It's All Happening!
Monday, June 25, 2007
I'm playing hookie from work today. I'm not sick or anything, this is just the first day in a long time that I've been in a good mood. I just can't justify wasting it on work.
We finally got news on Friday that we'll be able to move back home at the end of July. And my husband gets to take his job with him. I am so damn excited I can barely think straight. It looks like all the hard work of the last few years is finally paying off. Not only do we get to take San Francisco money back to Missouri, enough money that I can finally stay home and focus on all the things I've wanted to do forever, but he gets to work from home. On Pacific time even. As of July 28th, there will be no more early morning commutes, wading through the homeless people and tourists, no more dealing with the passive-aggressive psycho MUNI drivers, there will just no more of anything that makes living in this city an absolute hell.
This couldn't come at a better time. This last month has been the worst month I've had in years as far as my mood goes. I hate being in limbo. I've been unable to start any projects and my house is a wreck. I just can't get motivated when I can only see a few weeks in front of me.
Since the husband has absolutely zero vacation time left to use for the move, we'll have to leave most everything here in storage, then have it shipped when we find a house. We fly out on the 28th of July, set up his temporary office at my Mom's on the 29th, and he's back to work on the 30th. He has some pretty big projects due at the end of August, so that leaves me to find a house and a car.
In other news, I started Weight Watchers about 2 months ago, and today I hit my first 20 lb. goal! I know that 20 lbs. sounds like a lot, but on my Amazonian body it's really not much. I can gain and lose 20 lbs. and not really see a difference. It's not even a whole dress-size for me. But it's something. By the end of July I should be hitting my 10% body weight goal. Which puts me on track to hit my overall goal by the end of the year. I'm being realistic with this and trying to keep my loss at a steady 2 lbs. a week. Plus I'm training myself for a complete change in my eating habits. Growing up I never learned what healthy portions were and was allowed to eat whatever I wanted. When I hit my 20's and all that bad eating began to catch up with me, I found myself binging and starving (not purging) to maintain. My body, being so much smarter than me, began holding onto any weight I gained for dear life because I was obviously too stupid to be trusted. As of 2 months ago, I was the heaviest I've ever been in my life and not happy at all in my body. One day I just woke up and realized it was time.
Today, I am just going to savour being happy. We have a crazy couple of months ahead of us.
posted by Christine Hammond @ 8:32 AM,
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Another Year...
Saturday, May 12, 2007
In celebration of having made it in SF a full year on our own and my husband's birthday, we finally bought an Xbox 360 and four new games. With all the new tech and awesome games we just brought home, my husband is playing "Frogger".
That's right, "Frogger".
posted by Christine Hammond @ 10:05 PM,
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Immune to the Hard Sell
Sunday, May 06, 2007
In anticipation of our move I requested quotes from several moving companies. I specifically told each and every one of them that I did not want phone calls, that we did not have a firm date and that the amount of stuff we move will be based on the cost to move it. I asked for basic quotes per sq. ft., lb., pod, or whatever their base measurement is. Out of a dozen or so companies I have received just one actual quote that I can work with. The rest completely ignored the specifics of my request and have instead sent a barrage of emails with requests to fill out a packing list. Even worse, on a daily basis (including the weekends), I receive upwards of five phone calls from these companies. It's going on 6 weeks and they still call. Because I firmly believe that in this day and age that I should not have to speak to anyone that I don't want to, what with technology and all, and seeing as how my initial request was by email, I have emailed these companies again and requested that the phone calls stop. I have further reiterated my original request with the condition that if they cannot send me, by email, a simple quote, I will not be doing business with them.
I do not respond well to someone who is trying to hard sell me anything. I am a car dealer's worst nightmare. I am the person who walks on the lot, points out the car that I want, how much I want to pay, and I tell them to make it happen, or I walk. I like to make it perfectly clear that they are doing me no favors by selling me anything. I'm not rude about it, I just don't want anyone's time to be wasted. And the hard sell is always designed to take advantage of you in some way.
There are a few of these moving companies that I have read great reviews about, but because of their inability to fulfill a simple request without annoying the hell out of me, I just can't give them my business.
The company that we'll go with based on their ability to handle a simple request, alone is Door to Door. We're also contemplating renting a truck and just driving. We'll see as it gets closer.
posted by Christine Hammond @ 9:04 AM,
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It's Official
Thursday, April 26, 2007
We're moving back to KC in late July / early August. Yes, I know. It's going to be 800 million degrees and humid as hell, but that's the way it goes.
A culmination of events led to this decision. My grandmothers are not doing so well. Their health is declining and they are both a broken hip or a stroke away from total dependence on someone else for their care. As it is, my maternal grandmother is forgetting to take her medicine and we're afraid one day soon, she'll forget to turn the stove off or fall down the basement stairs. The other grandmother is doing much better, but she has no family left in KC, and I can't stand the thought that she will spend the last years of her life alone. I promised myself, after having worked in nursing homes, that they would not die outside of their own homes in a strange place, having their every movement dictated by strangers. And I know from firsthand experience that there is no such thing as a good nursing home.
We've struck a deal with my mother that benefits everyone; she will move in with her mother so that someone is always there, and we will move into her house and take over her mortgage payments, which will allow her to save money for her own retirement. It will give us a place to live, and I will help with my grandmother's care during the day when my mom is at work.
This is what we've always known would happen. And the time is apparently now.
We're unsure as to whether J will be able to take his job with him and work from home. That would be a big financial bonus as we'd be taking SF money back to KC. If not, he'll just have to take the cut. Either way, we'll be fine.
Besides, if we have children I want them to be close their extended family. And J's grandparents aren't getting any younger, either.
So, we begin the process of planning and packing, once again. This is going to be my last move for a long time. I hope.
posted by Christine Hammond @ 9:00 AM,
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Sunday Stumbles
Sunday, April 22, 2007
- Dear Cell Phone User, The world is a noisy place. You aren't helping things.
- If a girl’s sensual in small things then she’s sensual in all things. Waiter Rant talks about chocolate covered moneymakers.
- Cupcakes. There really is nothing more to say.
posted by Christine Hammond @ 4:41 PM,
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Pee on a Stick
Instant message conversations with my ClearBlue Easy Fertility Monitor is the funniest thing I've read in weeks.
I know exactly how she feels. You spend $200 on a device that only seems to mock you at every turn.
posted by Christine Hammond @ 9:35 AM,
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Is it a baby, yet?
Saturday, April 21, 2007
I hate the days between ovulation and the beginning of a new cycle. I want to go to sleep until the earliest day I can pregnancy test. I want to have sex without wondering whether something we've done has upset the "natural balance" of my ladybusiness.
I just want to be pregnant.
The hardest thing is when the ovulation window is gone for the month and you know it'll be a whole month until you have another chance. A month can be a very long time.
Feh.
How is it that most of my girlfriends when I was a teenager got knocked up at the drop of a hat? Oh yeah, they were 16 and having sex like mad bunnies.
13 days to go...
posted by Christine Hammond @ 11:42 PM,
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Food, Food, Foodie, Food, Food
Thursday, April 19, 2007
I've been waiting for social networking sites to become more specialized. And I'm happy to find that friendsEAT.com is right up my alley. It's is still in beta, but it looks to have a very promising future. I've only spent a few minutes on the site but I am very impressed.
Some of the features offered:
* Critique restaurants you've been to.
* Post a blog about your going out experiences.
* Setup events for your friends to meet up.
* Chat in the forum to give your "two cents".
* Look at menu items for take out and take in restaurants.
I suppose I ought to sign up, now.
posted by Christine Hammond @ 7:35 PM,
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