Birthday Cake

For my birthday cake this year, Jay and I went to our local Whole Foods bakery and ordered it. I picked out the flavor (chocolate cake with peanut butter buttercream frosting) and Jay decided what it should say. Then James picked it up and paid for it on my birthday. It worked out very well. James said everyone who touched the cake in the process of getting it home had a big smile when they saw it.

Catch 22

Okay. I've been looking into what it will take to get all of my continuing education units necessary to maintain my licence and certification as a speech-language pathologist. I need 30 CEU's by Dec. 31, 2009. That means roughly 300 hours of work, or 6 hours per week for 50 weeks. That's a lot! So I found out from the certification people that if I do not work as an SLP during the period of Jan. 1, 2007 through Dec. 31, 2009 (which I haven't so far), I can apply for inactive status. This would mean that for the first year I return to work, I will be required to earn 10 CEU's to make up for the inactive period. But that's more like 2 hours a week instead of 6. Plus I would be making some money then to help cover costs of acquiring CEU's. They can be very expensive (for example, an upcoming workshop being held in Raleigh for SLP's for .6 CEU's would cost close to $300). Fortunately, there are free CEU opportunities through private companies that I can earn online. There are similar online courses I can take for low-costs as well. So here's my dilemma: do I wait to go back to work (as an SLP) until after Dec. 31, 2009 so that I don't have to earn 30 CEU's in just over one year? Or do I go back to work when the time is right, and get started earning CEU's so I can meet my requirement by the deadline? One thing is for certain. Given my lifestyle right now, there is no way I can complete all the online courses needed in blocks of time here at my home computer desk. I will need a laptop with wireless access so I can take it with me to places like dance class, preschool, vacations, my parents' house, (probably not the grocery store), etc. and work on it whenever I get the chance. Plus James and I could both access the internet at the same time at home. I guess I've got to do some research to see what it would take to get properly equipped and how much it would cost. Anyone have a good lead on a cheap basic laptop that could download photos and email attachments and provide access to the internet with wireless capability? I guess it won't hurt anything to begin acquiring those free CEU's right away. Even if I end up not needing them because I don't go back to work for another year. Sometimes the system is really screwed up.

I made it!

I made it to 40 and had a great time celebrating the milestone with family and good friends. The day before my birthday, I completed 10 push-ups after my Curves workout. However, after taking this last week off from exercise I could not complete that many last night. So, my new goal is 10 full push-ups, but to be able to do them without pause or much strain. And my goal includes doing them every day, because I learned how quickly they faded away last night after a week off. So I'll keep you posted, of course.

I'm sure, however, that you if you are taking the time to read this blog you are interested in more than how many push-ups I can do. So what else can I tell you? I joined Facebook last month. So far it's fun to reconnect with old friends, but the reconnections haven't amounted to much more than requests to become friends and subsequent confirmations. It can be addicting, so I purposely try not to spend too much time there.

That's all I can think of at this hour. Must be too much dandruff weighing down on my brain!

Three-year-old language

Yesterday MC was trying to remember how old she is. We had recently observed that she passed 3 1/2 and is now 3 3/4. She said she was "three and three nickels". I love it!

Political Absurdity and Count-Down to 40

Thanks for your comments about my dandruff posting. I have found myself not checking my arms and shoulders for flakes as much this week. The burden is definitely lighter. And yes - I made my pushup goal! I'll update my goal to a new number and deadline soon.

I am really looking forward to the election being over. I have to say, though, there are two political ads that stand out as the most ridiculous one's I've encountered in this whole election season. The first one came in the mail addressed to James (a republican). It pictured John McCain and Hillary Clinton in one photo smiling and looking at one another as if they were teenagers in love. The ad went on to praise Hillary for opening the doors for girls in politics (including John McCain's three daughters). This from republicans who can't stand anything to do with a Clinton? Very genuine, I'm sure.

The second ridiculous ad was a tv commercial James and I saw last night. It was for Obama and talked about how if you wanted to see what America's future looks like with John McCain, all you have to do is look in your rear-view mirror. Then it showed George Bush smiling with John McCain in the rear-view mirror. It almost seemed like the same picture of McCain with Hillary (just substitute W). You don't think they could be faking some of those photographs, do you? Alas. These ads will all be over within 36 hours. I am voting tomorrow, hopefully when the line is not extremely long.

Much more fun for me, I am counting down the days until I turn 40. 5 more to go! My college friend Becky arrives into town on Thursday night to spend the weekend with me. I am really embracing this new decade and full of gratitude for all the blessings in my life.