Thursday, June 26, 2008

The Good, the Bad, and the...Ugh-ly

A mixed bag today.

On the good team: (ooh, I think this is my first time with the bullets!)
  • I started a new novel yesterday, and I'm really in love with the concept and characters so far. The plot arc is slowly emerging from the depths of my subconscious or wherever the hell these things come from, and the first chapter is written. Genre is young adult realistic fiction, and my protagonist is a fifteen-year-old boy. If it's any good, it should be marketable. (At least, if it doesn't take me five years to finish like my first novel did!)
  • I sent out five more queries for my first novel, so I'm just plugging away at the list, taking care of business.

  • Jabber and I went to see his very first movie today, like at the movie theater. We went to see The Spiderwick Chronicles, which was fun and scary and even got me a little teary-eyed when the boy and his mother have their emotional breakthrough moment. Jabber got a little promotional book or two in his Lucky Charms, so we read it out loud as a family, and he loved it. He promised not to be scared, but I had to admit that I was a little nervous when the goblins started popping out all over the place, so he was nice enough to let me hold his hand. And then he was even more generous and allowed me to have him sit on my lap.
  • After the initial bathroom sink-trap excavation session onTuesday night, David dredged up the medicine dropper (both parts) that Monkey had stuck down the drain. However, the drain was still a bit sluggish, and then this morning I turned my back for five seconds to set out Jabberwock's clean underwear, and Monkey "dropped" his toothbrush down the hole. So once again, we (and by we I mean David, with the help of any kids I couldn't keep contained) pulled out the trap and started fishing around with a variety of tools, some commercially prepared for the job and others fashioned out of a metal coat hanger. The prize was a plastic bolt from a toy toolbox, and of course one nasty ass race car toothbrush. And, a drain that flows freely. As Monkey would say, "Ta DA!" Until tomorrow.
  • Last good for today would be these two pictures that show just how much fun a four-year-old can have in about five inches of water.






The Bad
  • We're all a little disappointed this evening. David got an offer for this job he's been interviewing for and whatnot, and they didn't want to pay him more than he's making right now. With the change in hours, we would end up with the boys in daycare for about twenty-five more hours a week, and that's just impossible on the same salary. So, even though he really likes the place and the work, he can't accept the position, not for a whole lot more pay. We figured it out, and even without taking into consideration the cost of gas, he'd need about six dollars more per hour. There are still some negotiations on the table, so who knows. But still, it's disappointing.


  • Here's a picture of Monkey NOT enjoying the swimming pool. I don't know if it's the hand-me-down swim vest from Jabber's pink and purple period that isn't doing it for him, or if he's just against the whole concept of swimming, but he is clearly not happy. OH, wait. It could have been the TWENTY MINUTE nap today. Yeah, we'll file that one under Bad.


And last, we have The Ugh-ly:

Balancing the checkbook and paying the bills. Excuse me while I have an anxiety attack. Or, I could just keep on blogging!

4 comments:

The Finn Family said...

Well, I guess no need to email me back, your blog answered all of my questions! ;-)

I'm so sorry that the job may not work out. How about if David and I start getting some photography jobs together to supplement your (and our) income? Seriously, he and I should talk. It would be awful if David had to turn that job down, it sounds like the perfect job for him.

Eek on the check book balancing! I hate balancing the checkbook. Yuck, yuck, yuck!

Angela Ackerman said...

Ha! That picture of Monkey in the wagon is PRICELESS! I've got a few of those myself, lol.

My guess it's the purple life vest. Purple is so yesterday and all that.

Anyway, this gave me a smile, which I needed this morning. Today is day one of summer vacation, and I'd like to say my kids aren't driving me bonkers yet, but...

Maybe they need a few days to transition? *hopes*

Angela said...

Wow, how sad is that the the employer isn't willing to at least match what he is currently making. What are they thinking? What would be the motivation for him to leave his current job??? Good luck to him on the negotiations!

Elissa J. Hoole said...

angela #1 (that's kinda weird!)
Yes, maybe they need transition time, and you, too. Ah, well. I've gotten over feeling guilty that my kids drive me nuts about half the time. The other half I think they're the best kids on earth, so I guess that's just part of doing the mom thing. Being half crazy and half delusional.

angela #2: Yeah, that's a real problem in our "city," no living wages. It doesn't matter that this place is probably the top retailer of its type in the country, if they think they could scrape up a commercial photographer for ten bucks an hour, than that's what they're offering. Unfortunately, in this job market, there are plenty who would take it. If it wasn't for the difference in daycare, David probably would, too, since the job is pretty much a dream come true.

Shana: It's not a total loss, as I think he's going to do some moonlighting for them in the summer. Maybe they'll change their minds about what his work is worth?