Frustratus Maximus

Laryngitis.

I haven't been so frustrated in a long time.

I woke up this morning unable to speak. I squeaked instead. I couldn't order Leif to move quicker with any effectiveness so he missed TumbleBus. Oh well, he has two more opportunities to catch it.

I dropped Skadi off and yes, got to explain to the teachers that I could not speak.

I got to work and one of the guys on my project came to my door to find out why I had e-mailed instead of walking down the hall.

"Oh that's why!" he says within minutes. And proceeds to talk. And expect responses.

AB called and laughed when I answered the phone - then recommended that I not answer the phone anymore. I took him up on that suggestion. I ignored the phone ringing (pretty sure my neighbors wondered what was up with me) and then got messages and e-mailed people right back.

I had a teleconference at noon. THAT was going to be interesting since I phone in from my office. I e-mailed and let my coworker and the organizers that yes, I would be phoning in, but I had no voice.

They didn't really believe me or something. Normal protocal is that I phone in and after the beep you announce your name and company. I couldn't do it.

Suddenly the booming voice on the speaker says, "who just signed in, announce yourself".

I squeaked, "it's NM from XNL."

Of course it couldn't be dropped and a couple of the others on the telecon decided to ask me all sorts of questions then.

My afternoon was quiet.

Then I went and got Leif who thought it was HI-LARIOUS that I still couldn't talk. He took to whispering too.

"Speak up honey," I would squeak, "I can't hear you."

"You speak up too mommy," he would say, "I can't hear you either."

Sigh.

The worst of the whole day was going to get my haircut. I needed a haircut bad so I didn't want to cancel it. But try sitting in the chair unable to speak a word! My stylist took pity on me and made an effort not to ask too many questions.

AB got to do both bedtimes tonight since my reading abilities are on hiatus.

Hoping for a voice tomorrow!

Oh and I AM blaming this on my girlfriends, we yapped and yapped yesterday!

All I want for Christmas

I am normally one of those happy go lucky holiday nutty people who can't get enough Christmas.
This year things seem a little off.

When I get in my car it is miles before I realize that I have been listening to XM Radio's ads instead of pushing the button to get the Christmas music. (Since for some stupid reason the temporary stations don't save and come on when you turn the car off and on again. Leif would have told me I said a bad word using "stupid" above.)

Our decorations went up this weekend.

AB hauled the tree out of the garage and set it up before we got home on Friday. We have decided to leave the 1990's and ditch the icicle lights in favor of a slightly more sleek look. I have had a thing for big colored lights for the house since I was a kid and my dad would put up our one string of big lights on the house (that would start burning out a week after installation). So AB went to Costco in search of my request. He found zip for lights and decorations there.

We hit Lowes after swimming lessons and found a single box of LED lights - already opened - for $19.95.

I don't think so.

I was about ready to give up and suggest a return to 1990 for this year only - with a resolution to buy lights early next year when directly in front of me at the grocery store were boxes of big LED colored lights for $5. I cannot believe I bought our Christmas lights for the house at the grocery store of all places. But I stocked up because whenever we buy lights invariably one of us ends up heading back out for a second pass since we can't seem to add.

AB and Leif spent a fair amount of time outside this weekend putting lights up while I worked on the inside.

And worked.

And worked.

We have a problem. The formal dining room, turned play room is just not big enough for our 9' tall tree, other Christmas decorations AND my Christmas village (not to mention all the other stuff in there... buffet, fish tank, shelves with games, rocking chair, boxes of books and cases of wine).

And I just don't have anywhere else in the house to put stuff.

I thought about ditching the village this year. But the trip to Lowe's defeated that idea. Leif is freakishly excited about the village and even "bought by himself" a lobster boat to go with the set. He was adamant that he was buying the lobster boat for the whole family for the village. Hearing him declare this made me beam inside.

Of course the $9.95 came out of our checking account. Minor details.

So instead of the weekend of decorating being a time of joy and happiness, I felt rushed (feeling so behind this year) and frustrated by either the amount of stuff we have or the size of our house. Honestly, it is a little of both.

I cleared out the formal dining room/playroom and moved 50% of the toys (the Geotrax and the bookshelf of games stayed) into the living room and Skadi's room. Minor problems then ensued... I have no place to put Skadi's hamper. And my living room is covered with toys that have no other place to go.

Oh and the newly formed Christmas room? Packed. Boxes of books on one side of the room and the opposite corner has cases of wine in the other corner. Not that I am complaining - books and wine - two of my favorite things. But the lack of space is getting to me.

And where exactly am I supposed to put the containers that held the Christmas items? I suppose I could send them back up to the attic (AB says he needs to go up and retrieve our lighted reindeer he forgot up there), or put them in the garage (and relegate AB once again to driveway parking JUST when our garage was cleaned out), or leave them behind the couch.

Sigh.

What this weekend really did, aside from frustrate me, was to reinforce that notion that a new house is no longer just a luxury, but bordering on a necessity. We have a complete lack of storage space and are just plain running out of room.

All I want for Christmas is a new house.

Frustrations

I am starting to think that health clubs are about as honest as used car sales.

For awhile I have been looking forward to joining a nearby (to my work and next door to the kid's school) healthclub so I have a place to go run on a treadmill. A few weeks ago I ran down there with the intent of joining after having received a flyer in the mail for $45 joining fee and $45 a month. They gave me their flyer, but sent me off. Turns out that I have to go to the main club to join.

After having a busy week I finally found time today to run to the main club (my running shoes and clothes packed in my gym bag in the car, ready to start off my running again at the end of the day).

I stood in line at the desk after not finding anyone in the Membership office. They directed me back to the Membership office. I waited.

And I waited.

I was headed back to the desk when a woman finally walked up who works in memberships.

She suggested I go back to the desk to check in and fill out some stupid form.

At this point I was starting to get annoyed.

She finally tells me that their current "deal" since I work at one of the local employers is $100 joining fee, $55 a month and a $50 annual towel fee.

I asked her why the flyer I got 2 weeks ago and the postcard sent to me no longer applies?

She told me they were old and she doesn't know where or when I might have got them.

I showed her the postmark on the postcard from around Memorial Day and noted there was no expiration date listed. Also the flyer? It was picked up two weeks ago from their satellite club.

Sorry she says, $55 a month.

I was ticked. First off, no way in hell was I paying $55 a month when most clubs offering what their offsite "Express" club offers were half that price. Then just the simple fact that the sheets I was given were no longer valid. How convenient! And third - three visits to get signed up for a membership? How bad did they really want my business? Apparently not that bad.

She took my name and phone number that I reluctantly gave after deciding I was leaving and they could keep their club, so she could ask her manager if we could come up with a "deal".

On the drive home I got to thinking, and then I got more ticked off. So when she phoned my cell phone this afternoon, there was no way I was answering. I suppose what I should have done was to take the call and tell them exactly what I thought.

I started running through my options in my head. I have always done well as a morning runner. I need to get up and get to it before I have much time to think about it. I don't need any time to talk myself out of exercising, because I can far too effectively convince myself not to go! My biggest problem is my two sleeping children and a husband who goes to work at 5:30am. I considered other clubs - but I can't spend time driving with my already tight schedule. I am not bad at running outside... but the heat KILLS me. It will be September probably before it cools down enough for me to run outside in the afternoons.

Then as I was walking into my building it dawned on me that maybe simply purchasing a treadmill would solve ALL my problems! I can run in the mornings while the kids sleep without having to worry about my already tight schedule at work. I consulted with my mom, called AB (who is thinking if we did this even he would start running) and I am looking forward to treadmill shopping this weekend!

Bloomsday May 2009 here I come!

Marketing 101

I was struck with one of my pet peeves twice this past week. That pet peeve being... don't try to sell me on something I am already sold on. Or put simply, quit wasting my time.

I signed Skadi up for a swimming class called Tub Time for last Saturday. One hour and $25 later left me irritable, though ending in the hot tub did mellow that irritability. The first half hour was "classroom" time and the second half hour... well actually, the last 20 minutes by the time we got to the hot tub, was in the water. I signed up, I paid, I showed up with my 10 week old in her ultra-cute, yet practical for the summer swim suit. (Check her out... yes, my carpets suck.)





You see not many people with babies sign up for swimming classes, let alone that early. That should serve as some indication of who your target audience is when designing the classroom portion, shouldn't it? Lesson one, know your audience.

My husband and I both started swimming at very young, both about age 4. My parents put me in because we were always around the lakes and they felt it was important I learn to swim. AB's put him in to help with his scoliosis. AB eventually became a competitive swimmer, a swim instructor and a lifeguard. When I was 10, I ran out of classes to take, joined the team, but since I couldn't compete until I was 12 I abandoned the sport in favor of gymnastics. We are active people with a love and respect for the water. Probably typical people who actually sign their child up for this type of class AT a private club.

So don't sit me down and tell me why my kids should take swimming class. Preaching to the choir. (And wasting my time.)

Then there was last night... my son's orientation for his move up to primary (Montessori preschool). My poor head is covered with bruises now from both my grandmother's visit AND a full wasted evening watching the center owner very slowly, with child-like wonder and amazement in her eyes perform each and every work station in the room like we might see our children do.

I was under the false impression that this orientation was to explain to us parents the practical side. What do I need to bring? How often do I bring snack? What is the schedule? The two other families I spoke with post-orientation-from-hell heaved heavy sighs riddled with pain when they broached the topic. I was happy I was not the only one feeling pain at their core for this 1.5 hours. (Ok, I snuck out at 1.25 hours.) Nope, V's pain was physical thanks to 1.75 hours of sitting in sucky chairs. And she is most likely STILL feeling the pain in her back tonight and for days to come.

Kids are amazing. I know. They are resilient. I know. They are emotional and sensitive. This I know all too well. When they have show and tell? This I don't know.

And I still don't know. (And btw... I was sold on Montessori almost 2 years ago when my one year old started washing his own hands, signing and helping with his own diapering.)