The One With Words

Work's been keeping me busy and I honestly don't have much to write about. I have to get up even earlier these days as we're working earlier. Pretty soon, the train will be out too because I'll be starting early and ending late. Very late. I can expect a few nights where I don't come home.

So, a few minor items while they're in my head.

• Signed up for a specialized account for a website that will publish my "work." Not only does it publish, but it's done through Amazon, so not exactly a minor distribution market.
  
  
• So, what does my "work" consist of? Well, for starters I've been jotting down notes for a bunch of short stories during my train commutes... I may have a single character tie them all together too.
  
  
• With the exception of a few people, nearly everyone I've listed in 'My Dramatis Personae' (look up the post, I'm too lazy) is now a friend on Facebook.
  
  
• One of them, 'Alberta' has really been on my mind lately. I feel she's going to change the world and I'm excited for her. She's in Africa right now... starting the change.
  
  
• Africa's been on my mind for nearly a year too. Some people from my church set up an orphanage and school there a few years ago and they've invited a number of people to come help. I've felt a few tugs drawing me in that direction, even if it is only for a few weeks. It'll be the ultimate far cry from 'My Year' back in 2004 when I was thinking only of myself. And, yes, the idea of visiting 'Alberta' there has crossed my mind. She'll be there 'til June and I may go as early as January. Maybe.
  
  
• Something I read in 'Alberta's' Facebook profile has really hit me too. It's just a saying, but I keep hearing her say it when I'm sleeping. No, nothing erotic or anything like that. More disconcerting than anything.
  
  
• No, still nothing happening on eBay. I'm too busy with work and that means no one gets their stuff in a timely fashion or through a delivery system I trust. Total back burner, but I have plans --again.
  
  
• A trip to Vegas may be in the cards very, very soon. My bro-in-law might be heading North again, this time working in Seattle. His wife insists on flying back, which means he needs people to drive cars from Nevada to Washington. We'll see.
  
  
• I'm trying to get my personal website up and running again. Apparently, I let the payments lapse for the hosting server and now I can't get a hold of the guy so I can pay him again.
  
  
• I'm tired. But I haven't gotten sick in a while. I'm paranoid about it, though. It'll happen soon enough, I'm sure.
  
  
• I finally gave up on my old cell phone and wanted to get a decent multifunctional cell for my next one. There are, essentially, 3 cell phone providers in our area to work with. I've been with one for 4 years and they sent me a notice that if I renewed for 3 years, they'd give me any phone currently priced at $99.99 on their 3-yr plan for half-price. That seemed worth it and they had a phone with most of the functions I wanted at that price. I ordered online and they delivered within a week... with a bill for $600+! It seems the phone I want is only for new subscribers.
  
  
• Which brings me to the latest thing that bothers me about phone/cell/internet companies. Their marketing geniuses reward new customers but essentially dump on existing ones. Why? Our ISP offers a free computer or a $400 credit with Dell if you sign up with them --but only for new customers. Our phone company offers $50 of monthly features free for 6 months if you sign with them. The cable company offers 3 free months of their premium cable package when you order the tier-3 package. No upgrades are accepted.
  
  
• The last customer loyalty "reward" I got from the cell phone company? A 2007 calendar. I order it in December and it hasn't arrived yet.
  

I'm tired and I have to work tomorrow. I'll post more thoughts next week. Hopefully.

The One About Parental Frustration

Ask me how I feel about my daughter's school or extracurricular activities and you're likely to get a growl at best.

My daughter had her first day in grade 2 last week and I was quite annoyed to discover she's in a split class of Gr. 1 & 2 kids. I don't like that. We've had issues before where she's struggled to advance because other kids were bringing down the teaching level in the class. Add to the mix the troublemaker girl from her class last year and there's going to be bad chemistry.

I'm confused, though. When I went to school and was in a split class (Gr. 2-3 split), it was because there were a number of extra Grade 3 kids and and a number of extra Grade 2 kids. Neither group was enough to justify 2 teachers for 2 classes, so they merged into one room. At my daughter's school, there's 4 classes of Grade 2 kids. All are split. 3 are with younger kids and one with older kids.

My daughter's best friend is in with the older kids and she was already reading at an advanced level like my daughter. She's got a great opportunity to learn more with the older kids, as opposed to my daughter who got to spend a day this week learning the alphabet....

Enter the grumpy father. My daughter's home reading was at too low a level, so I let the teacher know. A book about rhymes (bat, cat, dog, bog, etc.) is too low. My daughter's reading for the weekend is a Junie B. Jones book. Much better.

As I deal with my daughter's school life and the breaks her best friend gets, it reminds me of their ballet school. 2 years ago, when they had their year-end dance exams, both girls had chicken pox and had to cancel. I found out about 2 months later that they offered a new exam date to my daughter's friend, but never said anything to us. So, my daughter continued with a new class, but not at the same level as her friend. Then we discovered that they invited all the younger girls (age 3-5) to join my daughter's class. Essentially, she learned nothing all year as the dance instructors spent the classtime chasing around toddlers.

So, my daughter's now in her 3rd year of ballet. I found out this week that another friend of hers will be in the same class. This girl's never taken a ballet class before. I detect a repeat of last year...

Enter the grumpy father. I'm going to the first ballet class and have already warned the dance school that I'll pull my daughter from their program if this goes the same way as last year.

The One with the Neverending Expiry Date

I leave for work around 6:30am every day. 9 days out of 10, I take the train. That means on a good day I'm home before 7pm. On a bad day, which is usually the case, it's closer to 8pm. So, my day away from home is 12-13 hours. I'm tired when I get home. And chances are, I haven't had dinner yet and the clock's close to 8.

So, if you're wondering why there's so few posts these days... reread the first paragraph.

Work's been busy. When it comes the data entry aspect of it, we have a daily quota we're supposed to hit. I'm in a specialized area and I think I've hit the departmental quota once. I told my boss and his only response was "Cool." The less issues in my area of expertise, the better off things are. Fortunately, I have an experienced team of specialists who review my work and they've reported how good a job I'm doing.

So, not surprisingly, my contract has been extended indefinitely. While that's all and good, I'm still holding out hope that some miracle occurs and I can get a job much closer to home. Yes, it means I'm basically giving up on the career path I went to school for, but the money's not much at the end of the day and the debt continues to grow.

Friends I started with (and went to school with before that) are now starting to leave. One had his last day today and is making a move north to work in the oilfields. He figures he could do that for a few years and pay down his student loan debt. Another one's taken a job that actually pays less(!), but has potential for advancement. We really don't have that where we are right now.

So, I"m looking to move on and at least have some level of stability while I look elsewhere. The question is, where will I end up and when?