Happy to be home

Ah, my bed. So good to be in it. Happy to have my kitties cuddling me. I'm enjoying the storm from inside. I will sleep very well tonight. Really looking forward to that. But what really makes me happy is hearing Monkey laughing at some video a friend sent her in her room. That can make anywhere feel (sound) like home. Pretty sure I missed her a lot. Like crazy a lot. 

Upromise | Make the Pledge

Upromise | Make the Pledge: I am making the pledge for my child to help fuel their dreams and teach them the importance of saving for college. I am joining the millions of families committed to collectively save a billion dollars for college through Upromise by Sallie Mae.

There is no way I can pay for college for Monkey. Heck, I can barely cover our bills now. But if I can help save even enough to cover a few books, that's good enough for me. I made sure we've talked about this and there will be no surprises when she goes to apply for financial aid. Whether or not there's any aid to be had is completely different.

Terminology

The co-worker is having an issue with the muckity-mucks not using the correct terminology. I suggested making a picture book dictionary. He's not willing to allow that because "well if this picture doesn't look exactly like theirs, then its wrong." I say he's giving them more issues than they have. Take an apple. How many apples do you know of? Think of all the colors and shapes. But they're all still an apple. So if I make something with the terms the muckity-mucks are misusing, it's still what the picture is even if it's not identical. He gets so wound tight and nothing gets in. And I'm the one with the mental disease.

Then there is his hand holding. *sigh* If they have climbed the corporate ladder, they have achieved some tangible education. Which means, if you offer them a set of steps to do something, they should be able to follow those steps and complete the task. And failing to do so, does not automatically become my department's fault. Our boss and I won't tolerate the whining that comes with the "but can't you do it for me?" Perhaps it's because we're both mothers and he hasn't any children. Maybe that gives us an edge he lacks. But if Monkey needed to learn to tie her shoes so I wouldn't be doing it for her in college, then the adults in upper management can learn to enter their own password in the company smartphones.

This is not a week we want to poke this bear. I will fight back. And I will win, by whatever means necessary.

So Tired of It

I am tired of being broke. I'm quite sure a lot of you know what I'm talking about. This will be one of the slimmest Christmas' of our lives. If it can't be crocheted, no one is getting it. At least not from me. Thank goodness Monkey has experience slim Christmas' before. And that she doesn't really need anything right now.

Dear Santa,
Could you please take care of my bills? I've been good this year.
Thank you,
zeghsy

This is my kid

And I love admitting it!

Oh The Unfairness of It All

Because it's going to be a gazillion degrees today, Monkey wore a very cute top and shorts to school. The top has spaghetti straps. They're not allowed at school. I'm waiting for the call from school. Not to bring her a different shirt, but because she is being insubordinate. She said if she was asked to change, she would tell "them" that the only way she would, is if they had anyone else wearing clothing that violated the dress code change as well. I told her I would stick up for her. this would not be the first time she's experienced this issue. Her friend had to call her mother to ask her to bring some pants, because she was told her dress was too short. She had dark tights on. Other girls on that same day, had shorter skirts/dresses and no tights. My daughter is one of the last people who dresses inappropriately. She understands fashion but has a sense of self worth that makes it so she doesn't feel the need to flaunt her body. She recently had a dance recital that one of her costumes she felt was too short. This all while she was wearing opaque tights and dance pants under the skirt (which had built in shorts). I'm sure there will come a day when I have to ask her to cover up before leaving the house, but thankfully, that time isn't now.

What to wear v. What not to wear

I knew I should have looked through my closet last night. I'd like to go to a fancy dress party tomorrow night with Monkey. She's set. Me, I'm not sure what I'm going to wear. The dresses I have, I've already worn the heck out of. I want something new. I've found a pretty wine colored one online, but will they have it in the store when I get there tonight? That's the real question.

Gettin' In The Mood (for Christmas)

Tonight is the rescheduled holiday performance for Monkey's dance studio. Now, instead of eating lunch leisurely and getting her hair and make-up ready at home, we have to cram dinner/hair/make-up/driving to the auditorium into less than an hour. Thankfully, I have all her dance things with me.

I am excited to see the kids do their swing on stage. That will be fun.

*Update: Monkey's partner (T1) wasn't able to make it last night due to prior sports scheduling. His brother (T2) was injured so his partner (A) never came. We didn't get the message until I had pulled in the parking lot of the auditorium. The other couple in the class T3 and M were there, but I'm not sure what they did.

Oh the weather outside is frightful...

Who here remembers the Pizza Pit tv ad (that they still air, YAY!) with the toy car and the kids singing "Let it snow"? Because of this weather, that's what's going through my head.

I'm sitting in bed, watching it snow out my window, thankful that Monkey's dance performance for this afternoon has been postponed until tomorrow night. Marti is curled up RIGHT behind my laptop (to enjoy the heat coming off it) -- he must be chasing something in is sleep, he's twitching something fierce.

I'm working on a new hat for Nana. Her actual Christmas present is finished, though I need to figure out how to wrap it. She bought a hat a few years ago from Urban Outfitters and it has since stretched out so bad that her glasses are the only thing that keeps it from covering her eyes. Bad design or poor quality. I've also never seen a hat that needed elastic in the brim of a knitted hat. Is that something that's is usual?

While I wait for Monkey to come home from her dad's, I've been watching movies. Last night was Inception (really well done!) and Assassination of a High School President (Patrick plays the president; is a family friend of my boss -- and he's such a cutie). Now to another movie.

Early onset?

I miss my blog. I remember the good times when I had something witty and cute to say. Or when I had something to vent about and the internet patted me on the back and said that everything would be ok. I miss that. Now I can't remember the cute things my kid does more than 10 minutes after Monkey does them. It's sad.

You can tell it's time for the Winter Choir concert

Why? Because it's flipping snowing. I would like to lodge a formal complaint with Mother Nature. WHY does she always have our first snow storm of the season either right before or the day of Monkey's winter choir concert? One year it was so bad, it was canceled. Last year, I almost missed the concert because of the weather (and stupid drivers, but that's a whole other post). We have four more years of choir. Could ONE of those not have a damn storm for the winter concert? Is that really too much to ask? This year, I wised up. I took a half day of vacation for the concert. That should guarantee that I get home in time for the concert.

It's vacation time!

Not for me. Not directly anyway. The co-worker has all of next week off. It's the best news I've had in a long time.

I had yesterday off. To go watch Monkey sing with her choir for the Veteran's Day program held in our town. It was an hour. I spent the rest of the day shopping at Best Buy with Uncle Watusi and watching tv. I like how I spend my odd vacation days. Much better than the last two days. I raked Nana's entire yard. It's really big. Ugh.

I'll get there

One day. Cryptic, maybe. In the meantime... I've missed Monkey a lot while she was at her dad's. It has only been a week and even though I still have a house full, it seems quiet without her here. I'm picking her up tomorrow. Thank goodness.

ah, teenagers...

last night monkey told me that she and beatrice have decided reconcile their friendship. i'm glad. i know how much beatrice's friendship meant to monkey, and i was sad to see it go. hopefully things will go better this time. :)

a letter to my bad day

dear bad day,

it was a valient effort you made in trying to make my day horrid. first with the drivers who couldn't decide on what speed they wanted to go, then with the spilled chai while putting my cinnamon in it, and finaly my entire venti chai latte spilling all over the rest of me just before i walked into work. but thanks to friends like princess mikkimoto and susan mercedes, and then all the yummy food at work's breakfast potluck (yes, my quiche was a hit -- they ate it all!) i'm finding it hard to care about you anymore. i know you'll understand. we just can't be together today. in the effort to leave you with a positive comment, please try again another time. things like being on time for work make your job just too difficult. i'm sorry. can we still be friends?

cordially,

zeghsy

p.s. on second thought, i'd rather not be friends with you. don't take it personally. it's not you, it's me.

p.p.s. wait, it IS you. you understand. please do not contact me again.

oh the drama!

i have to say, i'm pretty happy i'm not a tween anymore. monkey is having trouble with her bestie, beatrice. it seems there was a misunderstanding. poor monkey is flumoxed. she has apologized for her end. she told beatrice she would like one in return for the hurt she caused monkey. unfortunately beatrice doesn't seem to think she needs to offer one. monkey says she's always been the one to have to apologize when they fight. my advice was for monkey to let beatrice know, again, that she is truely sorry for any hurt she's caused but that she would like an apology and that she still wants to be friends. i'm sorry to say that i think this might be the end of them as besties. monkey has put up with a lot from beatrice lately. this might be it if beatrice can't unbend. i feel bad for my monkey. she's a sweet, caring, sensitive girl. i hate to see her in pain because of friends.

*update: i have changed monkey's bff's name to respect her privacy.

what we do when we're bored

well, with the recent snow day we had, monkey and i watched all of the recorded shows we had on our dvr. so what do two couch potatoes do when there's nothing to watch? find new movies! since the beginning of my vacation, we have watched (not necessarily in this order) "four christmases" (funny, didn't go anywhere, but funny), "julie & julia" (good but made us both really hungry), "my life in ruins" (also funny, makes me want to travel and find my 'kefi'),"night at the museum 2, battle of the smithsonian" (little wax people kicking arse make me giggle), "the ugly truth" (monkey was surprised to find that the guy was also the phantom), and "up" (seriously, has pixar done anything bad yet?). also "my sister's keeper" really IS the saddest movie. ever. 1 extra large box of kleenex gone between me and the monkey. sheesh. what am i, a girl?! oh. right. i am. and the one who cries all the dang time.

now we're watching nickelodeon's avatar: the last airbender. i never got to see all the episodes and the ones i did see were dreadfully out of order. i love little aang. he's so darn cute.

we're supposed to be cleaning too. i officially have one drawer cleaned out. it's a start. i'll do more once monkey is off on her holiday travels. she's hard to motivate. (ok, i mean me... *hangs head*)

kick back...

and relax. as of 5pm, i was officially on my christmas vacation. i'm off until the 28th. it feels good. i need this. as soon as i hit publish on this, i'll put my sleeping companion, my best little monkey, to bed and go to mine.

dear santa, please make my house clean. i've been good this year. xoxo zeghsy

think it'll work?

p.s. marti just jumped on me. oof. fewer snacks for him.

scary...

as of december 21st, monkey and i will not be dancing. sadly the monkey hasn't been doing well in school. this is troubling when anyone who has met her knows she should be acing school. this coming semester will be a lesson in learning her priorities and (hopefully) letting everyone in her world know that she is an A student and she will get those grades. even if it means she turns off everything around her to be able to focus. i know she'll do this. she was crushed when i told her of my decision to withdraw us from dance. we did quite a bit of crying. but as a good parent, i can not let her grades go without repercussions. Ds and Fs are just not acceptable. her father is not happy. sadly it's taken this for him to become interested in her schooling. she'll still have choir, which she loves. that is the one class she's getting the most solid A i've ever seen. she's hoping to prepare a solo for the solo/ensemble concert this spring. i've suggested she ask her teacher for help with this. sadly, i'm no help when it comes to singing. we've also asked her aunt, who in high school was a star herself, and sang at my wedding when i married monkey's dad. funny, i know she sang a beatles song, i know it was so beautiful it moved me to tears, but i can't remember WHAT song it was.

what scares me is that i've been using dance as a form of therapy for me. i'm sure i'll find something else. possibly join the anytime fitness club that is in my town... but i'm finding little moments of panic when i think about it.

i'm trying to look at the silver lining. i'll be able to save some money. i won't have to buy a ballroom gown for monkey just yet. (miss princess -- different princess than our princess mikkimoto -- wants her students to compete in wisconsin state dancesport competition this april and they require actual ballroom dress for the competition.) i'm going to FINALLY clean my house of all the crap that's in it. (here's where i ask that you guys get on my case about it.) i'm going to take the opportunity to get my life in order again. sorting will help.

i hope that i can count on you all to support me and remind me i won't die without dancing. or, take me out once in a while to the dance floors around here to boogie, even for an hour or two. :D

today will be...

interesting. i grabbed a hot straightening iron this morning and now have a minor burn. the monkey handed it to me and i wasn't paying attention (i thought i was grabbing the brush until i realized how hot it was). and now i just had a conversation with a friend about her ex boyfriend and it brought up feelings that apparently have been simmering under the surface. i'll be fine. but i'm worried about them. for different reasons. he's fighting something that only she sees and i see her willing to lose the fight for herself. i understand why she's doing it. he needs that friend, that person who won't let him go down easy. so i'm offering my support. she needs it just as much as he does. that one extra person in their corner. except now, i just want to go home and cry for the rest of the day.