Sunday, August 30, 2009

Education

I truly believe that learning is life long, never just a set amount of time. You learn when you can, and if you can afford to go to formal education, then do it.

I know that in previous years, I had gone into HR training. And at one point, I was going to get an Organizational development degree of some type. But I'm glad I didn't. Not because it wasn't interesting, in fact, it was awesomely interesting. I know that schools such as Gonzangonline.com provide this training. I know that this type of training will open a lot of doors for people to get into consulting or even management. Maybe even open more career paths.


But I couldn't see myself working in HR or trying to assist teams or do training. I liked the idea...but that's not good enough. Some were meant to be in HR stuff, not me. I think I'd choke a ton of people while in the job.

For now, I am quite content in my position and very happy I didn't go into HR. However, I can see myself needing a new challenge soon. Where that leads, I'm not sure. Maybe I just need the same job, but in a different department. Maybe I need a job that is more creative. Either way, I have choices...I hope I make some good ones for myself.

Benefits

I know that I'm very fortunate to have benefits at work...especially medical. Considering the amount of prescription medication we go through in a year, the benefits are huge. I can only imagine in the future, with 2 girls, who will most likely need glasses and braces how much the insurance will help me.

But like anything, if you're willing to pay more for things like an extended service plan, you could probably get more benefits. The question becomes, do I need these types of services? Some insurances that I have, I do go for it because I can see myself using it. But I'm not so sure about upping my medical plan with work.

However, further thought will go into it. Perhaps it will give me peace of mind.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Hips

For those that know my youngest kid, you'll know that she had hip dysplasia when she was young. The only reason why we found out about it was due to a routine check at the doctor's. He noticed that one leg had 3 folds of fat while the other only had 2. Because of this one little thing, he thought it would be best to have the kid x-rayed.

The next thing I knew, I was going to BC Children's Hospital with my youngest to get her leg checked out. Basically, her ball and socket in her hip was a bit to shallow. It was causing her leg to grow on a slant rather than straight. If we had let it go, she might have needed a hip replacement early in life. To prevent that, she wore a rhinocruiser for a couple of months. There were days that it was hell because that thing did not look comfortable. But kids are extremely resilient and she handled it really well.

Through the years, we've been going back and forth to the hospital to keep an eye on the growing leg. This time, when we went, I almost cried. When she went to get her x-ray, my kid didn't need to go into a special plastic cast to get x-rayed, nor did she lie down on the table being freaked out by some large machine. The technician got her a little stool, asked her to stand in a certain position, they put some masking tape on the kid...and she didn't make one peep. She knew what to do, she did it with a smile and happily went her way after she got her special sticker. I remember the first couple of times, it was just tears and screaming because she was so freaked out. I was just really proud of her that she just took this as part of her life.

When it was time to be debriefed, a visiting doctor came first. She looked at the x-rays, made some comments, did some leg tests and seemed quite happy. I think I was quite suprised when I saw the very first x-ray that was ever taken compared to the one that was just taken. Literally night and day. I couldn't believe how crooked her leg was growing.

Then the expert doctor came in. She said words I wanted to hear..."thanks for coming by, it was great knowing you, now have a great life." All was good with the kid's hip and leg. Cool.

But before leaving, I saw all the other parents in the ortho clinic. I saw myself in many of these parents...hearing news they didn't want to hear and what was to happen next. In the big picture, my kid was very lucky where she was fixed. For others, I know they'll be visiting the clinic way more often than us due to more serious issues. I wish I could take each one of them aside and say that they're in good hands, they're in one of the best hospitals for children and just live with your children to help them get through all of this.

We complain a lot about the medical system and I know that there are things that need to be fixed. But let's not forget all the great things that these doctors do because they love their job and they're damn good at it. Thank you to BC Children's Hospital and to my wonderful family doctor.

Equipment

There are a ton of fitness equipment out there these days. I'm happy with what I have...but I could do with a whole gym. =) But some of the equipment that is out there, well, I'm not so sure about.

Anyways, I was watching an infomercial because I could...and it was for some ab machine. But the thing is, you kneel on it, hold on tight and then swing your body from side to side. Hmmmm. I see neck pain. I see back pain. I just see a lot of pain.

I guess I'm an old fashioned girl. I like to see basic equipment to help us do basic exercises. It's hard enough to just get up and do something...so let's not make it so complicated.

Reviews

Everytime a new product comes out, I wonder how true the reviews are. And I'm especially talking about the weight loss supplement reviews. In the day of photoshop, airbrushing, actors, etc., it really is difficult to determine what is real and what is not these days.

For any product review (i.e. my lovely new Butler bag), I actually prefer to see a mixture of positive and negative reviews. Of course, I want to see the majority of the reviews to be positive. By having a mixture, it really gives me a sense of the pros and cons of the product. And it gives me an idea that they are real reviews rather than one that is written to make something look good.

Anything that I've read reviews on and then bought, I can honestly say that I've been happy. I took into account the negative reviews and was able to live with it. So thank you to all you honest people out there that make my life a little easier.

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Recent Happenings

Ahhh...so long since my last blog. Well, things just got busy around here. Work is crazy, as always, but I love it. Kids are busy bodies and having to keep them busy. And the last 2 weeks have just been filled with activities. Wedding last Saturday, then almost every night onweard, I actually had plans. And I just came back from Birch Bay. Tiring but extremely fun.

As mentioned previously, the wedding was a Muslim wedding and the first that I've been to. The bride was stunning and I cried when I saw her walk down the aisle. The ceremony was short and sweet. It was very meaningful and the singing of this one hymn was hynotic and beautiful. The reception was immaculate, tons of entertainment, funny speeches and tons of food. But it was a little late for me. Dinner wasn't until 10:30 at night. By the time dancing started, it was 12:15 and I had to drive home. But it was wonderful to see a friend and colleague tie the knot and have an extremely memorable day.

I had a great time out at Birch Bay this weekend too. Some great friends and colleagues to hang out with. Beach time, shopping (way too much shopping), good food and good company. And probably what I love best is the quiet at night. It's a good reminder to just slow down. And with that quiet came deep sleep which is also wonderful. Oh, it has been so long since I've gone into such a deep sleep to dream. That is a real luxury.

So one week to go before I get an actual week of vacation. I can't wait. Just doing the staycation thing with the family. Lots to see and do. And just like that, summer is over. It's going much to fast.....

Cars

My family and I recently watched Race to Witch Mountain (the one with the Rock in it). It was a ton of fun. The Rock was funny, the kids were believable and the pacing was great. And as with almost every Disney movie, I actually cried.

In one part of the movie, the main character was talking about a car he wanted. And it did not come cheap. But I can understand the want of a beautiful car, even as a woman.

I know my husband would love a Ferrari. But the problem is, you'd have to also be able to afford Ferrari parts. Never just about buying the car...but how to maintain it. And since my husband hasn't won the lotto yet, guess he's not getting a Ferrari.

Cleanse

Someone told me about some product to do a cleanse. I had some recent bloating issues and thought it might help. They claim they are considered natural weight loss supplements.

I took it and it seemed to help with the bloating which is fantastic. But after a day and half, I was done. Oh, I'm sure the product is fine. It's just my taste buds!! There was a vial of liquid that you have to put 4 drops of into water. I figured, it can't be that bad...especially since everybody else told me it was fine.

My taste buds were not happy. And let's just say I made some not so nice sounds as I was trying to gag it back up. Blech. So, I'll continue to bloat and try to eat less salt. WAY less easier.

Monday, August 3, 2009

Long Weekend

Ahhh...long weekends. An extra day that I don't have to work. I can deal with that. Any day that I don't have to work is a good thing.

Friday night was a night at my parent's place for dinner with the girls. And I must admit, it was a non-argumentative night over a ton of KFC. I had a great time catching up with my parents and it was nice that my stepmom didn't have to cook that night. So it was totally relaxing.

Saturday was a full day...at least for me. 8am...yes, 8am dentist visits for all of us. Only to find out I have 2 cavities. I swear, I brush and floss. After that, off to volunteer at the Powell Street Festival. Oh, it was so wonderful to see my taiko buddies!!! Catching up with all of them was so fantastic. Makes me miss taiko big time. And volunteering was so easy!! The time went by so fast. I was so sad to leave...however, there was a cancellation at the dentist's office...so I went right after volunteering to get my cavities fixed. OMG. 2.5 hours at the office. They had to take pictures of some other issue with some other tooth. But the good part is that it's done. I love my dentist but I hate going to see her.

Sunday was a bit of clean up and then off to a barbeque at my husband's co-worker's place. Ummm...central A/C. Yep. It was awesome. And they had this amazing back yard that had the full on bbq, fireplace, chairs, etc., in the backyard. Like a magazine spread. It was just fun to eat and chat with some good company, and the A/c totally rocked.

Monday totally ruled. Cleaned up what we needed to clean. Then the rest of the day was a free for all. Everyone puttered in their own way. It was so great! The weather was cooler too which made the day extra enjoyable. I love puttering.

So, I can't say it was a totally eventful weekend. But it was a nice pace and I do feel somewhat rested. That to me is awesome.