Madoff rhymes with Layoff

Yesterday someone handed me this quote: The brook would lose it's song if we removed its rocks.


Layoffs have hit my work. I am surprised and not. I work in Non-Profit work, and although we DO such great things in this world, it is all at the mercy of the donors. And if donors aren't donating- well we either have to cut programs or staff. I have to hand it to the Executive Council, and the Executive Director, they cut *few* programs, many that can go on hold for a few years, but do not directly hurt the people throughout the world that we serve. (example we cut a continuing adult education program that focused on spiritual journey and not the continuing adult education program that focuses on assimilating those folks who have ended up in our area because of religious asylum. )

And if you didn't get the reference above, I do work for Jewish organization.

Two staff were cut, and that blows. And one- was my boss- the dude I hated seeing everyday. However, my heart breaks for him and his family and I have survivors guilt.

It'll be an interesting few days/weeks/months here till we all get on our feet. How is everyone else coping? Any other layoffs out there?

Staus Report

You may be wondering how I am coming on my New Year resolutions...or not. Here is athe update:

Thursday, I broke a toe and fractured a bone in my foot by dropping a laptop on it. So that running everyday? Done. For SIX weeks. I made it 50 days 95 miles. I am proud of myself, but honestly, I am thankful for the rest too.

The no smoking? Good. I've broken twice now. All D$'s fault. The first break was 2/10 and I smoked 8 cigarettes in a sitting. If you don't smoke- let me tell you, that is a harsh amount of tobacco at one time. I woke up the next day feeling sick, hacking and wheezing- but satisfied. I will not lie, I loved all 8 cigarettes. The second time? last night, I had 2, they tasted gross and I feel even worse than I did after 8. So Even though I have had two relapses, I feel great about my progress.

The sock. No go. I have to go buy some needles this week and I will start this weekend. I swear. I just read this entry about sewing on Linda's blog. I totally wish I could sew, she has sparked a new goal for me...but I feel like I need to finish whats on my plate before I start dessert.

One last Tidbit (pun intended)...my blogging pal GoLightly recently got engaged (woot!) and she has started a new wedding blog B-squared Bride, I am loving already (4 posts in), so go check it out, she is sassy, funny and down to earth. Really, who doesn't love a bride that stops for In -n- Out while venue hunting?

Poem-a-week 3

On Sunday a song from our wedding came on the radio, here is my poetic interpertation to the moment:


We sit in the car
extra 2 minutes after our arrival
hold hands
listen
I cry.

With two words
"heavenly day"
we go back to our day

We sit in the car for 2 more minutes.

Triple A throw down

D$ had President's Day off, but I had to work. He decided he would leave Sunday mid-day and head up to see his parents who live 2 hours north of us. Perfect- he gets the time he needs with his folks, I get some quiet time...deal.

As we were getting ready to retire for the evening, D$ said "oh I got a new AAA card". Turns out not only does his mom carry him on her Costco membership- but also on her AAA membership.

This really irks me for a few reasons. Lets break it down.
1. He is a financially independent 33 year old. He can cover these memberships if he so chooses to.
2. By her covering him on Costco and AAA, it prohibits me from receiving a discount by having a joint membership with my husband.
3. (this one is tricky, hear me out) By covering her children on AAA she is saying "your safety matters"...however by NOT covering me, OR even telling D$ to get his own membership with me- she is implying that I am not as valuable. I really want to know if I am ALWAYS going to be *just* a Daughter-in-law? Will this change when perhaps I become the mother to her grandchildren, or will she just cover their memberships?
4. (I know I'm stretching...) D$ is an adult, he has been an adult for over a decade now, paying rent, car payments, making decisions, getting married. As have I. My parents care for me just as much as D$'s parents care for him. However my parents stopped paying incidentals a LONG time ago. There is something annoying and perhaps controlling about his mother providing him with these memberships.

Or am I wrong. Do your parents still pay for stuff? I know he doesn't ask her for these (I would die if he did), but he isn't that cheap!

I guess what I want is for him to stand up and say I don't want your AAA membership unless my wife is covered on it.

Poem-a-week 2

No Ogden Nash am I, but I *really* thought I was getting a dog for Valentine's Day (I got an iPhone instead!) and so I prepared this poem about a dog.

"Joy"

A dog provides joy
all for the price of a new chew toy.

A dog will love for next to nothing
as long as you feed him something.

A dog will put a song in your heart,
and clear the room when he farts.

A dog will bring comfort when you are sad
and drive you crazy, mean and mad.

A dog will take you for a walk
and provide you with an ear to talk.

Soon I'll have a dog to love in my home
but until then I'll enjoy my iPhone.

Poem a week

Inspired by Blablover and her Picture-a-day series, I decided to start a poem-a-week.

My major in college was Creative Writing with a focus on Poetry and short-stories. Except for blogging, I have stopped writing. After an email exchange with Jenn about her having to write a poem, I exclaimed (via email) "writing poetry is easy!". She challenged me to write a poem about Ramen, so I did. And this will be my first poem.

So here's the deal: every Sunday I'll post a poem. I do not promise good poetry, just one new poem writen by me a week. Like Jenn's challenge about Ramen, I will take requests. So with out further ado:

Patiently I wait for the two cups to bubble

CRACK! -break the nest of noodles,

awaiting their turn

CRACK! -break the egg,

prepared to be poached.

Time has come for the parts to become one

...into the water the drop

one by one

noodles

seasoning

egg

Two minutes time, my lunch is prepared.

Trojan Horse

As I explained in the previous post, I am no longer taking birth control pills. However, we aren't ready to be pregnant yet, so precautions must be taken. I bought condoms.

During the period of my life when I have been a sexually active person, I never purchased condoms. Ever. I would get them free from the health center or planned parenthood, or my partner would have them. Never ever did I have to buy them.

Thinking now that I am a wife, I should be able to buy condoms without embarrassment or incidents. Think again.

I knocked a bunch of boxes off the shelf.

I dropped the box off the grocery conveyerbelt and the man behind me picked the box up and handed them to me. Then I had to stand in front of him for an extra 10 minutes while the oldest woman in the world wrote a check.

The only thing that would have been worse is there would have been a price check.

holla!

Hey homies....just a quick post about a baby.

I held a baby last night. He was gorgeous, 2 months old, fat and happy. My woman-parts did somersaults and my heart melted.

And then the inevitable conversation started. When? When will we have them?

Someday not too long ago the "if we have kids" turned into "when we have kids". Around that same time I turned into that girl. You know the one who talks about getting off the pill (check), taking vitamins fortified with folic acid (check) and has the plan (check).

But how did we get form "if" till "when"?! Honestly, I don't know. I don't think I decided that I am ready or want to. Yet today, I had an email conversation about the book I read about breast feeding. Come on self! Who reads a book about breast-feeding IF you are unsure how you got to WHEN.

Me, that's who. I think I am just riding along. But how do you tell your husband, that you want to learn to swim first, and you want to have a bikini-fab body first and that you want to go to Disneyland and ride rollar coasters first and you want to run another half-marathon first, visit your 97 year old grandpa first, go to Europe first, go to graduate school, go back to Napa, write a book, learn Spanish, take cooking lessons.....first- before a baby.

But then I just think of that sweet little baby squeezing my finger tight last night. And I see D$ sitting holding the baby and my woman-parts do cartwheels this time and graduate school doesn't seem that important anymore.