From my other journal, dated August 19, 2002

Warning - I'm really pissed off about this, so there is much swearing to follow.

I have to wonder what the hell is happening that causes such annoying things to happen sometimes.

I called the high school to find out what happened to John's schedule, which should have been here already because school starts on August 26. It was on the desk of the woman who answered the phone because they sent it out to the address we had three years ago.

I don't blame them, I blame the fucking middle school, who could never get our address right for some reason.

When Larry and I got married and we moved I had it changed.

When I found out that Fuck Face had given them his address and had everything from the school was sent to his house (without telling me and without letting me know when he received interim reports, ect.), I sent back a card with the right inforamtion on it. Since I have physical custody, my address is John's address. FF & I have shared custody, which means that in my absence he can give permission for emergency medical or dental procedures, but that's it. He didn't even bother to show up for the divorce proceedings so he didn't hear a judge say that I'm the custodial parent, which means that he doesn't believe it when I explain it, the dumbass.

I've called, written them notes, filled out the god damn cards they send home at the beginning of the school year and even gone to the school in person several times and stood there while the secretary wrote it down as I quoted it to her.

WHY WHY WHY WHY can't they seem to forward anything to the right address?

WHY WHY WHY WHY, if they can get my phone number right, can they not seem to get my correct address into their system?

WHY WHY WHY WHY can't they at least call me to let me know John's schedule was returned?

It seems the stupidest, most incompetent group of fuckers alive have gainful careers in administration with the school system. I am not at all encouraged to think that these people are in charge of my child for six hours a day for ten months out of the year. The teachers are great. Really, no problem. But the dullards that work in the offices, whose job it is to make sure that the correct information is entered into their precious database, are obviously asleep behind their desks. That, or completely and utterly careless.

Either way, I have to go to the high school tomorrow morning and get John's schedule. I'm taking a note with my home address and other important information with me to give to the receptionist. School isn't in session yet, so maybe it will actually be entered in correctly this time.

Perhaps the personnel at the high school are a bit more watchful of what the hell they're doing.

I'm so tired of this!!

:: deep breath ::

Okay, that's better. I ranted. Now on to more pleasant things.

My MasterCard arrived today.

Stand by for much rejoicing and celebration.

Yay me! Yay me! Happy dance! Happy dance!

I'm gettin' down with my bad MasterCard carryin' self.

Now all I have to do is make sure I'm careful and avoid getting myself into debt. That would be bad.

I have so much to do within the next two weeks.

School clothes for John (not to mention all the groovy supplies and assorted money - consuming gear he'll need). Actually, even though it's expensive I really do like that. It gives us some time together and we both enjoy the shopping. We've spent lots of time together this ummer and I've really had a great time with him. He finally wants to go out and do things and he's so pleasant. The babies even love him and he seems to be liking them much better these days. I think his initial discomfort around them stemmed from the fact that newborns are so fragile. He didn't want to break one of them. Now that they can move around more and are a bit more hardy he has no problem holding or playing with them. All the same, I think I'll have Larry sit with the babies so John and I can go out by ourselves for awhile. It's nice to have him to myself occasionally.

I have to get some shopping done and order a cake for my mom's and Zoe's birthdays, which fall within two days of each other. We'll be celebrating them on the same day. I have to call my brother and invite him and his family, and make sure he remembers to invite some other people (his wife's family), who we'd like to have there, but have to way to get in touch with.

Next week Zoe has her one year checkup. I think Trent has his hearing screening the same week.

In addition to all of this I still have to do my regular errands (groceries, prescriptions, yadda yadda yadda), and try to keep the kids from destroying the house and the fishtank from funking up my living room. Hopefully the new filter gear Larry bought today should take care of that.

The babies, on the other hand...

Zoe's learning to crawl and walk at the same time. She can stand but not walk independently yet, so she's just cruising right now but it won't be long until she can get in to things like he big brother. Trent learned a valuable new skill today.

He now knows how to take the gates down, which means that he can get into the basement.

Not cool.

Not even remotely.

I've always heard that if a person is too close to a situation he or she has a hard time seeing any solutions. That theory was proven to me beyond a doubt today. Larry and I had been thinking that we would need to buy more gates, really tough ones that Trent couldn't take down. Blessed be my mother. She suggested that we simply turn the gates around so that he can't reach the locks. My mommy is indeed awesome.

I asked her, "Why the heck didn't we think of that?"

Her answer: "Because neither of you had to raise your brother."

Fair enough.

He was a tough baby to be around and he did destroy a lot of stuff, including the baby gates my mom put up to keep him out of things.

It works just fine though. One problem solved.

I've been spending less time online and going to bed earlier. I was staying up until two or three AM sometimes and that's not a good thing because I know I have to get up at the butt - crack o' dawn the next day, either with Trent or to make sure John gets up in time for school. My babies are too busy for me to try keeping up with them on three or four hours sleep. It doesn't work and it makes me grouchy. Also, I'm starting to take the time to read. I've been working on the same book since last November because the only time I took to read was when I had an appointment or was taking John to one. Waiting rooms are good for that. Shame on me!! I can't believe I let my PC distract me so completely from doing other things I really love to do. Not being on as much has also given me more time to think, which has resulted in some excellent creative flow. I now have some things worked out for the storyline of my fiction book that weren't workable before. The most major thing that was holding the process back is now gone, courtesy of the new hook that came to me last night right before I went to sleep. I don't just fall into bed and immediately become unconscious very often any more. I'm not so exhausted I can't think.

Going to bed earlier is definitely a good thing.

I have a few things to do tonight before turning in, then I might read a bit. If not, I definitely will tomorrow.

I was so angry when I started writing this, but I feel so happy and peaceful right now.

I'm never giving up my journals.

G'night.

P.S. - I saw Michelle Branch on GMA last Friday and was completely blown away by her. She has real talent and it was a joy to see her perform. I hope I can eventually see her live. She did two of my favorite songs (by her), and "Suspicious Minds" for her Elvis tribute. I was really impressed because that's a hard song to do and she sang it so beautifully.

I can't wait for her to release another CD!!