March 18, 2009

I realize that it has been over a month since I last wrote on this blog, I think I qualify for the slacker of the year award. It's not that I have not had anything to write about, and it's not that I haven't had the time, I don't really know why I haven't written here for so long. May be 2 months of writing every day, which I may do again for April, made me want to take a little break. Today just happens to be a splendid day for the triumphant return of an updated blog. Pearl, our wonderful little monster, is exactly 1
and a half years old today. It's been 18 glorious months since Pearl came into our lives. She is growing up so fast, it feels like only yesterday she was being born. Sometimes it feels like I am going to wake up one day and Pearl will be graduating from High School and leaving for College. I know I exaggerate, but it really does seem to be going fast so far. I really love being a Daddy, and trying to be the best Daddy that I can be seems to slow things down a little bit sometimes. I hope Pearl knows how much I love her, I try and show it every day to make sure she knows.

Many wonderful and amazing, and a couple not so wonderful, things have started to happen since the last time I had written here. Pearl's vocabulary continues to grow at a steady pace, and her knowledge of what things are when asked (and proceeds to point at) seems to be advancing on a daily basis. For the most part Pearl is a really good kid, rarely has meltdowns in public, knows how to share when she's at the park, and listens to Mommy and I when we say no (well, most of the time anyway). She met another little girl the last time we went to the park, who was close in age to Pearl, only a month younger. They were playing with Pearl's ball together, and having a grand time passing it back and forth. That is until the other little girl didn't want to share anymore and pitched a hissy fit when Pearl wanted to take her ball back, the other little girl's Daddy had to intervene and get Pearl's ball back to her. The temper tantrum that the other little girl displayed was nothing less than super impressive.
Pearl just kinda looked at the other little girl like "Why are you being so bad over a silly ball, see how good I am". However, pushing the limits to see how far she can take things is her new game. Kim and I both knew it was coming, but knowing it's coming doesn't do a very good job to prepare you for the reality of this not so amusing game. Also, I fear that this is just an "appetizer", if you will, of what is yet to come. She is approaching 2 years old at frightening speed, at which time we get to live in the realm of the "Terrible Twos". One of her favorite games is taking something off of Kim's or my bed side table and not giving it back when we ask for it. Even going as far to start handing it to us, then pull it in close and hug it and turn her body so we can't get it. She just thinks this is the funniest thing in the world, at least that's what the smiling and laughing seems to indicate.

My Wife Kim is a stay-at-home Mommy, and as far as I can tell she really enjoys being able to do that. This is a full time job though, with no scheduled days off, no calling in sick, and no vacation time. I work a full time job (more about that later), with all of the perks I just listed. I have started trying to give Kim some time off one day a week, at least, by taking Pearl out of the house. This serves another purpose as well, Pearl and I get some Father/Daughter time together so that we can do some bonding too. We either go to the park, or go on a drive, last week we went to go visit "Aunt" Jodi because she hasn't seen her in quite some time. Today, I think I might take her over to Wekiva Springs for a swim and she can wear her new one piece suit that I got for her at Wally World the other night.I was thinking I might just bring our tent and camp

out for the night, and give Kim a night off. Wekiwa is pretty close by too, so it would be easy to hop in the car and come home if Pearl starts freaking out. The last time she was in a tent was when Kim and I got married at Bliss, and Pearl was still in her Mommy's tummy. I am not really sure how she will do in a tent, but I will never know if I don't try. 18 months seems like a fine age to start camping, and I need to get Pearl to like it because Kim is really not the camping type. Too many bugs and such for her taste, Kim's "idea of roughing it is a hotel room without a TV", that's a Kimmie quote by the way, LOL.

When I last wrote about a job it was when I got canned from Lago on the same day as the Chef and other Sous Chef, and I was on the hunt for a replacement job. I was able to get a job at this little pizza place near UCF, but that was a little ridiculous. I was working 12 hours a day, 6 days a week over there for $500 a week cash. Worked there a little over a week and what originally was supposed to be $600 a week, turned into $500, and then when it came time to pay me it was $450 total. Then they got someone new, and replaced me with someone they could pay even less. It was so much fun to be jerked around by those assholes.

A mere week later I was offered a job at the Embassy Suites at the Omaha Steakhouse in the hotel operated by Culinaire, as a line cook. I needed to find something with little or no responsibility so that it would not interfere with going to EMT training. The job is super easy and it almost feels like I am on vacation, and since starting there I have gotten nothing but compliments from the managers and co-workers. I have only had 1 steak come back to me to be cooked more that was my fault, and only 2 total steaks sent back since I started almost 3 weeks ago. People

It looks like I am going to have to take the night classes at CFFA for my EMT Training which will start on May 5th and end August 13th. I will be in class Mon, Tue, and Thur from 6pm to 10pm and on Saturday from 9am to 6pm. This is a very doable schedule for working whilst going to the training. I have not found out if I have been accepted yet but my test scores are higher than needed to gain entry into the program. To pass the ERGO test, I had to score a minimum of 75% on both the reading and math portions. My scores were: Human Relations: 77.84%, Mechanical: 88.89%, Math: 93.55%, and Reading: 80%. I really don't foresee and problems getting into the training, I tried to call today to change to the night classes and to find out if I had been accepted, but I had to leave a message, so hopefully I will hear back soon. I think the night classes will be better in the long run, I will have more time to hang out with my family and build forts with my little girl. Building forts is so much better when you have the time and energy to do it...

EDIT: There are no campsites available at Wekiwa springs, dammit!!!