daily grind: May 2007 Archives

Sometimes it's difficult to really come to conclusions when you take a look at the way your site's traffic patterns play out. Generally speaking, my site doesn't really have as much traffic during the weekend as it does during the week. With that in mind, I'm going to prepare for a couple more business idea posts for next week so that by the end of next week I'll be in a position to make a decision.

The first part of this equation has already worked out. My son not only brought up his reading grade, but he also brought up all his other grades and brought home straight As. Admittedly, I'm not one of those kinds of parents that demands exceptional grades. He's normally a B student, but does outstanding work in math and a couple other subjects. Needless to say, he received the reward that I told him he'd get.

His new web site is up. He's started a couple blogs and a few forums for Runescape and other games. Stop by and check it out if you're interested. I'm hoping it works out well for him. That leaves my old domain open for me to do something with it since I'm still paying for the hosting. I hate wasting money so I need to get something going over there.

Anyway, I have a three day weekend so I'll be doing my best to enjoy it. I hope you do the same.

As life would have it, things change. Last week was no exception and my family is preparing for another change. My wife, who has worked for about 16 ( or so ) years as a nurse, has a new opportunity she has desired for quite some time. This opportunity has a few trade offs and benefits, however, as most do.

First off . . . my wife has generally only worked weekends. Monday thru Friday she never really had to get out of bed for any particular reason except to work on crafts or play Internet spades. However, in the event of a school break or a sick kid, there was always someone at home. That will change since her new job will require that she work daytime hours during the week.

Weekends . . . it was always kind of difficult to really enjoy the weekends as a family. With my wife at work every weekend we always had to schedule activities knowing that she would probably not be able to be there unless she managed to get the day off - without pay. It will be nice to be able to plan our weekends without that keeping us apart.

Will someone think of the children . . . In the past we only used day care right after my son was born. I was still an undergrad ( and working full-time ) and my wife worked 12 hour shifts as a nurse. So we used a part-time day care for those days we couldn't cover till my son was about 2 years old. When my daughter came along I had just started grad school and I stopped working to be Mr. Mom. We've never had the benefit of living near family, although I would much rather have family watch over my kids if I can't. Without jumping up on a soapbox, allow me to gripe about how expensive it can be. I'd love to write a long, bitchy post about how our society isn't set up to foster families . . . but what would be the point?

Overall, I expect it will have a positive effect on our household. Of course, some minor inconveniences along the way will rear their ugly head from time to time. But the one thing that I can expect is that we will always get through it. We always have. Above all my wife really deserved this. She's been a nurse working the floor, pushing pills, and dealing with the generous helping of crap that nurse's have thrust on them for a long time. She will now get her shot at being the boss - a Director of Nursing for an independent care facility. I fully expect her to rise to occasion.

No. I'm not posting about stormy weather, flooding, or any other natural disaster type stuff. I've been sick - like a damn dog - for the past few days.

I stayed home yesterday and slept the majority of the day. I went ahead and went to work today since I haven't accrued and sick days yet. David, my director, told me that I can go ahead and use sick time. I thought that was a pretty good deal.

However, this means I will start with a deficit and have to pay it back with any sick time I earn.

Thankfully I don't get sick very often.

As you read this I'm more than likely trapped inside my Jeep traveling west ( or quite possibly north ) on my way to North Platte, NE. My wife has family there and it's been quite a while since we've visited. As a matter of fact, I think the last time we were there my daughter was roughly two years old. She's nine now. The last time we were all confined to a moving vehicle for more than a couple hours the kids were six and four.

If there are any parents reading this then you probably know how that went:

"Give it back!!"
"No!"
"That's mine"
"Dad, tell him to give it back."
"Shut up! It's not yours. You gave it to me."
"I did not!" "Daaaaaaaaaaaaaad!!" And on and on and on and on.

Start cynical, fortywhat!!?? sarcasm

But this time, the kids are older and more mature. I'm quite sure we won't have any of that kind of stuff going on during our six and a half hour ( one way ) trip.

End cynical, fortywhat!!?? sarcasm

I'm brining a rubber mallet just in case.

I've not used the Scheduled Post option in Movable Type before, so we'll see how that works out since I scheduled this one for Saturday morning. As much as it may shock and surprise everyone I've been informed that there is, in fact, a Starbuck's in North Platte. Believe it or not! So I may very well be able to have my Venti White Chocolate Mocha and blog my little heart out.

Well it's been two days at the new job.

Thinking back on my last post . . . I believe I said something to the effect that, "I wasn't really excited." It's a good thing because I would have set the bar pretty high and I'd probably be a bit disappointed by now. The only excitement I've seen in the past two days was today around 3pm. Without any warning whatsoever, an alarm begins wailing. It was if someone had pulled up right outside the door to my community office in a police car with the siren piercing the normally quiet office environment.

Evidently there was a tornado warning for the city of Topeka and a few surrounding communities. We were led out into the hallway where the alarm was much louder and continued for what seemed like forever, but it was probably around five minutes. After 45 minutes we were finally given the all clear. As people began to file out at either end of the hallway, I decided to take this picture with my cell phone. It's a bit grainy, but it gives you an idea of what it might have been like down there.


I haven't really said a lot about where I work, but suffice it to say that it is a public place.

Given the threat of tornadoes this time of the year, the response is to take anyone in the building and on the property into the basement hallway as well. If a non-employee decides they do not want to seek shelter in the basement, they must abandon the property entirely. Since my office, well . . . my cubicle that is . . . which happens to be in a "room", is in the basement and has no windows I have no idea why I need to go stand in the hallway. But, I've only been there for two days, so I won't start bitching just yet.