Dingos bustling through December - Our running* thread - Page 2

[kerc]

Originally Posted by 1jooj 

Geo, you gonna see poppy?

Yeah, that. And did you get a piece of that blueberry crumble or pie or whatever your mom dropped last night? (yes, Geofizz's mom friended me years ago on facebook. I've never met her IRL but she's interesting to read about on the internet).
 

[Geofizz]

Every meal is booked for AGU, no time for dingoes. . Press interviews, committee meetings, and interviewing postdocs has filled it.

The berry cobbler was quite good, if a bit jumbled.

[Realrellim]

Mel38--that sounds so miserable. Hope the ringing goes away and the abx clear it up fast.

Geo--hope it's a good conference.

1jooj--that beach day sounds interesting. Did people act wild, or just dress with less than might be desired?

Rest day here, though hopefully I'll get motivated to do 6 pk abs tonight. We have to be out the door for an early choir practice tomorrow morning though, so I may just get to bed earlier instead. It's 2 degrees outside right now, so tomorrow morning will be rough no matter what.

[kerc]

Originally Posted by Geofizz 

Every meal is booked for AGU, no time for dingoes. . Press interviews, committee meetings, and interviewing postdocs has filled it.

It's tough to be a famous scientists, isn't it?

At least you get cobbler.

And I, well I should be catching up on all the to do stuff. Instead, I'm shopping. I desperately need new clothes. I don't have enough long sleeve things to make it to work on a regular basis not wearing the same 2 items. so when title nine keeps sending these damn emails, well I'm finally finding clothes that I can wear to work that aren't stuffy. i should have been a medical doc, not a rock doc. Then I could wear scrubs.
 

[tjsmama]

Originally Posted by kerc 

It's tough to be a famous scientists, isn't it?
At least you get cobbler.

I am with you on the clothes, kerc. I took advantage of Gap's 40% off Black Friday sale to buy some stuff, but it hasn't even shipped yet. And then I find out today that the consensus is that you MUST have a suit for interviews. Which is a load of crap. I specifically asked my manager about it, and she said no, just make sure you look professional (which to me, is a nice skirt or pants and a nice sweater or blouse). But all of my classmates are saying that they have heard you need a suit. I HATE having to buy a suit that I'm going to wear for interviews and that's it. So, I'll wear it once, or maybe two or three times and then it will sit in my closet for 10 years like the suit I currently have in there (which is not wearable due to weight loss, polyester, and the 90's in general). Blech. Stupid. But I refuse to let the reason that I don't get a job be that I didn't have a suit, so I guess I will go out and buy one.

Our last clinical conference for public health was this morning. Our clinical scholar is a space case. That is all. And then tonight was the induction ceremony for the national nursing honor society. It was kind of lame (sitting in a room listening to 200+ people's names get called and then not nearly enough appetizers for that many people), but it was fun to hang out with my classmates a bit, especially some that I hadn't seen in forever.

It is cold outside. Very, very cold. -4 cold.

[kerc]

Originally Posted by tjsmama 

But I refuse to let the reason that I don't get a job be that I didn't have a suit, so I guess I will go out and buy one.

resale shop. or wear dressy stuff that you like and would wear again.

wouldn't you love to be able to rent a suit for crap like that? I no longer own a suit.

If I regularly had to attend weddings or funerals I would buy one so that I no longer had to decide what to wear. 1-2 times a year I can do in my own clothes.

For work I do wear clothes like from eddie bauer or title nine's dress casual lines. I look good in the stuff from J Jill but seriously cannot afford it.

And now I'm off to hit the hay before tackling some tough problems tomorrow. Love this time of the year.

[JayGee]

tjsmama ~ I second kerc's suggestion for checking at a resale shop.  I'd send you mine, but it's also circa 1995, and I'm way shorter than you . 

kerc ~ I love J. Jill too, but can't afford much.  Their jeans fit me perfectly though!

Geo ~ congrats on the mention in the literature! That's always cool to see .  Enjoy your conference.

jooj ~ women's day at the beach sounds a little disturbing....  Thongs?  Really?

Mel38 ~ I hope you feel better soon

sparkle ~ oh my  Luckily, that hasn't been on the list of DH's suggested fun "activities"!

Day two "Bake-a-palozza" (as DH has dubbed it).  On tap ~ more gingerbread men, sugar cookie cutouts, and jam thumbprints.  It's cruel and unusual punishment to make someone who shouldn't eat wheat bake so many delicious cookies.  I do admit to cheating, and my belly is all distended and yucky because of that.

I just heard a familiar retching sound in the kitchen, so I must attend to some kitty barf.  Fun.

[1jooj]

Gaye, agreed. I don't think you truly need the suit in your field. My sis is a BSN and interviewed in what you described and I don't think she has ever interviewed for a job she wasn't offered. I'd get something more useful to you and save the $$$.

Mel38, what real said. Ear pain is SUCH the worst. I hope it clears lightning fast.

P.S. Geo, I like the idea of whole planets made of diamonds. I am not a diamond fan, for bleeding-heart reasons, and I like to imagine all those stones as just as important or unimportant as other rocks. Have fun doing the famous scientist thing!

My house is SO CLEAN. Sad thing is, in 24 hours it will be SO DIRTY.

Beach wasn't ladies gone wild, just ladies need to decide whether or not they're wearing swimsuits. Particularly bottoms. 

[Nickarolaberry]

 Jo. That's funny. In Israel there are some beaches where they have separate swimming but I don't know if I've ever seen frum (Orthodox) Jewish ladies in thongs...

So dd1 and I were watching my friend's facebook video clip of the 5 day bike ride she did in Israel to benefit Alyn's Childrens' Hospital (it's a children's hospital in Jerusalem dedicated entirely to children with special needs and chronic illnesses). Dd1 has decided she might like to do something like this. My first instinct is to say 'no way.'

But.

Next year will be her bat mitzvah, and it is also the 'bar mitzvah' year of the hospital (which started in 1999...girls turn bat mitzvah at 12, boys at 13, I guess they are considering the hospital the masculine way). The ride is in the fall.

We have intended to go to Israel for her bat mitzvah and do do something meaningful (charity related as well as religious touring). 

Is it totally crazy to consider this for her and I? I need to do more research. Don't even know if they'd take a kid that young and it means months of training. I don't even like to bike. But ... I don't know, something about it is resonating. Probably worth some investigating. But it will be a lot of money, to organize, equip, travel, and also to raise for the charity. Hmmm. Probably won't work out but I suppose it is worth looking into.

[Mel38]

Originally Posted by 1jooj 
Beach wasn't ladies gone wild, just ladies need to decide whether or not they're wearing swimsuits. Particularly bottoms. 

Ladies need to decide.

Originally Posted by Nickarolaberry 

Is it totally crazy to consider this for her and I? I need to do more research. Don't even know if they'd take a kid that young and it means months of training. I don't even like to bike. But ... I don't know, something about it is resonating. Probably worth some investigating. But it will be a lot of money, to organize, equip, travel, and also to raise for the charity. Hmmm. Probably won't work out but I suppose it is worth looking into.

Yes, definitely look into it! Wow, it sounds like an amazing chance to do something really special with your DD. And maybe in looking into it, you'll find something else that even appeals more? Is there any way to get something like that sponsored? Blogging for a cause...?

Originally Posted by JayGee 
I just heard a familiar retching sound in the kitchen, so I must attend to some kitty barf.  Fun.

Oh, that sound. But your baking day sounds lovely! That reminds me to plan for that this week.

Gaye, how frustrating that a suit is required. Really, though, wouldn't a nice jacket and skirt or dress pants also count as a suit? Or does it literally have to be of the same cloth? I gave those up years ago, but I love a nice jacket with dress pants. I think it looks great and it's something that can be used again.

Geo, have fun at your conference!!

Kerc, yeah, Title 9... they know my moments of weakness, and that is exactly when they email me.

I didn't end up running yesterday, and today doesn't look good either. I feel pretty decent, and I think the infection is gone, but the ringing remains...

[LaLaLaLa]

I think I am no longer drowning.  So I'm ready to come back and play again!  

Finally the routine is paying off and I'm not stressing about getting the kids up and ready and their lunches packed and picked up from school and shuttled to all of their different places.  Things are beginning to run more smoothly.  Christmas decorations are up.  I have 24 activities to fill our 24 advent bags, and I have 20 Christmas books wrapped in brown paper.  Shopping is almost done.  I think I can breathe again.

I've been trying to keep up with running, and it helps that it's unseasonably warm here at the moment.  This morning was 50 degrees, which was a delightful surprise!  I did three miles and was wishing it was more, but I have to be in DS's kindergarten class at 10:30, so I needed time to shower and change and collect myself.

It feels good to have things under control again for the moment.  I still have a to-do list a mile long, especially since DD's Nutcracker is on Saturday and we might have a few family members back to the house after the performance.  This requires a major house-clean and hopefully a final yard cleanup, too.  I think I can handle it.

I'm a Dingo.  There's nothing I can't handle.

[Plady]

Originally Posted by LaLaLaLa 

I'm a Dingo.  There's nothing I can't handle.

Love it.  Like it or not it's true too.

So our first family ski day didn't go quite the way I'd envisioned it.  We got our gear and headed up the mountain and found the bunny slope which was up a fairly steep slope from where the lift let off) and then we found that neither kid could stay upright unaided.  I'd totally forgotten how they didn't know how to ski and how it could actually be kind of hard to learn.  Oy.  We ended up trying to coach C how to make a snowplow and turns and she did okay on the bunny hill.  We used a scarf to sling around Alison and skied with her between our legs.  Then we mistakenly thought that the green run all the way down from the summit would be just as easy as the little beginner slope and so we headed up.  C started panicking almost as soon as we got off the gondola, only really not until we were just far enough down the slope that walking back up seemed like a bigger PITA.  And dh and Ali G had already disappeared below the crest so we couldn't signal to them that there was a problem.  In the end C skied a little way and then took  off her skis and walked and slid most of the way on her boots.  It took us most of an hour to get to the first lift.   All this in the midst of the most gorgeous scenery imaginable.  It was a beautiful clear day and the mountains all around are just amazing!  In the end we tried skiing a bit more but the kids were tired and C was frustrated so we didn't get any really good runs in.  Alas.  Today we're going to take them skating and swimming, there is a fantastic sport centre here where we can do both.  Tomorrow C and I are renting snowboards.  I hope that she can get the hang of that a bit more easily than skiing.  We've got a Bongo board at home that she is quite good at balancing on and hopefully the skill will help.  For Ali G I think we'll sign her up for a lesson, there were hoardes of little people in helmets happily following instructors down the hill and she was looking wistfully at them all day.  I'd also like to get C a lesson but I think we'll try the boarding first to see which she prefers. 

Sorry for no personals, I'm thinking thoughts for each of you.

[bec]

Following along, but just not having the energy to reply.  Retail at Christmas time, that's all I'm going to say! OY! 

I'm getting a little bit of running in, a little bit of gym time in, and mostly just trying to survive!

[Nickarolaberry]

Hugs, bec. Hang in there!

Took my new treads out for a quick 5 miles today in a cool rain and not cold temps. Not too bad.

Tonight, wrestling for ds (with dh going) and I'm taking the girls to their first gymnastics class. 

I need to start baking cookies. I don't have a cookie baking holiday but it seems to be infectious.  Some of them will be gluten free.

Or I could just dive into the bag of Hershey's Christmas bells I bought at Costco.  Yup.

[JayGee]

Oh, my belly hurts.  Will I never learn.  Gingerbread, sugar cookies and jam thumbprints ~ DONE!  DD1 is going to Irish Dance with her best friend tonight.  Hope they don't mind that she's 0% Irish !

Plady ~ for some reason, skiing with children always sounds like a lot more fun in theory than it end up being in reality!  Hope the snowboarding goes well for C.

Lala ~ That's right, sister!  There is nothing you can't handle!

Run.... not today.

[bec]

Ok, I know this might sound lame, but I was watching the Biggest Loser tonight, and they were doing their marathon episode.  It kinda gave me the bug to run another marathon.  I just had to throw that out there.

[tjsmama]

plady~There is a very good reason that DS has been in lessons. And it was reinforced to me the day that I took him skiing in October. I cannot teach my child to ski. Not gonna happen, no way, no how. We're both far happier when he's in a lesson and I pick him up at the end and he shows me what he's learned!

bec~I cannot imagine. More power to you. 19 days!


I am envious of the Christmas cookies. I do not think it will happen this year. Or if it does, it will be because I'm stuck here in Colorado while my mom and DS take our scheduled flight back to Ohio.

Yep, the word is that interviews are going to happen the week of the 19th. And of course, I have a flight out on the 17th. Allegedly they are going to give us 7-10 days notice. Gee, thanks. Holiday flights with 7-10 days notice are oh-so-reasonable. Oh well. I need a job, right? So, I guess I'm just hoping that I'll be able to interview on Monday and Tuesday and I'll just send DS with grandma on Saturday and then follow as soon as my interview is over. Worst case is if I don't get in until Thursday or Friday. Then my choices are to either go ahead and fly with them and spend a crapload of money on a flight back for the interview, or to lose my entire week with my family and DS. It would be a pretty fantastic Christmas present to get an offer, though...

Our presentation for Thursday is pretty much done. It is SO not my best work, but hopefully it's good enough. The sad thing is that the power point doesn't really count for anything. The things we actually get graded on are an abstract and a poster that completely regurgitate the exact same information in a different format. So very annoying. And, you know, it's only 40% of our grade. That stuff isn't due until Monday, but we really, really want to get it done this week so we're that much closer. And it theoretically shouldn't be too terrible. I hope.

rr~

[kerc]

aargh. it's been a rough 24 hours.

I'm schduled to head out to Worchester Ma Friday, returning midday Saturday. My mom lives out there and I'm going for her birthday. mom is turning 72 and lives in a state  nursing facility. Mom's high school friend visits her as often as she can and tried to call her to make a hair appointment for her -- turns out she had been moved (none of the kids were called). She was moved because she apparently has been falling a lot. I have three sisters. One ALWAYS claims she's too busy to deal with anythign family related. He husband is emotionally controlling and won't allow her to travel to see us. He won't travel at all. My sister I am the closest to is also traveling the Mass. and hopefully we can get some information on what is going on. We just need to move mom closer to where we are. Fourth sister is the most financially able to regularly travel to Massachusetts, but also claims to be too busy .......I am not sure I'm being clear here. The time is coming to move mom closer to us. The time actually came 10 years ago, but it isn't as simple as of course I would move mom. finances are a big thing (she's on state care) AND then there's the whole alcohol abuse leading to her youngest two jkids being placed in foster care when I was a freshman in college (they were in high school). Anyhow....stress there.

#2:  I signed my kid up for Destination Imaginiation in October. I agreed to coach. I don't hear squat from the coordinator until two days before Thanksgiving, can I come to a meeting the tuesday after. Yes, I went. There's a co-coach for 3rd grade, has she contacted me? no.  Does she come to the meeting? no. We email back and forth. We agree on Monday dec 19th as the first meeting. I compose a calendar and intro letter. I dont' have contact info for the team, I send her the letter -- she sends a different letter out, misspells my name (first and last), gets my phone number wrong, AND inserts two dates in Decemeber (one is next Tuesday) that neither I nor Erin can get to. WTF?   So what do I do? Do I back out and tell her I'm too busy and just let Erin do it this year? (<---my instinct) Do I hang in there and let her run the show? I really do want to coach a team, but I CANNOT live with a co-coach who does stuff like that. 

Like I said rough 24 hours.

Gaye: I wouldn't stress to much about the scheduling until you know when/if they are going to give you an interview. I thik that's a crazy time to interview someoen who is in college/nursing school.

Plady: yeah, I'd do skischool too.

must go wake the troops or I'll be driving them again today.

[bec]

Kerc - I would be inclined to back out as coach.  Total aside, my Emily is doing Destination Imagination through school.  The gifted coordinator is running it, and Emily is having a fabulous time in it. 

Gaye - That sucks on the interview scheduling.  Hopefully you will luck out and get a good time.  I take it that the culture is such that you cannot request a time?  On the suit front, I would think a blazer would be a good choice.  Also, I don't know about there, but our local Goodwill has some really nice business appropriate clothes for super cheap.

[mommajb]

As someone who backed out of DI coaching for co-coach/administrator reasons... I'd back out.
Safe travels this week; there is quite a bit going on there.