multi-hyphenated-me

the hyphens that define my life

My Daily Blog T-9 Single Digits June 10, 2013

Filed under: Life — multihyphenatedme @ 9:50 am
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My husband read my blog for the first time last night.  He may have felt some peer pressure from the going away party Friday night when all of my friends were shocked that he didn’t read my blog.  When he finally stopped asking about WordPress and my webpage, his first comment on the blog was “What is the T-# about?” Dude, are you new to our life? No, after being together 16 years including lucky thirteen years of marriage, he is not new here.  Dang it though, he brings up a good point for new readers.  If you’re new to my blog, “T-” is the countdown to our move from Placentia, CA, in the OC, to Spokane Washington.  We are now at T-9. Nine days until we move.  Single digits. Shit is about to get real.

As if life hasn’t been real up until now.  The move isn’t complex.  Work is still work.  Our social calendar is ridiculously full with end of school, 6th grade promotion and other typical activities. No pressure. Just another day in the life.

Ok, there is some pressure. Even though we’re at T-9, my entire house has to be packed by Sunday June 16 in order to get the stuff shipped.  I don’t have 9 days, I only have 6 days.  We physically leave in nine days.  Big difference.  Six days definitely applies some pressure.  Then there are some other issues….

My husband and I discussed meals for the next nine days. We have lots of events this week during or immediately after dinner.  The kitchen, in its entirety, needs to be packed.  I voted for take-out every night with the promise that I’ll cook every meal every night once we arrive in Spokane.  Mr. Spoiled and Frugal says no, we have to have home cooked meals every night as it’s too expensive to go out.  This is why women throw frying pans at their husbands.  No, I didn’t throw any pans, but I thought about it.  He has clearly forgotten who he has married.  My household role is to plan, shop and put the food on the table.  For the next nine days, I’m going to plan the restaurant, drive to the restaurant and put take-out food on the table.    The food will be healthy, no fast food, so no issue. Practical and sane, both of which I strive for daily. Why was this even discussed?  Decision made.

Clothing is another issue.  Currently we have way too many pieces of clothing lying around as we sold the dressers this weekend. I did an initial packing of winter and out of season clothes weeks ago but there’s still too much out. Tonight’s project is to purge everyone’s wardrobe down to nine outfits.  That’s it.   Everything can be rotated, interchanged, washed and ready to go.  If we look a bit more bizarre than normal, keep in mind, we’re moving.

Higher on the totem pole is the internet modem which will stay in place until the final possible moment that it has to be unplugged.   We may look a fright but we will be connected.  Priorities people.

T-9.  The final week of school.  Our final full week in our neighborhood. The countdown to our move is definitely on.

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T-21 Stress vs. Pressure May 29, 2013

Filed under: Life,Quotes,Work — multihyphenatedme @ 7:04 am
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My boss is great.  I’m not just saying that because my review is coming up in a few weeks either.  “Really Good Guy” in the dictionary is illustrated with his picture, he’s that kind of guy.

For about a month I’ve been really annoyed with my boss, our CFO .  Not for any reason I could even call him names, quit my job or even throw a good tantrum.  He’s ticked me off for being right in such a way my whole complaining mantra has been shot full of holes (he’s a hunter, I think he’ll like that metaphor). I got nothing to bitch about.

Last month while giving his presention at our operations meeting, he defined stress vs. pressure.  Stress, he said, was the result of the unknown.  You stress because of what you don’t know will happen as the result of an action or inaction.  Pressure, on the other hand, is what you feel when your to-do list is longer than time available to completed.  You know what needs to be accomplished but feel pressure as the result of time restrictions, available budget or personal capability.

No longer can I run around like a chicken with my head cut off (no metaphor to his life here – not that I’m aware of – just saying this is how I act on occassion, sometimes more often than I should) saying “I’m so stressed out”.  What a buzz kill.  There is no fun in saying “I’m under a lot of pressure”.

I’ve been CFO’d.  You know, like you can be pranked, only not as hilarious or fun. Ashton Kutcher is definitely not involved. Being CFO’d is more like a reality check that leaves you saying “duh”.

Ok CFO-man (like superman but not as fancy, definitely no cape and more allergies than kryptonite), I listened. Let’s see how this applies to my life:

Moving in 21 days while increasingly busy at work while the kids are rehearsing and performing in a musical while our daughter is having her wisdom teeth pulled while in all the kids are in their final weeks of school while the house needs to be packed and cleaned creates a serious amount of mounting pressure.

Pressure pressure I got pressure. Oh yeah oh yeah oh yeah” ~ Kinks lyrics

The pressure I can deal with and I have no stress because I know my review is going to be awesome.