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| - The Age Of AquariusSo, I really have no other explanation for why I haven't posted in almost a YEAR. To those of you who check regularly, I apologize for the lack of posting. Work, play, family, kids, etc...you get the drift...
SO, my last post had me changing jobs. I've been at the new insurance company for almost a year, and I cannot believe it's been that long! I really enjoy my job, and this company is TOPS. You can really see the difference in overall treatment/value of the employees when you come from something so horrible and move into something so great, my only regret is not moving over there sooner! I'm due for a review, and I'm a shoe-in for a raise...I'll keep you posted!
The family is good...we've hit a few very rough spots, rough enough to make me question a lot of things, but things work themselves through, and it's back to "normal", whatever that is.
My health has been great, last winter I had another attack of this "lymph node infection thing"...and my doc wanted me to have a thyroid ultrasound. I did, and it did show a TAD enlarged, but nothing crazy. She said that I should probably have a biopsy, which she recommended in December, and it's July and it hasn't happened yet. Can you tell I'm dragging my feet? My blood sugar was a touch high, and my cholesterol was a touch higher than she'd like it, and my BP was also elevated. I promised her that I was starting a "health routine", and that I would see her in a few months to check things. She worries about diabetes, and so do I, but I also know what I can do to bring those numbers down.
So, at the end of April, I started to go back to water aerobics after a 2 year hiatus. I was probably the most in shape fattie you'd meet, I was going 3-4 times a week, I was an animal! Why did I stop? Well, I hurt my knee, and since the pool doesnt' have stairs, I had to struggle with the internal wall ladder. I did it, but would cramp up so badly, that I just decided it wasn't worth the stress, so I stopped. Pride stopped me from asking if there was some kind of "rigging' we could do with step stools, etc. So, at any rate, I started back with a friend of mine (she was having HUGE mobility problems, having been pulled out of work for 6 weeks due to edema in her thighs), so we agreed to help each other out of that pool.
Imagine to my surprise, when I mentioned it to my little gay friend, who also is the water fitness coordinator, that this was a problem, he said "I know what to do", he stacked a few aerobic steps on top of each other, and make a little set of "stairs" for us! We were out of that pool lickety split! So, with the pressure off, I'm now an aerobics queen again, and can I tell you how much better I feel? I can actually go to Walmart and hike around the store without feeling like I'm going to die. My back/hips were so out of shape, that I was in miserable pain, but it's so much better now. AND...I gave blood recently, and was anxious to see my BP. The time I attempted to give prior to this one, my BP was 158/98, so they wouldn't take my blood! But, that was before I started exercising (oh yeah, and lost about 20 lbs), so I was very excited to give. Well, they took the pressure, and it was 126/86!!!! Hell, I'd love to have my labwork done to see what improved! So, all in all, I'm feeling great!!!
Aside from that, nothing much is going on. OH...I am competing in the Colgate Country Showdown in a couple weeks. There is a local radio station having the local edition of the big show, and the winner of this one, goes to the NYS Balloon Festival to compete for the Regional competition. I'm in the process of choosing songs now...I HATE THIS PART. This is the critical stage, and the wrong song choice can spell death. Wish me luck!
Ok...I've got to go...I'll hopefully get back here before the competition,but certainly after to let you know how it works out!
Thank you for the continued interest!!! | | |
| - Dreamboat Annie Here it is the end of July. Where have I been? Oh..around about town. Living every day. I can't make excuses why I haven't updated, I just don't have any other than the fact that I've been lazy. Thats it, just lazy.
My last posting was before I went to the Region 16 competition with my Sweet Adelines group, Capitaland Chorus. What an experience! I'm going to attempt to post a picture of us on stage, and it might not work, so I'll include the link:
http://www.photoreflect.com/scripts/prsm.dll?eventorder?photo=019P00BC000330&start=0&album=0&adjust=-1
Ok..can't post it, but you can see it there, we are the group in the lovely red and purple outfits. If you look closely, I am on the first riser step, on the left hand side of the picture, 2nd one in. The one with the fat legs poking out of her skirt! It was a great time and we won The Gold Medal!!! We are the queens of Region 16 and that qualifies us to sing at the International Competition in New Orleans in October 2005. We were so good! I am very proud to be a part of the chorus.
So, new topic. I'm changing jobs. I've been at my job for 2.5 years and love the company, it's not the COMPANY's fault I'm leaving, its the management staff that my department has that is the reason I'm leaving. I'm going to work for another insurance company, one that is located 4 blocks from my house! No commute, no gas every week, hour long lunches, free benefits, what more could I ask for!?!? Well, more money, but that will come with time. It's been pretty stressful lately, and work is becoming more and more frustrating. I had my exit interview today and basically told HR that the "promotions that the mangement staff give are arbitrary and it depends on where you worked before and if you worked with THEM before, that will depend on whether you get promoted". I was not "postal" with her, but I was very honest and told her what things that were troubling me. She did say that the "door swings both ways, and that if something happens, the door is open". Nice, but you could have counter offered me when I resigned 2 weeks ago to keep a great employee. Stupid people. Now a new company will benefit from having my fat ass in one of their chairs every day and doing my job to the best of my ability!
Ok...I suppose I could go on about other things, but I'm wasted. Not THAT kind of wasted, but just tired. I'm going to sign off with the ever present promise to be back more often. Yeah, I'll break it, but you love me anyway.
Hope all is well with all of you that care to read this stuff! Happy Summer!
Stacie | | |
| What month is it!?!? April? Where did March go? I'm so frigging busy lately, I'm lucky that I can remember my name, never mind the month.
Ok..so let me fill you in on what I've been spending my time on. Work. Well, thats a given, but we are back on mandatory overtime. Yeah, I know, no such thing as "mandatory", right? Well, they can't actually enforce it, but come review time, they'll throw that shit right back at you and rip you for not being a "team player'. Whatever, so I put my 8 hours a week, working 6 days a week, sometimes 7 depending on what I've done during the week and keep my mouth shut. Thats the work thing.
I can't believe that I haven't told you what else is occupying my time. In November, I joined a women's Barbershop Chorus, we're called Capitaland Chorus, and we are a local chapter in Sweet Adelines International, 30,000+ members worldwide. Sounds prestigious, huh? It's so much fun, but damn, its so much work! We rehearse every Thursday evening, 7-10, and we are working right now on the Region 16 competition in Syracuse, NY at the end of the month. Apparently, they won the Region in 2002 and that qualified them for the International Competition in Phoenix, where they placed 14th, no one in our region had EVER placed before, so it was huge.
So, if any of you are familier with Barbershop, or this group, it's unlike any other choir I've ever sung with. We don't just stand there, there is movement, and actual choreography and so involved! Not only was it tough to get in to the chorus(audition, word/note perfect, then to be voted in by board), then you have to actually "qualify" on each and every song they perform, and you can't stand on the risers and sing with them until you are qualified. I've never been judged so precisely in all my life. I've won competition after competition, sang and thousands of events, and don't get HALF as nervous as I do when I have to qualify. So, you can tell this is not just any chorus.
Now, I've got to concentrate on make up. We actually have a "class" tomorrow to learn how to apply the makeup. All the women in the chorus, about 50-75, all wear the same base, same color blush, eyeshadow, lipstick,nail polish and earrings. Everything must be uniform across the risers or the eye is thrown off. Bizarre, but I've seen the videos and they look great. Here is a link to our group:
http://www.capitalandchorus.com
And, I get the fun, red outfit on the front page, which I love! I'll let you all know how we do, but in the meantime, I've got to go and prepare for the long day tomorrow: work, buy final make up, then make up class at 7pm. Then Thursday, it's work til 4:30, nail appt, then rehearsal til 10pm.
Oy, vey, I get tired just thinking about it!
I'll be back soon, thank you all for reading!
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| - Because The Night Another month gone....well, I suppose it IS only February, and it's so short, it hardly counts anyway..LOL.
What has been going on you might ask? Not much at all. Work, work, and more work. I had a mini flip out the other night when I came home from work. My husband asked how my day went. Big mistake. I started to tell him about an incident with a coworker and our supervisor and started to cry uncontrollably!!  I guess it was out of frustration of seeing so many things go wrong, and people say that they are going to get them fixed, but they never do, and I can't argue with them anymore. I've fought the law, and the law won. Boils down to my needing to go to a manager and spilling my guts on what I see going on here, and praying that it doesn't get held against me in the long run. We'll see...
Lately, we've been traveling frequently to some BBW dances in Massachusetts. My friend Heather runs the Heavenly Bodies group out of MA, and we've been having so much fun the last couple months, going about twice a month. Gives us a chance to go "out" and have a few cocktails and then just wander down the hall to our room. We love to go and dance and socialize, I like to hang out with all my fat girl friends and my husband likes to look at them, so it's a win/win situation. IF you are a big girl, or a person who likes big girls or boys, you should definitely check it out: http://www.superbbw.com
So, it's Leap Day. I've never understood this day, and probably never will. Oh, I mean, I know that it's to regulate the calendar and all, but I just keep thinking of all the people that have been born on this day, and it sucks that they only get a TRUE birthday once every 4 years! I love my birthday, MAY 23RD for all of you who are inclined to send a card...LOL
I've joined a womans barbershop chorus called Sweet Adelines, our chapter is called Capitaland Chorus. Its so much fun, and I had forgotten how much I love to sing and harmonize. We've got a competition coming up in Syracuse at the end of April, and its the Region 16 contest, and I cant wait! We've all got the same costumes, same everything, down to the make up and shoes. We all look like little cupie dolls in our red and purple costumes. One of the songs we are singing is "Hard Hearted Hannah"...and we will SO rock those judges. I'm probably one of the youngest women in the chorus, where the average age is 45, but I'll tell you what, these ladies can SING! I've got the best director, she graduated from Julliard, so she's one of the best. I'll let you all know how it comes out.
I guess thats about all for now, busy as always, but I'll try to make it back here soon!
Thanks for listening and have a great day!
Stacie
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| I know, I know....it's been too long! For all my good intentions, you would think that I'd be here every day, but there simply aren't enough hours in the day.
Work is work. I work customer service for a company who handles mental health and substance abuse claims, so this means that I'm on the phone from 8am-4:30 pm, 5 days a week. I get bitchy providers wanting their money, I get nasty members wanting their money. I get the callers who think this is the worst insurance in the world. On the flip side, I also get people who are very grateful that they even HAVE mh/sa coverage on their policies. My last call of the day yesterday was from "Mary"(of course the name has been changed). Mary started off by telling me that she wanted to know about substance abuse benefits. I asked her if it was rehab or detox, and I heard the sniffling and she choked out "detox". My immediate thought was "oh boy, here's a crisis call". I paused and asked her if she was ok, she says "No!" and starts to sob. I hate these kinds of calls because they break my heart. I immediately switch from Customer Service mode to Mom, softening my tone and get her ID #. She manages to get it to me and I ask her what does she want to detox from. I'm hoping it's just booze, I'm praying it's just booze. Not that booze is "easier", but I guess I just see it as less taxing on the person. Nope, n ot booze, "Mary" says through hysterical crying "Cocaine"...My heart dropped because I know it's taken every ounce of sober thought to get her to make this call. By now, she's sobbing so hard and rambling on, I get her to listen to me and I ask her if she's alone: she' not (thank god), and then I have to ask her if she's suicidal. That will determine the crisis level of this call. Thankfully, she's not. I start to tell her I'm going to help her as best I can and get her the help she needs. She's crying so hard, but I can make out her words..."THank you so much! I'm so ashamed!"...I tell her that she should not be ashamed because she just made a very hard decision to get some help, and that is a big step. She just kept thanking me over and over again, I'm feeling as helpless as a kitten and all I could do was get her to calm down a little and transfer her to a nurse clinician that can help her. Last call of the day and it's haunted me ever since.
I love my job, but it's those calls that make me realize that my life is pretty good. I get calls all the time from people who have severe psych disorders, drug problems and people who are just plain f*cked up. I thank God that I have a home, good husband, good kids, a good job, and a stable mental status with no addiction to any substance. When I get calls from people like Mary, it breaks my heart that there are people that have lived a lifestyle in which through a series of events leads them to drugs, and depending on them so badly that they cannot break away from them. Dont' get me wrong, I've done my share of experimenting (never anything stronger than speed), so I'm not a prude. I guess I just don't have that addictive personality that some people have. I feel for those people out there that do, and when you (if you are reading this and have a problem)feel the urge to stop the insanity, I urge you make the step to make your life better.
I didnt' start this out to depress anyone, but that call really bothered me. Thanks for listening!
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On a brighter note: It's SUPERBOWL SUNDAY!!!!! I have a friend in Massachusetts that is a big boy, and in the course of conversation last weekend, found out that he's got a Minnesota Vikings jersey that he's willing to part with. Imagine my luck! He said he'll mail it to me because he doesn't really wear it , and after hearing me bitch and moan about not being able to find one big enough, he did! Its wicked cute and I'm going to shoot a set of pictures for my website this weekend, being Super Sunday and all.
Betting on this game has been tough. I called the spread 2 weeks ago at 7pts, and I was right and it hasn't budged a bit. My husband and I have a few fun bets going and he's had a good time figuring out "if this,then this" depending on what happens in the game. Last year at my job, we had this fun pool from our HR dept. Just about 15 questions about how the game will be played (who will score first, win the coin toss, most yards rushing, etc). Well, last year, I won First Place! Someone had actually gone to the game and brought back stuff...I picked the T-shirt and gave it to my husband, because there was no way it was going to fit me! Same pool this year, so wish me luck! Our online betting site has the same kind of pool, free, and I could win $100.000!! Keep your fingers crossed! Tomorrow will be a fun day, food, football and friends to keep the party rolling. Hope you all have an enjoyable weekend and I"ll be back soon!
Ta Ta! | | |
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