"T" Minus 72 Hours

In the wake of a much needed mini vacation, I am now officially counting down the hours until my departure. I purchased a new suitcase today (Brown faux-aligator Adrienne Vittadini, on clearance...) and have started filling it with outfits, toiletries, and travel necessities. Three more days and I will be Seattle bound. Here's to safe travels....

Happy Thanksgiving Eve 2011

It's already gobble time! Where has 2011 gone, anyway? Well, I have to be honest, so far 2011 has had it's fair share of financial hardship, love heartache, health concerns, and future uncertainty. But through all the struggles, I have been blessed with friends, family and two wonderful offspring who have supported me. In this line of thinking, I offer the following tributes of thanks.

* I give thanks for my job, the stability it offers and the medical benefits it provides to get better body mileage, despite the rough start.
* I give thanks for my children who continue to suprise me with acts of kindness, appreciation and maturity. 
* I give thanks for my family circle who have always been there for me. Even during the times when the truth was hard to swallow, they told me the real deal and offered words of wisdom.
* I give thanks for having the most awesome friends imaginable. No matter what idiotic things I do, lapses in judgment, dumb words that come out of my mouth, or crisis I find myself in, I can count on a handful of  people to say the right thing to make me feel better.
* I give thanks for the tears shed, the laughter that followed and all the lessons in between.
* I give thanks for memories that will remain in my heart of loved ones who have passed this year and wish for them no more pain or hurt.
* I give thanks to a higher power can be felt in my heart every morning. No matter what stresses I know I will be facing that day, I know I will get through it with the power of prayer.

In closing, I wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. Be safe, enjoy the loved ones around you and cherish the simplicity of laughter and love in your world. God Bless.

Officially checked OUT of the Backsliders' Club

The first 2 weeks on my fitness journey began with a huge gust of motivational wind, daily anticipation of the next go-round and aiming to improve number of reps, weight on machines, and time/speed on the treadmill.  Unfortunately as fast as the wind moved in, it moved right back out. I had one very busy week of post-work appointments causing me to skip my workouts several days in a row. Then came a bout of depression for a few days with some not-so-good test results after my physical. Although serious, it is nothing some further medical management and prescription therapy can't cure. The silver lining? I now have health benefits through my employer and am back on the road to improved health. To solidify this fact, I started going back to the gym today, with a 15 year old support partner next to me. (My daughter joined me on this Sunday morning workout.) Looking forward to getting my hind quarter back in shape and bringing those deficeit levels back up to par. For my upcoming trip I made the conscience effort to "CHUZE" a hotel with an on-site gym. Now THAT is dedication. =)

Please Excuse the Repetition...

I realize the last few posts have been all about the gym and how I have made some major changes in my life. I apologize for the monotony, however, I am just so psyched to be taking such a determined approach to improving my lifestyle that I can't seem to stop talking about it. Well, at least on the blog. I try my hardest to not drone on and on to my friends and family about it.

This weekend I had an epiphany. I had to go to Kaiser for pre-physical lab work after a 12 hour fast. Upon arrival I realized not only did I use the stairs instead of the elevator, but I also chose the farthest parking spot instead of the closest. Small steps leading to giant leaps.

Rage Against The Machine(s)

Today started out as a normal work day filled with phone calls, emails, contracts, proposals and managing a crew short staffed because yet again, someone didn't come in to work. Towards the end of the day I had a rather irritating interaction with one of the crew guys and basically, to excuse my French, he pissed me the hell off. Instead of hollering about it, I simply informed my boss and decided "screw him and his disrespect." At 5:00 on the dot I clocked out and by 5:15 my workout pal and I were in full treadmill sweat at the gym. All the irritability in my head was worked out by putting the focus on something better.

We had a great workout and even tried a few of the weight machines out. It is a bit intimidating to be surrounded by all these toned and shaped people who know exactly how to use every station and look good doing it. I feel like my girth needs its own zip code for all the space I take up in my 3X t-shirt. However, I take comfort in knowing I am being proactive and taking charge of my health with exercise and eating right. I took a photo of myself on day 1 and hope to be able to post an updated picture in 30 days that shows some sort of visable progress. Until then, I will continue to dissipate my daily stress out there, one stair step at a time.

A New Me...

I have to admit it.... I have really let myself go. I got lazy and stopped exercising. I started eating way too much junk food. I imbibed in entirely too much booze. I fell into a bad depression during so many months of umemployment and unsuccessful job searching endeavors. I turned to all the wrong things to make myself feel better. A temporary fix, at best.

Well, times are a-changin, folks. I am comfortable in my new job and learning so much everyday I feel like my brain cells are rebuilding themselves. At long last, I have a steady paycheck, health benefits, and my kids and I are a united front, working together and following our dreams. I finally have things back together and I can focus on the bigger picture. This includes finishing my degree and getting back in good physical shape. I started today with the purchase of healthy provisions and tomorrow after work I am going to a gym and signing up with my gal pal who also wants to improve her health. Next week I am schuled for a full physical and I plan on discussing weight management with my new physician. So to fast food, late meals, and over indulging, I bid adiou.

So, stay tuned, and pray for me to stay motivated and on the right track.

What Men and Women Pray For!!!!

Woman's Prayer:

Lord, before I lay me down to sleep
... I pray for a man, who's not a creep;
One who's handsome, smart and strong,
One who's willy is thick and long.

One who thinks before he speaks,
When he promises to call, he won't wait weeks.
I pray that he is gainfully employed,
And when I spend his cash, won't be annoyed.

Pulls out my chair and opens my door,
Massages my back and begs to do more.
Oh! Send me a man who'll make love to my mind,
Knows just what to say, when I ask "How big's my behind?"

One who'll make love till my body's a twitchin',
In the hall, the loo, the garden and kitchen!
I pray that this man will love me to no end,
And never attempt to shag my best friend.

And as I kneel and pray to my bed,
I look at the creep you sent me instead. Amen

Man's Prayer:

Lord, I pray for a nympho with huge boobs who owns a beer store.

A Mother's Love

Tonight my kids and I were enjoying a pretty basic family dinner which seem to have become much more frequent in months of late, blessedly so.  My daughter (a high school sophomore, the baby in the photo) was nominated for a college road trip to Northern California by numerous teachers and the excursion requires she compose a short essay depicting her view on why she feels college, for minorities in particular, is critical. Somehow the conversation veered into things she could do to better improve her chances of not only acceptance, but scholarship possibilities. My 19 year old son is the older of my two kiddos. He is a biology major and a sophomore at San Diego State University. The exact words and ideas exchanged on this heartwarming evening are not as important (although this was a brainstorming discussion) as the overwhelming sense of pride and love I have for my kids. I remember my son as a 4 year old telling everyone to "hold the baby's head up so it won't fall off" or my daughter holding his hand while taking her 1st steps. I recall the silly words they used to make up as little kids that no one else understood. My favorite was calling each other "amigop" instead of "amigo", which later morphed into mommygop, grandmagop, and puppygop when we got a dog.

We have come a long, long way since those days. Each one of us has matured and grown up in our own way. I am eternally grateful that as we grew we only became a closer family unit, glued together by love, respect, and lessons leaned.

(photo credit of yours truly... circa 1996. My son was 4, my daughter approximately 3 months)

Monday Madness

After a long, no-time-to-pee, constant rush kind of a work day, I headed home only to begin a new series of tasks. Upon virtual completion, I was spent of energy and came upstairs to shower, only to be greeted by a snarky comment from a attitudinal teen because I had forgotten to make a phone call she deemed "life or death". I assure you, a sleepover in two weeks is hardly life or death, last time I checked. So in the spirit of recalling EVERY task I do throughout my day, I thought I'd make a justification list.

7:00  awake, coffee, shower, dress, gather work things and headed into the typical Monday road madness
8:30  punch in at work, grab coffee #2 from cafeteria, walk through tunnel in basement to unlock office, check emails/voicemails; printed out photos to upstairs color printer
9:00 "FLASH" meeting on 3rd floor, checked mailroom, picked up printouts; meeting with CEO for purchase order approval, assigned tasks to staff given to me in FLASH meeting
9:30  followed up on weekend tasks completed, listed items to be double checked for quality assurance. Followed by creating spreadsheets for preventative maintenance requirements/assignments, updated medical device report for the entire hospital with their serial numbers and warrenty info. Answered phone calls. Discussed schedule changes with staff.  Dispursed anniversary gift to staff member. Walked back through tunnel to 3rd floor to check the quality of work done by maintenance over the weekend. Had to write up a report for work NOT done to bosses expectations. Hunted down the engineer to explain what was done wrong and how his crew needed to fix it.
10:30  telephone call with boss (working offsite) going over the morning status of work done, follow up handled, and expected issues to arise for the day. reviewed all permits for validity. sent payment to ADT for alarm services.
11:00  began filing old purchase orders, receipts, and answered more phone calls/emails. Researched flag poles online.
11:30  worked on staff schedule, processed time off requests, checked on appropriate PTO availability
12:00  received invoice for backflow and surgery room repair, brought to CEO for approval, posted break times and open enrollment info in 3 staff areas, grabbed lunch en route back down tunnel.
12:30  while eating lunch, went over timeclock issues with 2 staff members and called engineers to handle toilet "emergency" on 3rd floor. Escorted random homeless person offsite who had snuck in through a propped door. Wrote incident report regarding the security "breech"
1:00   meeting with lead engineer to discuss status of several remodeling projects currently in process and upcoming fire drill.
1:30  clocked out for lunch, but came back down the tunnel to discuss new employee with HR coordinator. Aother phone call from boss regarding project updates. Called contractor for immediate delivery of product needed by COB. phoned daughters school to clear mistaken absence.
2:00  hospital inspection rounds of ceiling tiles, patient room cleanliness, and morgue sterility. Was called to north unit to inspect wasp nests. Found table and chairs in emergency exit. Called engineer to remove items.
2:45  remembered to clock back in from my "lunch", phoned pest control for wasp removal, had heated discussion with purchasing for not asking their "permission" before contacting our regular pest control company. (Really??? I need permission to get rid of WASPS????)
3:00  updated the work orders completed, entered new work orders into AIMS software (tasks from rounds inspection) phone call from boss regarding issue with purchasing (totally took my side.)
3:30  ordered supplies for Thursday EOC Meeting. Finished November schedule, handed out approved time off requests on 3rd floor. Sent email reminders to EOC Boardmembers for Thursday meeting.
4:00  created task list for graveyard shift to complete. Completed 2 staff evaluation and calculated pay rate increases. Brought to HR for approval. Met with Angelica vendor to dispute incorrect charges. Began collecting hazardous waste and workmans comp reports for EOC meeting.
4:30 answered more emails, cleared voice mail again, returned messages, called Meals on Wheels to discuss damage to our retaining wall.
5:00 organized desk for Tuesday's tasks, locked up office, clocked out.

ROUND TWO
5:15  left work. called eye doctor, vet, and immunization clinic on way home.
5:50  arrived home. checked mail. put dinner in oven. washed car. swept garage. showered.
7:00  1st load of laundry in washer. served dinner. answered 2 week overdue letter of support to jailbird brother
7:45  put 2nd load into washer, 1st into dryer. mopped 1/2 half of hardwood floor in house.
8:15  put in 3rd load to washer, 2nd load into dryer.
8:30  mopped the second half of floor, last load into dryer, put fresh linens on bed. discussed college road trip with daughter. balanced budget. checked facebook and wrote this blog.

next on my agenda is a rum and diet coke which I have FULLY earned, an episode of Forensic Files, and finally... sleep.

City Heartbeat

Today was one of "those" Mondays that one hour feels like a minute and before you know it, the clock reads 5pm and you realize it is time to go. As I pulled out of the hospital's parking lot, I was cut off by a sports car (probably a doctor in a mad dash to a vodka tonic or his tee time) and decided I needed time to decompress before walking through my own front door. In these cases, I put the windows down, turn the radio off, and take the streets all the way home, avoiding the chrome tumor of cars on 805 South. This are the things I see in my city along the El Cajon Bl corridor in a matter of 30 city blocks...

As I am waiting for the green at the 1st stop light I hear the conversation of pedestrians, also waiting to cross, discussing the latest Facebook wallposts. Much to my chagrin, the two are co-workers of mine in full gossip mode and I am relieved I cannot hear the exact details. Another reminder to NEVER befriend a coworker on social media. EVER.

Three blocks further I hear the squeeky wheels of a homeless man's shopping cart, pushing all his worldly posessions in what appears to be a hard-pressed search for a safe place to rest his head. What I find disheartening is the cell-phone yaking, yoga-pants wearing lady who brushes pass this resident of the street, her Whole Foods paper shopping bag full of organic fruit and tofu, Yorkshire-Terrier in tow, totally oblivious to the lives of the roof-challenged in her very own neighborhood. Her mate is probably the bohemeth sized man leaving the gym across the street who appears to have downed one too many protein shakes. I get another sad reminder of how self-absorbed people can be.

A few miles farther and I am approaching the Ethiopian section of the city. I can smell incense wafting from Reggae World music store and Bob Marley reminding me that Everything is Gonna be Alright. Suddenly, a new scent: curried deliciousness from the Land of Africa restaurant which reminds me of the less-than-appealing "Turkey Divan" I ate from our cafeteria today which should have been called "Turkey Dive-Bomb" because thats what it did to my stomach.

Next stop light I see a few pigeons drinking water from a pothole in the street. This must be survival of the fittest, animal kinddom style. The light changed, cars begin to move, and these tough birds don't even bother to fly away. This is clearly their territory, cars be damned.  I see the local barbers standing outside their shop which advertises "old fashioned shaves $8.00." They are catching a smoke break between buzzcuts and wonder if their establishment has the token long-time regular who has come to the shop for decades talking about the good ol' days when he actually had hair on his dome.

Ten blocks further I cross into the poorer section of the city. This a stew composed of graffetti, trash, impromptu auto graveyards and no lack of liquor stores. At the corner of University Ave. and Wabash St. sits Happy Daze Liquor (I couldn't have made that name up in my wildest imagination) with the classic portrait of a hard-core-drinker outside, leaning agianst the dilapadated building. I don't know if he is holding the building up, or vice versa, but it doesn't look too promising either way. He looks as though he has been sipping the wares since dawn. His eyes are tired, his skin sallow, and his spirit broken. This is a man who appears to have seen his fair share of life's wear and tear and has all but given up.

Pushing 35 mph, I cross over into the College Area where stores are bustling, there are plently of fast food eateries, coffee houses and a sign flipper on every corner, trying to entice drivers to stop in for the lastest in Philly Cheese Steaks, Lube and Oil Changes, or "Cold beer-Hot women." These advertisers must be paid by the new customer count for all the energy they put into spinning, dancing and waving at drivers. Dare I say, I have seen a few cute spinners in my day, unfortunately, TODAY was not one of them.

I approach my own neck of the woods and turn my radio on to a jazz station. Norah Jones serenades me with her voice and I feel like she is speaking just to me. Out of all the places I could be in this world, right here, at this moment, I am where I am supposed to be. Her lyrics? "Come with me and we can take the long way home." It has to be God's work that I hear this song, at this time, on this day.

Chips n Dip

I find it amazing that in the state of recession American's are in, there are still people who have the blessing of a job and take such a perfunctory pride in their workmanship. Out of a crew of 15 people I assist my boss in overseeing, there are only two in total that have a great work ethic and are dependable to get the job done. The rest come to work every day disparaging the authority of their managers and do the barest minimum , enough to convince themselves they are flying under the radar.

There is one in particular, a guy in his mid 20's, a Brooklyn transplant with a chip on his shoulder the size of his home town and the personality of a toxic sponge. His appreciation of a steady paycheck is so truncated it is invisible to the naked eye. One example: he was asked to remove some debris from the parking lot. Instead of properly disposing into a dumpster, he simply threw it on the roof of the building. Deficient intelligence or just a don't-give-two-shits-attitude? Or both? I guess he forgot our building is on a slope and the next level up is lined with offices, one of which is the hospital CEO, who witnessed random articles being tossed at her window. Funny, no?

The flip side to this phenominon, my new boss and I are a great team. He trusts my judgment and instinct. Thus far, he has interviewed two people I have encouraged to apply and both are in the hiring process. Both are grateful for a chance at gainful employment with good pay and health benefits. So, to those who find themselves hating their jobs, I have one thing to say... if you don't want to do your job, there are plenty of people who will take it off your hands, do it better, and come to work with a smile instead of a bag of chips.

Forced Reboot

Begrudgingly, I must admit my cellular phone is my most used connection to the world. After being rendered continuous bodily harm, it went on strike this past weekend. I believe it was my attempt at drowning it with a pilphered-from-the-bar, liver-disintegrating, Jack and Coke, that finally sent it over the edge. After two days of fighting, it finally gave into its emminent death.  After several go-rounds with the vermin of Verizon, who ASSURED me all my information was backed up, and later luxuriated in bogus apologies, I now have one useless Blackberry that has been completely wiped naked and another brand new replacement enroute via FedEx.

I was annoyed to say the very least. I lost all my photos, contacts, email addresses, memos, scheduled appointments, passwords.... everything in one single swoosh like water down a drain.  After some mulling over, I realized this was an opportunity to free myself from the dead weight I have been carrying around in my pocket since the Clinton administration. I have come to terms with the entire affair and bid adiou to all my frustrations. I feel lighter already.

Oh Starry Night

There is nothing better than the feeling one gets at the end of a long, exhausting day, than the one they get when they climb into their own, comfortable bed. For me, there are a few details that complete this lovely moment. Fresh linens that have the aromatheraputic scent of Eucalyptus Mint, double pillows (one for my head and one to hug) and a goose down comfortor. I sleep slightly askew, as I typically have one foot sticking out from under the blankets. My dog snuggles next to me, a fan is on or at the very least, a window open. If I don't have my Ipod on the ocean sounds or rain forest. Admitting this may make me the arse of many 'o unkind jokes, but I can live with that.


So, as I wind down my Monday night, disconnecting from the constant bells and whistles of connectivity,  I say my evening prayers and thank the big guy upstairs for blessing me with another successful day. Buenos Noches, kids.

Food For Thought

It is easier to preach TEN sermons than it is to live ONE.

Opportunity may knock once, but temptation bangs on you door forever.

Don't wait for six strong men to take you to church.

Forbidden fruits create many jams.

Don't let your worries get the best of you, remember, even Moses started out as a basket case.

Some minds are like concrete: thoroughly mixed up and permanently set. 

Don't put a question mark where God put a period. 

You can tell how big a person really is by what it takes to discourage him.  

10 Suprising Facts....

That you may not know about me!!

I rarely sleep in the traditional head-at-the-headboard/foot-at-the-footboard position. I much prefer to sleep sideways or backwards.

I think creamed corn looks like vomit : /

My father wrote a one hit wonder in 1963 as the drummer for The Cascades "The Rhytm of the Falling Rain"

I once held the job of golf club assembler.

I adore Audrey Hepburn movies.

In high school I played Varsity tennis and wrote editorials for the school paper.

I have five tattoos, but one is a cover up... so really only four.

I have never rode on a motorcycle.

I have owned exactly 10 cars in the last 23 years and an old Suzuki Samuri was by far the most fun.

I have four brothers and no sisters.