Bleak times ahead

The economy hasn't gotten any better with the new presidency and frankly time is running short. How it affects me is that my work place is laying off 100 more people than they originally projected which means the rollback to my division is going to affect a few good people on my shift. From what I hear due to the budget crisis and the fact that the local Law Enforcement didn't get the necessary amount of money it needs to keep functioning at the current level it is in protecting the citizen, chaos is soon predicted to ensue. I fear for my deputies and family who live in this county, if they don't know how to protect themselves then they are at loss because there isn't enough resources available to them due to budget cuts. I can picture total anarchy going to happen or perhaps we will go back to the days of the "wild west" and that is one ugly picture but it is so going to happen if some money doesn't come in quick! The federal business stimulus money that the President keeps promising just means more taxes in my eyes and frankly I don't put much hope in men lately. What politicians promise and what they actually do is two very different things! But one thing is re-assuring that God is still in control and has a reason for placing people in high power that we don't understand at the moment. Frankly I think He's punishing us for turning away from Him and even though 9/11 happened the country still has yet to turn back to seeing Him. Sad really when you realized that what we need right now is a revival of the D.L Moody, Charles Spurgeon & Jonathan Edwards magnitude. So where are the Godly leaders who will take the stand? Speak the truth? Yes my friends, it is definitely bleak times ahead not just for my department but for the entire country itself.

Bone tired

I've just worked 13 days straight including 2 court appearances. Considering that some of my coworkers who have been at my work place longer than I have and have yet to see a subpoena, I apparently hold some kind of record for taking the stand. My nerves were raw and taunt at the first appearance but yesterday's second was not so bad considering I've already gotten over my first time in court. It was odd and fascinating at the same time to be part of the judiciary system. Needless to say the butterflies were flying in full and that added to the tenseness of my muscles, nerves!

But that isn't the only thing adding to what at times I feel like the weight of the world on my shoulders. Due to California's financial crisis there has been the L word (lay-offs) hanging over the work place and since the shift I work on is mostly composed of new people it is that shift which will be the most affected. When you take away funds to your local Law Enforcement Agency, you are limiting their capabilities of protecting the very citizens that is paying for protection but it feels like everyone has to take a cut. There hasn't been an official word on how many people will be laid-off but it is a significant amount. So now you know why after working 13 days straight I sure could use that Catalunyan Cava right now. =) I can feel the stress and tenseness seeping through the muscles into the bones and it's not a very good feeling. Let's just hope sleep comes soundly because otherwise the bags under my eyes will be larger than the carryons people are allowed to have on planes!

Puppy Love

It is rather amusing to watch my brother these days. He is definitely in "puppy love" which is defined in the dictionary as 'the temporary infatuation of a boy or girl for another person'. Watching this first hand brings back memories of high school and my friends when they began their interest in the opposite sex. The long talks at night where you say absolutely nothing and everything, the notes at school (or these days it's text messages), the smiles between you and that significant other, inside jokes that only you two understand because it happened during one of those late night talks and of course the sappiness in those letters/e-mail/text messages and notes. It's very cute to watch this since he's never been in "love" before. The innocence of it all is endearing and reminds you that not everyone is as jaded as you are!

Do you remember your first crush? Have you seen what they look like now? Do you go back and look at it with a little laughter thinking how naive you were back then or do you still pine for that person? Time is supposed to heal all wounds but sometimes we like to pick at the scab so it won't heal right and it still stings. =) What time of memories do you have?

Oh to be young again...

I’m sorry I haven’t been keeping up on this blog. But this past month has been such a busy month for me emotionally and there are just some things you can’t share. I must say that there have been plenty of times where I wished I was still a kid again. The responsibilities of being an adult can at times be so overwhelming. I mean why did I ever want to hurry and grow up? As a grown up you have bills to pay, a job to go to where at times you may not get along with the people you work with, parents who need you to take care of them, mortgages to pay, your health to worry about. So can anyone remind me again of why it’s so fun being a grown up? Oh and did I mention that being a single person your choices on a mate deteriorate with the years passing you by. Yeah right now I’m wishing I was still 10 years old! Running around the playground with friends, my biggest worry is how to solve fractions and long divisions, and still living at home (okay so the latter part is still true in my life! But hey with the economy the way it is, living at home is cheaper than on your own these days =])

Goodbyes

There is a quote from Shakespear's Romeo & Juliet "parting is such sweet sorrow" that is often cited in different occasions. Tonight I had to say goodbye to one of the best supervisor's I've had the honor to work with and it was just like the quote sweet but at the same time sorrowful. This man was such a great person to work with, he managed to find that balance between authority and comraderie in the work place. For the most part I like my shift but before Mel came to our shift there wasn't that bond between the new peopel and the veterans. Mel brought our shift together by his sense of humor. He would try to scare us by hiding around corners and got me good a few times including once while I was on the radio talknig. But he also managed to maintain his authority and there was never any doubt as to who was in charge. Good leaders like him are hard to find these days! The kind that can motivate their people to work without raising their voice, create an environment where people still feel free to express themselves and yet be productive, and yet maintain a sense of decorum and order. He was wonderful and we're going to miss him.

But like most good people he had to move on and leave us quicker than the rest. So being the good team that we were, we gave him a good farewell to show our appreciation to him being a great supervisor. Hopefully he will stop by to visit once in a while since he's still with the department. He just moved to a different division, so it's not a complete and finite parting!

Letting go of Friends

These past two weeks have been rather trying for me in my relationships with friends. I've had to say good-bye to two friends who I've known for a combined total of 25 years. That's a long time! One of the friendship that I've had to let go I was tried of being the only one inputting time and effort to keep it alive. It was like trying to give oxgen to something that was brain dead, yeah not a pretty picture I know but that it seemed like to me. So I had to cut that relationship and let it go. The other one came out of nowhere! I was not expecting a "Dear John" e-mail from this person even though I haven't heard from her in a month or two when I do call her. But she sent me the e-mail and asked me to not contact her. I was rather sad on reading the e-mail but respected her for letting me know. I wish I could say that I cried but my tears ducts have decided to quit working for me right when I need them too! So now there is just this dull feeling inside. But I know as in life there are many twist and turns in our journey and friends may come and go.

Weekend in VA

This weekend I drove 7 hours to VA so I can visit my old roommate and friend KB. I haven't seen KB since she was a newlywed and kids free. These days she has two adorable kids and I'm so thankful she blogs so I can keep up with her. The drive was long and Friday it was raining from Greenville, SC to VA. All through North Carolina I didn't see much since it was such a torrential down pour that I can barely see the cars ahead of me. Then just as I crossed over the VA state line there was a "traffic jam" which made me laugh because it was a two lane highway and all traffic was at a standstill. A trip that mapquest said would take me 7hours 21 minutes ended up being about 8 hours. But it was lovely seeing KB and her family, the kids were still up when I pulled in and I got attend their bedtime routine which included prayer and a Bible story. It was so refreshing to see godly parenting!

Saturday Laura came up and we all (with the exception of Jon, KB's hubby who had to work) went to the Marine Corp musuem. Michael was fascinated with what he saw and I must say I was very inspired. It made me want a Marine! LOL But seriously the museum is worth visiting if you're near Quantico. First off it is FREE admission and then you learn about the history of the Marine Corps. They had lectures too, which was interesting but you needed more time to sit in and actually listening. I thought it was rather concidential that the lecture of the afternoon was the Irish in the Marine! But I didn't last long since there was more to see and of course a gift shopt to visit! =)

Life size images of Marines getting out of a helicopter.

This man is a statue!

After the museum we went to the mall where Michael got his own Build-A-Bear. He chose a stuffed doggy with a police uniform. The naming part was a bit tough since Michael had all sorts of ideas on what to call his new toy from Boney to Bob Jones, KB finally settled for Sebastian. =)

We stopped off at the Home show where Jon was working and walked around for a bit. It was cool how some of the booths were elaborately set up with a full fountain or patio sets. Michael was fascinated by the fake fireplaces. Then it was back home for dinner, put the kids to bed and a few hours of Dutch Blitz. I must say I got caught up with my lack of Dutch Blitz in years just this weekend! Boy did that bring back some memories of mid-terms and finals at college. =)

Jon and his business

Michael copying the frog pose

Sunday was church then lunch at Olive Garden. Laura had to go home so we took afternoon naps, myself included =) which was nice in KB's couch in the great room. Got an evening service in and then I was taken to a Fredricksberg landmark, Carl's Ice Cream. That was some delicious ice cream and the place has been there since the 1950's apparently. They were still using the same ice cream maker so it definitely had the old fashion feel, too bad I left my camera in the car. But it was so quaint and very All-American to go get ice cream after church =) gave me that warm fuzzy feeling I thought I'd lost due to the harshness of my job. It's nice knowing you can still feel that way around good wholesome people!

Needless to say I had a great weekend! It was fun seeing KB again and getting to know her adorable kids. They were such a joy to be around. KB and Jon are doing some wonderful parenting where they're not afraid to discipline and correct their children. I've never known someone so young who could just start to talk say the "magic word" of please and thank you at that age. That is such a rare thing to find in this day and age.