The Wonder of Summer

I have a fantastic job. I babysit kids. Most people would laugh and say, "Babysitting is your job? Oh, I'm so sorry." But really, it's my favorite job in the world. Right now, I watch a little boy who is seven years old. He can talk your ear off at times. I find myself looking at him and saying, "Child, do you have an off button?" But that's normal. He's a little talker. It's just his nature. The boy never meets a stranger. Yet, we go into Walmart or to the bank, and he is like a little church mouse. He does not utter a word. And in return, the tellers at the bank give him a sucker for being so quiet and well behaved. Yet, if he talked like he normally does, he probably wouldn't get a sucker. I use to pick him up from school at the beginning of school and at Steens Creek Elementary, they do behavior logs. The most common behavior log the child had was talking when he wasn't suppose to. Up until now, I couldn't believe it. Now, I see how he gets a bahavior log for talking every single day. But he's seven. He talks. But he talks more than normal seven year olds. It amuses me to see his personality come through.

Since I got out for summer and started my job, I have gotten more and more fascinated in reality shows. My favorite one right now is "Hey Paula". It's a reality show about Paula Abdul. Shocker, right? Her life has always cracked me up and the thought a couple of weeks ago was what if she had a reality show? I would so watch it. Then, low and behold, there was the reality show on Bravo. I was so excited. In just watching the first episode, I saw how hectic her life is. Most people look at celebrities as the bright and shining faces that make us smile and laugh in movies. In the recent times, people have been bashing her for being "drunk" while doing a TV interview. See, that's why I don't pursue a career in movies. I started to show interest and thought to myself, "No way. I don't want to have to deal with the rumors." In reality sense, Paula seemed drunk on an interview she did to promote American Idol. After watching her reality show, I saw how wrong I was. Paula is the kind of woman who just goes and goes and goes and goes. She doesn't have time to have a life, much less sleep all at the same time. In the course of these interviews, she was going on no sleep for at least 48 hours (give or take a few hours) and she was very very tired and also sick. Hello, can we say incoherent? I would be if I hadn't slept for two freakin days straight. Who can function on a ten minute power nap? I can't sleep during the day because I won't sleep at night. If I went 2 days without sleeping, I do believe I'd be stumbling, falling, incoherent, and possibly hostile. I'm a cranky little buger when I don't get enough sleep. Ask anyone. Yet Paula Abdul goes without any sleep and can still put together good questions to answers. It's funny how people jump to conclusions. Rumors get started. Gossip gets started. What is this? High school? Heck, not even high school. It's more like junior high. It's so beyond stupid. But when you're on TV, you're looked at more. I feel sorry for her. She's the sweetest woman in the world and just because she doesn't get sleep doesn't mean she's drunk. Admit it. If we didn't get sleep, our sentences wouldn't make that much sense. Really. So, it floors me that people would be so stupid and spread rumors.

Other than those things, my summer is normal. My nephew is here! WOOOO! Yeah, I'm gonna go spend time with him. BUH BYE! Happy reading!

I hate frustration

I do. I hate it. It causes the tiny vein in my head to pop out. But what causes my frustration? The correct question is what DIDN'T frustrate me today? The kids were just outrageous today. Normally they aren't this bad but today, man! My dad is normally a good person to start trouble with the kids. And he was but not until the late afternoon. Corrie was extremely whiney today. Which isn't a surprise it's just it really got to me today. Jordan was good. It's days like today that I really wish I only had him to watch. It happens. But three kids is a lot, I've noticed. If it wasn't Breanna crying, it was Corrie being mean to her sister. I actually used Time Out today. Corrie got it for being mean to her sister and telling her she couldn't play a game with the two older kids. It's a fact of life. The youngest sibling will always be subjected to being left out of the older person's fun. I'm the baby in the family. I know. My brother left me out of tons of games that I wanted to play with him because I wasn't big enough to keep up with the older kids. Maybe that's why I have so much pity for the fact that Breanna can't play as many games as Corrie and Jordan. But I caught Corrie singing a very familiar tune when she was being mean to her little sister. It just reminded me of the way my own older brother acted towards me. I understand the older sibling's need to play with his or her own friends but that doesn't excuse being mean to them so, I was harsh. And I yelled. But for good reason. Corrie learned a lesson and Breanna was happy. But the frustration came later on in the afternoon with my dad. The kids had been extremely rambunctious today and by the time 3PM came around, I was ready to pull my hair out. So, what better time than the present to instigate a "be quiet and relax" game? I set them on my bed in my bedroom and told them to be quiet and watch TV. It seemed perfect. The kids asked me to turn on a game and play it for them. So, granting their wish, I turned on the PS2 that's in my room and began playing a Sonic game for them to enjoy. They seemed content for a good 20 minutes. But I got so involved in the game (because I forgot all the frustration of the day in the midst of the game) that I didn't notice that Breanna and Corrie weren't in my room anymore. Now, keep in mind I told them to stay in my room for quiet time. When I noticed they were gone and I heard my dad talking to the girls. I paused the game and literally ran to the living room where I promptly told them to come back to my room. Once there, I went to Dad. I asked him what they were doing and he informed me that he walked out of his office and they were just sitting there on the couch without the TV on so he asked them what was wrong. They told him they wanted to color. Now, I do realize that my dad is the owner of the house but those kids are MY responsibility. Not his. So, I make the rules. Not him. Which means I override his commands. Period. Especially when it comes to the well-being of the kids. I am getting paid to watch them. Not him. End of story. So, as soon as I straightened him out, I went back to my room where I promptly scolded them for bothering my dad. He works from home and apparently they think he is off work when he is at home. Wrong. He works from home. After that explanation, I set them in the living room. The girls left about 3:30 when their father got there. After they left is when the real frustration started.

I love my dad to death but my GOD he does not listen to a word. I realize I am the youngest in the family but I am 20. I am an adult. The only reason I live with my parents is because I go to Hinds and free living is a lot better than...well...bills. So, there. Still in all, my opinion sometimes makes sense. We have Comcast, recently turned from Time Warner. We have an HDTV so, naturally, we have the box to match. The HDTV Comcast box. We noticed about two weeks ago that some of the channels after being recorded were fuzzy. So, naturally, we call tech support to come out and look at our box. He informs us that it was just too hot under the Entertainment center. Now, I had all three youngins when the Comcast guy first came out. Him and I both agreed that the box needed to be put on top of the Entertainment center. There was plenty of room to do so and we thought it was the obvious choice. The only problem was we have the sub woofer to our surround sound up there. And we also have a Samurai sword up there too. My family collects swords. We have like ten in the house. I own two daggers. Anywho, me and the Comcast guy had already thought we'd put it on top of the sub woofer without a problem. We get my dad on the phone. He doesn't wanna do that. Frustration. I leave the house with the kids and my dad comes home and demands the box be put back where it was. So, when I got home, to my frustration, it was back in its spot. The first reaction was, "What the heck are you doin? We had it perfect." He chose not to do that. Whatever. As long as my box is fixed. Well, it was. For the most part. Only a couple of shows recorded fuzzy. So, he called the Comcast guy today. He said, the box is still fuzzy. The tech says, "Okay, we're gonna send an update to the box. Hang on." And he does. Now, instead of waiting to see if the box is fixed, he demands another Comcast HD box. I wouldn't have a problem with this only I have some stuff recorded on my DVR (Digital Video Recorder) that I don't want to lose. You get a new box, you lose all your shows. The shows include the original episodes of So You Think You Can Dance auditions. Those are always my favorite to watch. If a new box comes, I lose those. Now, when we switched to an HD box when we got our TV, I had the original episodes of American Idol that were the auditions. I didn't want to lose them! I don't have the box in my room. It's in our living room for a reason. But if that blasted man I call my father keeps getting new boxes when there is nothing wrong with the one we have, all of my shows will be lost. I love those episodes and I don't want to lose them. He won't even wait to see if they work. And he won't let me explain why I want them. Those episodes are classic. I go back once the show reaches the top 10 or so and see where the stars came from and all that. It's for a reason. And he keeps switching out the boxes once every three blasted months! It's stupid. And annoying and people wonder why I'm frustrated? SEE WHAT I HAVE TO LIVE WITH THEN ASK THAT QUESTION. And I can never explain myself. Why? He won't listen. He yells and throws things! I try to explain but when he pulls that CRAP, I forget what I'm saying and I can't explain it right which is what happened to me today when I tried to get him NOT to switch out my box but to show him that the box is fine and it records fine. But he won't LISTEN. Frustration. Live with my dad and you'll find a good solid definition. I'm gone. APRIL OUT!

How long has it been?

Wow, have I been busy. With school, work, and church, I've barely had time to breathe. But I have been having fun. My job is great. I babysit a wonderful bunch of children. The first is my Jordan. I've watched him many times through this passed year. I actually use to keep him the beginning of his 1st grade year. He and I have become close. Very close. I only met him actually less than a year ago but it feels like I've known him forever. He's my precious heart. He's seven years old. Next in line is Corrie. She's six. She's my next door neighbor and very independent. She loves taking care of her little sister and niece (long story). Then, there's Breanna. She's the snuggler. She's four. She has orange hair, the cutest freckles, and she sucks her thumb. She's my cuddle monster. She loves to cuddle. And I welcome that. She's still small enough for me to rock her to sleep.

I will describe my children in colors.

Jordan: He's blue. Why? He's a boy. No, that's not all why. He's blue because of his nature. He's very laid back and relaxed, much like this color. He's sweet and loving and never meets a stranger. His favorite past time is talking. The boy will talk your ear off if you'll let him. He's very imaginative and creative. His smile and laugh will always bring a smile to your face.

Corrie: She's red. Why? She's the boss. No, that's not all why. She's red because she's a wild little girl. Though she's only a year younger than Jordan, she's still a baby in my eyes. She gets scared easily and sometimes can't take a joke. But that's who she is. She's very take charge and likes to be the boss of everything. She helps take care of Breanna.

Breanna: She's lavender. Why? She's the baby. No, that's not all why. Breanna is the smallest out of everyone. She is simply influenced by Jordan and Corrie yet she has the best time trying to be just like me and her sister. Though she still sucks that little thumb, she can be a take charge girl. She molds the entire group together from top to bottom.

At my church, I get paid to do what I love. Watching kids. I just recently picked up a full time job at my church. They were looking for a full time paid worker and I have made enough hours to be able to be considered a full time worker. Which is fine with me! So, I get that job. Along with that, I get paid to watch Jordan, Corrie, and Breanna. For Jordan, it's three times a week for a set rate. For Corrie and Breanna, it's all week and it's a set rate. On occasion, I watch an 8 month old for cash as well. I must say, I think I have my full time job covered. But I love every minute of it.

Recently, I've been trying to introduce some Christian values to the kids. They all go to church but I am a Sunday School teacher so, I take advantage of that and try to teach them good values. I pray with them at breakfast and lunch and I tell them to say prayers before nap. I hope my things help them.

Wow, almost a month

It's been almost a month since my last post on here. Things are crazy right now for me. Things just recently calmed down slightly. My biggest dilemma was the Childrens program at my church. Lisa oh so graciously gave me the role of Drama Coordinator so I oversaw the speaking parts and was director of the skit we did in the musical. That was part of my crazy life.

Around this time, things get really crazy. Exams are approaching, church activities are at a high, and trying to find a summer job ain't as easy as some may think. But I guess the thing that has been bugging me the most is my immune system. You see, when I get overly stressed, my body reacts by killing my immune system. I get a really bad head cold or something to the effect of a head cold and it won't shake until things calm down. Which they will come Friday. Exams are over on Friday and it's summer break. But I have some things to talk about.

My exams are fastly approaching so, I'm worried a bit. Not so much for Creative Writing, American Lit, and Western Civ but College Algebra has proceeded to kick my skinny white booty. That's the only class I'm even remotely worried about. I'm an English major so, my English courses I'm not worried about. Western Civ is okay because my dear friend Mary is a History major. Can we say savior? I can!

Once exams are over, my next worry will be trying to find a full time job. For the time being, my good friend Leslie has informed me that I will be watching her seven year old until I find a full time job. I'm looking more to working in a clinic. To my surprise after looking over my resume, I discovered that I have more clinical experience than any thing else. My mother has managed many many clinics in the central Mississippi area. I've worked for three of her clinics. The only other jobs that I have had was at a restaurant and as a security guard. I'm trained on Medical Manager and Intergy. Yeah, if you don't know what those things are, no worries. I am also very on board with anything and everything that has to do HIPAA. Also medical records. So, I will be looking for openings in clinics at St. Dominic since that is where my mom is the Queen B better known as the HIPAA Queen.

Until I get a full time job, I'll be babysitting the seven year old and getting 60 dollars a week. Which ain't bad. I found that out today from Leslie. But that's not all. My dad got a knew car. You see, he had a 2001 Pontiac Bonneville. He bought it in 2003. It only had 30,000 miles on it. In four years alone, he put over 150,000 miles on his car. He travels a lot. He's a computer engineer for medical offices and he works from home. So, today, he bought himself a 2006 Dodge Magnum. Mom thinks it looks like a hearse. I think it's cool. It's a pretty shade of Burgendy. Nice. I also got a new cell phone today. After some very serious red tape, we upgraded my phone. I FINALLY GOT A CAMERA PHONE. Yeah, dumb, I know but I wanted one for sooooo long but could never afford it. My mother was oh so kind as to help me with the upgrade and I got me a camera phone for only 50 bucks. Awesome, right?

Well, that's pretty much all. If none of that made sense, don't feel bad. It's 11:30 at night and I'm exhausted. TO BED I GO! BUH BYE!

The Sorrow We Feel

I was inspired. I wrote a poem for the tragic events that have come about. Since Monday, I haven't really been able to put into words how I really feel about everything. Most of you know I am a creative writer. Poems are one of my specialty. But I actually could not write until tonight. This usually happens when something happens in my family (which it did) or something happened in America (which it did.) Tonight, I present this poem for all to read. It is called The Sorrow We Feel.

I see my mother crying still
Over what she saw on the news
My Empathy kicks in and I truly feel
Her pain when we watched the story grew

Sadness and sorrow are an understatement
To how I really feel inside
I try to understand where the story went
And all I want to do is run and hide

My head fills with fears and worry
Is my school really safe?
Or is it prepared poorly
What of this can I make?

I watched in sadness as the news continues
Everyone crying and sad
I look up at the sky and call on my Muse
To ask Him to return the world from bad

Situations like this arise with warning
People panicking and I just wonder
Would we be okay in the morning?
Or suffer yet another blunder.

My mind runs in a complete circle
Never wanting to stop
It runs around like a fierce bull
Not even stopping at the top.

"Why is this happened? Why me? Why me?"
We always ask this question
But most people just don't see
God is sending us a message

We can't stop the pain
The Sorrow We feel is very real
We look at this all in vein
But we will eventually heal

Keep your Faith
Never give up
You know you're safe
If you never stop

And those who choose to blame God
Think about what you're saying
You put yourself in a fog
Which will lift if we all keep praying

I know the pain those parents feels
Crying for thier babies who unfortunately did die
One day, the pain will heal
Until then, may your crying eyes dry.

God bless you all. My heart goes out to the parents who lost their children. I pray you find peace and healing.

The Delimma of the Lumina

Hey, that some what rhymed. I'm so talented.

Okay, Friday the 13th came to me TODAY! So, y'all know my car is POSSESSED, right? Well, today we were gonna take it up to Walmart (my Grandfather's idea) to get a new battery for it. My dad thought it was the battery. We went outside Thursday afternoon when he got home and looked at it. It cranked up fine and he really didn't see anything wrong with it. So, his assumption was the battery was about to go dead. Now, the car cranked in the presence of my mother and father now. I'm thinking that the car just doesn't like me. But the story goes further. But that's not where the story starts. The story starts yesterday. Here's how it went down.

After my car trouble this past Thursday, my dad informed me we would get it fixed Saturday. Since I don't have class until Monday, that seemed like the perfect plan. He instructed me to clean out my car for the day when we go get it fixed because he'd be driving it. So, Friday the 13th and I gotta clean out my car. Before I started that, I got a serious craving for a coke. So, I got in the car, literally prayed so it would crank, and drove it to the store. I left it running as I went inside Bridges to get a coke. Once I got my coke, I drove it home.

I left it alone for a couple of hours and went inside to do other things. I was keeping tabs on the weather channel also because, as Barbie predicted, we were suppose to get some pretty hefty stuff for Saturday and Friday night. So, at around 2 or so that afternoon, I decide I'll clean out my car. My thought was to pull it into the garage since both my parents were at work. So, here I go to my car to crank it. I sat down with the door open and stuck the key in. The dings were perfect. They weren't deformed so, I thought, "Yeah, the car's gonna crank." Wrong. I turn the key, nothing happened. Hmm, okay, let's try this again. I turned the key again. Still, nothing. Alright, third times a charm, right? WRONG. Turned it AGAIN, wouldn't even turn over. Well, great. So, I pulled the garbage can to my car and cleaned out my car from where it sat in the hot sun of my drive way. But I did get it done.

So, this morning, I woke up to the sound of rain. We had like two claps of thunder. That's it though. It rained for like an hour. So, I got up and got ready for my drum lesson that morning and my dad and I drove out to Lakeland Music and met up with Paul, my drum teacher. I did my lesson and then we drove to Pit Stop in Florence to get my dad's oil changed. Turns out he needs new tires (he drives more miles in a week then I do in three months) because he had worn his down so much they were smooth. Which is bad. But he decided he'd wait and take it to Davis Tire and Auto when he got a good expense check. Well, turns out he also needed his transmission fluid changed. He had never gotten it changed. He has over 150,000 miles on it. (It's not an old car either. It's a 2001 model. He just travels a lot. He's beaten the mileage on my car and it's ten years old. It's a 97 model.) So, they changed that. It took about an hour or so. Now, I left my house at 9:45, had a drum lesson at 10:30 (which was more like 10:45 because Paul was late gettin there), then came to Pit Stop for my dad's stuff. By the time we got home to pick up my car to take it up to Walmart, it was about 1. So, we get my car, it cranks, thank God, and we drive it up to Walmart. The lady comes out and meets us and my dad told her to hook up the diagnostic machine thingy to my car. As we thought, the battery was on its way to being dead. Wasn't quite there but gettin there. So, my dad said, go ahead and change the battery.

Now, we think this is a fifteen minute job because my dad can do it in fifteen minutes. Wrong. We go into Walmart and look around for a little while. We come back to the auto area with a few items. This is about an hour later (around 2:30). I see my car just inside the auto area with the hood popped. It looked like they were almost done. Again, wrong. About 3 or so, my dad walked out to see what was the hold up. He came back in about five minutes later looking mad. I asked him what was going on and he informed me that they hadn't even taken my old battery out. My exact response was "What?!"

So, to make an already long story short, we didn't get out of there until like 3:45. We dropped off the car at 1:45. It took those dumb people two hours to fix a very simple problem. But it is fixed and driveable. Strange. But I'm home. FINALLY.

The Lumina is POSSESSED!

No, it's not a code phrase. My car, a 97 Chevy Lumina, is possessed. Let me explain. This is slightly amusing and at the same time annoying. Here's what happened. Okay, check this out. So, my car is a piece of crap, right? Oh, you don't know that? Well, it is. It's not all bad but she's old. I only use the car when I'm driving to and from school, church, or work. So, today was like any other day. I left my house about 10 or so this morning to go to class. (I don't go to creative writing. It's magazine crunch time and we don't have class. So, virtually, I only have one class on Tuesday's and Thursday's.) I stopped at the gas station but kept my car running because I would only be in there for a second to get something to drink. Once I got my caffeine fix, I drove the rest of the way to school.

I went to American Lit and once that class was over, I strolled out with William, my good friend from my American Lit class, to drive home. He would normally walk me out to my car then go to his other class that he had at that time. He walked me out as he always did but didn't walk me all the way to my car. We got out of Lit late so, he didn't have much time. He watched me get to my car then turned and walked back inside. So, I get in and set my books in the front seat and stick the key in. The car usually won't do its little ding sound until the car cranks. Or if the lights are on and the door is open. But my car door was not open and my lights weren't on so, the dings didn't come on. So, I stuck the key in and turned it to crank it. It first sounded like it started to crank then completely stopped. And when I turned the key back to the off position, the dings that were normally there were very deformed and just sounded horrible which is what it sounded like when my battery went dead three years ago in the Walmart parking lot on a rainy Saturday afternoon. Luckily, I had a shift at McAlister's that night and I just ran from the Walmart parking lot to work. I called my dad for that one.

So, sighing heavily, I knew it had to be my battery. Logically, that had to be it, right? So, here I go. I call my dad. "Where are you?" I asked him. He informed me, "I'm in between Starkville and Louisville. I'm about two hours away, why?" Sighing, I said, "My car died." The rest of the conversation consisted of where are you, what does the car sound like, is it the battery, yada yada yada. So, he tells me to call my grandfather who lives right down the road from me. I called him and he informed me that he had a doctor's appointment at 1 in Madison. There was no way. So, I called my mother. It took me a couple of tries because she was in meetings but I finally got her. This was our conversation starting with my mother.
"Hey, did you try to call me?"
"Yep. About three times."
"Sorry, I was in a meeting Sweetie. What's up?"
"My car died."
"Your car died?"
"Yep."
"Well, where are you?"
"I'm at school. Are you out of meetings?"
"Yeah, I'm on my way."
About fifteen minutes later, she pulled up in the Hinds parking lot. (She works at St. Dominic. She's about ten minutes away from me) She pulled up beside my car and she said, "Throw me the keys I wanna see what it sounds like." I shrugged and said, "Okay. It wouldn't turn over for me." I tossed her the keys and she sat in my driver seat and put the key in the hole. The dings were perfect because the door was open. She turned the key to AUX and the dings were normal as well. (It will ding on auxiliary and when the car turns on.) She turned the key and it cranked fine. My mouth literally dropped open and I said, "Now, how'd you do that." She simply smiled and said, "I got the touch." So, I called my dad and told him, "Mom's magic fingers made the car crank. I'm gonna drive it home." With that, I drove home with Mom very close behind me. She informed me to stick with the right lane and if I sense the car about to die, pull over and we'll get a tow for it. But I managed to make it from Pearl to Florence. My mother thought it was the starter.

When my mom went back to work, I got a call from my dad. He started going into a spill about what the battery does and how it works and what not. He told me that the battery only sends the power to crank the car but the alternator does the work passed that. His theory is that when I started to crank the car and it didn't turn, the alternator already was charging the battery enough to get it to crank. So, in the thirty minutes that I left it alone, the alternator had charged the battery enough to crank the car. The reason I'm almost sure it's the battery is because my radio was off (and I had it on when I got to school) and my clock had jumped ahead an hour. (My clock in my car does not set itself when daylight savings time comes around. But it has changed the time around when the battery starts to go dead.) So, my dad says that the alternator charged it enough to crank it and that's how I got it home. When I got it home, my mother told me to crank it again. I did and it cranked fine. So, my dad's theory is that the connectors are corroded and needs cleaning or the battery is dead. Now, my car is ten years old. There's gonna be rust, dust, and corroded dodads under the hood. And it is about that time for the battery to die. The last time it was changed I was a Junior in High school. (3 years ago). It's about that time and my dad just got home so, we're going outside now to look at the options. Peace.