Typing With Baby

With a baby, typing becomes a challenge. I'm a great typer...yes I just made that word up. I've been able to type over 75 wpm since high school and I've broken 100+ several times. But of course that is using TWO hands!

As Dillon gets a little older (he's five months already!!!) he's demanding to be held more. And yes, I give in most of the time. He's cute. It's hard to say no.

So now I get to type with one hand. I've blocked most of my "bad" memories of Marshal as a baby so I don't recall how active I was online and needing to type one handed. But I'm needing to answer Etsy conversations from my Etsy Supply Shop, responding to client emails for Aflac, and a whole host of other typing requirements.

I think I'm getting faster ... though my error rate is definitely higher with one hand than with two. And I'll never break the 20 wpm rate with one hand. But I'm practicing a lot!

What Do I Want to Be?

Remember having those discussions in school with your friends? What do you want to be when you grow up? At one point, all my friends wanted to be teachers. Then interior decorators. A couple of my friends knew they wanted to be mommies.

Will I be a Fireman? Police Officer? Architect?

I'm not a teacher. I'm not an interior decorator. I am a mom and a wife. Those two things are constants in my life. Everything else is a constant state of change.

Career wise, I was with a large financial company for a long time - ten years...I left as an Analyst and now work as an agent with Aflac for the last two and a half years. I love working most days but lately have been feeling such tugging to be away from the office and back at home.

How do you make a decision to be XYZ when you grow up? I've never been a person who has known exactly what I want to do. I got my Bachelor's degree and it's pretty worthless career wise (Political Science).

There are days like today when I absolutely love my job and am so thankful for what I do. When I get to help clients in their times of stress...a client had a MAJOR accident involving amputation...that is when I really do my best. I hate selling. But I love helping.

It's a fine line...a balancing act. Tomorrow we are going to go to a movie matinee with Marshal. Today I worked until after 4 pm. Friday I'll take off to go to the fair again. I figure as long as I don't say yes to too many extra curricular activities on top of work and Marshal I shouldn't get so overwhelmed that I can't handle life. Let's hope!

How Do You Find Water?

In our case we called our friends at Aqua Locate.

We recently bought a six acre piece of property. It has no home on it yet...no septic and no well. We have to do everything from the start. During the feasibility study we had to determine a lot of things, including whether there was water available. Through my networking at work I'd met Christine and Ervin Kramer and knew they had a water locating business...so I gave them a call. An e-mail actually.

Ervin came out to the property and did his magic. Marshal thought the giant drill was neat. It's as tall as a person and is the largest hand held drill made.

Thankfully our property seems to have plenty of water. Thanks to Ervin for making sure!

Check out their Facebook page to keep track of their fun experiences.

Food Obsession

I'm addicted to food. More specifically to eating things that are not healthy for me. And when unhealthy things aren't available I will eat healthy things in abundance.

I've lost 25 pounds since January but the last four to six weeks I've been in a lull of weight loss. I think the biggest reason is I have started letting myself cheat every weekend. And when I cheat I cheat good.

I have never been able to eat in moderation. If I have a candy bar, I will eat four more with it.

It's been a struggle my whole life, and one of the main reasons I gained so much weight. If I didn't have a good metabolism I'd weigh over 400 pounds by now. I can consume thousands of calories in one day and out eat my husband.

This last Saturday through Monday I ate like food was going out of style. I don't know what to do about it. I need to lose another 25 pounds but obviously won't be able to make that goal if I don't figure out how to overcome this issue.

Avoid E-Mail Scams

Apparently e-mail scammers haven't given up. This article talks about several scams that I hadn't even heard of (specifically the Facebook hacking scam).

I thought everyone knew better than to fall for "FREE widget" if you enter your bank account information e-mails that get sent out all the time. But I guess as consumers get more savvy, the scammers find ways to be sneakier too.

Even Aflac, a Fortune 500 company with millions of clients, has had their name sucked into a scam. The scammers use Aflac's name and logo to try to trick people into sending them money in order to "claim" their prize.

I even got an e-mail a few months ago, supposedly from one of my own clients, asking for money because he'd lost his passport while traveling overseas.

Complete and total rubbish and anyone with a lick of common sense wouldn't fall for it. We all know how common common sense is.

If you didn't enter a lottery, you probably didn't win one either. Duh? Those are some of my favorite e-mails to receive...I've WON!!!!

Even I have *almost* been fooled by these yahoos. Several years ago the Paypal scam e-mail was going around ... it said something was wrong with my paypal account and I had to click on the link in the e-mail to fix it. Thankfully I never did. I entered the Paypal website address in my address bar directly and all was well. When I figured out the e-mail was fake I forwarded it to Paypal's fraud department.

Be careful. Use common sense. And do NOT click on e-mail links from senders you don't know ... and sometimes even senders you DO know.

Staying Busy

Boy life sure does get away from you sometimes, doesn't it? I hadn't realized it'd been over two months since my last post. I've been so busy with Aflac and my little boy that time seems to be slipping away. Being busy is a good thing but sometimes I need life to slow down.

The good news is that my weight loss is going great! I started back in January and as of this morning I'm down over 20 pounds!!!!! That's much more than I was expecting or even aiming for in that three months. I've still got 30 to go to my goal but so far so good. The gym is definitely my friend and I love having time to myself to read while sweating on the elliptical machine. I also do weight training one to two times per week.

MyFitnessPal - Free Calorie Counter

Marshal is talking more and more every day. We're having actual conversations and he's using multiple word sentences to try to convey his thoughts. I wish he could enunciate better but we're slowly figuring out what he's saying.

The potty training on the other hand...is really not happening at all. He went number two in his potty ONCE and we were SO excited. But so far...nothing more exciting than that has happened. I'm not going to push him though. He weaned himself off his bottle so I figure he will know when he's ready.

A Waste of Money - But A Small Treat

A few days before Christmas I went to get my nails done. Not just a manicure but this special gel manicure that is supposed to last a lot longer than regular nail polish. It costs a little bit extra but is generally worth it.

One of the things I want to work on this year is my appearance. I'm not someone who typically cares what she wears or looks like. But in my profession it is important to look professional. Part of that includes my nails.

So I chatted with hubby about it and he's okay with me continuing to go get my nails done on a regular basis. Could I do them myself? Possibly. Although they wouldn't look as nice, nor do I know how to apply the gel.

Is it worth spending $25 one to two times per month? We'll see. It's been over a week and my nails still look pretty good and having gel on them means I don't pick at them. :)

If I find myself spending too much I'll stop going but I think this is one part of my appearance I'd like to keep up...as well as wearing make up on a consistent basis. That's a whole separate issue.

Happy New Year!

May you and your family have a blessed and safe 2012!

A New Year Approaches

Can you believe 2011 is almost over? It's been a wild year with a lot of emotional upheaval in my life. I'm hoping 2012 will be a little less crazy and a little more mellow.

One of the biggest things that hubby and I have discussed is our eating habits. They are atrocious. I am an emotional eater and have been all my life. It wasn't a big deal when I was in high school and weighed barely 100 pounds. I would come home from school and eat an entire box of Macaroni and Cheese by myself. I can still do that today and still be hungry.

I've basically doubled in weight. :( And it's depressing. I've tried working out in the past and we start and stop on the eating 'healthy' bandwagon. But we always seem to fail.

Maybe it's because we aren't usually on the same page with our eating habits...having a hubby work night shifts can be challenging for making dinner plans.

On top of our eating challenges I am struggling with my future. Should I be a stay at home mom? Or should I cut my hours at work and stay home more days a week but still work. This year may be one of transformation.

Hubby and I have also started talking about having another little kiddo...and that will have a huge impact on my decision to work or not. I cannot imagine paying for care for two children. Paying for one child is hard enough. But I think we could arrange to pay for part time care of two kids.

One of my goals for the coming year is to blog more often and consistently. I'd really like to be able to add value out here in the big world wide web and perhaps earn some extra income for my family through small unobtrusive ads or affiliate links.

Lots to think about and blog about.

Here's to a great New Year! Be safe!

I'm Not Easily Offended

And I'm not sure if this rises to the level of offending me, or just makes me shake my head in wonder. An online degree is worse than no degree at all?!? Excuse me!?

"although hard to admit, when I see someone received an online degree, I question it so much more than a traditional degree.  Here is the kicker…. I sometimes question it more than if someone had no degree at all. "

It took me almost six years to get my Bachelor's degree. Now, it hasn't done jack squat for me career wise, but I love school and I enjoyed getting my major in Political Science with a minor in Business Administration. I'm not even sure what those two things really mean. But I worked hard...getting a degree online was NOT easy.

I went through Washington State University...hopefully a "real" enough school for the likes of this author.

As a Recruiting Manager I don't really care what kind of degree someone has, or if they have one at all. I'd rather see someone's motivation, ability to work hard, and interpersonal skills.

I'm glad the author distinguishes between degree "mills" and universities that offer online programs. And that she places value on networking, experience, and volunteering.

Do You Like to Send Out Cards?

I'm a card-a-holic. I have always loved greeting cards. Have you noticed how ridiculously expensive they've gotten!!?? $5 for a card? Insane!

Last year I ran into a couple of folks who were part of this awesome company called Send Out Cards. It's not an e-Card company like some of those out there where they send e-mail links to people. Nope. These are real, US postage paid, cards. And they aren't chintzy or cheap cards either. They are the quality that would cost $4 at Hallmark.

The best part? They are totally customize-able! Even with photos. I love sending cards to Marshal's grandpa and aunts and uncles as thank you cards. I didn't have to go to the store, or print out pictures with my own ink. I just uploaded them and put them in a card...typed out my thank you message...and they were printed, stuffed, stamped, and mailed for me.

These are the insides of two different cards I sent recently:

Oh, even better, each one cost me less than $1.75 WITH postage.

If you'd like to learn more about this great opportunity...head on over here. Yes, it is "my" Send Out Cards link. But I believe very strongly in this company and I LOVE to Send Out Cards. =)

* Fine Print - Send Out Cards IS a Multi-Level Marketing opportunity HOWEVER it is one of the best ones I've ever seen. It has an actual product that is awesome. And a retail option for those who want nothing to do with distributing (i.e. selling the opportunity). So you can use the website without paying the extra fee as a distributor. It's a win, win.

I Thought Everyone Used Cold Water

Apparently I'm in the minority...but I wash our clothes with cold water 90% of the time. The only time I use hot water is if something got particularly dirty (Marshal's clothes after a blow out) or our towels and bedding. Everything else gets cold water.

But apparently this isn't normal. I have always felt that there was no point in wasting hot water. Cold water works just fine and isn't as hard on the clothes. Plus the shrinkage factor is much lower.

"...customers cling to mom’s age-old advice that hot water washes best — squandering energy and contributing to greenhouse gas emissions."

Seriously? I could care less what my hot water use contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. I just didn't want to waste the energy because it costs more.

And I don't remember my mom teaching me to wash in hot or cold water. Honestly I didn't learn how to do my own laundry until I was almost graduated from high school.

"...predicted that cold-water detergents would remain a niche, unless the government provided incentives to use them or the industry waged a major campaign."

While it wouldn't surprise me if the government tried to provide incentives for cold water detergents, it would be a huge waste of tax payer money and government overreach at its best. If I want to buy cold water detergent (and I often do) I will do so on my own without the government providing corporate welfare.

Do you wash in cold or hot water?

House Upgrades

This year is a big year for our house. We started the year with a kitchen remodel. And now we're preparing for a Heat Pump installation. Our house gets SO freaking hot when it's warm outside. Marshal's room stays around 80 degrees. We have a window AC unit in our bedroom but it does nothing for the rest of the house. I'm looking forward to a programmable thermostat and having an even temperature in the whole house.

We're also getting blinds for the kitchen and that will help some in keeping the heat down.

Since we moved in 10 years ago we've...

• Replaced all the windows.
• Replaced the roof.
• Torn out the Living room Carpet and replaced it with "wood" (not real wood, mind you) and painted.
• Replaced flooring in "baby" room...and painted it blue.
• Installed a new gas fireplace.
• Added and replaced various plants and added Japanese maples.
• Added a large shed in the back yard.
• Built a large dog run in the back yard.
• Replaced the fence.

Phew. And this year the kitchen and heat pump. I sure hope the housing market goes back up in the next few years. With all the work we've put into the house I'm hoping it'll add quite a bit of equity.

Still on the "to do" list...

• Replace the carpet in the master and spare bedroom.
• Landscape the front yard.
• Remodel the bathrooms - replace the 1980s style light fixtures.
• New Hot Water heater

It's a lot of work being a home owner.

Happy Labor Day

Hope everyone enjoys this beautiful three day weekend.

Adventures in Canning

My mom asked me to help her and grandpa can peaches this year. *gulp*

This is not a skill I inherited from my grandma or mom, both of whom could can a ham and make it taste good. The only green beans I'll eat are my grandpa's canned green beans (even over fresh ones). And Marshal will eat his canned peaches like they are going out of style. It's awesome to see him eat fruit.

While it's not necessarily a "cheap" way to get food for storage, it is healthier and better tasting than most any canned or jar food out there. I could start making my own tomato sauce even. Maybe if I get good at it I'll "invest" in my own equipment.

Plus, if I'm still alive for the Zombie Apocalypse we'll have enough food to eat while defending our home. :)

So this year I may attempt a canning session with grandpa and mom.

If this story is any indication, I'll have my work cut out for me.

I Gave In

Hubby has been bugging me for YEARS to dye my hair. I've had grey hair since I was 20 and it's never really bothered me all that much. It's not grey...it's white. And it's gotten progressively whiter in the last couple of years (we'll just thank Marshal for that). Hubby has even tried cutting them out, against my will.

So yesterday I broke down. I got up early and mixed the gross smelling solution ... applied it to my hair and waited. For 30 minutes. My nerves were on edge because I haven't tried to dye my hair since I was 19...and the color I chose then wasn't ANY different from my regular hair color.

It was quite a process to get the foam mixed and applied...and then rinsed out.

But...SUCCESS!!! No more white hairs. And I still picked a shade that was so close to my hair color that you can't even tell that I dyed it - other than the white hairs no longer showing.

Hubby was quite happy and even thanked me. Which I find adorable.

Hello. Welcome. How Ya Doin?

It's been a long time since I had the urge to blog...really blog. Not just 'have to' blog. But want to blog.

There is just so much going on out there in this great big world that it is impossible to keep up and keep my mind straight. Plus, my old blog keeps getting comments on this one particular post...TWO years after I wrote it. So I figured I should really expand on it and let folks vent here.

Because I'm starting over. I have two other blogs that I probably won't ever write on again.

Casto Creations Jewelry and Amid Clutter

This blog, Offended Reality, is a combination of the two and then some. If I offend you...well, that's reality (hence the title). Life is messy and offensive. Plus, I do believe that this society gets way too offended, way too easily...about everything.

So...this is my new start. In blogging that is. I'll be updating the layout and getting a feel for things and eventually would like to become part of the BlogHer network. If I love your blog I'll be adding it to my favorites but it's going to take me a bit to get there.

We'll see how well I can keep up between working as an Agent and Recruiting Manager for Aflac, being a mom and a wife, and trying to train a crazy dog. Oh and make my jewelry of course.

Has anyone seen my free time laying around anywhere???