What's YOUR "Day Job"?

Tonya--I absolutely love wooden toys. Give me wood over plastic anyday!
As for my job, I am a happy preschool teacher (20 hours) in a school based on the philosophy of the Reggio Emelia schools in Italy. I am intense in my belief that child-centered schools build self-confidence and self-esteem.. I can't stand teacher-created art or adult-centered "projects"--I use a developmentally appropriate "curriculum" for my sweet, full-of-laughter-and-curiosity 3 and 4 year olds! I love my job :) :) :).
I am also the administrative assistant (20 hours) at the school. It gives me a time to think like an adult rather than like a child--good balance :)
Wendy
 
For my full-time job, I work in the Information Technology department in a marketing research company in Toronto. I am the manager of a group of systems analysts and computer programmers.

I also have a part-time gig, teaching aerobics (hi/low and step), which I have been doing for 17 years to keep my sanity (which tends to be strained by my full-time job).

What a variety of professions we have here!
 
I'm another lurker. I've posted a few messages but mainly I enjoy reading what others have to say. I'm a Systems Administrator in an IS Department for a medium-sized manufacturing company AND mother of 2 (ages 4 and 6).
 
I am a kept woman of ill repute!

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Jun-30-01 AT 10:16AM (Est)[/font][p]Sort of...
I was educated to be a research psychologist.. but due to my shoulder injuries i cant really sit down or stand up and do the same thing for long without alot of pain... i cant use my right arm in any repetetive way.

So i cant get a regular job...
But a friend gave me a flexible job inspecting engineering projects for the company he owns ...

I have a mini empire of rentals on my one piece of property .. I love to design little houses, get them built and rent them...

If i won the lottery i would travel to and make the world a better place for children.
 
[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Jun-30-01 AT 09:29AM (Est)[/font][p] I'm a Sr. Aircraft Mechanic for FedEx. Before that I did the same thing for the Air Force and the N.H. and N.J. Air National Guard. I'm a Gulf War veteran and have had a lot of great experiences. Wouldn't have traded if for anything.
I love my job (24 years total,now!) except that there aren't very many woman co-workers. I'm 42, have a great husband and am the mother of a 3 yr. old boy.

Laurie
 
I am a CPA that works in private practice. I work a snowmobile\ATV manufacturer. Like you my josb is a desk job for the most part. I get up a walk around the plant whenever possible.

I just discovered this web site about 2 weeks ago and love to log on and read all the great info. I feel really good after reading the questions and responses. Thank you all for just being "YOU". Good luck with all of your fitness goals. I have a ways to go but I know I love how it makes me feel.

Thanks all,
Tracy
 
ATTN: Bichon Owners & My Day Job

What an amazing post! It's been such a kick to sit here and read what we all do. I'm struck by the fact that there are quite a few women in our group working in traditionally male professions -- You Go Girls!

I hope Cathe reads this thread, as it's a real testament to how really universal her message of wellness, strength and the power of taking care of yourself really is. We are quite the sister (and brother) hood!

As for me, I am an attorney like Marlene, and a SAHM (tough balancing act). I worked as a civil trial lawyer for a big firm for about 7 years, then after the birth of my first son I moved to a corporate in-house job at a large telecommunications company you might recognize from our big blue globe. :) I took five years off after my second son was born and threw all of my "professional energy" into the PTA (so much so that there were times I was working a 60 hour week at my volunteer "job"! :))

Then a girlfriend and I started a clothing business, thinking it would be a nice little part-time thing, and it mushroomed into a late nights and every weekend job, so we sold that (I think we made $14) in 1996.

So I found myself at loose ends. My little guy was starting 1st grade and I was really burned out on the politics of PTA board & committee work. I wanted to spend time in the boys' classrooms but found that, aside from that, I felt restless and had TOO much free time -- I was definitely in that danger zone where you start SHOPPING (furniture, clothes, exotic groceries) as an activity. Ka-ching ka-ching. I have decided that I am one of those personality types who really does need to be at least moderately busy -- give me too much freedom and I'll spend every dime I have in an attempt to create some kind of "project" for myself!

Then, as my mother likes to say, God dropped an anvil on my head. About two months after we sold the business I got a call from my old boss at Big Blue Globe looking to see if I wanted to do some part-time work. I worked out this great deal with my former employer that I still have. I work from home in a "virtual office" as a contractor-attorney with one and only one client -- Big Blue Globe. I provide legal counsel on telecommunications contracting and regulatory law to commercial sales and government sales clients in nine states, and in theory I work 20 - 25 hours per week. Like many of you, I find that the hours I'm "supposed to work" is often a myth.

As a matter of fact, I wish I had a nickel for every time I've taken a conference call from my cell phone while waiting in a carpool line -- or, worse yet, with my van full of little boys who, bless their hearts, sit quietly like little angels when Mrs. Shapiro waives her cell phone at them with that special maniacal look on her face... ;-)

I'm so glad I found Cathe and through her this Forum -- y'all are the best!

Kathy S.
(Holder of the Two Best Full-Time Jobs in the World: Mother of Alex (14), Evan (11), and Eddie the Bichon (4), Wife of Kenny (45))

P.S. Any other Bichon owners out there in Catheland?? I love my furball!
 
RE: ATTN: Bichon Owners & My Day Job

Hi Kathy,
Sounds like your life is really falling into place...so happy for you!
I don't own a Bichon but I know them VERY well. My mother owns 2 or 3 at any given time & used to breed them. They are so cute & smart. (TOO smart!) They have their own special personality which is Bichon & no other breed. I'm sure you have hundreds of funny stories about your Eddie (cute name!).
We like to call them Bitchin Frizzies!
Ruth :)
 
Ruth --

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Jul-03-01 AT 04:58PM (Est)[/font][p]Thanks for the kind words! Things have most definitely fallen into place -- I love my mother's favorite expression about God dropping anvils on your head occasionally. I wasn't looking to practice law anymore, but that opportunity sure hit like a ton of bricks!

If your mom has Bichons, I'm sure you've witnessed a Bichon Buzz. Quite a sight, especially when our monster boy goes into his little tear around the house -- Eddie is, as far as we can tell, the world's largest Bichon, tipping the scales at a well-proportioned 30 lbs!

Kathy S.
 
RE: Ruth --

I have been reading this post over several days and am amazed at our diversity.

However, when the talk turns to dogs I would be remiss not to tell everyone about Wolfgang and Britta, our two Rottweilers. Very lovable, bear like creatures who only want to try to sit in my lap. Not gonna happen though.

When I put in one of my Cathe tapes they both run for the hills because they know how crabby I get if they interupt me.
 
Marlene -- How My Dog Reacts to Cathe

>When I put in one of
>my Cathe tapes they both
>run for the hills because
>they know how crabby I
>get if they interupt me.
>

Marlene, that's too funny!

Eddie knows what it means when I put on workout clothes, and he gets very alert. Then I'll say "Eddie, you wanna workout? Come on Ed, let's go do our workout!" And he will race ahead of me to the attic where I workout with that fluffy plume-tail just rotating like a helicoptor rotor. Then he plops down very happily by my treadmill, and while I'm working out he chews on a strand of carpet fiber that he's been methodically shredding for months. (If I work out long enough I'll have to recarpet the room!)

When Eddie was little (he's 4) he used to try to lie down next to my step, but he figured out pretty quickly that no matter which side of it he chose, I was going to be climbing over him or around him soon. And he's so big now that I would trip over him, so it's a good thing he gave up and moved to the treadmill area.

The funniest thing, though, is that Eddie goes absolutely nuts when he hears that intro music to CTX. No other Cathe music affects him in this way, but if I've put in my CTX DVD and that intro comes on (and I usually have it pretty loud), Eddie bolts up off the floor, stares at the DVD player and barks hysterically, tail wagging, until the intro music is over. He barks so hard that his rear legs leave the ground. When the music stops, he just deflates -- it's like turning off a light switch -- and tben he goes back to chewing his carpet strand.

My teenage son showed this behavior to a bunch of his friends just recently. Eddie was downstairs in the front hall snoozing in a shaft of sunlight. Alex put on the CTX DVD in my workout room loudly enough so that you could faintly hear it all the way downstairs. You'd have thought that someone was breaking into our house. Eddie came upright like a shot and scrambled up to the attic, barking like a maniac the whole time, took his place in front of the DVD player and continued to bark til the intro music was over. Then he huffed and chuffed a few times at Alex and his friends (who were standing there howling), and went back to the front hall, looking very indignant.

I'd LOVE to know what's going on in that goofy head of his!

Kathy S.
 
RE: Marlene -- How My Dog Reacts to Cathe

Kathy, my gosh what a wonderful story! You had me howling too, just picturing it. VERY Bichon of him! Heaven only knows what they're thinking sometimes.
My Roman, who has passed on (bless his sweet heart), used to stand & bark at anything new. Anything! This would include rain puddles which weren't there yesterday, boxes or bags brought into the house, a new hammer in my hubby's tool box, & - I swear this is true - a piece of lint on the carpet. Among many other things.
When he heard the song "Summer of 69" start up he would come bouncing up to me & jump up to put his paws up on my shoulders, and we would dance to the song! He never reacted that way to any other tune.
My Diana leaves the room as soon as she sees any sign of workout activity beginning. She wants absolutely NOTHING to do with that foolishness!
Marlene, your Wolfgang & Britta sound adorable. I'm a giant breed gal myself! Love Rotties, so cute & sweet. My Danes think they are lap dogs too. In fact, they are quite convinced of it! Can't imagine my life without them...
Ruth :)
 
RE: Marlene -- How My Dog Reacts to Cathe

Ruth,

Oh, you must miss Roman -- He sounds like a character and then some! I know that I am just ridiculously attached to my big furbaby (and you're right, he IS big -- when he's "beached" on the staircase landing he looks like a tipped-over sheep!)

And Ruth and Marlene -- I can just picture your big-breed babies trying to climb into your laps! I've never met a big dog who realized how big he was, and I've never met a little dog who didn't think he was a Great Dane!

Kathy S.
 
RE: Marlene -- How My Dog Reacts to Cathe

Absolutely correctly stated! Yes, I miss my sweet boy. He only lived 5 years - heart condition. It sure wasn't enough time.
Danes are very stubborn (like certain Bichons I've known!) & if you tell one to do something they will first ignore you, then look over at you in innocent surprise, (you talking to me?), & then will get a very melancholy look, sigh deeply, & (usually) do what you asked. They will also try to only half do what you asked & see if you notice. For instance, if you tell one to get down from the bed, it will slide s-l-o-w-l-y down halfway & then glance over at you to see if you're going to let it go.
They also think if they hide their face in something...say, a bush or a lap...you can't see them!
Ruth :)
Diana just came in to see why I'm not petting & admiring her, & says hi to all the lovely ladies on Cathe's forum! (And the guys!)
 
Hi,
I am happy to say I am a stay at home mom of two. One is 5 and the other is 1yr. I do work on weekends. I am a X-ray tect for an Urgent Care center. I love being a mother first, and I love my job as well. I enjoy serving my community. This was a great idea.
 
RE: Marlene -- How My Dog Reacts to Cathe

Ruth,

Five years seems like nothing -- I'm so sorry you lost your sweet boy so young!

And omigosh what a cute story about Danes-- I can just picture those big sweet faces (You talking to me?)

I've got some recommended funny reading for you -- My son just bought a wonderful book called "How to Speak Dog". Unfortunately he took it to sleepaway camp with him (to study, I guess :)) so I can't give you the author's name, but the guy's a psychiatrist (human :)) who's made a career "hobby" of studying dogs' body, tail and bark/noise language. It's written in a very drily humorous style and is just the cutest thing you ever read. And it is really informative, too.

At the back there's a funny "translation dictionary" (kind of like English-to-Spanish, you know?) telling what various barks, yips, tail movements, tail positions, facial expressions, ear positions, actions, etc. mean. Example -- I found this one really interesting -- when a dog licks you on the face as a greeting, it's not just affection, it's an acknowledgment that his/her pack leader has returned. After we read that, we observed Big Ed's behavior the next time we came home, and sure enough, he went straight for my face and "kissed" me, but as affectionate and joyful as he was to see Kenny and the boys, he didn't lick them on the face! He jumped around them, licked their hands, sniffed them, etc., but Mommy got the only face kisses!

Another example -- when your dog goes to the door or window and emits one sharp bark, ears and tail alert, followed by a series of rumbly growly barks, the author says that means "Alert, pack members! An intruder may be near and we may have to defend our territory soon!"

Last one -- When your dog is observing you, you're speaking to him/her, and that tail is going wag-wag-pause-pause-pause-wag-wag-wag-pause-pause-pause, that means "I understand that you have a message for me, and I am indeed listening, but so far I'm not entirely clear on the content of your message..."

Have a great holiday and kiss those adorable Danes for me -- say hi from their cyberpal Big Eddie the Furball in Atlanta!

Kathy S.
 
My day job is that of a research technician (molecular biology) in an HIV research lab for the National Cancer Institute in Frederick, MD. I have been a major slacker as of late and haven't worked out since Feb. I need some major motivation to get back into momentum. My job has kept me extemely busy and I usually don't have the desire to work out by either getting up in the morning or after I get home...I haven't posted here in a long time, but I thought I would jump in and say hello.

Trish
 
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