Thankful Friday

I am thankful.......

1. had yesterday off of ESD to spend the afternoon with David (it was his birthday).
2. amazing hushpuppies at Joe's Crab Shack (though we weren't overly impressed with the rest of the food).
3. David's Batman Cookies turned out to be AWESOME looking -- and he doesn't care that much for them, so I get to eat them!
4. the weekend!
5. NICE paycheck from ESD.  I was only expecting a few days, but got a full week.  Woohoo!  Talk about a huge relief.
6. Liz and Julie are hosting a small BBQ in honor of David's birthday on Saturday.
7. making a little extra cash nest week -- I'll be cat-sitting for Liz and Julie.
8. being more assertive at both jobs.
9. creativity is slowly coming back and the depression has finally lifted itself completely from my shoulders.
10. I'm done with this week's thankful list.  *smiles*

written Sept 13th, 20103

Boredom (Poem)

Boredom courses through my veins
          sluggish
               like a silt and moss
                          choked river
                                 not quite stagnant
                                                         but close
                                                             so close
                                  to a stand-still
My pen languishes upon the page
     journal abandoned and neglected
                     as the city of Chernobyl
                                        lifeless and listless
                     crying out for days long past
                                   of activity and
                                               the hum of life
What to do
        what to do
             to break this strangle hold
                      boredom has
                                        on my creativity



written September 9th, 2013
first poem I've written in ages

Thankful Thursday

ART: Gemsbok Herd
ARTIST: Michael Poliza

I am thankful....

1. the frappuccino and "Thanks a 'latte' for all that you do" card at Kids R Kids.
2. David got me the e-cigarette so I'll stop smoking the occasional real one.
3. bought two fund-raising chocolate bars from Paige (one of my students).
4. my gift for working with kids.
5. daily hugs from Kyndall and Stephanie (students).
6. cookies and a V8 Splash from Allie to celebrate it almost being Friday.
7. Leviathan turning 7 years old today.
8. Postcrossing -- so far I've received postcards from China, Ukraine, and Siberia.
9. that it's almost the weekend.  I'm ready for a break from the 2-year-olds at Kids R Kids.
10. a parent was late picking up their child yesterday at ESD.  That's a little extra money on my paycheck

written Thursday, Sept 5th, 2013

Like a Ping Pong Ball

ART: Silence! The Queen is Meditating

It's amazing all the things I remember once I've already jumped headlong into something.
Like the fact that while I'm doing the 365 Photo Challenge...my writing falls to the wayside.

Both jobs are going well.
I finally finished up the 20 on-line courses for the morning job.  That took more than a minute to do....but it's all on the clock, so that will be a nice boost to my paycheck when I finally get it.
Afternoon job is good.  The kids are good.  The staff is good.  All good stuff.  Man how I missed that job over summer.  I wish it was a year-round gig.  Eh, no sense in wishing for what cannot be.  I just need to be smart with my spending and saving so that summer doesn't wipe me and my husband out again.

I've been playing with my meds again.  I couldn't afford to get the Depakote refilled.
And it's not like it's really working all that well anyways.  That's why I'm also on Geodon.
So I stopped taking the Depakote and my depression is GONE.  I still will sleep 20 hours if given the opportunity, but I think that's because the week just wears me out.  I need the extra sleep.  On just the Geodon, I'm feeling a bit of creative stirring (something that I've been sorely lacking in the last 6 months).  I go see the super shrink on the 27th and I plan to let him know I'm not on the Depakote and haven't been on it for almost 2 months (at that point) and that I have no intentions of going back on it either.  I don't even know why he still has me on it.  *shrugs*  We'll see how that all plays out.

David got tired of me having the occasional cigarette.  So he bought me an e-cigarette.  Once I start getting paychecks, I plan to buy the fluid that has no nicotine so I won't have that issue.  It would be horrible to get addicted on the e-cigarette!  *laughs*  I have the Irish Cream flavor now, but plan to pick up Angel Wings (smells like cotton candy) when I have money in the bank.

Hard to believe that in 2 days Leviathan turns 7 years old!  SEVEN!  Wow.  Where has the time gone!  Hopefully she'll live another 18 years and hit the maximum age.  I love that lil serpent.  She makes my heart happy.

Dreamt the other night of a weretiger with a snake tattooed on his right shoulder and of a tropical island I was protecting.  He lived on the island and I had to prove to him I wasn't with the people that were trying to cut down the forest.  A fairly interesting dream. 

David's birthday is in 9 days.  I need to email the cookie lady and make sure we're on schedule for his fancy Batman cookies.  And I need to run to the dollar store and pick up balloons and streamers.  I plan to decorate his doorway for his birthday.  I don't have a ton of money, so I can't get him a whole lot, but I do plan to do whatever I can to make it a special day for him.

Saturday night we sat up until 6 am talking.  Hashing out a lot of things and talking about the future.  He's been a lot more loving and I just adore that. 

We've been hit hard financially, but we're slowly making a come back. 
His job is changing.  It's going BACK to just support, which he LOVES doing, so that's a good thing.  And he has the potential to make a bit more money, and that's always a good thing.

I can't remember if I've mentioned it or not, and I'm too lazy to go searching....
My mom's offered to fly us up to see David's parents as a Christmas present to us both.  Very cool of her.  I've only met David's parents once and that was 3 years ago.  So now we're just waiting for David to have the time off and then we're going.  We're looking at December/January as possible times to go.  David's super excited about seeing them again.  We'd go tomorrow if he had the time off.  *chuckles*  But by December, he'll have the time, and we'll just pick a weekend to go.  We're planning to fly out on a Friday and come back on a Monday, that way we won't miss as much work but have time to really visit. 
 

Photos 234 - 243

Photo 234:

Another shot of the resident raccoon.

Photo 235:

A charm I've made from a key I found while walking Holly.  I've empowered it to help me unlock the doors to wealth (namely to get my punk ass out of debt).

Photo 236:

A full body shot of Leviathan....she's around 5 feet long.

Photo 237:

Cute sign at Michael's.  I can't believe they already have Halloween stuff out.

Photo 238:

Turned the key charm into a necklace that I will wear daily.

Photo 239:

Jungle Leviathan.

Photo 240:

My weird snake doing a backbend.

Photo 241:

Folder that the boss made for the site supervisors at ESD (afternoon job).

Photo 242:

Resident raccoon brought a friend to dinner.

Photo 243:

Post card from Ukraine (via Postcrossing)

Photos 224 - 233

Photo 224:

Post card from China (via Postcrossing)

Photo 225:

This must be comfortable, as this is the second time I've photographer Leviathan this way.

Photo 226:

Holly in her "nest" with her "radar ear" up.

Photo 227:

Leviathan peeking out from under her turtle shell hide (it's made of cement).

Photo 228:

Raccoon is back!

Photo 229:

Leviathan

Photo 230:

Most delicious chip known to man -- crunchy Cheetos.

Photo 231:

art journal page (work in progress)

Photo 232:

Alpha (head) and Omega (tail)

Photo 233:

Leviathan stare down.

Thankful Thursday 08.30.13

I am thankful.....

1. second week of working at Kids R Kids is over and done with....and that I have Monday off of BOTH jobs!  Woohoo!
2. Gabriel -- my little screamer at Kids R Kids -- is doing WORLDS better and just utterly melts my heart.
3. that Kids R Kids is paying me 50 cents MORE than what I asked for my hourly rate.  It certainly makes the job more bearable.
4. that ESD has started back up.  I really need the money it brings in.
5. Leviathan's being super social.  She likes to watch me when I'm over by her tank, and she'll follow me from one end to the other too!
6. the break I get between the morning job and the afternoon job.  It's the only way I can keep my wits together.
7. finally drinking more water like I should be.  I feel better physically for doing it.
8. a big Pow Wow is coming up next weekend.  Hopefully David will be able to go with me.  It'll be his first!
9. sweet baby sparrow that sang and sang to me when I came home today.
10. almost the weekend.  I'm ready for a break.