This B#tch is back! :)

Well I'm back... I know it's been a while since I've put out anything on this blog.  Life has been so busy.  I'm working alot....well... for me anyway.  4 days a week.  So between that & just generally life stuff, it's been difficult to find free time to write.  But I'm home all alone at the moment.   Brian's doing some work stuff & Emily is involved in her school's musical & is at practice tonight.  She's only a freshman so I've very proud she tried out for it.  Her school is putting on "The Little Mermaid'' next month.  She's in the ensemble.   It really requires a lot of responsibility & I'm proud of her for sticking with it.  Not only do they practice a couple times a week but she has to keep her grades up.  Speaking of High School... Emily's doing really great!! It's not been all easy.  It's a big change & it was a big adjustment for Emily but she seems to be finally getting the hang of it.   In fact a few weeks ago 2nd marking period report cards came out... Emily made first honors!  Which means that she got all A's & B's.  WOW!  She did well the first marking period too, she made second honors.  Which means that she got all As, Bs & one C.   She's in all honors classes & the work is TOUGH! So I think she's doing great all things considered.  Her main issue really is not turning all her assignments in.  She does well in class & mostly well on test but then she gets a big goose-egg grade for missing an assignments.  I'm not sure what exactly the issue is.  I honestly believe it may have something to do with her "absence" seizures & perhaps missing some of what the teachers say.  I also think it's probably Emily being a day dreamer & not "focusing" so well either.  I'm sure it's a combo- thing.  We are working on some new "ideas" for her to try & we are hoping it improves.  So far this marking period aside from missing one assignment in World History-Honors, she's doing pretty good in that department.  Knock on wood.  High school is a big adjustment for all of us.  Emily being our only child, we've not been through this before. Well aside from when we went to high school... Trust me though..... It's a lot different than when Brian & I went to school.  Hell... we had "typing" class... you know on "electric" typewriters.  Shit since Brian is 8 years older than I am, his may not have even been "electric"...   LOL!  Nowadays... everything is online. Meaning resources, report cards, etc  Which I've found helpful & not so much.  It's nice the school has a "parent portal" for you to have access to how your kids are doing, but if the teacher doesn't input it in a timely matter... what good does it do.  Often times they put in an assignment AFTER it was due.  We are trying to help Emily & have her check on there but if it doesn't show up, it's not much help to her/or us.  It's not all bad though & some teachers are very good with it.   It's definitely nice, I just wish it was a little more reliable though, I guess since teacher's are only human... I'm sure they are trying their best.  What else?  Let's see... work is going pretty good.  I really really like everyone (for the most part) I work with, but earlier this year we found out that another pharmacy wants to buy our company.  Ugh... i swear it never fails, every company I ever worked for was bought out or sold.  I was hoping that would not happen at my current job since they've been around for quite a while.  My luck.  Anyway... right now we don't really know anything.  It's in the "early" stages & i believe nothing is "official" yet.  Or atleast that's what we've been told...I just hope they don't give us the he-ho without any notice.  I wish this new company would be our parent company & we could just stay the same.  But that probably won't happen.  Our store is really close to one of their stores so I can't imagine we'll be a store spared.  It sucks cause I love the location of our store.  It's close enough to walk to & like I said everyone is great! Fingers crossed it all works out. As they say though "Que Sera Sera... what ever will be will be!"  So I can't really worry about that too much.  On a depressing note... today I got the invitation to my 25th High school reunion.  Talk about feeling old. WOW! I don't really think I'm going to go,  I went to my 20th HS reunion & while it was nice to see everyone.  It was also a whole lot of awkward.   Not a feeling I love since pretty much that was high school for me. Been there done that. haha.  Alright I guess I'll go. I have to go to the grocery store while Emily's at practice.  SO it's about time I get going.  Hopefully I update sooner next time.  Take Care everyone!

I got a million of these stories.... #Workingretail

Working retail is a lesson in patience or to put it a better way, to be a good retail worker you must have the ability to be patient in the face of the idiot-ness of people.  Believe me, in retail when it comes to customers,  you get a nice bag of nuts!  Customers, at times, can be friendly, funny and at other times... just down right infuriating.  The key to being a good retail worker is learning how to do your job well despite the personality of the customer you are waiting on.   To have patience & politeness regardless. Now,  don't get me wrong, the majority of our customers are nice, most are friendly & treat us well.   But every now & then you get someone who test you.  For instance the other day,  I'm waiting on a guy who can at times be "problematic".  He's just a little high-struck let's say.  He tends to fly off the handle a bit.  He's a "regular" so I've gotten used to him & his, for lack of a better word.. . "quirks".  So I'm ok,  when he tells me, "I need to use 2 "gift cards" & an ebt card to buy these 4 diet sodas I (ummm) "need " because I only have like a dollar on each one card"   It's fine. Hey, he's not yelling & making a scene, which he's done in the past, so I just go with it.   Yup,  that's fine, no problem at all!  Honestly,  it doesn't really bother me, one way or another.... as I like to say,  I'm here all night regardless.  BUT as usually happens,  he's a talker, & starts talking to me about how he needs these sodas & how he's so happy they are on sale cause he only has a little money left.   I just nod my head & smile.  He mentions something about "having to drink diet" because he's diabetic.  Which for reasons beyond my comprehension really irritates the lady behind him.  Who in all honesty is probably just annoyed with his slow ass way of paying.  BUT she says.... "Diet soda is soooooo bad for you!! It's worse than regular.  You should just drink water" blah blah blah  (I'm quietly willing this woman to just be quiet knowing how unstable this particular customer can be) & he follows right along,.... "Really?? well everyone has their vices... " blah blah... "atleast I don't smoke, I know this friend of mine who smokes all the time" blah blah...  She follows up with.... "well there are just so many chemicals in there"  blah blah  I'm thinking to my self... just mind your business lady.  But she goes on about asper(crap)tain & Phenalena(crap)aline... & blah blah blah.  Finally... thankfully... the usually "unrational" guy decides he has had enough.  THEN THE MOST hypocritical thing ever comes out of this woman's mouth.  "Can I have 5 packs of Marlboro menthol cigarettes?".  I just stare at her for the briefest of moments while willing the voice in side my head that's screaming at this woman who should have just received the nomination for hypocrite of the year, to please not let my face show her how I feel.   I mean come on...really????  5 PACKS of cigarettes & you have the nerve to question this man's choice of diet soda.   Her glass house must be a mansion..  WOW!  I just smiled & wished her well.  A little proud of myself for another successful experience with the idiots of our world.  Yup... that's retail.

a "Back to school" tid bit!

I discovered a very valuable "back to school" tid bit a few years ago,  that I'm going to share with you. It's the greatest back to school supply ever (ok.. I might be exaggerating but honestly it'll change your school life... Ok.. i'm still exaggerating ... but you get the idea) It's brilliant... listen up... when your children get to middle school & high school  they might have "notebook" checks.   When my daughter was in 7th grade,  her math teacher did notebook checks each semester.   It was a nightmare, a semesters worth of work, all needing to be in the 3 ring binder.  I mean get real, no matter the good intentions of the student, loose leaf paper gets ripped, it looks a mess... it was at least a two night job for Emily (with my help) to put those little reinforcement circles on the papers.  It was a "minor" nightmare!!!  SO LISTEN TO ME NOW.... do yourself a favor, go out and buy "reinforced" loose leaf paper..... it has a little strip of a "plastic" glue like substance down the circle edge of the paper & will help keep the paper from ripping from the rings.  It will prevent a maddening time with those little self sticking reinforcement circles that need to be added to each side of each individual ripped paper, and will save your child so much time and effort.  The paper is way more expensive... it doesn't matter!  I repeat... IT DOESN'T MATTER... go buy it anyway! Trust me... my husband found it on sale at staples from $5 down to $2... we bought all they had in stock! 7 (100 sheet) packets! You may be tempted by the .25c 200 sheet "crap" paper packets that the stores all have at back to school time, don't be.  Don't do it!! Buy the reinforced loose leaf paper!  That's all.   Have a good day! OHHHHH & don't even get me started on buying cheap 3 ring binders... you'll end up using 3 cheap ones a year because they rip at the seams... don't do it! Ok...Ok... that's really all.

High School.... it's Heeeerrrreee!

Feeling so many feelings on the eve of Emily entering High School.   There's an excitement & a little of a sadness (for me).   She's growing up so fast... & yet she's still so innocent & sweet.  In ways I want her to stay that way, and yet I know she can't stay a child for ever & live in a bubble, nor should she but it's sometimes scary to think about the fact that she has so much to learn about the world & growing up, in what is now 4 short years til graduation... will we be able to provide her with the knowledge she needs.  Can we let go enough for her to get her own wings?    It's a powerful thing to be a parent, to have the future of someone in your hand.  Are we capable?  Will we do the right things?  Yet,  even when I doubt myself.... I try hard to remember all that Emily has already overcome & despite all, she is still the happiest kid I know, she is fine. more than fine... she's Happy!!    That she has & does face every challenge & while things don't always come easy for her. Sometimes things are more difficult for Emily, &  that's why I worry... but Emily is ok.  She's alright!  She'll have a great time, & She's going to make lots of friends,  & when she does they'll be the BEST friends because that's Emily, always striving for perfection.  I know she's just waiting for the right person to come along, to get her, like a real friend does.  To click.  & I know she can do it, & she's going to have a great year! She'll reach for the stars!  I don't doubt that.  Ever since Emily was a young child we've always said... "She'll do it, in her own time"  It's just now....like I said time seems to be going faster & faster!   The time is now Emily, go grab it!!! :)  As you enter high school remember to let these be the best four years of your life! Grab every opportunity, & face every challenge head on.  Don't be so shy that the years fly by & you have regrets,   personally I know I didn't do that when I was in school & I hope it's different for you! Please remember who you are,  but also grow & evolve.  Know that your parents love you & we'll also understand that at times we might not be the people you want to hang with,  we understand.  We'll always be cheering you & we'll always be right by your side, even when we are far from you.  We love you Emily & I know that you are going to do so great in high school.  You will continue as always to make us proud... I just know it! Good Luck babygirl!!! You are awesome, don't ever let anyone else make you feel any differently!