Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Overwhelmed

I realized something today. Well, I suppose I've known it for a while, but I just managed to put it into actual words today. 


Between work and politics and home and Shrike and preparing for Peeper and planning for paying the bills once Peeper's here and growing Peeper and oh-my-God-Christmas-is-looming, I am doing way too much. 

And I'm really not doing any of it very well, at all. 

I've somehow managed to get myself on the wrong side of the powers that be at work twice in two days. And I wasn't even there yesterday. 

I've got several people taking up slack for things I ought to be doing for this election that's happening in holy-shit-two-weeks. 

Shrike's doing pretty much everything around the house (although that's not really news). 

We should probably get Peeper's crib assembled, huh? And buy a mattress for it. (I've actually got high hopes for a shower guest coming through with that!) And what's this I hear about packing a bag for the hospital? 

I've got things almost arranged to work for Learning Center Online, but the hours they are offering are all while Shrike is at work. How the fuck do I do that? 

Last night, I finally did some research and applied for a few other similar positions, but some of them seemed a bit fly-by-night. 

And we absolutely must figure out what our Christmas budget is, so we can get crack-a-lackin' on the shopping and get it done before Peeper gets here.

But, you know, blogging and such is a much more productive use of my time than any of that stuff.

9 comments:

  1. Just a couple of thoughts...

    As to the election, instead of "holy-shit-two-weeks" how about "I can cross that off my list in just two weeks?" And if you have someone willing to take up that slack, for goodness sake, LET THEM and don't feel bad about it, you are eight months pregnant. THAT is a get out of jail free card.

    Concerning work, any chance that those doctors of yours think that it is time for actual maternity leave, rather than just reduced hours?

    As for the Learning Center Online issue, if you don't find other viable options, what would it cost to have a teenage Mother's Helper there to help out? They don't have to be someone you would trust to leave Peeper with while you are actually gone, just someone to keep her happy and quiet while you are occupied.

    Now Christmas... I don't know, I'm still in denial there myself, can we just postpone it about six months or so?

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  2. All good points, LK.

    Election - I'm trying to look at it that way. There's sure a lot to be done in that two weeks, though!

    (Hmmm, perhaps I should be suspicious of any "Eh, don't sweat the election," advice coming from you, anyway ;-) )

    And, I do recognize how much of a help it is to have people taking up slack, especially the paid staffer from the Obama campaign, whom I've just let pretty much take over everything.

    If we'd not convinced them to work out of our office, he would be running his own dhow in a much more expensive space down the street, without my help in rounding up volunteers, anyway.

    I've decided that I have to buy him a gift of some sort when this is all over.

    I already talked to a mutual friend, who suggested a good bottle of gin.

    (Bombay Sapphire - Hey, it's Democrat Blue!)

    Now, I just have to send Shrike to the liquor store to get it, since Peeper and I might get some dirty looks.

    And, as I was telling Shrike last night, I do think people are pretty understanding about how little I'm around.

    To be honest, my work schedule has a bigger impact on my availability, but if being 8 months pregnant (almost) is what makes them understanding, then I'll go with that.

    Work/Disability - I'm pretty sure I explained it clearly when I talked to Dr. B, but maybe not. I'm hoping the form issue was just an oversight. I need to call them today.

    LC Online - We've discussed that possibility, and it mostly seems like a good idea.

    The big catch there is that I'll only be making $10/hour, so I'm not sure how much of that I can afford to give to a "mother's helper."

    Someone did suggest that I ought to look into finding a "little Mennonite girl."

    That surprised me, because the Mennonites are quite conservative, so I wasn't so sure how we would go over with them, but she said she and her partner live near several Mennonite families, and their teenage girls love to babysit for them, and they (and their parents) have no problem with the fact that their kid has two moms.

    And, they are very hard workers, she's probably helped raise several younger siblings, and she might bake us something while Peeper is sleeper :-)

    Christmas -
    I'm making you a niece / grandchild / cousin / daughter. What more do you people need?!?

    (I kid. I actually enjoy picking out gifts, we just need to get to the point where we can start.)

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  3. Congratulations! You are pregnant. That is the problem. It will all work out. Nature herself will end it all in a few weeks, perhaps aided by the OB doc. When do you start your Let other people help carry you for now. I know it is a lot on Shrike, but she loves you and will take care of you. Just hang on a little longer. And Christmas will be about 2 days late for us and we can use even those 2 days. This too shall pass.

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  4. (Hmmm, perhaps I should be suspicious of any "Eh, don't sweat the election," advice coming from you, anyway ;-) )

    Just relax... step away from the polls...

    Seriously, at this point, you think he could lose?

    I am going tomorrow to cancel out Annonymama's vote though. ;D

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  5. LK said: "Seriously, at this point, you think he could lose?"

    Well, I sure hope you're right about that but, as my Congressional candidate was saying in a speech just this week, "My football coach taught us that you never play with your eye on the scoreboard."

    I think the only way Obama could lose is if a bunch of folks think he can't lose, so they don't bother to go vote.

    So, that's what we're spending the next 13 days doing - bugging the hell out of those people to make sure that doesn't happen!

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  6. "I am going tomorrow to cancel out Annonymama's vote though. ;D"

    Done. And Frappa has already canceled out Anonydaddy. I don't think Kiddo #1 has made it to the polls yet, but I am not certain who he is voting for, last I heard it was Ron Paul.

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  7. Work / Disability (more):
    Upon re-reading, I see what LK was saying there.

    Not "maybe your doc thinks you're talking about a month from now," but rather, "maybe your doc will let you quit work now."

    Oh, that would be sweet if I could work it out.

    The bosses would probably be thrilled, actually, to get me off the payroll.

    Not holding my breath for it, though.

    For now, I'll be happy if I can get them to fill out the damn form correctly, so I can get some benefits for the short schedule I'm working now.

    (Going to 2 days/week starting this week!)

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  8. Correction, from a few comments up:

    That should be "while Peeper is sleepING" not "Peeper is sleeper."

    Although Peeper/sleeper is pretty cute.

    I'm sure we'll find a way to work it into our baby vocabulary.

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  9. LK - I'd heard that Kiddo1 voted for Ron Paul in the primary, but is he planning to write him in for the General?

    I think that's a damn fine idea, actually.

    :-)

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