The bearded eye-roller

Can I just say how much I love being home? I got home from my business trip yesterday afternoon and seeing my furry-faced husband pulling up to the airport to pick me up was one of the best feelings ever. I just don't like being away from him for an extended period. The cool thing is that he feels the same way. I love being missed and I love having someone that I miss terribly when we're apart.

The other furry face in my life was beside himself with joy when I walked in the door. I decided to sit on the floor and let him kiss me and crawl all over me. If he could have managed to climb up to the top of my head, he would have. He tried a couple of times! I'm pretty sure I had no makeup on my face by the time he was done greeting me.

The joy I feel from coming home from a business trip ALMOST makes going on a business trip worth it.

So, lessee.... on to the this and that.

• The "Big Fish" company told me that they've extended my contract again, so now I'm contracted until the end of June. It wouldn't surprise me if they continued extending my contract, as long as there are funds in the budget based on the things they told me. They like me! They really really like me! (said in my best Sally Field voice.)
  
  My previous manager (and friend) as well as one of our previous colleagues is also contracted to the "Big Fish" company and were both there while I was there. That made the trip so much fun for me. It reminded me of how much I liked being around them and how I kind of miss having an office to go to simply for the social aspect. But I don't miss it enough to even THINK about working for an employer. I'll just be more diligent about getting together with my buddies.
  
  I was introduced to people who are planning to add me to their approved vendor list, for work outside of my contract with "Big Fish", so once again I'm faced with the idea of expanding my business. I'd only do it to give my sons an opportunity to work for me and make the kind of money that they deserve- but the idea of managing a business or people doesn't appeal to me in the least even though it's a guarantee of more money. Money has never been a motivator for me. I love it that I love what I do and that's good enough for me.
  
  Tra-la-la.... I'll think about that next month.


• Vegas is just two weeks and a day away. Woot! The boys and their sweethearts are coming; along with our friends Caryl and John and Scott and Sonja. I also have some friends and relatives that we need to visit while we're there. I've been having nightmares about the Donny and Marie show, of all things. Every night! It's dumb stuff like walking in late and being noticed. BJ bought front row, seats one and two for us- so if we were late, it would be noticed.
  
  I need to find some shoes that are cute AND will fit with the orthotics. My foot still isn't healed and walking around so much on it over the week reminded me of that fact. I can't imagine walking around in Las Vegas without some kind of support on my foot. I also need to find a couple of cute tops. Oh shoot- I'll have to go shopping.



• BJ is out furniture shopping today to replace the black leather 'bachelor' sectional couch. It's my understanding that almost every guy brings a black leather couch with them into a marriage and they are forced to part with it when two households combine. I was hoping that would happen sooner than this, but at least it's happening. It was black at one time, but now it's a weird color of green. I'm sure that most wives would worry about letting their spouse pick out and buy couches and love seats without their input, but I don't. He wanted to go today, and I had NO INTENTION of leaving my home this weekend. I have some puppy-cuddling and TV-watching to do.
  
  Speaking of which- I think I'm going to stop rambling and get on with the TV watching. I already have a cute little puppy snuggled up against my leg. ::Bliss!::

BJ and I think that Einstein has OCD. BJ would go a little bit further and tell you that I trained Einstein to be this way, but I'm innocent of these charges! After presenting the evidence, I'm pretty sure that the jury (y'all) will conclude that BJ is right and that I'm guilty as charged. I know how it looks, but it's all circumstantial. I'm innocent!

Let's start at the beginning, shall we?

BJ and I eat in the family room in front of the TV. Yeah, we also have a recliner and a washing machine on our front porch (I kid! I'm just admitting to our white trash ways....). When I finish eating, I'll get up and take BJ's plate with mine and load them in the dishwasher.

There have been occasions in which I've not eaten dinner and if BJ doesn't immediately take his plate into the kitchen after he's finished eating, Einstein starts to cry and get upset. It doesn't stop there, either. If BJ takes his dish to the kitchen and doesn't immediately put it in the dishwasher, Einstein gets upset about that too. Don't EVEN get me started on how Einstein gets if I don't immediately put away the leftovers.

Just like me, Einstein likes things to be tidy I guess! BJ swears that I've somehow trained Einstein to react this way to ensure that BJ takes care of his dirty dishes immediately. Not a bad trick, but I can't take any credit for it.

Einstein also gets upset if we don't let him sniff whatever the UPS (or other delivery) person brings to the house. I'm not sure when this started, but it's now firmly ingrained in his cute little noggin that he must inspect anything that comes in the front door. If we forget this very important step, Einstein will do his best to remind us.

Einstein also notices when things aren't 'normal'. For example, whenever I come into the room after being gone for more than a few minutes- he looks me up and down to see what I'm wearing. If I'm wearing jeans, he immediately jumps to the conclusion that I'm leaving the house (and he's right.) It's really quite funny the way he gives me the once over (more like five times over) whenever I enter the room. It feels like I'm in a bizarre episode of What Not to Wear, with celebrity host Einstein P. Williams judging my outfit.

In Einstein's world, everything has a place. He likes his blanket a certain way and he likes to move his bed around to suit his mood. If I put his bed back where *I* want it, he'll get huffy and move his bed again to where he wants it.

The last bit of evidence of OCD comes in the form of the Christmas decorations. After decorating the living room, he would NOT quit whining and crying until I let him into the living room to sniff everything. After that, he was fine. Today, I started to put some of the Christmas cards we've received around the family room. Apparently, this bothered the neurotic little prince because he wouldn't quit crying until I took the cards down.

Poor BJ. He's surrounded by neat freaks.

I'm going to get my hair 'did' today. As usual, I'm tired of my look and want to change it up. I can't seem to keep a hair style for more than three or four months without becoming bored of it. Here's what I'm going to go for:



I like it because it's asymmetrical without looking like I'm an 80's reject. Fun, sassy and short. I like short hair on me, but only if it's feminine looking. Thankfully I have a great stylist and she LOVES the fact that I love to change my hair all the time. My stylists have always loved that about me.

So, BJ will come home to a completely different look. Well, not completely. I'll still be sporting the yoga pants and hoodie (my work attire!)

I'll post an "after" picture, assuming that I don't look like a dork.

I think Einstein misses his dad. He's been moping around the past two days and every time the house makes a noise, he gets excited. I brought down a pillow case from BJ's side of the bed and Einstein went nuts over it. When I came down this morning, he was sleeping on the pillow case. So sweet.....

• I took BJ to the airport at 2:30 this morning. He's flying out to visit his mom for 10 days. Hot chili garlic sauce might make an appearance. Oh who am I kidding! There WILL be hot chili garlic sauce!


• Einstein had a birthday dinner fit for a prince. BJ is hoping that none of his friends see this video. Muah ha ha ha ha


• It looks like I'll get to create annual information security training for Big Fish. Big Fish and all their partner businesses. I gave them an outline, which was presented to the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) yesterday. He said he REALLY liked the content. Holy smokes- this is HUGE!
  
  The funny thing is that I know I'm up against this guy. I was in a meeting with the shark and the person who manages me. He mentioned that one of the partners (another HUGE FISH), called him about this training. My manager said, "Lori is also in the running for this project, but [Other Huge Fish] wanted at least another vendor to look at.
  
  Am I concerned? Nope. I think that vendor's sharky ways is going to come back to bite him.


• While waiting for the meeting with the CISO, the CISO's Chief of Staff (yup, that's her title!) told me that she really appreciates how enthusiastic I am about my work and she said that it shows in the product I produce. I told her that it's a little hard to take in the morning for some- but she said she really likes it. She's going to be the one to make the hiring decisions for contractors (I'm pretty sure), so yeah- I feel really good about seeing some income from Big Fish in 2010.


• Speaking of Big Fish, I'd better get back to work. I'm doing something that's going to blow them away and potentially get me in good graces with the customer service training manager. I heard through the grapevine while I was in Salt Lake that they were looking for vendors to create eLearning. I assure you that I'll be working THAT angle, thank-you-very-much.


• I'm also finishing up a project due EOY for a small bank and soon to do a project for another BIG FISH company. The Non-Disclosure Agreement is signed and I'm just waiting for the contract. It's for sure a done-deal that I'll get the contract. The gal I'm working with at that company got H1N1 and ended up in the hospital with pneumonia, poor thing, so she's running a little behind.


• I've made contact with my former CISO, who is now at another big bank. I'm hoping for some work from him in the future. If he has it to give, I know he'll give it to me.


• In totally unrelated news, I had a dream last night that I was in some sort of contest to work for David Cassidy. Yup- my old teen idol. There were about 20 of us girls competing including YOU TERRI P! He took everyone out to breakfast except me, saying he didn't have enough energy to deal with me that day. I'm SO SURE!
  
  So, what did I do? I got my best ball gown on, which was VERY low cut (something I'd never wear in real life), and went to the restaurant. I was wearing a fur coat over the top and a knit cap (the one my friend Sarah made. Yeah, that's the look that sells, right?
  
  I got to the restaurant and sat down on a bar stool at the big table holding all these other women. When I took off my fur coat, I didn't notice that the low neckline had moved over to the side and my 'stuff' was hanging out. That's when BJ walked in. He was none-too-pleased about this.
  
  The dream ended before I found out if I won. I suspect my subconscious was being kind to me in ending the dream before I got to the part where I failed miserably.

This not writing in my blog much thing is getting out of control! Especially when I don't post on Thanksgiving!

I didn't even call anyone on Thanksgiving. I hope I get a hall pass though, because BJ was sick and we laid very low this year.

It's not too late to write about the things I'm thankful for. In fact, I'm trying to do that every day on my GratitudeLog.

What a year this has been, eh? A wild ride, for sure.

The year started out pretty bleak. I knew I was getting laid off, I'd just broken several bones in my face just a couple of days prior and BJ lost his job. All in that order.

But that layoff turned into a wonderful new career, working for myself and BJ working for himself too. Sure, I've had a few moments of "what if this doesn't last?", but those moments are fleeting because of the nice nest egg we have in our savings thanks to the severance pay. I don't seem to have a problem getting new projects and clients, and I've not once marketed myself. It's all come from my reputation with people I'd worked with or for in the past as they've moved to new companies.

So, all those times that I whined about how hard I was working? I guess it was worth it.

BJ's business took off too. I mean really, what are the odds?

And my face? Well, the bones didn't heal properly, but you'd never know it by looking at me. Just how does that happen? I don't know- but I'm glad it did. When I watch shows like CSI, I think about what a medical examiner would think if they looked at my bones. Ha! It kind of makes me laugh a little.

This was also the year that Einstein came into our lives. What a little bundle of joy he is. BJ told me from the time we met that he NEVER wanted any pets whatsoever. But bless his heart, he saw how the year started out and decided that getting a dog would make me so happy- so he finally said yes. I never really pestered him, I just joked with him about it mainly. Even the day he said, "OK", it was a joke.

He told me he had to go out of town for a business trip (that, of course never happened since he lost his job too!), and I replied with a picture of a puggle and the words, "then I want one of these". I made sure he wasn't joking, because I couldn't believe he'd actually said "OK" to a puppy.

And now? Well, you couldn't pry Einstein away from BJ. He just loves that little guy and tells me all the time how much Einstein means to him. He even said that it's a good thing that we'll never get divorced because I'd have a fight on my hands in regard to custody of Einstein. Who knew? BJ is just as surprised as I am about what a great little companion Einstein is for him.

I knew back at the first of this year that things would turn around. As I've probably said a million times, things ALWAYS turn around. I just needed to watch carefully for the open doors. Open doors don't scare me. I suppose that comes from living for almost 50 years. I can clearly see things for what they are- - learning experiences. Some good, some bad. But there really is no such thing as a bad learning experience as long as you've learned something from it, right?

BJ came into my life at the exact right time. Those learning experiences have come fast and furious the past few years and I don't think I would have had the fortitude to face them without him by my side. I'm so glad that I overcame my fear of relationships and grabbed onto his hand. I can't think of anyone more perfect for me than BJ.

My sons are happy and have started living their own lives. I used to be afraid of that idea, because I made them such an important part of who I was. If anyone asked me to define myself, for many years I would have said "mother", and would have had a hard time thinking of anything else. Now I have many things that define me, but "mother" will always be at the top because of the beautiful souls that were given to me to raise. I'm thankful that they are happy in their new lives. I'm especially happy for the women they have chosen.

I became an aunt for the first time this year. It's so fun to see my baby sister as a mother. I love to see the capacity of love she has for that little baby. I love to see some of her features on his cute little face. Mostly, I love seeing my sister so happy.

I'm thankful for my family and especially thankful that my family doesn't bicker and quarrel. Life is so short and family is precious. Ranger Mike and I used to be 'mortal enemies', but you couldn't find two people closer than we are if you tried.

I'm also very thankful for all of YOU. If I didn't have this place to write down my feelings, my thoughts would just fester in my brain because I really do hate whining in real life. I'm not called Pollyanna for nothing! I felt stronger because you assured me that I was strong. That's been so important for me to 'hear'. I'm so glad that I'm now friends on Facebook with many of you because it allows me to take a peek into your lives and give back some of that support. Wow, I've made such good friends here. The amazing thing is that people who read my blog know me MUCH better than friends in real life (many of which do not even know that I have a blog.) I think that's because in real life, I try to focus on helping vs. receiving.

I may ignore my blog, but it's always here when I need to write. I don't think I'll ever give it up. I suspect that I'll become more active at some point, but right now I'm just living life and thankful for all that I have.