What Jim Wants for Father's Day

Last night Jim brought me his favorite woodworking catalog, Rockler. He said, " I turned over the pages of things I want in case you and the boys need some ideas for Father's Day presents."

He's so thoughtful!

Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

Lesson Learned

Apparently I can work 18 hour days sucking bus fumes and being yelled at by high ranking NFL employees, but I don't like being yelled at by Billy Bob from Tennessee or Tony from Brooklyn about how the government doesn't really need all that Census information.

Yes, I quit my new job! I went through the application process, the background checks, the online testing, the orientation and the training. I worked one 10 hour shift and I felt like I had been through a whole week's worth of Super Bowl bus operations, emotionally and physically. There is usually at least one time during that week of bus operations that I say, "It takes a special kind of crazy to do this job and enjoy it." Well, I have learned that it takes a different kind of crazy to work in a call center... and it's not my kind of crazy.

I also learned that the things I was trying to earn money for aren't quite as urgent as I thought they were before I spent that day in misery. My new deck and flooring can wait a little while longer, and I'm OK with that.

And as a bonus, I am going to be able to spend that time with my family I would not have been able to had I been working all that time. Both Kyle and Josh had concerts last night that I would have missed. I get to go to the Temple with my sweet husband this weekend and with my extended family (Perez/Boyens) next weekend. I will have my weekends free, which means if we want to take a little trip up to the mountains, we can. The boys won't go unsupervised several days a week during their summer vacation. I can continue to cook dinner for the family every night, which I love to do and also think it is and important part of family life. We will be able to continue to spend time with our family and friends. The REALLY important things about life will not have to be pushed aside.

There might be some things that we will have to sacrifice, but that's OK. I have a few other things I have been mulling over. Now I have a bit more time and incentive to really start looking into those possibilities. I just KNOW this is the right thing to do right now.

I don't think anyone looks back on their life and thinks, "Gee, I really wish I had spent more time at work." If they do, it might be a completely different kind of crazy!

The Queen of Temp Jobs

I love being a stay at home mom. Not that I think I am great at it or that I love cleaning up after three teenage boys. I just really think it is the place I should be. Our family runs best when Jim and I work as a team to nurture and provide for our family. It was really hard for me when the boys were young. I had three kids in less than four years (plus, it all happened before I was 25). But all the hard work was worth it. I got Jim through school. He's an excellent provider for our family and I have great boys. We are truly blessed!

Occasionally I get restless and think I need to get out of the house and work. It started with the 2002 Olympics and went crazy from there. I don't mind working. I just like it when I can see an end to the time I will be away. So I have been known to work here and there but never anything permanent. When I think of the list it makes me laugh. It's a pretty eclectic resume. Join me in a bit of a laugh:

• Assistant Venue Transportation Manager in the 2002 Olympics - This was my baptism by fire and the start of my foray into the transportation world. Looking back, I am amazed at how much I didn't know and how much of a better job I could do if I had to do it all over again. That job lasted about 6 months.
  
• Team and Team Family Bus Transportation Manager for Super Bowls 40-44 (Detroit, Miami, Phoenix and Tampa). I also worked Super Bowl 39 in the Transportation Office (Jacksonville). That job lasted anywhere from 15-28 days.
• Team Transportation Manager for the Men's Final Four Tournament in 2009. I think I was in Detroit for 13 days (if I remember right. I was frozen most of the time)
• I managed Transportation for the Mascot, VIP's and Corporate Clients at the MLB All-Star Game in Detroit. That lasted about 10 days. (I think it will be fine with me if I never have to go back to Detroit again!)
  
• I worked one NASCAR event a long time ago, after my first Super Bowl. That was only 4 days.
• I have been a substitute lunch lady for the Davis County School District. They would call me in the morning if they needed me and I worked at several different schools. I did that for two years.
• I have been a "Lagoon Mom". Our resident amusement park, Lagoon has several days in May when they are open for schools to come. Since the kids that usually work there are also in school, the moms of the area work those 10-14 random days and get some cool perks along with the paycheck. I have done that the last four years.
• I was a server at our local Pizza Factory. A good family friend is the founder of this wonderful restaurant and when the new one in Syracuse opened I helped out. I worked there for about three months.
• I have been a Poll Worker. Not the kind that first comes to your mind. I am talking about an Election Poll Worker. It is one day a year. One LONG day. I have done that for the last six elections.

There are probably some that I am leaving out. It is such a random list! it makes me smile when I think about it. One of the reasons I have been thinking about it lately is because I just got another random temporary job. A local call center got the government contract to make and take calls for the 2010 US Census. The job starts this week and will probably go through mid-August. We will be calling people that may have put some conflicting information on their Census form. We will also be taking calls from people that have questions about the Census. It wont be my favorite job but it will be nice to get some much needed income for projects we want to do around the house. Jim provides a very comfortable living for us but there is some major remodeling we want to do. I am willing to work for a while knowing that we will be able to save up the money we need faster. It is also nice that I know the end time for the project.

It would have to be something very near and dear to my heart to take me away from the place I know I should be, my home, on a full time basis. I hope I can find something like that after the boys have gone off to make their own lives. Until then, I will be where they need me. Unless we need an extra boost to our savings or there is another major event in Detroit!