Best Christmas Ever!!

This was a very fun Christmas.

We went to the children's Mass at 4 on Christmas Eve because Driven Man had to work at 7. That was a trial & #1 had a VERY difficult time with the people reading magazines and playing video games during Mass. When we got out DM rushed off to work & we went out with Wawa for dinner at Macayos.

Now, the tradition in our family is that we open one present on Christmas Eve. The present that the boys got to open was Guitar Hero III. Katie opened her Littlest Pet Shop and was beside herself with joy. The boys & I cracked open the GH & played & played & played. It was so much fun...#s 2&3 are very serious while playing. It is fun, but quiet. We do talk and taunt between songs, but during is all about the song. #1 and I are just a couple of idiots. We laugh & tease & kick each other. I swear I morph into a 14 year old boy when I play with him!

We opened all the other presents in the morning. I realized I'm going to have to keep DM...he gave me the best presents ever! The first was a mounted poster of this:

I first saw this picture in a photography book I got at the library. This is Salvador Dali photographed by Phillipe Halsman. Everything in the picture is in the air. I think it is the most brilliant piece of photography I've ever seen.

The second gift is a certificate for a trip in a wind tunnel. Here is a little explanation from their website:
Indoor Skydiving gives you the opportunity to experience the freedom of flight with no parachute or experience needed. Find out why birds sing without having to actually jump from an airplane.

So, essentially, I will be doing this:

Yes...I will put pictures up here! I'm going to post this now, as my adoring public is clamoring for some new reading material. At least we just found out that we get to leave at 3!!!!!

Home Life Update

Yesterday I wrote about the changes that have happened at work. Now for the home changes.

Driven Man has started working for a governmental agency that is involved in communications. Does the term "going postal" mean anything to you? He now has a "good" excuse for being cranky and insane. He is still working at night, just MUCH longer hours. The reason for him taking this job is because #1 had signed up to go to World Youth Day in Australia next summer. We were saving money but he, being Driven Man, had to take this job to raise the money. Later on we found out that since he wasn't 16 yet, one of his parental units would have to go with him. $4k is sooooo much more doable than $8k!! When that dream died, DM said he had to work for Christmas presents. He also has this family cruise idea. More power to him. Now I almost never see him. I am working during the day and he is working at night. Initially he was scheduled for 4-6 hours a night, now that it's Christmas it is 8 hours. The crazy thing about it is that they can decide to have people work overtime any time they feel. The employees HAVE to work it! They are held hostage & not able to leave! It really seems to be the opposite of my job. Some days it sucks & I really miss him. Other days it is probably for the best. Sad...but true.

Now I will experiment with inserting a picture:


This is the Christmas present I asked my mom to get me. It has been a long time since I had any cool Pampered Chef stonewear. I can't wait to use it.

Wow...I'm really lame. (hanging head in shame)

I'M BAAAAACCCCKKKK!!!!!!!

I'm not dead. I've been entrenched in the world of white collar crime and have not had 3 brain cells to rub together, much less the time to write here.

In the beginning/middle of June I was assigned to the WCC department. Both secretaries left the firm within two weeks and, basically, I was left to run the show myself! It was a terrifying and exciting experience. That desk was really busy and the attorneys so nice. I got to learn what white collar crime really means...someone with money that gets in trouble with the law. We had everything from DUIs to molesters to government scandals. It was interesting to say the least. In the middle of it I was assigned to another litigation partner who was having difficulties replacing her secretary of 15 years. The dear woman retired, and apparently no one could fill her shoes. I couldn't either and I was fitting #3. For a tiny, dried up, little old lady she sure had huge shoes to fill...I'm talking Shaq here! Fitting #4 seems to be working out, I do hear them yelling at each other, but at least she has lasted 2 months. After that going back to only WCC was a treat, but shortly thereafter the group left the firm and I'm back to floating. That is a vacation in itself. To be able to work leisurely is a treat, having nothing to do...not so much. You know you are sick when you reminisce about the insane days!

Well, it is time to go home. I know this has been boring, but next time I'll tell all about Guitar Hero III!

whah whah whah whah whah

This could also be titled "Driven Man is Charlie Brown's teacher."

It is impossible to talk to Driven Man on the phone. It is not easy to talk to him at all actually, he mumbles. His mother complains that he "eats his words" when he talks. She just may be right.

He likes to wait until I'm on the other side of the house to say something to me. We live in a sardine can, it shouldn't be hard to hear each other, but it is. He speaks just loudly enough that I can tell he is talking to me, but I have no idea what he is saying. When I say, "what" he repeats it exactly the same way. When I still cannot understand him, he repeats again, the only difference would be the level of annyoance in his voice. It then falls to me to stop what I'm doing and go to him to find out what he is saying. Having left the work I was doing I go to him to find out he wanted to inform me of the average wing speed of a swallow.

The other day, while I was driving home, he called me. He had me on speaker phone. This is how the conversation went:

DM: "whah whah whah my mom whah whah whah house?"
Me: "What?"
DM: "whah pick whah mom whah whah whah ...se?"
Me: "I'm sorry honey, what was that?"
DM: (louder & background noise) "Pick up whah whah whah at Auntie Sarah's house?"
We don't have an Auntie Sarah
Me: "I understand that you want me to pick your mom up, but where?"
DM: "whah whah house!"
Me: "Would you please pick up the phone, I can't understand you.
DM: (the Princess is screaming in the background)"I'm cooking dinner."
Me: "Well if you picked up the phone for 10 seconds I would know what you want then you could hang up."
DM: "I'm busy here, just whah whah whah anticara"
Me: "What is an anticara?"
DM: "You know whah whah friends house!"
Me: "I really have no idea what you are talking about!"
DM: "The one whah whah QT!!"
Me: "What about QT?"
DM: "ANTICARA, ANTICARA!!"
Me: "JUST PICK UP THE PHONE!"
DM: "whah whah 40th Street whah whah"
Me: (through clenched teeth) "Do you mean Tita Flor's house?"
DM: "anticara, anticara, yes."
Me: "Fine I'll get her." Click, buzzzzzzzz

It turns out that Tita Flor's last name is something that resembles anticara. Now, I've known her for years & didn't realize that she had a last name. I thought she was like Madonna or Prince or even Brittney.

The very best part of the whole experience is that when I got to "anticara" there was no answer at the door. I rang the bell for a long time to no avail. I went back & called Mom's cell phone...no answer there either. I HAD TO CALL DRIVEN MAN BACK!!!!! He called "anticara's" phone and there was no answer.

After about 15 minutes I called her cell again...they were inside talking...they just didn't hear anything!!!!!!

Names for the Crazy Lady that Carries Her Own Keyboard from Desk to Desk

Microsoft Snob

Obsessive Compulsive

Keyboard Geek

Anal

Keystroke Nerd

Ergonomically Enhanced

Control Freak

Standard Challenged

Just plain pathetic

And this from my dad: Keyboard Retentive