I've been off the air for a while, though I've tried to at least keep up with reading the posts. I've been focusing my attention on several different things lately and "a little here" and "a little there" add up to way past my bedtime.
First off, I took my first database administration class last week. I put it off for several days and it finally dawned on me why: I was, subconsciously, thinking that, once I took the class, I couldn't feign stupidity any more. Once I had taken the course, I would be expected to know that which was covered in the class. I finally knuckled down and just did it and most of it ended up being stuff I had already learned just from doing the job these past several months. I took the final on Sunday and got 100%.
I also started taking a little more "me" time. Over a year ago, I started making a Christmas stocking for Kadie. It's one of these kits that you get at the craft store where you embroider all the pieces, attach sequins and beads and then sew everything all together. It's a lot of detail work and I'll be lucky to finish it by this Christmas, but I hadn't touched it since sometime last fall. I decided I'd devote about 30 minutes a night to it - not only to get it done, but also to get back to doing something I truly enjoyed.
I've also been trying to read Carol Tuttle's book, Remembering Wholeness. Apparently, I started a trend and wanted to keep up with it. My posting about angels was an excerpt from her book that I had found on another website. I hadn't actually read her book. Well, hearing all the good stuff that was happening in everyone's lives, I decided it might be worth investigating the book a little more. I've been getting in a few minutes here and there and I'm about 1/2 way through now. It really is amazing how much time I've devoted in my life to negative thoughts. And it's even more amazing at how much better I feel in just the few short days I've been consciously trying to change those patterns. My biggest challenge, I think (at the moment), is my short fuse. I've never had a great deal of patience but I'm working on it. My hope, also, is that those ailments I've been labeled with will eventually (actually, I'm hoping quickly) dissolve away. If physical complaints are truly signs of emotional baggage, then I've got a lot of clearing to do, but I'm determined to try it out.
Work, itself, is going well. I've been caught up in a lot of special projects and mini-classes, so my days fly by but I'm usually pretty fuzzy-brained at the end. I'm definitely feeling more comfortable with my role there and my abilities. My boss has decided to start sitting me side-saddle with the others as they're actually doing development work to get my feet wet. My attention to detail and ability to keep things "stupid" when describing them has also been uncovered and I've been asked to do a lot of the documentation that the others find difficult (as they're usually on a higher brain wave than the average user).
Kadie is blooming. Yesterday was her first day back to the preschool classes that Ms. Tracy holds at daycare. We got her a little book bag (the wheeled type) that she pulls behind her everywhere. It's been filled with toys more than it has been with papers, but that's where we're keeping her markers, scissors, folders, etc. and she seems to be enjoying herself. I think we're firmly established with our new potty activities, though we still have some accidents when she's too busy playing to take a break. Even when we see her dancing around and tell her it's time to go potty, she'll hold out until the last minute before throwing things down and rushing off, cross-legged, to the bathroom. I think she's also entered the scared-of-the-dark phase. We've had to put a nightlight in her room and we leave the shade up a couple of inches at night (she goes to bed when it's still light out). It hasn't been the most entertaining phase of her childhood, but it's more fun than the pooping-in-her-pants phase.
The weather has been cool and rainy lately, though Sunday was so nice (sunny at 70) that we opened all the windows and turned off the AC. It's getting back into the 80s now, but it shouldn't be long before fall hits permanently. Our leaves have been changing colors and falling for a couple of weeks now.
Well, I'd better get back to work. I was gonna make this quick, but I tend to keep going once I get started.
Hope everyone is doing well and I wish you all a happy and positive day.
Lisa - how'd the job interview and first day of school go?
Mom and Dad - I'm hoping you're still "the mansion on the hill" or have you slid off yet? Jeff and I were thinking you were building a swimming pool with all that talk of digging and water trucks, but it doesn't look like this project has been for fun.
Grandpa Paulin and Grandma Todnem - it was nice to hear from the two of you. Isn't technology wonderful (when it works
)? Be careful - these blog things can be addictive.
Dave/Melody - where'd ya go?......
Suzie - how are things going up in your neck of the woods?