I am pretty sure I figured out Sparky's news, in which case WOOT!

And CV! Hello mama, how is life treating you?

While I'm salaried, I have to account for my hours. If I'm under 80 hours/pay period, I have to use my time off. If I'm over, I don't get OT unless all my time is client billable. Gotta love job cost accounting.

So, I get my hours in though I don't have set hours each day. When my anemia was really bad, I would take multiple mini mid-day naps, and get my work done over the course of the day.

Yeah, I've been salaried since my first few jobs...somehow, it almost always tends to be unpaid overtime rather than free time off!! (The rare exception being about a month three years ago when I had nothing to do, and a tiny bit of time earlier this year when my one project was ramping up). But whenever I've been in an office, it was so much more about appearances and shit than getting the job done.

Things are ok here. I just started language classes (FINALLY), which means the bitty bot has started daycare for the first time. :O She set a new record - after ONE day in daycare last week she ended up with bronchitis and her very first ever ear infection. Sigh.

How's things with you all?

I am at the "salaried" level that is not really meant to be salaried, I think. That is, since I answer the phone and support a program director, I really can't rearrange my time or cut out early very often.

HEY, CL!!

Yeah, one more reason I like working from home--it's all about did I get the work done, and not "Well, I know you weren't feeling well, but please don't nap in your car in the parking lot during your lunch break, because it looks bad". WTF?!?

Yeah, it's great in that I don't have to LOOK productive (or pretty); I can just BE productive and not worry about appearances (much: clients, when I am on Twitter or FB, I am taking a break to refresh my brain. Or marketing.)

Downside: uneven income stream, occasional cabin fever and guilt when looking at dusty bookshelves and mop, but headed back to office.

How's things with you all?

Well, let's see, I'm (finally!) working on my MLS, had gastric bypass surgery last Thanksgiving (lost 191 pounds so far!), and had a car crash last Thursday (I'm all right, just a few bruises, but I'm pretty sure my car's totalled and am currently car shopping if the insurance company agrees with me.)

Other than that, not much.

Wow, Kathy, that's quite a lot! Yay for getting back to school! My aunt just had gastric bypass a couple weeks ago, so I know how much work goes into preparing for that and staying healthy afterwards! Good for you! Car crashes, however, are bad. No more of those please!

Good luck to your aunt!

And I hope your little one feels better soon. Sick kids are no fun!

He published a letter from a reader who said that women should not serve in the military because women are to be "protected and cherished" and he doesn't think the country is ready for women to be POWs and such. Because, you know, nothing bad ever happens to women in war RIGHT NOW.

I said that dude's readiness should have no fucking bearing at all on whether I would die for my family or country. And that I'm sad that his mommy wouldn't take a bullet to protect him if push came to shove. I know my mom would CUT YOU if someone came to the door to harm me. Seriously, if all the dudes go off to war, who protects and cherishes the women, children, and aged that are left behind? Arm the fuck out of them. Try it in the congo and see how far the rape squads get when the women are armed to the teeth and a bunch of dudes come in to take their children.

I said it all more eloquently, though. I think.