Where to start...

I don't know... let's start with we're not moving to Hawaii. There was finally an opening at our facility on the North Shore of Oahu and I applied. I could've taken the position and did not due to money.
MONEY...
well, and because it would be a massive reduction in my duties, and a way less interesting job, and I would be insanely bored at work... but it bugs me that the main reason is the lack of a pay raise to go there. I feel like I have been assimilated into a society; one in which I never wanted to partake; one where the almighty dollar reigns supreme. I am also trying to look at it from the other side. The side where I know I need to continue to pull in the current dough at our current cost of living or we will never be able to afford to adopt again. If we moved to HI without a pay increase, then it would definitely be like getting a massive pay cut and we would never be able to save the dough. So there it is. and it sucks. and I daily dream of those beautiful waves and those warm tradewinds. Did I mention that I found the perfect rental house right on the beach on the north shore? Amanda, it was in Punaluu... and it was(is, actually) cool... and totally affordable. I was even ready to do the whole reduction in possessions so that we could fit into a smaller place, maybe even looking forward to it. I even had the girls prepared to begin sharing a bedroom in HI.
Oh well, I just have to continue to remind myself that I have many colleagues at that facility (with higher positions) who are near retirement and they (meaning HR and the like) have assured me that I will be considered (fingers crossed) for those positions.

Anyway, my work life here has continued... There seems to be no end to the butt-kissing our customers require. There is also no cessation to the back-stabbing, credit-stealing, and over-all stupidity of my NASCAR-loving colleagues at this lovely GA facility in which I am currently employed. Wonder if any of the NASCAR fans are reading... WOW, I guess I am pretty bitter lately. I think given the current state of the economy (and my 401K) I should be grateful that I have a job... I'll work on that, but until I have acheived that gratitude I will remain wary of my local colleagues (I sooo miss my buds from our DC headquarters, what was I thinking moving here???). How did W put that saying?? "Fool me once shame on you... but you won't fool me again..."

Real life has also continued. The girls had a blast on Halloween. The Bean was a super-cute SuperGirl and SweatPea was Belle from Beauty and the Beast. The Bean even taught SweetPea a new song:


I did not vote. I have never not voted prior to this election. I wasn't highly enamored with either canidate, but I was planning to vote. GA has it set up so that anyone can do early voting and I made fun of some of my friends for doing so... so of course, election day I had the uber-flu. I mean full-on head-aching, body-aching, unable-to-move-my-head-much-without-feeling-the-need-to-ralph flu from hell. As it stands my vote wouldn't have made a difference here anyway; GA is always a red state and was again this year by a big margin. I still hate that I didn't vote. I hate that The Bean knows that I didn't vote. I am, however, happy to say that I live in a country where a man can be voted into the top office no matter the color of his skin. I will be even happier the day when I can say that statement to encompass both genders.

Last weekend we had a visit from the J Family and had a blast. It's so cute to see all of the girls together. SweetPea was so excited to have BT stay overnight. It was the first time that she has had a non-family overnight guest and she loved it. It was pretty cold their first day here, so we stayed in and played Rock Band. D made some Ethiopian food that night and I thought it was pretty good. D was a little upset because it didn't turn out quite as well as his past attempts, but I think everyone enjoyed fairly well. SweetPea was pretty happy to get her beloved injera, and The Bean can put down Doro Wot like nothing I've ever seen. Sunday we went out to a cool local park and the girls (+Dad J & D) had a blast.

After the dealing with a few issues which required me to work overnight over the past few weeks, I decided to take this past week off from work and have been soooo happy with my decision. It was nice to not get up early, to not carry my cell phone, to not think about kissing customers' rear-ends. It was nice not to be cranky-me, or wary-me, or if-you-so-much-as-poke-your-head-into-my-cubicle-again-i'll-stab-your-eye-out-with-my-teal-sharpie-me. It was nice to just be me. Happy me. Goofy me. Happy-goofy me with my happy-goofy family.