Ouch.

I won't go into the long boring details of the back and forth to the doctor and phone calls, but suffice it to say, I've been through the ringer. I've been hurting for days. Today I have the correct diagnosis. I'm still waiting for pain medicine. Waiting and waiting. I'm exhausted. Tired. Snippy. Little patience. LOtS of Pain. Have to take an anti-viral pill 5 times daily for 7 days. All this because I had the chicken pox and now it's come out of dormancy. Here's what I found:

Is Shingles a contagious disease?
Although the VZV virus that causes chickenpox and shingles disease can spread through the direct contact of any healthy person (who never had chickenpox in his/her life) with the open wounds/rashes/blisters of the patient suffering from shingles disease, Shingles is not a fully contagious disease.

A healthy person can never develop Shingles disease after he/she comes in informal contact (not involving much of physical contact, or a direct contact with the rash) with the patient suffering from Shingles, or sneezing or coughing of patient when the healthy person is in vicinity. The only phase when this disease is contagious is when the patient has developed blisters with clear fluid and the rash covering the blisters has not developed crusts.

Tips for the patients:

• Shingles is a contagious disease during the phase when patient develops blisters till the formation of crusts, patient should be careful to cover the blisters in order to stop the disease from spreading
• Follow the treatment regime strictly that your doctor has prescribed
• Avoid exposure to sunlight and keep patient in a cool and dry room
• Avoid scratching the area of rash

Side note: My outbreak is on my trunk. I can't stand ANYTHING near it, much less touching it, but I'm taking all precautions to keep this from spreading further. Please let me know if you've never had chicken pox. Please pray that I can sleep tonight. Walgreens hasn't called with my pain meds by now so I figure I'll have to call my Dr. AGAIN tomorrow to remind them...

A Trip to Paris

OK, So it's just a trip to my bathroom. I redecorated this weekend! My new toilet paper holder!

My new toothbrush jar (easily placed in dishwasher for sterilization purposes).

The edge of my linen curtain and new hand towels.

Pretty French writing on a flower pot.

New Shower curtain and floor mats (hotel quality). Would like to buy all new towels eventually, but I got the towel rack towels first. If you can find good quality grey bath towels on sale, let me know! (less than 5 dollars each please)

My antique sign that holds flat iron, curling iron and brush.

I love black and white photos of Paris. See the Eifel Tower?

Another Black and White photograph!

See the pretty bicycle? The boxes are covered in French writing. Holds soap and Q-tips. I moved my wash cloth holder so the kids can reach and I won't keep bumping it.

The curtain is real linen and I need to iron it, but I just got it up there for the photo.

Many germs were harmed (killed) in the making of this blog post. LOL! It smells so clean and fresh. I'm enjoying it until my grubby kin come home and I have to start all over. :-) They're worth it.

Random acts of Deckardness

I had a bunch of random pictures and thought I'd go ahead and post them all. :-)





My son's stick village.


Job anyone?


If you are elected mayor, look at the fancy house that you get to live in!



Be it ever so humble, there is no place like home.



Zee took these pictures, not bad!


This was taken at the Discovery Center. I've never been and it was pretty fun. It's no Science Spectrum, but it is a close second.


My children having fun with Green Screen Technology!


The bubble kept popping, but she kept trying. I was worried the soap would get in her eyes.


Here's silly ol'me trying to show you my new haircut and style.


And the ever present stupid wrist brace is such an attractive addition. NOT!

What beautiful kids we have! I love them so much!

I thought this was a kind of cool effect. I have no idea how they did it, but Blake looks cool.

On just about any given day, this is how you will find my boy. Shirtless with his favorite blanket and eating something yummy.

Same goes for my bird. On any given day, if she's at home with her brother, this is the face she is wearing. This look says,"If looks could kill, I'd be an only child. "


We had bagel pizzas. Pretty Yummy if I do say so myself.

Some decorations for my cubicle. Birds of course!

My daughter painted this. She said she wanted it at my cubicle, till I showed her the picture and now I must bring it home.


This is the Pig frame she made with Leelee. I love the picture in the frame, it shows just how long her lashes are. Ms. Cutie.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

If you only knew how much chaos happened minutes before this picture, you'd understand why I'm posting it even though the kids both blinked.

Whataday! Top O'the Evening to you!

My little gypsy

Avi was playing his Concertina and Tzipi dancing like a gypsy.

She grabbed Zee's accordion and they had a jam out session. Not the best pictures, but you can kind of see how much fun they were having. Music is the best!

FINALLY!

Man, all the red tape that they make you go through to get something practical done at work is crazy! I'm finally all moved in. Came out of no where but it's done. It doesn't look very different than my other cubicle, except it faces north instead of south. I was in limbo with my stuff in a different empty cubicle and me working with an empty desk and a computer. I would have to get up for tissue, then a piece of gum, then my brush, then my mirror... CRAZY I tell you! I could have moved in the first day they said I was moving but there is a specific department that is supposed to move your hardware cuz if you break it, I guess you get fired or something.

I think I'm going to miss working NIGO full-time. I realized that yesterday when I was writing letters. There is something very satisfying with tangible work. You can see your progress in the stacks of letters we produce every day. When I'm in processing I don't get to see my progress in a tangible form. But I am excited about learning something new. I will get to know a new group of people better and this job proves that the more you know the faster you can move up the ladder. I think I start training next week. So we'll see.

Oh, and a side note: I wrote to the lady in charge of the Second Chance prom. She wrote back the next day and said that she would contact the photographer and see why we haven't received our "sweetheart photo". We've been going back and forth and I now have the phone number for the photographer. Hopefully it won't be long until I have the photo. And the lady said that she would go through her pictures and see if she took any candid shots of my husband and I. Just wanted to let you know that I don't have just sitting on a shelf. I will post it as soon as I get it. (See, I should have brought my phone in, I'd at least have those pictures!)

Cube Life

Most of you know that I applied for the training position at work. Well after two tries, I've decided that if they don't feel I'm ready for that department, I'll try something else. Plus with the stress of every day life, I discovered I really enjoy coming to work and just focusing on what I'm doing and getting work done. I think I'll try for a training position when my children are older and things are a bit calmer at home. And besides, even though they said that the trainer doesn't have to have a college degree, they gave it to a person that has a BS. I may never "fit" into their invisible mold.

My team is divided into two parts. NIGO (not in good order) and Disbursement Correspondence/Strategic Processing. I was on the NIGO half. DISB_CORR is made of the most senior processors on the floor. They handle the most sensitive groups. My manager asked us at our last team meeting if there were any of us from the NIGO "side" that would like to fill the spots. No one offered but me. Is it a promotion? Partly. Only the best of the best work with this type of processing. I'm getting my annual raise anyway, regardless. But I do move cubicles.

(My third Cubicle)

I've moved cubicles 4 times in 3 years. This will be my 5th move. I never really got comfortable in my present cube since I've been trying to climb the corporate ladder. Some people might think working in a cubicle would be terrible but not for me. Based on that career test I took from Leelee and a silly Feng Shui test, I'm working in the perfect environment for my personality and brain. We're allowed to decorate it however we choose. Our cubicles don't have those high walls like some of our departments ( like IT does).

Our ceilings are very high, so it doesn't feel like it did in my very first cubicle that had very low false ceilings. The building I work in is very large. The only downside to my actual location is that the restroom is completely on the opposite side of where I sit. So is the break room. I love drinking hot tea. I need to invest in one of those hot tea makers so I can just fill it in the morning and drink tea all day. I try not to get up and get more tea until break but sometimes I'm just thirstier than that.

During the holidays we decorate. Since no one decorates for my holidays, I just decorate differently. I used blue garland instead of the red and green everyone else was using during December. And since I have yet to see anyone actually decorate for Passover, I just write the days of Passover on my board. I have a lot of plants. My philodendron isn't looking so good, so I may let my friends take clippings and bury it.


I move cubicles sometime next week. It will be nice to rearrange all my stuff and get it all clean and organized. I took a big box and bag of stuff I don't need at my cubicle at home and most of it was trash. It should be a smooth move. I will be able to learn what I need for this new position and then just focus on my work and career development.

Just thought I'd share some of my cubicle life.

Sometimes you just have to...

When my Mom and I were out and about we found Heartland dishes at Tuesday morning. I totally went nostalgic. Warm fuzzies and all. I snatched them right then and there (and paid for them of course). Mom said that a few people in my life had these dishes and it made me all happy. Then I went to the antique store during my lunch hour and VOILA! I found a Heartland tablecloth for 4 dollars! Can you believe it?!?!?!?

They are just dishes, but every time I pick one up I just feel so happy.

I took one of the mugs to work just so I could look at it. I can't remember for sure who all had this set. I think my friend's mom had this set, my mom, and my grandma. I don't typically like stoneware either, but it doesn't matter anymore. I'm glad I got the set. I looked online and saw that they carry other pieces too, like soup tureen and whatnot. The tablecloth just made my whole month! I wasn't even looking very hard either. I was in search of linen and POOF! God sent me a tablecloth!

I'm so blessed! Thank you God for taking care of the little things.

My Color Results...

Wow! This is creepy. Nailed me right on! I'm where I'm supposed to be. Thanks Leelee.

Best Occupational Category

You're an ORGANIZER

Keywords

Self-Control, Practical, Self-Contained, Orderly, Systematic, Precise, and Accurate

These conservative appearing, plotting-types enjoy organizing, data systems, accounting, detail, and accuracy. They often enjoy mathematics and data management activities such as accounting and investment management. Persistence and patience allows them to do detailed paperwork, operate office machines, write business reports, and make charts and graphs.

ORGANIZER CAREERS
Suggested careers are Administrator, Secretary, Printer, Paralegal, Building Inspector, Bank Cashier, Private Secretary, Statistician, Operations Manager, Financial Analyst, Bookkeeper, Medical Records Technician, Developer of Business or Computer Systems, Clerical Worker, Proofreader, Accountant, Administrative Assistant, Banker, Certified Public Accountant, Credit Manager, Store Salesperson, Actuary, Dental Assistant, Business Education Teacher, Food Service Manager, IRS Agent, Budget Analyst, and Underwriter.

ORGANIZER WORKPLACES
Your very careful, conscientious, conservative nature gives others the confidence to trust you with handling money and material possessions. Structured organizations that have well-ordered chains of command work best for you.

Suggested Organizer workplaces are large corporations, business offices, financial lending institutions, banks, insurance companies, accounting firms, and quality control and inspection departments.

2nd Best Occupational Category

You're a PERSUADER

Keywords:

Witty, Competitive, Sociable, Talkative, Ambitious, Argumentative, and Aggressive

These enterprising types sell, persuade, and lead others. Positions of leadership, power, and status are usually their ultimate goal. Persuasive people like to take financial and interpersonal risks and to participate in competitive activities. They enjoy working with others inside organizations to accomplish goals and achieve economic success.

• Section I: You and Your Team
  This personality overview section highlights your natural workplace talents—the tasks you pursue with passion. You'll learn how your natural strengths complement those of your coworkers and how, joining forces, you can resolve on-the-job dilemmas.
• Section II: Your Key To Success
  Here you discover your capacity for dispelling disruption and maximizing profitability. Use this proven, beyond-self-perception advice to create a more positive career path free of detours.
• Section III: Managing Strengths and Weaknesses
  Your evaluation's highest and lowest scores result in this section's recommendations for staying on-track in your career and reversing wrong turns. In focusing on your talents and missteps, you'll re-stoke your energy and enthusiasm for managing costly mistakes.
• Section IV: Leadership Power Moves
  This final section identifies your "street sense," those power moves that turn obstacles into insignificant details. Here suggestions based on your color-ranked evaluations will guide you towards making the most of an interview or harnessing your fast-paced workday.
  

Nightmares

We all have them, but it simply rips my heart in two when my children have them.



Tzipi had a nightmare about a big scary monster and it affected her so deeply she was crying again while we were building her parade float. Her lip started quivering and she wouldn't make eye contact as she said she really hoped she didn't have another scary dream. How do you explain that they aren't real?

My dreams sure feel real and they affect me throughout my day. I had a dream where I was fighting with everyone at work. Just letting it all hang out and guess what, I got reamed by my manager. That's so not me, but it's telling. I went to work the next day on my best behavior.

Then you tell them to pray before they sleep and they still have nightmares. I wish nightmares would come when we get older. That way our faith doesn't waver as children. God is with us, dreams are our way of dealing with scary stuff we can't control.



Zee's nightmares are so strong that he thrashes and screams and sometimes walks around the house speaking gibberish. I'm sure this is his way of dealing with the 14 surgeries, but still as a parent you want to DO something about it. I am happy when we all sleep peacefully and wake up with a smile on our faces.

I would take all the scary dreams if I could. They don't need them. They are so innocent and precious.

Lots of Fun!

This morning, Zippy and I went to Wal-mart to get our groceries at 8:30 am. There were hundreds of birds on the ground.

My mom and I played yesterday. So much fun! My mom is the chicken lady. Some days she'd rather not be. Hobby farms are a lot of work.

A giant spoon. I'm not sure that will fit through my front door much less fit in my silverware drawer. Makes me want to sing, "the cat and the cradle and the silver spoon, the .... and the man in the moon"...

I love my butter bell and at Tuesday morning we found tiny ones for entertaining. How cute are these?! (Didn't buy them, just admired them.)


I took my kids on a rare trip to Wendy's. I even caved and let them get frostees. Zee had GI issues for two days, but sometimes it just sucks not to be like everyone else. (He's allergic to milk.)


This was her happy face, believe it or not.


If I had a tank, I would so get a spotted puffer fish. I think puffers are adorable and these mini ones at Wal-mart warrant a visit every time we buy groceries.


I accomplished my Competent Leadership with Toastmasters. Zee forced me to pose with my certificate. (I hadn't had a chance to even open it yet). I posted it because of Vanna White. :-) I was really tired... this was just before bed time.

The boys (my nephews and son) made a mud castle on Saturday. So much fun. Miss those days of playing in the mud.