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Archive: March 2004

Snap, Crackle, Pop

It's so nice to have the weekend off. I haven't had a job that gave me weekends and holidays off since mom and I were working for an audiologist about five years ago. That was an interesting experience, working with my mom. We worked together extremely well, I thought (both being a bit *cough* Type-A), but our boss was intolerable, and thus, so was the work environment. I once forgot to put a stamp on an outgoing piece of correspondence, and when it came back stamped "insufficient postage" he called me into his office and very sarcastically explained to me that all the letters I sent out needed a stamp, and did I understand that concept? It's been a while since I thought about that job, must have blocked it a bit...

Anyway, weekends, yes. Glad, so glad. We've quickly settled into a sort of routine on the weekends, being childless and fairly duty-free. Saturday mornings (and sometimes Sunday mornings, as well) mean laying about in our pajamas doing whatever we like (right now, he's playing Morrowind, I'm sat on the futon bookended by cats - although Latte is oozing onto my lap/laptop and frequently needs rearranging). Noonish, we generally motivate enough to shower and head out, either to run errands, windowshop, see a movie, etc. Last weekend we went on a five-mile rollerblading adventure along the Sammamish River Trail. This weekend we're finishing up the faux hardwood flooring that Mike started about six months ago; the edges never quite got done, and since I have a bit of my parents' weekend work ethic (that being, you can't be a total slacker on the weekend) and I'm sure Mike's getting tired of looking at the unfinished business, we're tackling the job today.

Right after we finish the "laying about" portion of our program.

Not much else going on. I wanted to ask a question, and this probably seems inane, but since I'm spending a lot more time in my car than I usually do, it's something I've noticed more and more. Why do so many people keep a box of kleenex in the back window of their car? I can understand if you've got school-aged children who have grasped the concept of blowing their own nose...but hey, for the most part the back seat of our vehicles stays empty. I just don't get it.

I'm having non-buyer's remorse. I miss my almost-made-it-to-production Mini. *snif*

Mike and I started Atkins when we got back from the wedding, it's been almost two weeks and he's down seven pounds and I'm down five and a half (hey, that "a half" is important!). I'm finding it a lot easier than I thought to stay on the plan...and it seems to be working, so booya. I've worked out the past three days, and when I'm done with this I think I'll make it four. Tomorrow we're maybe going rollerblading again. I feel pretty good.

My foot is still bruised and sore. I still can't wear half my shoes. This is not a good thing. Nor is the sound my knees make when I'm doing even low-impact aerobics. I've always had noisy knees, but they seem to have gotten worse in the past couple of months, and they're starting to hurt. I've got an appointment with my doctor to find out what the dealio is...in the meantime I'm amusing myself by skeeving out my coworkers by having them put their hand on my kneecap while I extend my leg. Feels like a dozen tiny pebbles rubbing against each other just under the skin. Ewwwww....

Congratulations to Trish and The Man (can't bring myself to call him Simon, he will always be The Man to me) on their recent (yesterday) nuptuals. I hope your Scotland honeymoon is restful and romantic. :)

 
Saturday 27 March 2004 at 08:37

It was all of the above, thankyouverymuch. Your knees sound remarkably similar to mine, great for the shock value when unsuspecting people feel the snap/crackle/pop. Go with the physio/kneebrace route...do NOT let them coerce you into getting it scoped. All bad, that evil scope. [salty*dog]
Qoute: "Why do so many people keep a box of kleenex in the back window of their car?" LOL- I have lost many hours of sleep thinking about this and I just asked Amy that the other night! I mean this has to be the most inconvenient place besides the trunk to put a box of tissues. I thought maybe it's a gang symbol or something. or a way to balance the car like when people put cat litter in the back of their truck beds. But Amy said it's because drivers always put the box in the back seat and when people have to sit in the back, they just put it back by the window. [Michael]
just wanted to tell you it's pretty darned nifty that your grandmother notes your blog. [wendy]
I am so proud of both of you keep it up. Margie just came back fromWeight Watchers and she lost one and a half pounds this week. I do the same thing as her so I guess I should have lost. Been to Olive garden twice since Saturday. Had just a girls dinner at OG as that is where Kim wanted and we had a great time. Hope your foot is better as it looked so sore. Love reading your website, what a great idea. Enough for now. Love Ya Grams [Grandma]
You mean its not normal for joints to pop like that? ;) I have had some since childhood that do it every time, I just got used to it... [J.P.]
And Back Again

DSC01368.JPGSan Jose was lovely...perfect weather, beautiful wedding, spiffy hotel (except, perhaps, that it was directly in the flight path of San Jose Int'l), free-flowing booze, and most of my favorite people in the world. I was sick, sure, but aside from a bit of whimpering on the descent into San Jose (as my ears refused to pop), I put on my game face and popped my cold meds religiously and managed to have a great time despite. There was much laughing and drinking and dancing and hugging and kissing as the night wore on...I was dancing with my sister early on and got myself quite literally underfoot (see picture, right) a high heeled strappy thing... But I recovered quickly and did some swing dancing with dad, and even got Mikey out there a time or two (and horrified him with my knowledge of the lyrics to a certain country song).
DSC01364.JPGLater on, the single girls were reluctantly herded onto the dancefloor for the bouquet toss, and as the flowers sailed toward us, not a one stepped forward to catch it, much to my newly-wed cousin's consternation. A "do-over" was called, and I could do naught but catch it when it came plummeting toward me (see picture, left). Later, there was a conga line, which negated any future wedding plans between Beth and Mike...he having earlier stated "I don't think I could marry into a family that does the conga..." But all in all, a nice weekend, good people, good times. Bit of an adventure to get to the airport with mom and dad, but once there we were fortunate to be able to fly standby on their flight rather than wait the extra hour and a half for our original one...I was even seated in an exit row, right across the aisle from the parentals, and directly in front of Mike. So we were back home in Issaquah by five, rather than touching down at SeaTac at 5:45. Which is good, because I'm beat. And now if you'll excuse me, I have some kitties to love on...

 
Sunday 14 March 2004 at 18:58

Hi Beth Just want to say hello and hope your foot is better now. wonderful seeing all of you and had such a great time. Looking forward to seeing all of you in July at Bend, Ore. Love you Grandma [Evelyn T.]
Hi Beth, got your voicemail. Hope you get used to the commute...it can be a pain. Thanks for the call. Love. [Dad]
sorry 'bout the foot. i thought i got you with the toe, not the heel. oops! [megs]
Nice bruisage! High heels are nasty evil things. I've almost broken both my ankles attempting to relearn how to walk in 'em. Sounds like a good time was had by all. Even anti-conga Mike. ;-) [salty*dog]
...On a Jet Plane

We're leaving today, headed south for the cousin wedding in San Jose. It's been a pretty uneventful week or so...I went on a couple more job interviews, finished unpacking and "girlifying" the condo (his words, not mine), worked a bit, got sick, whined a lot about it...

It seems like every time I fly to the Bay Area I've got a head cold, which, coupled with the extensive scar tissue on my eardrums from childhood surgeries and the innate inability to Valsalva to equalize pressure on both sides of said scar tissue...well, it makes for one miserable flying Bethy. I'm armed with Afrin, Zyrtec, Dayquil, cough drops, a packet of tissues, and an understanding boyfriend. I'm sure it'll be fine...

On the job front, I've had a half-dozen interviews in the past month and a half or so...some jobs I wasn't really interested in, but went anyway and ended up excited about the position...some jobs I thought were perfect on paper but ended up being nightmare propositions (55 hour workweeks, salaried, and no vacation for the first two years, are you shitting me???). So the end result of all this searching, applying, calling, meeting, talking, selling myself is that I've discovered (re-discovered, actually) that old maxim: Sometimes when you're not sure where you're headed, it's best to stay right where you are.

And so I think that's what I will do, since the powers that be at my office job (which I love, the people and the job) have decided that 1) their practice is growing at such a pace that they actually need two nurses on staff, and 2) they like me, they really like me, and don't want to see me go/don't want to have to hire and train someone new. And so they've offered me at least thirty hours a week to start, ramping up to forty within a month or so. So, for the time being, it looks like I'm staying where I am.

Another nice thing about staying in my current job (which has some degree of flexibility in hours and workload) is that it dovetails nicely with my plans to sometime soon go back to school and finally finish the bachelor's degree I started back in 1990. I'm shooting for starting in the fall...we shall see. I'm informed that I will be summarily disowned by my WSU-alumnus father if I "turn Husky"...hey, I'm an Eagle, and that's where I'd like my degree to come from, thankyouverymuch.

If anyone is looking for (or knows of someone who is) a Seattle apartment, my former apartment is for rent again. I can vouch for the landlords, they're pretty cool. ;)

Off to pack...have a good weekend, everyone.

 
Friday 12 March 2004 at 08:17

Hey, Thanks Beth. I can vouch for the tenant as well, the best we have ever had :) [Anthony Ianniciello]
Holy CRAP! That place is awesome. Why am I paying $900 for a 2-bdrm half the size in L.A. (and, getting a good deal, at that?) Too bad it's in Seattle, or I'd be all over it. I'm off for Australia on Monday evening, but I'll hope to talk to you when I get back (4/2). [Mike!]
So tell us about your guys' new digs! (maybe some pics?). Good luck with all the job interviews. I miss that thrill for the hunt and your post has reignighted that flame... [Michael]
Holy rusted metal Batman...that IS a good deal. If I weren't paying a mortgage, I might jump at it. [J.P.]
Oh my, that's a great price for your old place! I'm tempted to take it just for the heck of it. It would be quite a commute, though. [P]