Sorry

Sorry for the lack of posts. I'm in "class" at the Defense Acquisition University taking the last course I need for my Level 3 certification in Business, Cost Estimating, and Financial Management. Awoohoo! I have one more week left - that's wack.

E's at the beach with my parents and having a blast. I will hopefully be able to head out to the beach tomorrow, but we'll see how that goes. It would be totally jive if I can go.

Will be posting more updates again after my class is over. Peace and love to you all.

My Oh My

I’m actually typing this at 6:45 Thursday night, but won’t be able to post until sometime tomorrow. I’m sitting in a meeting I’ve been sitting in since 7:30 this morning. Almost 12 hours of talk about the GE38-1B (will talk more about that later.) I’m tired, I’m hungry, and I’m the only girl in a room of 65 people. Holy meat factory!

This post was inspired by my meeting and the number of acronyms being used that I have no idea what they mean. UID, RFP, IFM. I have relatively good knowledge about certain acronyms used in the government, but when it comes to helicopter engines, I have no clue. In general, I have a hard time remembering the meanings for acronyms that I don’t use every day. The two I have the hardest with are FMECA and FADEC. I don’t know why, they have absolutely nothing to do with each other, but I can never remember what they mean… I don’t use them every day.

Ok. Now I’m going to get back to the GE38-1B. This is the General Electric engine going on the CH-53K helicopter. It’s a really cool engine – words that I never thought I would say. I would like to take a minute to discuss the GE38-1B. How do you come up with a name like that? And they call it that ALL the time. Find something shorter! Like “really big engine.” Five syllables versus 7. Or “bertha.” That’s even shorter. Let’s discuss the GE38-1 part. Why not GE39? And then GE38-1B? Is there a “-1A”? Why not GE38-2? Whose job is it to name these things? *sigh* I’m getting all worked up.

It’s now 7pm and we are on page 24 of 42. I may well go insane………

Connecticut

I flew up to Connecticut this morning on a government plane. On the way I started reading "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy. It's an interesting writing style. And it's a terrifying book. I can't even put it into words... you'll have to read it yourself.

When I go away on trips like these I miss E. More than words. I watched her sleep this morning so that tomorrow morning I can imagine her sleeping. She is pure joy in my life.

My mom is going to take her out to Assateague on Thursday. I'm jealous. I don't get to go to Assateague this year.

My oldest brother turns 30 on Friday. It just means that I'm getting older too (though not as old as him.) My nephew is supposed to be welcomed into this world this week. It's a big week for our family.

My Personality

I took the same personality test as GrcGrl. The only thing I didn't really like about this personality test was the fact that you only had 2 options for answers to questions. There are times when I like to make a to-do list, but sometimes I just like to wing it. They don't give you that option. It's to-do list OR wing it, no in-between. I'm in-between. So I think my results are a little skewed.

I also find it humorous that I'm only 80% Logical/Mathematical. I think they should have a higher correlation between Mathematical and Musical. Musical at 100%... I don't know about that.

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Any-hoo. E and I went to visit friends of mine this weekend up in NJ. It was very pleasant. Saturday we went to a art/craft show that they had in their town. I found this children's artist that I really like. Check it out www.darhosta.com.

Chenille Sisters

As I am extremely busy at work today, I feel the need to post. About what? I'm not sure yet. But here we go...

I get these weird urges, sometimes, to spend money. Right now I want to buy every album I can of the Chenille Sisters. I have re-kindled an old love of them and I feel I must order as many of their albums as possible. They are very funny and I love their harmonies. Here are some sample lyrics from one of their songs....

Disenchanted, Disenchanted
My bubble is burst you weren't what I thought
I knew it the minute we screamed and fought
At first I found you fascinating
Now, ah, my nerves are really grating
Whoa, oh, Whoa oh oh

To know you is to love you
To love you is to hate you
To see you being perfect is not seeing you at all
I thought that by this time
I'd have it all down pat
But I know that I have a long way to go

A part of me just can't let go
I wanted things to be just so
How could we both have been so cruel
Let's stop and I'll forgive if you will
Whoa, oh, Whoa oh oh.

I love it. I was totally jamming out to them in the car this morning. Good times.

Gotta run. Work is calling.

Your Tax $ at Work

As I'm typing, I'm actually wasting tax-payers dollars. And I don't really feel bad about it. Let me explain why...

I work with a guy who is supposed to work from 7:30 til 5:00 - a nine hour day with a 30 min lunch break. This guy comes in MAYBE by 8:30 and leaves for lunch around 11. That's 2 1/2 hrs of work in the morning (which usually consists of him surfing the internet.) He returns from lunch between 1 and 1:30 and then leaves again around 4:30. That's 3 hrs of work in the afternoon. So we have a grand total of 5 1/2 hrs he "works" out of 9. Not to mention that he's been working for the government for 15 years and gets paid almost twice what I do. So the fact that I spend 10 - 15 mins most days typing this blog doesn't make me feel bad.

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Yesterday, I took E to my mom and dad's while I went grocery shopping. When I went to pick her up, she didn't want to come with me. So we stayed for dinner. When I told her it was time to go, she lost it - I mean, seriously. Screaming bloody murder. I wrangled her into the car, and drove home with her screaming in the backseat, saying "I want to go to Grammy's!!" between sobs. I got her out of her clothes and into some pj's (I'm still amazed that I was able to do this with the amount of effort she put out for me not to do it), put her down in the bed, and when I told her it was time for a story she stopped crying and was happy as a clam. Ah, the joys of motherhood!