Katrina

I know alot of people have written about the situation going on in the gulf. It''s very sad to see so many people affected by one storm.

Millions without power, no drinkable water, no where to go.

I hear about the looting going on, and the killing and am saddened even more. I can't begin to imagine how it would be to have to survive something like that. Having to wake up on a roof and pray that someone will finally come and rescue them.

Of course, there are those here - well away from the disaster - who now realize that it will affect them as well. Higher gas prices have hit, rumored to be $3.00 a gallon in the Northeast. These were numbers that were only heard about in California and places west.
At first I thought to myself, I am glad I don't drive. Which was a purely selfish thought on my part.

back to being unselfish - or try to go back to that. I know there are places to donate money to a relief cause. I shall (once I get my paycheck) donate what I can, then see if my son's new school can try to think up fundraising ideas to help out. Even if it's collecting pennies for a week. At least it's something.

Apartments

Trying to find an apartment in this area is probably one of the hardest things to do.

Unless you have money.

I don't have alot - so it's hard.

If you can afford a one bedroom apartment in Fairfield County CT - you are lucky. One Bedrooms are going for approximately $1100 a month to start. Most with no utilities included. This is before you add things like food and cable. And yes Cable is essential as there is no reception with out it. Also I like to have an internet connection, but even if I didn't cable with no frills runs at about $20 a month. That's with no movies at all.

I am thinking that most people looking for a 1 bedroom have no kids, this could make sense. But if one bedrooms are $1100 to start, most 2 bedrooms are $1400 - $1600 to start and it goes from there.

Even if you are pulling $35,000 a year, how can you afford anything if you have children.

so let's see how this works out:
$1100 a month for rent
that's $13200 a year

Utilities:
$110 a month - conservative figure
That's $1320 a year
say on groceries for an adult and a baby:
$200 a month - Very conservative
That's $2400 a year

Then basic cable at $20 a month
so that's a modest $240 a year.

so far we are at $17,160 and we have only the basics

Now with an infant there are those expenses that just add up like day care and clothing and doctor's visits.

And of course there are the stuff that you have to get yourself. And then the 401k plans and medical, dental long and short term life insurance.

Just seems a bit steep to me.

Well maybe I can look into studios.

Question on Lawyers

How do you go about finding a good lawyer?

Would you trust the recommendation of a friend or should you try the phonebook?

I guess I could ask my Father as he is a lawyer, but that doesn't necessarily mean that he knows any decent Family law attorneys in my area.

I know I need one. Just don't know what's the best way to do it.

Vacation Plans - revisited

Ok now I don't know what to do.

Just talked to my friends in SD and they say they are willing to pick me up from the Airport so we can still do Ren. Kyle wants to go to SD still because he is under the impression he will get to swim. Mind you I have said nothing about swimming what so ever.

So do I fly into MSP and have them pick me up and go to the Ren faire or do I just get tickets to Reno, and be a mooch?

I don't know if I like the idea of being a mooch. Even though my friend out there is the greatest.

And I want to see my friend in SD (well I want to hang with his girlfriend really).

hmmmm

what to do??

In other news ....The baby is kicking

oh wait I said that last week

oh well...

I'll think of something soon ;)

Vacation Plans

Finally travel plans that have nothing to do with work!

I told my son that we would be going on vacation in September back in June, so he's really been looking forward to it. I secured the days off from work and was just about to finalize the flights when I started hearing rumblings of a training class.
I was thinking, there is no way they would schedule training classes for the days I already have approved off right?? I mean they couldn't?! Well they did. I have to postpone leaving by two days.
Normally this wouldn't be a huge loss, but I had made plans to go to a Ren faire on the Saturday. This means I would have to fly in on the same day as the Ren faire...Not the best Idea.

So looks like my trip to South Dakota is scrapped. But! I got an offer to hang out with a friend in Nevada. And this way my son gets vacation, I get rest and my friend gets to see my son. I am thinking this may work.

Now....Trying to get tickets to Reno..... hmmmmm

ICE your phone

I have seen this lately on the news and on other blogs and think it's a great and easy idea to implement.

ICE - In Case of Emergency

Adding this to your contact list on your cell phone could help Emergency workers get much needed information if you are hurt in any kind of accident.

So ICE your phone.

I just did

Fluff Books

This is what I read on the way to work and home every night on the bus. Fluff books, to me, are any short book that I could probably finish in a few hours at home. A good romance novel series, or a James Patterson Novel (some may dispute Patterson, but I have read a Patterson novel cover to cover in 4 hours)

Why do I do this? Because I love to read. Lots of different things, Mystery , suspense (not so much), Lots of romance, Sci- Fi and Fantasy are some of the genres I enjoy.

I read the novelizations to movies sometimes and sometimes get to find out a load of information I knew nothing about and couldn't find out in the movie. A few good examples of this are Revenge of the Sith and Independence Day.

I have come to appreciate the value of a Fluff book. And I can say I am greeted warmly by my local bookstore in the mall every two to three weeks. Just love the Buy 4 get the 5th free paperback book sales :)

Just one Picture to Share

My friend scanned the Ultrsound pictures I had taken.

I'm hoping it comes out clear :)

Poem

I haven't written a poem in a while because I haven't felt that I had the words to express myself.

Looking back to one of the poetry sites I used to frequent, I saw a poem that I rewrote.

Called Love Changed.

The feeling of love had us soaring high above where nothing could touch us
No one could hurt or sever our connection
The cocoon that we created sustained us
hours upon hours, we spent oblivious to anyone

Slowly something seeped in,
a splinter of distrust peirced the cocoon
Then we fought more, screamed more
accused more and cried more

We said we forgave,
we worked to make things right
tried to hold on to what we thought we had.
we fooled ourselves saying it was better
but we had to realize that love changed.

To see that you moved on
to another who once called herself my friend,
The pain of parting was unbearable,
cutting deep and to the bone.

We said we would be there for each other
and remain in each others lives
but the pain of what had parted us
kept us from seeing any truth

Our love that we thought we had
has proven to be nothing but infatuation
and the pain that was caused by the heated words and callous fights
forever leave scars on a ever battered heart

Ultrasound

I had my ultrasound today. Saw the baby, the head, the feet (such cute tiny feet) the heart beating. It was very cool. The tech took mesurments and staed that by all the measurments, I am 18weeks 4 days along.
What I didn't expect was to have praise at how well everything was going. nothing looked bad at all in the pictures, the baby is heathly and active. And seemingly stubborn. Everytime the tech tried to capture a shot of his face, he would turn away. it was actually kind of funny.

Yes I said he. The tech is over 90% sure its' a boy. My son craked me up when I showed him the pictures, he said "Are you sure it's not a girl? I wanted a sister"
Geez can't please everyone.

Rantings of a Gen X Misanthrope

Rantings of a Gen X Misanthrope

Has a great post on Day of the Triffids - I should try to rent that one.

Heat

Yes, it's another day of above 90 degree heat. They say more then 2 days in a row it's considered a heat wave. It's been three - so it's a heat wave!

Now don't get me wrong, I know there are other parts of the country that are hotter. Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico all have temps in the triple digits. And that's hot...
I just need to whine about it here in the northeast.

it's HUMID!! It's so humid, you step outside for a second and moisture starts to form. And let's not mention the feeling of the wall you bang into by just walking out the door.

I feel for all of those who have to work outside. Maybe that's why my nurse said I should be drinking a gallon of water a day...hmmmm


1 more day till my ultrasound!

:)

Distractions

I find that I can get easily distracted sometimes, a former boss of mine said I was very good in crisis situations because I can see things that sometimes other people miss. But he also said that it seems I live for such times, the crisis situations.

I had to think on that for a bit. Mainly because it galled me to think he was right.

Going over the last week at work, I have noticed that I point out stuff that gets neglected and start asking "Is this done? And Why not?" then off to the next set of things that catches my attention. Am I working? Well yeah I am, I am facilitating things so that more work get accomplished. What's the problem with this? The fact that it makes me look like I am running around like a chicken with my head cut off most days.
I have come to realize that this may make me seem unproductive, due to the fact that my work isn't tangible.

Consulting with my supervisor isn't tangible, is it working yes, but it doesn't produce results right then. Arranging to get help for my department isn't tangible, does it help? Yes, eventually.
It makes me seem very distractable. Add to all this that phone calls come in from all over and that just increases the distractions ten fold.

My former Boss did tell me that I have Adult ADD, which maybe true - but then again I have to consider the source for that one.

Air France crash

Just heard about the crash in Toronto right before landing. What a scary sight to see. All those flames and smoke right off the runway and near the highway.

309 people reported on the plane - all survived

That's fantastic news!

Link to CNN coverage in title.