I went to a local Arby’s the other day to grab a bite to eat real quick and encountered the poster woman for my “Good Enough” post. I walked in with both Boyz, my niece and my in-laws. We stopped before the line to look at the menu and decide what everyone wanted before stepping up for the order. The ugly lady behind the counter yells at us, “For here or to go?” in a hasty voice making it sound like she was in a big hurry when there was no one else there. I then watched Ugly get all huffy over Sam running around a dividing wall and realized that she was in a hurry to get us out of there. I ignored Ugly because Sam was not being loud or annoying - plus, there was no one in the place for him to annoy and he only ran around like three times and stopped. I was looking at the menu above Ugly’s head when Sam and Keirra started playing with the line divider things. Again, no big deal - they weren’t hanging on them or throwing the poles to the ground. They were simply touching and stretching them a bit - respecting the rope thing. So, Ugly behind the counter tells my mother-in-law to stop them and my mother-in-law tells them to stop - which they did. The kids were being really good this day - and I was really happy with them. I stepped up to the counter to give my order, I open my mouth and Ugly interrupts me because my niece is touching the damn line rope thing, “Could you ask her not to do that?” The annoyance bursting out of her. I rolled my eyes, turned to Keirra and said, “Keirra, please don’t touch that. Thanks.” I then turned back to Ugly and tried to order quickly because my patience was quickly running out. I was giving my order and Sam was telling me that he wanted a juice box with his kids meal - there was a cardboard sign right next to the cash register with kid meal information and so Sam grabbed it to show me. Ugly’s reaction was that of a Grandmother when the toddler has just picked up a priceless heirloom. Her face contorted and she sucked her breath in as if to tell me she’d had enough with my unruly children and then she grabbed the cardboard sign out of Sam’s hand… That was it! I had enough of this ugly bitch and her issue with my kids! My child was simply trying to show me the sign and her reaction to it was totally uncalled for. I grabbed Sam and Keirra and left! My in-laws were all confused and had no idea why I was running out in such a huff so I called back, “If she’s going to have a heart attack over the cardboard sign, then we need to leave!” I was so mad I was shaking! I put the kids in the car and made sure they understood that they did nothing wrong and that the lady was crazy and it was all her fault!”

I should have called the manager to complain, but I was so mad I didn’t want to sound like a crazy woman. I then got busy with Jack’s birthday party that day and lost focus on Ugly. I do hope that others complain and her ugly ass is fired - but I doubt it. It just goes to show a person who needs to never deal with the public is there dealing with the public. My mother-in-law blamed it on my passionate dislike for fast food joints, but after I told her everything this woman was doing she understood. Although, this didn’t help my dislike for fast food - because they are always rude and unprofessional. I don’t know exactly what it is, but more than anything rude stupid people are found working the counter at the fast food joints… hummm… Respect for the paying customer has no meaning because they are too narrow-minded to realize the importance of a paying customer.

So, if you live locally and have children my advice is that you stay away from the Arby’s in Minden. I know they have always been nice in the past - but if Ugly is working the counter…watch out!

I love my job and I love what I do, but at the same time I don’t feel good enough to be doing what I am doing. A recent conversation with my mother inspired me to write this blog - someone doing something I do not agree with because I doubt they are good enough. I won’t name any names or make it clear to who I am talking about, but there are jobs in life where being the best is highly important. Let’s use my job, Sign Language Interpreter, as an example. I am good at what I do - not to toot my own horn, but I am. I am better at talking to the Deaf than Interpreting for them - and I know it. I go to work everyday to hang with my buddies - two boys I have been with through middle and now high school. I interpret for them, but I have a lot more skill and fun when I get to chat with them. They graduate this year and this year will also be my last year as an educational Interpreter. Why? Because, I do not feel good enough for my job. Like I said, I am great at talking with the Deaf, but I am not the best at interpreting. A job I truly feel like you need to be the best. Sure, there are so many other reasons involved to why I am making this my last year, but an Interpreter is not who I am. People ask me all the time if I’ll continue with Sign Language - and I think I will because I love it! Then, they ask if I am not Interpreting for schools would I go work at the hospitals or with the police. My big fat answer to this is “NO” and it’s not because I dislike Interpreting - it’s because that job means that I must be perfect! Perfect because that’s another person’s life that I am dealing with - one wrong word and the person could go to jail or die! I mean, we have a hard enough time communicating with the doctors when we can speak the same language. I would hate to make a vital mistake in where the pain was or what kind of medication the person is allergic to… Makes me ill just thinking about it. If I had a Deaf friend - or one of my students - needed me at the hospital or if they were arrested I would be there in a heartbeat! Why? Because I know them and because I know their signs well enough to feel comfortable interpreting for them. A stranger is so different - Sign Language is not that simple! There are some Interpreters, and I know some, that can walk in and kick ass! And still, only one of them is certified! I just feel like you need to be perfect and you would need to be able to kick some ass…otherwise, stay out! Leave the important jobs to the people who know what they are doing inside and out. I don’t want to sound like I don’t trust myself - if someone called and asked me to help at the hospital or jail, I could totally do it. I don’t doubt that I wouldn’t be able to go in there myself, but, what I am saying is that I could never forgive myself if something were to happen. There are days I come home from work and my student was trying to tell me something but I wasn’t getting it and finally hours later it will sink in and I’ll get it! Then the next day I’ll go in and we’ll talk about it. I cannot go to an arrest and come home only to figure out hours later that he really didn’t mean what I had interpreted! I cannot go back and be all, “Oops, my bad.”

There are people a lot more talented than I am for interpreting. I know I am a lot more talented, than even the ones who could kick my butt in interpreting, at conversing with the Deaf. If there is an ounce of doubt - do not do a job you know in your heart is meant for a perfectly skilled individual. I just feel so strongly about this and it bothers me knowing there are thousands of people out there doing jobs they really have no skill for.

I am going to quit and go find myself. I want to sign, I just don’t want to be invisible going it. Maybe a counselor for the Deaf would be an awesome job for me… But, right now I want to be a mommy and I really feel like I am skilled for this job! *smile*

I grew up in the San Fernando Valley in Southern California in the town of Sherman Oaks - wow, that was more complicated than I thought it was going to be! Growing up we didn’t have a lot of money and I don’t know if that made us appreciate certain things in life or not, but it seemed to be the logical reason. There was this hot dog joint in Sherman Oaks (on the corner of Ventura Blv. and Kester) that was the bomb! We loved it and when we moved that was one place that was highly missed. I would always try and stop in when visiting old friends, but as time went on and friends moved away as well, visits to the Valley happened less and less… So, my trips to the good old Wiener Factory became less and less… Until I just didn’t make the side trip for a dog any longer. I would drive past and point, “That’s the Wiener Factory where my mother, brother and I loved to eat!”

Recently my brother heard from his childhood pal, Anthony, who still lives in southern California - that our treasure that was the Wiener Factory had closed. Our hearts sank as our childhood memory of the best hot dogs on earth was gone… All the feelings came flooding back as I gave remembrance to the Wiener factory. How so excited we would be when our mother would say, “Let’s go to the Wiener Factory.” The power and joy of growing up and being able to take ourselves to grab a dog. The fuzzy childhood blanket of comfort food had been ripped off and even though we didn’t visit our old friend the Wiener Factory, we still held a love and a passion for everything that once was.

Pinkberry - a fancy new hip frozen yogurt joint with a ton of extra money totally raped the Wiener Factory of its land! The Wiener Factory had only leased the land, and the Pinkberry Gods outbid Wiener Factory for the land… kicking the Wiener Factory’s ass out! Sadness grew over the valley as Wiener Factory closed their doors on December 31, 2007 at 6pm, never to serve another hot dog again… The kick in the teeth was after all was said and done, goddamn Pinkberry decided the lot was too small and there was not enough parking! What?! You buy land and then figure these things out after??? What the hell is wrong with people?! Shoving out an awesome hot dog joint that had been there since 1971 -  before I was born! Not fair and I hope Pinkberry chokes on a berry!

A recent trip back to the old stomping grounds, we decided to hit Pink’s and see what all the noise was about… It just made me want to cry, because it was nothing special and we had to wait in line for thirty minutes before getting to order. I was hot and by the time I got my food I didn’t want to eat anymore. Plus, it just made me sad because Wiener Factory was SO much better and I couldn’t go have an awesome chili, cheese and onion dog… *pout*

My brother and I would love to have the money to buy the land, buy the Factory and get schooled on the ways of the Wiener from the previous owners - then reopen her as the sweet little hot dog stand that everyone knew and loved.

I sent my brother a picture while visiting the abandoned Factory and he asked me to go back and get part of the building. I went back but there was nothing I could simply rip off, so I called him with the sad news there was nothing - without serious toolage anyhow. While I was chatting with him I realized a little bit of stucco wall that was cracked and I told him to hold on while I got out of the car and broke it off the building! I got a piece of the Wiener Factory! Though it will never be the same, we will have the memory of the best Wieners on earth!  Thank you Wiener Factory for all the thirty-six years of awesomeness - you guys were truly the best!

*I Love You* Wiener Factory!

I got a piece of the building!

It’s not the size that matters - it’s the memory within.

Good-bye Wiener Factory… Good-bye…

One of the pampering perks of working for a school are the many vacations we get! We are in the middle of summer vacation and even though I haven’t had much of a break, we were able to escape to a nine day Southern California/Disneyland trip! There isn’t a perfect word in the English dictionary to express the awesomeness we experienced while away from life. Life is fast paced, crazy and you feel time slipping away with each breath. Vacation is fast paced, crazy and you feel time slipping away with each breath. The difference? It’s vacation! We were doing things we want to be doing. The fast pace and crazy is by choice and that makes the world of difference! We woke up early simply because we wanted to and we dashed out of the hotel and ran across the street to Disneyland simply because we wanted to. Sure we were all stressed by the end, especially the Boyz, but the beauty of that was when we got home to our fast paced, crazy lives - we felt like we were relaxing.

Though out our nine day venture in southern California I was texting my cousin who was at home “chillaxing” after her vacation trip to Colorado. I would text her where I was, what I was doing and send pictures of where we were - she had done the same on her trip. We are two goofy gals - and love it, by the way! My cousin is a CODA (child of a Deaf adult), so I am always sending her an “I Love You” sign (sign language - there was someone who seemed confused and mistook the “I love you” sign for the devil horns you see mainly at rock concerts). Our first day in southern California I was taking pictures and all of a sudden got an idea for themed pictures! Every picture I was going to take and send my cousin would have the “I love you” sign in it - just so she knew I love her no matter where we are or what we are doing! So, it began… I was only sorry I had not thought of it earlier. My first, and most important, stop our first morning there was my first *I love you* (sign) shot…

*I love you* (sign) Starbucks Anaheim! This was really fun for me - reasons unknown. I had a blast stopping and whipping out my cell phone to get my hand in front of something. Some days there was more thought into it as I snapped all over the place, while other days went by with maybe one or two shots, and others with none. Somethings I didn’t get and I so wish we could simply go back and get the shot - but without a time machine it seems a little difficult. I am still proud of my hand shots and some came out pretty artistic… I mean, to me anyhow. *smile*

*I love you* (sign) nighty-night! This has to be my favorite of all! How yummy and inviting does that look? Sammy also got the bug and wanted to display his sign with different things.

Like his morning breakfast of banana - he told me to take his *I love you* hand with his food. You can only imagine how proud I was that my little boy wanted to join in my silly little past time - what became “our” silly little past time. Sam and I had so much fun with our *I love you* signs!

*I love you* (sign) High Five! We had a mission and we were going to have a ton of fun! My student taught me this high five - it has has rules you need to follow for optima high five love. All four points of each hand need to touch and you need to high five slowly in order to feel the love… Now that you’ve been schooled in the *I love you* (sign) high five - go forth and enjoy!

Growing up in Southern California was a blast! I grew up in this apartment building - for 18 years of my life I lived here. Then life moved us out and into the middle of effing nowhere - I don’t want to talk about it. I am glad I moved out of Southern California but I love going back to visit!

We visited a few of my old stomping grounds - Universal City Walk was the best! Almost every Friday and Saturday night my friends and I would pile into a car and go see a movie and walk around… Yeah - good times.

My good old buddy Lita had a brand new baby girl, Emily! She is super cute and only ten days old! Sorry the picture is so dark but sweet little baby eyes… I just had to get an *I love you* (sign) with this little girl.

Disneyland was awesome! The Boyz had a blast going on rides and walking around visiting the different attractions. Vacation was the best! I wish we were there again, but sadly real life and a draining bank account called us back home. I would equally love to share all my *I love you* (sign) pictures, but there are too many - so please head over to Scott’s Flickr.com site and enjoy them all.

Gosh, I love my Boyz - and that’s simply because they are the best in every way! Sure they drive me nuts, but really what kid doesn’t drive their parents nuts? Just look at those little goofy guys there - yeah that deserves a big fat *I Love You* (sign)!

~With *I love you* fingers in just the right places.~

This 70’s retro building is where I spend most of my time throughout the year. I am sure at one point in History people said, “Wow, what a groovy looking school!” Now, thirty-two years later all you hear is, “When are they going to tear it down and build a new one?” The fact is that the school is not doing so well on the inside… I know, surprise - right! I mean from the groovy wooden panels on the exterior you would never guess that inside was going to hell. The building looks okay - it’s what’s lurking within the walls that will make your skin crawl. Earlier this year there was a busted water heater, and water came pouring out of the ceiling, flooding a lot of that main building there. It was so bad we had to miss a day of school while folks tried to clean her up and dry her out. They wanted to protect us all from mold exposure and so they sprayed some chemicals all over to prevent mold from growing…. My question is, “What about the mold that was already there?” We came back to school and spent the week thinking the awful smell in the building would go away… Then we waited the next week… and the next… and the next… My point is that the smell never fully went away - and while we sat in the teacher’s lounge and ate our lunch we felt we were being poisoned. While teachers taught in the classrooms closest to the flood, they breathed in mystery air. Yep - so the building looks real groovy from the outside - inside might be killing us…. in more ways than just the mystery air. *dun, dun, dun!*

A light at the end of a dark damp tunnel was that yesterday - yes, a Monday - was our last day of school! (the students anyhow) It ended on a Monday - because we needed to make up a day for the missed flood day… I won’t go there. As I walked out of the groovy retro 70’s building, and felt the freedom I had been waiting all year to feel, I heard a tune in my head that went a little something like this, “SCHOOL’S OUT FOR SUMMER!” I was free from the complaining kids who are never happy no matter what! I was free from the people who never get what I do and I am sure never will - not that they want to. I am free from retro stinky building that will, I am sure, be waiting for me. I am free to spend time with my family - something (oddly enough) the school district frowns upon. And after next year I will be free from this job that has consumed my life for the past seven years. I’ll be back you old retro bitch - but not for long! You cannot take my soul… Okay - that might have been a little over the top. *wink*

All together now - “SCHOOL’S OUT FOR SUMMER!”

My cousin and ME at her place…
(Smile for the camera!)

Throw a couple mothers into the mix and you get a cousin sandwich!
(my Aunt is on the left and my mother is on the right)

This ALWAYS happens when we get together!
Some kind of weird chemical reaction to our genetic build-up…

Hello Mr. Kitty in my wild rose bush!

My mother has this habit of random kitty cats wandering into her house looking for food. They are always super cute - but what kitty is not? - and she always gives into them and feeds them! A big “No No” because once you feed a cat - they ALWAYS come back! The largest problem here is that my mother has two kitties, “Stinker-Bell” and “Sparky” who live in the house and do not like the idea of new kitties invading their territory… Quite understandable if you ask me. So - my mother sees helpless, thin, homeless kitty and thinks, “Poor kitty, here let me feed you.” But what she’s really saying is, “Here’s some food, and my cats are going to fight with you and then I’ll call my daughter to get you out of here.” Yep - and call her daughter is just what she did. Well - at first she called the landlord of the park she lives in and they wanted to set out a trap for this lovable little kitty. When I heard that I had a fit. Then my mother had a better idea - Scott can come get the cat and take him to our no-kill shelter here… The problem with that is that our no-kill shelter is tiny and filled! So, without saying anything, because we didn’t want some jerk trapping this kitty, Scott went and brought kitty, dubbed “Chester,” home.

I already have three cats who live in my house, plus one my neighbors so thankfully adopted from us… Wait - the adopted kitty named, Friendly, was also a rescue kitty from my mothers “good deeds” of feeding the poor little kitty who then is beat up by her cat! Friendly has a fairy tale ending as he found the perfect family to love him.  Chester cannot live in my house because my cats have been here for a long time and I don’t want to piss them off - piss being the key word there (anyone with cats knows what I mean). So, we set up our utility room with a litter box, warm pillow bed, a nice crate he can go into for a warm closed in feeling, and we took the screen off the window so Chester can go out back and enjoy the sun - something the indoor cats cannot do. I think Chester is a happy enough kitty here. Sam has adopted him as his cat - which is fine because Chester seems to enjoy Sam’s hyper attention. Then when Chester’s had enough, he simply jumps out the window.

Chester sadly needs to take a trip to the Vet for a little ball removal. He needs to be “FIXED” but shhhhh, we don’t want him to know what we’re planning to do. Right now he can sit under the wild rose bush and enjoy life…

Unca Paul got a groovy new ride…

Unca Paul is the cool Uncle with his pirate themed tattoos and his awesome skill to hang children upside down - now he has completed the package of “Coolest Unca” with his groovy new ride!

For Mother’s Day, my mama bought me a pair of (expensive) shoes I had been wanting for a while. They are awesome! The first day I wore them, I wanted to send my mother the play-by-play of how they were and what they were doing. I had so much fun recording the events I experienced throughout the day!

May 12, 2008 - A Day in the Life of MY Shoes… *enjoy*

Good morning new shoes!

First things first - tie them up!

Kicking Samma’s tushie to get him moving in the morning!

Driving to work - feeling good in the car.

Hanging out with the students!

(That’s not my McDonald’s - no matter what my students say!)

I was forced to kick my student in the head - that’s what happens when they don’t listen.

It’s tough love…

Ohhhh… They both felt the effects of that kick -

“go go power kick!”

Walking through the halls - I never spend too much time in one place.

Chilling in English class…

Awwwwww lunch!

Relaxation and food are always a great combination!

Back in the hall after lunch - headed to Math class!

My new shoes’ first exposure to grass!

Something we don’t find too much of here.

Getting out of the car to pick up Samma from school!

Driving home - I wish it was to stay…

The shoes look good, but I’m tired!

A comparison of great proportions!

Driving Samma to his doctor appointment.

Potty emergency!

Had to make a pee stop of the side of the road.

Wasn’t fast enough - oops!

A quick change…

At the doctor’s office Jack wanted a photo op with the new shoes!

Samma did too!

After the doctor we hit the drive through car wash.

The shoes enjoyed the little rest.

It never ends as we had to go to the store!

Driving home…

Finally!

Walking into the house after a very long and busy day.

The finale of a day in the life of my shoes - kicking back in the lay-z-boy!

It was a great first-day break in for my new shoes - and they performed awesomely! I was beat after all that, and my feet were not nearly as tired as my head was - yay! Thank you mother for the great new digs my feet get to sport!

*pictures taken with cheesy camera phone*

Watch out! I got new shoes for Mother’s Day and I am going to kick some serious butt with these bad boys! They are super yummy - I did a day long picture diary with my new shoes - so stay tuned for that!