And We're Off!

Ok. I am by no means a world traveler. So when I say that this has been the longest most agonizing week of my life, know that it is because I have a naive faith that all will be right with the world.
We leave on Sunday. Until yesterday, I still did not have any information, other than a reservation confirmation and a credit card bill that I had booked the trip at all. I didn't want to seem pushy. I knew that I would get the information soon. But I was starting to FREAK OUT! As I said the last time I traveled was in 2001, and the time before that was when I was 15. I don't know all the ins and outs. I don't understand electronic tickets. I want something in hand. So I called my friend to get the phone number of the travel agent (as all communication between her and I had been through e-mail, which she hadn't answered, either.). I called her home number as she does this from home and left a message to call me. That was Tuesday. She did not. I kind of let it slip to my friend that I hadn't heard from her. She called her Wednesday. Wednesday evening, the travel agent called me back. So sorry. She thought I was leaving next week. So she called the tour provider, and they just sent the paperwork out on Friday the week before. Now I have paid for this since February, so, why it took that long to get an answer or to send it, I don't know. Neither did they apparently, as they had no answer. Fine. I just want my tickets. As of yesterday, they still don't have them at the travel agency. I did get a fax confirmation which they assure me, is a good as the real thing. (if that's so, they why not fax all the confirmations, hmmmmm?).

I'm willing to go on a little faith. I have the instructions to the airport, airport to the hotel, hotel reservation......this will really suck if it doesn't go well. Wish me luck. the kids have turned around and are kind of excited now that we are going, but I think that they are secretly hoping that we will also stay in Kansas City too, so both dreams are fulfilled. (not a chance!). I have to pack yet and that will include getting the summer clothes out, as only a week ago we got 14 inches of snow, so the weather is still a little tricky, wash the clothes, pack, move my mother, load up the van...

Oh, yeah, did I mention that this is the weekend that my Mom decides to strike out on her own and move? We have to scramble to make other arrangements for the dog, stop the paper, hold the mail, move Mom, and oh, yeah, after all she will stay and keep an eye on the house while we are gone, but I still have to move her 3 hrs away, so that she is nearer her brother, so that's 6 hours in the van, with my teenage son who hates my music, and don't forget! We spring forward this weekend!

Give me strength! Talk at ya when I get back, maybe......

The Revolving Door

Sorry. I've been very busy. I am going to Florida next week, and can you believe it? My employer expects me to be caught up before I leave? The nerve!

Speaking of employers, as you may remember I code for doctors. Not a real glamorous job, but I get paid a butt load of money to seem busy and important. The Drs I code for are so good at what they do, that we (as if I have a say!) are hiring 8 more just like them so that we can have 24 hour coverage at the hospital where these Drs work. I know, you're surprised, there is generally only 2 dr in the hospital overnight. Scary, huh? Anyway, they are hiring more so we will have coverage 24/7. This will also mean more work for me....I didn't say I was happy.

The reason I'm telling you this is that one of the Drs who helped start this program, has given his notice. He will be leaving us in June. I just feel it necessary to say, that this man was one of the most caring physicians I have ever had the pleasure to work with. He would feel bad about charging someone extra time, especially if in the end the patient died, through no fault of his, and he would procrastinate getting his documentation done. He went to great lengths to find out what the problem is, not so that he could bill for more services, but because he truly wanted to help these patients get better. I talk more to a couple of the other doctors, but I have secrectly always had a soft spot for this one. I have covered for him when his superiors have asked if he has gotten his charges in, because I know that it isn't laziness that causes this, its just that this man is a healer.

We will be worse off without him. It has been a pleasure to work with him. Best of luck to you Dr. And if you are going into private practice, let me know. I would trust you with any of my family members.

Nothing to Say

Basically, that's it. I'm tired, and so ready to go on vacation that I have nothing to say. Not to mention the fact that no one is too concerned about this anyway. I do understand that this is not the most direct course to a loyal following, but we each have our own journey to walk. This is mine.

Have a good weekend everyone. Happy St Patricks Day.

Some People are Never Happy......

The cover story for going to Florida has been that we are going to Kansas City. This is not really a lie as we are going there. We are flying out of Kansas City as it is $400 cheaper and it is a direct flight to Orlando. This is where we have told our kids that we are going.

They are getting way too excited about Kansas City. They are pumped for it. So my husband and I decided that we need to tell them now, what our true destination is. I call all of them into the living room, and we tell them that we are going to Florida.

No response. Apparently, I didn't turn off the t.v. and they were distracted by an orangutan throwing poop. I said," Guys, we aren't going to Kansas City, we are going to Florida."

My middle son doesn't take his eyes off the t.v. and say "yeah, right."

My oldest son says "We're still going to South Dakota this summer, right?"

My youngest son says, "We're not going to Kansas City?'

I say, well, technically we are going to Kansas City, we are going to the airport to fly to Florida.

This gets my middle sons' attention. "What?! We are going to fly there? Why can't we drive? I hate flying! (he's done it once). I don't want to go if we are going to fly!"

My youngest drops to his knees in shear disappointment. "I hate Florida! I don't want to go! I want to go to Kansas City!" He starts to cry.

My oldest son says, "Serious, Mom! We are still going to Rapid City, right? Please!"

Oh, yeah. The excitement is building at my house.

Going to See the Mouse, Part II

Now, I like to consider myself a clever mom. I do not like to be harassed about anything, especially vacation, so in general, I don't tell my kids we are going anywhere until we pull into the parking lot. It is for this reason that my husband and I have decided not to tell the kids we are going to Orlando. While some parents like to use this as a "kid-be-good" tool, my children are smart enough to realize that if I am going to commit to something this big, I won't leave one of them behind. So, with the exception of my daughter, my kids have not been told that we are going to Florida. Yet despite this, they all seem to know.
No, my daughter has not told them. She is the Price-Waterhouse of secrets. There is no way that she would tell her brothers. (though it could have more to do with torturing them with "I know something you don't know!", but really that is so "boy".) I have not told them. Neither has my husband. But somehow they seem to have zoned in on our brain waves and they know!

Case in point: My youngest has a rather severe case of telephonitis. He calls me on my cell phone anytime that he gets near a phone. I don't want to discourage this, because I want him to know my number in case of an emergency, but I always know its him. He called me the other day and left this message:
"Mom, I just want to call to say that I love you, and to ask if we can go to Disney in the summer before I go to the third grade. Mom, I love you so much, I love you from the heart, I'm true, I love you Mom." Same kid, yesterday, when we were talking about going to Kansas City (our diversionary destination), "We are going to Kansas City and from there, might go to Disney!" How does he know this?

The second to the youngest keeps talking about what it was like the last time we went, you know reminiscing over the trip. Why now? It was almost 5 years ago that we went before. Yet this boy remembers in detail how Belle tried to get him to smile, and that Gephetto gave him the best hug ever.

The 14 year old wonders if we will ever go do to the ocean again like when we went to Florida. And that the Rocking Rollercoaster and Tower of Terror were "pretty sweet".

Which one of you told them? I'm not mad, but really, who told? Seriously.

I Need Some Help!

Ok. Not to beat a dead horse (what a horrible expression!), but I have annoying co-workers. Annoying, LOUD co-workers. I know more about the families and personal business of these woman than I care to, or need to. Because of this, I trying to stay in my on little corner of the cube, and drown out everything by listening to music. (Everyone should try this at least once. When a song fades and you hear only a snippet of a conversation, I tell you, the blogging material should just FLOW!).
I am going to list here, every fourth CD that I have here. Yes there are quite a few, but I'm here for 8 hours, I need a lot of music.

The Clash- Combat Rock
The Calling- Camino Palmero
Sam Cooke- Portrait of a Legend
Rascal Flatts- Rascal Flatts
Wicker Park Soundtrack
Our Lady Peace- Gravity
Ray Price- 20 All Time Greatest Hits
Best of the Osmonds (YEAH! SO?)
Ryan Cabrera- Take it All Away
Bon Jovi- Have a Nice Day
Bare Naked Ladies- 1991-2001
Maroon 5- Songs About Jane
James Blunt- Back To Bedlam
Sister Hazel- Fortress
Lovetap- There's This Girl
Matchbox Twenty- Mad Season
George Strait- Latest, Greatest, Straitest Hits
Dashboard Confessional- A Mark- A Mission- A Brand- A Scar
Bowling for Soup- Drunk Enough to Dance
The Best of Chris De Burgh
Andrea Bocelli- Sogno

The kindest thing to say is, is that it is eclectic!

Now, most of this music I just came across listening to the radio. So basically, I like what my radio tells me to like. ( sorry, mob mentality!). Here's where I need your help. I have been asked to recommend music that will make the listener appear hip. (their word, not mine). I thought I had the answer until I saw my list. And its an honest list. Think about it, for every one of these CDs, there are 3 others that are just as surprising. Yes, yes, I know! That I'm listening to cds shows that I am so yesterday haven't I heard of an IPOD out here in Nebraska? Why, shucks, we heard about those new fangled music machines, but despite popular belief, not everyone has one....there are still a few of us holding out, in a naive belief that they will come down in price. Remember, my generation bought the first cd players for $600. You only make that mistake once!

So please tell me what you would recommend. I will appreciate any input. Please. My self image is on the line, however, tattered it may be.

Just Browsing

We all have blogs that we like to read. Our favorites. We can tell how we found them, which lead us to another blog, which was added to our favorites. We are dedicated. But every now and then, we go up to that little button at the top of the page and browse. In this way, we read newer fresher stuff, expand our circle of favorites, because that is what its there for.

But have you ever come across something you weren't expecting? Something of an adult nature? I have accidentally browsed my way onto a few sites that I would not have gone to intentionally. I am always caught off guard. I used to keep my window open to the full size of the screen, but accidentally browse to a blog were there is a picture prominently displaying body parts in places that they shouldn't be with out a a couple drinks and the promise of a cigarette afterwards, and you realize that there are somethings you don't want to see on a 20 inch monitor screen, much less have everyone that walks by your cube and turns to see what you doing, to see either! Stuff like that helps you figure out what kind of person you are. I have discovered that I am the "ohmygodwhocouldputsomethinglikethisup?" kind of person. I fumble quickly with the mouse to go back to the previous blog, go forward, anything, just to get off of that blog. Yes there is a selection that you can click on that would put a warning on the blog, so that it will be taken out of the rotation. I'm conflicted about that.

First off, who am I to judge? Just because I don't want to see it, doesn't mean that other don't. I find it inappropriate, but I could just be uptight. We have freedom of speech so these people (exhibitionist, every one!), have the right to post what they want. I can just choose not to look at it.
On the other hand, do I really want my teenage son to accidentally come across it? Or my 10 year old? Or anyone's kid for that matter? NO! But shouldn't I be keeping better track of what my kids do, so this doesn't happen? Yes, I should. But it is naive to think that I can be always aware of what my children are doing.

So perhaps I should click on the warning. Problem is, is that once I leave the site, I can't get back to it. The rotation changes. That kind of works for me. That way I don't have to see it, nor do I censor it.

Best of both worlds!

Kid Speak

I have figure out why teenagers think that their parents are stupid. I know. It just came to me. They think we are stupid because of all the things we still say that they said when they were five. No need to thank me. Glad I can be of service. Let me give you a few examples of the words that pepper my speech:

Karax- This is a word that I use almost every day. My daughter, who is now 18, would say it to me when she was 4. It was her way of saying not to bother her, similar to the word harass. "Don't karax me, Mom, I will pick up my room!"

Insult reaction- Another one of my daughters terms. My sister is a diabetic. When she was pregnant, her blood sugars would be all out of wack, so my mom, who lives with us, would go to her when my sister would be sick She would tell Emma why she was leaving and have her tell me. (no, she was not left alone! My husband was there!). My daughter would very earnestly relay this message to me, when I would get home. My husband couldn't help himself, he would say," What? Did someone say that she was dressed funny?" (he'd crack himself up everytime. I laughed, well, more like chuckled, only the first time.). My daughter would be mad that my husband did not appreciate the seriousness of the situation.

Being have- This one is from my oldest son. He would asked if he could have candy or ice cream, or whatever, and I would say, "If you can behave." He would always reply, "But Mom, I am being have!"

Crack pot- What you make apple sauce in at school, or a roast, if you are at home.

Arts and Craps- there you go.

FIS!- Duh! That spells focus!

meatma Die- Peanut butter and jelly. Don't worry, we got my son a special test after that one.

My point is, is that these are those cute, endearing phrases that my kids would say, that would make me love them that much more. Those words that we did not want to correct because it was so cute to hear them say. My youngest used to answer me "yes, sir" when I would ask him if he understood me, until he got to kindergarten, and that Bitch of a teacher, corrected him to say "yes, ma'am". (I never liked her!). I still say these little phrases around the house, in front of their friends, and my kids give me a major eye roll, like whatever! and correct my ignorance.

It must be very difficult to have such a sorry Mother as myself.