Frienship

Let’s talk friendship, as adults the process of gaining and maintaining friendships changes. I have been working in the academic environment for years now. As budget cuts and NCLB started affecting the staff in a personal way the friendships among professionals changed also. Site transfers, layoffs, and political rivalries occurred. Now I look at the friendships gained in the professional environment as working relationships. The relationship is based on proximity. If someone transfers or gets laid off, they are simply removed from the lives of those they work with. The friendship is amputated….like losing a limb. If someone disappears there simply gone, no contact allowed. If I died they would never know.
The neighborly friendship is also an arrangement due to proximity. Many times the only commonality is the block in which one lives. We have block parties, wine tastings, and celebrations of achievements together. Yet, if someone moves their name is removed from the invite list and life goes on. If I died, they would attend the wake, but nothing would be missed in their world.
So, friendships are harder to maintain, the rules are different, and the process for elimination has been removed. Here today gone tomorrow 
I have a lot of friendships that are rewarding but not equal. For instant I make invites, I call in to check in after a long time of silence, and I make efforts to provide support and encouragement. Yet, if I am the one who is silent for a period I am in trouble for not making the connection. We enjoy one another, but the mutuality of effort is not present. What does that say about those particular friendships? If I died, how long would it take for them to miss me?
Then there are the friendships where the commonality is based off a child who is involved in an activity that their children are involved in. Many times the conversations are held to the football field, the dinner out together only last as long as the season, and in the end I am left wondering if they we were friends or simply convenient companionships during the sporting season. If I died they would never know.
So, in 2010 I decided to work on a priority list, and I included in that list to improve my friendships, make new friendships, and reestablish old friendships. For me it has been an eye opener. I had become lazy. I started to make phone calls, plan events, and prepare good food…….Friendships have grown stronger, been more rewarding, and become a greater part of our lives.

The Tech Pest

Why is it that every time I think we are up and running smoothly something happens to bring us down.

Well in this case the something is me a badly placed cup of coffee in the morning after a long sleepless night resulted in the disabling of my mouse and the ultimately the untimely death of my key board. Loralie is so cute I can’t even say a thing, but while I was cleaning up the desk from the coffee spill she claimed my key board which had been momentarily placed on the ground. She turned it into an instant stage. Stood on its under side, and started to sing twinkle twinkle little star. She can’t actually sing it yet it is more her muming in key while doing the hand motions 
It was so cute.
I search and found our spare mouse and started to reestablish my connection when I realized the keyboard was now out of commission…..As the ting…ting…ting….ting continue I tried to trouble shoot the problem. I finally gave up and stole the keyboard off my hubby’s terminal next to me….
Only thing is that by the time I was up and running again the Boys started to arrive home from school. Systematically over the next week my children’s homework trumped my potential computer use.

Last year it was 4 working computers, and then all of a sudden we found ourselves with 3 computers down……
I found that completely unworkable, picked up a new CPU for my hubby, Under $200, and returned the Acer. It came back to us two months later, but has never been the same.
Yes… we are a two minimum computer household.

So a home made up of two professional people, with two high school boys, two junior high boys, and two younger children I find requires at least the minimum of 2 high function computers, and one less more mobile system….And we are all still waiting for our turn
So, we went shopping and I have to say that I am pleased with this Logitech keyboard and mouse. This is the second time we have purchased Logitech and it has never failed us. They help us keep our system running at an affordable price.
The best part it the simplified design is easy to use and maintain. $30 dollars and we are happy to have once again achieved a wireless keyboard and mouse fully connected Pleased with the outcome
Unhappy about the week it took me to get my systems up and running again.
In large family lingo we were down for 4 written reports, 2 speeches, one wrestling meet, one wrestling tournament, and one fully withered set of crops on Farmville. Which leads two four frustrated grandparents who have lost out on the up to the minute picks and updates about their grandchildren, and 4 tired children who stayed up far too late finishing their homework because they had to wait for their turn to use the done and only working computer system Now the room will turn back into a living room 

Hey Everyone

My name Is Danielle and I am a proud mother of 6 fabulous children. My two oldest are in high school this year, I have two boys in Middle school, and one girl in elementary school. That is two 15 year old boys, two 11 year old boys, a 10 year old girl and a 1 year old girl!

I am currently in transition; I have always been a work out of the home mom. I teach special education, with a specialty in autism.  Now I am a stay at home working mom. All the money issues in the school system made it almost impossible to do any real good. SO, I got my home approved for child care and will be running social skills groups in my home this year, and taking a couple of little ones in as daycare clients (That way Loralie won’t be growing up all alone).

This is a big transition for me, I supported my family as the primary wage earner for years and now I am not. I have to get used to all of the related aspects of that J

I did write an action plan for this time of transition:

Priority reorganization

1.        Increase spirituality

2.        Improve relationships with my children

3.        Improve my physical health

4.        Overcome house hold struggles

• Laundry
• Kitchen
• Backyard
• Car maintenance

5.        Create a positive home environment

6.        Become a better cook

7.        Decrease food waist

8.        Improve financial health (become completely debt free)

9.        Create a successful business

10.     Improve relationships with others

• Build new friendships
• Improve old friendships
• Re establish lost friendships

Anyway, that is all about me. I am a Christian, Have gone to Baptist and AG churches all of my life. I love and trust God’s direction in my life