11 posts tagged “stress”
Vegas was a lot of fun. It was exhausting being on the West Coast – we’re from the EST time zone and when it was 9pm there it felt like midnight. Yikes. The shows didn’t usually start until after 9. I think we got to bed every night after 3am (our time).
The trip home put us in our beds around 3am (our time and local time). It was rough getting up for work Wednesday morning, and I’m still not quite 100%, but after this weekend I should be ok.
We had a chance to see Penn and Teller live. They were really entertaining and there were two or three tricks that I have no idea how they did. One with a gun where they fired the bullets across the stage and caught them in the teeth. Very cool.
We also saw Cirque de Solei (Mystere) while we were there. That was really impressive. We were hoping to see Zumanity as well, but had to settle for Fantasy instead (which isn’t a Cirque performance and you could tell).
Mom won a bunch of money at the slots and treated us to a supper at Planet Hollywood – it was one of the most amazing steak dinners I’ve had in a very long time. Really nice food.
We did a ton of walking while we were there. We shot some very cool photos and had a really nice time sleeping in and just exploring the casinos.
I decided not to gamble at all while we were there (not even a nickel). Most of us didn’t gamble at all, which is kinda nice.
Back to the real world…
We had our staff meeting this morning and we were talking about advertising our next Colours offering since we have two new people who haven’t taken the training yet.
I said that I’m planning on teaching a class at church this fall and the two new gals could take it then.
Well, doesn’t Bernie light up and ask why he’s not getting his share of the profit for me teaching at the church. It told him there was no profit, I do it for free and then he accuses me of breaching Conflict of Interest Rules. Holy Poop. We talked about this. Explicitly. Before I was trained. That’s why I was so excited.
He really pisses me off when he gets all sarcastic at me. It’s a non-profit organization. They won’t pay for training. None of the people that go would ever pay for it. I have to teach the class about every three months or else I forget the details. Would he rather me find a group of students or would he like to? It’s been four months since the last time he’s put together a class and the next one doesn’t look like it’ll be for another two or three.
Oh, he really pisses me off sometimes.
I’m thankful that I’m not married to him (I don’t know how Robyn does it)
I’m thankful that weekend is finally here so I can get some nap time in.
I’m thankful that our family enjoyed Vegas and didn’t have any major blowouts.
I know that God isn’t finished with me yet (whew).
Vegas was a lot of fun. It was exhausting being on the West Coast – we’re from the EST time zone and when it was 9pm there it felt like midnight. Yikes. The shows didn’t usually start until after 9. I think we got to bed every night after 3am (our time).
The trip home put us in our beds around 3am (our time and local time). It was rough getting up for work Wednesday morning, and I’m still not quite 100%, but after this weekend I should be ok.
We had a chance to see Penn and Teller live. They were really entertaining and there were two or three tricks that I have no idea how they did. One with a gun where they fired the bullets across the stage and caught them in the teeth. Very cool.
We also saw Cirque de Solei (Mystere) while we were there. That was really impressive. We were hoping to see Zumanity as well, but had to settle for Fantasy instead (which isn’t a Cirque performance and you could tell).
Mom won a bunch of money at the slots and treated us to a supper at Planet Hollywood – it was one of the most amazing steak dinners I’ve had in a very long time. Really nice food.
We did a ton of walking while we were there. We shot some very cool photos and had a really nice time sleeping in and just exploring the casinos.
I decided not to gamble at all while we were there (not even a nickel). Most of us didn’t gamble at all, which is kinda nice.
Back to the real world…
We had our staff meeting this morning and we were talking about advertising our next Colours offering since we have two new people who haven’t taken the training yet.
I said that I’m planning on teaching a class at church this fall and the two new gals could take it then.
Well, doesn’t Bernie light up and ask why he’s not getting his share of the profit for me teaching at the church. It told him there was no profit, I do it for free and then he accuses me of breaching Conflict of Interest Rules. Holy Poop. We talked about this. Explicitly. Before I was trained. That’s why I was so excited.
He really pisses me off when he gets all sarcastic at me. It’s a non-profit organization. They won’t pay for training. None of the people that go would ever pay for it. I have to teach the class about every three months or else I forget the details. Would he rather me find a group of students or would he like to? It’s been four months since the last time he’s put together a class and the next one doesn’t look like it’ll be for another two or three.
Oh, he really pisses me off sometimes.
I’m thankful that I’m not married to him (I don’t know how Robyn does it)
I’m thankful that weekend is finally here so I can get some nap time in.
I’m thankful that our family enjoyed Vegas and didn’t have any major blowouts.
I know that God isn’t finished with me yet (whew).
Wow, I think that was as close as I’ve ever been to being ‘depressed’. It was like I was thinking in a cloud – you know how you get when you’re sick and you can’t concentrate on anything (like your thoughts are moving through molasses?) that was the same sort of feeling, but with Fog instead of Molasses.
Weird.
But, I think I’m back. I’ve decided to let the Bayfest thing go – I’m going to turn the code over to EBTech and just trust that they’ll figure something out that’s fair. I’ll spend this festival teaching the tech guys at work to use the system and then I won’t have to do anything else with it.
The only lingering question is why anyone else would want to go through the stress that I went through for the last five years without any payment (other than a dinner that even the ticket rippers get)? I guess that’s not my problem.
This weekend is Father’s Day – it looks like we’ll be hosting that event too. We’re hoping to have steak and baked potatoes for lunch – that should be a good time. I have to be at church this weekend and I have breakfast with Rick. Looks like it’ll be a busy day…
We’re announcing Deep Coffee at church this weekend. I have to decide how I want to introduce it and how the signup will work. Perhaps I should take care of that tonight… hmmmm… Of course I have that Office 2007 class that I’m teaching tonight – that doesn’t leave a lot of extra time… hmmmm…
Sherry is planning on starting in on the interlock patio tonight. She’ll bring home some gravel to level the surface and then we’ll be almost ready to start the install. She has a little bit of work to do on Saturday at work and then we need to get ready for Father’s Day. She’s also planning on doing a little work for a former client (and he’s offered enough to get us most of the way to Mexico –with a little money from my Vinyl to CD business we should be able to get away for a week this fall – yaaaa!)
I’m thankful that the Fog has lifted.
I’m thankful that the Fog is such a foreign experience – I know guys who live their lives like that (yikes).
I’m thankful that I enjoy teaching – it makes it a lot easier
I know that God is my Heavenly Father – and that makes me a Prince in His kingdom.
So it looks like my moods are still a little volatile – so much so that Sherry is having a tough time reading me.
Sherry can read my mood by looking at my eyes. Usually. Recently I’ve been so drastic in my swings (and so quick) that Sherry doesn’t have time to make the call before it changes again.
*sigh*.
I need a little stability in my life for a little while. A teenager is a very powerful destabilizing force.
Our last Alpha was last night. We had a great time with the meal. Rick surprised me by coming back to help with the meal and to serve.
I didn’t expect him to stay for the serving part as he disagreed, philosophically, with me about some of the aspects of who qualifies. It was a pleasant treat.
I gave Rick his Christmas gift last night (I don’t get to see him every week, so last night may have been the last time before Christmas). The gift was perfect. Not too expensive, something that he had been wanting for a while, something that would make his life easier and look good in the process. Perfect. That’s always nice.
This week will be relatively quiet in the lead up to Christmas. I’m really pleased with Sherry’s major gift and happy with the rest – it should be a good time giving them to her. I’m looking forward to it.
It should also be a good time shooting some portraits here on Christmas Eve too. Although our traditions are going to take a hit in the process.
I’m thankful that we have Christmas traditions.
I’m thankful that I can afford to buy cool gifts.
I’m thankful that I have cool friends to give gifts to.
It was a bad day.
Not just for me, but for everyone that I came across. People that are normally laid back and even keeled snapped at me. People that I like and that like me walked out on me.
Nothing seemed to go right.
It was Monday.
I’m just glad that the day is over and we can get back to a regular week. It’s really weird how poorly everyone’s days went.
Michelle came home crying because her friends are giving her grief because she taxis them around town and every now and then asks for gas money.
I haven’t written a line of code in a long time.
Sherry had the removal job from hell – she only worked the morning and came home exhausted.
The list goes on.
Anyway, Sherry is almost done, Christmas is almost here, my glass is always half full and the sun will come out tomorrow. Bet your bottom dollar there’ll be sunshine. Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love you tomorrow, you’re always a day away.
I’m thankful that today is not Monday. Yuck.
I’m thankful that days like that are so uncommon that it takes my whole blog to get it out of my system.
I’m thankful that each season takes its turn on stage. I love fall but I’m glad to see snow, I love winter but I’m glad to see new life, I love spring but I’m glad to see the dry weather come, I love summer but I’m glad for the cool refreshing winds to blow.
A dozen years ago or so I wanted to go out with Michelle on Halloween (I may comment on my thoughts about Halloween in a later post) so I bought a pattern for a Star Trek TNG Season 1 Riker outfit. I bought the spandex and the little pips and a Communicator pin (it didn't actually work, but it looks realistic!) and spent a couple of weeks sewing the whole thing together.
It was a lot of fun - everyone recognized me and I had a great time.
Fast forward a decade of fast food, sedintary lifestyle, desk job and weight gain - there's no way that outfit is going to go back on - it doesn't even cross my mind.
Now fast forward two or three years of eating healthy, running and gym work (and a 30 pound weight loss) and I start feeling good about how I look again. Halloween last year I tried on the outfit again and it's good enough to wear out in the dark. Everyone loves it, they recognize who I'm supposed to be and it's fun.
But it's still spandex and I'm a lot older than I was when I made it.
Time for a new costume!
But who?
A Dalek! Nope - too hard, too bulky. Frankenstein's monster? Nope. A Harlem Globetrotter - nope, they travel in packs.
Darth Vader! Oh, yes. That's exactly it.
Google searching... costing... whoa! $1800 for the costume???!!! I don't think so. Vader Maker Australia... oh, he *made* his own suit from scratch. I can do that.
I started the project about 9 months ago and I'm about 75% done. I suspect that I'll wear it about 85% done and then finish it in the off-season.
So far I've:
o Modified the helmet to insert my prescription lenses in the eye sockets
o Sewn the Cape, Cloak and Jacket
o Created the gloves
o Created the chest armour
o Started the chest computer and belt computer
o Started the boots
That leaves:
o Sewing the Pants
o Creating the codpiece
o Create the shin guards
o Finish the computers
I suspect that finishing the computers may be all that I get done before the end of next month.
If we hadn't moved this past summer and hadn't hosted our house warming party I'd be a lot further along than I am, but I'll be able to wear the costume with a simple pair of black dress pants - no one will notice outside in the dark - it's a pretty black costume...
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In other news: I've FINALLY broken the 190 barrier! I was 189.5 yesterday! Yaaaa! My three mile runs are getting easier again. I can run about a mile (in 7:30) without my breathing going too ragged and finishing the run is no longer an issue.
Michelle and I are simply avoiding each other until we figure out how to call a truce. It's been nice not having to deal with the stress on a daily basis.
I had lunch with an old friend on Tuesday. We laughed and told stories. It was wonderful.
Wow, I managed to get a stress-free day in! Yesterday's programming day went extremely well (although I did find a major snag with Excel 2007... bummer). Supper was a combination of fresh and leftover food and Michelle didn't come home, so there was absolutely no drama yesterday. It was really, really nice.
Ken called last night to firm up the details for his wedding. We videotape weddings for fun and profit and we'll be giving
him his video as a wedding gift. We've also arranged for a still photographer to come down with us to do the stills as part of the gift (Ken's a really good friend).
It's a little complicated getting to the wedding to make the timing work. It would be best if we could all take Friday afternoon off work - but I don't know how that's going to work out with Paul... I'll do some e-mailing today and find out what's up.
It was nice chatting with Ken, and it'll be fun spending Friday with them before the ceremony. It looks like a bunch of people from here will be headed into Michigan to attend this thing... hmmmm - I wonder if Paul could car-pool with one of them...?
It looks like I have a bit of organizing to do - at least I have a couple of days to get it worked out.
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Sometimes I wonder if I taught Michelle everything that she needs to know. I've taught her to think on her feet - to see the motivation behind the things that she's being sold (or told). I've taught her to ask the questions that will keep her from being sold a bill of goods. We've taught her the value of money, how to budget (her money and her time) and how to run a household.
I didn't teach her to obey authority blindly. That would have made this year a lot easier. And there'll be times when she doesn't understand why a boss tells her to do her job a certain way (and there may not be a good reason), but the boss *will* have the power to fire her.
Hmmm.
The Alpha course went remarkably well last night (we didn't get to see the ending, but up to the point that we left it was pretty good)
Sherry spent all day (8am to 8pm) at the church cooking, serving and cleaning. This should be the toughest week since it will be the most elaborate meal by far.
It was nice to see that Rick was able to help out. I was a little surprised by his willingness to help out in the kitchen and to serve the meal (it's a little intimidating to serve food to a bunch of people buffet style).
I've been able to keep my weight down around 191-192 since we got back from the cottage - I'd love to be at 185, but I'm happy at 190.
I'm also making progress on moving my run down from 25 minutes. I'm able to run 1.5 miles in about 11:30 now without feeling like I'm going to die. I'll see if I can maintain that pace for 2 miles starting next week or so and that should shave a minute or so off my time.
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You know, my life really sucks right now.
It seems that I have no patience left at all.
Michelle left her music playing on her PC loudly enough that it was annoying. Sherry climbed over the piles of dirty clothes and wet towels on her floor to try and stop the music, but couldn't figure out what to click on, so she called me in.
Big mistake.
I stepped on something sharp on my way to the PC and it turned out to be a mug of old moldy food. One of my good mugs.
There's a house rule that no food is allowed in mugs (it's really hard to clean crusty, moldy food out of a mug). There's also a house rule that Michelle's room needs to be Neat and Tidy on Sunday (and mostly neat on Monday). There's also a rule that you don't leave wet towels on the hardwood floors (that turns them black). There's also a rule that you don't leave glass on the floor (or dirty dishes in your room).
I flipped.
I threw my good mug out of the pile with enough force that it broke. Which made me REALLY mad.
We went to Alpha after that and when I got home Michelle had left a note calling me an asshole and a post-it-note saying "thats (sic) really mature" with a piece of glass (my good mug) on it on my desk.
She just really pisses me off with everything that she does and when it's intentional it's ten times worse.
It has to stop.
Tonight is the first Alpha class. We've volunteered to do the cooking for the class and it looks like about 50 people will be there tonight.
We've never cooked for 50 people before.
Fortunately Mary Ann is willing to coach us through the first couple of meals until we get our sea legs.
My life really sucks right now.
On top of the stress of getting an Alpha together Michelle is causing so much stress that I can't handle it any more. She either needs to stop doing stupid things or she needs to move out for a while until she gets her act together.
She's done high school this year and will be moving on to college next fall, but there's no way that I can handle a full year of this stress (or even 10 months if she chooses to work out West next summer). I don't think I can handle another week of her idiotic actions.
I need help.
At least Michelle and Sherry are still talking.
I feel like one of those old-fashioned pressure cookers. The heat has been on for months and the pressure has been building up inside me all that time. The little metal knob is now rocking violently enough that it looks like it'll blow off.
Once the heat has been removed the pressure is still inside and it takes time for the pressure to slowly go down. So even if she 'behaves' for a week or two that won't be enough to restore me to my original even keeled nature. It's going to take an extended period of normality to get me back to happy.
*sigh*
Ok, so I seem to be stuck on this whole car thing. Michelle really really really stresses me out over this.
She refuses to share 'her' car and I'm paying for the whole thing (which stresses my budget - Sherry and I typically go through about $150 a month in gas, Michelle has been going through an additional $200 a month).
Something has to change.
Michelle and all (and I mean all) of her friends have jobs - so we're going to offload (like a good politician) all of the car
expenses on to them. If they can't each kick in $10 per week for gas then they've been abusing my generousity (and Michelle's willingness to drive them - she's the only one that has access to a car).
So, they'll be responsible for gas and maintenance of the Cabbie - Michelle will be required to drive Sherry into work in the mornings in exchange for us insuring the car (which she actually can't afford - no matter how many of her friends have jobs). Sherry and I will make do with one car until Michelle goes to College this time next year.
Michelle gets so dramatic (Drama Queen Academy Award level) when we talk to her about her car. And it's really stressful. Sherry misses all of that drama because Michelle is at work by the time Sherry gets home and we're in bed by the time Michelle gets home.
I need it to stop
In slightly more mundane, but happier, news I'm back down to my all-time lowest weight (I now weight around 190 - down from an all time high of 220). My goal is 185 (I'm 6'2") and it looks like it's in reach now. I'm also back to 3 miles a day which I complete in about 25 minutes on the treadmill. I get the advantage of comfortable weather and I get to watch a movie while I run. Pretty cool.
