Last week I was again at the annual AIAA conference in Orlando, Fl. Once again it was the week before the Disney Half marathon and so once again, at the end of the week, Paul, Anna, my mom, and my sister's family flew out to meet me and kick off the marathon weekend.
This year at AIAA I was the co-chair for the entire Gravitational-Related Phenomena In Space symposium within the AIAA conference. I volunteered for this as a rookie last year, after Julie shot me an approving look when they asked for volunteers. It was a bit stressful year putting this together, especially since it was the 25th anniversary of GPSE, and also because I'd never even done such a thing! I added an entirely new session on educational outreach and invited some of the best speakers who have done the best projects for ISS and NASA. It was sooooo well received they may keep it for next year. I also put an ISS utilization focus on it thus year, which means I invited program scientists from each agency to come and give an overview of their agency's plans for ISS science. My chief tells me that the NAS AA for ISS (basically headquarters) Was surprised at how well this went over, and so it got rave reviews. The thing is I'm sort of a rookie to AIAA (went as a student a few times, and this is my second year as NASA), so I just thought to do things a little differently than they did in the past and it worked! Fresh minds, I guess.
On to the marathon weekend!
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Monday, January 3, 2011
Ice cream man
I'm standing in line at security at Hobby airport right now so I have plenty of time to blog from my new app :) My God I feel for all the cranky kids here today.
Oh and that woman in line behind me should really learn what personal space is...
Anyway, is there anything sweeter than a 3 year old holding out her coins to the ice cream man (OK one was actually a Euro she found somewhere)? Precious. The timing on his arrival was serendipitous, and is a story on his own.
Oh and that woman in line behind me should really learn what personal space is...
Anyway, is there anything sweeter than a 3 year old holding out her coins to the ice cream man (OK one was actually a Euro she found somewhere)? Precious. The timing on his arrival was serendipitous, and is a story on his own.
Yesterday she pulled one of her rubberbands down to the end of one of her pigtails and she thought this was fabulous and asked for it this morning. Not exactly the look I would go for (ok it's not even really a LOOK). She also asked me for braids last week, and in that practice I am limited. And then the thought occurred to me this morning. Voilà! (it's little braided partial piggies :) with rubber bands on the ends ofcourse!)
Look what we grew!
This survived our garden somehow and a red and a green bell pepper showed up for picking on Saturday. We even ate them for dinner that night! Go us! Anna loved them.
New Year's hangover
Well this is an uncommon sight! She was only up tip 10:30 or so, playing at L's house.
Happy New Year! Let's do this!
Happy New Year! Let's do this!
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
My new #1 financial mission
Beyond anything else I do this year financially, my goal is to pay off my student loan debt.
If you knew how much it really is, you'd have the same reply Paul gave me last night, "Huh...in a year? How much debt is that again? In a year?"
I don't have the heart to post the numbers but let's just say it could buy a few houses around my neighborhood.
Three degrees (including covering out of state tuition) just about says it all. It hasn't bothered me so much until for some reason, a few weeks ago. It's just that it's time to attack it.
That's IT. It's time to pay it off. I don't know how yet, but it'll come. The clock is ticking for my 1 year mark. If I write it down here in my blog, it will happen.
PS, taking donations, LOL!
If you knew how much it really is, you'd have the same reply Paul gave me last night, "Huh...in a year? How much debt is that again? In a year?"
I don't have the heart to post the numbers but let's just say it could buy a few houses around my neighborhood.
Three degrees (including covering out of state tuition) just about says it all. It hasn't bothered me so much until for some reason, a few weeks ago. It's just that it's time to attack it.
That's IT. It's time to pay it off. I don't know how yet, but it'll come. The clock is ticking for my 1 year mark. If I write it down here in my blog, it will happen.
PS, taking donations, LOL!
Monday, December 27, 2010
Christmas 2010 (and the weeks surrounding it)
She actually got this one LAST Christmas but I had to slip this in there
He admits he always wanted one
It was our year to spend it with Paul's parents (we spent Thanksgiving this year with my mom and family).
The biggest hit in Christmas gifts so far for her has been the LeapFrog Sketch pad and Lite Brite. Everything else seems to be getting equal share time. The bike that Santa brought her would get more use right now if it weren't so darned cold out. That will come soon enough!
The best thing about traveling for Christmas this year was waking up right next to her, watching her eyes pop open and say, "Mama, I closed my eyes and slept so Santa came!" Strangely enough, she wasn't in much of a hurry to rush downstairs to see what he left her. We just chatted in bed a little while and got downstairs at around 8:30am.
She first saw the extra gifts, and most notably, the bike by the tree. She asked who it was for and seemed to like it as she looked it over (the very bike she picked out and texted to Santa she wanted at Toys R Us). But her gaze swung to the stockings that were stuffed with a little fake puppy dog hanging out and she forgot about the bike and presents. For some reason, she was focused on the stockings, and in fact I think she was most excited about that going into Christmas day!
She was worried about Santa when he didn't eat that last cookie. Why didn't he eat it? Will he come back to eat it?
With all of this Santa talk this year, sitting on his lap was still a no-go. At least last year she mustered up the courage and went for it at the mall out of nowhere. The year before we did it as a family. But this year, she had none of it. In fact we waited in line, while she kept saying she was excited to see him and then when it was her turn, she fled. Later she'd say she wanted to give him hugs when he came to her house.
She's so much fun at this age. It was the best Christmas yet. And while she enjoyed the gifts, nobody certainly went overboard, and she didn't expect overboard. The whole Christmas season was fun, plus my mom was here for two weeks of it too. In all I think we went to less festivities than last year (by just a few) and there seemed to be less pressure about buying gifts and wrapping them and going to all of the parties and festivals. We even had an entire weekend where we did almost nothing. Even the tree was up early, as well as the lights on the house and the ginormous inflatable snowman in the front yard. Heck we even found time to buy new tree ornaments. I'm not sure where all of the ease and extra time seemed to come from, but it was nice. Now that Christmas is over I'm having to explain to Anna why the tree will come down, as will all of the cool lights in the neighborhoods she's come to gasp at on the evening drives home. Oh well, I think at least it will be easier explaining it this year than last year when she was 2 and couldn't quite grasp why Frosty and Santa left the yards and went into the attic "until next Christmas." In fact I swear it's something she would sporadically ask about here and there, even in summer.
Anyway, hope you all had a great holiday. Whether I have mixed feelings about lying to her face about Santa, or I harbor way too many questions about what her Lutheran preschool is teaching her about the holiday, there's certainly nothing like being a mom to a 3.75 year old at Christmas.
Form Factor
I'm getting into the shower, and Anna's eyeballing me. I can tell something's coming.
"You look like Nanna, mommy!"
And there it is.
I assume Anna meant that in terms of form factor.
I love my mother, but given the fact that she's 23 years older than I, I think it's time to revert back to post-Anna-bedtime baths for me.
"You look like Nanna, mommy!"
And there it is.
I assume Anna meant that in terms of form factor.
I love my mother, but given the fact that she's 23 years older than I, I think it's time to revert back to post-Anna-bedtime baths for me.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Dear Anna,
You're a really good kid so far. You have kindness, silliness, and seem to have an inherent sense of right from wrong, and it goes a long way. Thank you for being kind to us. We love you and will treat you the same.
Throughout my lifetime, I have seen time and time again children yelling at their parents. I don't mean just young children like you...I mean teenagers and adult children too. How any child can treat a parent so badly has always been beyond my comprehension. And now, as a parent, it completely floors me to think of what it must feel like to have my own (grown) child treating me that way. Mostly, a parent put this child on this planet out of love. Not to be cursed at, verbally abused, and disrespected, especially as a grown adult child. It's something a parent couldn't have forseen, isn't it? No mother looks down at their precious baby and thinks, "some day you're going to verbally or physically abuse me until my self worth has depreciated my soul into complete loss."
So where is the respect for the mother lost? It's obvious if the mother is verbally or physically abusive. But what if the mother did her best under life's circumstances? Don't we ALL try to make the best choices in life, given the situation? Especially when it involves our kids? Is the respect lost when the mother shows weakness through giving too many gifts? Or perceptively not enough? Does the child get drunk on the power in treating a mother like dirt instead of the human being that brought their soul into this world in the first place? A way to control one thing (and a human, at that) in a world where they feel like they've lost control of everything else?
Anna, we brought you into this world out of love. At the same time, you chose us as parents. My hope for you is probably the same as any mother has for her daughter: happiness, safety, and love. Not to sound cliche, and not that I mean to rush you through your little life, but when I look at you, I can really see the woman you're going to become. I hope that I can teach you kindness, self-confidence, independence, and love. I hope I can teach you to accept love while recognizing your self worth and not being treated like a door mat by others. You can navigate this world with strength, positive attitude, spirituality, and love if you have the right guidance. Since you chose us, I am confident you'll do great.
At times I do feel like I might be helicoptering too much, smothering you a bit. I suspect that this is what leads to "spoiled only children" so I try to find a line there without just hovering too much. I try to back off and let you do your own thing, but my nature is generally to be helpful (or at least resourceful) in this world. Plus I'm still technically new at this and since you're our first and only, I'll always be technically new at this. I wonder if I'll be able to avoid meddling in your life too much when you're grown up, or giving too much advice. Then I think that since I hate drama at my core, I'll be able to butt out at the right times. But will I butt out too much?
I think that most moms feel this way. Plus my general feeling is that you're a soul like we are, though young in this body, as we were when we started out, and even though you're only 3, you do deserve some level of respect from your parents as you're navigating through this go-round. We hope that's something you recognize as you grow and contributes to your self worth as you find the right balance with humility.
Ultimately, you should know that your parents are both smart, hard-working, very fulfilled and tuned-in people who believe that if you do what you love, and be who you are, that you will find joy during your life here with us. There's no need to be cruel and angry. There's no need to feel like life's unfair or you've been treated poorly. These are perceptions that are only internal and they're not reality. I hope you never let those thoughts in. Life can be great and fulfilling and it is ultimately what you make of it. Your dad and I hope to set a good example of this, even in the face of tough times that I think no human can ultimately escape.
Anyway, in the end, there's never a reason for you to treat us like those other children treat their parents. We're here to do our best in our lives and in yours. And since this is your life, you should do your best (as we are) to make the most of it too.
Throughout my lifetime, I have seen time and time again children yelling at their parents. I don't mean just young children like you...I mean teenagers and adult children too. How any child can treat a parent so badly has always been beyond my comprehension. And now, as a parent, it completely floors me to think of what it must feel like to have my own (grown) child treating me that way. Mostly, a parent put this child on this planet out of love. Not to be cursed at, verbally abused, and disrespected, especially as a grown adult child. It's something a parent couldn't have forseen, isn't it? No mother looks down at their precious baby and thinks, "some day you're going to verbally or physically abuse me until my self worth has depreciated my soul into complete loss."
So where is the respect for the mother lost? It's obvious if the mother is verbally or physically abusive. But what if the mother did her best under life's circumstances? Don't we ALL try to make the best choices in life, given the situation? Especially when it involves our kids? Is the respect lost when the mother shows weakness through giving too many gifts? Or perceptively not enough? Does the child get drunk on the power in treating a mother like dirt instead of the human being that brought their soul into this world in the first place? A way to control one thing (and a human, at that) in a world where they feel like they've lost control of everything else?
Anna, we brought you into this world out of love. At the same time, you chose us as parents. My hope for you is probably the same as any mother has for her daughter: happiness, safety, and love. Not to sound cliche, and not that I mean to rush you through your little life, but when I look at you, I can really see the woman you're going to become. I hope that I can teach you kindness, self-confidence, independence, and love. I hope I can teach you to accept love while recognizing your self worth and not being treated like a door mat by others. You can navigate this world with strength, positive attitude, spirituality, and love if you have the right guidance. Since you chose us, I am confident you'll do great.
At times I do feel like I might be helicoptering too much, smothering you a bit. I suspect that this is what leads to "spoiled only children" so I try to find a line there without just hovering too much. I try to back off and let you do your own thing, but my nature is generally to be helpful (or at least resourceful) in this world. Plus I'm still technically new at this and since you're our first and only, I'll always be technically new at this. I wonder if I'll be able to avoid meddling in your life too much when you're grown up, or giving too much advice. Then I think that since I hate drama at my core, I'll be able to butt out at the right times. But will I butt out too much?
I think that most moms feel this way. Plus my general feeling is that you're a soul like we are, though young in this body, as we were when we started out, and even though you're only 3, you do deserve some level of respect from your parents as you're navigating through this go-round. We hope that's something you recognize as you grow and contributes to your self worth as you find the right balance with humility.
Ultimately, you should know that your parents are both smart, hard-working, very fulfilled and tuned-in people who believe that if you do what you love, and be who you are, that you will find joy during your life here with us. There's no need to be cruel and angry. There's no need to feel like life's unfair or you've been treated poorly. These are perceptions that are only internal and they're not reality. I hope you never let those thoughts in. Life can be great and fulfilling and it is ultimately what you make of it. Your dad and I hope to set a good example of this, even in the face of tough times that I think no human can ultimately escape.
Anyway, in the end, there's never a reason for you to treat us like those other children treat their parents. We're here to do our best in our lives and in yours. And since this is your life, you should do your best (as we are) to make the most of it too.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Underscheduled
That's right. Last weekend we had nothing but one Christmas party planned. What happened here? I don't know but all I know is by Sunday, Anna was asking "why are we still in our PJ's" at 10am, and "where are we going today?" As if we never sit still.
OK we don't.
On Saturday, there was enough time for me to get a 10 mile run in, which says a lot since my pace is sloooowwww anyway. Hey, the Disney Half Marathon is Jan 9. I've been running with my morning group for the most part, and when I miss a morning with them, I make it up at the end of my work day, before I pick up Anna. The weather here has been perfect for running. Wouldn't it be great if we had that kind of weather at Disney?! Beats the 30 degree sleet we had at last year's Half!
On Sunday, I remember looking at my watch AND IT WAS ONLY 12:30! Not like I'm complaining. Downtime is really good. But really I could have at the least planned to organize my desk or something.
By 2:00pm, I had to find something to do of value out of the house. I had one thing I could think of to do and that required a trip to the mall. This being the weekend before Christmas, and really we were almost actually BORED, Anna and I got dressed and headed into the fray: THE CHRISTMAS MALL.
That's right, you heard me: my least favorite place in the whole world on a regular basis, and to venture out the weekend before Christmas is insanity. This is how bored we were.
"The mall will have lots of people. It will be crowded. Keep hold of my hand, don't touch anything, and stay close."
She did, and if I could ever get her to let go of my hand, she wanted it back as soon as possible. She asked why we were parking so far away. "Tis the season."
She's a people watcher. We did the errands I wanted to do pretty quickly, then she wanted Subway, (this child is addicted and should do a commercial) and so we watched people as she ate.
She's such a good kid out in public, especially if you set the rules. We're lucky that way I guess. We never have to worry about her running off somewhere, or losing sight of us, or whatever else. (Caveat: when she's tired she gets silly and sloppy and that's annoying).
She's in the "poop, toot, pee pee" phase. That is, every Christmas song she sings she substitutes one of the afore-mentioned words in and thinks it's hilarious. Her silliness with "poop" has recently worked to my advantage. The "squirmy, wormy germs in your mouoth, YUCKY!" has lost its effect in getting her to brush her teeth. What HAS recently worked: "Anna, those squirmy, wormy germs are pooping all over in your mouth! You need to brush them out!" Yes. That's working nicely. What? You wish YOU'D have thought of it.
She's also into eating her boogers. That's right, I'm calling her out on this blog so that when she's older and reading this, she's embarrassed. She thinks it's funny. And we do not. So now she'll say she ate her boogers, when really she didn't, just to make it a game. Tis the season of snot, and boogers are plentiful. To her credit, she's claiming she doesn't do it anymore. But who knows, really?
We both came down with a slight case of the crud. Nothing too serious, just some extra gunk that caused her to cough in her sleep for around a week, and I have the gunk in my head and chest. Annoying. In fact, she coughed a few times right into my personal space, and I knew instantly I'd just become innoculated with her crud. She's been reminded to cough into her elbow (the new trend, you know) and she's now really good about it.
Incidentally, she hasn't been sick since she was a baby. I don't even remember the last time she had an actual fever, though I do remember long periods of coughing at night. If at this point she were to become sick, I don't even know how she'd take it. And myself likewise. I'm not even sure what's out there to treat sickness in kids these days. I've lost track of the new restrictions in cough/cold medicines, and the additions of homeopathic rememdies. I guess it'll come to me quickly enough when the day should come that she'd get sick and I'm scrambling for peace.
What else to report here? Mom's spent the last 2 weeks with us helping out at Paul's clinic since he's lost his administrative staff until Jan 1. It was fun having her here, especially this time of year, and I know Anna loved it :)
Did I mention a few weekends ago we camped out at NASA? There was a camping event aimed at sitting around camp fires, listening to NASA speakers and stuff (we'd planned to go as a family just to listen and camp out but they asked me to be a speaker so I spoke about space station science). There were also telescopes set up, and Anna got to see Jupiter and its moons! She LOVED it! She was SO EXCITED! The next day I had to speak about space station science at the Italian Embassy in downtown Houston, which was really neat, and then we made it over to the Holiday in the Park Festival in League City. We've been going since Anna was 1 and they usually have tons of rides and games. This year there were wayyy less rides. Weird. I guess the recession is affecting everyone.
Dude, I totally have pictures to post for all of these events. I should really do that.
We actually got our Christmas tree up the weekend after Thanksgiving, I think. It was early! And easy! A real tree, just like every year. I have pictures of that, too. NEED TO POST THEM. Will do...just so busy at work, and in the evenings I'm too tired :)
Paul's clinic is thriving. Clients keep coming. But the money battles with insurance just leads to an unsteady cash flow. We've got to figure out how to nip that in the bud and we're about to try some new tactics. We're also in negotiations on a new lease at a bigger property across from where the clinic is now. The clinic needs more space. Face it, it's growing. Oh! Also, there was a local news crew who came out to do a piece on Paul's clinic back in October and it finally aired last week before Monday Night Football. They did a FANTASTIC JOB! It was so fun to watch! I'm so proud of him! When I get a link to the piece, I'll post it here. He's doing what he loves, and it's all working out, with the exception of some glitches that need to be fixed to optimize the cash flow. He's a master of manifesting. It dawned on me that he has been visualizing clinic success as enjoying what he's doing, healing people, and allowing new opportunities, which is GREAT, but I don't think cash has been a major factor in his thought process. Isn't that great? Most people dream about having cash. Money is usually a goal. It's not Paul's: we both live by "do what you love and the money will come." We see this as true but the devil is also in the details, and he has realized that there are processes that need to be optimized to allow for more cash to come into the clinic. So it's in the works! Time for a new year with new, improved processes. We are 3.5 years into this clinic and it still always seems new.
Anyway, I guess this is long enough. Hope all is well with you out there. Will post pictures soon. What a fantastic year! Let's have another, shall we?
OK we don't.
On Saturday, there was enough time for me to get a 10 mile run in, which says a lot since my pace is sloooowwww anyway. Hey, the Disney Half Marathon is Jan 9. I've been running with my morning group for the most part, and when I miss a morning with them, I make it up at the end of my work day, before I pick up Anna. The weather here has been perfect for running. Wouldn't it be great if we had that kind of weather at Disney?! Beats the 30 degree sleet we had at last year's Half!
On Sunday, I remember looking at my watch AND IT WAS ONLY 12:30! Not like I'm complaining. Downtime is really good. But really I could have at the least planned to organize my desk or something.
By 2:00pm, I had to find something to do of value out of the house. I had one thing I could think of to do and that required a trip to the mall. This being the weekend before Christmas, and really we were almost actually BORED, Anna and I got dressed and headed into the fray: THE CHRISTMAS MALL.
That's right, you heard me: my least favorite place in the whole world on a regular basis, and to venture out the weekend before Christmas is insanity. This is how bored we were.
"The mall will have lots of people. It will be crowded. Keep hold of my hand, don't touch anything, and stay close."
She did, and if I could ever get her to let go of my hand, she wanted it back as soon as possible. She asked why we were parking so far away. "Tis the season."
She's a people watcher. We did the errands I wanted to do pretty quickly, then she wanted Subway, (this child is addicted and should do a commercial) and so we watched people as she ate.
She's such a good kid out in public, especially if you set the rules. We're lucky that way I guess. We never have to worry about her running off somewhere, or losing sight of us, or whatever else. (Caveat: when she's tired she gets silly and sloppy and that's annoying).
She's in the "poop, toot, pee pee" phase. That is, every Christmas song she sings she substitutes one of the afore-mentioned words in and thinks it's hilarious. Her silliness with "poop" has recently worked to my advantage. The "squirmy, wormy germs in your mouoth, YUCKY!" has lost its effect in getting her to brush her teeth. What HAS recently worked: "Anna, those squirmy, wormy germs are pooping all over in your mouth! You need to brush them out!" Yes. That's working nicely. What? You wish YOU'D have thought of it.
She's also into eating her boogers. That's right, I'm calling her out on this blog so that when she's older and reading this, she's embarrassed. She thinks it's funny. And we do not. So now she'll say she ate her boogers, when really she didn't, just to make it a game. Tis the season of snot, and boogers are plentiful. To her credit, she's claiming she doesn't do it anymore. But who knows, really?
We both came down with a slight case of the crud. Nothing too serious, just some extra gunk that caused her to cough in her sleep for around a week, and I have the gunk in my head and chest. Annoying. In fact, she coughed a few times right into my personal space, and I knew instantly I'd just become innoculated with her crud. She's been reminded to cough into her elbow (the new trend, you know) and she's now really good about it.
Incidentally, she hasn't been sick since she was a baby. I don't even remember the last time she had an actual fever, though I do remember long periods of coughing at night. If at this point she were to become sick, I don't even know how she'd take it. And myself likewise. I'm not even sure what's out there to treat sickness in kids these days. I've lost track of the new restrictions in cough/cold medicines, and the additions of homeopathic rememdies. I guess it'll come to me quickly enough when the day should come that she'd get sick and I'm scrambling for peace.
What else to report here? Mom's spent the last 2 weeks with us helping out at Paul's clinic since he's lost his administrative staff until Jan 1. It was fun having her here, especially this time of year, and I know Anna loved it :)
Did I mention a few weekends ago we camped out at NASA? There was a camping event aimed at sitting around camp fires, listening to NASA speakers and stuff (we'd planned to go as a family just to listen and camp out but they asked me to be a speaker so I spoke about space station science). There were also telescopes set up, and Anna got to see Jupiter and its moons! She LOVED it! She was SO EXCITED! The next day I had to speak about space station science at the Italian Embassy in downtown Houston, which was really neat, and then we made it over to the Holiday in the Park Festival in League City. We've been going since Anna was 1 and they usually have tons of rides and games. This year there were wayyy less rides. Weird. I guess the recession is affecting everyone.
Dude, I totally have pictures to post for all of these events. I should really do that.
We actually got our Christmas tree up the weekend after Thanksgiving, I think. It was early! And easy! A real tree, just like every year. I have pictures of that, too. NEED TO POST THEM. Will do...just so busy at work, and in the evenings I'm too tired :)
Paul's clinic is thriving. Clients keep coming. But the money battles with insurance just leads to an unsteady cash flow. We've got to figure out how to nip that in the bud and we're about to try some new tactics. We're also in negotiations on a new lease at a bigger property across from where the clinic is now. The clinic needs more space. Face it, it's growing. Oh! Also, there was a local news crew who came out to do a piece on Paul's clinic back in October and it finally aired last week before Monday Night Football. They did a FANTASTIC JOB! It was so fun to watch! I'm so proud of him! When I get a link to the piece, I'll post it here. He's doing what he loves, and it's all working out, with the exception of some glitches that need to be fixed to optimize the cash flow. He's a master of manifesting. It dawned on me that he has been visualizing clinic success as enjoying what he's doing, healing people, and allowing new opportunities, which is GREAT, but I don't think cash has been a major factor in his thought process. Isn't that great? Most people dream about having cash. Money is usually a goal. It's not Paul's: we both live by "do what you love and the money will come." We see this as true but the devil is also in the details, and he has realized that there are processes that need to be optimized to allow for more cash to come into the clinic. So it's in the works! Time for a new year with new, improved processes. We are 3.5 years into this clinic and it still always seems new.
Anyway, I guess this is long enough. Hope all is well with you out there. Will post pictures soon. What a fantastic year! Let's have another, shall we?
Monday, December 13, 2010
...and rounding out the week is Yo Gabba Gabba!
We Kicked off last week to the Jimmy Buffett concert with free food and amazing seats!
At the very end of the show, I saw the tears start to well up as the show was over and she asked why it was "so short" - 1.5 hrs (she had an out and out cry fest after Story Time Live, and verge-of-tear-fest after Drum Line being OVER). We nipped it in the bud before the wells turned to streams and she was just fine and happy, talking all about the show as we made our way to the T-shirts. She's such a big girl, and it was such a trip! She was so chatty and happy and it was really a great time!!
That night, at bedtime:
"momma, why don't their mouths move when they talk?!"
Me: "Good question. Um...well, because they're puppets, baby."
Anna: "Puppets?"
Me: "Yes, they're pretend puppets and they can talk without moving their mouths."
Anna: "Oh"
Next day, pointing to the TV, "Mamma, I really like THAT puppet!"
Margarita and Cheeseburger in honor of Jimmy
And we ended the week with Yo Gabba Gabba Live tickets we purchased way back in June. I'd wanted to purchase the VIP PArty package, which gets you front 15 row seating and get a meet and greet with the characters afterwards, but even just 15 minutes into ticket sales, the best I could do was 3rd level seating at the Hobby Center! It was still a great view. Anna asked if we'd be able to touch the characters and I told her that they sold all the tickets to get to do that so we couldn't buy any. Afterwards, she'd tell people, "We can't touch them because mommy doesn't have any money!" HA. The looks we get on that one: Did we hear that right?!
What a show! Seriously, it was actually FUN. Wayyyyy better than Story Time Live we did in August. The music and the colors and the characters were really visually something else for this show and actually I'd pay to go see it again. Balloons dropping from the ceiling, bubbles, confetti...What a fun evening!
We learned awhile ago that Anna's enthusiasm for things like these that are happening are similar to mine: Awe, study, and seriousness. She's not the type to get up and dance and hop around and act silly at events like this. Instead, she stares with focus. We got her one of the fallen balloons and into the second half of the show she started waving her balloon a little to the music. She'd catch me staring and smile a little and keep watching.
At the very end of the show, I saw the tears start to well up as the show was over and she asked why it was "so short" - 1.5 hrs (she had an out and out cry fest after Story Time Live, and verge-of-tear-fest after Drum Line being OVER). We nipped it in the bud before the wells turned to streams and she was just fine and happy, talking all about the show as we made our way to the T-shirts. She's such a big girl, and it was such a trip! She was so chatty and happy and it was really a great time!!
That night, at bedtime:
"momma, why don't their mouths move when they talk?!"
Me: "Good question. Um...well, because they're puppets, baby."
Anna: "Puppets?"
Me: "Yes, they're pretend puppets and they can talk without moving their mouths."
Anna: "Oh"
Next day, pointing to the TV, "Mamma, I really like THAT puppet!"
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Jimmy Buffett: Big Top Concert
Wow.
A few weeks ago, Paul got an email from American Express offering him two free tickets to a Jimmy Buffett concert in Houston at the Toyota Center. We thought it was a hoax and I could find nothing of the event itself online anywhere until I called the Toyota Center myself. The woman confirmed it was a “private event” that only certain invited American Express customers get to attend. It wasn’t a hoax! As it turns out, it was an additional show that American Express solely booked them for as part of his “Big Top” tour.
Just so happened my mom was in town and was able to watch Anna for the evening while he and I attended. When we got through the doors, the attendants told us that all the food and drinks (except alcohol) were FREE! Here we are, late 30’s, grown adults, and FREE FOOD makes us as giddy as college kids. So of course I had the Cheeseburger and margarita in honor of Jimmy himself.
We even found a close parking spot for FREE.
I am so proud of Paul for this because I know it’s a benefit for all the hard work he does at his clinic. Basically, it’s a game that he charges much of his business expenses to his American Express in an effort to reap the rewards program. Last night was American Express’s “appreciation” event for certain users and we surely felt like we were “among the elite”. Sounds a little silly but we surely recognized how far we’ve come since we were kids and we enjoyed every minute of the event. It was really great to feel treated so special and I am really proud that Paul’s a great example if you do what you love, the hard work at it comes naturally, and it’s true that so do the rewards. We were 7 rows up from the floor seating. Hello, really nice.
And might I say, Jimmy Buffett and his band are fun and flawless in concert. Seriously. And their rendition of Southern Cross was really amazing. It dawned on me that I was also lucky to hear that original song when I went to the Crosby, Stills, and Nash concert this October as part of the AARP conference in Orlando with my mom (I was the AARP conference for NASA). Jimmy Buffett just genuinely seems like a nice guy who enjoys doing what he is good at and is getting paid well for it. In the meantime, having fun. The theme for us was obvious.
WOW, what a night! Keep it going! Thanks Paul!
Friday, December 3, 2010
Tightening our belts
Well I guess we’re all “tightening our belts” around America and I’m not immune. At the 10 year anniversary mark of me working at JSC, I got this email:
On Monday, the White House announced a proposal to freeze civil service employee pay schedules in 2011 and 2012 (no cost of living adjustment or “COLA”) and to provide zero locality pay adjustment in 2011. These proposals are part of a broader budget deficit reduction effort and will need to be approved by Congress. The cost of living adjustment (COLA) and locality pay increases make up the pay increase civil servants would normally receive in January.
Translated, it means we won’t receive our usual pay increase which usually covers locality pay increases to cover cost of living increases every year (in Jan). By default it’s usually 2-3%. This year, and next in 2012, it translates to 0%. Wow! Nobody likes not getting a pay raise but let’s face it, our whole country is in a recession and I shouldn’t exactly be exempt, no? I guess most everyone feels this.
In fact, if I’ve so far been able to duck the left and right changes that have been made by this White House Administration, (including the massive change in NASA mission) well, I finally got mine. It was just a matter of time (except I think we’ll find out how hard the insurance changes are going to hit Paul next year).
Am I mad? No. We are comfortable in our current pay and hadn’t even thought about the pay increase in detail. Everyone around the country is being affected in the same or worse ways with this economy. Changes are everywhere, unemployment high. I’m lucky to have a job that I love and that pays well. But this did make me realize I’m not immune just because I’m a civil servant. In fact, since my boss lives at the White House, it makes me more of a target, doesn’t it?
I wasn’t thrilled when the Bush administration sent Americans those fat $800 “stimulus” checks that sent this economy into the economic deficit we’re in now and I’m not thrilled about the lack of a pay increase next year. Not thrilled about the new TSA security regulations and the change in NASA’s mission and I’m not even sure how bad the insurance changes are going to hurt Paul next year, especially as a small business.
I do know it seems much is happening fast. Are people pissed because change is scary? Especially when it’s a direct hit? Or were we better off under the Bush Administration: a country stagnant and hearing the same fear-filled messages of terrorism and a lack of any real domestic policy?
In politics I always know there’s much more I don’t know and I have to hope that those in charge (the ones America voted for in the first place) are doing their best. You know, in the midst of all of the media, lobby, and greed and power and lies and BS I really would hate to ever be a part of. Let’s face it: All politicians are extremists. And I’m a moderate. So it’s a challenge for me. No matter who’s in office.
No, I’m not mad that any of the civil servants in America (not just NASA) aren’t getting a pay raise for the next two years. It doesn’t rub me the wrong way and I really don’t have much more to say on it. I’m lucky to be one that’s comfortable and overall happy at my job. I am sure there are other civil servants that were counting on that raise. But it does make me realize that anything’s possible. Especially as a civil servant. I remember around 15 years ago when Congress and the White House couldn’t come to an agreement on new budgets and so federal employees got delayed paychecks while Congress was out of session. It’s a real scenario. I, as a civil servant, am at the mercy of extreme politics. Sometimes I forget that.
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