Raoul had already met my dad and his family (minus Li'l Sis as she was away at camp), but until last night had not yet met my children. To be honest, I was petrified. The boys are outspoken to say the least, and I was afraid one or both would say something terribly embarrassing. I wanted all parties to leave the evening figuring they could spend more time with the others.
Fortunately, even though the boys were a tad goofy, everyone got along just fine. Now, at times that was at my expense, but that is a small price to pay. Raoul beat the socks off the rest of us at Scrabble. Dinner was acceptable. I unilaterally vetoed any Twister suggestions. All went pretty well and I think future 'dates' of this nature are possible.
So, in case no one noticed, the one-year anniversary of this blog's beginnings passed this week!
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Monday, May 25, 2009
Raoul
I am sure many of my readers noticed an absence of new posts in the last week. Astute observers may suspect that this absence coincides with the appearance of Raoul. They would be correct. Please forgive the twitterpated rambling that is about to ensue...
Raoul and I met in early December when I began my new job 'for real'. He was temporarily assigned the task of wandering around, helping out newbies like me. Anyone who knows me knows I ask a LOT of questions and he quickly became one of my favorite answer-people. He struck me as smart and kind, and I apparently struck him as smart and attractive, which I did not suspect at the time. After the holiday rush was over he went back to his previous post and we saw very little of one another.
When I was temporarily assigned to a team adjunct to his, he stopped me in the hall to congratulate me. One would think that at this point I'd have noticed that he was paying attention to me, but I did not. Additionally, I apparently need to wear a sign that says, 'Yes, I AM single' because he says it took quite some time to find out that I was not married. Anyway, after that temporary assignment was over and I headed a new one, he mysteriously kept appearing near me on my lunch breaks. A couple of spots were opening up on his team and he encouraged me daily to apply. I was resistant (I think I noted that here) but Raoul was very encouraging and eventually when I opted to apply I sent him an email asking for interview-prep advice. At this point he cleverly obtained my home email address, which is a good thing, because I honestly don't think he would ever have asked me out at work. (we are still figuring out the complexities of dating a co-worker)
As you know, I got the job. This put us in the same place, or nearby anyhow, on almost the same schedule. We can't see each other from our hidey-holes but I can hear him pretty well and he makes me laugh. We started emailing about work stuff and eventually non-work stuff and eventually a lot of chatting online while at home, staying up too late and losing sleep because we were just having too much fun to go to bed.
It felt to me like it took him forever to ask me out on a date. I don't think he feels the same way, but that's ok. In any case, he is making up for lost time. We have been to the movies, out for coffee/tea, dancing (he is very patient and is teaching me to swing dance), hiking (well, I tried at any rate), walks in the park, etc. The boys have been gone for several days so I guess I have had a bit of a romantic-vacation-at-home. We'll have to go back to normal lives now, I suppose, but it's been fun.
Raoul is intelligent, funny, sweet, generous and patient. He makes me laugh and teaches me new things. He behaves like a gentleman. He bravely met half my family for dinner last night. He has a great smile and warm brown eyes. He's also a crazy driver and tells awful puns, just so you know I am not totally blind :-) Expect to hear more about him in future posts. (and I do hope he finds this one not-too-embarrassing)
Raoul and I met in early December when I began my new job 'for real'. He was temporarily assigned the task of wandering around, helping out newbies like me. Anyone who knows me knows I ask a LOT of questions and he quickly became one of my favorite answer-people. He struck me as smart and kind, and I apparently struck him as smart and attractive, which I did not suspect at the time. After the holiday rush was over he went back to his previous post and we saw very little of one another.
When I was temporarily assigned to a team adjunct to his, he stopped me in the hall to congratulate me. One would think that at this point I'd have noticed that he was paying attention to me, but I did not. Additionally, I apparently need to wear a sign that says, 'Yes, I AM single' because he says it took quite some time to find out that I was not married. Anyway, after that temporary assignment was over and I headed a new one, he mysteriously kept appearing near me on my lunch breaks. A couple of spots were opening up on his team and he encouraged me daily to apply. I was resistant (I think I noted that here) but Raoul was very encouraging and eventually when I opted to apply I sent him an email asking for interview-prep advice. At this point he cleverly obtained my home email address, which is a good thing, because I honestly don't think he would ever have asked me out at work. (we are still figuring out the complexities of dating a co-worker)
As you know, I got the job. This put us in the same place, or nearby anyhow, on almost the same schedule. We can't see each other from our hidey-holes but I can hear him pretty well and he makes me laugh. We started emailing about work stuff and eventually non-work stuff and eventually a lot of chatting online while at home, staying up too late and losing sleep because we were just having too much fun to go to bed.
It felt to me like it took him forever to ask me out on a date. I don't think he feels the same way, but that's ok. In any case, he is making up for lost time. We have been to the movies, out for coffee/tea, dancing (he is very patient and is teaching me to swing dance), hiking (well, I tried at any rate), walks in the park, etc. The boys have been gone for several days so I guess I have had a bit of a romantic-vacation-at-home. We'll have to go back to normal lives now, I suppose, but it's been fun.
Raoul is intelligent, funny, sweet, generous and patient. He makes me laugh and teaches me new things. He behaves like a gentleman. He bravely met half my family for dinner last night. He has a great smile and warm brown eyes. He's also a crazy driver and tells awful puns, just so you know I am not totally blind :-) Expect to hear more about him in future posts. (and I do hope he finds this one not-too-embarrassing)
Monday, May 18, 2009
My Full-Contact Sport of Choice
Here are the blouse and skirt I wore last night. Inexplicably, my blouse does not have pink piping. It is cute anyway.
Shopping with my mom is a full-contact sport. In 1 hour and six minutes minus travel time, I bought three outfits on my lunch break on Saturday at CJ Banks. She and a saleslady were tossing clothes over the top and running all over the store. Fortunately, the attendance hotline where I had to call to say I would be late coming back doesn't require the REASON for your lateness...no, really, boss, my mom is holding me hostage in a dressing room at the mall...no, she won't let me go until I try on this one sweater...
I had three main goals. I wanted a date outfit, a church/nice outfit and a casual outfit. I left with all three, although my mom bought half of one outfit 'cause I wasn't willing to pay for it, lol--and I thought it was illegal to pay full price for things but apparently I was wrong.
The dress is great...but on the invisible model in the picture, it isn't nearly as...um....curvy as it is on me. I haven't worn it out yet, as I need shoes and a good excuse. Casual outfit too casual to bother with linkies and pics :-P
The Good, the Bad, and a Non-Inspired Movie Review
I got to see Star Trek last night. My date, for whom I have yet to think of a pseudonym, asked me if I was going to blog a review, and I informed him that my writing waits for inspiration. It's been a while since I blogged, however, so, the sum total of my review of Star Trek is this: What is it with JJ Abrams and giant, suspended-in-mid-air balls of red liquid? The date and the movie were both great. So what's bad? The fact that my washing machine hose keeps popping off the machine, spewing water all over my basement floor! I just can't get the darned thing to stay in place. (Addendum: my date informs me that his pseudonym is Raoul)
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Industrious
So here's what the boys have been up to. They are reorganizing my mom's shop. The cart you see is one of many they have built--Brandon did this one. It has wheels and all four sides are organizational. Tons of storage! All the carts they are building have wheels so that Mom can store the machines against a wall and then pull them out when she needs them. It is very cool, and they are keeping busy. Monday, May 11, 2009
The End and the Means
Nate decided yesterday that he wants to take German at the local high school. He has wanted to learn German for a while now and I have balked at spending nearly $600 on Rosetta Stone and he has refused to consider another program (for lack of speech recognition software) and so we have been at a stalemate. Well, last night Li'l Sis said she was taking German at the high school next year because they apparently take 8th graders for that class. Nate jumped on this, figuring it was the best of all worlds-he and Li'l Sis could speak German with one another, I wouldn't have to spend any money, etc. So now I have to figure out how to get the school to let him into that class. They are required to do things like that but when I called it became pass-the-homeschooling-buck time. I am still waiting for a return call.
In the meantime I discussed with Nate the things he didn't want to hear. Like, you have to get up and go every morning. No more traveling on school days. No more working for mastery, you are stuck with your first score on homework and exams. Can't work at your own pace, so it'll take a whole two years to get two years in, have to take notes and write things by hand in class, etc.
Nate asked how long each class was and I said it was about one hour. He answered, "Well, no wonder it takes the whole year!" LOL
I don't think this is best for him but since I don't think it is bad for him, I'll let him do it. If nothing else it'll teach him a few things, and I don't mean German.
In the meantime I discussed with Nate the things he didn't want to hear. Like, you have to get up and go every morning. No more traveling on school days. No more working for mastery, you are stuck with your first score on homework and exams. Can't work at your own pace, so it'll take a whole two years to get two years in, have to take notes and write things by hand in class, etc.
Nate asked how long each class was and I said it was about one hour. He answered, "Well, no wonder it takes the whole year!" LOL
I don't think this is best for him but since I don't think it is bad for him, I'll let him do it. If nothing else it'll teach him a few things, and I don't mean German.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
The Truly Brilliant, Truly Special
It's been one of those weeks at work. The special customers had a direct line to my desk somehow. A few examples:
The customer whose maid threw away a $400 item because the customer was hiding it on top of the garbage can, under some old wrapping paper. This customer insisted that we replace the item. She called more than once and insisted on speaking to supervisors until finally she demanded the corporate office. My way of thinking on this? If you can afford a maid, you can afford to replace an item you were dumb enough to hide in the garbage.
The customer who claimed to be a personal friend of our CEO. And, because she was so special, she was SURE we would upgrade her item (which she had broken) to the newer version. I figure, she can ask our CEO the next time they get together for drinks (since our policy on that one is a big, fat 'no').
Another customer who is equally upset with the no-upgrade policy who wrote, and I quote: "I shall also encourage large members of my religious group to boycott" our company. I guess it's ok for the small members to continue shopping with us.
And yesterday I had a gentleman who wanted me to assist him in breaking copyright law and, indeed, seemed unaware that there is such a thing as copyright law. He said the 'truly brilliant' people do this all the time. Hmm...
The customer whose maid threw away a $400 item because the customer was hiding it on top of the garbage can, under some old wrapping paper. This customer insisted that we replace the item. She called more than once and insisted on speaking to supervisors until finally she demanded the corporate office. My way of thinking on this? If you can afford a maid, you can afford to replace an item you were dumb enough to hide in the garbage.
The customer who claimed to be a personal friend of our CEO. And, because she was so special, she was SURE we would upgrade her item (which she had broken) to the newer version. I figure, she can ask our CEO the next time they get together for drinks (since our policy on that one is a big, fat 'no').
Another customer who is equally upset with the no-upgrade policy who wrote, and I quote: "I shall also encourage large members of my religious group to boycott" our company. I guess it's ok for the small members to continue shopping with us.
And yesterday I had a gentleman who wanted me to assist him in breaking copyright law and, indeed, seemed unaware that there is such a thing as copyright law. He said the 'truly brilliant' people do this all the time. Hmm...
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Tabloid Scandal
Now, I may be the pot calling the kettle black, here, but...
This whole thing with Jon Gosselin doing whatever he was doing with another woman? I don't condone the behavior, but my understanding from hearing others talk about the show (which I have never seen) is that Kate is pretty disrespectful of her husband. On national television. Men can't handle that, especially for long periods of time, without damage being done to them emotionally. I can hardly blame the guy for wanting to hang out with someone who treats him with honor instead. Someone give his wife a copy of The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands, for pete's sake.
This whole thing with Jon Gosselin doing whatever he was doing with another woman? I don't condone the behavior, but my understanding from hearing others talk about the show (which I have never seen) is that Kate is pretty disrespectful of her husband. On national television. Men can't handle that, especially for long periods of time, without damage being done to them emotionally. I can hardly blame the guy for wanting to hang out with someone who treats him with honor instead. Someone give his wife a copy of The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands, for pete's sake.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Where'd I Put My Habit?
The other day I pulled in to my driveway and was greeted by two black birds, two robins, two quail and two squirrels. It was like a scene out of Bambi. And it made my current predicament all that much worse. You see, each spring, from about April through June, I go all twitterpated. I find men are better-looking and there are more of them around. I have a harder time concentrating on things. I daydream more. I feel like sitting in the rain. Things are just plain weird. And I think I have a harder time making good decisions. Decisions like, "don't date that man, he's a creep." So I am thinking I should just move to a convent each Spring, and have them let me out for my birthday at the end of June. Do you think they would let me wear pink?
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Where's Aretha Franklin When You Need Her?
I was reading the local letters to the editor this morning when I came across this gem. Clearly something has been left off the curriculum during this child's education.
It is actually quite ironic...Waaahhhh! Quit treating us like babies! (where's my blanky?)
Oh...as opposed to the lofty 'senior class' who, I dunno...earned their authority by ageing four years? Without finding out what a bulletin board is?
It is actually quite ironic...Waaahhhh! Quit treating us like babies! (where's my blanky?)
Bulletin board to all substitute teachers: Don't tell us what to do. You're just
a substitute.
Oh...as opposed to the lofty 'senior class' who, I dunno...earned their authority by ageing four years? Without finding out what a bulletin board is?
This is a prime example of why I am not enamored with public education. Although, just for the record, my fave teacher ever was one Mr. Wyatt, substitute for the first three months of my fourth grade year. That man had a way of capturing kids' attention and R-E-S-P-E-C-T.
Friday, May 1, 2009
The Clothes This Season
They are ugly!
I was remarking to Mrs. Pevensie the other day that the fat girl clothes are really ugly this spring. She informed me that the straight-sized clothes are equally hideous. I said that may be so, but straight-sized girls get a wider selection of hideous choices!
I don't know why I keep going to the stores and trying. When I go to Coldwater Creek, things are too dressy and expensive. When I go to CJ Banks, where I used to have good luck, it's like walking into my grandmother's closet. WalMart clothes are see-through, whether they mean to be or not, because the fabric is so cheap, and everything has a ribbed or drawstring hemline--this is not a good thing in my world. And Lane Bryant? They are out to get me. Every time I see a cute top on a fat girl at work and ask where she got it, the answer is Lane Bryant...only when I walk into that store, I can't find any cute tops!
All this to say that I think I have three outfits. And I work four days a week. And I have decided that I need a date outfit. Just in case. I mean, it's been years since I have been on one, so I figure the odds are in my favor, right? (don't tell me if I am wrong)
I was remarking to Mrs. Pevensie the other day that the fat girl clothes are really ugly this spring. She informed me that the straight-sized clothes are equally hideous. I said that may be so, but straight-sized girls get a wider selection of hideous choices!
I don't know why I keep going to the stores and trying. When I go to Coldwater Creek, things are too dressy and expensive. When I go to CJ Banks, where I used to have good luck, it's like walking into my grandmother's closet. WalMart clothes are see-through, whether they mean to be or not, because the fabric is so cheap, and everything has a ribbed or drawstring hemline--this is not a good thing in my world. And Lane Bryant? They are out to get me. Every time I see a cute top on a fat girl at work and ask where she got it, the answer is Lane Bryant...only when I walk into that store, I can't find any cute tops!
All this to say that I think I have three outfits. And I work four days a week. And I have decided that I need a date outfit. Just in case. I mean, it's been years since I have been on one, so I figure the odds are in my favor, right? (don't tell me if I am wrong)
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