Dingoes Trot with Turkeys in November - Page 2

[doctorjen]

I cannot believe it's November already.  Where did this year go?

Nic - I said it already on facebook, but you are truly amazing, mama!  It takes a lot to keep going in those circumstances.  Thank goodness for friends, but I hope you can get back in your own house with power, soon!

tjsmama - is that resume finished?

1jooj - are you doing NaNoWriMo?  Catherine stayed up to midnight last night to start as soon as possible.  This is her 4th year in a row, and would be her third "win" if she makes it.  I agree with the others about your mom.  Hard to see how any one can look at your situation and see you as not toughing it out?

bec - you're already next on the race list again!  I so wish I was still in IL and could run that one with you (well, except that I really like my new job, and the house, and the neighborhood.)  Eat some chocolate for me!

NRR - I get a dingo meet up!  Catherine and I are headed to Geo's town this weekend for some college visits.  We're hoping to also take in K's soccer game and hit an art museum! 

RR - ran 6 on a local trail today.  This is a multi-use trail, that is hard packed gravel, not anything too rustic, but still lovely to run outside, crunch leaves under foot, and hear the birds and bugs.  Yesterday, I passed 1000 miles for 2011!  This was a secret New Year's resolution for me.  The highest I've ever managed before was high 800s, so I'm pretty excited. 

[bec]

Wow! Way to go on the mileage, Jen!  Maybe I can come down to K. City sometime and do a race down there!  Or, we could do a big Dingo Meetup at Indy for the Mini again this spring!  I really missed not camping with the Dingos last summer.  I know it was a crazy summer for lots of us, but I would really love it if we could have one this coming summer (see me already looking forward to summer?!).

Zub - All my prayers are with you and your family. 

Oh, and I was watching videos on Devour and found Life In A Day.  It's kind of long, but so worth it.  They took July 24, 2010, and asked for videos taken on that day, answering a few questions.  They got over 4500 hours of footage from all over the world.  One of the cooler things I've seen!

[tjsmama]

zub~Thinking of you. Hang in there, mama.

drjen~ 1000 miles is awesome!

Yes, yes, the resume is done. Maybe not stellar, but "good enough" for now. I'm debating on a cover letter or not for my meeting with the manager tomorrow. I'm kind of thinking why bother, since I'm pretty sure HR is the only place it will be seen, and if my manager likes me, she WILL make sure I get interviewed, regardless of HR. I dropped off the resume and letter at the other hospital (where I did my practicum), lined up a reference from my preceptor, and sent emails to all three of my recommendation letter-writers giving them status updates. I even got a preliminary portfolio put together. I'm not entirely sure what all I'm supposed to have in it, but so far I have: my resume; copies of letters of recommendation; copies of a thank-you letter and an accolade I got from two separate patients during my practicum; a copy of my peer mentor program certificate; and a writing sample with comments raving about how great it was and a 100%. I guess my manager will let me know what I'm missing, right?

So, while I didn't get *everything* done that I need to, I at least took a decent-sized chunk out of it. I have to be on campus for simulation at 10:30 tomorrow, so I'm thinking that I will haul my behind over there early after dropping DS at school at 8 and spend some time working on things that are due on Wednesday. Unless, of course, there is no school for DS tomorrow (another winter storm warning), in which case I'm not really sure how that's going to work out...

[Realrellim]

Nic-- for the marathon. That was a tough one and you did it anyhow. Also, I hope you're able to get home and power is restored without too much trouble.

tjsmama--yay for a done resume, and good luck with our second snowstorm of the year. Paul has an early meeting on campus tomorrow and I'm taking R to school...that should be all sorts of fun. It wasn't snowing in Denver when I left at 8:45, but it was coming down heavily at home. I'm a little skeered to see what morning will bring.

zub-- Hang in there is inadequate, as is anything I can say. Those weeks with J were among the worst in my life. I'll send lots of Dingo vibes that you get through this and that the time passes quickly.

Have already forgotten the rest of my personals.

To whomever asked: I'm not sure how quickly the tt job process will go. They might schedule interviews before the holidays but I'm guessing the interviews themselves won't take place until January. Kerc and Geo and Zub might have a better idea.

They're going to asks finalists for a Quicktime video showing them teaching a class, so I'm going to bring my Flip camera to class on Thursday and set it up. Rumor has it that I'm only teaching online next semester (more department politics!) so I'm going to get the video done while I can.

Speaking of the job drama, I'd been debating who to use as my third (or as it turns out, fourth) recommender. I'd been thinking of my supervisor until it turned out that he'd mommy-tracked me, and so then I went with the more flaky faculty member who at least respects online teaching and doesn't have a problem with maternity leave. It turns out I was right: he can be flaky. Thank goodness my former advisor came through for me, because this recommender hasn't written the letter yet. Apparently he was a little busy this week. I should still be able to use his letter to apply to a community college though, so it's not wasted.

[Nickarolaberry]

Thanks for the kind words, mamas. You make me cry. Amazingly I don't feel that power you all think I have...although I know that if I read the same story from someone else, I would think they were amazing. So where is my own confidence and power? Sigh.

I am hoping to get home today. Dh wants me to come home regardless of whether the power has come back. I think he is insane. Maybe the cold water has frozen his brain.

Zub, hugs (I can't do smileys for some reason). I really, really empathize with your fear and frustration and depression. Unfortunately I have no helpful words or strategies to offer other than...we're here. (Also, since you're building your new house...you might want to consider investing in a generator. I never thought I'd need one of those but apparently life has changed and it's a good thing to have).

Gaye, hugs and luck on the job front. The match process (is that what it is?) and the medical field are not so simple but it sounds like you have so much to offer and I know something great will come your way.

Jo, I can understand the guilt factor in being away from dh. I really can. But he is away from you so much now...I don't know. The only thing I do know, having now followed my husband to a distant and unknown (albeit not foreign!) locale for the 3rd time in 10 years, is that if you find a place you love, try and stay put somehow. I am exhausted from all these moves, and on a deep level my trust and confidence in my marriage (which had issues anyway) has been compromised by the feeling that we're never quite secure where we are because I don't know what will happen with dh's job. It's better to have a wonderful home base and try and make it work from there. This is my gut feeling right now. It might not be right for you, but having that center is so important...I don't have that anymore. It has been brought to my attention even more these past few days because I've had the opportunity to spend time in the two communities I truly loved living in with friends I really care about. I would give a great deal to be able to go back to either one of those places. I do like our new area, but it's not the same...(yet?). Find your heart's center and go there.

I can't remember the other personals. I'm still a bit of a mess. My stomach isn't right, my foot is hurting, and I'm wrung out. and I can't even run to get the willies out. Sigh. Slowly, slowly...

[Runningmommy]

Hello November!!  :)  Wowzers!!

DrJen~when you get a free minute (haha!) would you put this Saturday's race on the list please?  It's the Monumental Half Marathon, November 5.  Thanks!

RR: been resting my foot this week from a sprained muscle from Just Dance 3.  Yup, I was really getting into it and injury occured hour 2 of dancing. 

NRR:  trying to get it all done.  :)

Hope to keep up better. 

Zub and Real~hugs!

[sparkletruck]

While I have no RR to offer, I do have this running-related tidbit. Kinda interesting:


http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/06/magazine/running-christopher-mcdougall.html?pagewanted=1&hp
Edited by sparkletruck - 11/2/11 at 6:22pm

[1jooj]

Funny, I can run and not come back feeling sore, but put me barefoot on these tile floors for a few hours and I am done. My back is killing me this AM. Kids' last day of school before a long weekend, dh comes home sometime tonight in the middle of the night (surprise for the kids), and I got a bunch of emails overnight here related to writing up an offer to purchase and signing off on the same docs I signed as a seller.  Seems dh has been talking with the realtors. I guess I am going to have to talk to him to find out just what sort of price he is willing to offer. omg. If this goes down, we'll be buying the place back for about $100K less than we got for it in the buyout, and even less than we owed on it before. And we'd only have to finance about half the purchase price. Anyway, dh obviously has a few things to talk with me about.  Nic, it may just be working out the way it needs to; guess we sort of watch and see. Thank you for your wisdom and thoughts on it. I think you really are getting where I'm at, and the feeling of not just being alone in the desert (oooh, it's Eid-al-Adha and the Hagar story is a big part of that, and I may just have a blog post brewing), but with no safety net beneath me (because realistically, no water is going to spring forth from the sand where dd stomps it with her heel) is a desperate and heartbroken place.

Jennie, how much time did you guys put between offer and closing? I need to see how far out I can put that date in order to make the financing easier. I can get a better rate on a home loan if I can move in 60 days after purchase; otherwise, I have to take a different type of loan and the rate would be a quarter percent higher or so.

Sparkle, I am jumping into the article, and just reading that 79% of us will have an injury makes me think, "whaaaa?" I'd like to go barefoot, but not at this weight. And I think weight probably does have a good deal to do with those numbers being so high. If I were 130lbs, I'm sure my weight-bearing joints would be feeling much better than they are now.

drjen, no NaNoWriMo for me, but November is a great month to make progress on writing projects. I have a special column to write for the 40th anniversary of the UAE, and my trip to the bookstore yesterday was action-packed. I got into it with a security guard, a CSR and a management-type over the fact that I was there with pen and notebook, taking notes. No kidding. I basically told them all where to put it with my airline-stewardess smile and went about my business. Besides that, I want to try and get through the rough of what is basically "act two" of my novel story. Another period of slogging, really.

Gaye, I'd still write a cover letter, but that is my insecure self. I always want to make it clear to people that I am really serious about things, so I follow procedural guidelines. Then later, when I need them to work outside the lines with me, I've made it clear already that it's about my needs and not my lack of regard for them or the job. Just my MO.

Real, I know we'd discussed mommy-tracking and all that before, but I had never heard/seen such extreme examples as yours. I am so disgusted on your behalf, and I just want something awesome to come down for you. It would be such a joy to see a wonderful opportunity happen. Hoping for the best for you, really really.

and bec, if there's an upper midwestern meetup, maybe maybe just maybe I could make it. That thought makes me .

OK, guess I better see what all this offer to purchase stuff is about...

[Plady]

[tjsmama]

Today was a long, full day. We had another 6-ish inches of snow this morning, and I was desperately hoping for a school delay. Not cancellation, mind you, just an extra hour or two of sleep! No such luck. Districts all around us cancelled, but not us. I dropped DS at school on iffy-but-ok roads, only to realize that I left his lunchbox at home. I figured it was bound to happen sooner or later, but did it have to happen on a day with crappy road conditions? I retrieved it and then headed off to my school, got an hour's worth of work done, and then had my LAST SIMULATION of nursing school! Then my meeting with my manager, who was running late, then flew home and did the fastest searing job EVER on a pot roast and veggies to get them in the oven in time before heading off to volunteer in DS's classroom. Home from school, and two hours of cleaning to get the kitchen, dining, living and guest bath rooms presentable for guests because a friend who is interested in going to nursing school was coming over for dinner. DS, once again, took three painful hours to do not-very-much of his homework. And of all the things that I attempted to bribe, I mean motivate, him with...it took peeling potatoes to get his behind in gear! I was peeling potatoes for dinner, and I told him if he could get his homework colored fast enough, he could peel one. I've never seen the child color so quickly! Seriously! Dinner was really nice, although DS was kind of tired-crazy-out of control. Which, you know, is kind of normal for most kids.

So...the meeting with my manager...EXTREMELY helpful. She told me straight up that she will guarantee that I get a med-surg interview. She feels like she owes it to her employees to give them that opportunity...once there, it's up to them to prove themselves worthy of a position. So... That's a HUGE deal, when they may interview 15 people out of 300 applicants. She also gave me some great tips on what they look for in resumes and portfolios and interviewing. So I need to get my supplemental application done and a great cover letter written (she said it IS important), and then I guess I wait. And start thinking seriously about interview preparation!

[LaLaLaLa]

It's my birthday, it's my birthday, it's my bir-hir-hir-hirth day.    We've been refugees at my parents' place for the past few days, since they've had power and we have not.  Early this morning (yesterday morning, technically) we drove up in time to get the kids on the school bus and start unpacking and cleaning and comforting the cat.  I'm ready for life to get back to normal a bit.

And now, it's my birthday!  And I need to go to bed so I can wake up in time to have waffles with ice cream and whipped cream for breakfast in just over six hours.

It will not be a very exciting birthday, since we just came home from Disney World (hard to top that) and I told DH that I didn't want any presents this year.  Actually, I told him I wanted a new dishwasher since ours recently died and I'm tired of washing dishes by hand.  Not the most thrilling of birthday gifts, but something I'll be happy to have.  Maybe this weekend we'll go shopping.

Tomorrow I will get out and run, too.  I haven't run in a couple of weeks, since my half-marathon, and I'm ready to get back out there again.  The rest of the day I'll do EXACTLY what I want.  Provided that what I want is to fight with DD and wonder where her teenaged attitude came from.  And take DS to drum class and DD to soccer.  And do laundry.  As I said, I'll spend the day doing exactly what I want. 

[1jooj]

 

Do EXACTLY what you want. 

[Shantimama]

Just checking in to say hi again   I have been sick for the past few weeks and haven't even been able to stand the light from the computer screen for more than a couple of minutes at a time. I am trying to catch up on October's thread - just started page 7   so I will post more when I am up to date with everyone!

RR - not running as my asthma is a mess and isn't easing up much so walking instead. Walked 3 km yesterday and about 8 the day before. Both times came home and crashed from exhaustion. I have so little patience for being sick.

[Shantimama]

JenLove - Congratulations!!!!!!!

Nick - I know it has been almost a month but I was very moved by your post on Yom Kippur. I so get where you are coming from.

Plady - 

I can't believe reading for half an hour has wiped me out but it has. This could be a long day, DIngoes. I have a ton of overdue paperwork that really doesn't care if I can handle it or not.

[JenLove]

Jo - It was 60 days, but we had to pay a fee to guarantee our interest rate percentage past 45 days.  Ever thought of living in the UP? ;)

Happy Birthday L4!!!

[JayGee]

Shanti ~ I'm sorry you haven't been well.  Hopefully whatever you've got is on its way out.

Lala ~ Happy Birthday!!!!  Enjoy your special breakfast and your whole day!

tjsmama ~  for the guaranteed interview!  How much homework does your DS have?  I think Kirsten only gets about 10 minutes worth, once a week.  Glad you discovered potato peeling as his "currency"!

jooj ~ offer to purchase sounds great!  Keep us posted.

bec ~ I'm in for a midwest meetup next year as well!

sparkle ~ thanks for the article

zub ~ I know how difficult it is to stay "zen" at times like this.  I pray that all is well at your appointment.

Real ~ like Jooj, I am also outraged on your behalf.  Mommy track, indeed !

RR ~ pilates yesterday, nothing today since I am volunteering in the library pretty much all day.  But I love that, so it's still good.  I'm finding that I've become way less compulsive about running and exercise in general.  If it happens, great!  But if it doesn't, I don't sweat it.  I plan on installing my bike on the trainer this weekend though, so I should be able to ride down there when I can't get to the Y or only have a limited amount of time.

NRR ~ cool, rainy day but in a cozy way.  I finally hung curtains in my livingroom and it just makes the whole room feel comfortable and livable.  Time to get ready for the school library!

[poppywise]

Nic - way to summon the courage and strength to get yourself through that race

Sparkle - That article was so interesting! Having a footwear industry background, I sort of shun the VFFs (for no solid reason, it's complicated) but i have switched to the Saucony Fastwitch, a more minimilast shoe. I expected all kinds of issues since I usually run with orthotics....nope. It has been the best running shoe for me thus far. I just did the 100-ups described in the article. I would love to find better running form somehow...
Side note: I ran the East Ridge Trail at Redwood on Sunday and thought of you.


Zub - keeping you in my thoughts daily

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Oakland is burning....sigh....

Oh and also! My dh's face got the slightest glimmer of movement back to the left side!

ETA: Happy Birthday La4!
Edited by poppywise - 11/3/11 at 7:10am

[Plady]

Happy Birthday Lala! 

Jo - I think it would be pretty cool for you to trade a year in Dubai for your own house newly improved and extra $ in the bank.  Your mom is nuts on this one though.

Shanti - I'm sorry you've been sick, hope it's on its way out.

I hope y'all figured out which was your smilie last night, some were multitasking.  Sorry, I'm just so out of time. I spent the entire day working on show stuff.  Thank God Dh is being such a start about keeping the house running.  If it was all up to me we'd be eating cold cereal every night.

And no RR.  My back/psoas/hip has been KILLING me.  The worst part is shelling out more than I earn as a lifeguard to maintain my gym membership that I haven't used in too long to think about. 

Oh well, back to it.

[sparkletruck]

JG - I too have been about exercise. Not dismissing its importance, but rolling with it. I used to really get down in the winter when it tends to flag, but this year, not.

Poppy - ooohhh, I have been day-dreaming about the east ridge trail! How funny! Im actually fantasizing that Im running it, and/or may be able to at some point (make that the one run I do a year that ruins me for the next 11 months ) Yes, Ive always scoffed at Vibrams, less so now And for your dh

Jo - I wondered about the weight thing, but it sounds like its really technique. That light spring off the toes. Do you heel strike? I never have, so that's not my problem in the first place, but I can see how that would add a ton of weight to the landing...

[kerc]

Reading along, considering coming back and posting later and then I read this:

Originally Posted by 1jooj 
and bec, if there's an upper midwestern meetup, maybe maybe just maybe I could make it. That thought makes me .

I'd come east in a heartbeat.

Just saying.

Winter or summer.

And now back to my reading.