00101100

My brain hurts. So many ones and zeros. So many acronyms. TCP/IP, SONET, DSL, subnet masks, and 802.11a/b/g/n, just to name a few. The wonderful big world of NET+. It is difficult, about as hard as I expected, but I know I will succeed. It'll just take time. It took me months to get into the groove of being a warehouse manager, so I suspect the same will be true as an IT professional. I did get some good news from school. I made the deans list last month. Yay me!! Lets see how long I can keep this up. 

Ever since I found out wifey was pregnant I've been bustin my ass getting the house fixed up. We're now at about the half way point. All walls, except for the bedrooms are painted. Kitchen and dining room done, except for the flooring. It's been keeping me busy, but it's all worth it. Wifey keeps joking that she should've gotten pregnant sooner, because all this work would've been done sooner. So I just give her my evil look and she says, "Lovvvvvve youuuuuu!"

Another benefit of her being pregnant is that she has had no choice but to eat healthy, which by default, means I eat healthier. Sorry, but I'm not going to have Ben and Jerry's ice cream when she can't eat it. That's just cruel. So we've been controlling portion size, cutting a lot of carbs, eating mostly proteins. Although I do sneak in the occasional piece of chocolate. And since I've been laid off, I've worked part time at dominos again. I have barely touched the pizza there. MAYBE 2 slices in two months while working. That's an achievement for me. I maxed out this winter at 228. Damn. I'm back down to 221. I need to keep this going. Not for me. Not for wifey. But for the child growing inside her. My dad had his first heart attack at 36. I'm 34. I don't want that life. 

Enjoy your day, 7 peeps!! I may have to work tonite, but no school on Fridays, so Carpe Diem!! And I don't want to lose any readers this weekend either, so have a safe Memorial Day!!

First Final

Today is finals day for my first class. Nervous. Did my traditional study method too. Hope it works!!!


......update.

Aced it!!!

First month

It's been almost a month since I started school, and I am loving it. I have learned so much in such a short period of time it's amazing. Although I really could have used this knowledge of Microsoft Office Suites at my last job, it's better late than never. Some nights my brain does turn to mush, but that's ok. It means I'm learning.

Thank you all for your response. I guess the consensus on raising a kid and knowing what it needs is just to wing it. Go on instinct. My instinct with older kids is pretty solid, but babies..... I guess I'm just afraid I'm gonna break em. Then again, an old friend told me that's tough to do, that they bounce right back. I hope she's right, but I don't think I'll test that theory.

Speaking of old friends, these past few weeks have been an adventure in the past. Three old friends have come out of the woodwork to say hi. It was very exciting to speak with them again. We shared so many great memories, awkward looks, inside jokes, and OMG moments. Just catching up and hearing everything they've done over the last 10+ years is worth the wait. I just don't want to let another ten years go by again without them in my life.

Next, the housing project is going smooth again. Kitchen was torn up on Saturday, and I thought it was going to be a one day job. NOPE!! Didn't get done till Sunday afternoon. But it's done right!! There is a funny story about the cooktop, but I'll get into that later. And another funny story about how I tried to electrocute myself too. I can be dangerous at times. I am tired, but I am not doing all this for me. I am doing it for my child. They deserve a home worthy of living in.

Finally, I teared up yesterday. Wifey went for another sonogram and the office made a DVD of it, since I couldn't be there. Her first trimester is almost over, and some features are becoming visible. But what brought me to my knees was what I saw. I saw the baby move. I almost lost it. There will soon be a little version of me running around the world.


.........my friends should be frightened.

Amazing

Not sure if anyone notices or cares, but I have been working like a DOG! No, I haven't found a job yet.... Full time anyway... But between working part time, school full time, and renovating the house... I needed a day off. I was so very glad to hear my helper couldn't make it today. Two bathrooms, hall, living and dining room, and kitchen have new coats of paint. New toilets and sinks in the bathrooms. New counter tops and sink go into the kitchen Sunday. Its amazing what news of a baby on the way will do. This fire under me is burning hot!!!

School is going ok, for the most part. Lets just say Microsoft Access ISN'T my friend. And I can't say I'm never gonna use it, because I don't know if I will or not. But I think I could handle everything.... If it wasn't for the slow pace. I understand that people learn at different paces, but this class is going so damn slow that we are still behind. I have a midterm on Monday that covers some material we haven't touched yet. I have sympathy for the slow learners, but this is an accelerated course, fellas. P.S., does anyone have a copy of Access I can borrow?  ;)

Wifey had her second appointment last week, and we both got to hear the heartbeat. This is becoming more real everyday. But I have these constant worries... How will I know WHAT the baby wants based on a cry? Hungry? Gassy? Change me? Hold me? I dunno!!! Maybe I should do all of it until the baby stops crying. Am I worrying too much too soon? Wifey isn't due until November. Should we buy a bunch of stuff now so we don't have to later? No, maybe not.. AARRRRGGGHHHH!!!!!! Any, and I mean ANY advice anyone can offer would be helpful.

But I think I should stop focusing on the things I cannot control.... We both got to hear the heartbeat last week.


.......... We both got to hear the heartbeat last week.

Happy

Ok, so for those that don't see me on Facebook, big news. Wifey is pregnant with our first child!!! I am so excited!! We have been trying since about 2005, so this is welcome news. I don't care if I am laid off, I will pick up cans if I have to. I'm just very happy right now.

So my unemployment application was accepted, but I can't do anything about it until April 1st. Why? Because I'm still technically employed. Frekkin furlough. But on the bright side I have an appointment with WorkSource on the 2nd. Maybe I can get a grant to go to school for IT. It is a high demand job, and according to them still growing. Crossing my fingers.

I also can't touch my 401k until after the 31st, but I am thinking of saving that until we have the baby. Ugh. I am really starting to hate what TSS is doing to us.

All this free time I have had lately has really helped me to open my eyes to a lot of things. So many things can be done with a few hours a day. I am actually enjoying this a little right now. I know I won't when bill time comes around again, but for now I am in a happy place.

Nobody gonna break a my stride

It's easy to get depressed. It's easy to give up. Sometimes it just takes over. I still haven't lost the weight I want to. Still haven't completed those project I wanted to. And to top it off, I got laid off. As of the 31st, I will be unemployed. For the first time in 18 years, I will wake up with no job to go to. Technically I haven't worked since the 11th, but I was on furlough. Technically still had a job, just no work. It'll be official on the 31st.

I have mostly good memories of my time at The Scooter Store. Mostly. There were a couple of bad, deceitful things going on for a short period of time. But they have a way of correcting themselves. I will miss everyone from that office. I will miss all the customers. I had the privilege of working both in the office and in the field. I got the best of both worlds.

But my biggest worry is about the customers. TSS laid of 1500 people. Only 300 people work for them nation wide. Where will they get service when their chairs and scooters break down? Who can they call? Most cannot afford repairs out of pocket, and no sane DME company will touch TSS equipment with Medicare not reimbursing. Very sad.

So what to do? Anything I want. I was always told to go to work by my dad. Bills had to be paid. Unfortunately, because I did that, I have no education outside high school. That will soon change. I have decided to go to school to enter the IT field. It's something I have wanted to do for years but was just too busy. I'm not doing much anything now, so I got time.

I feel relief that I no longer have to worry about ordering inventory, or cycle counting the 86 location, but a small part of me wishes I did. I will miss DME, but I must close that that chapter of my life. I'm not gettin any younger!!!

Signs

Everywhere there's signs. Hell, they even made a song about it. So why can't people read them? Seriously. Where I work it states clearly on the front door, "No Soliciting". But three days this week we have had people in teams of two come to our door and try to sell us something. Insurance, phones, it's getting annoying. I understand the though economy thanks to King Obama, but we are struggling too. I don't have much disposable income, so please, stop soliciting!!!