Not so much posting

Ok, so my plans to post more often during break didn't exactly materialize. So sorry. See I have this problem. When presented with great stretches of empty time I feel compelled to find ways to fill it. So, if I have vacation time I end up being busier than I am during a normal week.

All that is to say, I've been busy, busy, busy.

I'm writing today from Ames, IA. Der Deutscher, JBP and I have made our annual trek to the Home of the Cyclones for some awesome basketball. The ladies won the annual Cyclone Classic tournament in handy style.

But what was supposed to be three games in three days turned out not to be for us. JBP got sick on day two and threw up an hour before game time. Of course, he really only had a mildly upset stomach and never would've thrown up if he hadn't pulled his fake coughing routine (which he pulls anytime he's not getting his way!). The coughing triggered the reflux reaction in the body.

We rushed JBP back to the hotel and popped him into bed, from which he managed to spend the next two hours complaining he couldn't sleep and would I pleeeeeaaaaassseee turn on the teeeee-veeeee. I refused. He eventually fell asleep about a half hour AFTER his normal bedtime. He was NOT that sick. Der Deutscher was furious.

On Sabbath we did get to see lots of old friends at the Ames SDA Church. They all oohed and aahed over how big JBP had grown. Many hadn't seen him since we moved away in 2001! And there were kids for him to play with and a potluck after church during which he could play. JBP was happy.

During the first game, JBP came up with a real doozy of a question. I wish the folks who come up with uniforms could've heard it. "Mama, why do we have to see the cheerleaders' belly buttons?" (his emphasis, not mine).

I could only respond, "I don't know." I mean, how do you condense thousands of years of treating women as chattel and sex objects into a quick, pithy answer that's understandable to a 6 year old who sees no difference between male, female, black, white, cardinal or purple?

Last night, before the game, Der Deutscher was flipping channels and came across a showing of Dances With Wolves. He left the TV there since we weren't going to be around more than another 20 or 30 minutes. It started just before the great buffalo hunts. JBP was fascinated and asked all sorts of questions. So, he had a real nice anthropology/history lesson this weekend.

Well, I need some breakfast and then we've got to pack and head home. Checkout's at 11! So I'll sign off wishing everyone a Happy New Year.

Here's hoping it's at least better than last year.

Nimitz' Lady

Christmas Wishes

So, once again folks have been asking me that question I hate the most, What do you want for Christmas?

As I've said before, I always feel a bit selfish putting together a wish list, but then I feel selfish not giving folks an answer for an honest question.

So, here's an idea of what I'm oh, so longing for:

*charity donations
*soft, warm, fuzzy pyjamas
*house shoes/slippers
*flannel sheets, queen
*a bread machine
*PERSONAL TRAINING (to help me get back on the fitness track. I'm not doing so great on my own.)
*an elliptical machine or treadmill at home
*the latest cd from Toby Keith, Martina McBride or Carrie Underwood
*house cleaning
*sweaters/sweatshirts

I'm sure there's more stuff, but that's kind of the cream of the crop, so to type.

Hope that helps those who were wondering.

Merry Christmas all. Expect a few more, and more regular, posts once finals are completed this week.

Nimitz' Lady

Another View

Last night Der Deutscher and I attended the staff Christmas party for my school. I'd heard a few stories, so I was not intellectually surprised by what I saw.

However, emotionally was a whole 'nother story.

Growing up you always think of your teachers as sober, responsible, did I say sober?, adults!

Last night what I saw was a gathering of humans who'd apparently never matured past adolscence. From the fuss made over one secretary's ability to free jello shots from their containers to the constant swiping of alcoholic white elephant gifts during the gift exchange, I couldn't really see any difference between this batch of teachers and the kids they're supposed to guide to adulthood.

Oh, and did I mention one teacher brought as his white elephant gift a contraption his grandfather had that's used to light farts on fire?

Children teaching children!

Don't get me wrong, adolescent hijinks weren't the only things going on at the party. They're just what stuck in my head. We didn't get home until after midnight and had a lot of fun. What can I say, there's still a bit of adolescent left in Der Deutscher and I as well.

Nimitz' Lady

I want...

JBP just told his dad he wants and XBox 360. He doesn't even know what it is!

Der Deutscher asked me if it would be wrong to compare our son to Jessica Simpson. "I totally don't know what that is, but I want it!"

Nimitz' Lady

One Nation, Under God

Every Friday, my school district says the Pledge of Allegiance. I choose to say the Pledge as it was originally written, without the words "Under God".

I hold very strong Separation of Church and State beliefs. And saying the Pledge the way the Knights of Columbus changed it in the 50s violates many of them. So, rather than not say it at all, I say it the way it was originally intended.

This last Friday, JBP came home with a sheet that had the Pledge written out on it. He's also obviously been learning it in his class as he can now recite the entire Pledge, ad nauseum, without referring to the sheet.

At that point I felt I needed to sit down with him and try to explain WHY I choose not to say two little words in the Pledge. I explained it was a personally choice and there's nothing wrong with saying the words, Under God. In fact there are some good reasons a person might choose to do so. But, my personal beliefs preclude my doing so. Now, he'll have to make his own choice.

I'm not sure what he'll decide. Or if what he decides will be his permanent choice. (Yes, you grammarians out there, I know I just wrote in a fragment. It's called being conversational.) But, I am now sure he'll at least be aware of making the choice, rather than just blindly repeating what others teach him.

Nimitz' Lady

P.S. JBP has been "reading" over my shoulder as I write this (that means he's been making me read it to him as I write) and says he'll be saying it my way. We'll see if that decision holds up to peer pressure.

And the cute thing is, Dennis doesn't even know he's being funny

One of my favorite cartoons, and my mother's too for that matter, is a Dennis the Menace cartoon. Dennis parents are talking about one of the situations he's just gotten himself into and one says to the other, "And the cute thing is, Dennis doesn't even know he's being funny!" Of course, the other part of the cartoon is Dennis hiding just around the corner covering his mouth with his hand, apparently giggling.

This is soooooo JBP. Today, while we were cleaning house, even as JBP was saying he couldn't wait for summer so there wouldn't be any school, he was typing up, again and again, words from his recent spelling lists.

At this point, I think the whole I-don't-like-school-thing has just gotten to be a habit with him. Because everytime I turn around he's doing something school-work related, mostly even when it's NOT required. Personally, I think he doth protest too much.

Nimitz' Lady

If it's not the cats, it's the kid

Long title for a simple scenario. We've been dealing with what seemed like a peeing war between our two cats. Turns out it was just a case of Nimitz getting old and not being able to hold his bladder through the night. And Samantha felt that she had to keep up with the "territory marking" Nimitz was doing.

The addition of a second litter box in the upstairs bathroom, just steps from our bed, has apparently solved that problem.

So, imagine my surprise when I got up in the middle of the night one night this week and found my pyjamas soaked with urine.

JBP had crawled into bed with us about a half hour earlier. His little hands and feet were like blocks of ice, so I'm assuming that's what woke him up. Our policy is he can stay with us for up to 45 minutes, then it's back to his own bed. Otherwise he'd spend all night, every night in our bed and we'd be black and blue from all his thrashing around.

So, I got up to put him back in his own bed. But, when I slipped an arm under his knees to pick him up I discovered he was soaking wet. In the short time he'd been huddled up next to me he'd managed to wet the bed.

So, we stripped him and put him back to bed in his clean, dry bed. Then cleaned up our bed, as best as possible. Der Deutscher spent the rest of the night on the couch and I spent the rest of the night clinging to the opposite side of our bed trying to avoid the wet spot, not covered with a bath towel.

If it's not the cats, it's the kid!

Nimitz' Lady

Snow Day!

I got my first snow day today as a teacher. JBP got his first snow day ever. It's been a long time since a storm of any sort has meant anything to me other than overtime. It felt good to just crawl under a warm blanket and watch TV with my son, drink cocoa and bake cookies.

All told we only got about 3 inches or so of snow. Der Deutscher and I spent quite a bit of time joking with others transplanted to this area from real Snow States -- how this is nothing. In Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, etc, it wouldn't even get a second thought. Here it shuts down half the state. Oh well, I got a "free" day.

And what a note to end it on. Der Deutscher has been wanting to get me into a newer car ever since I started teaching. My new commute is about an hour a day, half an hour each way. He doesn't feel comfortable with the reliability, or lack thereof, of my 1998 Nissan Altima.

We'd test driven a couple of vehicles and pretty much decided which one I liked. But we wanted to drive it again in bad weather. Like, oh say, today? See, when we bought the Altima we got it in the Spring. Didn't find out until six months later that it sucked on snowy and icy roads. We did NOT want a repeat of that experience.

After the second, successful, test drive tonight we learned there were several attractive incentives and deals available on the Mazda 5 mini-van... this month. Which ends at midnight tonight. So, we ended up driving it home, tonight.

I'm still in shock. (And a little bit afraid to breathe in my own vehicle now! =)Are all snow days this good?

Nimitz' Lady

P.S. The only reason we got a brand new vehicle was because I insist on driving a stick shift and the chances of finding the Mazda 5, or any other decent vehicle, used in a stick are next to nil.

Beaten Down

I got my grown-up patootie beaten at basketball -- by my SIX YEAR OLD SON!!!

And you shoulda heard him crow! I took him to the Y to shoot some hoops and next thing I knew I was out there with him playing defense. He ended up beating me 16 to 4 in a 45 minute game.

And that, despite the fact I got about triple the looks at the basket he got!

It's rather humbling to get your rear kicked by a six year old. But, in my defense, we were playing with a hard to handle youth ball. Of course, there's also the fact I've never been that athletically talented and have no real training in basketball -- up against his ability to hit an adult height basket, accurately, without looking!

I don't know where he gets it but it sure gives me something to look forward to bragging about when I see the Iowa State Ladies next month.

The family's headed to Ames, IA, between Christmas and New Year's for a little b-ball OD -- three games in three nights. Whoopee!!

Gotta remember to bake some cookies before we leave or the ladies on the team will never forgive me. That's ok though, I'll just hide behind my son who considers a 5'11" forward to be "little"!

Plus, we've been to so many away games the last few years they pretty much consider JBP to be their good luck mascot. They'd never harm him!

Nimitz' Lady

Makes Sense

You're totally like 50% California!

You've been here before, haven't you? Wasn't that you I saw stepping into Brad Pitt's cement footprint at Mann's Chinese and telling your mom to "Take my Picture!"? I thought so!

How California are You?

Scary Convenience

Cash, check or finger?
Fingerprint technology allows consumers to pay without cash, credit cards

The "Pay By Touch" program at Cub Foods allows customers to purchase their foods by just scanning their fingerprint. Users must register with the system by supplying a blank check and a government-issued ID. When a customer checks out with the Pay By Touch, the system accesses his or her checking account and withdraws the amount they owe.

This recent article on the Iowa State Daily's website is just scary. Can you imagine how easy it would be for the government to completely control who was allowed to buy and sell things when you do all your transactions electronically, authorized by a fingerprint? Eeww. Worse than any scary movie at the theater.

Nimitz' Lady

Re-named

JBP is so taken with his reading/spelling/phonics lessons that he now goes around spelling everything. Either words he has learned in school or reading off letters from words on signs all over town.

In the process he has also renamed Der Deutscher and I. We are no longer Mom & Dad, nor Ma & Da, nor Mama & Dadda, nor Mommy & Daddy, not even Muh-ther and Fah-ther. No, we are now ... M-O-M and D-A-D.

In self defense I have begun calling JBP... S-O-N.

Nimitz' Lady

P.S. The Lady Cyclones just pulled off a big win at UNI in Cedar Rapids, IA. Down most of the game they came from 16 down in the last few minutes of regulation play to tie it up and put the game into OT, where they won 80-76. Great game.

"Mistaken" Anger

I've actually been battling a case of mistaken anger toward Der Deutscher recently. He did nothing.

I got a text message Monday morning at school, "I Love You! :)" Of course I assumed it was from Der Deutscher. After I casually TM'd him back, "I Luv You Too" (the 3 button is busted on my phone) I looked at the number and realized it wasn't his phone.

Monday afternoon I discovered the TM had been from a woman I didn't know to her son. Wrong number.

Der Deutscher had nothing to do with any of this. But for me, emotionally, it's like the instant of warm, fuzzy feeling I got from thinking I had a TM from him had been cruelly yanked away from me, leaving me cold and bereft. So, I've been struggling not to blame him for what happened. For not even thinking to send me a random I Love You TM.

¡Así es la vida!

Nimitz' Lady

What's wrong with this...

"Record high voter turnout is expected nationwide today, with more than 41% of registered voters saying they plan to cast a ballot."

Nimitz' Lady

Election Night Fever

For the first time in the three months since I left the TV News biz I actually miss it. It's election night with all the attendant excitement in the air.

This is the first election since I could vote that I've watched as a "civvie" -- taking part in neither party politics nor news coverage of the election. And with so many possibilities floating in the air tonight I actually feel the pull to join in again.

Of course, part of this feeling is this is the first election in 5 years where I don't have to deal with a TV station that doesn't know Jack about covering elections, but tries to pretend it does. I came to the NBC affiliate in this time an award winning elections producer. C-SPAN had even chosen to air MY elections show LIVE NATIONWIDE! in 2000! But my station here never even asked for my help with elections coverage.

I'm sure this renewed feeling of excitement over "news" will pass, but in the meantime I'm kind of enjoying the fact that I've recovered enough from my burnout to actually feel it.

Nimitz' Lady

Not much to say, but New PICTURES!

The last month or so has been pretty bad for us, which is why I haven't posted, at all. Unlike some who write when they're depressed in order to feel better, I write when I feel good, mostly. When I get really down in the dumps I just want to forget about writing anything and lose myself in a good book.

Things are starting to look up for us now, and hopefully I'll be back to my foolishly blogging self soon.

In the meantime I've posted a whole bunch of new photos from the last couple months on Flickr! Check out the link on the right side of your screen and Happy Viewing.

Nimitz' Lady

What to say?

Sorry I didn't post yesterday. It was a day full of running around town but not actually doing much worth talking about.

We did start to go through my mother-in-law's apartment and decide what we're going to have shipped to the States. There'll have to be some major rearranging at home to make room for everything.

JBP has overall handled all this well. Although the last couple of days, especially right after visiting his Oma's apartment, he's started getting willful, defiant, etc.

We've talked to him about it several times and I think he's starting to get the point. When you're having strong feelings talk about them, don't bury them and then start acting out.

Every night after story time and prayer, before going to sleep, we've started having question time. That's when JBP can ask anything he wants, about anything.

Obviously his questions have mostly been the tough kind, like, 'What's it like to die?' and 'Why didn't we take any pictures of the coffin?' and 'Why didn't we open the coffin to look at Oma?'

Sometimes we find ourselves struggling to answer him. But we promised honesty, even if that means telling him we don't know. It seems to be helping him deal with everything and I'll probably keep up the tradition once we get home.

Last night during question time he finally admitted he didn't like going to his Oma's apartment and didn't want to go back. We told him he didn't have to. There's a play area in the garden behind the building and he can go there when we have to go back.

He also has decided he wants to keep her scarf. I had crocheted it as a Christmas gift for her last year and we came across it yesterday while going through her apartment.

Well, Der Deutscher and JBP have several pages worth of math homelinks to do together today (JBP refuses to do them with me!), so it's my turn to go shopping by myself. Yippee!!!!

Nimitz' Lady

The Funeral

It was a very surreal experience and for the most part was not overly emotional, for me. Obviously Der Deutscher was crying, very manly tears, throughout the ceremony. It didn't get to me until the very end, but first -- the beginning.

We arrived with Der Deutscher's paternal aunt and uncle. Many members of his paternal family attended the ceremony even though his parents are, were, divorced. Overall however the ceremony was small -- only about 20 people or so. That's the way Der Deutscher wanted it because that's the way he believes his mother would've wanted. He said he could've packed a cathedral if he'd advertised the funeral, which I don't doubt. His mother lived in the same city most of her adult life and knew a LOT of people.

The thing that struck me first as so unusual was the flowers. Each basket of flowers had two ribbons, about a foot wide, with a greeting or wish on it. The flowers on her coffin, a simple blonde wood coffin, said "Our loved mother and grandmother" on one ribbon and Der Deutscher's, JBP's and my name on the other ribbon. All the others were like that too.

After a short service in the chapel at the cemetery, we followed the coffin out to the gravesite. There had been a small spray of four yellow roses on the seat for me, but I'd handed them over to JBP to keep him occupied during the service which was in German. Although JBP did ask a few questions he hadn't yet seemed to really realize what was going on.

But JBP was then the first to follow the coffin out to the gravesite, walking slowly and carefully, carrying the flowers before him like a bride.

At the gravesite, the six pallbearers lowered the coffin into the grave the old-fashioned way -- using ropes and muscle power. When they were down, they removed their white gloves (folding them over each other inside out like doctors do) and tossed them into the grave with the coffin.

Then, some more short words from the pastor. After which we all tossed a small, ceremonial shovelful of dirt onto the coffin -- Der Deutscher first, then me, then JBP.

That's when it call became real for JBP and he broke down. It was the first time he'd cried since we'd told him his Oma had died. Otherwise he'd pretty much tried to avoid the subject, except to say occasionally that he wanted to go home.

But that was it. A few minutes later we all gathered at Der Deutscher's paternal uncle's house for brötchen, wurst and käse -- and lots of talk. Pretty typical post-funeral stuff. Memories, family, even the coming birth of one cousin who's baby is due Oct. 3rd.

Nimitz' Lady

Walking Into Exhaustion

Once you've been to Europe you never truly forget just how much walking is involved to get anywhere. But you also never truly remember until you have to do it again.

The good news is, between a very careful eye on how much I'm eating and all the walking I've got to be losing weight. Although the local scales are no proof, seeing as how they all measure in kilos! And being as non-mathematically enclined as I am forget translating to pounds.

I'd also forgotten what it was like to be in a country that appreciates a real woman. You know, one with a curve or two to distinguish her from a 14 year old boy?

If I hadn't been walking around with JBP today *and* wearing a wedding ring on *both* hands I think I'd have had at least three or five propositions. As compared to a similar number per *year* in the States!

Nothing really special happened today. Just took JBP to the park then went shopping for something to wear to the funeral tomorrow. The real work has all fallen on Der Deutscher who must prove to all the German bureaucrats that he's his mother's only son and heir. Plus, he had to meet with the pastor who'll be conducting her funeral tomorrow.

My main job has been to keep JBP busy and out of Der Deutscher's hair.

Yesterday we went to Oma's apartment and started going through things. Der Deutscher plans to ship several items of furniture to the States, family heirlooms and all. The good news is style-wise they should all fit into our home. The bad news? I don't know where we'll find room for it all.

Please pray for us, especially Der Deutscher, tomorrow as that's the funeral. It will most likely be the most difficult day of this trip.

Nimitz' Lady

All mixed up

Halo alles aus Deutschland!

Well, we safely arrived, on time despite 30 and 45 minute delays at home and in Chicago. We literally had to run from our arrival gate to our departure gate in London and still just barely made the connection -- as in we raced to the gate and right onto the plane! Needless to say, we may have made it but our luggage did not. We got into Duesseldorf around 10am local time. Our luggage finally arrived at 9pm!

We spent most of yesterday with Der Duetscher's aunt and uncle. At one point his cousin-in-law stopped by with her 10 month old son who shares Der Deutscher's full name. The cousin spoke Spanish pretty well, better than her English or my German. So we spent several hours switching back and forth between the three languages.

Add to that the fact I've been speaking Spanish daily for the last month and am still trying to keep a blog for my students in Spanish and I am truly linquistically all mixed up. I never know which language is going to pop out of my mouth next.

Then, of courese, there's the whole keyboard difference -- which is reallz messing up my typing. What should've taken me about three minutes to write and post has already taken me ten!

I really feel for Der Deutscher right now. He's handling all the funeral arrangements himself and I can't be with him because he just wants me to keep JBP occupied. JBP is currently out buying flowers with his Onkel Mika, his step-grandmother's brother. And Der Deutscher thinks my family is confusing!

Ok, time to give my poor confused brain a break.
Nimitz' Lady

The Wind and the Fury

We're all packed and ready to go. Some friends from church will be picking us up here in about an hour to take us to the airport.

Unfortunately, it's a dark and stormy day with lots of thunderstorms and high winds. We face travel delays both here and out of Chicago.

Once (if) we can get out of Chicago we should be okay, though. So, please pray for smooth traveling. I'm not sure how much aggravation Der Deutscher can take right now.

Nimitz' Lady

Nimitz Household in Mourning

We received a long dreaded phonecall this morning. My mother-in-law, aka Oma, passed away overnight. She'd been suffering from some sort of cancer for years, but was unwilling to share the details with most of us.

Due to this expected yet unforeseen development, we're making an emergency trip to Germany. There, Der Deutscher will begin handling her estate, while I will help JBP say goodbye to his Oma.

At the same time, JBP and I will be staying in contact with our classes through a couple of new blogs I've just set-up.

I'll be using Pensamientos en Español to give my students a view of what it's like to travel overseas. JBP will do the same with his new Blog, World Traveler.

This may well be my last post until we're in Der Vaterland, as we leave Thursday and have very little time in which to get all paperwork gathered, everything packed and enough lesson plans set out for my sub!

While this is sad for me, it is a much more devestating development for JBP and Der Deutscher. Please keep them in your prayers.

Nimitz' Lady

Style Tips for the Young and Masculine (wanna-bes)

In class today I had the kids working on the dry-erase board (whatever happened to go ol' chalkboards?). They started complaining about their hands getting all black from the pen ink. I told them that's one of the many reason I prefer to wear black, or at least dark colored clothes.

One of the young men pipes up, "What are the others?"

I just looked at him and said, "'Cause I'm a woman. 'Nuff said."

Nimitz' Lady

p.s. Tomorrow I take part in a pep rally contest that pits the teachers against teams from each class (year). I'm to represent the teachers in the cartwheel competition. That'll be a sight!

Actual Funny Remembered

After school today, I was lying on my stomach grading papers while JBP watched TV. Popular Mechanics for Kids (PMK): Slither and Slime to be precise.

When he noticed my supine position, JBP quickly slithered onto my back, one of his favorite TV viewing positions.

Unfortunately, that hurt my lower back, and at my request JBP scootched (is that actually a word?) down a bit. He ended up with his head resting on my gluteus maximus as a pillow.

A moment later he raised his head and indignantly announced, "You farted in my ear, Mommy!"

After taking a moment to digest this comment I cooly responded, "That's what you get for laying your head on my butt."

He thought about this, then carefully slithered back up my back just far enough to get his head off my rear and returned to watching Alicia and Jay discuss frogs, worms, leeches and other slithery and slimy things.

Ah, motherhood.

Nimitz' Lady

Greetings from South Korea!

No, unfortunately, not from me.

My (formerly) Colorado Cousins have moved to South Korea. They've taken a two year position teaching at a Christian International School in the city of Taejon (or Daejon) with their three boys (all within about a year in age of JBP!).

I think I may have spoken of this before, if not I am now. =)

Anyway, I am about as jealous and in awe as it gets. Not that I could imagine making a move that grand at this time. But I can imagine doing it sometime. Now I just have to convince Der Deutscher!

They have started a blog to keep friends and family updated on their antics in the Republic of Korea. I won't share the address right now, as I'm not sure if they would like that, security concerns and all. But, if they don't mind, I may link to it later.

Meanwhile, good news on the JBP in school front. Although, by no means, is his behavior now model, it has improved greatly. And, he no longer goes around saying he hates school and there's nothing fun about it. Instead, he'll ask to do his homework! And if there isn't any, he'll ask to practice writing his letters with us. So, all in all things are going well.

Now, if only I could get enough of a handle on the teaching (and kick whatever bug has been infecting me for the last couple weeks) not to be totally and completely mentally and physically exhausted everyday when we get home.

Come Sabbath, it's all I can do to get through Church and lunch. I pretty much simply collapse then for the rest of the day. And that doesn't make for a very enjoyable Sabbath for JBP, who would be on the go every minute of every day if we let him.

Plus, between the change in jobs and trying to get used to it, I haven't been to the gym in a couple months now and am really feeling it. Backaches the likes of which I haven't had in years! Because my ab strength is back down to nothing.

On the other hand, I may actually have still managed to lose a few pounds. With the new schedule, I have little time to eat during work and my daily calorie consumption has fallen drastically. At least on workdays. Of course, to make up for that, I tend to eat more than I should on the weekends.

I'm hoping to start working out at home to my Taebo tapes after work this week. I need the physical exercise.

If you're the praying sort, please pray for my physical well being (exercise and illness) and that I'll be able to get this lesson planning thing licked.

Overall, I've been doing ok. But, I'm still having trouble gauging where my students are academically, either working well below or well above their current language levels. Plus, with an 84 minute block to fill I'm having trouble gauging exactly how much to plan on each day. And, to top it all off, I'm doing my best to do most of my lesson-planning during my planning period at school. I don't want to get in the habit of working all sorts of extra hours. I want to start the way I mean to go on (at least for the next 12 years -- when JBP graduates high school).

Nimitz' Lady

JBP Funnies

The thing is, JBP has done/said a couple really funny things this last day or so. However, I am so exhausted at this point that I can barely remember my own name, let alone anything anyone else has said to me.

Outside of the funny, my boy got his first bee sting today. A lot earlier than I did. He was on a walking field trip to a park with his class to take some pictures. Within 10 minutes, both he and another boy had been stung by bees. JBP got stung in the back of his oversized little head.

When he got to my room after school he was still holding the remains of an ice bag to his head. Then proceeded to talk about how much he hated bees.

When he got home, he repeated the entire diatribe for Der Deutscher. Who then reminded him bees aren't very smart.

JBP has since spent the rest of the evening, at odd and unrelated moments, reminding us all that bees aren't very smart. In fact they're pretty dumb.

Nimitz' Lady

Hee Hee Hee

(sound of maniacal giggling)

It's a Holiday and I am NOT working!!!!!! Nor did I use up a vacation day to get the time off.

That's a first in 13 years.

And I get Thanksgiving off. And the day after. And Christmas Eve. And Christmas Day. And New Year's Eve. And New Year's Day. And the time between Christmas and New Year's. !!!!!!

Tee Hee Hee!!!!

Nimitz' Lady

Update

Just to keep all interested updated on what's going on, since I've pretty much NOT been in evidence the last couple of weeks.

1. JBP's first week at school was horrid. His second was much better, though far from perfect. His Grammy visited over the holiday weekend, so I fear a regression in behavior. But I'm prayin things will continue on our overall upward course.

2. The teaching's going pretty well. I love my 4th year class and my homeroom class. My 2nd year students are ok. My 3rd year class is the largest and the least responsive. Much of it is, I think, due to just a couple of students in the class. But it puts a real damper on my day. Everyday.

3. Since I'm not a certified teacher, I have to get an emergency substitute's certificate. Which means fingerprints and a background check. Not a problem, just another hassle I don't have time for.

4. ISU remains as reliable as ever. I faxed over a request for more transcripts (for my high school, the local university's alternative certification program and the state for the sub cert). They said it should take about a week. They arrived in less than four days. Yeah ISU!

5. We finally have books for the 1st and 2nd year Spanish students. But I'm still waiting for books for 3rd and 4th year.

That's the last week or so, in a very, very tiny nutshell. Once I figure out how to spend less time grading papers on a nightly basis I'll try to start posting more regularly -- including all of JBP's latest hijinks.

Nimitz' Lady

Getting in the Groove

With all the changes in his little life this summer, JBP's not been handling things well. However, I do believe we're starting to see the light at the end of this tunnel.

I met with his teacher and principal after school yesterday to discuss strategies for dealing with his defiant, check-outist behavior. We couldn't have found a group more interested in helping him, finding what's best for him, not just getting him to shut-up and go along with the group, but to actually get settled, happy and learning.

Today, his third day of school, was the first day I didn't get a call about his behavior during the school day.

He also, tonight, willingly sat with me and did the "homework" the teacher had sent home that he wouldn't do during class. It took us an hour (he was eating while I read to him for a good 20 minutes of that) but he stuck with it until it was all finished.

Then went to bed with minimal fuss.

I finally have hopes that things are looking up, that he'll get used to the set-up, learn to trust his teachers, etc, and start to enjoy learning again.

Right now he complains it's all boring. He doesn't understand that he's got to do theboring stuff to get to the fun stuff (like computers, science, math, etc) the older kids are doing.

Meanwhile, I'm dealing with some pretty freaked out kids in my classes. Turns out my predecessor's Spanish 3 class was 90% writing papers (in English) about Spanish culture. So, the students know next to no Spanish. It's like my Spanish 4 students are where I'd expect Spanish 2 students to be with grammar and vocabulary.

So, I'm having to completely reconfigure how to teach the upper levels. But if I do nothing else, they'll be speaking Spanish comfortably by the time they leave my classroom. Maybe elementary levels, but they'll be speaking it!

Well, I've got homework to check in.
Nimitz' Lady

P.S. Day 2 in the classroom was much more comfortable on my part. And the principal (who's dropped by several times) says I looked comfortable from the first (all those years in front of a TV camera came in handy after all!).

First Day

Today was my first day in front of a classroom. I thought I was prepared, right up until the kids started showing up.

I've got enough experience at public speaking that I didn't "show any fear", but by the time I got out of that class I was shaking so badly I wasn't sure if I'd be able to make it to the teacher's lounge without falling.

Thank goodness I have lunch right after my first class (actually, my schedule goes: planning, Spanish 4, lunch, Spanish 3, Spanish 2, Homeroom). I needed the time to get myself back together.

The good news, I made it through the first day without falling on my face. The bad news? I've still got three more days to survive. I'll keep you updated.

Nimitz' Lady

Oh, and I've still got to figure out how to dual teach a class where half my students are taking it for college credit and half aren't (and where I still don't understand exactly what it is I'm supposed to be teaching for the college credit!).

Also, I waaaaaay overestimated how much Spanish these kids would know. I wasn't expecting college level Spanish, but certainly more than this. I'm hoping much of it was just rustiness from a summer off. But somehow I doubt it.

Back to School

Well, I'm officially a teacher. Can't remember if I posted that or not. The last few weeks have been so hectic I'm not even sure I remember my name. You'll let me know if I forget, right?

Anyway, things couldn't have worked out better. JBP is attending the elementary school literally right next door to the high school I teach at. It's a smaller, rural district near a big city. Which means it has lots of the big city options without the big city problems.

And, to top it all off, the placement exam for JBP (to determine if he'd attend 1st grade or kindergarten) showed he has some tendencies toward dyslexia. I only just last January learned that other close family members have dyslexia, and it tends to run in families. The good thing is, if he has it, which is by no means a certainty at this point, it's been caught well before JBP could suffer any scholastic damage.

And this never would've happened if we hadn't decided to move him over to the school district I'm teaching in. God cares for us even when we don't know there's a problem!

My first day of classes is tomorrow (today was just Freshman orientation and I don't have any freshmen level classes) so wish me luck. JBP's first day was today. Overall he had a good day, enjoyed school, etc. There was one incident that led to the principal calling me (mainly because JBP pulled his typical mute routine) that boiled down to a misunderstanding. Hopefully that's the worst we have to deal with. Pray for JBP. The last thing I want is for him to hate school.

Well, I'm tired, and frankly can't think straight enough to relate any "stories" of what's going on right now. Hopefully I'll be able to think better later this week. I must say the marathon does appear to be finally slowing down. I might even be sighting the finish line on the horizon.

Nimitz' Lady

Odds & Ends

Sorry so long with no news. We had no internet access while in L.A. But there's a lot to pass on and I don't have much time.

1. My father is improving, slowly. But he's not cooperating well with the nurses and rehab folks. It'll be awhile until he gets out of the nursing home, in my opinion.

2. I'm now a high school Spanish teacher. I interviewed Monday, flew to L.A. Tuesday morning and had an offer on the voicemail when we landed. I'm now frantically trying to get everything in line to begin my new job on the 14th!!!!!

3. We finally got the basement carpet put in the week before we left for L.A. So, needless to say, we never got the chance to get everything put back in its proper place and it's still sitting in stacks upstairs. With the new job, who knows when I'll get it done.

4. Did I mention I've got a new job? =) Just checking.

5. My mom's (Grammy) got a new job too, teaching English as a Second Language at Kansas State University. So we're rushing to get her all packed up so we can move her out there this weekend.

6. JBP may be starting 1st grade instead of Kindergarten. He's doing a skills assessment tomorrow afternoon at the elementary school right next to my high school. If he does well enough he'll start 1st grade there (age appropriate). If not, he'll start Kindergarten as planned at the neighborhood school around the corner from our house. All things considered, I'm praying he ends up at the school next to where I work. I'll let you know how it goes.

I'm sure there's more. But I'm starting to eye the corner with some blubbering in mind. Best get back to the grindstone before I just plain quit!

Nimitz' Lady

Sad Week

This has been a sad week for our family. Der Deutscher's stepmother's father died, Der Deutscher's aunt died and now news that my Great Aunt (on my mother's side) is dying of cancer. It's so far advanced doctors say there's nothing they can do but make her comfortable.

My mother and Aunt Wowis (as I used to call her)have rented a car and are headed cross-country to say good-bye.

I'd be going with them if it weren't for the already planned trip to go visit my father -- who is also in the hospital dealing with problems with a shunt in his brain. The consensus is he's too stubborn to stay in bed until it heals properly and keeps re-damaging the wound.

But, if he's still in the hospital we'll be getting a hotel room (financial ouch!) rather than messing up my stepmother's home.

At any rate, what was supposed to be a simple trip to visit my father has become fraught with all other sorts of nuances, innuendos and details.

Here's hoping all goes well. At least as well as can be expected. Almost time to go home and pack.

Nimitz' Lady

Interview Time

The principal has decided to go ahead and interview me while we're waiting to find out on the pay/certification issues. I get the feeling he really wants me, he's just got to figure out how. Anyway, I interview for that position Monday at 7AM, seeing as how I have to be at work by 8:30.

And, because I refuse to put all my eggs in one basket, I applied for a couple more positions this morning -- a reporter job at a local Spanish station and a pr job at another local University Medical College.

The University just called me asking to do a phone interview next week. So, that's set for Tuesday afternoon.

Who knows, by Wednesday I may have a new job. Wouldn't that be nice?

At any rate next week will be a big one for me. Trip to California to see my dad, two job interviews and the possibility of getting out of my current position, which I am burned out on.

Wish me luck and pray hard!!! Cause I'm relying on God to show me which (assuming I get two offers) is the "right" job for me.

Nimitz' Lady

Finally Got One Right

I've spent the last hour or so doing Blogthing quizzes to keep from being bored to death, and from freaking out about my possible job change.

Most of the quizzes have not only been wrong, they've been waaaay wrong. Andy Warhol should paint my portrait (hate his work)! I should weigh 145 lbs (haven't seen that since middle school)!

But this quiz actually got me right.

Your Inner European is Spanish!

Energetic and lively. You bring the party with you!

Who's Your Inner European?

Nimitz' Lady

Still in Danger

Turns out I spoke too quickly when I said my frieds from Beirut had made it to the States safely. They haven't all made it.

The Husband stayed behind. He still had a job to finish for a Japanese firm. So pray he'll finish quickly and get out safely.

He is staying in the mountains outside Beirut, but still. As of the latest reports (from around noon) the bombing has killed 600 civilians and injured another 1,500.

So, please keep praying for him.

Time to go listen to some classic Bon Jovi for me.
Nimitz' Lady

Hopes and Fears

Well the high school principal got my application and resume today. He called over the lunch hour.

Since it's too late for me to get into the local University's certification-while-teaching program, I'd have to be hired as a long-term sub, which means less money. I'm already looking at a paycut just to get out of the TV news biz.

So, the principal is busy crunching numbers. If he comes up with something we could both agree on, I'll interview.

Right now I'm filled with hopes and fears.

I'm really hoping this works out. If it does, it means by the time I get back from L.A. I'd be at a new job.

I'm relieved I wouldn't have to worry about certification until next summer, which makes me hopeful I might actually be able to handle the job.

I'm afraid I'll get my hopes up too high and something won't work out and I'll be right back at work writing a newscast come Aug. 10th. We'll see.

Pray for me.
Nimitz' Lady

Perchance to... Teach?

That's right, teach. I have been invited to apply for a local high school's still open Spanish teacher position.

As I am not a certified secondary teacher this is only possible because the position is still open. Classes start mid-August, about three weeks! In other words, they're desperate.

If they offer me the job (duh! Of course, I'm applying!) and if I accept the offer it would, under state law, have to be contingent upon my then beginning to work toward certification.

I checked out what that would mean and: I would have to take three undergraduate classes (college algebra, basic statistics and general psychology) before I'd even be eligible for the local University's teacher certification program!

I don't know. I'd love to be a high school teacher. I've pretty much always seen that as my second career. And Spanish! La lengua de mi alma! In that way it couldn't be a better match.

It's the going back to school thing, while working, that has me concerned. I'm trying to get out of the TV News biz to get away from the awful hours/schedules and be able to spend more time with my family.

Just don't know what I'll do -- assuming this goes beyond the "Sure, send us your resume" stage.

Nimitz' Lady

Safe

I just heard from my friends who lived in Beirut. They've gotten safely out and are in the States. Praise God!

This is what she had to say about the trip:

"I made the horrible evacuation with my children and parent's. It was like going to hell and back."

Thanks for your prayers and support.

Nimitz' Lady

Daddy Time

Ok, I'm scheduled to visit my dad in L.A. next week.

Slight problem, I've tried calling him several times over the last few days and gotten no answer. On Friday, an aunt told my mother he was back in the hospital. But, when I called the hospital they said he'd been released. Meanwhile, I keep calling and leaving messages at his house that never get any responses.

I don't know what's going on.

Is my father seriously ill? Only slightly sick? Dying?

Will he be there for me to visit? Or do I need to book a hotel room (rather then stay with just my stepmother and her sister)?

I don't know what's going on and am starting to get extremely worried.

Nimitz' Lady

Unprofessional

Here are a couple links to video of some of the most unprofessional news anchors I've seen in a long time (even if I do agree with their opinions).

Hawaii: This guy is dealing with the same new production system my station got earlier this year. I feel his pain, but you never let it show on air!

Fox News: I feel both her anger and pain every time I have to write a story about these folks. But if you can't handle the heat, get out of the kitchen. In other words, if you can't keep your cool at the anchor desk, find another job!

And here's what other pro's think about these clips.

Nimitz' Lady

Congratulations/Felicitaciones

Congratulations to Zuleyka Rivera Mendoza, a fellow Boriqua who just won the 2006 Miss Universe title. Not my cup of tea, but to each her own. And it's always good to see a Puerto Rican finish well.



Felicitaciones a Zuleyka Rivera Mendoza, una boriqua como yo quien ha ganado esta noche el titulo de Miss Universe 2006. No es algo que me gustaria, pero a cada persona sus preferencias. Y siempre es bien ver a una puertorriquena se cumple bien.

Nimitz' Lady

No Word

It's been a week since I've heard anything from my friends living in Beirut. The last I heard -- they were trying to get out with the U.S. evacuations.

I just pray that in this case no news is good news and that they're on a ship headed for Cyprus, or on a plane headed to the States, safe and sound.

Nimitz' Lady

Bye-Bye Mommy

My mother, aka Grammy, has been living with us since my son, JBP, was about three months old.

It was never planned to be permanent. First she was just going to stay with us until she could find her own place. But then we figured, we were only going to stay in Iowa a few more months so why waste the money? We ended up in Iowa another year.

And then, when we moved here, we figured it was only temporary until she found a full-time job.

Five years later, she's finally found a full-time job. It's at Kansas State University (so we'll get to visit her when we go to watch the Iowa State Ladies play basketball there) which is about a two to three hour drive from us.

I love my mother. For the most part we're best friends. But we're also mother and daughter and I know we've gotten on each other's nerves occasionally over the last few years.

And I have to admit there will be certain advantages to "being on my own" again.

At the same time, my live-in babysitter is moving out! No more spontaneous runs to the movies, or the grocery store, or anywhere else for that matter!

But when all's said and done, we'll just plain miss her while she's off at college having fun.

Is this what they mean about "raising your parents"? I'm too young to be suffering from Empty Nest Syndrome, dang it!
Nimitz' Lady

Weight Loss

Alright, let's try this again. (For those who didn't catch the goof, I managed to publish the title to this post before writing a single word!)

You may (or not) have noticed a new ticker at the top of the screen. This ticker is how much weight, give or take five pounds, that I need to lose.

Personally, I'd be ecstatic to lose half of that. But given all my other health issues, I really need to try to lose as much of that as possible.

I'm hoping the ticker sitting there at the top of the screen, mocking me every time I log on, will help motivate me to work out.

Since the great schedule switch-aroo that has been this year began I've had trouble keeping up a regular workout schedule. And my eating habits have been execrable.

The last week or two I've gotten the eating in hand, and now I think I've figured out a decent work out schedule. 30 to 60 mins cardio at home in the morning, 30 to 45 mins strength training at the Y over my lunch hour (not as much sweaty mess to clean up after before going back to work).

So, we'll see how it goes. I'm especially feeling the need to lose with the way my joints have been aching (Thyroid Doc thinks weight loss will help alleviate that) and my 15 year high school reunion coming up sometime next year.

Wish me luck.
Nimitz' Lady

Cute Hair

Given I'm not the best judge, but I think my new do will turn out pretty cute.

I got my hair relaxed (chemically straightened, whatever)and styled last Thursda. Due to the relaxing process this morning was the first time I got to wash and style it myself.

It's supposed to look something like this.

Which is a pretty good match for my face, in my opinion. So far, at least, I think it worked.

Of course, we'll have to wait and see what happens in the next few weeks.

I'll try to get an actual picture of me posted before I leave for L.A.

Nimitz' Lady

Five Things Meme

I've been tagged, informally. So here it is, the Five Things Meme.

Five things you have but you do not want
1. 45 pounds of fat
2. dirty floors
3. my job
4. emotional scarring
5. an addictive personality

Five things you want but you do not have
1. a new job
2. a sleek, fit body
3. a daughter
4. peace of mind
5. more time to spend with my son & husband

Five things you would like to know more about
1. parenting
2. adoption
3. translating
4. the Bible & God
5. German

Five important lessons you have learned
1. If it doesn't endanger your eternal life it's not worth getting upset about.
2. I had a decent body when I was a teen. Too bad I didn't realize it until it was gone.
3. Children and family are more important than money or position.
4. Physical beauty will only get you unwanted attention.
5. I can do anything if I try hard enough.

Five of your favorite memories
1. Being pregnant and my son's birth
2. Meeting my husband (and any time after that spent cuddling with him)
3. Traveling overseas (any and every time)
4. My time at WOI-TV
5. The 1999-2000 Iowa State Women's Basketball season (any and every game!)

Five things you are looking forward to
1. The Second Coming
2. Not caring anymore about my weight
3. Bringing a daughter home (assuming Der Deutscher ever agrees to adopt)
4. Traveling to L.A. to visit my dad in August
5. Retirement

Five things you would like to forget
1. The emotional torment that was most of high school and the people who inflicted it
2. The times I've hurt my husband
3. My sins
4. The Serial Killer hearings last summer
5. My love of food

So, that's it. Now, you're it!
Nimitz' Lady

The Early Nightly

NBC main anchor Brian Williams has landed in Tel Aviv to broadcast live from Israel during the ongoing conflict between Israel and Lebanon. He's headed to Haifa this afernoon for tonight's broadcast.

Each day during his trip, he'll include a Vlog giving a behind the scenes look at what it takes to broadcast from what is essentially a war zone.

Check it out. I found it interesting.

Nimitz' Lady

P.S. If you know of any other just glimpses of life in the Middle East right now, please leave me a link.

Oh, and I haven't heard back from my friends in Beirut. I'm just hoping that means they're headed for the port to catch the cruise ship to Greece.

Trapped

One of my best college friends lives in Beirut with her husband and two little girls. She's a dual citizen, American and Lebanese.

Needless to say, they've been trying desperately to get out of the country for the last week. They have hopes of an American evacuation on Wednesday.

I've had a few e-mails from her. This is what she has to say about the situation.

"We are safe in this mountain house. It is in a Christian area away from the battle, but let's hope that the Israelis don't lose it and start bombing left, right and center."

"The US government really needs to do more for their citizens. This situation is really bad. Everything is so slow."

"It's hard to restart my life all over again, but it's better to leave then to die."

"I am scared especially that now I have babies I have to worry about."

She's a journalist like me, who's freelanced for several publications, writing most often for the Daily Star in Beirut.

Please include her and her family in your prayers. I've been praying for her non-stop for the last few days, as well as putting her name on our church prayer list.

The worst thing about situations like what we're seeing in Lebanon and Israel right now is that it's always the innocent who are hurt the most.

Nimitz' Lady

What's In a Name?

The other day, Grammy and JBP were driving along. Grammy making a song out of JBP's name, including his middle name "S".

He vehemently declared, "S" is not my name. My name is "J" "B" "P", then proceeded to spell out "B".

He wouldn't accept that "S" was his middle name.

Poor kid. He's a little Boriqua boy being raised in a white bread town. He thinks children are only allowed to have three names.

When in latino society *four* is the minimum. First, Middle & two Last names (one from your father, one from your mother).

Grammy reminded JBP of how his name is written in his birthstory book. He still isn't sure he's too fond of that "S".

Found & Lost

Just 11 hours after finding the "stray" I'd hoped would be the newest member of our family, despite the many times I told myself we'd find his "family", we found his family.

In the end it didn't take any of the two dozen Found posters we had ready to post. It was the simple text e-mail I'd sent the local Humane Society.

It turns out this beauty's name is Kodiak. His parents had been frantically searching for him all day and came across our note while searching at the Humane Society.

So, Der Deutscher and JBP returned Kodiak to his home before I even got off work last night and my brief moment of hope was over.

No new puppy for moi. Back to my doldrums.

Nimitz' Lady

CHEERLEADERS

A lesson on how easily stereotypes are passed on.

Der Deutscher, JBP and I are in the car at a stop light. There's this group of high school aged kids, mostly girls, playing around like elementary schoolers on the corner then racing across the street.

I turn to Der Deutscher and ask, "What's with the pack of kids?"

Der Deutscher, "I don't know."

JBP, "They must be cheerleaders." (emphasis his)

Stereotype passed on without even trying. And that's with me having been a cheerleader! Go Cyclones!

Nimitz' Lady

Lost & Found

Someone's lost their loveable, siberian husky puppy. If they don't come claim him soon, he'll be a permanent part of our family.

Der Deutscher found this not-so-little scamp this morning while walking Jazzy. He just followed them home.

He had no tags and no microchip. We're putting up posters and have notified the local shelters.

But, as much as we keep telling each other he's going back to "his" people, we're already making him ours!

JBP has already decided he wants to name him "Lightning". Der Deutscher has suggested Dawson (for Dawson, Alaska) and I came up with a whole slew of Inuit names -- of which Der Deutscher narrowed it down to Amak - which means tag (play). Thor has also been suggested.

Now we just have to decide how long we should give the "owners" to show up. The city shelter only allows 48 hours. Other shelters allow up to two weeks. Given that the poor pup is underweight, you can see his hip bones sticking out, Der Deutscher and I are leaning toward the city's 48 hour limit. We'll see.

Nimitz' Lady

So Sorry

I know I'm way overdue for a post. But between the busy-ness that is my business and my own slight depression must say I've been too tired and too disinterested in posting.

There are however several things to keep all updated on.

Bike Riding: About two or so weeks ago, JBP went from riding a "baby" bike with training wheels to riding a "big boy" bike without. He just hopped on and took off. He's still working on the finetuning, like starting, stopping and steering. But he's got the balance thing down.

Thyroid Doc: Although overall I am quite happy with my new thyroid doctor, so far, I do have a bone to pick with him. During my last visit, as is normal, we were discussing my weird menstrual cycles. Thyroid throws everything out of wack!

Anyway, when I tell him I'm currently on week 5 (now week 6) of this cycle he glibly asks, "Any chance you might be pregnant?"

Now to date I'd been handling the extra-lengthy cycle with none of the I've-got-to-have- another-baby-or-I'll-die angst. But ever since he raised the question, especially since another week has passed with no period, I've been mulling the possibility over in my head.

And the thing is, I don't really want to be pregnant. I want to adopt a baby. But he had to put that danged thought in my head. (Which by the way is, although not entirely impossible, highly improbable between my tubal ligation and my thyroid condition.)

Resume Tape: My boss finally (after a month or so) got around to looking at the resume tape I put together for reporting/shooting. He was forced to admit I know what I'm doing both in front of and behind the camera lens.

The worst he could come up with to say was that my stand-ups looked a touch stiff. But then he added it was probably because I was out of practice. You think?

Then he asked me about money! So, maybe there's a chance. The question is, do I want it?

Well, Happy 4th of July everyone. The Good Ol' U.S. of A. is 230 years old today. Hope you had fun.

Nimitz' Lady

Thyroid Doctor

Today I had my followup visit with my new thyroid doctor, aka endocrinologist.

My TSH (the main test used to diagnose/control thyroid levels) was .05, the extreme end of normal before jumping into hyperthyroidism. The good news, even though this would panic most doctors, he didn't even suggest lowering my prescription. And, as with most Hashimoto's sufferers, low to non-existent TSH levels are what it takes for me to feel normal. No matter what the tests say.

Also, I do not have insulin resistance, despite my age, family and racial heritage.

I do have elevated cholesterol levels (Total: 214, HDL: 54, LDL: 144) and a Vitamin D deficiency. So he gave me a prescription for a supplement.

Finally, despite all my walking, I weighed 3.5 pounds more than my last visit eight weeks ago.

All this may or may not make much of a difference in my life, health or appearance. But somehow I walked out of there feeling positive about things. A big change from Dr. Hypochondria.

Nimitz' Lady

The Good News

JBP just finished his second full day at the Boys & Girls Club and was upset with Grammy because she came to pick him up so early.

It's a good sign. Now, if we can just hold out until Aug.

Nimitz' Lady

How much?

I don't know how much more I can take. Work, as usual, is stressing me out. Then, the whole situation with JBP (disciplinary problems and paperwork issues that meant changing programs). And now my mother and my MIL are in a severe disagreement and upset with each other.

I won't go into details on the last because people on both sides of the dispute read this site. Suffice it to say, I feel like I'm caught in the middle and no matter what I do it makes me a bad daughter/daughter-in-law and worse mother.

Now it looks like the Boys & Girls club program may not be the solution I'd vainly, foolishly hoped for. Der Deutscher won't agree to letting my mother and aunt share child care duties for the remainder of the summer due to his concerns about their health and, thus, ability to keep up with the energy monster that is our son.

Any friends from church I could think of that would be able to handle JBP are out of town, work or I haven't seen in weeks.

I'm out of options, out of ideas and just about out of my mind with worry.

This is a very sensitive time for JBP. He's had a lot of changes this year and he's starting school in the fall. I don't want him to get off on the wrong foot. I want him to enjoy school. He certainly has the smarts to excell at scholastics.

I want him to be a good Christian, not a bully who's constantly getting in trouble. But he's been in so much trouble in recent months I'm afraid he's already starting to see it as "normal".

When he got in trouble in Sabbath School, again, this last week and I asked him what had happened -- he told me only, "I was bad." Those were his words. It just about broke my heart.

If it were up to me I would just quit work and stay home with him. It's obvious to me that's what he needs. I certainly haven't been able to find a program for him that I approve of without reservations.

But A) Der Deutscher is adament that we couldn't survive on just his salary and B) we now have a bunch of extra financial obligations after getting our floors done (or half done as the carpet STILL hasn't come in!) that we need my salary to be able to pay off.

Add to that the fact I'm about to turn down a chance to escape the hellhole I currently work it because the job is too far from where we live.

I don't know how much longer I can hang on without a serious mental breakdown.

Nimitz' Lady

Interview Time

Well, a nearby community college has asked me to interview for a Radio/TV Broadcast instructor position. It's full-time, tenure track. Etc, etc, etc.

Only problem? It's about a one hour commute one way. I've done the long commute thing. Don't really want to do it again. But at the same time, can I really turn down this possible chance to get the heck out of Dodge?

So, I'll at least interview and find out more about the program and position. It's next Thursday afternoon.

After that, we'll see. I really can't see taking the job unless they let me work 6 hour days to make up for the commute. I want to spend more time with my family, not less. Especially with JBP starting school this fall.

On another note: JBP got kicked out of the Y's summer camp program. Not because of disciplinary issues, of which he's had a few, but because of the whole situation where we home-schooled him last year.

See, my requirements for Kindergarten aren't the same as the local school district's. I don't think a child should have to be able to read to have "completed" Kindergarten. The local school district does.

When my schedule pulled its last switch-a-roo and I moved dayside, I knew there was no way I could continue to homeschool. So we enrolled him in the local public school.

Since JBP can't read yet, they say he has to enter Kindergarten, not 1st grade.

Ok. Whatever. No biggee. Except the Y, due to state regs, says he has to have "completed" Kindergarten and since the school district says he hasn't, in their eyes he hasn't.

Personally, I see that as blatant discrimination against homeschoolers. For the most part, my state is pretty good about homeschooling. But there are still these little tidbits of regulations that will hamstring homeschooling parents.

The good news, we found a good Boys and Girls Club program that will take him starting Monday. And it's actually cheaper than the Y program, and more academically inclined.

The bad news? It's yet another schedule change for JBP this year, with the big one of going to school still to come. Also, it means he and my mom (Grammy) will have to drop me off at work, because the Boys and Girls Club program only runs 9-5, which is *after I start work and *before I get done for the day.

Asi es la vida. I just hope JBP can survive this year.

Nimitz' Lady

Humorous News

I'm too wiped to write a good post right now, so here are a few wire stories that got a chuckle out of me. Enjoy. --Nimitz' Lady

Cat chases off bear

WEST MILFORD, N.J. (AP) - At least one bear doesn't want to know Jack.

Jack is a ten-year-old orange-and-white tabby in West Milford, New Jersey. And when the cat spotted the bear in a neighbor's yard earlier this week, the clawless kitty let the bear know who's boss. You don't mess with kitty!

The bear scurried up a tree and eyed the cat for ten to 15 minutes, while Jack stared and hissed from the ground. The bruin inched its way down before jumping off and running away.

But Jack chased the bear into the brush and up another tree. That's when Jack's owner realized what was happening and called her cat.

Jack's owner, Donna Dickey, tells The Star-Ledger of Newark Jack considers the area his turf and doesn't want anyone in his yard.

And....

Judge tells lawyers to use 'rock, paper, scissors' to settle argument

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - "Rock, paper, scissors" has settled many a playground dispute. Now it's being tried in a federal lawsuit.

Seems a judge in Tampa, Florida, has had it with the lawyers in a case who can't agree on the littlest details of a suit. So displaying his own version of Solomon-like wisdom, the judge is ordering them to meet at a neutral location, where the children's hand-gesture game will be used to decide on a place to depose a witness.

And what if they can't agree on a neutral location? The judge says they'll have to play on the courthouse steps. You'll get along, or else! Anyone else hear their parents' voices coming out of the judge's mouth?

The "rock, paper, scissors" idea isn't exactly new. Two big auction houses used the game last year to decide who would sell off a multi-million-dollar art collection.

And...

Downing worms may help digestive ailments

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) - New research may lead to an effective treatment for inflammatory bowel disease.

That's the good news. The bad news is that it involves swallowing worm eggs.

Researchers are looking at the use of threadlike intestinal parasites called whipworms to treat the disease, which can cause diarrhea, painful cramps and intestinal bleeding.

Inflammatory bowel disease is virtually unknown in the developing world, but it's becoming increasingly common in industrialized countries. Possible explanations range from refined foods and high-fat diets -- to too much good hygiene.

That's where the worm eggs come in.

Michigan State University professor Linda Mansfield says some exposure to dirt, bacteria and, yes, worms can be beneficial. See, I knew it was a good idea NOT to clean my house this week!

She tells the Lansing State Journal that swallowing whipworm eggs could help counteract bowel inflammation and "reset the immune system to be in better balance." And if it's not, you'll be too busy puking up the worms to notice what's going on at the other end.

More testing is needed for government approval. One should hope so!

And....

No charges expected in toddler's walkaway from home

LEBANON, Ill. (AP) - Authorities say no charges will be filed against the parents of a toddler found in the middle of a southern Illinois road. Scary!

The two-year-old boy was found unharmed by a motorist on a stretch of road near Lebanon where the speed limit is 45 miles-per-hour.

St. Clair County authorities say the boy's parents hadn't realized the child was missing and believe he escaped from the family's pet door.

When found by the motorist yesterday morning, the boy wasn't much help in trying to locate his parents. The only words he could say were "kitty" and "no." Probably from being told a thousand times to stay away from the kitty's door!

Authorities located the boy's parents after an hour-long door-to-door search.

And...

Michigan teen found in Jordan, heading to guy she met on MySpace.com

SAGINAW, Mich. (AP) - Another troubling case involving a teenager and the My Space-dot-com Web site. Never leave your child alone with a computer. Mine's six and I've already learned that lesson!

This time, a 16-year-old from Michigan is being sent home from Jordan, after her family says she ran off to meet a guy she met on the site.

Her mother says she got the girl a passport, thinking she was going to Canada with a friend's family. Instead, she ran off. Uh, she's from Michigan and thought her daughter needed a passport to go to Canada? Mom needs to go back to school!

The F-B-I traced her to a flight from New York to Jordan, where local authorities stopped her. Investigators seized the family's computer, but won't say anything about the man she was supposed to meet.

Earlier this week, a Chicago area teen was charged with threatening the life of a school official in a posting on My Space. This one, I'd bet, was your normal teen spouting off about a disliked authority figure, but you just can't tell for sure these days.

In April, five teens from Kansas were arrested and charged with plotting a shooting rampage at their high school. A message about it appeared on My Space. ###

Argh!

You have a horrible day, spending most of it biting your tongue to keep from walking into your boss' office and telling him you quit.

So, what does he have the bad grace to do? Thank you for all the work you've put into helping get the new production system online.

Aghck!

Nimitz' Lady

(I promise to write more about our new production system later, but right now I'm just too exhausted. Another rehearsal tonight -- we've had them all week -- and then my mother-in-law arrives. Yippee-ki-yi-yay!)

Strange Sound

Here are a couple of weird soundbites I ran across today.

1) In an interview with a guy from the local power company about why they're donating a bunch of fans to the Red Cross:

"We want our customers to be uncomfortable as well as healthy over the hot, summer months."

Hunh?

2) From the Red Cross lady when asked how people can donate fans:

"We really discourage that because we don't want one person to get a $10 box fan and someone else to get a Vornado."

So, uh, you'd rather someone not get any fan at all?

Why not say, we'd rather people donate money so we can buy in large, discounted lots? See, they need me to do their PR! =)

Nimitz' Lady

Walking it Out

Well, thanks to Veggiegrrl I now know approximately how far I've been walking.

She directed me to this cool website: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/

Check it out, it's cool.

So, here's the rundown:

Wed: 3.3 miles
Thur: 3.5 miles
Sat: 1.6 miles
Mon: 3:4 miles

All in an hour or less.

Leaving aside the phyisical health benefits, these walks have been a great mental time for me. It gives me a chance to just clear my mind of all the crud that accumulates during the morning and leaves me better armed to handle the afternoon.

I take different routes everyday, but always along the river. Along with all the greenery and flowing water, I see lots of animals.

Of course, the requisite squirrels, mallard ducks and canadian geese. The ducks and geese all have babies right now. The ducklings still look quite young, but the fuzzy grey goslings look like they're about half grown. They all look unutterably cute!

I've also seen several egrets, cranes, even a few turtles sunning themselves on rocks in the river.

I think the best thing is I never know what I'm going to see next.

Last week I kept finding duck and goose feathers in pristine condition. I collected several and made JBP a native american style feather fan. He loves it. He's lusted after my feather fan for years, which is why it's stored where he can't reach it!

It's almost been enough to clear my head so I can continue working here, but not quite.

Nimitz' Lady

Truly Random Thoughts

Broken Nails
I've lost all my fingernails.

Not completely. They're just not long anymore.

I have this policy: when three nails break off I cut the rest off.

This is partly vanity, they look weird with half the nails long and the other half varying lengths of short. But it's also basic practicality.

I can type with short fingernails. I can type with long fingernails. I cannot type with half and half!


Walking
Now that JBP is in all day summer camp instead of afternoons only day care, I have my lunch hour to myself. No more rushing home to chauffeur him from one caregiver to another.

So, I've taken to speed walking during that time. Partly because that's always been the plan for once summer camp started and partly in response to Chookooloonk's challenge.

So far it's been two days. I have no idea how far I'm going because I've forgotten my pedometer both days. But one thing I have learned, is it makes me much more mentally capable of handling the remainder of the work day.

My office is just a couple blocks away from my city's version of Central Park. So I just speed walk my size 16 behind over there, cruise around for about 50 minutes, then head back to work to sponge off and get back to work.

I doubt I've lost any weight (it's only been two days) but I already feel better. The tired is the good, physical tired, not the emotional tired. And my hams and calves are sore. The feel good sore, not the achy, painful, something's wrong sore.


Summer Camp
JBP is having a blast at summer camp. He's been begging me every day for the last two summers to attend. Now, he's finally old enough.

I have to wake him up in the morning because he's sleeping so hard from all that playing during the day. But I only have to tell him once. By the time I turn around he's up, dressed and slipping his backpack over his little shoulders. (It's almost as big as he is!)

Unfortunately, his first day of summer camp was marred by my having to pick him up at noon so he could be there for Sedona's passing.

I've had friends who were at school events, even on a trip, when a loved one died and their family thought they were doing the kid a favor by letting them have fun. It's not a favor to let a child always remember he or she was off having fun when a loved one died. It's handing them a load of guilt they'll never quite get rid of.

I wasn't sure if he'd want to be there when she passed. But he chose to stay by her (and Der Deutscher's) side the whole way. It meant a lot to Der Deutscher, let me tell you. I've never seen JBP and Der Deutscher emotionally closer.

For the most part it doesn't seem as if Sedona's death is effecting JBP. Like I said, he's having a blast at summer camp. But every once and awhile something he hears or sees reminds him of her and the next thing I know (or Der Deutscher) is I've got a young man climbing into my lap for a hug.


Eighth Anniversary
And, did I mention Tuesday was my 8th wedding anniversary? Given our loss that day we naturally didn't feel much like celebrating.

I'd gotten him an anniversary cake with a Cyclone on it (ISU brought us together) and our important dates: when we met, when we got engaged and when we got married.

He liked it, but again due to Sedona's loss, didn't touch it until yesterday. When he did, he and JPB were both acting like little kids, barely able to wait until they had forks to dive in.

By the way, it may be eight years legal, but we've been together since Aug. 93 so it really feels more like 13 years.

Of course, we're still working on chipping away at that cake. I figure we'll have it finished by the end of this weekend.

Nimitz' Lady

Rest In Peace

After 12 happy years with us our beloved Sedona passed away around 12:30 this afternoon. She was 15 years old.

Sedona came to us from the Ames Animal Shelter in 1994. We had just moved off campus with several housemates. One of our housemates was determined to get a big dog. We went along to control just how *big*(His first pick was as big as 70lb Sedona and only half grown!) because we knew he was too irresponsible to care for her.

And, as expected, within a few weeks Sedona was unalterably Der Deutscher's dog!

She was definitely an Alpha dog personality. She wouldn't accept me was her pack leader's mate until JBP was born some 5.5 years later. I'd tell her to do something and she'd just look at Der Deutscher, "Daddy, do I have to do what she says?" and only do it if he followed up my command with one of his own.

Sedona loved people and walks and my cat Nimitz, who we adopted the same day we'd adopted Sedona. In general, she did not like other dogs.

While most dogs will bark at, chase and even bite the mailman Sedona would wait eagerly for him and drop her tennis ball at his feet, something she would do for no one else.

If she even heard the word "walk" she'd start dancing and leaping like a dolphin. It got so we'd only spell the word, never say it.

Sedona and Nimitz came home to live with us the same day. She was three years old, he was four months. They quickly became the best of friends. He would egg her on until she'd start chasing him. And to strangers it would look like this big vicious dog was about to kill the little, defenseless cat. But, though Sedona would growl fiercely and tear anything inanimate in sight to pieces, she never harmed a hair on Nimitz' head.

Her favorite games were Tennis Ball Stuff, where she would see how many tennis balls she could stuff in her mouth in hopes of tricking Der Deutscher into letting her back into the house with at least one ball, and Big Stick/Bigger Stick, where she would grab a stick until Der Deutscher or I grabbed a bigger stick, then she'd want that one. One day Big Stick/Bigger Stick continued to the point Sedona was trying to drag an entire sapling home!

Although she wouldn't accept me as Alpha Female until JBP was born, once he came home she settled quickly into the Beta Female, or babysitter, role. She would sit next to him in the stroller while he slept in the front yard, guarding him. She would let him do just about anything to her, even sticking his little baby hands into her mouth to check out her teeth and tongue. And if he cried, especially while in his crib, she wouldn't rest until either Der Deutscher or I had responded.

Sedona's been the Queen Bee of our Human/Canine/Feline family for more than a decade. Today, we took her to the vet to check her cancer which had started bleeding Sunday. There was nothing more that could be done for her. She was in pain, exhausted, starving to death.

So, we gathered the entire family and surrounded her with our love on the floor of the examining room, petting her and re-telling family stories about her, as the vet released her from this earth.

She sighed and her whole body relaxed, as if a load had been lifted off her shoulders. She'd been living with this growing cancerous tumor for nearly three years, now she was free.

Sedona, we miss you and love you. I just pray we'll see you, once again in your healthy, athletic body, in heaven.

Nimitz' Lady

The End

It looks like the end is near for our older dog, Sedona. She's a black lab mix who's 15 years old. She's had cancer for some three years or so now.

Today, it burst. She bled all over the basement carpeting.

Last year, the vet told us at some point the cancer would abscess and bleed profusely and that would be the sign that she would die soon.

We don't know if she'll pass tonight or three weeks from now. All we know is the end is here, however long it'll take.

So, in what should be a time of celebration for our family (Der Deutscher and I celebrate our 8th wedding anniverstary this week) we're all focused on making Sedona as comfortable as possible.

When the main lump first showed up about three years ago, we had it removed. But within weeks it had grown back. The vet said it was clearly cancerous. We never had it tested to find out what kind. What was the use?

She was already a senior doggy citizen by then. And it had taken some six weeks for her to heal from the first surgery. We weren't going to put her through that again. So we've just let the cancer grow and fed her as much as she needed to stay alive with it growing. Today it's somewhere between basketball sized and beach ball sized.

Right now, Der Deutscher is upstairs coating the kitchen floor with plastic so we can move her up there. She's still down in the basement alternately licking at blood spots on the floor and at the burst cancer. I'm here keeping an eye on her and JBP is running back and forth between the two of us.

Nimitz' Lady

Edited: We found Sedona was more at ease sitting in the garage.

God's Way

I don't often comment about the whole immigration debate. I guess mostly because even though I have my opinions, as a Puerto Rican American I don't really have a vested interest in it and feel like an interloper.

But this letter to the editor in today's paper really got me:

Uninvited Guests

Regarding illegal immigration, compare the curent events to this analogy:

How would you feel if an uninvited guest came into your house, opened your refrigerator and helped himself to food and drink? Would you be concerned if this guest then used your heat, air and gas utilities, or even worse, required medical attention, leaving you to foot the bill? It would not take very long to get tired of that situation -- economically and socially.

Comparatively, the same thing is occuring in America. It is on a much larger scale. Literally hundreds of uninvited guests are crossing the border each day, drainig us economically and socially. In addition, there are security and safety issues to consider. Still feel the same way?

You should.

I'm proud to say my first instinctive response to this letter was religious, not political. Not always the case with me.

I read this and immediately thought, but God would want me to let them in and offer any and all hospitality I could.

Jesus said, "If a man asks for your coat give him your shirt too." And we can't forget the story of the Good Samaritan, he not only paid for the injured man's medical bills but his room and board too.

As for the concerns about criminals, even former criminals can be rehabilitated. And, the Lord protects his own. If I'm helping someone out in His name, than anything that happens is in God's cause. Whether it's good for my life or not.

"For we have often entertained angles, unawares." Who knows how many of those angels are "illegal".

Nimitz' Lady

All Boy

JBP is all boy. Today after lunch I went out to take down the tent I'd promised Der Deutscher I'd take down last Sunday. Hey! It kept raining at just the right intervals. I wasn't going to put it away wet.

Anyway, while I was taking down the tent, JBP retreated to his favorite corner of the yard, a hole in the dirt underneath the deck. He's been digging that hole for about three years now.

He stayed there until I called him to come get in the car to go to daycare.

He came running up and was headed into the house when I noticed grey stuff clumped around his hands and dotting his feet.

He's turned his hole into a mudhole and had been happily playing in the wet clay. It was caked so thickly on his hands I couldn't get it all wiped off with paper towels.

I didn't exactly yell at him, although I made sure he knew I was upset. Not because he played in the mud, but because he did it when he knew he was going to have to get in the car in a few minutes.

I know all kids are going to play in the mud sooner or later. At least I'm reassured he's normal.

For the longest time he wouldn't even do any baking that might get his hands "yucky". Well, he's no longer afraid to get his hands "yucky".

Nimitz' Lady

Me, Me and, ah, ME!

This new study reported on NewsLab is so me it's not even funny. --Nimitz' Lady

Producer Burnout
Angele' Anderfuren
Schieffer School of Journalism
Texas Christian University

About a fifth of local TV news producers in Texas at ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC stations are experiencing burnout or are at risk for burning out, according to a new research study. Additionally, almost half of the producers surveyed scored high on exhaustion and almost two-thirds of participating producers scored high on cynicism, both factors indicating potential future burnout problems for producers.

This study found producers who report feelings of burnout also reported unsatisfactory resources to effectively do their jobs, heavy workloads, and a desire to leave their jobs and/or their profession, among other factors. Women producers were found to be feeling more burned out than their male counterparts. Sixty percent of the producers who scored as burned out, at high risk, or at some risk were women.

Younger producers were at highest risk for burnout. No participating producers age 40 or over scored burned out or at risk of burning out. Seventy percent of the producers in the burned out, at high risk, or at some risk categories were in the 20-29 age group. Thirty percent were in the 30-39 age group.

Producer burnout was determined using a device called the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). The MBI is a series of 16 questions designed to rate a test subject’s scores in three key areas: emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and professional efficacy.

The data collected in this survey showed the majority (67.4%) of producer participants in this study were at a low risk of burning out. However, 6.5% scored as burned out, with another 6.5% scoring at high risk for burnout, and an additional 8.7% at risk of burning out. This was a combined total of 21.7% in need of help.

Exhaustion. Looking at the scores that make up the burnout scale, almost half (42.9%) of the participants were suffering from high exhaustion, 38.8% rated as having some exhaustion, and 24.5% had low exhaustion. Exhaustion is the key component of burnout. This should be a sign of potential future problems because exhaustion leads workers to distance themselves from their work, which, in turn, leads to to cynicism about doing one’s job. Because almost half of the producers scored high on exhaustion, stations should seek solutions to avoid full burnout.

Cynicism. A majority of producers (57.1%) also scored high on cynicism. Another 14.3% rated somewhat cynical. The remaining 28.6% rated low on cynicism.

Professional Efficacy. Interestingly, the element that seemed to keep more producers from scoring at some level of risk of burning out or actually being burned out was that an overwhelming majority (70.8%) of participants scored high on professional efficacy. The majority of producers in the study felt like they are effective in their jobs. Another 20.8% scored in the mid range on professional efficacy, with the last 8.3% scoring low on professional efficacy.

“Job Engaged” Producers. Producers that scored “job engaged,” the opposite of burned out, had several common characteristics. All of them said they love their jobs. They all also reported to be satisfied, somewhat satisfied, or very satisfied with their station’s ethical standards. Eighty percent said they just re-signed their contracts. Sixty percent produced their station’s late show, i.e. 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. newscast.

This study found that the higher the level of burnout, the more likely producers were to report that they feel like quitting frequently. This is yet another reason stations should take steps to manage burnout.

Stations can manage burnout and burnout risks by offering educational and training opportunities, having satisfactory daily schedules, and offering enough vacation time. Producers can manage burnout by seeking additional education/training on their own, as well as paying adequate attention to their life outside of work.