Thursday, January 31, 2008

IT'S TODAY....IT'S TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm not sure if the excitment I am feeling about the return of my FAVORITE show would be concidered "healthy"...but I am willing to be branded unhealthy in this respect...because I just
L-O-V-E this show.

(Please refrain from calling between the hours of 8 and 10pm this evening...I don't want to miss anything!!)

Job description...

I recieved this email today and thought it was great..If you're a parent you'll appriciate this...

POSITION :
Mom, Mommy, Mama, Ma
Dad, Daddy, Dada, Pa, Pop

JOB DESCRIPTION :
Long term, team players needed, for challenging permanent work in an, often chaotic environment. Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call. Some overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities! Travel expenses not reimbursed. Extensive courier duties also required.

RESPONSIBILITIES :
The rest of your life. Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily, until someone needs $5. Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly. Also, must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case, this time, the screams from the backyard are not someone just crying wolf. Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets and stuck zippers. Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects. Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and mental outlooks. Must be willing to be indispensable one minute, an embarrassment the next. Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices. Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst. Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product. Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility.

POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT & PROMOTION :
None. Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE :
None required unfortunately. On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.

WAGES AND COMPENSATION :
Get this! You pay them! Offering frequent raises and bonuses. A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because of the assumption that college will help them become financially independent. When you die, you give them whatever is left. The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.

BENEFITS :
While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and no stock options are offered; this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth and free hugs and kisses for life if you play your cards right.

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Phlebotomy = Sadness


One thing that SUCKS about going into the medical field is phlebotomy. I don't plan on ever having to draw blood from any of my patients once I am on the job. I plan on working were they have a expert staff of phlebotomist that will do all of that for me...I will watch...I will assist...I will hold the patients hand...but PLEASE don't ask me to poke anyone!!! Unfortunately they won't let me out without doing at least a little of it.

I had a successful venipuncture performed on me today by my very skilled and competent lab partner...he on the other hand had a VERY unsuccessful venipuncture performed on him today by a very nervous, shaky, sweaty, sad, not entirely skilled, somewhat competent lab partner...YES...me!!

It was the first time either of us had "poked" a live "patient" (read victim)...I left feeling a little (read a lot) discouraged. It is a good thing my lab partner, and all of my class mates for that matter are very supportive and willing to let me (read the not so skilled one) poke them next week and every week until I become skilled...or skilled enough anyway?!?!

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

SNOW DAY...OH YEAH!!! (insert sarcasm)


I will have to admit that upon hearing the weather forecast I so badly wanted a snow day today...that is... I wanted Davenport to have a snow day today. I have said before that our family(actually the youngest members of our family) just really seem to have trouble getting along. But...in their defence...and much to my surprise...they are doing quite well today. It started out a little rough...but we manged to successfully tidy up the house with no major battles, and we even took a trip to Charlies dump for about a half an hour of sledding, and much to Haidyns' delight...facewashing.(she was the facewash-er...not the fasewash-ie)

It is currently rather peaceful (don't worry, I just knocked on wood...I know better). They are all upstairs playing together, I have no idea what...and I am not going to venture up there to see...I do hear the occasional pitter patter of feet...and a word or two from all three...sooooo...I will leave it at that, no one is screaming, I don't think anyone has been bound and gaged...who'da thought it could happen??

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Day dreaming...

I had the pleasure of traveling to Glacier National Park in the fall of 2005. It was hands down the most amazing place I have ever been. I instantly fell in love with the whole area...and to be honest...I hope that some day the Lord sees fit to clear the way for a Van Koevering family cross country move!! It has been a subject that had been "batted around" for the last year-ish...and it is a subject that just doesn't seem to go away?

We are very aware that unless the Lord moves a major financial mountain, (and turns the whole Michigan housing market around)...it ain't gonna happen tomorrow...but it is always there, in the back of our minds.

Here is a picture of the lot I would LOVE to live on IF we were to move...


That would be the view out my back window!!! (if you have never seen the Rocky Mountains up close and personal...you really must go...it is AMAZING!!)

And...here is a link to the Glacier National Park WebCams page (click on the image below).
This is the Parks headquarters cam...

It is very interesting to watch the snow depth...and just the mountains...I just love it...but that's just me!

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Guess that decade...

  • Olan Mills backdrop #4 - peaceful meadow with split rail fence...very popular

  • Powder blue leisure suit...very popular

  • the "Grizzly Adams" look... popular

  • Dorothy Hamil haircut...very, very popular

  • shirts with extremely pointy collars...popular (but, very dangerous...you could poke an eye out with those things, seriously!!)

    Any guesses?

    This is an easy one folks...

    ...it is the 70's!!!

    I located this photo after receiving a very hilarious e mail today! Our family was so guilty of the "Olan Mills photo craze" in the 70's! I will say that we all do match very well, very "put-together", way to go mom! I will actually admit that this is one of the photos from my childhood in which my outfit does not make me cringe!

    I just thought you all might like to get a good chuckle at our expense, because, as you know, laughing is good for your health. So...chuckle away!!


Friday, January 4, 2008

another year...another "Haidynism"...



Haidyn: Skeletons scare me

Me: Me too, kind of. Why do you think they are so scary?

Haidyn: Maybe cause they're full of bones!!


(considering that being full of bones is a bit of requirement for skeletons...I'm not sure we can fault them for that??)