My Afflation

Usually, I enjoy working from home. Today was the exception that proves the rule. Today I was WFH because I finally took Joy to get seen about her  insomnia . I had planned on being imminently productive ( cue laughter ). There were good things and bad things about today's arrangement. Usually I have no issues, but today my internet seemed to freeze at the worst moments. Taking three hours to get a few emails out, not being able to do my analytics report, multiple reboots .... and having workus interruptus from said tween asking for food and being hormonal (it really sucks that she's on my cycle but hasn't started yet. I pray she doesn't have PMDD because if today is any indication, I am going to need a CASE of Bailey's and at least 5lbs of chocolate each month ! Boys are so much easier, even if they do turn into aliens). And once I finally got into a groove it was time to leave for her appointment. Also, insomnia/sleep deprivation + hormonal tween + PM...

Stage Fright by   ChrissieCool  on  deviantART So this morning (Wednesday, because at the rate I edit my posts this will be late) there was a conference call and I was one of the presenters. I got through it with saying "um" less than 500 times (I mean, how many time was *that* drilled into my head). I used to be a major wallflower (no, social media experience doesn't count because, like any internet troll, I am still behind a screen), and apparently still am. Back in my Decathlon days, since one of the categories was Interview, it was beaten drilled into me how to speak clearly, have presence, make eye contact, read my audience, and " SLOW THE EFF DOWN, ANNETTE!!! " Bet you never heard someone blow through a 6-minute speech in 2. Where was I? Oh yeah, my slides were great (good enough), my enthusiasm for social media was great (without sounding like either a total geek or technocrat), and given the audience, I had enough analysis to not seem like a fr...

Insomnia. Anxiety. Nausea. Headaches. Chronic, dull low back pain. Lack of focus. I really need to get my mind off my situation, but I feel that if I don't work tirelessly to solve it, I will have failed myself and my daughter. I know there comes a point where you can't do anymore than what's already been done, but I'm not sure if I've reached that point. I have this nagging feeling that I missed something, overlooked something, didn't do something right. It's extremely stressful. And distracting. And emotionally draining. Or maybe I feel like crap because I'm coming down with something. Time for some tea.

Moments like this are when I miss being a stay-at-home mom. Ideally, I would have a work from home job for that elusive, mythical "work life balance". In the meantime, I'll enjoy the small moments that I do get. Tomorrow I rejoin the ranks of the working class.

1. Tell marketing executives that I'm on twitter. 2. Tell them that I have thousands of followers. 3. Also tell them that I'm a (mommy) blogger.  BONUS -- Have one of them ask "What do you tweet about?" Answer using the phrase "pimping" in relation to children's digital media.  I could have died right then. Especially since I was sitting next to a VP whom I am pretty sure raised an eyebrow. The room followed with nervous laughter. But of course I didn't. I plowed right ahead listing the other things I tweet about (which can be found in my bio if you haven't looked recently). One interesting point brought up in this meeting was the lifecycle of "mommy bloggers" -- how they are really into it and prolific while their child(ren) are young and then it dies off in the upper elementary - high school years, and now some older women are picking it up as their child(ren) go(es) off to college. The "empty nesters". And I found myself th...

Preschoolers get a lesson on the importance of washing hands, which is particularly important during flu season, in a segment featuring Handy Manny during Disney Channel 's Playhouse Disney  programming. The interstitial will repeat multiple times daily and will also feature a link to the Center for Disease Control's flu prevention micro-site. Visit the Handy Manny Staying Healthy site for all the links and a parent resource on talking to your children about the flu. Related articles by Zemanta Swine Flu Death Toll Continues To Rise, Especially Among Children (huffingtonpost.com) Swine Flu Kids Getting Faster Drug Treatment (nlm.nih.gov) Review Shows Safety of H1N1 Vaccine, Officials Say (nytimes.com)

Cue Ice Cube music ... No, really. Today was better than expected. I have been off my game *ALL WEEK* and still a little off. But the last half of the day rocked. Things came together. Stunt site launched . Other sites delivered to be worked on Monday. I'll worry about Omniture on Monday too. Special delivery made by the most awesome Cheryl (aka @ Jasperblu -- she has a Seattle-based concierge business). All-in-all I couldn't ask for a better ending. (video chosen because I actually know who P.Rod is, thanks to Josh)

Near Dopey Drive 63/365 , originally uploaded by Nannerlady . Yesterday I went and got my new badge (yay for contract extensions!). I might have mentioned Dopey Drive in a tweet . Which reminded me that I should get a shot of this bit of architechture.

Armed with nothing but my G1 I continue my quest to do Project 365. I need a new charger for my d80 and a new LCD screen for my Coolpix L18. Photography has always been a passion for me, why are the fates deciding *now* to conspire against me? I choose this picture because I was working from home and needed some chocolate and tea to get me through the afternoon.

This is how I was introduced to the team and a few others :) Content written by me at the behest of my boss. My most recent job was part of a CMS transition team for Union Bank of California. I started out doing data entry and evolved into Content Coordinator/IT Liaison, with a little project management and troubleshooting thrown in for fun. The site launched ahead of schedule and under-budget. Prior to that I was mainly stay-at-home mom, running a successful in-home daycare and then doing customer service. I have been involved in online content in one way or another since 1998. I’m excited to be here and surprised at how well my youngest child’s interest in Disney Channel is helping me get up to speed with everything DOL has to offer. Today's schedule included a busy morning followed by a not so busy afternoon. Arrived at 9:15, went over the deployment schedule, then off to a 10:00 meeting to discuss upcoming shows, promos, etc. Keep an eye out, there's a fairly entertaining ...

yeah, I got notice. This is kind of how I felt even though I was expecting it.

I can't be productive eve when i want to be. that pic says "the security log on this sytem is full. only administrators can log on to fix the problem". I now have at minimum a 10 minute hold time for the IT help desk. at least it's nice classical music.

Please Man tweet ) I finally got a hold of some Cowboy Troy , so I'll be listening to that today too. I made some mixed CD's and brought them to work. "American Idol" ( Carrie Underwood , Kelly Clarkson , Blake Lewis , Jordin Sparks , Daughtry ) and "Country Mix" ( MuzicMafia members, Dixie Chicks , and Rascal Flatts ). And here I am chair dancing ("son of a 'Bad Word'" ) and working on documentation. Yeah baby, I do it all. Coding, troubleshooting, writing documentation, and training. Plus I can chair dance and type at the same time. So why am I still a contractor? Ok, this is weird, now I am typing to the Beat of Rollin' "go cowboy go" ... Last.fm profile

So last night I got a call that I wouldn't have to work for the rest of the week because the team I was on finished enough work for almost 2 weeks. What can I say? We rock :)  I got a call today ... they want me to come in tomorrow to get trained on Vignette! And the kicker ... to come in as a temp-to-hire!!! WOOT!!!! OK, so I don't get an extra long weekend as hoped (what can I say, I like sleeping in) but I now have a job for at least 3-6 months and possibly longer. I am one happy camper, who has to go to bed early. Now I should be able to afford to go see Wicked , even without a date ;)

All this week I have been trying to get up early in preparation for work on Monday. It ain' happening. My body refuses to get up before 8, though today it was 9. It's like my brain can't function with less than 8 hours, so I guess the first thing is to make sure that I get 8 hours. I am sooo screwed.

The interview went really well! And I am so glad to be in CA. Went 80+ down the freeway because I left a little late. Got there just a few minutes late due to making a wrong turn. Huntington Beach is nice, and pretty close considering. I think I will take Zoe to the dog beach there this weekend. She needs to run.

I got a job interview!!!! This Friday!!! for a contract job, but hey, it's better than nothing. Been officially looking since the 17th I think. Yeah, last Monday I updated my resume on Monster. BTW, has anyone ever heard of Vignette or Tridian?

220 people lose jobs at Dell Inc. call center Roseburg - The layoffs are grim news for Douglas County, which has the state's 2nd-highest jobless rate Friday, August 03, 2007 MIKE ROGOWAY The Oregonian Staff Computing giant Dell Inc. abruptly closed its Roseburg call center Thursday morning, putting more than 200 people out of work and dealing a major economic setback to tiny Douglas County, which already had the state's second-highest jobless rate. Dell, which has operated in a converted Albertsons grocery for the past five years, laid off its entire Roseburg staff at 10 a.m. Thursday. In the face of declining profits and shrinking market share, the Texas-based company had said in May that it would cut its global work force by 10 percent over 12 months. "The Roseburg closing is part of a series of changes we're making worldwide," said David Frink, a Dell spokesman. Still, Thursday's job cuts took Douglas County by surprise. "It's a pretty d...

Confirmed: Because of a change in policy regarding time off, I am on the list to leave the 24th :( This bites. Well, at least it's not because of my stats. -- Annette Sargent "Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea."  -Robert A. Heinlein

As of last Thursday, I was looking at staying here in OR till the end of the first week in October. As of today, I will have a job most likely until the 24th of August. Thus is the way of outsourcing. Or I could be out by the 18th. I really want to stay till the 24th, the extra little check will be helpful. Or, I can tell my manager that I am not volunteering and stay ... indefinitely. The powers that be keep changing the date our team shuts down. And it was supposed to be the whole team going, not in spurts like what will be happening this month. It sucks. I like my team and my work. But if I leave the 24th I can get the kids back on a school schedule and have a week or so to transition myself back into family life. *sigh* I think I will want a couple of weekends off to do my own thing. To be able to re-charge has become increasingly necessary for me now that I see that I need it. -- Annette Sargent "Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get ...