Where HAVE I been?

MIA. Or maybe MII - missing in inaction?

Time files, no matter what we do. August 2009 was long ago... It's March 2011. Already.

Thinking back to August 2009, here are the big events that come to mind:

Sons started and finished their junior year of high school. Both got their provisional driver's licenses, and exchanged them a year later for their regular licenses.

I traded in my beloved Mustang convertible for a used Explorer and a new Focus. The week they got their provisional licenses. sigh. oh - and two car payments, though one is a 0% loan.

Daughter started a real job April 1, 2010.

I was laid off May 4, 2010.

Daughter's roommate moved in with us for six weeks while they found an apartment. It was nice having them here; it was nice having them move ~30 mins away!

The reality that my sons were starting their final year of high school hit like a ton of bricks. OUCH. Suddenly I was morphing into 'one of those' moms: the tears; the fears; the drama; the changes! they'll be g-o-n-e..... in another year, lady. Get a GRIP.

After several attempts to get a grip failed, I decided I needed something to help me cope.

Project Life to the rescue! Love this product. I have written a moment from each day and taken a photo or gathered receipts or menus or something for SIX MONTHS already! Never thought that would happen. With only 4" x 3" to fill, it's easy. And I'm capturing all those last time we'll.... moments and those seniors-only events. Did you know they order caps and gowns in OCTOBER?? No advance warning. Geez, does Josten's want some high school kid's parent(s) to have heart attacks?

So I plan to become a more faithful blogger.
Really. Check back later this week.

My daughter called to remind me...

... that my driver's license was expired.

Duh. It's been a frequent discussion topic. It expired May 31. We have not one but TWO teens with permits. Every time I tag along as the licensed driver, SOMEONE mentions the expired status of my license.

So... DD called last night. She said, "Hey Mom. I just got pulled over by a cop. He told me to remind you that your driver's license is expired."

She swears she was going 29 in a 25 - on a road notorious for the frequent presence of police officers. I don't even speed on that road; that means I keep it at 30 or less. So I believe her.

The officer approached the car, and said, "This is your mother's car, isn't it?" [yes] "Well, tell your mother her license is expired."

um, thankyouverymuch officer.

Yes, I renewed my license today. It took about 20 minutes to gather the required 6 points of acceptable identification AND a proper proof of address. I grabbed my Mustang registration form, due this month - it was sent by the state government in the last six months. Well, they assumed I was taking care of that too -- so, one line, two transactions! woohoo.

Now I have to remember to get the car inspected in August. Wish me luck. A few years ago, I thought I was getting it inspected two months late. Um, no - it was fourteen months overdue. I like skipping a year - but it does make it harder to remember when inspections are due!

Bargains and Me - SO not together

Bargain #1:

I want maroon and white M&Ms for the upcoming graduation party. I found 50% off bags at Party City. So I recalled the M&Ms online price ($6/bag), the bulk store price ($6), checked the regular price ($6/bag) and grabbed four bags of maroon, two gray and two black. {What? You didn't know that black and gray make white when mixed? Me neither; there wasn't any white.}

Only ages later did I really think. And recall that yep, the per-SEVEN OUNCE bag price is $6. BUT the local bulk candy store located right on the corner in the center of its adoreable town sells loose single-color M&MS for $6 PER POUND. Oh so stupid.

Six dollars for seven ounces isn't the same as six dollars per pound, is it?

Please do not tell my children. I tell them constantly that the units are important. Sure enough.

Bargain #2:

I read about a LSS [local scrapbooking store] in a news article, so I decided to visit today. I wandered and gathered stuff - stuff I surely do not need. But -- I rattled off my name, and got 10% off my purchases today.

Not much of a bargain. I know.

But -- I will get 30% off my future purchases. Yep, 10% today and 30% in the future. Really.

Now that IS a bargain.

RTA: reason to argue

Well, RTA really means 'ready-to-assemble', but it might as well mean 'reason to argue'. How many pieces of RTA furniture have you and your SO assembled? And how many times have you argued over some part of the instructions - or argued about even reading the instructions? Those numbers are the same, aren't they? I thought so.

We've had a 50" plasma TV since Circuit City announced their stores were closing. (THAT was a fiasco! DH spent oh, six-hundred dollars more at CC than he would have spent at Best Buy for the SAME TV.) The box - unopened - has been hanging out in the DR ever since.

We finally settled on a TV stand. BTW - try not to get a TV bigger than 48". The price jump for TV stands is huge once the TV exceeds 48"; just sayin'.

The TV stand arrived. RTA, by Sauder. We have a long pallet with three or four packages w/ long wood pieces, all wrapped up with that plastic stuff that reminds me of Glad Wrap. Just needs a bow to complete the ‘present’ illusion. NOW the fun will begin.

I'll provide a yell-by-yell report once we're done arguing. Well, putting the beast together.
Adding to the frustration will be: moving all the VHS tapes and DVDs, running the tangle of wires from point to point, and my DH's perfectionist habits. The ultimate argument may occur when he realizes the current entertainment center is headed for the basement.

I don't think I'll tell him that ultimately, the two will swap. Nope, that tidbit of info can wait.
How much ready to assemble {RTA} do you have? We’ve got four desks, bookcases, loft bed, small armoire, filing cabinet, dresser, credenza, two TV entertainment centers [plus the new one], a table for my craft studio that still needs to be assembled, and a standalone closet. I’m probably missing something. Yup, the tall hall bench with baskets in cubbies at top, and bench is storage.

This is what we'll be assembling this weekend:

"Am I crazy?" or Perimenopause

I am quite annoyed - though it's pointless.

Why?

My mother was menopausal when she was ~44 yrs old.

Perimenopause can last for ten years, with gradual increase in symptoms or increase/decrease randomly occurring.

*I* fell apart, collapsed, broke down, take your pick and walked off the planet for six months. I was ~45 yrs old. My period was still as regular as ever.

NOW I look back and realize that I was experiencing perimenopause symptoms! Shoot, I even read a book on the topic back then. Never did I connect the dots - even though I wondered.

I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia while off the planet. I tried many anti-depressants; they're known to help fibro pain. A combination finally worked.

Come April, 12 months without a period, I will be menopausal. My symptoms are tolerable and rare these days. My migraines have even stopped - they're supposed to do so, but they're supposed to stop during pregnancy too and mine got worse.

I am JUST beginning to understand the stories I've read about menopausal women becoming bolder, empowered, and often quite creative and adventurous at this time. Until a few weeks ago, I thought the claims were true for the minority. But I'm starting to feel long-dormant thoughts waking and stretching after a long hibernation.

OUCH! Relearning a lesson, the expensive way

I live with three males; one DH and two teenaged sons. Of course they've been trying to sell me on a HUGE plasma TV for - oh, since they came on the market. I knew I'd give in some day.

Some day arrived. Circuit City announced Chapter 7; low prices! So, I convinced DH to go buy an HDTV - without me. I don't care about the details of a TV! We've been married 25 years. Previously, my DH never bought high-cost items without me, except some jewelry.

The males went to hunt TV. I found a HUGE box in my dining room when I got home. Good; purchase complete. No more whining about an HDTV.

They bought a 50" HDTV. The TV was only 10% off. I found it in Best Buy's ad that same night. $600 less. Yes, SIX HUNDRED DOLLARS less. I calmly - really calmly - mentioned my finding to DH. (D certainly didn't mean "dear"...)

Receipt stated "All Sales Final".

My DH will never again buy high-cost items without me, except some jewelry. He's really good at buying jewelry without me.

Family Leave - YEAH! ugh

Governor Corzine leaving hospital after auto accident

Recently NJ passed a paid family leave law.

YEAH! I am really glad, since many people can't afford unpaid leave.
UGH! I am really annoyed, since we're taxed to cover the cost. But our company was paying us without the law or paycheck deduction. Then again, we've paid into state short term disability .... Paid family leave is similar - just the person is taking off to care for someone possibly on short term disability.

My final assessment is that this is a good thing. I'll live without the tax cost and I'll know that others will be able to take paid time from work to care for family.



There are always positive and negative results, aren't there?

Big Brother is HERE.

So, I’m completing the always-obnoxious security clearance form for my periodic reinvestigation.
I submitted it, finally, January 5. I thought I’d submitted it December 30. No, that was the day I fax’d the signature pages allowing any and all to release any and all information about me. I forgot that I had to hit the ‘submit’ button after I fax’d the pages.

It bounced. January 6. At least I know Security doesn’t have a backlog.

Reject Reason 1:
I worked for the federal government 30 yrs ago, but if I EVER worked for the gov’t, I have to provide details – including name and phone number of my supervisors. R-i-g-h-t; sure; got it right here. I typed ‘unknown’ for both stints.
Did I notice the ‘additional comments’ field? Sure
Did I think I had to comment? No
Well, I did; I have to explain why I don’t know a phone number from 30 yrs ago. BTW – I haven’t known these numbers since I filled out the FIRST form in 1981. (That would be 27 years ago.)

Reject Reason 2:
I didn’t have sufficient detail for my medical records – the more accurate title would be “mental health records”.
The wording in the email was different than the form; the email was auto-generated. So I answered the question as worded in the email. And I included that precise wording in the comments field. The wording change had changed my answer from ‘yes’ to ‘no’, since it asked if any treatment was court-ordered.
I was very glad, since my original response had missing pieces. I need dates, name, and address. I called my PCP and got the practice name for the doctor who wrote Rx. I only had first therapist's address. I had second therapist's name; but he’s moved. Wonderful, dummy – and yes, I knew I’d need the info in the future, which is NOW.

I just got a phone call; the email info was incorrect, and I did have to provide treatment information. The voice rejected my form. Reading the email, I saw the reason says ‘per our phone call’. I realized the messages are not auto-generated! CRAP.

I came across first therapist’s business card, and I can estimate when I started seeing him, and I know when I stopped. YEAH!
I still have no clue about the RX doctor. But, hey, CVS has online rx history records. Maybe they’ll go back far enough for me to figure out the dates – and maybe I’ll even find the doctor’s name!

NOW I’m getting to the Big Brother part.
I started to create an account. The two-step verification process requires you to enter an Rx number and the store number. Drugs – home; me – work. But maybe I can sweet-talk a pharmacist into giving me the info. I called, got a human in less than a minute, and simply asked for the Rx number of the last thing I had filled. Boom, got it and the store number with no questions asked.
YIKES! Some verification that I am me, and only I could do this verification.
On to Step 2.
OMG! Big Brother in all his glory!
Question 1: Which of the following vehicle models is currently registered at your address?
Question 2: Which of the following people also lives at your address?
Question 3: Which of these cities have you or do you live in?
Each had five responses.

Freak out thought 1: Exactly where does CVS get such data so quickly?
Freak out thought 2: Really, where?? For question 3, the valid answer was a city I left over twenty years ago!

Wow. Now I have to search my Rx history. Wish me luck.
Oh – and if a federal marshall or other somber looking person with a cool large shield knocks on your door, or calls, and asks if you’d answer a few questions about me – PLEASE say yes. I don’t want to have to explain why and beg people to respond. My neighbors haven’t changed, so they should remember my pleading last time.

NOTE: photo from www.bugsweeps.com/info/big_bro.html

Saturday Evening Post Article (c) 1964

SWAPs and photos

I've participated in two complete Circle Journals.

What are Circle Journals? Check out this link: http://www.pagesoftheheart.net/artman/publish/article_923.shtml
Themed Albums - A Closer Look At Circle Journals

By Charity Hassel

We're taking a breather - or really, we're waiting for someone to make a color copy of each CJ for everyone, and get the copies bound at Staples. But that someone was out of work for 18 weeks, nursing her post-surgery shoulder back to health. Yeah, that someone would be *me*.

Anyway, someone suggested we do monthly SWAPs. We had several people too timid to do the CJs join us, which is fun. So far, we've completed four. Here are mine:

#1 Funny quote

#2 Favorite Wizard of Oz quote

#3 Halloween ghostie

#4 Thanksgiving gratitude bookmark

The Drive to Educate without DEBT

I think this is really cool

and too few people know about it.

So...

Princeton University's financial aid will cover the student's needs.

Princeton University's aid does not include money sources that must be repaid.

Yes, you read that correctly.

At least six years ago, the trustees decided they had an obligation to graduate a diverse student body who did not have burdensome debt.

They postulated that, lacking debt, more graduates would take lower-paying jobs.

Therefore, Princeton's financial aid packages include grants and scholarships, but no loans. WOOHOO.

Princeton was the first, but its trustees have encouraged [implored, embarrassed] other universities to follow.

The college selection game has changed - parents and students just have to understand that it is possible that attending Princeton, etc is cheaper than attending Rutgers.

Today was a day...

Just a day.

DD is at school, in her last college residence.
She lamented that she didn't want to go as the last bit of empty space in the Expedition was filled.
Ever notice how possessions increase to fill all available space? that's 'nuther topic..

Her last year.
Her last move from home to dorm.
Two more semesters.
Plenty of late nights, b-o-r-i-n-g classes, parties, chats, papers to write.
This is it.
Next September, there will only be two children dreading and anticipating the first day of school.
I didn't cry. I didn't sniff. Really.
But I think I'm going to cry now.

I will be the mother of a college graduate!
No way.
Oh I know I'm old enough. But...
there's something that sounds soooo old when I hear "I gave birth to a baby who is now a college graduate."

She called hours later to ask what to do with the widdle bubbles filled with liquid all over her back. oops. Her sunburn is getting icky.
oops. She really didn't want to peel.
But come on - no sunscreen and hours on the beach??
I told her to do nothing. At all.
But if she MUST touch, wash her hands with soap and water first.
The remnants of this burn could look really great - not - for the wedding, in under six weeks.


I spent almost two hours and over $100 in a small locally owned scrapbook store today. The ENTIRE store was 50% off Friday and Saturday {today}.
yes, that does mean I purchased over $200 worth of scrapbooking materials. OMG.
Bad - ok, not bad.
I found two more sets of Ranger Adirondack alcohol ink, so now I have 18 colors and 4 metallics.
I got some transparent 1/8" thick acrylic pieces.
Lots of paper. stickers. fiber.
I put everything away already! I swear.

I was feeling a bit guilty.
Then the mailman arrived with a heavy 8.5" x 11" x 6.5" box for DH.
Electronic Media postage rate.
DVDS!?
I refrained from opening it.
TWENTY-SIX DVD CASES would fit in that box.
yup, I did measure a DVD case {5.5" x 7.5" x 0.5", TYVM} and figure it out.
And at the ridiculously low price of $5 each, that would be $130.
Nope, I have no idea what the actual cost was; don't wanna know!
DH hasn't opened the box, but says there's about 10 DVDs. Sure, dear. Whatever you say.
Guilt? What guilt?? No guilt here.

Maybe I should do some scrapbooking.
Really.

~~ I dropped DS2 at work - he's a lifeguard, woohoo.
~~ I grabbed a #6 at Taco Bell {two beef chalupas, one hard beef taco, diet pepsi}.
Duh-me! I forgot "TB chalupas" aren't chalupas. Yea I ate them anyway.
Anyone interested in a soggy hard shell taco? Got one right here in the frig for ya!
~~ Called to reschedule my eye appt for an hour later.
~~ Got home, ate, showered, dressed, dilly dallied with the comics.

~~ Left the house about 10 mins AFTER I was expected at the eye doctor's office.
~~ Hey - it's Saturday, Labor Day weekend AKA "Let's go school shopping at the mall!"
The mall under major construction.
The mall with at least 1/3 less parking.
The mall with a multi-story parking garage under construction.
Yes, that would be the mall with nary an empty parking spot - until you realize the bus lot is now a car lot. sigh.

~~ Walked in to be greeted with "Ah, there she is!"
~~ When you've seen the same doctor for over 15 years, he knows you.
You're not a Lenscrafter customer walk-in any more.
OMG; I didn't realize it's been that long, but he pre-dates the birth of my sons.
Who will be 16 in about seven weeks. Nine days after lil sis' wedding and 11 days after our 25th anniversary. double and triple yikes!! !!!
My eyes - oh me eyes. I want crisp perfect vision.
But I've reached a "certain age". Curses!
~~ My prescription changed minutely. So I keep these glasses. sigh.
~~ I came home, played around, read and turned on the radio! NO TV. NO xBox 360. NObody home but me, me, me.~~ The movers arrived, hot and sweaty. Ready for food.
~~ DH ordered a pizza. Within minutes, DS2 called to get a ride home.
~~ I went to fetch kid and pizza while DH showered. (Thank God for small favors!)
~~ We've eaten. I've read the newspapers.
~~ And here I sit, typing away.