly do believe he wishes to hear what the people say and think - not ONLY what other politico's opinions are and the voices of the various .
However, I must sadly note that, in visiting the website he set up for the citizens of this country to air their ideas and suggestions (can't remember the name - but Laoch kindly listed it in one of his blogs), I saw that the most popular idea put forth was the legalization of marijuana. While I endorse that wholeheartedly - FOR MEDICINAL PURPOSES, I found it very disheartening to note that it had the most votes up by the people. I do not know whether that is because of wonderful communication within the groups whose function is to make this happen or if that is truly how the majority of visitors to this website feel. I would hope that it is the former as the latter would indicate that the citizens are unaware of the plight of our economy, of the forces still dying in Iraq needlessly, of the many children who despite a food surplus are still starving, who despite an enormous education budget - are still illiterate, and the skyrocketing costs of healthcare making medications and care unaffordable for many, of ever-growing unemployment numbers.............and the list goes on and on.
Somehow, when put up against all these things, legalization of marijuana seems small indeed.
In any event, I wish for our new President faith and courage to stand for and stand up for all that he believes and the energy to see all the things he wishes to do through to completion.
May he have a blessed and productive 4 years in office.

Economics 101

Now this is how a business SHOULD manage the current economic struggle.

A Repost

This is a repost from my other blog. Apparently, the vast majority of my circle has defected to blogger due to spam, unfriendlies, and difficulties with MSN making significant and frequent changes. I am not sure whether I will make this my permanent home or not at the moment, however........ for the time being.........

Things often happen that we don't plan. And often do not want. And do not look for.

They happen for a reason. And sometimes, it takes awhile to see that reason and understand it.

It has been a very sad Christmas season in my work group. Less than 50% of us were outsourced - meaning we have jobs. 55% of us were surplussed - which means we do not.

I was among the fortunate few to be outsourced. Thus, my wish to go to work for someone else has been fulfilled - but not in a way that I chose. At first, I was, admittedly very angry about that. This was not MY choice. Now that I think back, perhaps that is why things worked out the way they did - with me being angry enough about my position to accept working for another company - in fact - to pursue it wholeheartedly. This was, perhaps, preparation for this outsourcing.

I did see the writing on the wall - I knew this was coming - although it was not the reason for embarking on a job search. However, I did not see it coming until next year about this time as there was one VERY BIG point which I did not factor into my equation. Once this factor was presented, I realized that the timing was correct.

Needless to say, no one in my work group felt very Christmas-y. Our parties were not well-attended. Some just fizzled out completely. One of the worst parts about this is that, as outsourced people, we remain in our jobs. Thus we will be working side by side with the people who have no jobs for the next few months while they desperately search for jobs within and without. The lucky few next to the condemned. Many of whom have small children they must support.

Understanding how businesses run - with fiscal years and reporting divided up into 4 quarters and the end-of-year being December 31, of course all businesses make a made dash for the best finish right at the end of the year. Which makes December the biggest month for layoffs. One would think, with the majority of the world celebrating some sort of spiritual holiday at this time of year, that some caring business owner might have considered moving the end-of-fiscal year to another quarter - thus avoiding the layoffs at a time of year when depression and suicide are NORMALLY at high rates. It seems strange to me that this has never been considered or implemented.

Now, for the good.... Yes there is much good. This was a blessing in disguise. It turns out that I will actually retire from my current company. Thus, I must figure out what to do with my pension. I have, at 50, the ability to use that in many ways. My current situation leaves me going from week to week - paycheck to paycheck - like many. And in debt enough that it is strangling me. When I divorced, I carried the financial burden of that move. As well as starting out with nothing. I took the kids bedroom sets and my kitchen pots and pans and my clothes and personal items. EVERYTHING ELSE I left. Some things, like couches and chairs, were donated - God bless my good friends with large hearts! Much - dishes, refrigerator, washer, dryer - I needed to purchase. Thus, I have racked up a debt which I am struggling to repay - along with the medical expenses for this year (getting kids into counseling and medicated ........sigh). Turns out that I am allowed to take the medical from the new company - which is significantly more manageable - and, when I truly retire from Corporate America - I will be allowed to return to my former company's medical plan....not good financially - but, ANY medical insurance is better than none at all. The savings from the new companys medical plan will allow me to put some $ into a 401K for the first time. I will most likely access a portion of the pension in what I believe (yes - I am consulting a tax person first) is a tax-free manner - to be able to give my daughter some money toward her college education. I believe that I will be able to do the same for my son when his turn comes in a few years. Also turns out that I can take a chunk of the pension and repay my debts - leaving me debt free for the first time in many, many years. This, however, will come with a 10% 'early retirement penalty'. But, I believe that will be well worth the penalty for the effects that will have a few years down the road.

Needless to say, this has been a very, very busy and stressful few weeks for all of us! The first two months of the year also promise to be very busy and full of decision making, and I hope, promise?

On the KID front:

Number 1 son is now 14. Doing so-so in school - but, with promise for the New Year. He has not been in treatment for long so it is hoped that continuation with bring about more positive changes.

Number 1 daughter - OHMYGOSH! This mothers heart is just SWELLING with pride! So, she was in Chemistry - and even in treatment, it was just not for her. So, two weeks into the SECOND semester, she switched to Physics. PHYSICS, PEEPS!!!!!!!!! She managed to COMPLETE ALL the work from the first semester AND catch up to all the work from the SECOND semester - and the progress report came home with a B+!!!!!!!!!!!! WHOO HOO!!!!!!!!!!!! She is ON HER WAY to HIGH HONORS! Its what we ALWAYS knew she COULD do, she just needed some help! She has an A- in PreCalc, and A+ in English, Marine Science, and her Independant Study!!!!!!!!!!! This girl is HOT!!!!

I am off to unbury my car from the snowstorm yesterday.

Catch ya later!