Saturday, September 30, 2006

Owwwww

You know, people have told me about migraine headaches - but I never really REALLY knew what they were like until this past Wednesday night.

All day Wednesday I felt kinda.... off. Slightly headache-y & like I was coming down with something. Also really tired. I figured it was just a hold over from the night before and that I'd catch up with my sleep when I got home. The kids were w/X and J coming over later.

Didn't happen. I was in the middle of making the kids' lunch when all of a sudden: Must Lie Down Right Now. And there I stayed for the next hour - alternatively sweating and shivering, feeling like I was going to be sick, head hurting so badly that I just thought it would pop off.

Then, by about 9:30 or so, it was fine.

So in reading up about migraines, I find out that they occur most frequently in women between the ages of 35 - 45 - because that is the time in their lives when they "do the most" - kids, job, etc.

"... migraine headaches are more common in women. In fact, about three out of four people who have migraines are women. They are most common in women between the ages of 35 and 45; this is often a time that women have more job, family, and social commitments. Women also tend to report higher levels of pain, longer headache time, and more symptoms, such as nausea and vomiting.
Hormones may also trigger migraine. Over half of women with migraine report having them right before, during, or after their period. Others get them for the first time when taking birth control pills. And some women start getting them when they enter menopause."

So, I pretty much fall into all the categories. Granted I've been under lots of stress for at least the past oh, two, three, four, five, six.... seveneightnineten years - one could argue that Tuesday night was especially stressful - plus I had just gotten my period, plus just started a new birth control. Plus lets not forget the mice. Never had mice before.

By the time J was over - I was pretty much fine... but I tell you -- the fear that I would get another was horrible! Hope to hell it doesn't happen again.

Monday, September 25, 2006

And now you know...



... the rest of the story. Or maybe not if you didn't read my other half. (I'm workin' it. I'm workin the two blog thing - as if you couldn't tell!)

So, my cousin's husband goes: "I find it so funny how you have two active boys!" And I was like "Yeah, I always thought I'd have two, quiet little bookish girls..."

And it's true. They are a lot. Little energizer bunnies.... Always in competition with each other, and at the same time very fiercely loyal. It's always a learning experience to just watch.

But, I'm always thinking that - well - I'm a woman. I'm a woman, and not a horribly athletic or adventurous woman (well, not those sorts of outdoorsy, mountain climbing, heights jumping, tightrope walking sort of adventures.) And yes, of course they have a Dad... but let's face it - one night a week and every other weekend... not so much.

SO - very long way of saying that this past weekend was so nice because I realized how many MALE relatives I have, and how all my male relatives have GIRLS and how they LOVE to play with my BOYS! It was perfect!

My boys were thrown, rolled, karate kicked, ninja punched, boxed, summer saulted, and flipped for nearly two days straight. They call my mom's cousin "madman" (which I secretly think he likes!), love talking to my mom's brother about how he was a soldier, talking to my mom's other brother about tennis... etc, etc, etc

Just kinda drove home the whole "It Takes a Village" idea... made me appreciate my family all the more and saved me a few ninja bruises, as well!

Thursday, September 21, 2006

Omigod!

Wanna see an "Easy Blow?" Go look here! You won't regret it!!






Hee, hee, hee!

Listen the Shofar Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur and the Jewish month of Elul שופר

The shofar is used mainly at Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. It is blown in synagogues to mark the end of the fast at Yom Kippur, and blown at four particular places at Rosh Hashanah. Because of its inherent ties to the Days of Repentance and the inspiration that comes along with hearing its piercing clasts, the shofar is also blown after morning services for the entire month of Elul (excluding Shabbath), which is the last month in the year but the sixth of the Jewish months which are counted from Nisan. It is not blown on the last day of month, however, to mark the difference between the voluntary blasts of the month and the mandatory blasts of the holiday. Shofar blasts are also used during penitential rituals such as Yom Kippur Katan and optional prayer services called during times of communal distress. It is also commonly blown to signify the beginning of worship at Karen Wheaton's ministries The Ramp. The exact modes of sounding can vary from location to location.

The shofar is now almost never used outside these times, though has been seen in western classical music on a limited number of occasions. The best known example is to be found in Edward Elgar's oratorio The Apostles, although an instrument such as the flugelhorn usually plays the part instead of an actual shofar.

It's Thursday!!

Thirteen Things I Have Floating Around In My Head (In no particular order.)
1…. I'm so tired; why am I doing this?
2.... Was that a mouse or a dust bunny?
3..... How am I ever going to lose those extra five pounds if I eat pop tarts?
4.... Gotta buy that Power Ranger Costume.
5..... Don't you dare buy that Power Ranger Costume!
6.... Not gonna see J. for another week.
7..... Can't believe it's the (Jewish) New Year again ALREADY!
8.... I'm so tired, why am I doing this?
9.... Am I allowed to use the same thought twice?
10.... I don't think these lines look straight.
11.... I need glasses.
12.... Shit - have to make Max lunch!
13.... How did I get a mosquito bite on my butt?
Links to other Thursday Thirteens!1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)
Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!


Tuesday, September 19, 2006

The Second Half of the Weekend

Well, I wrote about the first half of the weekend on O.B. - so in the interest of equal time, here's the second half. You like how I do that? Split the weekend so I have a little for this one, a little for that one. That takes skill, you know. Skill and know how - and I have them both in SPADES! (Omigod. Totally cracking myself up!)

So, on Sunday, after the battle royal to get Max to Hebrew School (which I should probably call Religious school, since they don't really learn Hebrew yet...) the kids and I went to go play tennis w/J and his daughter. It went really well. She is really cute and sweet and my boys love her & were totally vying for her attention. Actually, J and his daughter were defintely the cool ones. I was relegated to ball fetcher. Kinda nice to sit back & watch others do the work, though!

As we're getting into the car Max goes: "Daddy has a girlfriend!" "Oh, yes? What makes you think that?" "Well, I heard her say on the phone that she was at the zoo with her boyfriend, and I knew she was with Daddy... so...." "Oh, I see." "And I asked Daddy - and he said yes."

When I talked to X about it today he said that then Max said to him: "Why didn't you tell me earlier?!?" And then went around tellng all the kids at McDonalds that "My Daddy has a girlfriend!"

There's no figuring these kids.

But, it was a great day, everybody seemed to feel comfortable, and I finally had the chance to see another part of J's life... which I never really get a chance to. Not that I feel kept out... but when you don't see a person's home, or their things.... it's a huge part of them. Just wait 'til October - when he moves! (I'll report back about any strange stuff he might have!)

Sooo tired by the end of the day, long day Saturday, up early for bloody Religious Education on Sunday, then out in the sun, all day Sunday... But so nice

Monday, September 18, 2006

Alternative Income Stream my butt!

"Stream of Income?" I don't know. I don't talk like that. I'm a social worker fer crying out loud! (And isn't THAT an awaful stereotype?! Just because I'm a non-profit do-gooder should NOT mean I know nothing about the business world! I'll have to do a cost benefit analysis of that...)

The point of this, though, is I just checked my google "Ad-Sense" account. THe one where I'm supposed to be making money for my chidrens' college education, my trip to the Bahamas, etc...

Easy money, right.

THree months: $2.69.

As the client who repeatedly asked me if she should send in her claim form to be part of a class action suit ("Shoud I send it in? Will I get money." "I don't know. I can't tell you. You have to make the decision." "But what should I do?" "I don't know. I can't tell you." "But..." You get the picture.) She said: "Well, a millionaire it won't make me."

Friday, September 15, 2006

What to do, what to do, what to do...

So last week I posted either here or on other blog (don't I wish there was some automatic thingy that would make a link to "other blog" each time I wrote it out. Or maybe I should just assume that the same people read this all the time & they know the other blog already, and are saying to themselves: "we KNOW the other blog already - will you jsut stop linking to it!?!?" Maybe they do. Maybe I should. Or maybe not.) about Max's old sitter... I'll caller ES (for Ex-sitter, get it?)

She was Max's sitter from when he was about 6 months - when I first went back to work - 'til he was about 18 months or so (when Nathan was born). She was my Uncle's girlfriend, and a social worker - so I had a pretty high level of trust in her, and that made it easier to leave my first born for the first time.

BUT - I didn't like leaving him, she kept saying .... welllll.... kinda strange stuff - like how she would like to rub the lotion on him... how it was sensual... and how she brought him to Sears for his first portraits (ones with her!) when I had been planning to do it... letting him jump on the couch when he was just learning to walk and was so unsteady on his feet.... stuff like that. Not MAJOR alert the authorities stuff... but - well - things that make you go "huh?" (I should mention that she has bi-polar... which I'm not sreally sure how much it figures into it or not. I figured it's controlled with medication... so it's fine... but I think her ssense of boundaries and impulse control are probably not the best.)

THen, through the years she has helped me out - but even though she said she "loved" both boys, really favored Max, would buy them (not age appropriate) presents, and if I would say "this isn't appropriate" would say to them: "You Mom says no."

I'd call her up: "Please - no more toys." "Please - no more candy." "No, you may not take Max down to the subway platform to watch the trains." "Please, please, please stop buying them things!" She gave the kids no boundaries, no guidlines - and when I questioned her on this she said "that comes from you - not me, I'm here for fun." And so, so so many things that I would hear that made me question her judgement. And I always, always, always felt ....well... just kinda uncomfortable. Like Max was everything to her. Her world. She'd tell me how she thought about him on her vacation, how all her friends know about him.... and just leave me feeling ever more uncomfortable.

So, in June some time I get a call from the kids regular sitter: "Amy, ES was supposed to pick up Max from the bus, but I see him here with somebody else." I call ES "Yes, I made a mistake. I was late on the subway, panicked & called this woman!" (The woman, incidentally, would NEVER be somebody I would leave my children with.)

When I called ES to talk about it, she wouldn't talk - then left a message asking why I'm not nice to her, that she doesn't deserve it, etc, etc. And she's right. I've been keeping this anger at her in for such a long time. So many times I've wanted to end this - but feel sorry for her, or the Greek Chorus saying "YOu're going through a divorce, Max needs as much support as he can get..." So, against my gut I let her continue seeing him/them.

I called her back & said she was right. No more. It's not healthy for any of us. I become a mean, cold person to her - which is not fair and it's not appropriate for Max. (Jeez, I"m sorry - this is getting so long!) She sends me this letter, saying Max is a "Prince" and she will always remember their time together.

SO - this past Saturday I get a voicemail - she hopes I won't be so cruel as to keep them apart, and how she won't be able to live without him/them, and she can't believe that I really think that she is such, such a horrible person...

Can anybody say "emotional blackmail?"

I haven't called her back yet - because I have about 25 million other things swimming around in my mind... but I'm going to have to. I can either cut her off entirely, or have tightly supervised visits. THese visits would have to be with me, which would throw us right back on that treadmill again...

Crap.




Thursday, September 14, 2006

Thirteen Reasons Why I Love My Job
1…. I have direct contact with the people I work with.
2.... My job is to help an individual, not a company, organization, or bottom line.
3.... I work with people who are just as vested as I am.
4.... Every day is different.
5.... I get to go into different homes, and have a window in to all sorts of different lives.
6.... I hear stories of great strength and fortitude from people who have lived long, long lives.
7.... I hear stories of incredible sadness, and know that if there is any way possible, and if they will let me, I can (try to) help.
8.... That when I can't help I have a group of supportive peers who help me understand that I've done all I can.
9.... I hear stories about New York City, and how it was fifty, sixty, seventy years ago.
10.... I feel really young. :)
11.... It's a chance not to think about myself, my issues, and my problems and worry about others.
12.... I don't get paid well. (Just checking to see if you're paying attention!)
13.... I put so much time and effort into graduate school... and went through so many crappy and inappropriate jobs... that it's just so great to find where I fit.

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)
Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!


Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Bang & Olufsen's Helping Hand reminds you to take meds - Engadget

Bang & Olufsen's Helping Hand reminds you to take meds - Engadget

It's SO GREAT that companies are realizing that their market for people who need to be reminded to take many medications is one that could use and afford a product like this.

I guess after a client I saw yesterday (you can read what happened here) this just kinda pisses me off. So many seniors need help with things like this, reminders to take meds seems like a minor thing - but forgetting to take one, or forgetting that you DID take one, then taking two... well... on an already fragile system. Not too good.

And people think of the "retirees" going on cruises, RV'ing through the US National Parks... and really -- it's more the exception than the rule. They are on fixed, fixed incomes in a country where things are getting increasingly expensive, where children move further and further away, and where the government support for their healthcare is dwindling.

Off my soap box. Going in the shower.

Sunday, September 10, 2006

N.Y. woman wins lottery for second time - Yahoo! News

N.Y. woman wins lottery for second time - Yahoo! News

No, no - it wasn't me. But a person can dream.... And I know, I know - gotta play to win. Guess I gotta play.

Love to win...

And can I mention...

Max understands sarcasm. Yesterday when we were walking back from my picking them up from X I said something like "Boy, I'd really like that more than anything!" And Max looked at me and said: "you really mean the opposite of what you said, don't you?" I was astounded! I told him that yes, I actually did, and explained that I was being sarcastic.

I don't know what I was more impressed with - the fact that he understood the whole "opposite" thing (like my way with words?) or that he had the intuition to get it.

Wow


So today is Max's first day of Hebrew School. I'm so excited! That's why I'm up so early!! (No. Lie. I woke up 'cause a new cork tile that I bought @ K-mart with the idea of being able to tack up school notices - fell down and scared the crap out of me.)

For those of you who are so inclined, you can read about my Hebrew School escapades with X on my other blog. It was so great when I went to pick Max up yesterday -from X (and my sister actually came with me, because I felt her presence might actually keep X a little.... quieter.) and X said, in this obnoxious voice: "Have fun at Hebrew School, Max." Causing Max to run away yelling: "I don't want to go to Hebrew School, I don't want to go!!" My sister & I were able to explain to him that it's not all bad, and that he might actually have some fun... so I think we've gotten past this crisis.

I totally lashed out at X, though - "Will you f*ckin' shut up! You better support this!" I usually don't even bother - a waste of energy. (I've noticed I've been cursing more. Gotta watch that.) And he just smiled at me. So really, it was a waste of energy. Dick.

Hooray! Just tried to upload a photo and it worked!! That's Max in his new tennis outfit! He starts tomorrow! The raquet is curtesy of my wonderful boyfriend, J - who loved the idea of getting him his "first racquet." And I cannot tell you how psyched Max is. Wanting to practice already. Hitting a tennis ball on our balcony - banging into neighbor's wall. (Sorry, neighbors!!) Luckily they're nice & also have a young boy....

Funny/sad (but mostly sad) - I don't think X has ever bought Max (or Nathan - except he did get him a toy aircraft carrier for his last birthday) anything. All the Hanukah, birthday stuff was bought by me. And he never buys stuff just for the sake of buying! What a waste that would be!! And you know, it doesn't have to be what you buy... just that you're thinking of somebody. And come on, birthday? CHanukah? Little treat at the park?!?

And on that note, when I picked the kids up yesterday (they had been to Bronx Zoo w/X) I saw they had little toys! (Good segue, huh?) Boy, was I surprised! I said: "How nice of Daddy to do that for you!" But found out Janet got them for them. Ohhh, of course. X smiled sheepishly "But I paid for them." (I'll let that statement stand on it's own.)

Then I found out that the kids had "Puerto Rican Icecream" in the Bronx. (That's how Max phrased it.) Which I always actually thought was Dominican (when you see the carts on the street...) but in doing this search I have found out that it's also Phillipino... so...... But X! Doing that?!? Interesting to see how Janet will play out with the kids. Already looks like it's a bit in their favor!

Friday, September 08, 2006

Sorry!

For the thirteen million Crocodile Hunter posts. Just saw them. Deleted them. Next time, somebody let me know!!

Thursday, September 07, 2006

More Craziness

Yesterday morning I called X to see if he could bring over one of Max's sneakers (one was left there). He couldn't. But he did take the time to ask me if I could call him at 9:30 am with a phone number for unemployment ...he's gonna see if he can get it.

I explained that I'd be with a client then & he was like "well, when can you get it for me..."

And you know the sick thing, I didn't even think "what am I, your friggin' information service?" I just went on line, looked up the number, and called him back.

THen he calls later in the afternoon wanting to take my computer to his house. which is even sicker.

It's gonna be a long two months 'til he gets a job, and even more hellish if he doesn't get one by then.

I'm just going to try not to think about it.

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

I know, I know

You're saying stop posting this crap and write something real! I think the thing is, I have so much floating around in that little brain of mine that it's hard. Also, the pressure of two blogs, well... I shouldn't complain.- but...

Tough being back at work after being away for two weeks. Well, not away, away - I was here - just not at work. Don't know that I'd take two weeks again... unless I was going somewhere - I feel like I missed too much at work. (And yes, I recognize how sick it is that I missed work.... but when you deal with people it's so different...)

Spent some time w/the client whose home attendant stole from her. She feels so betrayed. And after talking to the police detective (who I haven't seen yet - but heard is cute!) I feel like such a trusting fool, too. I was with the woman when she interviewed the H/A - I didn't thik to ask for ID, proof of residence, anything. Just went on how she seemed.

Won't do that again.

Hmmmm

NOt so sure about this. I mean, I never ever, ever exaggerate!! Really!

-=-=-

You Are From Jupiter
You are exuberantly curious - and you love to explore newness.Enthusiastic and optimistic, you get a kick out of stimulating intellectual discussions.Foreign cultures and languages fascinate you. You love the outdoors, animals, and freedom.Chances are you tend to exaggerate, so try to keep a lid on that.If you do, you'll continue to be known for your confidence, generosity, and sense of justice.
What Planet Are You From?

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

Crocodile Hunter's death caught on video - Yahoo! News

Crocodile Hunter's death caught on video - Yahoo! News

I tell you - this is just so sad... I just keep thinking of him on that cheesy Wiggles Video....