It's about my husband or my hair these days

Today, it's the hair.

~t

It's all about my hair

I haven't been blogging for a while because I'm in denial. My other blog has been on the fritz. It's bumming me out. I have to talk to the googlebots or something, and quite frankly, talking to googlebots is not something I'm particularly good at. I need to call in my geeky friends, but even the thought of talking to my friends about talking to googlebots bums me out. Why would the bots be out to get me. So, in the meantime, here's my new haircut. Because that's what really matters. (Or perhaps that I should be getting ready for work?)

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~t

Working is hard work 2

Wow, this is funny. I decided to title this post "Working is hard word". When I started typing, it came up in my drop down box as something I've used before. I guess working really IS hard work. Or I'm just a dork. Or both.

Man, I keep trying to get back into my groove and find more time for writing, but it is difficult. My job is challenging, fun, and rewarding, but pretty draining. And it seems I'm forever doing something extra like training or homework for training or filling in for someone. Yikes. So, I just keep on trucking along.

Meanwhile, my bloglife languishes. (Think "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" when you read that.) I still haven't finished organizing my freakin' Easter photos. I gotta get with the program, but sheesh, I also have to be at work at 7:00 a.m. in the morning again tomorrow. (Did you note the "a.m in the morning"? That's one of mine and Kevin's favorite silly phrases. People actually say that.)

I guess the photos will be forthcoming when they are forthcoming. We've been working on manifesting more money, and apparently the way that comes about is working me like crazy! Gotta rethink that one...

~t

New Theme, New Hair

It's a major makeover in progress going on right now. AND, the scale is finally going in the right direction, too. Yowza. I'm getting ready to start my new job tomorrow, so I thought I'd step up the style a notch. Here's me, today:

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It's a bit Mary Tyler Moore, but I think that's just because she round-brushed me, and I'm more partial to a flatiron. We'll see how it goes.

~t

A Bit of a Bloggy Holiday

As you can see, I sure haven't been blogging much. I've been trying to get the rest of my life in balance and then I'll be working on fitting blogging back into that.

I started my new weight loss program, which is taking up some time, and ironically, not working yet. (Just made some alterations, so fingers crossed, next week!)

I finally had everything together and got our taxes done. Yahoooooo to that!

I'll be going to training for a week starting next Wednesday to finally be in the right job at work. Yahooooooo to that. I'm really looking forward to it.

After that, I hope to have a regular schedule (and a regular income to go along with it.) Then I'll be able to get my bloglife a little more in order. I am a bit concerned that my schedule may still be up in the air. Grrrrr. Not a fan of that one, but we'll see what happens. I've got a couple more weeks to float through anyway.

So, stay tuned, and I'll pop in when I can. Or see you more in April, I hope.

It's all about balance. Balance is good.

~t

I'm on the front page of Helium.com!

I had heard about moneymaking opportunities at Helium for a while before I actually took the plunge in the end of October. I wrote three articles, but nothing happened for a while. Then I started making money, slowly. Very slowly. But here's the magic thing about Helium: it's residual income. You can make money on your articles there forEVER.

And TODAY, I'm on the front page with the very first article I wrote there, on going back to work after having a baby. Check it out! Page down...I'm writing under the name Terri Valerian. (If it's no longer March 2, 2007, you can find the article here.)

This is what it looks like on the front page:



If you want to see all of my Helium articles, go here. But beware, I have been writing on a weird mix of topics because I go there and write on whatever whim strikes me. You can also write your own article, but it can take a couple weeks to get original topic articles approved. I like going there and seeing all the different things people have written. It inspires me to come up with something myself.

If you are a writer and are interested in writing for Helium, I can send you an invitation. Please only request one if you are serious, as I have a limited number to give out. Email me at terri@shamelesscreations.com. As I said, the money is slow to build, but I have faith it will grow.

~t

Working is hard work

Yikes. I haven't been able to feed my blog addiction lately as much as I would like. I didn't even do my Weight Loss Wednesday meme. And I didnt even think about it until today!

Getting used to a new job and a new schedule is not easy (especially since I don't even have a set schedule yet). Other than that, it's going pretty well. I seem to be catching on. My boss seems to adore me. Today I didn't come home with a raging headache, at least (like I did yesterday). I think the 5 hour shift coupled with my 10 hours of sleep last night might have helped. Ha.

Yeah, so I don't even have any pictures to share from lately. Unless Kevin took some I don't know about. Ooooh, there are some cute ones. I'll have to get myself organized and show you what I've been missing around the house. Wah!

At least now when I tell Zane, "I love you." He says, "Love you, TOO, Mommy!" Awwwww!

~t

Feeling Drained

I started my new job today. It went well, but I am wiped out. I have not started a new job in over nine years! I think the emotional stress of not knowing what to expect and feeling like I have to perform and also leaving my little one really got to me today. I'm sure it will get easier. I still feel somewhat shell-shocked and unhappy that my plan to be a stay-at-home mom fizzled before my eyes. But Kevin did make me lunch and dinner. That was nice. He made a kick-butt casserole for dinner. It was a good day, for the most part. Just draining.

Birthday Earrings

My buddy, Lisa Marie Mary, wanted to see these puppies, so here are the ultra-cool earrings that Caspian made for me for my birthday.

First off, here's the closeup of just the earrings:

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Professional looking shot, no?

Here is a closeup of the earrings on:


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And here they are, as they look in their natural environment, on me:


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Thanks, Caspian!

~t

Birthday Recap

It's been a crazy busy week around here, but I did want to take a bit of time here to say thanks to my family, friends, and readers for all the birthday wishes. I also like posting about what we do on birthdays. Birthdays are important to me for some reason. Maybe I'm just a born astrologer. I just like them. I like mine. I like other peoples' birthdays. I think they are fun. I think they are a great excuse to celebrate someone you love. Christmas is ok, but there's so much going on and it can be stressful. I like focusing on just one person more.

So anyway, as many of you know, I had a job interview on my birthday and I ended up getting the job. Yay!

Other than that, Kevin let me sleep in some (until an unforeseen event required my assistance). Then he made his special chili for dinner. He also made a cake with the kids (pics to follow). It's a special tundra cake from my favorite episode of Blue's Clues. Yes, I have a favorite episode of Blue's Clues. Mom job hazard. Caspian made me some earrings. I have to get a picture of those. Will post later. After everyone was in bed, we watched Memoirs of a Geisha and Kevin gave me a real long shoulder massage during it. That was nice. It was a good movie. It was a good day. Here are some pictures:

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~t

Got it!

Well, the road is not over, but it's getting slightly less bumpy. I GOT THE JOB! Thanks to everyone for your thoughts, prayers, and kind words. I will be starting part time on Monday and hopefully going to full time/30 hours-ish in the next month or so. I have decided to not really blog about my work because I don't think that's a good idea. It feels like something I should keep separate, so I will. But, I will be working. I have mixed emotions about it. I know Zane and I will miss each other. Plus, especially in the beginning, I'm not sure it will even be enough money. However, I'm excited to be learning new things and meeting some people in my new hometown. So, in a word: Yay!

~t

Birthday Bliss

Well, my solar return has come and gone. (When the sun is in the exact spot it was when you were born. Sometimes ON your birthday, sometimes before or after, especially if you move time zones.)

I got a call for a job interview shortly after. I'm going tomorrow--on my calendar birthday. Doh! That should be fun. I knew it was going to happen, so I just went with the flow. I'm hoping it's good mojo, as Heather said.

Kevin is still feeling majorly blechy, so I took Zane and we bought the stuff for chili and cake for tomorrow. He insisted on buying me these flowers and who was I to say no? (Oh, they are from Kevin, too. I suppose Caspian will want in now. And my mom. Dang nabbit, Zane went with me to the store, so he's getting most of the credit.)

Wish me luck on my interview!!!



~t

New Specs, at Long Last

I know, this has been a very exciting continuing saga. The broken glasses. The bad fixing by the husband. The geeky tape. The eye appointment (mostly covered by my new insurance, too--how cool!) Well, here is the final result of all of that. Thank you all for taking this journey with me. I'd like to thank all of the little people. You know who you are.

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And yes, those are non-glare lenses. Thank you Target Optical lady (Why can't I remember her name?) Part of the reason I got the non-glare, was for these pictures, dear reader. Snif snif.

~t

You Will All Be So Sad: Glasses Update

Heh heh--I ordered new glasses today! No more tape for me. Well, in 7-10 days there will be no more tape. And, I found out at the store that a large chunk of my exam, glasses, and contacts were covered by the insurance I'm paying WAY too much for. Gotta love Target. Woo hoo. I even got non-glare lenses so I could take more attractive pictures for you with my webcam. You'll be the first to see when I get 'em. Ok, maybe my husband and kids will see them first. Oh, and my mom.

By the way, shout out to Target Optical in Lacey, Washington. (I'm sure they need a link from me!) They had the nicest and most helpful staff I've ever encountered at an optical place. And I've been going to optical places for roughly 23 years.

~t

Hey, I fixed 'em!

I look cool, don't I? Good thing Kevin broke 'em. He hasn't been able to say anything about it all day.

~t

Oh Boise!

My hugely romantic husband moved all the way from Idaho Falls, Idaho, to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to be with me when we met online. Beautiful, no? Well, it was until he decided that he hated Milwaukee and MUST move back out West. Turned out, we were something of the "country mouse" and the "city mouse"--I only wanted the city and he only wanted the country. Well, that and I didn't want to move at all, which was why he came to live with me.

Then stuff happened and more stuff happened and more stuff happened. Then we decided to get married. Instead of going the traditional route (my dad likes to call us "unconventional"), we decided to have a ceremony where we proposed to each other. We rented a spa suite at a swank local hotel and went off to be romantic. As we were proposing to each other, something odd happened. It came up that Kevin was determined to move back West. He was going, one way or another. And I said, "Well, hmmm, I'm not sure I am." And he said, "Well, hmmm, maybe we should think about this marriage business."

Heartbreak.

So, we didn't fully decide that night. Instead, we stayed over and worried. And in the morning, I just got the feeling that we should be getting married. And I was sad. And I knew something would work out, so as we were leaving, I said, "Let's get married. I'll move with you!"

Idaho Falls was out of the question for me. Too small. Too deserty. He assured me that Boise, a place where he had spent many raucous times as a post-high schooler with friends, was a desert oasis. We visited to check it out. I have to say, I liked Boise. It was a decent size: a city without being too large. It has a lot of interesting historic charm. It has beautiful parks, and lots of great restaurants. My favorite one included a river that people actually tube down in the middle of the city. We even checked out some great Boise real estate. I think I might have a picture of us in Boise. Yep, here we are in the park.



Boise ended up not being the right move for us, as you probably know. We ended up staying in Milwaukee for 4 more years, much to Kevin's chagrin. However, we did get married in 2002, much to both of our happiness.

~t

Cookies, cookies, and more cookies

No, this is not a tech entry. I have made two batches of cookies in the past few days. One is already gone. Zane is such a cookie monster, and unfortunately, so am I! I am already waaaaay over my Weight Watchers flex points for the week. But I'm still counting, which is new for me. I am hoping that will help. In the past, once I went over, I stopped counting and just did whatever I wanted.

Well, here is Mr. Cookie.

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~t

5 Things Meme

OMG, I've been tagged in a meme by Colleen. Is that the correct terminology? I only recently even looked into what the heck a meme even is. (Mostly because I heard someone railing on them!) If any of the rest of you are as in the dark as I am, I got the following definition here:

“ meme n (mëm): A unit of cultural information, such as a cultural practice or idea, that is transmitted verbally or by repeated action from one mind to another. From the Greek mimëma, something imitated, from mimeisthai, to imitate."

” In Blogspeak, a meme is an idea that is shared and passed from blog to blog, like a question posted in one blog and answered in many other blogs."

Well, that makes sense to me. "Meme" is French for "same".

Allright, this meme is: 5 Things You Probably Don't Know about Me.

Seeing as I plaster my life all over the internet, this could be tough. However, my PR is low enough that maybe no one reads what I write, so how would know. But then again, you wouldn't be reading this now, in that case. Are you even reading this now? Allright, allright, I'm going to try to dig deep...

Depending on who you are, you may not know:

1. I never smoked pot until after college
2. I went through a weird period where I listened to a lot of Barbra Streisand. I'm not talking menstrual period. I'm talking about a few months of Streisand in my 20s.
3. I've worn contacts since I was 12.
4. Caspian playing with his toes next to me totally grosses me out.
5. I loved road trips until I took a few with my husband. ::shudder::

(I suppose the 6th thing is that I can't figure out how to do a numbered list and make it look nice in Blogger. But I suppose you might know that now.)

Now I have to tag people, I think.

Here goes:
Kevin
Heather
Jules
Laura
LaDonna

I have a feeling these things can get pretty incestuous, as in the above people may have already been tagged by this. Well, if you do my meme, something wonderful will happen to you within 7 days. Not really. Well, maybe. I can't really say. It's no big deal if you don't.

~t

The Big Baby Shampoo Fight: J&J vs. Gerber

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I have to say in the battle of the baby shampoos, Johnson & Johnson's wins my vote hands down. I like the lavendar scented, especially. We used to have a lot of the Gerber ones, but it wasn't until this last foray into Gerber that my love for J&Js was really cemented.

What's the diff? And how do I know? Well, let me tell you, in order for me to get clean around here, the easiest thing to do is to just get in the bath with Zane. It kills like 3 birds with a stone. But it means my hair is crap most of the time, because I'm not willing to put decent shampoo into his bathwater, and ergo, his eyes. So, I USE baby shampoo. There, I've said it. I use baby shampoo.

When we accidentally switched back to Gerber (no blame here) about a week ago, I didn't realize how much I disliked it. I thought it was just the scent wasn't as good, Then I started to notice Zane's hair was not as nice--kinda dry and flyaway. And then MY hair was not as nice. Well, relatively speaking. Today I took a real grown up shower with real grown up shampoo (I get to do that at this time of the month!), and MY HAIR FELT LIKE STRAW! (Can you just use a period after you shout? I considered it, but it just didn't feel right.) Anyway, straw I say, straw.

It's J&J all the way for me from here on out. Down with straw. I'm hoping that was the final straw?

~t

Tomorrow (Today) is the BIG Day!

I am committing to a SERIOUS effort to lose this 30 or so lbs that is still hanging on to me. Thankfully, I cannot say, "Well, I've tried everything and it just won't come off." I have tried eating cookies and chocolate and pizza and chips, and darnit, it just hasn't come off. So, there's hope. I'm going to go with better choices.

I still loves me some Weight Watchers Online, so I will be doing that. I have to consult my calendar now and figure out a goal date to reach my goal weight. Woo hoo. What a cute rhyme. I also have to wrap my mind around this being exciting and not just restrictive. It really is when I think of the end result. Must focus on end result.

I will be reporting in more detail over on my sistah site to this, musingstardust.com featuring Shameless Reality Show. I am even considering weekly progress pics. Am I that transparent? Will I really post pics of my saggy belly and boobs online? That's the problem. No one wants to see that. I'll have to think about it. Hmm. Let me know if you want to see that. Not in a creepy stalker sort of way, but in a "I am so inspired by this massive transformation" sort of way. Or, let me know if it's the first, too. Then I'll know NOT to post them. Or maybe don't let me know. LOL. Just kidding on that one.

Tune in tomorrow/today (see it's 12:37 here, it technically IS today that it will happen but I haven't slept yet. Of course, I haven't been sleeping at all, so what's the diff?)

Ramble ramble ramble.

I am done.

~t