Small work rant (that may turn into a large work rant)

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One of my bosses at work (who is a female, by the way) absolutely HATES when people take time off work. I think she has a complex that she works harder than everyone else and everyone else is a slacker compared to her. She complains whenever someone had PTO scheduled and makes comments like "Well, they really shouldn't take PTO before an exam." And "Well, they really shouldn't take PTO after an exam," and "Well, they really shouldn't take PTO in the month of August." She hates it when people stock up on PTO and then take a 2 week vacation (although she just did it last month). She makes totally inappropriate comments like "Well, I guess it's ok that she take two weeks off since she is going on vacation with her family." Hey, it's personal time off of work. You don't get to JUDGE whether it is appropriate or not. If I want to take all my PTO days to sit around the house alternating getting drunk and nursing a hangover, that's my own business. (I would personally pick at least a different locale to do that though. Getting drunk around the house for 3 weeks would be pretty boring.) This woman also emailed me (expecting a response) last summer when I was in Hawaii for a week. I actually DID get the email because email was the only way I was in touch with Lee on the ship. But, to EXPECT people to respond when you KNOW they're in Hawaii. Come on.

Anyway, that initial rant is just background to what is happening now. Obviously, if this woman hates PTO so much, she REALLY hates maternity leave. She has two kids and brags about the fact that with her second child she returned to work after three days. I personally don't think that is something to brag about.

She has been giving me a hard time about my upcoming maternity leave since she first found out about my pregnancy. This is clearly not "right" (or legal). Especially since... This is going to be shocking... She is in charge of our Human Resources department!!!! I can't think of a better person for THAT role (insert heavy sarcasm).

Anyway, at first she just kept complaining because I hadn't informed her of when I would be out on maternity leave. Um, you know my due date and I said that I planned to work up until the baby came... Beyond that, you might need to ask God & the baby.

Then she was asking me disapprovingly how much time I planned to take off. Full 12 weeks baby! I don't care if you like it or not. It's the law.

Now that I am down to (hopefully) one more full week of work, things are ramping up. Yesterday she wrote an email saying that a project "of mine" was near the deadline and was concerned that I hadn't worked on it. I wrote her back to tell her 1) I was not assigned to that project (listing the people who ARE) and 2) the project doesn't even BEGIN until July 1st. IN YOUR FACE!

Today she has been asking if I have transitioned one of our common clients to the person that is taking over for me. I have sent him a 3 page (single space), DETAILED to the point that it makes me nauseous, explanation of what he will need to do for the client. And she was Cc'd on the email. Yet, she is still harrassing me that "THIS TRANSITION MUST BE SEAMLESS." Well, to be honest, I've done what I can do to help this guy, and at some point, I just can't be held accountable if he totally screws the pooch on the client.

SO, at this point, I am SO ready to just get the hell out of here and have this baby and not check my work email. (Or check it but not respond. Haha!) Sorry for the huge novel. I commend you if anyone actually made it through the entire thing. But, if nothing else, it made me feel a lot better. Although, these are the days that a Bud Light would be even better than a hateful blog!

Back to work. Urgh. Hurry up baby!

Nothing much is new here...

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Sorry for the lack of posts, other than to talk about television. Things are rather dull around here. I am no longer commuting in to Chicago. It's a huge relief since I was scared to death of going into labor up there. However, it gives me a lot of "home time". My big outtings usually include trips to CVS or walks around the neighborhood. Neither of these really create much to blog about.

We're closing in on 10 days from my due date (tomorrrow). The doctor told us that she would not let me go more than a week past my due date. Thank goodness. (Sorry Reuter, no June baby!) At least there is an end in sight. This little girl seems awfully comfortable. And Lauren is getting LARGER.......

This weekend is Mother's Day. Don't forget folks! We're going to Monticello to see Lee's mom, Lafayette to see my mom, and Kokomo to see my grandma. Quite the triangle of Indiana fun! But, I'm not-so-secretly hoping that all plans are called off due to having to go pop out a baby.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all the mothers out there. And to everyone else. Happy Friday!

What has Lee been watching?

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I'm sure this has been a question on everyone's mind since we gave up ESPN, HGTV, the History Channel, etc: What has Lee been watching? Some of the shows, I think, are slightly better than the hours of Sportscenter he had been logging.

However, some of the shows are a little worrisome...

Good shows:
The news
Family Feud - LOVE the Feud!
Cash Cab - Lee is scary good at this show. I think he needs to start cabbing around NYC trying to get on this show. Unfortunately, cabbing around NYC is super expensive.
Doing Davinci - other than the name (did they really have to call it that?), this is pretty educational and interesting.

Worrisome:
The Lake County news show - worst news show ever, it is painful to watch. I'm pretty sure there are junior high news shows produced by the students that are better than this!
TMZ - Oh. My. Gosh. I don't even know who half the "celebrities" are that they talk about on this show.
Time Warp - there is nothing really wrong with this show. I just think it is boring. How many things can you watch in slow motion. Really?
Lots of nature shows - which is good for him, but I hate them because I don't like watching animals die.

TBL - Who you gonna vote for?

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Personally, I think this episode was kind of a lot of fluff. All the contestants went home for 30 days. Reuter thinks this is because they overlapped seasons and they had to wrap up the prior season finale. Either way, I think it was a little silly. Why go home for 30 days RIGHT before going home for good? If the 30 day break had been more in the middle, it might be a novel idea, but right before they go home for good?

Anyway, here is a breakdown of the episode:

1. They all return home. Did anyone else notice that either Ron & Mike actually had different limos or else the show tried hard to make it look like they did? Why would they take two different limos to the same place. Silly.
2. Everyone gets home to big celebrations. Speech speech, etc. Ron & Mike start trying to work on Mike's brother Max (who is bigger than Mike and younger!). Tara is nervous about hanging out with her friends and not drinking and gorging on 1/2 price bar appetizers (yum, wings). And did you notice, Helen's daughter is still looking pretty large? Way to go Helen. You're all skinny at the cost of your daughter's health. Mother of the year.
3. The contestants get a box on their porch again. No cookies this time. Darn. But, the DVD announces their challenge. To run a MARATHON this time. This just seems like a bad idea. A marathon takes much more time to train for than just 30 days! I won't go into it more than that, but Reuter has a lot more to say...
4. Jillian & Bob make visits to all of the contestants at their homes. This takes a lot longer for Jillian since she has 3 and Bob only has Ron left. (Good luck Bob.) But, fortunately, Helen, Mike & Ron all live near Detroit.
5. Jillian talks to Mike about letting go of his quest to "fix" his brother. Max has to want to do it himself.
6. Jillian talks to Tara & Helen about life balance. When Helen was talking about how busy her life was, I kind of was annoyed. She was like "I have my husband and my family..." Um, ok. Your kids are grown. Your husband just handled life without you for 17 weeks. What exactly is so taxing here? It's not like that one chick that went home to her 500 young children (on the yellow team). Jillian actually made both Tara & Helen have a drink. Helen looked like she was scared to death of her glass of wine. Little bit different than when they were on their spa getaway! And Tara, she just has the most addictive personality. From overeating, to overdoing it on the workouts. She just can't do anything in moderation. I guess it is good she got addicted to food and not crack.
7. Bob visited Ron and took Ron & Max to the gym. He gave Max a good workout. Then he helped him a little with his nutrition. He had Max go get a "normal" meal. He brought back a double cheeseburger, large fries and a milkshake. Yum! Good choice! Bob showed him what 600 calories of that would be. It still looked tasty. Max seemed to respond really well to Bob. It was good to see.
8. Time for the marathon. Each contestant was running for $10k to donate to the charity of their choice. Along the marathon route, there were people waiting to run with the contestants. First it was family members. Then it was past contestants. They had Bernie, Ali, Michelle, a couple others, and HEBA. Why did they have her? She is not even likeable! Mike had injured his hip training for the marathon, so he had to walk it. Just like his big poppa. (Although, he was walking much faster.)
9. Tara & Helen finished in pretty good time! Tara was under 5 hours! Mike was much slower because he was walking, but he still finished. Ron had a TON of trouble along the way. At one point they were taking his blood and making him eat stuff. I thought he was going to flat line. His hands were shaking like crazy! I expected him to throw in the towel like he did on the 1/2 marathon. But, Ron really impressed me and he pushed through. I think the fact that all of the former contestants were walking with him helped a lot. He was holding all the girls' hands. Mmmmhmmm. Ron was liking that.
10. Ron finally finishes and Mike is there crying. Then the brown team + Max stand there crying and hugging. They're a tearful bunch.
11. They all get their $10k checks. I kind of wish TBL had shown who they decided to donate the money too. I wanted to know!
12. At the weigh-in, the contestants put up some numbers that would be pretty good for them if it was a week. But, this was 30 days! Yes, it was 30 days at home, but still...
13. A total nightmare to team brown, Mike & Ron fall under the yellow line together. Just like last season when Heba fell under the line with her husband, Ron begs for America to vote for his son. Mike says to vote for either of them. Last season it was hilarious how everyone ignored Heba's husband and didn't vote for Heba. Haha! I don't think this time will be the same. Mike is much more likeable than Heba!

I already voted (for Mike). I want Tara to have some competition. VOTE HERE!

Oh, and apparently, Lee is a Tara-hater as well. Last night while she was on one of her rants about how she thought she couldn't do something but then she did, Lee was like "Everytime she starts talking, I get the urge to change the channel." Best quote of the night!

Can't wait for the finale next week! Lee doesn't think that anyone is going to end up "super buff" this season. I think he'll be surprised. Some people I really want to see:

* Daniel & David

* Joelle (I hope she's fat. That is so mean to say, but man she was the worst!)

* Kristin

* Nicole (the black chick that came back to the ranch momentarily)

Locks of Love - The hair has been chopped!

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Yesterday was the big hair cutting day for Locks of Love. I wasn't smart enough to make an appointment anywhere (that would require planning). When I found out that it happened to be prom weekend around Lafayette, I was a little concerned that it might not happen....

But, I found a woman that was willing to take one last haircut for the day just a few blocks from my mom's house. Sweet!

BEFORE
AFTER

The woman ended up cutting off ELEVEN inches of hair to send to Locks of Love. I have to admit, I had a couple moments of panic when I saw how short the initial cut was. Then, as she started to trim it up and style it, there were more inch-long clumps of hair flying everywhere. I was definitely concerned. But, I am happy with the short haircut. It's going to be great this summer!

The cut hair goes in the mail tomorrow. Hopefully it'll make a fine wig for some kid!

A few pics from the Beas baby shower...

Some decor...
I love brownies!!!

Cousin Tyler chugs his beer...

Cousin Jamie chugs!

I think i finally figured out the pics!

I CAN BLOG FROM MY PHONE NOW! And sadly, this is the most productive thing i've done this afternoon... Sorry work!!

Dear baby,

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COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT COME OUT!

Thank you for your cooperation!

Love,
Your mom

Too cool for school

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