Sassy, I don't know you well but I definitely wish you the best of luck in pursuing your future! Definitely take advantage of an opportunity like that! =)

Tera... happy birthday!!!

I can't believe tomorrow is october 1... where is the time going?

Hello Iris and THANK YOU!!! I know, can't beleive it either and its beginning to feel like fall outside too!!!

Hope you have a great birthday today Terra!!!!!!!!!!!

everybody for the birthday wishes!

Mom got back yesterday afternoon, and I got to visit an hour or so before leaving myself to pick up B and get to school. She had some really nice photos of the castles along the Rhine! If anyone is curious, not only does my mom work for Microsoft on a team that is developing their new professional image gallery program, but she's a talented photographer in her own right. You can see pics from some of her other trips on www.anitaoakley.com.

Anyhoo, today when I finish here, I'll be taking a little walk. First to deliver the rent and ask about the status on our maintenance request (a main pipe burst or something last night and since then the cold water hasn't been able to compete with the hot water, making our shower too hot to handle.) Then it's off to the grocery store to get fresh veggies to throw into my first attempt at home made chicken and rice soup. (singing: Chicken soup, chicken soup with ri-hiiiice! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQMmmTK9ibw)

Home again to get the crock pot going and hopefully make some progress on the house and maybe some homework... and then... I dunno! I definitely plan to do something special for myself before sweet Hubby (who gave me the most wonderful bday card) comes home and whisks me off to Costco for groceries!

Sassy: Congratulations on finally having the opportunity to assess your career options and make a move toward long term job satisfaction. That's where I was about a year and a half ago, although it was a major disruption of my life, and not added stability that resulted in the change.

For 5 years I worked in an inbound call center - customer service and inbound sales. I kinda snapped rather suddenly after all that time, and my employer put me in the back office doing data entry and word processing to keep me from walking out, even though for a long while I was pretty content taking customer calls.

In my new position, I went above and beyond - writing database programs in MS Access and basically doing everything I could think of to streamline and improve the work processes. I had technical know-how that nobody else seemed to possess there.

Then the entire department was completely overhauled. After 9/11 and Katrina, they decided that having all the work for the entire corporation hubbed at a single location was too risky. They began training another team in a different part of the country, assuring us that they were just there to provide back-up and that nobody's jobs were at risk. Yeah-right.

We got a new department manager and about a month later, they sat us down and told us that about 1/3 of us were being let go. Most of them had the option of staying there and going back on the phones, but few took up the offer. Everything kind of went downhill from there, but I decided to give things a year to stabilize before deciding whether to give notice. Unfortunately, I didn't last a year. I became so stressed out and miserable that it was causing me physical pain. I left on short term disability after 6 months, and when that ran out and doctors hadn't found any physical cause for my pain, I quit. By that time I was almsot ten thousand dollars in debt with medical bills my company-provided insurance hadn't covered.

Yeah, I don't even know why I'm posting that whole story, but since I've actually written it, I'm going to post it anyway.

What I really wanted to tell you is that when I was ready to really evaluate what I wanted to do for the next 20-40 years, I decided to take an aptitude test online. That's how I came to decide to pursue my teaching degree. I don't remember which one it was, but I did find this one:

http://www.careerexplorer.net/aptitude.asp

I hope you find it helpful.

I don't know Sassy, I just moved from the northeast US to southwest, and I have to say it still feels like summer here! I'm in shock that it's oct. first and still over 90 degrees!! I'm usually always cold, though, so honestly I don't mind. The only thing that bothers me is how high all the buildings blast their AC!

Enjoy your b-day, Tera! Make sure you fit in the relaxation time for yourself before grocery shopping. =)

Thanks, Iris! I always spend a few pleasant moments on 3FC to start my day. Helps me stay motivated the rest of the day.

I have been stressed out a lot over the last two weeks but today is the first that I felt like just staying in bed...no really cause i am tired just cause I dont want to deal with the world today. Like seriously I dont know if I can handle much more screaming kids and everything else. my dh went on a rave last night about hes the one that gets the least amount of sleep...and is always commenting that hes "off the clock" now. He still does what I say but he makes those comments...I started looking for jobs last night because i can get help for access for child care...i dont know I am just SICK of being here and going crazy. he doesnt get it Yes he has a job and has to come home and help take care of his family but he has a change in scenery. When he was laid off a few years back and was hope he was going crazy and that was only 6 months I have been at home for 2 years. I try to treat this like it is a job but it doesnt change...I feel like I am locked in a prison!! I deal with temper tantrums 24/7...like he even will joke and be like I think I have to go to work now...because it gets crazy around here. I need an out!!
I am tired of when I make food someone complains ( I am not a bad cook either) But with 7 people someone is not going to like it but if I have to hear anymore, this smells bad, I dont like this, I dont like onions, why did you have to make this, Is that all your making....I am so sick of it I just wont cook....they can eat pb & J for all I care...I actually eat the less of all of them and even cook stuff I dont really care for....If anyone even tells me "every mother deals with this" I will probably flippin scream because EVERY mother isnt helping me from going crazy....well i gotta tend to the kids...if I could just go to bed or just lay around and do nothing that would be wonderful!

Hello all!

Is this the "daily thread" that we post in? I filled out the bio and it said to post in the "daily thread".

Anyway - I have depression. I've actually been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. AND I just started the South Beach Diet. I've lost 8 pounds since Monday...water weight, I know.

Mo4, I'm really worried about you! It sounds like you need help - maybe a job would help, but I also think it would add more stress, and it really wouldn't address some of the fundamental problems that you're describing to me.

For one, it sounds like your husband doesn't appreciate what you do for your family. It sounds like he's centered on himself, the way my dad was. My mom finally got divorced from him, because he couldn't see past his own issues into other peoples' points of view. Getting a job isn't going to make your husband more sensitive to your needs.

Have you told him what you're feeling, just like you posted above? Does he know how much work it is, caring for him and the kids and the house and how you need some relief now and then? Maybe he should have realized on his own, but it really isn't fair to expect him to respond to needs you haven't told him about.

If you have tried to tell him how your feeling, maybe it's time to seek outside help. Yes, I'm talking family counseling. It might take a while to find the right counselor, not every therapist is well suited to every family. It's also an expense, and I do know that things are tight. But there are usually resources for getting assistance for mental health, either through your husband's employment or through county or city services.

I just wish I had more help to offer you than all this advice. You've probably heard all of it before.

Hey, don't knock it. If you had that much water retained, you've already improved your health by getting a better water balance in your body!

Yes, I believe this is the "daily thread" mentioned in the bio sticky. At least, this is the one we use to check in and give updates - kind of a "general chat" for those of us who share the challenge of fighting clinical depression along with ridding ourselves of extra weight.

to 3FC! Are you taking medication for bipolar or are you on any other therapies? Oh, wait... :zipping off to check out your bio:

I'm on Abilify for the bipolar, and Cymbalta for the depression.

I might ask my doctor to take me off of the Cymbalta soon.

Good morning everyone!

Just popping in to say Hello!

Welcome tmignemi2! and yes this is the daily thread. Congrats on the weight loss!! Looking forward to getting to know you better.

Momof4: I'm so sorry to hear that you are having such a tough time right now. I don't have any advice, but I sure hope you husband steps up to the plate to help as this is his family as well and there is more to being a father and husband than a paycheque (oh and I know what you mean with the cooking thing. I get to the point where I'd like to throw the food, but then that would be another mess to clean up as well. Thankfully my group is old enough that I can bail and say its a "fend for yourself night" now if I could get them to clean the kitchen when they were done.)

tera, hope, Iris, leenie, sassy, lauren and everyone else hope you are all doing well (good? I never know which one it is )

Went to the dentist yesterday and was pleasantly surprised when he was able to fix my tooth with a filling and not a crown! Then I picked up my mom and we went shopping and out for lunch. We haven't gotten together for what feels like ages.
Other than that nothing new here. We've been having beautiful fall weather, its been so lovely especially with all the colourful trees. Unfortunatly they say it will start to change today as they are forcasting rain for tonight. Oh well, it was good while it lasted.

I should get going, take care everyone and try to have a wonderful day,
K