Looking back, I wish I had made different choices what came to my schooling. Medical field seems to be more flexible what comes to mothers and keeping up careers going at part time basis. Finance field is/was not a place to be. -- I wish I had become a pharmacist instead. So now at my advanced age, I have smartened up and thinking about a career at the medical field.
I also feel that my volunteer work is making a difference. I am bringing knowledge ( I work in the financial office) and youth to a dying (Finnish) center and I am helping to restore it. I am preserving Finnish culture for my children and their heritage.
I salute you for CM for keeping your career going. You must have made the "right" choice when it was time to choose your career. I envy that.
My friend who is Mom to 4 kids had the same problem when she decided to start raising a family. She worked in accounting but had to do long hours. She really was annoyed that her guidance counselor didn't steer her in the right direction. For the record my Guidance counselor thought I should be a perfume saleswoman. I later was his nurse and we had a good laugh about it.
I am lucky that being a nurse it has given me flexible hours. Granted, I have worked many a Christmas eve night shift and had my kids have to wait until I go home to see what Santa brought them. Now I am in a job that I don't work weekends or holiday's and am able to be there for a lot of their social life things. They do understand
It's unfortunate that more places in the business world don't help with family life for men and women. I think that is one thing we have wrong in the US. So many other countries put family first and it's considered the norm, not the exception.
I do regret having to go back to work as early as I did with both my kids. (I went back after 7 weeks) My daughter got very sick and was hospitalized at 3.5months old. Although my sisters son was hospitalized at an early age and she was a stay at home Mom so it happens. Bottom line is there are + & - with both choices.
newleaf123 - I admire the choices you have made. I had no choice but to work for most of my marriage. I feel like my older children did suffer because of my long hours and inability to fully be there for them - I was so exhausted and stressed. When I started working from home, that was a great balance. My younger kids barely knew I worked! I was there for carpool, school events, lots of flexibility. I got laid off 2 1/2 years ago, and haven't worked since. I've enjoyed not working, especially when I was losing weight. I focused on my health. Since my weight loss has stalled and I have regained....suddenly I don't feel so great about not working. It's kind of like weight loss was my job, but now I feel like I am failing at that. I have been thinking that I should get another job so that I feel successful again, but I really don't want to go back to what I used to do. I have been focusing a lot on writing, which is what I really want to do. However, it seems like a pipe dream.
I wonder what the connection is between weight loss and feelings of success in general?
Sum - I am getting more confident, bit by bit. It's scary putting my weight down again, and I get tired out easily. However, I did the stairs today, and spent time walking with the crutches. Hard to believe I took walking for granted before!
Funny that you said that you took walking for granted. After my accident, I feel so lucky to be walking and wearing heels No running or skiing for me though. My family feels bummed out that I can not ski....shhh...secretly I am happy about it. I get to stay at the lodge or go shopping and not be cold
A friend of mine was in a walking boot for 10 weeks or so, the day it came off she dropped a kitchen chair on her toe (broke it) and the boot came right back on....count your blessings! --- This too shall pass!!
tooWicky I just saw your face side by side on another thread. Wow! You are doing so well... What a difference a year makes, eh?
guac thanks for your compliment. Good luck with your crutches. I'm sure you will get your strength back soon! Generally speaking, we take our health and even our life for granted... Little reminders are good things; thank you!
soon2bSkinny, sum, chubbyMum, juneM, thanks for sharing your career stories. Fascinating topic!
I wrote my "decline" letter to the director of the masters program I was considering. But I would love to work at the University helping to administer he program, so I've made some good contacts and left the door open.
Been busy here, gearing up for serving thanksgiving dinner for 16. My favorite holiday... But trying to focus on the entertainment aspect of it, and not the food... Great food day today. I want to keep that up!
Last edited by newleaf123; 11-20-2013 at 08:49 PM.
Great reading up on everyone's posts, great topic. I'm feeling a bit of that looking for something more to do, like some charitable work of some sort. I was not blessed with kids, seems like my friends with kids each did things differently some stayed home, some went back to work full time, one of our nephews stayed home with the baby so his wife could continue with her career, it's interesting to hear how everyone adapts to life changes.
I attended a pre-retirement seminar today, I'll be eligible in 5 years, it would be great to retire in my 50s. Old thing that I am it was an eye opener. Anyway, as I was saying, I'm looking for some sort of project...
Guac- hope you're healing goes well, be careful when you get out of that boot, Sum's friend is a cautionary tale, sounds like something I would do...
kelijpa my DH hopes to retire at 55, too. Which is in 7 years. It is hard to conceive of the financial security, but I guess he will make that decision when the time comes. I hope it works out that way, there are so many things I want to do with him. Would your DH be retiring around the same time as you?
158.5 this AM - PHEW!! Good to know that there is a number out there that will scare me straight!
love2b150 how are you these days? Have you been able to stick in the low 180s? YOu are doing so well!!
patchworkPenguin how is the knitting coming? Does it get really hectic with the holidays coming? I would imagine that there is a real demand for the items you donate.
bindii at the beginning of the month, you were disheartened because you were eating properly and exercising with no scale change. Have things gotten better for you?
yashisMom welcome! And definitely count the early-AM naked weight...
chubbyMum I'm so glad you jumped right in! I'm not sure if I ever gave you a proper welcome... I've been hit or miss this month in terms of checking in... Breastfeeding is such a wonderful thing; something I look back on with a lot of fondness.
soon2bSkinny you were stagnant at the beginning of the month. Things getting better? How is your MIL doing? We are cheering you on for crossing into Onderland!! Are you there yet permanently? You can do this!!
MrsSnark you are such a constant source of cheerful and fun support and advice, all around the boards. So happy you've joined us!
Sum your dress for Mamma Mia was so pretty! I bet you rocked it!! Hope your day is off to a good start Hey, I ate too much wonderful beef stew last week, too. We are so in this together! to OP living, indeed.
Zumba you have been on such a wild and crazy ride for so long now. I hope with the move and the finalization, you start to get to define your new normal
MagicSusan you are doing such an awesome job. I hope your kids are doing better
Guac it's nice to have you posting again. I always enjoy your writing; I hope you get your big break!
Kelijpa So glad you are still posting here. That's what I don't like about these age-based boards... we don't want to push you out!!
TwoTots how are you doing?
SweatIsFatCrying how are things going?
LuvCats So nice to see you again!! Good luck with the cholesterol lowering. When I researched this once, the 2 changes that I came up with that I wasn't already doing were green tea (which seems to be good for so many things) and whole grains (which I wasn't eating) It turns out I don't have a cholesterol problem, but I've kept with those 2 changes anyway.
JavaGal How are you doing? Have you made a plan of attack? For me, personally, I find that choosing 1 thing to change at a time, adjusting to it, and then changing the next thing, works best. But each person is an experiment of 1, and you will find what's best for you.
JuneM you've been quiet this month. How's everything going?
My day is off to a good start. Nice breakfast of cappuccino and steel cut oats with pureed pumpkin & spices mixed in. Going to go jump on to the elliptical now. See you...
Last edited by newleaf123; 11-21-2013 at 08:25 AM.
OK... staved myself off until a reasonable lunchtime. I'm hungry! Hmmm... what to have, what to have. I've got some roasted beets in the fridge, which I made a new way, so I definitely will have to have those.
Heidi,
Thanks for asking. I have been quiet this month because I have been out of town, staying with a family member who is having some medical and life problems. I was not generally in range of any wi fi, so difficult to check in. But I am back home now.
In deference to his privacy I won't give too much detail. But watching his life spiral out of control makes me want to give the following 2 pieces of advice to anyone listening.
1)Be thankful if you are blessed with good health, especially good mental health! 2)Take care of your heart. And never, never smoke! People think its the lungs that suffer, but it is equally the heart.
Good advice, JuneM. I am so grateful for my physical health; I don't often stop and think about my mental health, too. What a gift. And I'm sure your family so appreciates you for all the support you have given over the last month. Even if the person afflicted isn't able to, all the other relatives surely must. Thanks for posting! And keep up the good work!!
Peel with a carrot peeler, rinse, and then slice into about 1/3" thick slices. Toss lightly in olive oil. Arrange flat on a cookie sheet that you have lined with aluminum foil. Grind fresh pepper over top.
THEN in either case, pop in 400-degree oven. About 30 min for the slices; about an hour depending on size for the whole beets.
Heidi - I can do that (I say with relief!)! Thank you for the instructions! I will be having roasted beets at some point this weekend!
JuneM -- Your advice, so spot on, thanks for reminding me to be thankful for the health I have. While not perfect, it could be SO much worse. Being a caregiver is exhausting, be sure to take care of YOU now too!
No running or skiing for me though. My family feels bummed out that I can not ski....shhh...secretly I am happy about it. I get to stay at the lodge or go shopping and not be cold 
it was an eye opener. Anyway, as I was saying, I'm looking for some sort of project...
Are you there yet permanently? You can do this!!
to OP living, indeed.
