Fun Office Pics

I thought you might enjoy some funs pics I found at the office.

What office would be complete without a red stapler?

OK, I know it's not a sign, but it is an essential. 

We had a printer die.  As in, unrepairable die.  This sign appeared.

After months of the printer sitting there, dead, the following sign appeared.

I think perhaps we have some Monty Python fans (or dead parrot fans)

Here's one from the women's bathroom.

 

Here's a great pic from someone's desk

 

This might have been from accounting...

Probably from around month end (or year end!)

This should probably be in everyone's office!

And I think we'll finish with some serious patriotism!

Do you have any cool office pictures to share?

I WANT

I go through periods where I JUST WANT!

Right now... I want a new house to live in.  (When I say new, I don't mean brand new...gosh, I don't even know what I'd do with a brand new house!  I've only lived in roughly used homes!  Besides, I think we kind of feel like we don't "deserve" a brand new house because we don't really clean enough to do it justice.  Maybe I want need a maid too!)

OK, back to the house.  I want a house!  I currently live in a 3 bedroom condo with a very full garage (that was always supposed to be my craft room, but that so didn't happen).  I never really wanted to live where we do.  I mean, it was a major step up from where we were (2 bedroom apartment, no garage, no washer/dryer)... so really... I'm in a better place.  But we NEED a 4 bedroom (we really do), but a bit more space (and maybe some cabinetry that isn't peeling and falling apart?) would be so super!

Not actual photo.  I'm not that mean.

However, we also need to pay off debt.  Debt from life, not from living large.  (OK, there may have been a small amount of manic spending in there, but it is a small percentage.  "Don't judge me!")  Like many people we've have some issues.  Like having to replace the engine in a car I lent to a friend who kept driving when the car started making strange noises.  (She did stop when the car was beyond reparairable because well... it was making REALLY loud noises by then and she kind of had to.  And before you ask... yes, there is blond mixed in there somewhere.)

Then, there is the cat my husband doesn't like (and I love) who was attacked by not one, but two coyotes early one morning.  The hubster saved said kitty by fighting the mean ol coyotes off with a hose then was calling for the cat to come to him when I finally woke up.  The cat won't come to me when I call and I love him... he was so not coming to my hubster after being mauled by large animals with death on their breath.  (He totally lived by the way, not even a scar!  9 lives down to 6 I'd say.  1-being rescued in the first place, 2&3- 1 for each coyote).  Emergency vets and overnight stays... not cheap.

There's plenty more reasons why we have debt, but I will oh so kindly spare you additional details.  Back to what I WANT.

You know when you kind of know you can't have or do something, but you haven't emotionally reconciled yourself to it just yet?  Well, I will continue to mull over said issue (moving to an actual house) trying to problem solve and come up with a way to do it.

Maybe if... I use my bonus from work (which Uncle Sam will take half of, so it may not even be enough.)

Maybe if... I negotiate with the landlord to let us pay a deposit over the first few months (because if you haven't moved recently, it requires cold hard cash baby!)  We won't actually receive our deposit (if we actually get anything back) until a month after we've moved.  Can't count on that cash.  We'd need first month rent (OK that could be a wash) and deposit money, and in our case, cat/pet deposit money.  (I mean hey, we just spend several thousand dollars to fix a kitty, he's coming with!)

Maybe if... I find an incredible deal in the neighborhood I want because I've just timed this all so well and God decided it's time for us to move.

Oh wait.
God.
That's right... I shouldn't be problem solving and maybe if'ing...I should be praying.

Not quite a 2x4, more like a dowell.

Is this where God wants us?
Are we supposed to move?  (and I can so totally hear me saying... "Yes, Yes God!  We are supposed to move!  Give us a great new place we can praise you for!)

Sigh... I guess this is where patience and obedience comes in.  Perhaps... (just perhaps) I should spend more time praying and seeking God's will than scouring the internet for a free site listing what is available in Irvine.  I SO do not trust the sites they want me to pay for  the address.  I know that as soon as I do that, the properties I'm interested in will suddenly be "leased."  I mean, what landlord who wants to list his home for lease and keep it full limits his lease listings to pay only sites?  I don't think so.

Women's Bathrooms -- not the new Men's Bathroom

OK ladies...
Could someone please explain to me why some of you think I want to sit in your pee? 

I mean really.  I work at a big, corporate company.  A large percentage of people have a college degree.  All of them passed "are you a psycho" personality tests to even be hired on.  Still, some of these women still pee on toilet seats or don't flush after themselves.  We literally have signs up in the bathroom reminding such women to flush.

This is not Europe.  We have those great little seat liners that for the few moments you are sitting down really do a pretty good job of keeping you away from the germs.  In fact, I bet the bathrooms in our office are cleaner than the home ones we use because it's cleaned daily.  (No, I do not clean my bathroom daily other than to rinse out the toothpaste in the sink.)

I just don't understand this.  Did I miss the revolution where women decided we too need to stand while we pee?  Are we competing for ickiest bathroom with the men now (trust me women, we'll never win that one.  Have you been inside a public men's room?)?

Please, if this is you... STOP IT ALREADY!

Fighting with the hubster (put the knife down woman)

I must confess I love a good fight.  I do not mind confrontation and thoroughly enjoy winning them when the opportunity arises.  I actually got money back from the Irvine Company when we moved out of one of their apartments.  If you don't live in Orange County (or even Southern California) this will have little meaning to you; so to offer context... it's up there with arguing to get money back from the IRS because you disagree with their findings.  (Actually, I'm quite proud of that particular altercation and am delighted when given the opportunity to recount it.  But that's not why we are here today.)

For the first, oh, say, 10 years of my marriage, I gave my husband to "The Irvine Company Treatment" in the fight department.  I think it would be fair to say I kind of ground him into dust.  Not that I won every argument - though my pride so wants that to be true because then, I'm, you know, justified.  I remember the exact moment I realized I was ruining our relationship with this behavior.  Sparing you the voluminous details I'm capable of, my husbter turned to me and said, "When we fight, it doesn't matter what I say, it doesn't even matter if I'm right.  I know in the end you have to be right or it will never stop."

2x4 in action.

That was a whack upside the head.  God used that one small statement in the midst of a fight and I've tried very hard to change from that moment on.  I don't think my husband has any idea how hard I try to change because I know some of my dreck leaks out.  Seriously, there are days where I shouldn't be in the kitchen because there are weapons of mass destruction in there that in the heat of battle, I may be tempted to use.

Fast forward to my best friend moving away.  Insert period of appropriate mourning.  OK, we can talk about it again...

She and her husband were having a discussion about getting a new bed.  His comment to her was they would get a new bed when she lost weight.  Now, before you go all nuclear about this (like I did) listen to her response.  She laughed!  She knew it wasn't true so why should it bother her. 

Could it really be THAT easy?  Not letting what's not true bother me?

So I tried that on for a while.  Tested it out.  You know what?  IT'S POWERFUL!  It's FREEDOM!  It's revolutionary!  It actually kind of changed my life.

But I forgot all that last night.
My husband and I had what ended up being conflicting plans last night.
I intended to bring the offspring with me to a movie and he intended (as he intends each Thursday) to have quiet time.  Being a 9 on the Myers Briggs Introvert scale, he requires such things at regular intervals to function at a basic level.  When we got home... no offspring.

No note.
No cell phones (both are currently lost -- so not replacing those).
My offspring really are not old enough for this kind of behavior. 

So I called around looking for them without success until I'm ready to walk out the door to my movie & other friends (those other people being the reason I couldn't just cancel my plans, which I so would have done).  My husband was NOT HAPPY!  We had a few words because now I'm feeling bad about his unhappiness.  I am now unhappy with him for "making" me feel bad for not cancelling my plans.  He just wants his down time.  I just want to see friends.  Really, neither of us want something bad. 

I'm late, so I leave. 

But I'm not done.

I call him and try to talk it out.  I get his go to response, "I have nothing to say.  We will have to agree to disagree."

Except that I have an emotional response to this and it is icky and I want him to take that away so I can enjoy my evening.  I want him to make me feel better and tell me, "it's OK, go enjoy your evening."  We go back and forth.  He keeps saying the "agree to disagree" thing and I'm having visions on sharp instruments but am determined not to devolve into a screaming banshee (though I do a really good screaming banshee, just so you know).  Ultimately, nothing is resolved.

I sit in my car and cry until I can pull myself together then I walk in to see my friends.
I don't share that I just fought with the hubster.
We talk and I try to enjoy myself, but I wonder if the guilt I feel for taking the evening away from the hubster is showing.

Walking up to the movie theater, I get a flash of brilliance.  Called home and offered to have the hubster drop the offspring off to see the movie with me.  He shockingly says NO!
The movie was really good and I cried through most of it which left me emotionally exhausted.  Went home to the usual offspring waiting for me, where have you been all night, now let's smother Mom greeting and we all go to bed.

Fast forward to this morning.
The hubster comes in and gives me a big hug.


And now the ick is gone and I'm ready to tackle another Friday.
(but I really shouldn't have eaten that half a donut.  ICK)

Different Perspective

So, it's been a while, I want to blog, I love blogs, I love the whole idea of it...but time is not always my friend.  No home computer for many moons...I'm back at it... let's go!

So, re-reading my last few posts and being in a different frame of mind (a bit anyway)...
The first thing that came to mind was "what would my husband think upon reading this?"
I think he would say "ditto" a lot.  He is probably feeling much the same way.  That is a very interesting perspective shift.

I think part of making relationships work is being able to see things from the other person's side. 

How long must I wait?

Frustration. 
Frustration with my life, with my own abilities, with my pride, with the pride of others, with emptiness.

I've been working on my family.  My realtionship with my kids and especially with my husband.  I'm tired.  I'm not making enough progress fast enough for me.  I can hear things that God wants me to do, and I flat out don't want to do them.

I am haunted by Why Should I Be The First To Change. 
I am angered by the marriage counselor telling me that my husband/my marriage is like dealing with a scared kitten hiding under the sofa.  I have to be kind and patient and rewarding.

This is not an easy behavior when feeling isolated, neglected and lonely.  I am currently more concerned with my own rights and needs than those of my husband and yet, as I currently have more "awarness" of what our marriage needs (skipping the "men are doof's" comments) truthfully, I am the one called to action here.  I know God is calling us to more and I want that, I want the more!  I just cannot let go of the idea that the work to be done is mine.  God will help me, yes, I know that...I guess I just don't believe it.  I don't trust that if I do "A" my husband will do "B" or even "C" or "L" or "Q."

Tenth Avenue North played on my way to work today.  The first time I heard this song I was almost offended by it.  I was in another state and wondered if I was actually listening to a Christian station or just happened to catch a "christiany song."  When I heard it again, I was touched by the cry to God.

Today, I am identifying with it.  But I'm going to add my 2X4 twist...
How long must I wait for myself to do what God asks of me?
How long till I surrender and let Him take care of the issues plaguing my life currently?
How long will I continue to give lip service to the prayer needed to protect and unite my family?
How long...

HOLD MY HEART by Tenth Avenue North
How long must I pray, must I pray to You
How long must I wait, must I wait for You
How long 'till I see Your face
See You shining through

I'm on my knees
Begging You to notice me
I'm on my knees
Father, will You turn to me, yeah?

One tear in the dropping rain
One voice in a sea of pain
Could the Maker of the stars
Hear the sound of my breaking heart?

One life is all I am
Right now I can barely stand
If You're everything You say You are
Would You come close and hold my heart?

I've been so afraid, afraid to close my eyes
So much can slip away before I say goodbye
But if there's no other way
I'm done asking why

'Cause I'm on my knees
Begging You to turn to me
I'm on my knees
Father, will You run to me, yeah?

One tear in the dropping rain
One voice in a sea of pain
Could the Maker of the stars
Hear the sound of my breaking heart?

One life is all I am
Right now I can barely stand
If You're everything You say You are
Would You come close and hold my heart?

So many questions without answers
Your promises remain
I can't see but I'll take my chances
To hear You call my name
To hear You call my name

One tear in the dropping rain
One voice in a sea of pain
Could the Maker of the stars
Hear the sound of my breaking heart?

One life is all I am
Right now I can barely stand
If You're everything You say You are
Would You come close and hold my heart?

Hold my heart
Could You hold my heart?
Hold my heart

Praying for the Hubster

I signed up for a "Daily Prayer For Your Husband" devotion...maybe a year or two ago.  For some reason, I never read it.  I eventually lost track of it or marked it as spam or something along those lines because I stopped seeing it.

Now, you need to know that I don't have access to any of the "fun" websites from work.  No personal email, no FaceBook, no YouTube, so, they like actually want us to work here!  I have limited to no time to be online at home, leaving the only chance to catch up on any of these social media lie on my phone; which while lovely and useful, is woefully small and difficult to correspond with in any volume.

I tell you this because I recently started receiving the devotion again... at work!  On my work email.  I'm not sure how this happened but it's feeling like the step just prior to that 2x4 moment! 

I've ignored the email for several days until the thought above occured to me, then printed it out to read in my prayer closet (the bathroom at work --> hey, don't judge me, it's literally the only place I can be alone except for a few rare occassions in my car, which I spend attempting to talk with people I miss.). 

OK, back to the devotional/prayer.  Today it's on Submission to authority (so I'm already feeling defensive!  Accept that, it's to pray for my husband to be submissive to the authority in his life.  OK then! 

But seriously for a moment.  My greatest desire is for my husband to submit his worry to God and allow his faith to grow as he sees God work out all the issues necessary in our lives.  My hub is a chronic worrier and I would love to see him set free from this burden.

I'm reading along, knowing that these issues apply to me every bit as much as they apply to my hubby.  Got through 2 scriptures on the topic (Proverbs 19:16 & Romans 13:1-2).  So far so good.

Then there is a Challenge.  Oh, I like challenges... but, oh no... there, the author went and made me look at myself again!  I knew it was coming, God truly never lets me get away without seeing the log in my own eye.  She throws out 1 Corinthians 11:3 and then Ephesians 5:22-24 (we'll do a discussion about how the context of the verse is all of us as Christians submitting to one another... but some other time).  And in case I wasn't yet convicted of my abject failure on this topic... we end with 1 Peter 3:1-2. 

If I want God to help my husband with his worry, I need to be a part of the process.  God cares as much about my own log as he does as the speck I perceive as a tree in my husband's eye.  I often spend time with a saw or tweezers trying to "help" the hubster with his problem and now truly realize I can't see to do any kind of good.

This God we serve is so odd.  Making us be the change we want to see in the world (thank you Ghandi for so perfectly articulating Jesus).

Maybe some eye drops would help me?