One Stop Boy Shop

I used to have a career. Loved it! I was a networking manager (and Project Manager) for high dollar servers and also provided support from “mouse” to “router” to over 200 people. (mouse to router means that I handled all technical issues from someones computer mouse all the way until the data left the building to enter the internet via the “router”).  I was trained in unique and interesting flavors of networking, NetWare, HP-Unix, Solaris and many more.

As I pulled my coffee cup down this morning for my daily infusion of caffeine, I was a bit startled when I really looked at the mug. It was from a training event and says: Novell. the power to chaNge. Two and a half years out of the industry now makes me obsolete, the technology isn’t the same as when I left to stay home with my boys. With technology changing and evolving everyday, I fear that I have now reached my expiration date. Getting back in now would be next to impossible. I have antiquated knowledge and let’s face it; I’m no spring chicken anymore! Just for fun, I’ve actually applied for a few things here and there. Even things that I’m way over-qualified for and I only received one nibble.

Nathan is SO ready to go to school, but with 1 income (yes I’m a web designer from home but I don’t charge enough for any of that money to make it into the family coffers) we just can’t afford tuition for 2 kids. This morning while dropping Ian off, Nathan threw a HUGE fit wanting to stay and go to school. Most kids cry when their parents leave, mine cried because I wouldn’t/couldn’t let him stay.

With our economy in it’s current state, the job market is flooded with nerds like myself who haven’t taken a 2 1/2 year voluntary hiatus.  I think it’s time to say good-bye to my beloved career in I.T. and look towards something else… or I need to resign myself that I’m a stay at home mom…. one who needs to learn how to be a housewife.  Me?  A HOUSEWIFE?  Like June Cleaver?  Ummmmm…  Maybe I can grow Pages By Nancy into something bigger and better than it is.  I have plenty of business, just not enough income.

But today, I reflect on Days Gone By.  Novell is right… we have the power to change.  Into what?  What does the future hold?  Only time will tell.

Ok, I wrote about my Vampire obsession.  It’s not Twilight.  It’s Alexander Skarsgard as Eric (my first ever true Hollywood crush).  I’m Team Eric (I posted that my dear hubby even bought me a Team Eric t-shirt for Christmas!  My favorite gift.)!  Eric Northman is the character played by Alexander Skarsgard from Sweden in the True Blood series on HBO.  It’s based off of the book series of Sookie Stackhouse by Charlaine Harris. It’s actually become a true vampire obsession. I’ve read a lot of books lately on the same types of characters, I’ll have to post a book reading list update soon. I need to step away from the genre! I’ve never been so stuck on one thing. But I’m going to wait until the next book comes out in May before I totally step away from my vamps.

Here are the books:

I also just enjoyed this book of short stories that fills in some gaps:

The DVDs:

and a clip from YouTube that might make you understand my obsession!  LOL

For my Mommy Board friends (SMM)…. thank you for finding that last video (I know it was just for me, right?) to feed my obsession and thanks for the HVA!

How can soap disappear? I mean an entire container of Bath and Body Works hand soap from the bathroom. One day it’s there and then POOF, it’s gone. No one knows where it went. Did a soap burglar sneak in and take our soap? My bet is on the shifty neighbor next door.  We feel very confident that he “found” our kitchen cabinets when our house was being built (we saw them in his garage a month later) but ours had to be reordered because they went “missing”.  AND, we happen to know his house is currently being foreclosed (he told us) AND he’s borrowing our electricity because his has been turned off.  Maybe he ran out of soap along with electricity.  Yep, that’s my bet.  But still, I must perform due diligence.  Would hate to accuse the false party.

I’ve looked everywhere.

Mom Asks – Dad: Where is the bathroom soap:? Dad “I don’t know”

Mom Asks – Son 1: Where is the bathroom soap?  Son 1 “How should I know?”

Mom Asks (aka Aunt Nancy) – Daughter on Loan: Where is the bathroom soap, it was there when you cleaned the bathroom.   Daughter ” It’s on the counter.”
Mom “Ummmmm, nope, I wouldn’t be asking you if it were there.”

Mom Asks – Son 2, “Where is the bathroom soap?”  Son 2 “I don’t know, maybe Nathan took it.”

Mom Asks “Nathan, Where is the bathroom soap?”  Nathan “It’s upstairs.”  Mom “Where Upstairs?”  Nathan “Upstairs”

Ok, so Nathan’s look and answer lead me to believe that he Might have knowledge of said missing soap.  I look upstairs…. nope all of the bathrooms up there have their appointed soap and no extra bottles.  I look in his room.  I look in all of his favorite hiding places… in end table drawers, his play kitchen, the china cabinet.  No soap.

I confess, I’ve become a bit obsessed by this case of missing soap.  Yes I have more (and have one in there now) but I want to know where the original is!  Where did it go?  How could it have just disappeared?  I may need to call in professionals (detectives or psychiatrists, one of the two).

Why is this blog worthy?  I have no idea but since I’ve lost most of my commenters (but not Suzen, thank you!) during my blogging hiatus, I figure I can blog about whatever I want until they come back!  hehehehehe

In the meantime, I’m still hunting for that dern missing soap!

Today’s blog post will be short and sweet (or funny if you like the video). 

As you all probably know by now, my BFF’s daughter Taylor is staying with me to finish out the school year.  A couple of nights ago, both Taylor and I were sick with the family shared germies (aka cold).  Taylor and I were having a quiet evening, snuggled up in blankets and watching Extreme Home Makeovers (sniffling, sneezing, coughing together, etc.) I asked Robert to bring me some water.  Taylor asked him to bring her some too in her pitiful sick voice.  He brought her a kid sippy cup (she’s 14)!  It was hilarious.  We laughed and laughed but in the end, she kept it and drank her water from it.  hehehhehee

What became even funnier is that she drank the water from the sippy cup and then couldn’t figure out how to get the water from the bottom (reminded me of a monkey trying to get a coin in the bottom of a bottle… open your hand!).  Anyway, this tickled me enough that I videoed her.  After MUCH begging, she finally has relented and given me her consent to post the video on my blog. It’s quite an honor since she won’t let me post anything unless she’s looking her very best!

It’s short.  I hope you enjoy it!

Part 2.  

Today, let’s talk about me!  Well my health anyway, it’s boring but it’s a big part of where I’ve been.

I’m getting healthier!  I’m proud to announce that I’m no longer a walking heart attack waiting to happen.  I’ve lowered my cholesterol (good and bad were way too high) by over 100 points!  They’d given me that death sentence and told me that the markers showed that I had a natural propensity for high cholesterol and heart problems.  The doctors worried that I couldn’t do it because a pill alone wouldn’t solve my problems, neither would diet alone.  It was going to take dedication in diet AND medication to do the trick.  Well, I did it!

I found hordes of information online on cholesterol friendly foods.  I needed to lower my good cholesterol as well as my bad and my overall numbers.  I incorporated these cholesterol friendly foods into my diet.  This had nothing to do with weight loss, but choosing foods that were cholesterol friendly just for that purpose.  Foods I found/changes I made:

• apples – I eat apples often now.
• soy milk creamer – I no longer use a fat free creamer but a soy creamer.  This is much better for your cholesterol.  Even Fat Free or Sugar Free creamers are bad for your cholesterol
• Cheerios – yep!  The food that was already in my cupboard for my children was sitting right there waiting for me to start eating it.  It can lower your cholesterol by 10% in one month!
• Oatmeal – first off, I Hate oatmeal!  But a friend of mine Kristi told me of a way that I could stand it.  I make it and then stir in 2 tbsps All Natural Peanut Butter and believe it or not, it tastes ok!  Not great, but for a longer life I can stand it.
• Veggies! -  Green veggies are great for you.  I incorporated more salads, broccoli, raw spinach, anything green actually (well, not green m&m’s) into my diet.
• Smart Balance Butter – Ok so it has its drawbacks.  It does not melt worth a darn but it’s so much better for you than real butter or margarine and does not raise your cholesterol.
• Olive Oil – Well, that’s just good stuff there!
• Crestor – the medication that my doctor prescribed, with a reminder on my computer every day to take it (thank you to my nephew Wyatt, who finally got me to set up a reminder… it worked!)

that’s basically all that I did.  I tried to eat some fish but ewwwwww.  I ate some tuna fish occasionally and will try to eat more.  You’re supposed to eat 2 servings per week (but no more than 2) and I did not do that.  You can try Omega 3’s but I can’t stand to belch fish oil all day.. LOL  Eating better foods, has not been a diet but a life change.  I haven’t lost any weight (will work on that next) but only incorporated the good stuff in.  Now it’s time to shove the bad stuff out.

Head, Neck Migraines

I’ve been getting trigger point injections in my head and neck every 4-6 weeks which has greatly minimized the migraines.  I’m now going to a new doctor who is working towards isolating the exact nerves and he’ll perform radio frequency nerve ablation in order to provide me with a more permanent solution.  Once he’s isolated the nerves, basically he’ll be burning them (killing them) and they’ll take up to a year to grow back.  I’ll not have to have so many injections to keep me moving.

Monday, he did something called a Left C2/3 Facet joint injection and Third Occipital Nerve block.  So far the results much better.  The day of the injection,  left half of my head numb!  What a weird sensation.  I hope that’s normal and that won’t be a recurring theme, one that will be permanent when he kills the nerves, otherwise our friend Andy will continue to call me a “numbskull”.

Lastly!  We’re checking out my gall bladder.  On the search for whether it’s functioning correctly, they discovered two 5 mm kidney stones in my left kidney <sigh>.  I’ll probably be having Asteroid’s surgery (they get to play the game Asteroids and blast those suckers) on that soon.  This is by no means, new news to me.  I get those suckers one right after another.  I can’t even tell you how many surgeries I’ve had to remove or blast them.  We’ve done testing and there doesn’t appear to be anything that I’m doing wrong (diet or habit wise) to encourage them.  What can I say?  I’m a genuine kidney stone factory!

2010 looks to be the year of getting Nancy put back together though.  No longer are we chasing symptoms, we’re working on fixes.  My husband likes to joke that he didn’t know it but that the year he married me my warranty expired.  I’ll show him!  The new, healthier, fixed me is coming soon!!!

Kidney Stone Update:  I just went and had a CT Scan this morning.  I have 7 stones in my left kidney and 1 in my right.  I opted for no surgery because none of them are as big as the ultrasound indicated.  They’re 3mm at the largest and I can pass those.. not scary to me.

Gall Bladder Update:  Had my hidascan done yesterday, don’t have the actual results.  I’m not a doctor, nor do I play one on T.V. but I am a betting woman.  I’m betting (from watching the test) that my gall bladder function is normal, so I feel safe in saying I’m in the clear there too!  The right side pain was probably that kidney stone on the right that I didn’t know about but found out today.

Today is my awesome husband’s birthday.  I’m so glad that he was born!

If I listed all of your great qualities, this would be the longest blog post ever.    So I’ll just dis you instead.  You’re mean, you’re grumpy, you’re… wait, none of that is true!  You’re a wonderful man and I’m very lucky to have met you.

Honey, I hope you have a wonderful day! Happy Birthday!  As of today, I am no longer 3 years older than you so you can stop gloating now.    Every year, there are 2 weeks per year when I am 3 years older than Robert and he loves to rub it in.

Sorry, that due to my medical test today (I’ll blog about it tomorrow in my Update Part 2), we’re going to have to postpone your actual celebration.  I suck!  But I promise to make it up to you.  I love you!

Where have I been?  Why haven’t I been blogging?

First off, my company has left the building.

For the past 7 months, I’ve had my best friend, her 2 daughters AND my sister living here with us in my house since June.  My house has been full of activity, voices (and not just in my head) and a bit chaotic but also fun.  I admit, it was lovely having them all here but the silence left behind is also nice.   As a large family we played fun games such as Pictionary, Trivial Pursuit and Rock Band!  Christmas with us all together (including my fabulous, cool-dude nephew, who came to be with his mom (my sister) was especially wonderful.  He blessed us with his charming presence for 2 weeks over the holidays. It was lovely.  I wouldn’t have changed a thing.

Another AWESOME thing were all of the wonderful dinners that not only did I not have to plan for, OR shop for, but I didn’t even have to cook (often)! Dinner time for me is a huge albatross hanging from my neck, one that I would’ve gladly given up forever… but alas, the great chef has left me. Carolyn, you REALLY should open your own restaurant!

My sister Jill moved out this past weekend.  We’d lived in separate states for over 15 years and only had occasional visits.  I’ve missed her horribly since I moved away from “home” and came to Texas.  She gave up her desert life and moved to the greener pastures of Hill Country, Texas.  I loved having her here and catching up on many years missed.  She now has a cute (QUIET) apartment near her work, which is still close enough to me that she promises to come over once per week for dinner and American Idol (she’s an ADDICT for Idol I tell ya!).

I had not spent quality time with my best friend Carolyn in years and I was finally able get to know my “Tinkerbell” (her youngest daughter Kaynnah).  But alas, Carolyn (her fabulous cooking) and Kaynnah have moved on to warmer climates and are now in Florida with family.  They left a week ago.  I’m sure this is the perfect way for them to get back on their feet and get back a normal life, plus Carolyn will be close to her father who needs some more family close.  I miss them already but she left behind a constant reminder of her.  She left her oldest daughter Taylor (her 14 year old mini-me) in my care, so that she can finish out the school year here.  I’m thrilled to have Taylor, she’s the daughter I never had.  She’s a complete joy and a pleasure to have around.

Taylor is very active in school;  in drama, choir and more.  She’s looking forward to the school musical which she earned the Lead Part in.  The play is in March and Carolyn and Taylor’s Grandmother will be flying in for it.  So it won’t be long and I’ll get to see my BFF again.

Taylor and my birthday are 2 days apart and were last week.  Back in December I introduced her to the movie and the soundtrack to Phantom of the Opera. She loved it! For our birthday’s I bought us tickets to go and see the live performance of Phantom of the Opera.  We’re psyched!  It’s also in March and we’re going to dress up in cocktail dresses, go have a nice dinner and go and see a wonderful play together.

When my sister Jill moved out, we were able to move Taylor out of my cramped office and into her very own bedroom, which we “Tater-ized”, I call her Tater.    Here are her new digs, complete with wall-to-wall Twilight Edward.

She hid because she has a cold (the house has germies running loose and we’re all a bit under the weather, darn colds!).

So there is Update 1!  There are probably 2 more to come.    Thanks for sticking with me, reading my blog and I hope you’ll forgive my silence in the blogosphere.  I can tell you that I’m now BAAACCCK!  I’m coming to check out your blogs too.  I’ve missed you all!

Monday may just be another day in the week, but they are not for the faint/weak of heart. Monday always brings with it the challenges of yet another week. Monday’s are my least favorite day. They are a day of wishing I were elsewhere, of wishing I were doing something else and full of promise for the beginning of Tuesday.

Tuesdays are a better day. By then, I’ve weathered the storm that is Monday and can look forward to Wednesday. Why would I look forward to Wednesday? Because it’s closer to Friday.

By Thursday, I feel that Friday will never come. But then on Wednesday night, I lay my weary head on my pillow and next thing I know, Thursday is here and only one more day!

Friday is the LONGEST day of the week. I watch the clock wondering when 5:30 will get here so that my hubby gets home and I can go escape into my bedroom for an hour of peace.

I crave peace the way that I used to crave chocolate. I’d give up all of my chocolate if I could just find one hour of peace on Mondays.

Each day is a better day than the last because I realize that it could always be worse.

I AM fortunate and love that I’m home with my kids. I am grateful that I have my healthy, happy, rambunctious boys. I am weary at 4:59 on Friday but I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.

Come on Monday…. pass me by! Bring on the dawn of a new and better day.