Poptarts:

Oh shit! We forgot about garbage day. Guess the bags will wait till next week. Damn.

I'm afraid that this may have an impact upon our friendship, however hard she tries not to let it, because I know it's going to rankle.

Hmm, can you not tell her?

Anyway, here's a link to the white supremacists assempbling in my 'hood thing I mentioned upthread: [link]

God, I don't want to be here. I was really happy and cheerful yesterday, had this cathartic meltdown with my boss at the end of the day, where I was called on some previous unprofessional behavior, and I just don't want to be here. I'm ashamed of myself and my behavior, and afraid of the person I exhibited it in front of, because I really don't like her, and I know I have to be super extra nice and helpful as penance and I just don't have the energy.

Maybe this is more an LJ entry. Sorry. I'll likely delete soon.

Nora, that is just ick, ick, ick.

And I'm really so sorry about the work stuff.

Nora, the nice/helpful thing sucks but I think it's cool that your conversation with your boss left you feel fresh. Maybe you can try to hang onto that feeling.

vw, sorry you are still feeling tired. Any chance for a nap later today?

I woke up to a foot cramp this morning. After I got it stretched out, I pulled open my laptop. I should get out of bed, but it's raining outside and the dogs are sound asleep. I guess as long as they aren't in a hurry to get out there, I can stay in bed guilt free for a while.

Today is my 5 year wedding anniversary. Worrying about finals, I had completely forgotten it until Joe mentioned in last Wednesday. It feels cool to have been married that long, but the actual "anniversary" also reminds me of how much time we have spent apart in the last 2 years and I hate that part. I love him and he loves me, but it's hard to feel much schmoop when you never see each other. I miss all that schmoopiness.

{{{Nora}}} It's Friday, and it's only a movie. I hope the work stuff gets easier for you, and is better today, than you expect.

We had some hate group come to our dinky little town, a couple of years ago. They somehow got permission to use/rent a room in our library. Our librarian tried to stop it, but it was a first amendment issue. It was complicated by the fact that our library is right next to the Post Office, and anarchist groups (bless 'em) usually follow these hate groups to protest them, but they are also known to make matters even worse when they protest, and will also trash gov't buildings. The whole thing was awful. It was Matt Hale's group the booked the library. The churches and other groups in town organized protests, and other things while the hate group was here, but my town felt dirty for me, for weeks after.

...

Oh poor little Annabel, and poor you too, Susan. FWIW, I would have told you to medicate her and call in the morning, too. I hope you two catch some rest.

Here's all I've learned about fevers and sleepless nights:

• A temperature of 101 and above usually indicates a bacterial infection of some sort, but some virus do bring that sort of fever along with them, too.

• Sleepless nights accompanied by a fever are often the work of an ear infection, even if the child has no other symptoms (such as a runny nose). The infection makes the child uncomfortable while lying down. When the child is up, s/he seems fine, because the ear bothers her/him less.

• Children with ear infections usually have a droopy look. I can't define it any more clearly, but if/when your child has one, take a look at his/her face, and you'll see exactly what I mean.

• Teething does not usually cause a high fever. Many doctors will tell you teething does not bring with it a fever or cold symptoms at all. They are wrong. Too many (virtually all) field workers (mothers) disagree with them for them to be right. At the very least, teething somehow makes a child more vulnerable to the common cold.

• If the child's doctor okays it, you can tag team medicate with children's acetometaphen (Tylenol) and children's ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil). You administer one, wait a half an hour or hour (according to doctor's directions). If the fever hasn't dropped enough (enough needs to be defined by the doctor) you administer the other.

• Be extra careful not to double or otherwise overdose acetometaphen. A lot of cough and cold medications contain it. Always read the packages thoroughly. Never administer a higher dose, and never exceed the maximum in a 24 hour period. It's hard on the liver.

• A cold drink or popsicle is a pleasant-for-the-child way to help reduce the child's fever.

• Sometimes, when a child has a fever, milk can make him or her vomit. White grape juice is mild on the tummy. Apple juice is good, too.

• Do not bundle up a child with a fever. Even if s/he has the chills from the fever (common), dress and cover her/him lightly and very loosely, so as not to keep in the high body temperature.

• Do not give alcohol rubs to a child with a fever; the fumes are overwhelming.

• Some doctors will tell you to give the child a luke warm bath or to rub down the child with a face cloth to reduce fever. Ask your doctor how to do this, and how high the fever should be before you bother.

• A child who looks and acts mostly well is mostly well, so don't let the thermometer freak you out too much.

• Never be afraid your doctor will think you are stupid for calling. If your gut is telling you to call, even if you can't articulate why this time is different than another illness where you didn't feel compelled to call. We are animals. We pick up things with our senses (smell, in particular) that may not translate into words we can use to define why *this* time is different. Trust your gut, and let the doctor's mother worry about him/her.

Aw Stephanie, Happy Anniversary to you and Joe, anyhow. When he returns, may you never be separated, again. Is he a lifer?

Happy Anniversary, Stephanie and Joe! I hope the 3 (soon to be 3 of you) are able to spend time together, permanantly, soon.

Any chance for a nap later today?

Maybe a quick one. I've got school. Then later this afternoon my groceries are being delivered, so I kind of need to be up for that.

Happy Anniversary, Stephanie!

ETA: I need to go wake up the puppy to walk him. Silly boy sleeps in so late. I hate to wake him, but I've got to get moving.

Is he a lifer?

I think so. He has only 5.5 years left until he can retire. Believe me, at 20 years and one day, we will be out of there. We seriously considered walking away from it all earlier this year (and that would be huge benefits) but the truth is that he can't get out. Part of that is the stop loss thing you always hear about, but as a practice, they don't give you anything (like a move or promotion) without requiring further service. The soonest he could leave would be at 17 years (2.5 years from now) in and that would just be dumb. He put in too much effort over the last 14 years to not get something for himself out of it.

He is supposed to have a job with relative stability for at least a year when he gets home. While he's back, we will work hard on finding something that requires no more time in Iraq.

Since it's our anniversary, here's a story about why I love my husband. He had a chance to interview for a really hotshot job with the 82nd Airborne last year. Getting this job would have guaranteed further promotion, etc. But they told him that it would mean that he would spend more than 1 year in Iraq, or else go for a year, come home for a few months, and then go again. He told them no way and he got a lot of flak for it. No ambition sort of stuff. His boss basically called him a loser. When he told me about it, he was worried that I would feel the same way - that he lacked ambition and was somehow less of a man. Of course, my response was that I was so happy to have a husband that chose me first. I know he did what he wanted, but I respect that he wanted to give up a dream of his (to be a general some day) to fulfill the dream that includes me and the baby.

Whoot! Go team Fay!

{{Nora}}

sings the Happy Anniversary song to Stephanie and Joe

Timelies and a surprising lack of gronk this morning, despite some heavy duty bizzaro dreams.