Perserverance in action

There is a small metal awning that sits above the door to my enclosed front porch. Two small sparrows have taken up residence there, nestling themselves into a corner where they, at least for the last few years so far as I can remember, have raised baby birds. It's such a treat for me to stand inside the porch and hear the baby birds chirping to mom and dad, calling out "Feed me!" Nature up close and personal.

Well, my husband has a problem with these birds. Specifically, with the bird poop that litters the porch steps. He is fed up and has taken down the nest this year to drive the birds--and their poop--away from our front porch. While I'm less than pleased with this, I understand his reasoning.

Only now a battle of wills has begun. These little industrious birds seem hell bent on living underneath this awning. In less than 24 hours after my husband removes the nesting material the birds have recreated the nest in full force. Better, stronger, faster. They feel quite adamantly that the awning is their piece of real estate.

Who am I to argue with Nature?

What made me smile today

I had just returned home from the gym. I spent an hour teaching a water aerobics class, another hour training a client, and twenty minutes on the elliptical. Needless to say I was sweaty, tired, and anxious to shower.

As I was walking onto my front porch I heard Emily's bus rumbling up the street. So I waited, smiling, as my 7 year old came off of the bus and up the steps toward me.

"Mama, can we go for a run together?"

In an instant I was no longer tired. Sweaty didn't matter. And I knew my legs could handle a few more minutes of work.

That's my girl!

I'm too tired to blog

The past couple of days have crazy. School here. Quiz there. Exam to study for. Clients over yonder. Miles to run. Healthy eating to plan. Kids to kiss and read bedtime stories to. Husband to remind, "Remember me? I'm that wife you never see".

My mind is as achy as my muscles right now. I just want to crawl into bed and sleep for two days. But I have to shower first, though. I'm stanky. A mile, 45 minutes on an elliptical and weight training sometimes do that to ya.

Needless to say, I'm not much of a blogger right now. So I'll entertain in another way. If you haven't seen the YouTube video below, watch it and be prepared to laugh your a** off. If you don't get it kicked, first. ;) No, this cutie is not mine.
(You may want to censor it if you have small ears about the house!)

My 31 day challenge

My certification workshop begins on the 11th of April. I will not show up to this thing looking like I've not worked out in ages.(Read: fluffy) Ok, so I've not worked out in ages. I could give you a list of reasons why I haven't but I won't (because if you know me at all you'll already know why, and it will be a rehashing of old news).
On the 11th of March I made a conscious decision (as opposed to those pesky unconscious ones) and I decreed that I will do something active each day leading up to this workshop. I will eat nothing but healthy foods. I will be mindful of portions.
Thus far, I have.
Yesterday I ran 2 miles with Harley.
The day before that I ran, lifted weights and took a yoga class.
And the day before that I ran, lifted, taught a water aerobics class, and jumped on an elliptical machine before training a couple of clients.
I think I'll take the dog out again today between church and work.
Check up on me, okay?

This is what happens when I am left alone with nothing better to do.

An impending A & P quiz. A missing book.
What are you willing to risk???
(turn your speakers up!)

What I do now | while I'm learning to do | what I love to do

(That title sounds a lot more lyrical than "The career I have now while I go to school to get into a new career because this one no longer does it for me.")

It's been a while since I've written anything remotely relating to my job. If you are the least bit curious about what it is that I do for 40+ hours a week (*snicker*), well...

I am one of a handful of people (aka managers on duty) who are handed the day to day tasking of Keeping An Airline On Time. This means that I have to manage crew delays, air traffic control delays, departure weather delays, en route weather delays, arrival weather delays, aircraft maintenance delays, aircraft availability, and any other Irregular Operation (hurricanes come to mind) that crop up to lessen the impact that they have on You, the Traveling Public. And yes, I cancel flights. (It's nothing personal, trust me.)

There are other happenings in my department, such as releasing flight dispatches that tell the crews where they are flying, how they are going to get there, how much fuel they'll need, how many people they can take, etc., but this is far less interesting than having the amazing power to Cancel A Flight! BWAHAHAHA!

I'm kidding.

So Here's Your Chance: Have a question about the industry? Airline travel in general? I'll be happy to answer what I can. Can I get you free airline tickets? No. So don't ask.

*This entry first appeared November 29, 2006 in my Spaces blog. Yes, I'm stealing from myself.

Toothfairy troubles

Abby is incapably of saying "thistle" and "mints" right now. Over the course of the last week or so my baby finally lost her two front teeth.

There was a dark side to this happy family moment, however.

I have it on good authority that the Toothfairy's job is getting tougher. An initial attempt to secure the package was scrapped after it was discovered that the child was, unfortunately, awake. A bullet was artfully dodged by feigning an extra kiss goodnight in lieu of making the switch. The mission was accomplished some time later but not without continued threat of discovery.

It's a tough life for a Toothfairy these days.

The Two Click Rule

I'm busy. You're busy. We both have plenty of things that we should be doing rather than farting around on the internet. Our time is precious.
So forgive me, dear, if I sometimes delete you. In the interest of friendship and honesty I must come clean.
If you email me something that begins with "Fw:Fw:Fw:Re:I better get this back!" I will delete you.
If you forward me a picture of a redneck mansion (worth a chuckle, no doubt) but fail to check first it's veracity then I will delete you.
I don't have eons to dig through a mountain of forwarded emails to find a picture of a cute baby duck telling me that we're friends forever (I already know that but I still love you anyway).
We need to get on with our lives. Ergo, the Two Click Rule.
I will click your forwarded message two times. If I don't see the intended message in two clicks I'll volunteer a third click: the big X.

BFF!
xoxo

Ohmigosh did that just totally sound bitchy?

A look at my other life

This is me. Please ignore the shiny forehead.


This is where I work. I have no say in the decor.


These are my airplanes in the sky. Notice that scary yellow looking stuff? Thunderstorms. That pretty looking blue stuff? Snow. If you can catch that wee bit of pink embedded in there that's freezing rain.


These were all the airplanes in the sky when this shot was taken. If memory serves, there were well over two thousand airplanes in the air at that time. It was pretty late at night so that would account for why there were so few. Notice how everyone seems to be avoiding the scary yellow stuff.


When all is quiet at my job I try to study for upcoming tests and quizzes. Don't tell anyone.

Good Lord I look tired. I can't imagine why...

So how do you spend your work day?

Blowing off the dust

Here's a little ditty I wrote back in May 2006. It's a little poem and it doesn't rhyme. For all you rhymers out there, I'll apologize in advance.

Rear View Mirror

light and dark dance upon the mirror

my reflection is broken by shadows

fragmented, i am beautiful