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Chuga, Chuga, Choo Choo!!

Did you miss me? All 9 of you?

Well I'm back...hopefully for good this time. But let's just take this one day at a time, shall we?

I am going to use this blog to whine and brag. So if you are not up for either, you might want to meander back to Facebook now. ;)

I like wine...so let's start with the whining.

The hubs left me. Not like left me, left me, but left me for good ol' Navy duty. Alllllll the way to Bahrain. I'm not sure about you, but I didn't even know where Bahrain was located on a map. Even now, it still takes me a while to find it.

And to backup, we had been trying to get pregnant. Took a test (actually a few) right before he left and well...nothing.

So when your husband leaves for 6 months and you have a 4 year old, what do you do?

Well me, I bought a cat. I know. Stupid.

Fast forward. 2 1/2 weeks into the deployment SURPRISE we were in fact expecting. Yay!!!

And just when you think I couldn't get even more crazier, I got accepted to a very work intensive grad course. And I took a fiction writing class that included writing 2 of my own stories and reading many other stories. Again. Stupid.

That's it for whining. I promise.

Can I brag now?

Actually I don't really think it is bragging. I consider this portion of the blog as evaluating where I failed and where I thrived.

Remember, I had to learn to balance it all. I had to learn to not go crazy. I had to learn how to do it all without him.

I'll be frank about the failures. We ate out a lot. I often let my daughter sleep in my bed so that I could set the sleep timer on the TV and then I could go to sleep while she enjoyed her shows. I depended on some friends way too much. And I was probably not the best teacher, to my students or daughter, I could be. And I'm sure my house had dust bunnies in the ceiling corners and under the tables.

As for my successes, I got up EVERY morning and did what I had to do. I didn't take 1 sick day. My daughter had a great summer with new friends. I got a great tan while my daughter learned to swim. And minus those dust bunnies and frequent meals out, I think I did pretty darn good. Oh yeah...I made life each and every day.

As my blog title says, I am a jane of all trades, but as it also says, I'm a master of none. My balancing act came through the help of some great friends (hopefully they know who they are) and getting up every day knowing what I had to do. Some days included school, homework, swim lessons, and even the occasional work out and honestly other days included all of those things with a mini break down in between.

Military life is hard. But I'd be lying to say that I have it the hardest. I have the utmost respect for those spouses who have to deal with longer deployments that don't include skype dates.

One last whine before I go have a glass...before you think "I chose this life," bite your tongue. I chose a life with a man that I loved. I chose the future father of my children. I chose to stand by my husband no matter where the future took us...just as he will do for me one day.

I Admit It, I'm Slighlty Dramatic

I am not a good sick person. I whine. I tell the hubs that I am dying. I tell my friends that they can have my extensive shoe and purse collection if I die. Then I go home, lay down, usually feel better, and then take back the verbal contract/will of my shoes.

I do have to brag though for a second...even in all of my whining and complaining of dying, I usually take care of myself. I don't want people to feel like they have to take care of me. I don't want people pitying me. Most importantly, I don't like taking off work and having to come up with sub plans.

Now that being said, this time was different. This time I felt like I was hit by a bus carrying the Olympic sumo wrestling team. This time I let the hubs take care of me. I let him get up at 3am to get me some Nyquil and 3 Advil. This time I took off work and might even take another day.

It all started Thursday with a tickle. I knew "it" was there using my tonsils as a scratching post, but I just ignored "it." But somewhere between 7am and 1230pm something happened. The tickle turned into a full on incapabillity to swallow. I sat there looking at my class of students wondering how I was going to make it through another hour and a half. I took it minute by minute and luckily most of the bell was used for revising their essays. I went home, took some Advil, and a nap. When I woke up, I felt better. I even ate some soup. I was praising the healing powers of Advil. Then around 9, "it" came back for another round. Body aches. Chills followed by sweating. Throat so swollen I couldn't swallow my own spit. It was a long restless night, but I knew I had to go to work Friday.

Friday was worse than Thursday. I showered a really long shower and carried my pathetic butt to school. I was so mad at myself for not getting a sub. But honestly, I don't think I had ever felt like this. I was weak. I was run down. The sumo wrestlers were now off that metaphorical bus and kicking my ass. I got to school and talked to the Awsome Spruill and he got me a sub. I was free. Free to go home and sleep. And that is what I have been doing. Since Friday I have slept and watched TV...and oh yeah, I occasionally play someone in my words with friends. I didn't have the energy to do anything else. I, a self proclaimed addict of Facebook, could only muster up 5 minutes at a time to do anything and at times even Facebook was exhausting.

Meanwhile the hubs took care of the bug and everything else I am so used to doing. He painted our shutters, cleaned the kitchen, made the meals, and brought me beverages and medicine. He would even get up and turn the fan off when I was freezing and then back on when I was going through my "I'm so hot phase." He earned himself some gold start these past few days. Maybe I will let him change them in when I am better.

I know no one likes to be sick, but I also know many out there who get a slight symptom and put themselves on bed rest. I can't understand that. I would rather be doing anything than just laying around...but maybe that is why I got sick in the first place.

Today is the first day I actually have enough energy to peruse Facebook and type. I might even eat today. (That soup was the last thing I ate). Until then, I will go live the high life and gargle another glass of salt water.

All I have to say...I better have lost at least a pound or so. :)

And P.S. I do not reccomend using Google images when searching for a picture of tonsils. There are some (pardon my language) F'ed up tonsils out there!

40 Days of Sacrifice

Somebody get me a soda...PLEASE!

Mountain Dew. Cherry Dr. Pepper. Really cold can of Coke.

These are what I dream about at night.

It all started when I decided to give Jenny Craig a try. I wanted to lose a few pounds. I am not the most disciplined person out there, but I did get my soda intake to twice a week.

Then Good Friday rolled around and I decided to go ahead and give it up. My true vice in the world. I know it is not a real sacrifice, especially when you compare it to Jesus' sacrifice. I get it. But my devotion to my Catholic roots is not as strong as some and to be honest, Lent is the last thing I hold on to. So out went soda and meat on Fridays. How does one say ugh in a blog that really conveys my true discontent?

Ugh.

On the flip side, my dear friend is sticking with her sacrifice and giving up the facebook addiction. I think she is even finding out about others' addictions in facing hers head on. Hell she is even making me look at my own addiction.

Maybe that will be next status update.

Hi Ho! Hi Ho! It's back to school I go

After attending a writing conference this past week, I have decided I need to go back to school. I need to be among my people. I need to write.

In no way, shape, or form do I think I am a phenomenal writer. I am not even sure I am mediocre. I just know that I need to do this to fulfill something that is missing in my life. And it is not the degree that is going to fulfill me, but the academia and all the things that come along with it.

So I thought if I proclaimed my new goal to all the world wide web, I would be more apt to actually get my butt in gear.

Grad school Fall 2011 or bust...let's just hope I don't bust.

PS- Later I will be "publishing" my travel writing from the workshop. Stay tuned.

(Smack! Smack!) I. Can't. Find. A. Vein. (Smack! Smack!)

So I have a friend who is an addict. In fact, her latest blog is on this very topic. But she has quit...almost cold turkey.

As she talks about giving up Facebook for lent, all I can do is commend her vigorously. Some people give her a hard time for still getting on for 5 minutes a day, but C'MON! Could you turn off the smack for 40 days and nights? I mean it is a known fact, or at least quote by an actor in The Social Network, that 91% of people who log on, come back.

I come back. And back. And back again. Sometimes all in the same 5 minutes depending what is going on in my life.

Now, don't get me wrong, I am not Lindsey Lohan status...yet. I don't need FB Rehab in the Hollywood Hills. I can go on a cruise and not pay for Wi-fi to check or update my status and photos, but you can be darn skippy that the FIRST moment we dock back in the states, I will be catching up on all the stauses I missed.

So here I sit and I am already thinkin' about next year and if I could give up the addiction for 57,400 minutes (granted I give myself 5 minutes a day). Will I dream about my first status following Easter day? Will I start writing other Facebook regulars' statuses in my head.

Jennifer E.S.: Need coffee now.

Naomi S: Amanda is the bestest friend in the whole wide world.

Tiffany M.F.: I have the best Pampered Chef deal for you yet.

(Okay, so one of those might not be a real depiction of an actual Facebook status).

I think I am going to wait and see how Amber does. It is Day 2 and she has already called me about "How disconnected from the world she is."

That being said, she is strong willed and loves to prove people wrong when they doubt her.

That also being said, I am a weak human being and love my facebook time.

Go ahead and cut off my fingers...

So is this what I have to look forward to? Will I now be fired for expressing my views? For practicing my 1st Ammendment Right?

As a high school teacher, I find this absolutley insane! I love how we hold teachers to such a higher degree than we even hold ourselves. Are we not allowed to complain about our observations? Are our first ammendment rights null and void because we are paid with tax dollars? The truth of the matter is, students as a whole have stopped thinking for themselves. They have become lazy. And the students aren't the only ones disengaged...the parents are too! I'd love to give a benchmark test that measures a parent's parenting skills.

Peruse the internet and see how many blogs there are that feature people complaining about their job. It doesn't mean they hate their job, it means they had a bad day or a person who upset them. Does it mean that they should be fired? Better yet, next time I hear a parent openly complain about their child I will call up GMA and make sure that the parent is ridiculed by a mass of people who have no idea what they are talking about!