The Difference Between a Good Day and a Bad Day

In a galaxy far far away...

Or a year and a half ago:

WOTY: <answers phone> "Hey, what's up?"

The Dad:  "Well, I guess #7 is going to Mexico with you because the guy at the records place in Sacramento told me it will be 10-12 weeks before he can send me my birth certificate."

WOTY:  "Well, that's a problem, seeing as we're leaving in 5 weeks."

The Dad: (who never panics, ever... IS at this point.) "Yah, I know it's a problem.  (*&^%$&^%$&.  I guess #7 can just go with you."

WOTY:  (Who is usually always the panicker) "Well now, that's not going to happen. What did they say?"

The Dad:  "That since this is older than 20 years ago, they get sent to some department and they can't get them here any sooner."  <more swearing>

WOTY:  "Well you call back and you explain -"

The Dad:  "I did. The guy was a real asshole."

WOTY:  "Fine, give me the number."

The Dad gives me the number and I call and like magic, get the same turd that The Dad got. He didn't care that our airfare was purchased months earlier or that it was unfortunate that his adoptive parents hadn't kept a legal version of his birth certificate and that they'd both passed away and...  So I then asked "ROGER" what his name was and who his supervisor was and as soon as I did that - he offered up another phone number that *might* be able to help us out.

The next day, The Dad tried and got some jackass who hates his job of dealing with the public, but loves the holidays the State takes, the pay the State gives and the benefits the State provides.  Another call from The Dad still in panic mode.

I tell him to call back until he gets a different person.  That it's all about the person you get on the phone - and whether or not that person got laid in the morning.

"Wendy" must have, because she not only told The Dad that she could get a copy in a matter of days, but if he would send down a copy of his license and his receipt (he'd paid for it online), she would overnight it to him.  And she did.  And his passport arrived 10 days after that.

For a time - we joked that it would seem The Dad wasn't a real person.  That he had not, in fact, ever been born.  Ironic, because our President seems to have critics exclaiming the same kinds of things about him.  People like "Roger".  And that IS his real name.  Just trying to draw attention to it.

A few weeks later - The Dad had done his homework about cell phones, service, etc - and out of country trips.  A "What to Expect When Expecting... NOT to Use Your Phone While Out of the Country" kind of thing.  So we paid the extra money and used our phones very sparingly so that we could have them with us in the event of emergency.  Most times Wack left his in the room in the safe, but at night we wanted them to carry them.  

We returned to normal life and found a few months later that Verizon hadn't turned off the "out of the country" option and our bill was astronomical!  Like, we could eat for 7 months on what our bill was.  It took a marathon phone call - but everything was credited and a day was made better.  Until about 6 months later, when upon picking through our bill - Jeff found they were still dinging us for some aspect of the national plan thingy majig.  But because we were only calling at this point in time, they would only credit the past 3 months.  

We have gotten better about bill "inspection".

Fast forward to May 28th, 2012.  I couldn't sleep that night and so I picked up my iPhone that is not Siri-licious and checked my emails.  I saw that our bill from Verizon had come across and because of what I saw - I didn't sleep a wink for the rest of the night.  (I woke up at 4:30A).  $1,175.  Uhhhh... what... the... fuuuuu.....

So The Dad called Verizon:

The Dad: "Uh... yah, I'm looking at my bill and I'm seeing that I no longer have unlimited texting and I absolutely need that, what with 5 phones and 3 of them belonging to college kids.  And it appears you still have us on the international plan... and this number (xxx-xxxx) didn't GO to Mexico so shouldn't be charged for that anyhow."

Verizon:  "We can certainly look into it, but you switched back too early, prior to the fees catching up to us, so those fees you will still be accountable for."

The Dad:  "I switched back too early?  I called, told you guys we would be in Mexico and set it for 9 days.  These fees continue to be billed AND when you switched me back, you turned off the unlimited texting.  I wouldnt DO that."

Verizon:  "Well, let me see...."  click click, type type, unintelligible, type click click type...  "Yah, ummmm  Mister Mennerely, it looks like you just switched back too soon and therefore the fees will have to be paid."

WOTY:  <getting my bitch on>  "Oh no we won't.  This is not our error, it's..."

The Dad:  <giving me the "shut the hell up, I'll handle this" look>

The Dad:  "Is there a supervisor or manager that I could talk to about this.  I think you're getting caught up on the international stuff and I've got more concerns than just that."

Verizon:  "Sure.  Uh... the managers are all busy right now, but I could have one call you back within the next 2 hours."

The Dad:  "That'd be great."

FOUR DAYS LATER:

WOTY:  "Uhhh, what did you ever find out from Verizon?"

The Dad:  "I'll call"

ONE MORE DAY LATER:

WOTY:  "Uhhh, what did you ever find out from Verizon?"

The Dad: <wah wah wah wah wah... wah wah wah wah...>  (Pretending he's the teacher from Charlie Brown from inside the bathroom)

WOTY:  <begins making payment from cell phone for the "usual" amount>

The Dad:  <exits the loo and grabs his phone>

WOTY: <exits stage left and GLADLY goes to pair up 324 socks that she's neglected because socks are the worst part of laundry folding>

Well - as it went, Shyloh helped Jeff and credited the appropriate amount to our account.  She even said she would call back on Monday to make sure we were "seeing" that on our end.  She explained that the representative he talked to when The Dad set up the international plan - SHOULD HAVE explained that in order for things just like this not to happen, means we should keep the plan for an entire month, NOT for just the 9 days we are gone... due to the fact that the charges don't catch up for some time.  Grrrrrr...

Anyhow - the moral of the story is - if you have a job where you have to deal with people - EVER... you should have sex every morning so that you don't have to be like "Roger" or the diphead that said she'd have someone call within the next two hours after we got a messed up bill.  

Just sayin.

A Very Fortunate Girl

May 31, 2012

Today, or tonight, rather...  A young lady at Mt. Baker High School, in Deming (Demingham), Washington - will be the first recipient of The Sarah Baisden Scholarship.  A scholarship built specifically (and legally) for "middle class white kids".  The kids statistically, that have a bit harder time "winning" college scholarships - something that frustrated my niece.  Applications were submitted for this scholarship.  A scholarship that some of you donated to by purchasing some of the "Sarah Forever Young" t-shirts that family and friends put together to help the efforts to make this happen.  (Thank you again!)

She's been on my mind so much lately.  I think about her daily - as I've said before, I have a button in my car with her face and "thumbs" up where my Starbucks card "lives".  This way, I see her and think of her each and every single day.  I don't ever want there to be a day that I don't think of her.  So aside from my time in the car, she's been in my dreams and thoughts while I sit at the computer, on the machine at the club, as I've sat watching TV and for me - because we weren't able to be close prior to September 16th, 2011 - well I spend time wondering "Why?" she might be hanging around as of late?  

It's much like the 8 or 10 weeks after September 16th - while momentarily unemployed during that time, I found myself sitting at my computer and hours later, I would realize I didn't know where the time had gone.  I spent so much time crying for the loss of my beautiful niece and wondering "why?"  I spent time believing down to my core, that these are the things that are supposed to bring family back together.  A young woman who died hating me because of a riff between her mother and I.  Yes, it's supposed to be between my sister and I - and my boys are still in contact with their aunt... but, stuff happens.  Family happens.  And it's too bad.

I picked up where I should  never have left off and sent Katie a couple of cards on her birthday with something kids love most ($$)... then her mom and sister Christmas gifts in Phoenix.  I sent Valentines cards and a Mothers Day card.  I invited her mom, Zach's aunt, to his graduation party.  I'm trying to do the right thing, in a non-threatening way. So I figure she's been around because she's trying to tell me to work at it harder.  More often.  Try something different?  I don't know.  But, and I'm just going to go for it here - I believe I'm supposed to be *getting*  some message.  Is she trying to utilize me and who knows who else for something?  A lesson?  A message?  And while there's a part that is frustrated by not knowing (control freaks hate this...) there's a part of me hoping I don't ever get "the answer".  Because then I could continue to tell her that I'm sorry I didn't get to be the aunt I was for her the first 12 years of her life and own my part of it.  I know she knows... and she knows I'm not the only culprit here.  I know she knew it before September 16th - but I also understand first hand, the things you do and say when your parents divorce and one leaves. You want acceptance.  Affirmations of love.  The parent that left and moved away.  It's hard.  I understand.

Maybe I'm stuck in thinking it has to do with her mom, or her sister and I need to move away from that?  I allowed myself to wonder if perhaps she's been "here" to help guide Zach with his weekend at UW nearly two weekends ago and then his recruitment this past weekend here in The Can.  Maybe I'm just sensing her, but she's really "hanging around" one of the boys.  That's probably it - I'm just getting the "side effects" of her "taking care" of her cousin, or cousins.  

And then today this:

And then later a phone call to tell me tonight was the night and that her sister, Katie, will be awarding the scholarship.  How very brave of her.  I can't imagine...

With bravery tonight, Katie helps, in yet another way, to continue to keep her sister alive by awarding a young lady a scholarship in her sisters name.  And if that girl should attend EWU (where Sarah spent 2 years) or UW (Sarah's planned "next stop") or Cal, Duke, Arizona State, Appalachian State, Utah or Bellingham Community College - I choose to believe that the meaning of and behind this scholarship can... WILL only bring about good.  Good dreams, good opportunities, good jobs, good relationships, good friends, good life experiences.  

All of the things Sarah excelled at.  

Only good can come from it because she was good people...  And this... from tonight's presentation.

Memorial Day 2012

This morning - The Dad said "You should write a nice, touching Memorial Day post today."

I usually don't take The Dads' advice.  For example:

WOTY:  "What shoe should I wear with this outfit?"

The Dad:  "Oooh, I like the one on the right."

~So.. of course I wear the one on the left.

WOTY:  "What sounds good for me to make for dinner?"
The Dad:  "Burgers sounds good, don't you think?"

WOTY:  "Chicken Osaka sounds better.  Thanks."

WOTY:  "What do you want to do?  We have to get used to this whole empty nest, shit ass thing."

The Dad:  "How about I change my shirt and we can go walk around the mall downtown." (Yes, THIS was an actual conversation.)

WOTY:  "It's too nice of a day to walk around inside.  I think I'll go sit on the deck."

Trivial issues and conversations for sure.  But thanks to my heritage and the fact that I live in America... these are pretty much the "worst" things I have to deal with on a day to day basis.  

I think it's realistic to say that most people don't think about military on a day to day basis unless of course their family member is IN the military and/or based overseas.  I would be one of those people.  Right or wrong, that's just an honest comment.

But when Memorial Day rolls around - I find myself a bit disgusted with all of the parties and BBQ's going on because it's not as if celebrating this holiday is so much a good thing.  I mean... when people say "Happy Memorial Day", is it happy for those who have loved and lost someone?  It's a holiday based on the loss of our people who  have died while serving in the USAF, is it not?  

So today my family will celebrate a family members birthday and spend time together - that we are able to spend together because we live in a free country AND because of the people out there working hard to protect our country who are not able to take today off. Who are hoping they come home to their family.  Who hope and pray that next year, they are NOT one of the people behind a "holiday" we have off from work.  The day called "Memorial Day".

These "F's" are A-OK In My Book.

First of all - it's a three day weekend and my-oh-my isn't that Fantastic?!?!

And to start it off with a bang, on Friday night, Zach was taken out to dinner with the UW Fiji rush chairs.  He knew they were coming to town for the weekend and was invited to dinner, to stay over for festivities and today they are going paint balling.  Sounds fun.  

With Ryan's recruitment, it was all based on a scholarship and improving the house and he was recruited 3 weeks before he had to move in. It was a much much different affair! For Zach, he was contacted by five different fraternities.  He met with them last weekend on our visit over there and stayed at the Fiji house - as we know some young men in that house already.  But what we didn't know was how this particular recruitment was going to go.  When would he find out who liked him?  (Who wouldn't?!) What sort of steps does he have to go through with these Spokane visits?  Just a lot of unknowns and if he had the details, well... he's 18, so we were going to get the basics:

MOTY:  So what's the plan?

Wack:  What do you mean?  We're going to dinner then staying at the Chapman (made up) house and paint balling in the morning.

MOTY:  Yah, but... then what?  I mean... you're not driving anywhere right?

Wack:  No.  No one is driving anywhere except to dinner.

MOTY:  Who all is going?  Is Jeff?  Or Chase?  Any of the other guys that are wanting to rush?

Wack:  I don't know.  K.  Welp... see ya later.

MOTY: <under breath>  Welp... eff.  <thumbs up>

We had a cocktail with some friends last night and then went out for a bit later after we all dispersed.  While we were out we got this:

The Fiji house is pretty sweet, I must say.  It is also the closest fraternity to campus.  This made our night.  It is comforting to know that he is going to Seattle and will immediately be involved with a band of brothers.  That he will have immediate bonding and all that comes along with being in a fraternity.  In a city the size of Seattle and at a school as large as UW, and as a parent from The Can - this takes some edge off of Zach's new adventure.

So as #7 left the house those years ago to go to EWU - he had the brotherhood of his football team.  Blue Eyes left two years later to the Mighty Fiji (Phi Gamma Delta) house in Pullman and now Wack is joining the Fiji house at the University of Washington.  

"F" seems to be a letter that is making great things happen for my boys.  Though they will all tell you, the BEAST MOTY was when it came to anything below a B with grades.  Really it was a "C" (on a test or assignment, no how, no way was anything below a B "allowed" on a report card) but they like to embellish those stories.  They've gotten to that age.  It's swell.

But I'm proud to say that an "F" as it stands (for football and Fiji) is acceptable.  

Three F's

Im Feeling Flippin Frustrated right now and The Dad isn't helping.

I couldn't write tonight with him out there flipping channels and settling on some awful noise making show - so I got up to come back and write on the laptop in bed.  

Guess what happened next?  He came back too.  Erg.

I hate it when people stand over me when I'm on the computer.  No... he's not standing over me while I sit here in bed typing, but he's right next to me and I just can't concentrate. 

No, I don't consider this whining.  I removed myself from the noise and was completely FINE in doing so.  He hasn't come back to bed this early in months.  

The End.

My FIJI Boy

Currently I have two college boys.  One (#7) a football player for the 2010 National Champion Eastern Washington Eagles and after working hard for a few years, awarded a full ride scholarship.  Bravo.

Then Blue Eyes - decides to attend WSU and was set to go into a dorm with a boy he knew from high school.  Just 3 weeks prior to his move in date, he was interviewed by members of the Phi Gamma Delta at WSU for a $1000 scholarship.  From that interview, came an award - a "Directors" Scholarship for full room and board if he agreed to come into the house at the start of the school year, maintain at least a 3.2 each semester and IF he made a 3.5 GPA at semester, he would receive a $1000 check.  Each semester.  The goal was to help "improve" the house.  Grades, standards, philanthropy, general involvement.  Ryno Minn has finished 4 semesters and has received the check EACH semester.  When he was interviewed he was told, point blank, that most guys move out their junior year.  They have had it with the noise, crowds, etc.  Ryan thought he would be one of those guys early on.  This year - the FIJI house had one, yes one - junior living in the house.  

Next year... 22 are committed to and signed up to return.  22 JUNIORS.  He has held up his end of the bargain.  The house has the highest cumulative GPA they've had in years.  They are no longer on "tier" which means, they aren't required to do as much philanthropy as other greek houses next year.  It's a step in the right direction.  He took his part of the scholarship to heart and has worked hard, all the while working in the Sports Information Department, working hard to get into and recently accepted to the school of Communication and still having time to enjoy all that college is about.

The FIJI's are known to be a secret keeping group and while I know that Ry-Man is on the cabinet, his own mother doesn't even know what position he holds.  His girlfriend doesn't know!  But to me, that's a small price to pay for the gift he's been given!

His younger brother is being recruited by the FIJI house at UW, as well as a few others - and we, he, is hopeful to get an invite to be a FIJI.  After all of the stories, successes, fun and growth his brother has had - I am hopeful the stars align so that he too, has the opportunity to build these relationships!

That's just a little bit about it - whether you care or not, but mostly what I wanted to do was post this recruitment video, with this great song, that Ryno Minn made for recruits to get an idea of things they do.  We are proud parents and love how giving he was of his time to make this while everyone else was finishing off the year and enjoying warmer days - he was working on this!  And a shout out to Tyler P for all of his work too!

Good stuff...  good stuff indeed!