The 30th week of pregnancy

Okay, I've got a couple months left before this baby girl enters our crazy world. Hormones are finally starting to affect my temperment...well, more so than normal. I'm more susceptible to tearing up than raging out. In fact, I'm ashamed to admit it but last week, a handful of cake crumbs left on a conference room table pushed me over the edge before a 2 hour meeting. Yikes! What's the rest of my pregnancy going to be like?

I must force myself to limit my work hours to the prescribed 8 hours/day, 40 hours/week, lest my OB forces me to rest. The worst part is that not only am I swelling up, especially by midday, but my right hand is constantly swollen and numb and has been since month 6.5. Sleep is nearly nonexistent, mainly because I can only sleep about 3 hours at a time and then I'm awake for hours! Like now...

Pregnancy cramps suck

Okay, I am now 29 weeks pregnant and finally admitting it on the blog. I haven't slept through the night in months, literally since the 1st trimester. I've probably seen every rerun of late night TNT or SPIKE TV's CSI: Miami, CSI NY, Cold Case and Without a Trace. Tonight was slightly different than the others.

I've started sleeping in the living room, in David's comfy leather chair. It's too hard to get comfortable sleeping in the bed or even on the couch now and I discovered that I can fall asleep sitting up, propped up by a few pillows with my feet up on an ottoman. Of course, I'm up a few times throughout the night to go to the bathroom.

Tonight, I fell asleep immediately after the Vice Presidential debate and woke up nearly 3 hours later with a charley horse in my right calf and a wicked cramp in my left shin. TEARS PAIN TEARS PAIN... OMG what will childbirth be like???

BREASTS...Childrens book by G. Yagyu

Last weekend, I went back to the cousins' home in The Plains before flying down to Texas to close on our new home. I'd spent the afternoon with my galpal, Gina, in Old Towne Alexandria. We spent a significant amount of time in an awesome paper store aptly called "Paper Source"
I found the English translation of a very popular Japanese children's book on breasts. Yes, breasts. Boobies.

So, I got it as a gift for one of my favorite little girls, Sophia. I'll be honest: I was torn between "Breasts", "The Gas We Pass: Everyone Farts" and "Everyone Poops"... in the end, I decided to get the one that:
(1) related to a recent conversation between Sophia and dad Tim and
(2) only had ONE copy left on the shelf.

You should have seen mom Amy's face when I pulled it out to show her! (I'm secretly hoping that when our children are old enough to read, that we'll be able to find these books because they are pretty informative "for all ages.") So, if you see these books, don't pass up the chance to peruse through the pages!


UPDATE: I spoke with Amy yesterday and could hear Sophia singing a newly made-up song: "Breasts, BOO-bies, Breasts, BOO-bies" Well, you get the picture!

Poop and boobies

Visited w/cousin Tim's family this weekend. Sophia (age 5): what are breasts? Tim (age 41): boobies.

Hiking w/the cousins earlier. Tim: This is coyote or fox poop. Me: Is this a boy thing, the ability to discern animal poop?

Backpacks preferred here

A few weeks ago I took a quick trip back to Houston to visit my parents. Dad had fallen ill a few weeks prior to my trip and although we were moving back to Texas within a few months, I felt I NEEDED to be there. So, I prepared to travel.

I decided to carry a work laptop with me so that I could monitor my inbox and also become distracted should the stress of seeing my Dad in a weakened state became too overwhelming (it did). I was only going to be in Houston for 6 days but since weather is unpredictable and I was unlikely going to do much shopping beyond the airport, I needed to be prepared. Turns out it was rainy and a bit chilly the entire time I was there. I was bringing a carryon and my purse as well as 1 piece of luggage that would be checked. The carryon was an easy decision… I’d just purchased a terrific little piece from the Muji shop at Ofuna JR station that had 360 degree wheels and unless I packed rocks in it, I could easily get it in the overhead without knocking anyone out. The laptop would go in that along with any leisure reading or paperwork that I needed to look over on the long overseas flight. It was the checked bag that gave me cause to pause… as usual.

As I sat in the middle of the living/dining area, with my clothing packed in Eagle Creek organizers stacked around me and my packing list off to the side, I tried for several minutes (hours?!) to pack it all in the rolling bag David was loaning me for the flight. Try as I might, it was just NKR (Not Kwite Right). So, I looked up at David with big huge puppy dog eyes and said “can you get my backpack from upstairs? I think I’d rather use it than this…” I could swear I saw tears glisten in his eyes as he traipsed happily upstairs muttering something like “I’m so proud… my baby’s all grown up…”

Yeah, after years of dreaming about the luxury Tumi luggage line, it turns out I prefer my trusty Montbell backpack. It’s gone halfway around the world with me at this point. Well, at least from Thailand to New York!

Saying goodbye to an old friend

Dear EXIV (my 1994 Toyota Exiv),

Today I handed your keys to a nice lady who will take good care of you. Thank you for putting up with my crazy driving these last 4 years. You've been a good girl, you know? I'm sorry about the scrapes and dings over the years.

I'll miss your blue windshield wipers, blue I-wanna-be-a-race-car-driver steering wheel, low wide tires, and oh yeah, the blue lights on the front plate. I could always locate you in a crowd of Y plates!

Take care of Jennifer, your new human!

Melody

Caffe Latte Ritz bits

I recently gave up coffee for Lent...I've been without my daily java for 14 days and 12 hours. It's been difficult but I only have, oh, 31 days left... but, when I walked into the Kamakura JR station "conbini" (convenience store) tonight, I found this ... Heaven in a bag... mmmmmmmm

SNOW HELLO KITTY

It snowed last Sunday... a lot. I managed to carefully tread my way down to the beach. What would normally be an 8 minute walk ended up taking 20 minutes! But once I got there, here's what I found...

PS: it 's supposed to snow again today, but not as much.

12 things you probably don't know about me...

12. I have a comic book collection that includes: issues 1-34 of Spawn, issues 1-3 of Beavis and Butthead. No kidding!
11. I have a Disney watch collection that I started about 15 years ago.
10. I really like musicals. I even saw Carol Channing in San Diego during her final performances in "Hello Dolly!". I've also seen Phantom of the Opera (San Diego), Mamma Mia (London), and Beauty and the Beast (LA).
9. I don't laugh often and have been accused by my own mother of not having a sense of humor. So there!
8. I have never seen any of the Rocky movies. But I saw "The Deerhunter" and "Apocalypse Now" in the movie theater on Guam when I was about 9 or 10.
7. I have seen all of the Harry Potter movies and read all the books at least twice.
6. I learned how to shoot when I was 12. I was also the only kid I knew in high school who read "Guns and Ammo".
5. I don't like shopping malls, especially during the holidays. I would pick a boutique over a department store.
4. I once watched Pride and Prejudice, the miniseries, in one day.
3. I am a huge Harry Connick Jr. fan.
2. I took stats for my high school basketball team. Also, thanks to my buddy, Ed (Ed South), the only way I can sit through an entire baseball game is to take the stats.
1. I have probably loved my husband almost since the day I met him.

Leadership Letdown...

I belong to a couple of professional organizations related to my field of choice, healthcare administration. Unfortunately, due to "the mission", I haven't been to a conference since January 2006, when I was on the Kitty Hawk and another command funded the trip because I was on an operational "platform" (Navy speak for being stationed on a ship). My current command, which shall remain nameless, has funds set aside for professional training but it's doled out at the discretion of each individual's director. This year, my director said "I'm going because I have to go to maintain my Fellow status." Last year, the boss didn't let anyone go because funding was tight throughout the command. This year, one of my coworkers was able to get the tuition waived through the organization BUT the boss seems hesitant to let her go, even though the only cost to the command would be for travel. The request was submitted 2 weeks ago and returned without a definite course of action. Of course, the boss won't even be back for another week, which is a scant month before my coworker would have to travel to Congress in Chicago. (Yes, this Boss could be described as a TIU...see previous entry)

We all know the boss is going to network, although if cost was truly an issue, the boss could save the command funding by choosing to get the needed CEUs to recertify via online courses. My guess: poor planning or lack of opportunity over the last 3 years (the time between recertification) results in the use of government funding (at least $2000) to attend a 4 day party and get 12 credits. We know the boss isn't lying; it just seems that the boss could be a true leader and say something to our coworker like "I need to attend to recertify but I'll find the funding so you can too." What a letdown. (At the time of this writing, the boss is away for 2 weeks during the midst of the annual "business planning" time...1 week for another networking event that is masked as a conference in Washington DC and 1 week on leave. We're just tired of the excuses. Tell it like it is, Boss. If you're going to network, tell us. We've all been to the same conference in the past and heck, half the senior leaders aren't even in the conference sessions. They're mingling and having other meetings elsewhere. Why should you be any different?)

Personally, the last time I attended a ACHE event, I chose a 3 day focused "cluster" so that I could get the 12 credits in an efficient manner. It's not that I don't like going to a party paid for by someone else. It's just that I don't like wasting my time in courses that I may or may not like. The last couple of Congress seminars I attended was a good overall experience but I really only felt I benefitted from about 80% of the courses attended. I actually left one early because the speaker was so ineffective. (I went shopping at Nordstrom's for some running pants because I'd forgotten to pack a pair for the wintry 5K the next morning...) I haven't attended Congress since then and much prefer "more bang for the buck" type training. This year, I asked and received a waiver for an online course so that I could nibble away at my requirements for Fellow status...just in case I decide to remain a member of ACHE in 3 years. It's easier than trying to do it all at once!

TIUs: Thoughtless Individuals in Uniform

I've decided that after 17 years in military service, there are quite a few Thoughtless Individuals in Uniform. There are educated TIUs, mind you, but TIUs still the same. The worst sort of TIU is one who has gained power by virtue of rank. TIUs are recognized by actions, not words. The most clever of TIUs are those who speak with a forked-tongue... watch out for these sorts!

A TIU may exhibit the following characteristics, wholly or in combination:

• TIU Boss: Tends to give last minute "important" tasks to subordinates at the end of the day or week but leaves promptly at 1630 or earlier. Does not keep up with email communications and wastes time by requesting information or resends of emails because he/she didn't keep up with previous emails. Brings children to work but does not like it when subordinates might have to do the same. Climbs the corporate ladder without giving appropriate credit to subordinate for their contributions.
• TIU Ladder Climber: Throws peers and subordinates under the bus.
• TIU pseudo-family man/woman: Uses excuse that child is ill or child has a field trip (or some such excuse) to be out of the office with little to no warning to coworkers or boss.