Looking for Work

On October 26, my bosses called me into the conference room and told me that they needed to cut my hours. In half. Effective November 1. While I wasn't totally surprised that they were cutting my hours, I was surprised by the size of the cut and by the short notice. I had been reading about the crummy job market for months, and now it's my turn to see for myself. I've applied for a few full-time jobs, but so far nothing has come of them. Luckily, my church was in need of a part-time custodian. That means I'm now working 3 part-time jobs. Not fun. At all. But it's what needs to happen for now. Please keep your eyes and ears open for any opportunities you think would be good for me.

I put together a video slideshow for my father-in-law, and he wanted his kids to see it. So I'm posting it here for them and for you. I hope you enjoy it!

Good heavens!!

"Forevermore. . ." That's what my co-worker Donovan says whenever I say, "Good heavens!" at the office. He thinks it makes me sound like an old lady. Whatever. At least I'm not cussing!

I said "Good heavens!" though, because it's been almost a month since I've blogged. I guess I'm not very good at this. I have, however, written two blog entries for work. You can find them here and here.

A couple of weeks ago, Einar and I got in touch with Tempur-Pedic because we've been feeling like our mattress (purchased last December) wasn't living up to the description given and promises made. Last Monday, we submitted a relatively simple claim - which required us to take some pictures of the mattress to show a sag - and then began to wait. We were told we'd hear from them in 2-3 weeks. I'm happy to report that we got an email from the warranty department yesterday, stating that our claim had been approved. We will be getting a new mattress and foundation in the next 7-21 days!! Hooray. Now hopefully this new one won't have the problems our current one has, and we'll be sleeping better than ever!

I decided last week that I really need to be getting up and taking Bella for a good walk or jog before work. She has been destroying some of her toys when we've been at work, and I think it's because she's bored. So, I think if I can get her a little tired before work, she'll sleep more and destroy less. All this dawned on me last week when we had gotten her a new sleeping pad for her bed. The website said it was really good, and in the customer reviews, people commented that it was quite durable. Well, Bella chewed through the corner of it the day after she got it! Luckily, the company agreed to exchange it for a new one. We're still waiting for it to arrive, but my hope is that the early morning exercise will deter Bella from eating her new bed. I'll keep you posted. The picture below is after she had destroyed the bed pillow we had in her kennel for her, which prompted us to order the sleeping pad.

Birds of the Air

I've always liked this Bible passage:
‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, “What will we eat?” or “What will we drink?” or “What will we wear?” - Matthew 6:25-31

I find it comforting and calming, and I often think of it when I start to feel financially stressed. And when I manage to stop worrying, when I've put my trust in God to provide for me, I have always been taken care of. Case in point: last Wednesday. I had to waitress, and in the morning, I took a few minutes to figure out how much I would need to make to keep Einar and I on track financially. I told Einar, "I need to make $120 tonight." He looked at me and, knowing that Wednesday nights are not typically reliable for making $120 in tips, told me, "Good luck!" I nodded, sharing his doubt. But I told myself that it would work out and offered up a prayer. When I arrived at the restaurant, it wasn't looking like my goal - my need, actually - would be met. There was only 1 reservation, and guests weren't exactly knocking down the door. One of the servers went home early. Slowly but surely I started getting tables. And slowly but surely my tips followed. I wasn't feeling optimistic, though. I reminded myself to just trust that it would happen. At the end of the night, when I did my check out, I had made $119.57! Amazing. God does provide. . .

War

I was listening to NPR this morning while I exercised, and I heard a couple stories back-to-back about war and violence in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Iran. It makes me so sad to think about these places where violence is so common. I think about the children, especially, who live in fear. And I feel so helpless to do anything, knowing that I don't really know or understand the conflicts. But then I think of the book Three Cups of Tea about Greg Mortenson, who is doing great things in Pakistan to work toward peace. One person really can make a difference, but how do you begin?

Annual Review

Yesterday I had my annual review at Tweedee. My official start date was September 6, 2005, so I just celebrated my 4th anniversary at Tweedee. This is the longest I've worked at the same place. My review went well, and I still have a job. *whew* I've learned a lot about video production since I started working here 4 years ago, and I still have a lot to learn. My bosses are great, and they continue to provide me with new responsibilities and positive feedback. I am ready to take on more tasks and projects, and they are slowly but surely giving me opportunities to grow professionally. I honestly couldn't ask for a better place to work or better people for whom to work. And now it's time for our weekly Brown Bag Theater - a good time to socialize with co-workers, watch some TV or a movie (today is The Beatles' "Let It Be"), and have lunch. You should join us sometime!

It's September!

I know that people are always saying things like, "Where did August go?" when it seems like time is flying. But really, where did August go? It is September 1st today, and the Madison public schools are back in session. I guess August went by so quickly for me because Einar and I spent 1/3 of it on vacation in the Northwest.

We had a great time visiting our brothers and brother-in-law in Seattle and Vancouver. We saw a lot of sights, sampled some local beer and ice cream, and genuinely enjoyed our time. I've posted some pictures below.

Unrelated to our vacation, since Einar and I now have health care coverage (thanks, GHC!), we went in for physicals last week. Nothing too exciting - just wanted to meet our doctor and get a check-up. We both got Tdap boosters (Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis), which resulted in each of us having a sore shoulder for a few days. Other than that, we are healthy. I, of course, got a referral for a colonoscopy. Fun times. I'm waiting to hear from the clinic about scheduling that. It feels good to have health insurance!!

View of Seattle from West Seattle (Alki)

It's the Space Needle!


View from the Space Needle.

Snoqualmie Falls

This was taken on the way to Whister, at Shannon Falls.

This was taken near the base of Shannon Falls.


Erik and I are imitating Dad's reaction to cold mountain creeks!

Einar contemplates his next step as he crosses the creek.


Lost Lake at Whistler

Lost Lake again.


By the suspension bridge in North Vancouver.

On the suspension bridge.

Look, it's a tiny door!

Lions Gate Bridge is behind us.


At Queen Elizabeth Park in Vancouver - mountains in background

ELCA video contest

I haven't written anything on here for over a month, and I will try to get some photos of our trip to Seattle and Vancouver posted soon. In the meantime, go on over to the Tweedee blog to see what I wrote about the ELCA video contest.

Health Insurance Update

Einar and I will have "regular" (that is, not limited to major medical issues) health insurance coverage beginning August 1. We are relieved to have found a plan that fits our budget, and we are really happy that coverage will begin before our trip to the Northwest. We applied and were approved for an individual plan with Group Health Cooperative (GHC), a nonprofit health insurance company. We haven't received our packet of full benefit information yet, but we do know that they emphasize preventive care and complementary medicine. I believe I read that they will pay 50% of the first $750 spent on massages, which basically means half-price massages. I need to check into that. I'm also wondering if they offer reimbursements for things like Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares, as that's something I'd like to do next summer. All in all, I'm really excited to have health insurance again.

Now, I can call and get my annual exam(s) scheduled. . .

Uninsured

Einar and I no longer have health insurance. We had a short-term, major medical plan that expired on June 30. We figured that was no big deal, as we are eligible to get on Dean Health Care's REALTOR group plan (since Einar works full-time for a realtor). So, we looked up all the information about the options, including coverage, deductibles, and monthly premiums. It looked okay - group coverage, with prescription coverage, for under $500/month for the two of us. Not as good as employer-offered coverage, but better than most individual plans we've found. We applied, confident we'd be approved. And we were approved! The letter of approval also included new rates. The plan we'd wanted - the only one that covers maternity - would cost $731.92/month for the two of us!! That is out of our budget. So now we're back to square one in a lot of ways. We're looking into GHC, and we'll probably forego prescription drug coverage. What a nightmare! I truly hope Congress is able to pass some sort of health care reform bill in the next couple of months.

As part of our investigation into health insurance, I looked into BadgetCarePlus, Wisconsin's health coverage for low income people. We make too much money to qualify for that, and if one of us quits our job or reduces hours, we'll qualify, but we won't be able to cover all of our bills. I'm sure we're not the only people in this situation. I suppose we could just skip health insurance altogether and do what a lot of people do - let the taxpayers pay when we show up at the ER and don't have health insurance and can't pay. Or maybe we should just move to a country with socialized health care, like Canada, England, or France.

About time

I don't know how this keeps happening. I think of blogging nearly every day, and yet it has been almost 2 weeks since I've taken the time to post. Argh.

Anyway, a couple weeks ago, I decided to try to donate blood again. If you've talked with me this spring, I'm sure I've told you about my difficulties donating recently. First, it was low iron. Then, it was small, rolling veins. But I thought, it's been quite a while since I've tried, so I'm going to give it another shot. My iron was great! And the phlebotomist said my veins were no problem - just kinda deep. Hooray!! A pint of blood given to someone who needs it.

I really don't understand mean people. You know, people who are mean either because they take some sort of joy from making other people miserable or because no one ever taught them differently. It seems like life is just so much easier if you're nice. People are more willing to help you and interact with you. It has always seemed to me that being mean takes a lot of work. Why not just be nice? Forgiving? Accommodating? I think a lot of my mindset comes from my faith and my attempt to be Christ-like. I know I often fail at this, hurting family and friends when I lose my intentionality. I guess, then, when I encounter a mean person, I should just see it as a reminder of my own desire to be nice.

Favorite Online Sensation

I had to write another blog entry for the Tweedee Productions blog today. You can read it here.

Weight!

All week I've been meaning to bring an old picture of me to work, so I could scan it and upload it to this blog. I wanted to post of picture of me at my heaviest and a picture of me now. I think I've written previously about my constant struggle with my weight. When I graduated from college, I weighed 250 pounds. I have lost 80 of those pounds, which is no small feat! But according to the Body Mass Index (BMI), I should lose at least 15 more pounds to no longer be considered overweight. I should say that I have some issues with the BMI. It doesn't take into account frame size or muscle. I know that I should visit my doctor and talk about an appropriate weight. I should have a body fat test done. But I also know that I could stand to lose at least 15 pounds. Not because the BMI has classified me as overweight, but because I know the risks of carrying around extra weight.

Despite all this logical thought, I must admit that, even though I have been at my current weight (within 5 pounds) for over 6 years, I still think of myself as a fat girl. In my mind's eye, I am almost as big as when I graduated from college. My brain tells me that's not true. My friends and family tell that's not true. But my heart hasn't accepted that as truth. Not yet, anyway. Perhaps it will someday. In the meantime, I remind myself of all the things I can do more easily now that I'm not so heavy - jog, sit in theater and airplane seats, navigate a crowd, etc. I still have a hard time practicing portion control, especially when I'm not at home. I still can't turn down ice cream (or most other sweets). I still overeat. But I still try.

"My Favorite Madison Moment"

At Tweedee, we've been working on a video that has included interviews with some BIG NAMES in Madison. We've done 5 interviews so far with 1 left to do tomorrow.

We started with Suzy Favor Hamilton, former UW track athlete and 3-time Olympian.







We moved on to 2 UW Hospital employees. And then Mayor Dave.








This afternoon, we interviewed Ron Dayne, former UW running back and Heisman trophy winner.

Tweedee Productions Blog

I just wrote my first blog post for the Tweedee blog. Check it out!

11 weeks old

I just realized that I haven't blogged in over two weeks! I'm sorry it's been so long, but with work and the puppy, I feel like I've been meeting myself coming and going.

Anyway, the first couple of weeks with Bella were especially difficult as she would go potty in her bed (crate) all the time. It didn't seem to matter if she had been in there for half an hour or 3 hours - she would go potty. We finally called the vet, and we discovered she had a urinary tract infection. She's been on amoxicillin for two weeks now, and she has only had a couple of accidents in her bed during that time. Hooray!! Giving her medication is a lot easier than working on behavior modification. And when she's not in her bed, she always goes to the door to let us know when she needs to go potty.

We started a puppy socialization class this week. We learn about training (starting with Sit and Come), and the puppies get a chance each week to play with each other. There are some really cute puppies in the class with Bella! We're looking forward to learning more about helping Bella to become a well-trained dog. It'll be a lot of work, but it'll be worth it!

Here are some pictures we took last night when our friends brought over their 8-year-old Husky.

A good Norwegian man

My grammy tells everyone that I married a good Norwegian man. Though this is true, he is Norwegian-American rather than from Norway. It's his birthday today. His first birthday as a married man. I'm excited to get to take him out for dinner (after getting our church directory picture taken!) and give him his gifts. We'll have a family celebration on Sunday. I love birthdays! But I love nothing more than I love Einar!

Bella Tori

This picture was taken the night we brought Bella home. She was 2 days shy of being 8 weeks old. We met the breeder and 2 of her sisters at the big truck stop where I-90/94 and I-39 split. We really liked all 3 of the puppies we met, but Bella was the one we felt the best about. When we got her home, she fell asleep on the towels by the door.




This picture was taken one Bella's 8-week birthday. She was curled up on the couch while Einar and I got ready for work. We have since decided that she will not be allowed on the couch unless we invite her. Since she's gonna be a big dog, we don't want her to think the couch is hers. Humans first! She sure is cute, though!



This picture was taken the day after the picture just above. We were at Einar's parents' condo for a wonderful Mexican dinner prepared by a visiting cousin. It was the first time Einar's family got to meet Bella, and she was a big hit! Well, except with Chino (the Shih-Tzu). Chino wasn't sure what to think of Bella, so she pretty much just hid and tried to go unnoticed.



I will try to get more pictures taken one of these days - I keep forgetting to charge the camera batteries. She is already noticeably bigger. We are working really hard on getting her housebroken, and for the most part, she's doing okay. She just doesn't have a very big bladder yet, so her accidents tend to happen when we're at work (although I'm going home a couple times a day to let her out) or overnight. She'll get it. We're starting a puppy class on May 13 for 6 weeks. We can hardly wait!

Recession

I know I've written about the economy before, but I've been trying to avoid that topic, since it's all over the news and I feel like we all hear enough about it. But when I was reading the Planet Money blog today, they had this post about the IMF naming our current recession a "synchronous recession," which is not good. I continue to be thankful for my jobs and Einar's job. I continue to pray for all of the people who are unemployed or underemployed, especially my brother and others I know personally. I am trying to stay optimistic. . .

Belated

Yesterday was my sister-in-law's birthday. We'll be gathering with her and other family members on Saturday to celebrate her birthday. I'm excited to spend some time with everybody and to get to have some food off the grill! Last year, Ingrid and I had a super-fun time going to the Maple Bluff Community Garage Sale, and we just decided to do it again this year. Of course, that means that I need to figure out when that's happening, but I'm definitely looking forward to it. Get some coffee or chai and a scone from Manna and hit the sales!
This picture was taken during the formal pictures for the wedding. They were all waiting around for their turn, and Ingrid hams it up!

Blogs

Over the past couple of weeks, I've been put in charge of getting 2 blogs for Tweedee up and running. The first one is for Tweedee itself. All 6 of us will take turns writing on the blogs, and it will be updated at least once a week. Check it out here. We started the blog, in part, because we wanted to get "Samie the Intern" episodes available as a video podcast on iTunes. However, we ended up needing to start a separate blog for "Samie" to do that. You can watch the video episodes on that blog OR you can open iTunes and search the podcasts for "Samie the Intern" and download them. If you didn't know this, I am completely in charge of "Samie the Intern." I schedule the shoots, come up with ideas (with a lot of help from Samie and my bosses), shoot the video, edit, and encode as a QuickTime movie for the Tweedee Productions website and the "Samie" blog. It's a pretty fun thing to get to do. I hope that you'll check out the videos, if you haven't already.

Holy Week

As I've gotten older, I find myself enjoying the pre-Christmas season of Advent and the pre-Easter season of Lent more and more. I like the anticipation. I like the time to consider the impact of these major Christian holidays. For the past several years, I've been unable to attend the weekly Wednesday evening services during Lent because I've had to waitress. I feel like I miss out on Lenten contemplation because of that. This year, however, I subscribed to the daily email devotions published by Luther Seminary and Pacific Lutheran Seminary. These daily devotions helped me get into the spirit of Lent and feel the magnitude of Jesus' suffering. I will miss Maundy Thursday worship tonight and Good Friday worhsip tomorrow, but I will be thinking about the Last Supper, the washing of feet, and the horror of crucifixion. I will be worshipping in my own way.

Missy Karie

Today is my sister's birthday. I can't remember the last time I got to celebrate her birthday with her, but last weekend, she and her family were in Mount Horeb visiting our parents, and we had a little family celebration. It was great to be able to be together. Plus, I got to surprise her with some chocolates from her favorite chocolatier in Madison.

This picture is from last spring, when she and her family came down for the Steve Earle concert and stayed at my house.

Eek!

Today is my brother's birthday. I've been fortunate that for the past several years, I've gotten to celebrate his birthday with him in person, either in Chicago or Mount Horeb. In fact, the first time I met his husband was when I was in grad school and went into Chicago to have dinner with him on his birthday. This year, however, I'll be celebrating with him in spirit since he now lives in Vancouver, BC. This year, I'll be celebrating him! Happy birthday, Erik!This is one of my favorite pictures of Erik as well as one of my favorite pictures from our wedding.

Spring rain

It is very gray and rainy today. It makes me want to curl up on the couch with a good book, a cup of hot chocolate or hot tea, and Kimchi.

I've noticed the past couple of mornings that it is lighter out when I get up than it was a couple weeks ago. I know this happens, that the amount of daylight increases from the winter solstice to the summer solstice, but it's pretty cool to notice it. After the switch to daylight savings time, it was pitch black at 6am. Now, it's not bright by any means, but the sky is definitely less dark. That makes it a little easier to get out of bed and exercise. And once the temps are above 40 in the morning, I'll head outside to jog. Hooray!!

I have a box of Betacam tapes sitting on the corner of my desk, ready to be shipped. I had to use a Sharpie to cross out some of the pre-printed writing on the box. The air smells of Sharpie. For some reason, though, my nose is interpreting that smell as pepperoni. Weird.

Give life.

Yesterday I tried to give blood. For the past several years, I've donated blood on a somewhat regular basis. And for the past year, I've been getting even better about it, marking my calendar for when I am eligible after donating.

I was supposed to give blood on Feb. 17, but my iron count was too low (it needs to be 12.5, and mine was 12.1). I was disappointed, but determined to add more iron-rich foods to my diet and try again. So, I went back 10 days later and tried again. I had the same problem: low iron. The nurse and I talked (again) about some strategies to get my iron higher, and I decided to wait 4 weeks before trying again.

Yesterday was the day. I've been eating more spinach, dried apricots, raisins, peas, and meat (mostly chicken). I was optimistic that my iron count would be high enough to make a donation. I had also been given the tip that if you shake your hands for a while before they do the finger prick, you'll get the blood flowing to the finger tips and have a better chance of the iron being okay. So, I walked over to the check-in area shaking my hands back and forth. Luckily, the first thing they do is check your iron. Mine was 12.6! Hooray!! I would be able to donate blood.

After going through the health history questionnaire, I went over to the blood collection area. I told them to use my right arm, as that's the one that's been used before. Daphne (the Red Cross employee) proceed to check my arm. She said that the veins in my right arm were quite small - a comment I've heard almost every time I've given blood. She asked if she could check the left. She checked it and had the same response but thought the right arm was better. She decided to call over a more experienced person. She checked my left arm, commenting on how small the veins were. Daphne agreed and told her to check the right arm. My right arm was examined and she noted that the veins were small there, too. They decided to call over the most veteran employee - a woman who has been an RN for 33 years. I thought, she'll be able to get it no problem. She checked both arms and decided to go with the right arm. As always, when the time came for the needle, I turned my head away and closed my eyes. I could feel her moving the needle around, taking it out, trying another spot. She asked, "Where did that vein go? I just felt it!" I was wiggling my feet, and I started to sweat. She finally gave up, telling me that I would have a nice bruise there. She got me an ice pack.

Would you like to try the other arm? I asked. I could hardly believe I was suggesting it. But, I was there, and I really wanted to give successfully this time. She tried the left. She got the needle into the vein, but said it was coming really slowly. I suggested she pull the needle out a tiny bit. She did, but that didn't help. Then she said that blood was leaking out of the site. Not good. We'd have to stop. And again, I'd have another nice bruise. And she got me another ice pack.

She thought that I might have better luck in the summer when the weather is warmer. We'll see. I also think donating after exercise would help.

My arms were quite sore last night, and I do have bruises. The left feels much worse than the right. Perhaps my body is telling me I'm not meant to donate blood anymore.

March 21

March 21 was a big day: Disa turned 12, and Hannah and Noble both competed in their regional History Day competition and will advance to the state competition at the end of April. Hooray for the nieces and nephew!

It seems like this is a busy week, but I don't think it's any busier than normal. I worked at the restaurant on Monday night, and Einar had band rehearsal. Last night we met some friends for dinner and then played a trivia game on their PlayStation3 (super fun!). Tonight, I work at the restaurant again, and Einar has band rehearsal. They usually only practice once a week, but they have a gig on Friday and want to be ready. I might work tomorrow night - if Bryce needs me to cover his shift. Then, Friday night I have off so I can go see Einar's band perform. Club Tavern in Middleton, 10pm. I've never seen them play, so I'm really looking forward to it.

Beer Tasting

The beer tasting Einar and I attended last night at Johnny Delmonico's in downtown Madison was really fun! They paired 5 beers from Capital Brewery with 5 small courses.

U.S. Pale Ale with Spanish Trio (almonds, olives, and paprika oil-soaked giant white beans)
Island Wheat with Sea Bass, Peas, and Ham
Wisconsin Amber with Chorizo Stuffed Chicken on Paella
- passionfruit sorbet to cleanse the palette
Maibock with Lamb Tenderloin and Sauteed Cabbage
Munich Dark with Cheese and Fruit

The chef came in before each course and described the food. No one described the beers. It would've been really cool if the sommelier had gotten some descriptions of the beers from the brewmaster to help us discern the different notes and flavors of the beers. Oh, well. It was fun, nonetheless, and a really good deal ($30/person plus tax and tip). Johnny Delmonico's offers similar wine tasting events (Wine 101) on the first and third Tuesdays of each month. If you're in the area and like wine, check them out!

Saint Patrick's Day

In the summer of 2004, I spent a month in Ireland. Growing up, I was told I was half Norwegian, and the other half was German, English, Scottish, and Swedish. My dad has been telling me for the past few years, however, that there's also some Irish in there. I'm not generally one to disbelieve my dad, but I learned during my time in Ireland that Irish heritage is the most over-reported ancestry in the U.S. That month is Ireland was fantastic, so regardless of my ethnic heritage, I'm celebrating St. Patrick's Day today by wearing a green shirt and by going to Beer 101 at Johnny Delmonico's downtown. I know beer isn't Irish, but Guiness is, and that's beer. Plus, a lot of people drink green beer on St. Patrick's Day. I hope that's not part of Beer 101. . .

If you're wondering, Beer 101 is the beer version of a wine tasting. We'll go to the restaurant and get to taste and learn about several beers. We'll also get some small sample food pairings. That's about all I know. Tonight's Beer 101 is featuring beers from Capital Brewery in Middleton. It should be fun.

My friend Sarah and I did the Shamrock Shuffle again this year. We did the 5K, which was a much better choice than the 10K we attempted last year. It is a fun event! People dress up in costumes, and there are a lot of families either watching or participating. Einar came to cheer us on. He had such a good time, he's considering running or walking or volunteering next year. After the run, we went to State Street Brats where they were offering runners and their families a good deal: burger or brat and fries for $5! So, Sarah, Einar, and I had some lunch before returning home. It was a great morning for a jog - sunny and mild. If you don't have plans for March 14, 2010, please join us. All proceeds benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Dane County. And my co-worker Steve Donovan is one of the organizers.

Oh! I know I haven't mentioned this, but last week, Einar and I bought tickets to go visit our brothers and brother-in-law in Seattle/Vancouver. We'll leave on August 11 and return on August 21. Hooray! We couldn't be more excited!!

Grandma Carlson

Today would've been my Grandma Carlson's 96th birthday. It's hard for me to believe that she died 4 and 1/2 years ago already!

In unrelated news, my sister-in-law starts a new job today. I hope it is a better work environment than the last dental office she worked in. Er, in which she worked.

Exercise

One of the added benefits of Einar's new job is that he now gets up at 6:00am. Well, his alarm goes off at 6; he actually gets up around 6:15. Anyway, 6am just happens to coincide with the time I need to wake up if I am going to exercise before work. Knowing that he'll be getting up to get ready for work provides me the little push I need to drag my tired body out of bed in the dark and get in a great workout before starting my workday. I've been doing Nordic Track Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Wii Fit strength training Tuesday, Thursday. And I also do some sort of workout on either Saturday or Sunday. It feels really good to be back to a regular, daily exercise regime. I am really looking forward to the weather warming up and drying out so I can start jogging outside again. Hooray, 6am! Hooray, employment! Hooray, hooray!!

The Real Unemployment Number

As I've mentioned in a previous post, I really like NPR's Planet Money podcast and blog for explaining the economy. Today, when new unemployment numbers were released, they posted this on their blog. If you don't want to click on that link, the final sentence of their post is: "For now, the broadest measure of unemployment stands at 14.8 percent." 14.8% A staggering number. Almost 3 people out of 20 either unemployed or underemployed.

I am extremely grateful to have a full-time job AND a part-time job. And I am also grateful that Einar has gotten full-time work. But I cannot stop thinking about those people who are affected by this economic crisis. It is hitting close to home. And economists are predicting it'll be 2010 before we see real change.

Bowlin' for Colons

Yesterday afternoon, Einar and I joined two of our friends for the 8th Annual Bowlin' for Colons fundraiser. The proceeds benefit the U.W. Cardone Comprehensive Cancer Center and specifically go toward colon cancer research. It was fun! We each paid $30, which included a t-shirt, shoe rental and 3 games of bowling plus a $15 donation. Some local business had donated prizes, so there were raffle drawings every half hour with 8 prizes given away. And we got to bowl!! It was a great way to support a good cause.

We had a great time, and we're already planning to do it next year. If you are interested in participating with us next year, let me know! (You can leave a comment below.) It is the first Sunday in March, so it should be March 7, 2010. And if you can come up with any funny/clever team names, we'd love to hear them!

Thumbs

I've never really noticed how much I use my thumbs. I mean, I know opposable thumbs separate us from many other animals, and I'm always thankful that I can easily open doors and jars and my cat cannot. Last night, my right thumb starting hurting while I was waitressing. I can't recall hitting it on anything. It seemed strange to me. I even commented to the bartender about it being sore and how odd that was. It was a little swollen, too, making it difficult to bend. When I got home, it continued to swell and be painful. It is still swollen and painful, and the cause remains a mystery.

If you read my post from yesterday, you know that I was fasting in observation of Ash Wednesday. I made it almost the whole day - I ate a roll while I was waitressing because I started to feel lightheaded and dizzy. Other than that, I avoided the temptations of bagels in the office, Riesen chocolate caramels on my desk, Starburst in the conference room, and a whole restaurant full of food. It may not have been 40 days, but it was full of temptations, nonetheless.

Employment and Other Thoughts

Einar had a second interview yesterday with a real estate office in DeForest. He accepted the position and starts at 8am on Monday. He will be doing office administration work - inputting property information into the computer, scheduling appointments, etc. He has been guaranteed 24 hours/week with the possibility that it'll be 40 hours/week shortly thereafter. Einar thinks it'll probably be closer to 40 right away while he's learning and figuring out their system and getting caught up with anything. It's a small real estate office - the owner, 3 other real estate agents, and 1 other guy who does property maintenance. There seems to be potential for growth, as the owner indicated that he wants Einar to become the office manager. The owner also said Einar could get his real estate license, but that will have to be something Einar will have to determine his interest in. All in all, it feels like a good opportunity.

Last night, Einar and I had dinner with his parents at Granite City. It was a fantastic way to share our good news and get caught up on what is happening in our lives. Unfortunately for me, I didn't have anything new and exciting to share - it was Einar's night.

Today is Ash Wednesday. I have to work both jobs, so I won't be able to attend any Ash Wednesday service. I wish I could. I have decided to fast as a way to observe this holy day, but I'm not sure if that's a good idea for when I go waitress. And then, I get to work, and one of my co-workers has brought in bagels! Oh the temptation!! I have not caved in, but I have 7 and 1/2 hours left in the workday. And I can smell them. . .

Segue

I'm somewhat embarrassed to admit that until October 2008, I thought segue was pronounced SEEG, not segway. I knew that "SEEG" meant the same thing as "segway," but I had no idea that segue should be pronounced the same way as "segway." *sigh* Better late than never, I suppose.

Six months

On Monday, February 9, Einar and I celebrated our six monthiversary. It is hard to believe that we've already been married for half a year! We were both scheduled to work at Mariner's, but we both got called off. So, we treated ourselves to a nice dinner at Madison's, a block off the square in downtown Madison. Everything we had was great, from our capreze appetizer to our chocolate mousse dessert. I'd highly recommend checking it out if you're in the area.

Unemployment

According to the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, the unemployment rate in Wisconsin for December was 5.8%, which is below the national rate of 7.1% for the same month. Since October, I've been listening (when I have time) to podcasts from NPR's Planet Money. They have attempted to explain how this percentage is calculated; I have tried to understand. The number reflects the percentage of the workforce that is unemployed and collecting unemployment "benefits." It does not include people who are underemployed, whose benefits have run out but who remain out of work, or who WOULD work but have given up finding a job. So, that number doesn't really give the whole picture. It does provide an easy way to keep tabs on how good or bad the economy is.

Obviously, there are a lot of people without jobs right now, and that number continues to grow. Soon we'll find out what the unemployment rate for January was, and as far as I can tell, economists expect it to continue to increase through 2009, possibly into 2010. Unemployment is affecting many, many people. My brother and his husband have been affected. Einar's sister and her family have been affected. Einar and I have been affected, Einar moreso than I. Deeply. Profoundly. Please pray for us.

Pizza

Today, former Congressman Scott Klug has been in our office, working with our editor Steve on a project. I've met him before, and he's a really nice guy. He walked over to a nearby pizza place to get some lunch for Steve, and offered to get me some, too. I had just eaten the chili I had brought for lunch, so I declined the offer. When he got back, he asked if I wanted half a piece of pizza. I said no, thinking he was just being polite, and trying to keep on my healthy eating track. He told me that he only wanted half a piece, so there would be this leftover half-piece in case I changed my mind. Never one to turn down free food, especially free pizza, I ate the other half of his piece of pizza. Crazy! (As a former member of Congress, he had tickets to the Inauguration but decided not to attend due to the large crowds.)

Inauguration Day 2009

I watched the Inauguration of Barack Obama today while I was at work. Don't worry; it was boss-authorized. I watched for just over an hour. Long enough to see former Presidents Carter, Bush (the elder), and Clinton arrive as well as out-going President Bush. Some of the women from the office across the hall came in and watched with me, and Einar watched from home. It was a great ceremony! And Obama's inaugural speech was as inspiring and well-written as I'd hoped. Now his real work begins.

I was just reading an article from the Washington Post about health care reform. People who are against this reform, and especially against socialized health care, seem to always say that it will cost too much. I don't understand how taking care of the citizens of the country, emphasizing preventive medicine, and making sure that anyone can receive the care they need will cost more than the current costs of health insurance premiums and lost productivity. As a person who pays for private health insurance, I could use some reform. If it doesn't come soon, I'm not sure I'll be able to continue to afford coverage.

Back-to-Back

I'm not big into name-dropping, but sometimes working in video production means that you get to meet some local celebrities. I always like the opportunity to meet these people, especially when they are down-to-earth. This week at work, I got to meet a couple of well-known Wisconsinites. I went on a shoot on Wednesday where I met UW men's basketball coach Bo Ryan. It was really quick - he was probably only there for about 15 minutes, but I got to shake his hand and run the TelePrompTer for him. He was a very nice guy. Then on Thursday, we had a shoot with the Wisconsin Attorney General, J.B. Van Hollen. We've done shoots with him before, and he has become more and more relaxed with each shoot. On this particular shoot, he came into his office, and I asked him what he was drinking. He said, "Do you want some? I can get you some." I told him that I didn't want any, but that it smelled really good and was wondering what it was. He jokingly asked me what made me think it was his drink I was smelling. I told him that the only new scents in the room were him and his drink-- And he jumped in and said, "And you just knew it couldn't be me, right?" Then he laughed. So there I was, holding a boom microphone, insulting the AG. Oh, well. Just another day at the office. . .

Happy New Year!

Today ends the first week of 2009. And I've been meaning to write a new post since New Year's Day. . .

Einar and I rang in the new year at work. Seriously. Mariner's Inn does not allow its employees to request New Year's Eve off, so we were both working. I figured we'd be home by midnight, but no. By the time all of the serving was done, the closing work finished, and the last server checked out, it was almost midnight. And by the time the tip money was divided among all of the servers, it was 11:58. I quickly made my way to the bar, where Einar was bartending, to bid him "Happy New Year" when the clock struck midnight. We wished and kissed, and I headed home - about 10 after midnight. Unfortunately for Einar, there were 2 women in the bar who did leave until 12:30. So, it was almost 1am when he got home. Not our prefered way to ring in the new year, but at least we were in the same location. . .

We spent New Year's Day having a Lost marathon. We are trying to re-watch all 4 seasons' episodes before the season 5 premiere on January 21. I'm not sure we'll succeed, but it'll be close.

Best wishes for a wonderful, healthy, and prosperous 2009!