Cchhhannnggeesss!!!! Rants and Raves Among Other Things

October? Really? That's the last time I blogged? Bad blogger, but that seems to be par for the course with this blogger.  I will cover various topics within this little bloggity blog and I'm full of Chobani and coffee this morning. 

RELOCATION

Yes, we've decided to move, not to another state, or city even really, but to suburbia. So now I'll be the working, blogging, mother of suburbia. We're moving into a subdivision; which will be a whole new experience, as there are rules, and committees, and block parties. I will for sure belly up for a block party, but committees and party planning and all that foofy stuff?  Count me out. I understand the reason behind the subdivision governance, but I can only assume that their rules and regulations will irritate me somehow. Oh the pessimism! I think I'll just hide and drink wine in my new jacuzzi tub and peer at fellow subdivisionians from the window. A sort of Boo Radley of the new suburban subdivisions.....

PINTEREST

Ok, seriously people? Do we really need another social media time suck? I'm addicted. I love the humorous quips and sarcastic things that are all over this site. Some of my favorites are:

I'm sure I'll find some other insane silliness to repost to this blog.  There are some pretty funny and offensive things out there. Although I will refrain from the offensive.

RUNNING

Yes, back at it AGAIN! Running a half marathon in May.  I was training like a freak, doing well, running hard, until the relocation (see first section of this blog). I'm in a lull currently as I'm busy building my upper body moving an insane amount of boxes to and fro. Who knew we even owned this much....stuff?  I will leave you with this vision of my running and how the people at the gym must feel when I hit the treadmills...

MUSIC

I have been listening to this gentlemen over and over again. You must check him out...

Gotye. 
http://gotye.com/
Someone That I Used to Know
LOVE LOVE LOVE this guy. He's got some raw talent and raw emotion.


POLITICS

Oh no, you didn't think I was going to launch into a long dissertation of the state of our country did you? Not my thing, although we may all be heading for the hills come election time.  No no, I'm writing about the internal politics of business in America today. It's amazing to me what a dog eat dog world we're in. What people do to get a leg up in the corporate rat race.  Desperate men do desperate things...I could go on.  I am saddened by the desperate attempts by people, specifically in this case, men to squash all things they deem "competition."  It's actually an interesting study of evolution if you think about it. I was engaged for a while in this illusion for a while, but now I've resigned myself to just sit back and watch them continue to hang themselves on their "perceived" successes.  Wow, such a Debbie Downer of an end to an entry huh? Well, to help us all buck up, I'll leave you with this....

Yesssssss........Have a good February all. I'll be back more frequently now that I've got a jacuzzi tub and some wine.  



I'd Rather Be a Comma, than a First Stop

Life has been a bit hectic as of late, but I feel like I start every new bloggity blog that way.  I'm feeling introspective today, so that's what we're going to get in this little blog entry. 

Coldplay...that should explain my blog title. This is a line in their song "Every Teardrop is Waterfall." This has been stuck in my craw now for a week since I actually listened to the words to the song as I was driving to my new office, walking to my new desk, doing my new job.  This is relevant, see how I'm bringing this all together???? 

I feel like the new girl at school in my job. I know many of the people in my office, but I don't KNOW them. I'm not sure I want to KNOW them. I have an option here in this new job to just do my job and remain pretty much below the radar. This job does require me to make waves in other parts of the world, and I'm secure in that role. In my office setting though, there are only a handful that I need to work with to be successful.  Normally, I'd be the social coordinator, doing lunches, being social, chatting by the coffee pot. Here, I don't feel like doing this...at all. Don't get me wrong, I'm friendly, I'm just not going out of my way to learn things about others. As I said, it's peripheral.

This is a huge shift for me, not only with the new job thing, but in my approach.  I don't feel the need to make everyone like me, I actually don't care if they like me. As long as I can get the job done well, I don't need to make life long friends.  I'd rather be a comma than a first stop....I know that in this song, it's more a commentary about generational differences, but in my life it was more applicable to my new job and to being there, but not being THERE.

I am sure this is a ramble, as are most of my entries. It's just been a paradigm shift for me in my life. For 30 years, I've always wanted everyone to "like" me and I wanted to fit in. Now, I feel empowered to blaze my own trail and not give a %#%$# if I fit in. And, I like it. A LOT. I hope that I can encourage Munchkin not to wait for 30 years to get here.  

Have you ever felt this way? Have you always blazed your own trail?

Changes, Changes, Changes

I know, I've been a bad little mommy blogger as my last blog post was April. APRIL! That is eons ago. So much has happened in our lives since then, it'd be futile to blog about it all, and probably would be boring to all three of you that are reading this. 

So, that said, this little discussion is about change.  Change does crazy things to people, some react with ease, some freak out, and some are in between.  In the last few months, I've received a promotion, we've decided to move, and Munchkin is in full on terrible two mode.  So it's been a lot of change. 

Notoriously, I've been a freak out type person when it comes to oodles of change coming at me all at once. This time around, I'm a bit freaky and kind of mellow...all in all, I'm having an identity crisis.  It's fall, my favorite time of the year, and if you think about it,  is a time of change as well.  So it's changes abound for the G family, and Mr. G and I haven't killed eachother....yet. 

There are so many articles and advice columns on how to adapt to change or stress management. Many of these things sound good in concept but when put into practice, find me rolling my eyes and saying "really? I hope my neighbors can't see me right now." Exercise is a great way to manage your stress from change, but I wish that I had enough time for that. Wait, I should rephrase that, I wish I had enough motivation for that.  I do in my head, but when it comes to getting up at 5 am, that motivation quickly dissolves.

So I say to you other fabulous readers, when managing a family, and a job, and all these other things, what tips and tricks work for you to maintain sanity?  Martinis do work, but those are not a realistic plan.........

Oh and I plan to be a better little blogger, I promise. Consider that part of my change management strategy.

Working Mommydom

I know you're all doing a mental eye roll right now, another whiny blog about having to work instead of staying home with my kids blog.  This is some of that, but also some reality.  I had been mulling another blog over in my head for days now, and I saw a link; on Facebook of all places, to this http://lifestyle.msn.com/your-life/moms-coffee-break/article.aspx?cp-documentid=27892389.

Yes, another blogger posted this in her blog and MSN picked it up and put it out there for the world to read. I'd say, that I've honestly heard about all of them with the exception of the husband leaving me comment. People just say things and make judgements on everyone and everything. I'm not innocent, and I'm not proclaiming to be; however, I think moms are judged regardless of what decision they make. 

Leaving Munchkin at daycare everyday is not easy for me. Not because I worry about her, because I don't, the daycare she goes to is PHENOMENAL and we are blessed to have found them and to have the means to send her there. It's not easy for me because I leave her there and go to a job that I don't particularly like. No, I will not go on a rant about how much my job sucks, as my JOB doesn't suck, the people do; alas, I digress. I often ponder whether I made the right decision, to remain a working mom. I have student loans for a Master's Degree that I swore I'd use come hell or high water. Now I'm kind of "meh" on that concept.  I wonder though, if I'd have kept Munchkin home, would she be where she is today? She has great manners, counts to 10, does her ABCs, is potty trained, and speaks in full sentences and she's not even two.  I wonder would I have known to teach her all of that stuff on my own as a stay at home mom? Would she have suffered because I didn't have a hot clue as to what a 2 year old should know or not know? Yes, there are books, but each child is different. This is not to say that she's not learning these things at home. We are good parents, well, as good as we know how to be, and she is learning at home; but daycare has been a big part of her advancement.

All in all, I am sure that every mom, working or not working, has a bit of waffle once in a while, wondering if that decision was the right one for her family or not. In some cases, moms may not have had an option not to work or to work.  It's all based on circumstance for that family. I guess I wonder if any other moms have a minute where they question their ultimate decision/situation.  I think it's a natural human instinct.

I've often been tempted to pen a book about the craziness that was the first 6 weeks home with Munchkin, in which I did stay home on maternity leave.  Finding my way, while at the time was scary and new, is seemingly hilarious now recalling the situations I found myself in on many occasions. Hmmmm, there's more food for thought. Initially, when I thought about staying home for good, my reaction was, no way, I'd go crazy.  I'm not sure I would, but I did speak baby babble to my husband on a few occasions during my leave.  

This is a bit of a ramble, but as I read this article I started to count on my fingers how many times I'd heard these little quips in my life. After I counted through my fingers and toes, I gave up. 

A Blog About Writing

What? Me? Who? 

So, when I decided to become a blogger, the main reason behind it was just to get my writing juice flowing. I did this on the advice of a good friend who has already been signed to an agent and is well on her way. No really, she rocks. Check her out: http://lizczukas.blogspot.com/

I do write for a living. You'd think that would keep my writing "juices" flowing; alas, it does not. It actually kills that creativity in some ways. Currently at work, I'm leading the charge for the "create once, use many" concept that's currently running rampant in our space. Stay with me, I'm getting to my point. Within this movement, the big writing theory is Minimalism.  If you can say it with five words, please do not use ten words. As you can see, creative writing and technical writing don't really mesh. Or do they?

I know when I read a book, I get annoyed with flowery prose. Meaning, if you use five adjectives to describe her blue dress, I'm going to get annoyed. However; there is a happy medium. If you use five adjectives to describe her blue dress and the way it's flowing around her body as she walks on the beach on a windy day, I might be ok. (Holy prepositions batman!)That said,  I don't think you can apply all of the principals of minimalism to fiction. It'd make for a really boring book; however, you can apply some of the concepts in order to better your writing altogether.

So, what I'm saying here is that I'm having a bit of a writer's identity crisis. I know what I do for a living, and at the risk of sounding like an arrogant jerk, I'm ok at it.  When it comes to my personal works, it's actually more difficult.  It's hard to put aside the programming, which is my work writing and just let the words flow free and not worry about all of the "rules."  Mind you, I'm not daft, I realize that there are writing rules no matter what you write, but it's amazing to me the differences in these rules.

I'm slowly working through that identity crisis, and I've been debating putting some excerpts of my new works on this blog. I'm a newbie, and that terrifies me. I'll get there, maybe, eventually.......

Don't Let the Door Hit Ya....

March....See ya March, as you're no longer welcome in the Jane household.  It has brought virus after virus to Munchkin and mommy and it's GOT TO GO!

Nothing breaks my heart more than when Munchkin is sick. I so wish I could do something, anything, to wave my mommy wand and make it all better. I'm sure most moms feel the same way.

Daycare has been a wonderful thing for Munchkin, she's well ahead in her development, talks like you wouldn't believe, she's well socialized, plays well etc. The one major drawback, GERMS. When you have kids they tell you that daycare is like a petri dish of nastiness, and you nod your head and smile. Then it comes home to you and your other family members, and you get it. The first bug I caught was when she was about six months. It started with her, then took me out, then onto Mr. Jane. Seems to be the norm, starts with Munchkin, onto me, completing the cycle with Mr. Jane.  Since Mr. Jane has been traveling during this episode of "which virus is it" it looks like I'm just waiting for the doom that is the stomach flu to hit me and he could be safe. This time at least.

I have no regrets about being a working mother. Well, actually, that's another blog for another time as that's not entirely true.  What I'm saying is, daycare has provided so much to Munchkin, I'm glad she goes. But as I sit here, watching her sleep soundly on the couch, her face pale, her skin on fire, I have a pain in my heart for her.  

So, all in all, goodbye March, don't the door hit ya. Consider this my foot in March's behind. Buh-bye.

Full Circle....

Yes, it's been a month, almost two, since I've blogged.  I could say that I've been a bad blogger, but so many things have gone on in my life in the last few months, I don't feel bad at all. Life happens, and that's what this very bloggity blog is about.


In the past month, I've hit rock bottom, reconnected with old friends, found my center, lost my center, found my center again, gave up on corporate america, and went on a fantastic vacation with Mr. Jane, come back, and given up on corporate america yet again.  The cycle of life really is an interesting thing isn't it?


I think everything happens for a reason. You meet people, you see things, you hear things, all for a reason. Now what reason that is, well that's open for interpretation by you. Your reason and your reason is yours alone, that's not what this blog is about. It's odd how many people have come and gone in my life in the last 10 years and it's also odd as to who have become my constants.  Life happens, it keeps going no matter what you're doing, or how you're feeling, the cycle will continue on. It doesn't stop for anyone.  It's really a powerful thing if you think about it, we mourn our loved ones when they go, but we continue to live day to day, week to week, month to month. It's keeps going, gathering motion, steaming on, towards what, we have no idea.


I love the fact that I can go without seeing some old college friends for 10 years, and meet up on a whim, and pick right back up where we left off (is that a good thing? I don't know!). I have seen some friends leave this past year, but that's ok, it's better for all involved, but I've also gained some new friends. I think as long as you know who your constants are (in my case Mr. Jane and Munchkin). I think once you've got that figured out, the rest of it is just cake, isn't it?


Yes, what a ramble this post is, hopefully I'll be writing more now that I've figured out some things. Bottom line, love your constants...they are what matter.