Jacksonville

*C is #3

Still Waiting

Now that I’ve let the cat out of the bag about my career aspirations, that’s about all the news I can give. This is a long and painful process that mostly involves waiting. State has requested some additional medical info from me, but I have to wait another 3 weeks before I can get the tests done, so I won’t even be able to submit that paperwork for consideration until the beginning of April. Then there’s always the chance that they’ll want more info/testing, so that process could continue to drag on. My security clearance seems to be chugging along (they redid the whole investigation – our tax dollars at work!), and I suspect I may hear news on that before I hear about my medical clearance. After those two items are done, I still have to pass through the Final Suitability Review before my name even goes on the hiring register.

I suppose all the delays are a good thing for now. I just got wind from the Yahoo Groups I belong to that State is canceling the May A-100 class altogether, most likely due to all of the budget issues. What does that mean for me? I have no freaking clue! My guess is that the registers will simply continue to grow with people, some of whom may have better scores than me which would put them higher on the list for the next class. Of course, when the next class will be held is also up for debate. I can only assume that State will have to hire at least at attrition rate (meaning that they need new blood to make up for retirees and those leaving the service for their own reasons); however, if there’s no budget and therefore no money…basically I have no idea when the next A-100 class will be or where I’ll be on the register once they resume. There is talk that they may cancel classes for the entire year! *sigh*

Of course in my real life (not the fantasy one I have in my head) I also work for the federal government, so the budget woes concern me greatly in that aspect as well. I don’t think I’m going to be laid off any time soon, but the longer this fiasco goes on, the more I have to worry about. Maybe I should have just stuck with the family status quo and gone into business for myself. At least then maybe I would feel like I have some control!

The World's Gone Crazy

Between the uprisings in the Middle East and the recent disasters in New Zealand, Australia, and Japan, it seems like the world's gone crazy. Husband thinks we're all going to die in 2012, but until we do, please consider going to the Red Cross and donating to your favorite cause. We used to live in Northern Japan (a few hours north of Sendai), and we have visited the area that was recently devastated by the earthquake and tsunami, and now the nuclear reactor business...It's very surreal to see a place where you spent so much time going through so much misfortune. Our hearts and prayers are with the people of Japan.

The Boy

Then

Now

*He's so not a baby anymore *SOB*

My Kids Are Badass

So, I have a number of ladies in my life that are or are about to become new parents, so I was thinking I should start writing more about parenting in general since I am so freaking awesome at it. You don’t think so? Well at least one of my kids has outlasted all of the others (that I know) – 12 years and no limbs lost - so, I win! Considering I get most of my parenting wisdom from here, here, and old episodes of Arrested Development, I think I am more than qualified to be doling out advice so here it goes. Kids are annoying. Yes, even yours. And even when you are the BEST PARENT IN THE WORLD your child will sometimes develop annoying or embarrassing characteristics. Take, for example, my youngest. Try as I might to deny it, it has become increasingly apparent that he is a One-Upper. He just can’t help himself. I’ve tried to teach him not to do it. I tried telling him it just makes him look like an asshole, but he just thinks that it’s funny that I said asshole. Case in point:

J: Mommy, I cut my finger in school today.

A: My too! My cut my finger, too!

J: It bled and my teacher had to put a bandaid on it.

A: My too! My too! My fin-er bed and put TWO bandaid on! No free! Free bandaid!

J: Look the bandaid is still on my finger.

A: Look my fin-er all gone.

Me: Um, you’re holding up your finger.

A: Dis fin-er not real.

Yesterday's conversation:

J: Mommy, mommy, mommy, mommmmy, mommyyyyy!

Me: What??!!

J: Tomorrow I’m going on a field trip!

A: My too, my too! My go in fee tip amorrow!

J: Well, I’m going to see a puppet show, and then we’re going to eat pizza!

A: My too. I go see poopin show and eee pizza, and then go to zoo and Disney and eveywer. My see bears and lions that poop on your face (because everything ends in pooping in someone’s face here at the Corner)

J: That’s gross

A: Dat awesome!

Latest Thoughts & Random Musings

Food For Thought

Someone posted this question on a fitness forum I frequent, and I thought it was really interesting. What if you could go back and live for a day in your 21 yr old body, what would you do? If I could live for one day in my 21 yr old body I would either be pregnant again (no thank you!) or just out-of-shape. Amazing that in my mid-thirties and after 3 kids, I am in the best shape of my life. Is my body perfect? The answer is decidedly no (thank you hangy stomachy thing). I will never have perky boobs again or a completely flat stomach (short of surgery), but I jump higher, run farther, and lift more than I ever could in my twenties. Oh, and to answer the question, I would probably get drunk and make fun of old people.

Not Food For Thought

In other news, we are flat broke. Okay not flat, flat broke, but I made a boo boo this month wherein I accidentally paid all of the mid-month bills at the beginning of the month. Unfortunately, the beginning of the month bills did not give a rats ass and still wanted to get paid thus resulting in a loss of any discretionary income whatsoever. In addition to being lame (!!) it also means I have started coveting many things which are now out of reach* like the Vitamix. Can you imagine? You could make soup in your blender! You can throw in whole fruit without having to peel or chop!! You could make super-dooper green smoothies!!! Aghhhhh! I am overwhelmed by its awesomeness. I am also seriously craving a TRX. Check out the tutorial. You can even use it with your kettlebells, my latest fitness craze. Me wantee!! Ugh, okay enough about stuff I’ll probably never get anyway because I just can’t bring myself to spend $400 on a blender (no matter how freaking awesome it is!!!!).

I’ve toned it down a bit on my workouts mainly b/c we were all hit with the pooping disease** around Christmas time. As most diseases go, it does not hit everyone all at once but instead infects only one family member at a time thus ensuring you have to take the maximum time off of work and spend the maximum amount cleaning*** So, in reality, this lasted us a good month. I was also obsessed with preparing for my oral exam, which caused me such nerves that I had very little appetite even if I hadn’t been pissing out of my ass (er, too much?). Anyway, boils down to, it’s just now that I’m starting to pick up my workouts again. As I like to do every so often, here’s my current workout schedule:

1 – 60min Circuit Training
2 – 30min HIIT, 30min Kettlebells
3 – Long cardio (60-70min)
4 – 60min Circuit Training
5 – 30min HIIT, 30 min Kettlebells
6 – Rest
7 – Yoga/Fusion/Pilates

On a lighter and totally unrelated note to anything I have written so far, you MUST go here …immediately…I’m waiting…no I mean right now. This post in particular made me laugh until I cried (be forewarned, close talkers, I lick!), which was unfortunate since I happened to be reading it at work.
Coworker: Um, Pu, are you okay in there?
Me: *snorfle laugh* Yeah, yeah. I'm just *SNOOOORT hahahaha* errrr, reviewing this project proposal.
Coworker: My project proposal?

I also discovered that although I have seen about 60% of our great country, I have actually only seen about 6% of the world :( Here’s hoping that will be rectified sooner rather than later.


visited 30 states (60%)
Create your own visited map of The United States 60%

visited 14 states (6.22%)
Create your own visited map of The World 6.22%


*Not that I would purchase them anyway since I am notoriously frugal (read: cheap) thanks to my Mama’s upbringing (she used to make us clothes…and ones for our Barbies to match…I can’t even hem my clothes…craziness!!
**Exactly what it sounds like
***Remember we still have at least two family members who have only a tenuous hold over their bowels when not inflicted with the pooping disease (again, not naming names)