frosted grumpy flakes

I was asked today if I had a bowl of frosted grumpy flakes this morning.

No. There was nothing sugar coated about my grumpy flakes. Nothing at all.

I do wish I could keep my grumpy flakes to myself, but I have to share them with everyone around me. They don't deserve it, generally. But I must have gotten a "VG" in sharing when I was in Kindergarten, and have maintained the skill all this time. (VG = Very Good - there were no "Excellent's", or I would have been insulted by the "VG")

The project I was hired for around 2 and 1/2 years ago has a new timeline. What was supposed to happen in 2006 and 7 is now scheduled for 3/2009. EARLIEST. Truth is, if I could maintain a level of busy-ness with projects that are really worthwhile in the meantime, I might not mind that much. But I've been pretty much doing the goofy things that others don't have time for, and it's just demoralizing. There's a reason they don't have time to do it.

But I digress. The thing that's really eating me is that we had some tasks to do so that a determination about when our facility fits in with other facilities in this timeline could be determined. We barely had forms in hand before the timeline is published with my facility dead last. The information from our site isn't even due until the end of next month. So these decisions were made, once again, without any input from us. That just makes me bring out the grumpy flakes more than anything else. And we are STILL being pressed to the deadline even though the information we will provide will pretty much be completely different by the time we get going on the project. So, we'll have to do it again. And *someone* will wonder why we did it so early in the first place.

I hate corporate life.

So, I had a birthday yesterday. I am obliged to have one every year, as I was not born on February 29. I used to LOVE birthdays, everyone's, not just my own. I don't remember when that stopped. Admittedly, I have passed most major milestones people pass in life, but hopefully, I've got a few left. Having a 3 year old in the house makes birthdays simply magical - so why am I so "bah humbug" about them lately?

My theories:

Once or twice, I had to bake my own birthday cake. And once, my whole family completely forgot about it. (I know, somebody call me a waahmbulance.)

I did not inherit the shopping gene from my mother the super-shopper, so I don't get to stores to see things I would necessarily like or like to buy others.

My DH doesn't have a shopping gene either - he doesn't really get into the whole buy presents for people thing, so I'm never quite sure if I'm going to get a gift or not. I don't want to look forward to a gift and be disappointed, but really, I don't require one, so it would be ok. But he will either cook dinner for me or we'll go out to dinner, so I'm always sure we'll eat. (I have stopped making my own cakes. I really don't need the extra calories...) Oh, but back to the DH - when he buys jewelry, people, he buys WONDERFUL jewelry!

DH, again, likes Christmas much better than birthdays, so "big" presents must happen at Christmas. I *was* always a birthday person, believing that celebrating the day someone important to you was born was a whole lot more special.

DH and I have birthdays two months apart. We sandwich 3 children, Thanksgiving, Christmas, nearly uncountable other relatives' birthdays inbetween. By the time we get to mine, I'm done! Now that we have little K, I have to stretch that to February (sandwiching in yet another 5-6 extended relatives). It's the ultimate effort to make it special for her, so I would just as soon skip mine.

I have somehow only gotten through to my oldest daughter that I really like cards and homemade stuff. She's good at it. Oldest son will get kind of extravagant with money he doesn't have, and younger one just doesn't remember.

*** Big K reminded me of this one - my birthday was ALWAYS during finals week (as it is for him right now), from Jr High clear through college. That shouldn't matter to me anymore because jeez, that was a hella long time ago, but when I think about it, that DID suck!


OK - now the good news. There were at least 3 people at work wishing me a happy birthday. One friend left a nice card, another brought me a card on Friday, just in case I was taking both Monday and Tuesday off! And my l'il sis and da boys came to have lunch with me and visit my work friends. She is a scrapper phenominal, and made me the greatest personalized Starbucks tumbler ever! (She made one for B for her birthday that I totally coveted and drooled over. I think she got the hint!) I got some roses and some walking shoes (which was really not expected because I got my iPod and speakers for Christmas!) and my big sis, who is always prompt about these things, sent a really cute jacket, tshirt and a RED appliance for my kitchen! (I am TOTALLY into red appliances these days). So lest you think I am not loved or am feeling sorry for myself, let me disavow you of that opinion. I am really one lucky sucker.

That said, I am still a birthday curmudgeon. But I'm giving myself one week before I get myself in gear to celebrate #4 for Missy K.

***Take My Advice, people - SUMMER birthdays are GOOD! Plan your children accordingly. That summer pregnancy won't last, but birthdays will!***

National De-Lurking Week?

I've read in many blogs now that it's national de-lurking week.

Whatever. Who makes up these terms? It's a little freaky out there in the blogosphere. (see - there's another one of those terms... scary!)

I can't imagine there are more than a handful of people who visit this site with any regularity, and I can't imagine why those handful do, frankly, except that some are related to me! I don't blogroll (yet another), or join any webrings (and more!) or anything. This is not a crafty, knitty (who used "knitty" before blogs?), political, witty, medical, even mommy, or any kind of blog, really... just a piece of a bunch of them, which I guess pretty much sums me up too.

I am amused at the searches leading to this site, though - "help with teenage stepdaughters" was last week's stumper.

Well - if you're out there and feel like saying Hi, it'd be nice. (Hey, I'm the one who will NEVER send your chain letter along, so I'm not gonna coerce anyone here...) I'm gonna be awfully surprised to get more than one or two comments. But let's just give it the old college try anyway. Hi all - anyone out there?

Why do guys get all the fun stuff?

ok manufacturers - get going on the female version of this! I got an iPod for Christmas and birthday (sometimes it DOESN'T suck to have a birthday close to Christmas) this year and I love it! 'course, pulling it out to share my videos and pictures might be a little interesting...

banned words and phrases

Lake Superior State (who'd have thunk?) put out their 2006 list of banned words and phrases. One of these days, "thunk" is going to be on it.

I keep forgetting, but I really want to submit "I can help who's next" to be banned. "I can help the next person in line"; "Next"; "Who's next?" - all viable alternatives. Even for a grammar and sentence structure shortcutter like myself, that sentence grates.

and btw - Happy New Year!