Update on life...

Work is pretty good. I have only one complaint and since it's only one, I can live with it. I get to go home every day at 4:30, I earn a vacation and a sick day every month, and I don't think about work once I leave the joint; so it can't be too bad. It's just one of my co-workers. Sadly, there are only 7 of us in the whole office, so I see her pretty often. I don't mind seeing her and most days she's fine; but there are days that she's a real bitch and those days I could do without. Sadly, she's only that way with me and the other secretary. She comes across very gruffly all the time to myself and the other secretary as well as the man in our office. You guessed it, it's SUB. LOL

The way I look at it is this...she's the only stress I have in my job (besides when I may make an error - hey, I'm human, it happens). I can live through anything for 7.5 hours (which is as long as my day lasts at work). Most days, I don't even have any interaction with her, so I'm GREAT!

I think my bosses are trying to get me into the event planning side of our office. I don't want to plan events. I enjoy and love what I do. I'm good at what I do. I'm great on the phone, I'm great with people, and I'm extremely organized. That's what I'm ALWAYS hired for. It's what I do. It's what I love. That's just me. I don't have to have a higher paying job. Hell! With the higher pay comes higher stress and longer work hours. With the higher pay, I'd be worried and thinking about work when I'm at home. Been there. Done that. Bought the t-shirt...and BURNED it! I'm done with all that crap. I don't need it. I don't want it. I love my life the way it is. I love that my stress level is pretty non-existent. It's taken me 39 years to get to this point and I'm here to stay. Screw the higher pay. Life, family, and peace of mind are so much more important to me than a bigger paycheck.

Regarding weight...I've finally broken through my plateau. Actually, I've finally found something I love to do that is considered exercise. I'm finally off my lazy ass and moving my body. I actually look forward to working out now. It's amazing. This wonderful equipment is the Nintendo Wii Fit.

My husband's work gives them $300 each year toward the purchase of a gym membership or piece of home gym equipment. One of the guys he works with sent in his receipts for the wii and wii fit and received the $300 back. If it's good enough for an insurance company to be counted as in-home gym equipment, it's good enough for me.

I started using the Wii Fit on the 7th of this month. I have already lost 3 pounds. I've already used the Wii Fit for 6 hours and 12 minutes. Amazing. That's the most exercise I have done since I was on sports teams in high school. WooHoo! I actually do look forward to working out each day. I look forward to it all during work. I LOVE the Wii Fit. I've been looking for an exercise that is easy enough for me to do even on days that my arthritis is acting up; but I also wanted something that would hold my interest. Usually, exercises start to bore me after doing them just two or three times. The Wii Fit is the BEST exercise machine EVER!!!

K and K2 are doing great. K2 seems to think that everyone is her personal jungle gym. She crawls over all of us. All.The.Time. She's also under the assumption that if she's awake, everyone else should be, too. If she sees that someone near her is sleeping, she'll crawl over and slap them in the face. HARD. If that doesn't work, she'll pull your hair. HARD. She's adorable. She still smiles all the time! Absolutely amazing!

Dickens is still the spoiled dog he ever was. He knows he's loved and, to us, that's the most important thing. Not sure if I've mentioned this before, but I fully believe that we saved Dickens. There was an ad in the paper stating that they had poodles on sale for $50. First of all, he is NOT a poodle. He is a Bichon Frise. They stubbed his tail so they could pass him off as a poodle. I knew he wasn't a full poodle because I had one when I was a kid. They also told us that he was champagne colored. Once we gave him a bath, he was white as a ghost. They definitely did not take good care of these dogs.

When we got him, he wouldn't let any man get anywhere near him (including H). He growled and barked at everything. He wouldn't go near anyone but me. Nine years later, he is a completely different dog (even my dad says he's nothing like he was when we first got him). He will now go up to just about anyone and nudge them until they start petting him. He's a sweetie. The only problem now is that he always thinks he has to guard me, but I totally understand it. I was the first person that showed this poor animal some love. The day we first got him, we stopped at a pet store to get a bowl, bed, leash, collar, and all the things a new dog needs. I stayed outside with him while H went into the store. dickens obviously had never had a collar on before the one those idiots put on him for us to take him home. They named him Fred, by the way. How boring. My first teddy bear was named Fred (yes after the Flintstones, I was 4). Anyway, poor Dickens got his paw stuck in the collar. When I tried to help him get it out, he bit me. He didn't break skin or draw blood, but it freaked me out and scared me a bit. I looked at him and said, "Fine, you can sit there until Daddy comes out of the store." He hobbled around on three paws until H came out of the store and got it out.

From that day on, Dickens was mine. He hasn't been far away from me ever since. I am the one he feels he has to guard. At.All.Times. By the way, I had the name picked (after the author) long before I had the dog. He's my baby and always will be.

I hope you're all having a great week. Until later...