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Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Can I leave the computer now?

I know no one ever said carrying a job while homeschooling two kids, decorating a Blue lodge, running around with the Shriners, teaching Sunday school, and supporting an at-risk group of hyperactive Cub Scouts was easy. Oh by the way, I sew, knit, embroidery, and coming soon: quilting and crochet as well as everything I mentioned before. Somewhere in all that, I do manage to find time to wash laundry, cook, and clean up after everyone.

Earlier this month, I took a job working from home as a Human Resource Representative. My job is to interview, hire, and arrange training sessions for applicants. I really do like this job. I wasn't exactly ready for the work load I've had in the last few days. My "working" days try to run from 6 to 9 am here in my time zone. Most of the applicants I interview are in other parts of the country where daylight is occurring. After nine, I try to limit everything to pre-set appointments. Lately, I've been working non-stop until noon or later.

Now that I'm back down to five hours of sleep or less, I am beginning to remember how exhausting working in the early morning hours can be. Before I became a homeschooling parent, I had a job in food service. My day started at 3 am on a regular basis, and eventually dropped to 1 am before my company lost the contract I worked under. The only part of that gig I miss is the customer base I serviced every day. I don't miss corporate flack, extremely early hours, or falling asleep while driving.

I enjoy being able to converse with a wide variety of people in my new job. Enjoy the fact that I can leave the desk to grab coffee, food, obnoxious kids, whatever. I can let the dog out between phone calls, let him back in between calls, make lunch, do laundry, clean the bathroom, whatever.

As far a homeschooling while I work, I'd die without www.k12.com and the virtual lesson planning, guidance, and personalized pace program. I have never liked having to write out lesson plans or schedules. Mostly because I always ended up off track and never quite sure of where to get back on. Blame it on my ADHD. My kids respond very well to the k12 program. This is a major step up for us from the struggles we've been through in the past. I've never been one to want to fight over schoolwork. eventually, I'll be able to get them to do an entire day in one day.

Monday, November 19, 2007

The nerve of Adsense sometimes.

As I posted my previous blog, I am finding I like the idea of dropping Adsense. They have decided my blog deserves links including "cheating wife" and "phone stalker." I really do not need people thinking I endorse this kind of stuff. Adsense can put up all the pro-homeschooling, Christian, Lutheran, Freemasonry, Shriner's Hospitals for Children, time management, personal organization, Boy Scout's of America, home improvement, feng shui links they want. I didn't finish the list because I could add more but I know you get the picture. I will not have links such as "phone stalker" and "cheating wife" on my Adsense links. Thank you.

If you happen to be more technologically enabled than me and know how to handle this, please let me know.

Is this my imagination?

Shhh, it's quiet today. My kids are actually doing schoolwork today. If I take a picture, I may just curse the schoolwork. Therefore, I won't take or post any pictures. The quiet doing of schoolwork is a Kodak moment in itself.

Normally, we are in a much more boisterous school environment that looks much more like:

Two children are sitting on a unabashedly orange sectional sofa produced in the age of hippies and flower children. No, not sitting, laying because no one child can handle sitting. Sitting would mean minding your manners and we can't have that. Mom might just like the idea of us minding our manners. Voices are color coded; as if you can't tell who is who.

"Keep your feet off me."

The feet of Bigfoot stay on sister.

"Bigfoot, keep your feet off your sister."

"I SAID, Keep Your Feet Off Me."

"BIGFOOT, Keep your feet OFF your sister!"

The feet of Bigfoot come up off of sister and slap down on sister.

"OWWW! I SAID, KEEP YOUR FEET OFF ME!"

"I didn't have my feet on my sister. I'm trying to do my schoolwork, and BEADGIRL won't let me."

"So, keep your feet off your sister and do your schoolwork."

"I am keeping my feet off her. I am doing my schoolwork and I'M THINKING!"

"Then there shouldn't be an issue. Thank you."

"Mom, I need help with..." the phone rings.

It's the husband needing something for someone. Yes I can send an email off to whoever. What do you want to say. Type email. "This is what is says read email to him. Okay, anything else?" Sign email as "Terri speaking and typing for dh."All email is signed this way. Everything from masonic related email, to writing to his parents. "Yes, I can call this person. What do you need?" take notes because I can't remember everything he wants all at once. "Yes, I can take the car into have it looked at. Okay. What boat will you be on?" As I think, I'd get the car in if you'd give me the time to catch up to everything else I have to do. You'd think homeschooling means being at the complete disposal of everyone all the time.

In the mean time, the TV has now been turned on. There is more sniveling and nagging. Now for the:

"Mom, I'm hungry." You'd think I starve Bigfoot. At basically twelve years old now and entering a size THIRTEEN shoe, I must starve him. All he has done for three years now is grow.

"Can I do this first for your dad? Let me send this email off, then I can feed you."

During the email typing, "Mom, I'm hungry."

"Yes, I know. Do your school work and I can feed you. I can't feed you if you continuously tell me you're hungry."

"OKAY. I'm doing my schoolwork."

Wow, Blessed are we who have a quiet day of schoolw
ork. I do like this. I never knew I could get as much done as I have today if they can quietly do their own schoolwork.