RK and RC had Valentine’s Day parties in their respective classes. They also exchanged Valentine cards with their classmates.
I got a heart-shaped Cadbury milk chocolate from work. I didn’t get any flowers or Valentine’s card from my husband. I didn’t give him any either. We’re just not into it. And I don’t really care.
R and I are witnessing first-hand the break up of the marriage of our kumpare and kumare. He is R’s best friend. And it is really disheartening because they have two small kids.
The whole situation with our kumpare and kumare has been an eye-opener for me. It must have been for R as well. We fight less now and are getting along better than ever. Or it could probably be because he’s not working and just at home relaxing. He’s less tired. Or it could probably be that I am also less stressed because he’s helping more around the house. Or it could be that we both have matured and tolerate each other more. Well, whatever it is, I like this. We’re learning to appreciate each other more. I hope that we maintain this blissful serenity.
Monday, February 14, 2005
Saturday, February 12, 2005
Thursday, February 10, 2005
Cold, anyone?
Feb. 5, Sat – I woke up with a sore throat. I have been very phlegmy since yesterday.
Feb. 6, Sun – I had a bad cold, very scratchy throat, almost lost my voice.
Feb. 8, Tue – I am very phlegmy. I coughed up and spit them out as often as needed. I had a slight fever. I still worked. I took a 15-minute nap after lunch.
Feb. 9, Wed – My stomach muscles are sore from coughing yesterday. After school at snack time…
Mom: RK, what do you want for snacks?
RK: You know, the same. Cheerios.
Mom: Ok, can you get a bowl and help yourself. Mommy is sick.
RK: Then why do you work?
I was taken aback. My first reaction was …
Mom: Because we need money. That’s why I work even though I’m sick. And you don’t talk to me like that.
Later, I asked myself… Why do I work when I’m sick? Is it because I want to achieve a perfect attendance again this year? I have been receiving this award for three years in a row now, ever since I started working at home. How can I find the energy to work and not find it to help my child with his snack?
Feb. 10, Thur
I am still coughing and I wanted to get better by Saturday, RK’s 7th birthday party. So I decided to take Robitussin cough syrup. I don’t usually take medicines for cough and cold. I hate taking them. Although, if I hear the kids sniffling, I make them take medicines right away. I used to get bad cold at least once a year and that would make me miss a couple of days at work. Ever since I started working at home, I’ve had a bad cold only once, and then again only this time. I seldom get sick now because I am not around people, only my husband and kids, who sometimes bring viruses from the outside world. But this is still a far cry from being around several people who cough in the confines of their cubicles in the office but still manage to spread the virus around.
This is probably the reason I’ve had perfect attendance for the last three years. Two years ago, I had a fever for two days when I had that bad cold. Covered in blanket and loaded with Extra-strength Tylenol, I still managed to work. When the perfect attendance rewards were handed out last year, I was surprised that only half of the Work-At-Home staff received them. During one of my conversations with my supervisor, I couldn’t help voicing it out. I realized that it’s probably because I’m a mother of young children and I have to be “up and running” even though I’m not feeling well because I have to look after my children. If you have no kids to attend to and you’re not feeling well, your tendency is to stay in bed and call in sick.
Feb. 6, Sun – I had a bad cold, very scratchy throat, almost lost my voice.
Feb. 8, Tue – I am very phlegmy. I coughed up and spit them out as often as needed. I had a slight fever. I still worked. I took a 15-minute nap after lunch.
Feb. 9, Wed – My stomach muscles are sore from coughing yesterday. After school at snack time…
Mom: RK, what do you want for snacks?
RK: You know, the same. Cheerios.
Mom: Ok, can you get a bowl and help yourself. Mommy is sick.
RK: Then why do you work?
I was taken aback. My first reaction was …
Mom: Because we need money. That’s why I work even though I’m sick. And you don’t talk to me like that.
Later, I asked myself… Why do I work when I’m sick? Is it because I want to achieve a perfect attendance again this year? I have been receiving this award for three years in a row now, ever since I started working at home. How can I find the energy to work and not find it to help my child with his snack?
Feb. 10, Thur
I am still coughing and I wanted to get better by Saturday, RK’s 7th birthday party. So I decided to take Robitussin cough syrup. I don’t usually take medicines for cough and cold. I hate taking them. Although, if I hear the kids sniffling, I make them take medicines right away. I used to get bad cold at least once a year and that would make me miss a couple of days at work. Ever since I started working at home, I’ve had a bad cold only once, and then again only this time. I seldom get sick now because I am not around people, only my husband and kids, who sometimes bring viruses from the outside world. But this is still a far cry from being around several people who cough in the confines of their cubicles in the office but still manage to spread the virus around.
This is probably the reason I’ve had perfect attendance for the last three years. Two years ago, I had a fever for two days when I had that bad cold. Covered in blanket and loaded with Extra-strength Tylenol, I still managed to work. When the perfect attendance rewards were handed out last year, I was surprised that only half of the Work-At-Home staff received them. During one of my conversations with my supervisor, I couldn’t help voicing it out. I realized that it’s probably because I’m a mother of young children and I have to be “up and running” even though I’m not feeling well because I have to look after my children. If you have no kids to attend to and you’re not feeling well, your tendency is to stay in bed and call in sick.
Wednesday, February 02, 2005
Dreadful
It has warmed up this past week. The snow has started to melt and it is slushy outside. The snow is now mixed with sand and dirt. It looks and feels like spring. And we’re just in the middle of winter!
I went to my dreaded appointment with the endodontist to continue the root canal that Dr J wasn't able to finish. Dr. R was a very nice fellow. He made me feel comfortable as I sat and then lay down on the dentist chair. He froze the left side of my mouth. Then he placed the rubber dam and made me open my mouth as wide as I could.
Dr. R: Are you okay?
Me: Ah ah (yes)
Dr. R: This will make a vibration.
I heard a whirring sound. I closed my eyes.
Dr. R: Are you okay?
Me: Ah ah (yes)
He probed and poked my tooth. He didn’t squish my lips like Dr. J did. I lay there half awake wondering what he was doing. It took me to those times I delivered each of my three babies, lying on the operating table, all frozen in the tummy area, but conscious of all the poking and pushing that the doctor was doing.
After he filled my root canals, he used a glue gun to seal them. The smoke made me want to sneeze. I was glad that I didn’t. I That would have been embarrassing. I could just imagine myself sneezing with my mouth open.
When the hour-and-a-half procedure was done, I suddenly got the sniffles. I went to the ladies room and blew my nose. It has not been easy to do that since the left side of my nose was also frozen. I felt kind of groggy as I headed home.
I went to my dreaded appointment with the endodontist to continue the root canal that Dr J wasn't able to finish. Dr. R was a very nice fellow. He made me feel comfortable as I sat and then lay down on the dentist chair. He froze the left side of my mouth. Then he placed the rubber dam and made me open my mouth as wide as I could.
Dr. R: Are you okay?
Me: Ah ah (yes)
Dr. R: This will make a vibration.
I heard a whirring sound. I closed my eyes.
Dr. R: Are you okay?
Me: Ah ah (yes)
He probed and poked my tooth. He didn’t squish my lips like Dr. J did. I lay there half awake wondering what he was doing. It took me to those times I delivered each of my three babies, lying on the operating table, all frozen in the tummy area, but conscious of all the poking and pushing that the doctor was doing.
After he filled my root canals, he used a glue gun to seal them. The smoke made me want to sneeze. I was glad that I didn’t. I That would have been embarrassing. I could just imagine myself sneezing with my mouth open.
When the hour-and-a-half procedure was done, I suddenly got the sniffles. I went to the ladies room and blew my nose. It has not been easy to do that since the left side of my nose was also frozen. I felt kind of groggy as I headed home.
Tuesday, February 01, 2005
New music
Today is Concert 4 of the 2005 International New Music Festival of our city’s Symphony Orchestra. RG was one of ten volunteers from his school to perform in tonight’s concert. We all went to see him perform. And yes, that included R. Iian’s dad has been very generous in giving RG a ride to the rehearsals with Iian.
The concert, which was titled “Why Did I Go To That Concert?,” started at 7:00 p.m. The kids brought some candies and gummies with them. We couldn’t really bring any food and drinks inside the concert hall. There were bleachers on the stage. Before the concert started, the emcee invited anyone who wanted to sit on the bleachers. There were quite a few takers. The emcee interviewed the composers before each performance. There were also poem readings. I enjoyed one, which was actually a letter written to a brother in British Columbia. It was about the weather here in Manitoba and mosquitoes wearing toques and long scarves. I found it really funny. The old folks behind us also laughed. RC later remarked, "Why were they laughing? The jokes were not funny." Well, you see, RC did not get the jokes. There was a poem about love, since we're now in the "love" month. The jokes were of adult theme.
After about the third performance, I found out why it was titled the way it was. I asked myself the same question. I didn’t get the music – it was just noise to me. For instance, the first performance was titled “Roosters in Love.” The piece was, you must have guessed, the sound roosters make. Some of the pieces used the instruments for purposes other than playing notes, i.e. blowing through the tubes or tapping the saxophone. It’s probably what “New Music” is all about. A new or innovative way of producing music. I almost fell asleep during the performances. Thank goodness for the intermission. We were able to get up from our seats, stretch and walk a little, and feel refreshed.
RG performed on the last piece, “Sound Off,” which was originally written to be performed on two sides of a Montreal Street. To imitate this, the groups were separated between the stage and the second balcony. RG’s group was on the stage. The groups were composed of bands from a few high schools, universities and colleges. RG played his saxophone. This is the reason we went to this concert – to see RG perform.
RK slept through RG’s performance. We woke him up when the concert was done at around 9:30 p.m. He cried and was cranky. He complained that his leg hurt while we waited for the bus. We got home just before 11 p.m.
The concert, which was titled “Why Did I Go To That Concert?,” started at 7:00 p.m. The kids brought some candies and gummies with them. We couldn’t really bring any food and drinks inside the concert hall. There were bleachers on the stage. Before the concert started, the emcee invited anyone who wanted to sit on the bleachers. There were quite a few takers. The emcee interviewed the composers before each performance. There were also poem readings. I enjoyed one, which was actually a letter written to a brother in British Columbia. It was about the weather here in Manitoba and mosquitoes wearing toques and long scarves. I found it really funny. The old folks behind us also laughed. RC later remarked, "Why were they laughing? The jokes were not funny." Well, you see, RC did not get the jokes. There was a poem about love, since we're now in the "love" month. The jokes were of adult theme.
After about the third performance, I found out why it was titled the way it was. I asked myself the same question. I didn’t get the music – it was just noise to me. For instance, the first performance was titled “Roosters in Love.” The piece was, you must have guessed, the sound roosters make. Some of the pieces used the instruments for purposes other than playing notes, i.e. blowing through the tubes or tapping the saxophone. It’s probably what “New Music” is all about. A new or innovative way of producing music. I almost fell asleep during the performances. Thank goodness for the intermission. We were able to get up from our seats, stretch and walk a little, and feel refreshed.
RG performed on the last piece, “Sound Off,” which was originally written to be performed on two sides of a Montreal Street. To imitate this, the groups were separated between the stage and the second balcony. RG’s group was on the stage. The groups were composed of bands from a few high schools, universities and colleges. RG played his saxophone. This is the reason we went to this concert – to see RG perform.
RK slept through RG’s performance. We woke him up when the concert was done at around 9:30 p.m. He cried and was cranky. He complained that his leg hurt while we waited for the bus. We got home just before 11 p.m.
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